Democrat, Independent Join Most Senate Republicans To Pass Capitol ID Bill, 19-15

Posted: March 14, 2018

A bill that would let people pay for ID cards and background checks so that they may bypass Capitol metal detectors passed 19-15 out of the Colorado Senate on Wednesday on a mostly party-line vote. 

All Republicans except Sen. Beth Martinez Humenik voted to approve the bill. All Democrats except Sen. Stephen Fenberg of Boulder voted against. And the Senate's only independent, former Democrat Cheri Jahn of Wheat Ridge, sided with the Republicans.

The bill moves next to the Colorado House, controlled by Democrats. 

The Colorado Lobbyists Association says 91.3% of lobbyists surveyed support an ID-card bypass, citing long lines and frequent trips between unsecured buildings and the state Capitol, which has metal detectors.

Members of the general public also have to go through security screening, but legislators, aides, interns, state employees and certain members of the media do not. 

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