7/29/24: Westminster says NO to allowing guns in City buildings
An unnecessary debate led to a positive conclusion
If you missed it, see my previous newsletter:
On July 22, 2024, Westminster City Council prioritized public safety by voting (4 to 3) to NOT opt Westminster out of SB24-131, keeping the great bill in effect which says that guns are not allowed in sensitive public spaces like City Hall.
Actions on this bill from other municipalities:
12 counties, cities and towns have opted OUT of the bill, including: Aurora, Palmer Lake, Monument, Castle Rock, and Douglas, Teller, Routt, Mesa, and Morgan counties.
Arvada City Council will debate this next month.
But I’m proud of Westminster and what we were able to accomplish with the help of activists, residents, and advocacy groups.
As I discussed in my last newsletter, here was the background of the debate:
SB24-131 (Prohibiting Carrying Firearms in Sensitive Spaces) is a Senate Bill, sponsored by Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis and others, signed by the Governor on May 31, 2024, and becomes effective July 1, 2024. The bill establishes that it is a Class 1 Misdemeanor for any person to bring a firearm into “sensitive spaces” such government buildings and courthouses. Specifically, guns are not allowed at:
The chambers or galleries of a local government’s governing body are located;
A meeting of a local government’s governing body is being conducted;
The official office of any elected member of a local government’s governing body or the chief executive officer of a local government is located.
The only exceptions are our current peace officers, a member of the armed forces who is acting in their official capacity, and hired security personnel.
The bill allows local governments to “opt out” and create their own bills allowing carrying of a firearm in their public buildings.
The problem: One of my colleagues on City Council brought a Resolution to opt Westminster out and allow guns into the chambers. This was a dangerously bad idea.
Our staff and Police Department agreed with my position that Westminster should not allow more guns in our sensitive spaces.
We trust our officers.
My argument against opting out remained:
We trust our officers - they take care of us and they also do not want more “variables” in the form of random bullets firing from the audience during an active shooter event
It deters public servants from running for office
It intimidates citizens from freely expressing their views
In the end, we protected our democratic process and our public safety by rejecting the proposal.
Hopefully now we can spend our time on important policy changes that can actually benefit our residents - e.g. affordable housing, fixing our roads, or lowering your utility bills. You know, actual real problems.
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Your newsletters are so helpful to help us navigate this confusing political climate. I love your views. Wish I could vote for you, but I live in Seattle.