“One of the things you learn in government, whether it’s municipal or not, is that with all the differing points of view, you’ve got to find a common ground. You’ve got to learn how to compromise, you really have to listen.”

Like all elected officials, Rep. Rick Taggart worked through some occasionally testy situations, and developed a reputation for being somewhere between mild-mannered and cool-headed.

From manufacturer liability to 'assault weapons' ban, Colorado Democrats set sights on gun bills

Just how many gun bills do Democrats intend to support in the 2023 session? The number appears to range from a minimum of seven to as many as a dozen.

But it's unlikely all of those bills, with Democratic sponsors, will reach the governor's desk, even in a legislature with a Democratic supermajority in the House and one vote shy of another in the state Senate.

On the other side of the aisle, Republicans are gearing up for a fight against many of these measures, with the "assault weapons" ban at the top of the list.

Rep. Matt Soper, R-Delta, said his concern revolves around the bill's definition of an assault weapon. For rural Coloradans, the definitions sound like a ban on the kinds of firearms they use, not just rapid-fire weapons.

Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, said his constituents are worried their guns will be taken away or they won’t be allowed to buy them. This isn’t coming from just the gun enthusiasts, Catlin said.

“They see it as a major threat,” he said, referring to rural residents.

Both versions of the bill have drawn the ire of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, which has started a petition to the governor to oppose the bill.

So far, however, just one bill has surfaced from the Republican caucuses in support of gun rights, a "Second Amendment Preservation Act" from Rep. Ken DeGraaf, R-Colorado Springs. 

DeGraaf told Colorado Politics earlier this month the bill would prohibit Colorado law enforcement from enforcing federal laws that could infringe on the Second Amendment, although he said it could apply more broadly than that. The bill, HB 1044, has been assigned to the "kill" committee — House State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs, with a Monday, Feb. 6 hearing date. 

A final tribute to the late House Minority Leader Hugh McKean
Marianne Goodland, Colorado Publics
The last tribute by lawmakers to the late House Minority Leader Hugh McKean, R-Loveland, took place as an informal joint session of the state House and Senate.

Memorials to deceased lawmakers have always been separate events, and reserved only for the chamber where the member served. A lawmaker who served in both the House and Senate is honored in both chambers separately. If a lawmaker served only in one chamber, only that chamber held the memorial.

Such was the honor accorded to McKean Friday that both the House and Senate paid tribute in the one-of-a-kind joint session, although not all senators attended.

Just how many gun bills do Democrats intend to support in the 2023 session? The number appears to range from a minimum of seven to as many as a dozen.

But it's unlikely all of those bills, with Democratic sponsors, will reach the governor's desk, even in a legislature with a Democratic supermajority in the House and one vote shy of another in the state Senate.

On the other side of the aisle, Republicans are gearing up for a fight against many of these measures, with the "assault weapons" ban at the top of the list.

Rep. Matt Soper, R-Delta, said his concern revolves around the bill's definition of an assault weapon. For rural Coloradans, the definitions sound like a ban on the kinds of firearms they use, not just rapid-fire weapons.

Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, said his constituents are worried their guns will be taken away or they won’t be allowed to buy them. This isn’t coming from just the gun enthusiasts, Catlin said.

“They see it as a major threat,” he said, referring to rural residents.

Both versions of the bill have drawn the ire of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, which has started a petition to the governor to oppose the bill.

So far, however, just one bill has surfaced from the Republican caucuses in support of gun rights, a "Second Amendment Preservation Act" from Rep. Ken DeGraaf, R-Colorado Springs. 

DeGraaf told Colorado Politics earlier this month the bill would prohibit Colorado law enforcement from enforcing federal laws that could infringe on the Second Amendment, although he said it could apply more broadly than that. The bill, HB 1044, has been assigned to the "kill" committee — House State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs, with a Monday, Feb. 6 hearing date. 

House Bill 1045 is the only bill unanimously approved by the House so far this session. The bill clarifies that members of the Colorado National Guard and military reserve forces are allowed to take three weeks of leave from work when called to service or for training.

“This bill better protects the civilian employment rights of our Colorado National Guard as they respond to state disasters such as wildfires and blizzards,” said bill sponsor Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Fort Lupton, a National Guard veteran. “Despite being in a historically small Republican minority, the unanimous passage of my bill shows my commitment to finding common sense solutions that help all of Colorado.”

Two bills passed with near complete support, with only one representative voting against each: House Bill 1053 to allow the Division of Veterans Affairs to spend donations made to the Western Slope Military Veterans' Cemetery Fund, and House Bill 1052 to expand property tax exemptions to partially disabled veterans who do not have 100% permanent disability, pending voter approval in 2024.

Rep. Stephanie Luck, R-Penrose, said she voted against HB 1053 because it would also create a new fund in the Department of Public Safety, which she thought was unnecessary. Rep. Rod Bockenfeld, R-Watkins, said he voted against HB 1052 because it would fund the expanded tax exemptions by decreasing refunds from the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. 

The most divisive bill of the bunch was House Bill 1028, which seeks to allow former legislators to get a special name badge indicating their status. The bill passed in a 40-23 vote — the smallest margin by far out of Tuesday’s bills — with members of both parties voting for and against the bill.

In Colorado, suicide is the leading cause of death for teenagers and young adults. Lawmakers want to help address this with one small change. 

If passed, House Bill 1007 would require higher education institutions to print the numbers of suicide hotlines on the back of their student identification cards. Bill sponsor Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, said she hopes this will increase access to essential services, and reduce the stigma of using them.

“It normalizes the idea that some people might need to use that number. It helps reduce the stigma of feeling depressed or suicidal,” Amabile said, adding that her son has greatly benefitted from calling crisis hotlines in the last year after previously attempting suicide twice. “It’s really been a lifesaver for him.”

In 2021, 10% of Colorado’s suicide deaths were among college-aged adults, age 19 to 24, according to the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado. That’s nearly twice the suicide rate of youth aged 10 to 18. Advocates say the transition period of early adulthood can take a toll on a person’s mental health, with the stress of increased financial and social responsibility adding to the loss of lifelong support systems. 

Nationally, in the 2020-21 school year, over 60% of college students met the criteria of at least one mental health condition and around 25% of the age group said they had seriously considered suicide.

"In my district, we are having way too many young people deciding to end their lives,” said Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, who also sponsored the bill. “This is an easy attempt to reach out to people to say, ‘It’s okay. If you need help, we want to help.'” 

Saying it’s time to treat losses from vehicle theft equally, a bipartisan group of state legislators is spearheading a bill that would make all motor vehicle thefts a felony.

Currently, the value of the stolen vehicle is what determines whether it is charged as a felony or as a misdemeanor, but House sponsor Rep. Matt Soper says the loss is devastating to consumers, whether it is a Porsche or a Honda. He sees stiffening the penalties as a strong deterrent for criminals who are motivated by risk versus reward.

“We are getting rid of the value element for auto theft. We’re going to treat auto theft much more like a burglary of a home or business. We don’t consider the value of a home or business when we charge someone who breaks into your home, so why should we consider that when someone steals a car?” Soper, a Delta County Republican, said on Tuesday, Jan. 31.