After hours of hearings, statements and political maneuvers,  the only thing clear about the gun debate in the Colorado  Legislature is that nothing is clear.

Most of Gov. Bill Owens' package of gun-control proposals is  on track, with one more proposal to be heard in committee next  week.

But defiant members of his own Republican Party are pushing  several gun-rights bills, including one that would 'pre-empt' most  city and county gun rules, allowing people to carry guns in more  places.

And House Republicans on Friday voted down a proposal to ban  concealed handguns from school grounds, prompting a veto threat  from Owens.

'I would veto the pre-emption bill if the situation with  concealed carry in schools remains as it is today,' Owens told  reporters Friday. 'Last year, I made the point that schools are  off-limits or face veto, and I'm still where I was last year.'

Despite the energy going into the gun debate, it could stall  in the Senate. There, the committee handling gun bills has become  a black hole, where gun-control and gun-rights bills disappear.

Under orders from Republican legislative leaders, lawmakers  are rushing to get all of the gun bills done by mid-February, so  they can move on to other issues, such as education and tax cuts.

That has led to what Owens on Friday dubbed 'gun month' as  the General Assembly tries to sort through about 20 gun bills in  six weeks.
