Republican lawmakers hold town hall to address red flag law
Less than 24 hours after Governor Jared Polis signed the Red Flag bill into law, Republican lawmakers are addressing the concerns their constituents have.
A town hall held in Fountain this morning drew a lot of people wondering, what happens next?
The meeting was hosted by Senator Dennis Hisey who represents parts of El Paso, Teller and Fremont County. He was joined by Representative Lois Landgraf. They both voted against the bill.
Sen. Hisey says the red flag bill is one he heard lots of concern over when it was still going through the legislature.
“We got thousands of emails and phone calls on this when it was in the Senate and people are concerned about it violating their property rights and their right to own a firearm,” he says.
The bill passed through the House on party lines and made it through the Senate by one vote.
Rep. Landgraf said the divide amongst the two parties is more obvious than ever.
“I think there’s no unity between the two sides. I think yesterday really proved that. If we didn’t already see that, yesterday was the defining moment to me,” she says.
Joining them was a representative from the National Rifles Association, who was able to give insight on some legal challenges someone might face if the red flag law is used against them.
Also giving insight was Fountain Police Chief, Chris Heberer. He’s among the dozens of law enforcement leaders across Colorado who are questioning the constitutionality of the bill.
Some Sheriff’s like Allen Cooper in Fremont County and Steve Reams in Weld County have refused to enforce it.
Heberer says it’s not that easy.
“What I want to be careful of to replicate and role-model for my police officers that we don’t start picking and choosing the laws we follow and don’t follow because that’s a slippery slope and ultimately not good democracy for our people,” the Chief says.
Just days ago, Democratic lawmakers, Senator Pete Lee and Representative Marc Snyder held a similar town hall meeting, but they voted for the bill.
Rep. Snyder says, “I know for folks they worry about a slippery slope but this is very narrow and I think we’ve toned it to the bare minimum but we still have the ability to affect some change.”
Ultimately, the bill is now law and will go into effect in January 2020, unless it’s challenged in a court.
El Paso County Commission, Longinos Gonzalez, Jr said at the town hall, they are looking into their legal options and will either join a lawsuit against the bill or initiate their own.
