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House approves measure to bar firearm possession after three first‑degree auto‑theft convictions after heated floor debate
Summary
The Colorado House passed House Bill 11‑71, adding first‑degree motor vehicle theft to the list of convictions that prohibit later firearm possession for previous offenders. Supporters said it targets repeat, violent offenders; opponents said it risks expanding penalties and undermines rights for nonviolent offenders.
House Bill 11‑71, which adds first‑degree motor vehicle theft to the list of convictions that can bar a person from possessing a firearm as a previous offender, passed the Colorado House after extended floor debate on April 17.
Supporters, including Representative Armagost (bill sponsor co‑sponsor remarks were made during floor debate), the bill's proponents in local law enforcement and several district attorneys, argued the measure targets a narrow group of repeat offenders who present heightened public‑safety risks. Representative Baron and others described the proposal as aimed at "career" criminals — offenders who, they said, typically steal vehicles multiple times, often in connection with other violent or organized criminal activity — and urged lawmakers to approve a tool that would limit those individuals' access to weapons.
Opponents voiced constitutional and proportionality concerns. Representative Sober, who explained a no vote in the House Judiciary Committee, said denying Second Amendment rights to people whose underlying offenses did not involve firearms would be an “infringement” and asked the body to require a closer nexus between the specific crime and a firearm prohibition. Several members urged focusing on sentencing changes instead of expanding prohibitions tied to non‑firearm offenses.
Lawmakers debated amendments that narrowed the bill’s scope. Early drafts would have included second‑ and third‑degree motor vehicle theft; sponsors and committee negotiators removed those categories before floor passage. They also added a mechanism (an amendment adopted in committee and referenced on the floor) to let an individual petition the court to restore firearm possession rights after a 10‑year period of clean criminal history following the third conviction.
The bill received sustained attention in committee and on the floor, with criminal‑justice balance and civil‑liberty themes recurring throughout debate. Proponents emphasized public‑safety testimony from sheriffs and prosecutors that first‑degree motor vehicle theft increasingly involves firearms and violence. Opponents cited due‑process and “slippery slope” arguments, warning about expanding firearm prohibitions for nonviolent offenses and the practical effect on people who have served their sentences.
The House adopted the bill after closing debate; the transcript records the passage but does not print a roll‑call tally in the floor record excerpt provided. The bill now proceeds to the other chamber for further consideration.
Ending: The measure represents a negotiated compromise between members calling for tougher tools against repeat vehicle thieves and those warning against broad, post‑sentence restrictions on constitutional rights. Further changes are possible as the bill continues through the legislative process.
