Representative Perry Buck talks to Representative Jerry Sonneberg as the House debates HB 1224 prohibiting large capacity ammunition magazines at the Denver State Capitol February 15, 2013. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)
Vice President Joe Biden called four Democrats in the state House Friday afternoon to get their take on a epic gun debate underway at the state Capitol, and to note Colorado's importance in a national debate on gun control.
Republicans, who have insisted for a week that Democrats are jamming their gun bills through the House, jumped on the news, saying it explains Gov. John Hickenlooper's support of three of the four bills during a news conference Thursday and an apparent change of heart among some Democratic lawmakers on Friday.
"It obviously explains everything," said Minority Leader Mark Waller, D-Colorado Springs.
But House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, laughed at the suggestion. He pointed out the gun bills
had been scheduled to be introduced last week and debated in committee and on the floor this week before he got his call Friday afternoon from Biden."I was shocked that he called," Ferrandino said. "He said he thought the bills could help them on a national level."
Biden, who is in Colorado on a ski trip, echoed the same themes with at least three other Democratic lawmakers: Mike McLachlan of Durango, Tony Exum of Colorado Springs, and Dominick Moreno of Commerce City.
"He said it would send a strong message to the rest of the country that a Western state had passed gun-control bills," Exum said
The country is embroiled in a debate over gun control after mass murders inside a Colorado movie theater in July and a Connecticut elementary school in December.
The House, which began debating the first of four bills gun at 9:30 a.m., expects to work into the night and possibly early Saturday.
The House so far has given initial approval to two of bills, signaling that Democrats stand a good chance of getting their way on gun legislation this session.
Democrats control the House, Senate and the governor's office. An official vote on bills debated Friday would take place in the House Monday.
Some Republicans believed they could peel off the five Democrats needed to kill a bill that prohibits high-capacity magazine measures. But only three Democratic lawmakers opposed House Bill 1224, despite concerns that Colorado businesses involved in the manufacture of the weapons components will leave the state.
Waller said he found it shocking that a "pro-business governor" like Hickenlooper could even think of supporting that bill.
Democratic Reps. Ed Vigil of Fort Garland, Leroy Garcia of Pueblo and Steve Lebsock of Thorton are opposed to the measure.
Republicans were hoping that McLachlan and Diane Mitsch Bush of Steamboat Springs would join them in defeating he bill .
Though it took lawmakers more than five fours to debate the first bill, the magazine measure, Republicans weren't looking at their watches ? but at the 2014 calendar.
They predict Democrats in swing districts who vote for the gun bills are going to be in big trouble back home.
"I think it's going to produce incredible results for us in 2014," said Rep. Amy Stephens, R-Monument.
Rep. Max Tyler, D-Lakewood, countered that every issue is fodder in his Jefferson County's swing districts
"I have to stand up and do what I think is right," he said. "I'm not going to worry about what they're going to slice and dice and run against me. I have to vote for what I think is correct, what I think my district supports and what my conscience supports."
Democrats control the House 37 to 28 after taking back the majority in November.
All four bills passed out of committee this week on party-line votes, after hundreds of Second Amendment advocates asked that the measures be killed and the victims of gun violence asked that they be approved.
Republicans had accused Democrats Thursday of cutting off their debate during an Appropriations Committee hearing on the bills. If the GOP thought they were going to get headlines on that charge Friday they were wrong.
Ferrandino let Republicans ? and Democrats ? talk.
And talk.
And talk.
"It's not good for Colorado and I urge that we do what's right and kill this bill," Waller said, ?claiming if the magazine bill passed businesses would leave Colorado and cost some 700 jobs.
"Limiting the number of bullets will save lives," countered Rep. Lois Court, D-Denver. "It's intuitive ... more bullets, more weapons, more killing. Less bullets, less weapons, less killing."
The debate was mostly civil, although certainly heated and passionate.
But rookie lawmakers stunned at the vitriolic e-mail and phone messages they have received over gun bills.
Rep. Joe Salazar, D-Thornton, read a profanity-laced note he received calling him a fascist and saying you will "(bleep) die."
"I started thinking to myself, 'Boy, do I want that guy to go through a universal background check?' " Salazar said, getting a big laugh.
The House also gave initial approval to House Bill 1228, which would require that gun customers pay for the cost of their state-performed background checks, but said there was a problem and they will return to that bill.
They now are debating final gun bill, House Bill 1226, involves which bans concealed carry permits on campuses. Several Democrats have expressed concern about that measure, but whether that results in a "no" vote is still up in the air.
It is not clear when the House will finish. Ferrandino said the debate will continue into the wee hours if necessary.
Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327, lbartels@denverpost.com or twitter.com/lynn_bartels
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