Guns and legislatures

DENVER

NRA abridges event schedule

The National Rifle Association on Wednesday dramatically scaled back events it will host during its annual convention to be held in Denver next week.

"The tragedy in Littleton last Tuesday calls upon us to take steps, along with dozens of other planned public events, to modify our schedule to show our profound sympathy and respect for the families and communities in the Denver Area in their time of great loss," NRA President Charlton Heston and Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre said in a prepared statement.

The NRA convention originally was scheduled to last all day April 30 and May 1 and 2, with exhibits by nearly 300 gun dealers and others ranging from Glock Inc. and Soldier of Fortune to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

The group instead will hold its annual meeting of members at 10 a.m. May 1 at the state's Convention Center, "as required by New York not-for-profit statutes which govern our bylaws," Heston and LaPierre's release said. Association officials on Wednesday said they would not conduct any "festive" events.

ARIZONA

Governor vetoes gun bill

PHOENIX — One day after the Colorado school slayings, Gov. Jane Hull vetoed a bill that would have barred Arizona cities and towns from enacting their own restrictions on guns and from suing weapons manufacturers over gun violence.

Hull said Wednesday she supported the lawsuit ban — "I would be very glad to sign that" — but objected to prohibiting local gun restrictions without instead providing any statewide regulation.

Spokeswoman Francie Noyes said Hull already disliked the ordinance ban but had her opposition solidified by Tuesday's fatal shooting spree in Littleton, Colo.

MICHIGAN

Concealed weapons bill delayed

LANSING — Tuesday's shooting rampage at a Colorado high school put a damper Wednesday on bills making it easier to obtain concealed weapon permits in Michigan.

But the holdup may be only temporary.

Although the Senate scrubbed a committee meeting planned for Thursday on concealed weapons legislation and a House member canceled a Thursday briefing on a similar bill, a House committee still plans to open debate Thursday on that chamber's concealed-weapons measure.

MINNESOTA

Governor supports concealed weapons

ST. PAUL — Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura said Wednesday the school shooting in Littleton, Colo., makes the case for loosening restrictions on who can carry concealed weapons.

"I believe it supports conceal and carry because of the fact that what happens when a group of unarmed individuals are confronted with people with weapons like this, you have no defense. There is no defense out there," Ventura told WCCO Radio in Minneapolis.

WASHINGTON

Legislators work to restrict gun access

Several U.S. senators vowed Wednesday to renew efforts to pass bills restricting access to guns, saying that expressions of sympathy in the wake of the shooting deaths of high school students in Colorado were empty words unless they were accompanied by action.

Among the bills mentioned were measures to require gun owners to use lock boxes or safety locks on guns to prevent children and others from gaining access to the weapons, to require dealers at gun shows to conduct background checks on customers before selling firearms, to regulate Internet gun sales, and to reinstate a five-day waiting period before the purchase of a handgun.

All of the gun control proposals were introduced before the Colorado slayings, but have received little attention from the Republican-controlled Congress, which tilts toward gun rights.

Compiled from staff and wire reports.