Gun bill to require background checks: "Enough is enough," says Rhonda Fields
Fields says, "I think most people would agree that you should require a background check to be able to possess a gun. We already have federal regulations when you buy a gun in a store.... Why shouldn't it be required for private sales?... It's just a loophole I would like to close."
Having support from the governor is key, she says. "He has already taken a leadership role...and I think Colorado in its own way will take on a leadership role to address gun violence." 
Photo by Brandon Marshall Barack Obama in Aurora for his final Colorado rally last year.
Hickenlooper, in an announcement a few days after the Connecticut shooting, unveiled a comprehensive mental health system overhaul that has already earned him national recognition.
For her part, Fields says she is proud of what New York has accomplished with its strict gun measures and hopes that Colorado can follow suit.
"What my legislation does is keep guns out of the hands of criminals," Fields says. "If we can keep one gun out of the hands of one dangerous person who would hurt another child, it's worth it."
She says she is also exploring possible legislation to limit high-capacity magazines. But she definitely plans to introduce her background-check bill, likely next week.
Public opinion is shifting in the wake of the elementary school shooting, she maintains.
In her words, "People are saying, 'Enough is enough with the bloodshed already.' These victims are everywhere."
More from our Politics archive: "Guns for Everyone to host pro-gun rally at Capitol to mark start of legislative session"
Follow Sam Levin on Twitter at @SamTLevin. E-mail the author at Sam.Levin@Westword.com.
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