Colorado Senate Bill 8

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Republican efforts to extend to the workplace the same rights Colorado citizens already have to protect their homes from violent intruders were stymied by ruling Democrats today.

Senate Bill 8, sponsored by the GOP’s Sen. Ted Harvey, of Highlands Ranch, and Republican Rep. Cory Gardner, of Yuma, would have provided immunity to an owner, manager or employee who needs to use deadly force to protect himself in a workplace. Sponsors said that the bill was intended to spare the likes of mom-and-pop shopkeepers from malicious prosecution if they defend themselves at work.

The current law protecting homeowners' use of deadly force is referred to as the "Make my day" law--after the old Clint Eastwood movie line--prompting advocates of the law's expansion to dub their proposal, "Make my day better."

“They barely asked any questions of the witnesses today before unanimously voting against the bill,” Harvey said after the party-line vote in committee. “I wish they would have at least given an explanation about why they voted the way they did.”

Gardner feared the potential chilling effect of today’s vote.

“The last thing people should be worrying about when trying to defend themselves from violent attacks at work is whether some district attorney is going to second-guess their decision,” Gardner said. “This is about protecting the real victims.”

Harvey believes that the United States Supreme Court Heller decision, which affirmed that the right to bear arms is an individual right, strengthened the case for the bill, and he said he was disappointed with the way the Democratic committee members treated the hearing.

Harvey said that even though this version of the bill is dead, he sees this battle being fought again.

“I don’t think this is the last we’ll be hearing about this issue,” he said. “Coloradans believe in the 2nd Amendment and don’t want be made to feel guilty about protecting themselves from violence at work.”


Contact State Senator Josh Penry dist. 7 (joshpenry@gmail.com)
Representatives Steve King dist. 54 (steve.king.house@state.co.us)
Laura Bradford dist. 55 (laurabradford55@gmail.com)
to demand a revisit on this Senate Bill.