…and in fact has been on life support for some time. But knowing they’ve already won won’t put a damper on plans by the Colorado chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and their allies to turn out in force today at a House State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee hearing and denounce Senate Bill 116. That’s Littleton Republican state Sen. Tim Neville’s proposal to let Coloradans lawfully carry concealed weapons without so much as a permit.

The Moms issued a press release Tuesday rallying their troops for the hearing on what they assert is a “reckless” bill.

OK, so here we go again. As we observed the last time the Moms mustered opposition to this same bill, earlier in the session, Neville’s envelope-pushing measure — approved by the GOP-ruled Senate and now dutifully carried in the Democratic-controlled House by Republican state Rep. Kevin Van Winkle of Highlands Ranch — seems intended more as a right-to-arms manifesto than a serious attempt at viable legislation. That’s not to challenge its merits — not our call — but rather to point out it hasn’t a chance in Speaker Crisanta Duran’s chamber. Just doesn’t fit her party’s world view.

It will, however, make fun target practice for the House kill committee’s majority Democrats. Then, peppered with buckshot and resembling Swiss cheese, it will be laid to rest.

Plenty of us remember when Colorado’s current concealed-carry permit law was itself regarded as a radical notion in some quarters. It was the culmination of a hard-fought, years-long effort by gun-rights advocates. It was a breakthrough in its own right — back when both chambers of the legislature were run by the Republicans, and the governor was a Republican, too.

Neville stakes his proposal on principle, to be sure. As he told his colleagues in the upper chamber when his bill debuted there: “If you’re legally eligible to possess a firearm, you should be able to carry that weapon concealed for self-defense without begging for government’s permission.” Alas, he’ll have to reserve his principled position for a more sympathetic audience.

None of that is about to prompt the Moms to settle for just phoning in their opposition, of course. They’ll be there with their game faces on. And here are the details from their press release:

WHAT:Volunteers and gun violence survivors testifying against SB 116.

WHO:Jane Dougherty, whose sister, Mary Sherlach, was shot and killed at Sandy Hook School on December 14, 2012, and a member of the Everytown Survivor Network

Tom Sullivan, whose son, Alex Sullivan, was shot and killed on his 27th birthday at the Aurora movie theater on July 20, 2012, and a member of the Everytown Survivor Network

Annette Moore, volunteer with the Colorado chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America

Other volunteers with the Colorado chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America

WHEN:Wednesday, April 26, 1:30 p.m.

WHERE:Colorado State Capitol200 E Colfax AveDenver, CO 80203