Even the National Rifle Association has advocated keeping guns out of the hands of those likely to commit a violent crime.
But that policy was too lenient for the pro-gun Utah Senate, which refused to even debate a bill that would have prohibited handgun purchases by those judged in domestic violence protective orders to be violent individuals."The bill would only have applied to those cases where a court hearing had been held and the court had ruled there was a likelihood that the individual will be violent," explained Attorney General Jan Graham, who made the prohibition one of her top legislative priorities.
The prohibition would last as long as the protective order, usually 120 days. "That's the period when things are most volatile, when these women need protection the most," Graham said.
The refusal to even debate the bill was seen as a slap at women, who are typically the victims of such violence, and it was an embarrassment to pro-gun advocates who had argued they would support responsible gun laws.
"I am definitely not against responsible controls," said House Majority Whip Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville and sponsor of two bills reinforcing the rights of Utahns to own firearms. "Yes, I thought her (Graham's bill) was responsible."
Graham was convinced the bill would have passed if brought to a vote, and she had received promises from Republican leadership in both houses that it would be given priority. Senate Majority Whip Leonard Blackham, R-Moroni, was even a co-sponsor of the legislation.
But 1995 was a bad year for any kind of gun control, even that deemed by conservatives to be responsible gun control.
Lawmakers passed one bill overturning any and all gun control laws passed by cities and counties that are more restrictive than state law. And another bill was passed making it a lot easier for Utahns to carry concealed weapons.
"The message we sent is that it's all right for law-abiding citizens to own guns," Waddoups said. "We want you to have one, but we want you to be responsible and to be educated."
The concealed-weapons law, patterned after a similar law in Florida, comes with the requirement that those wanting to carry concealed weapons pass a weapons-training course sponsored by an approved organization.
Several bills that would have implemented tough new gun-control laws failed early in the session.