SB 775 Oregon
No gun background checks for concealed handgun license holders.
Exempts concealed handgun licensees from private firearm transfer criminal background check requirement.
Position: Oppose
Status: Senate Committee On Judiciary
Legislation
HR 358 National
Interstate Transportation of Firearms or Ammunition
Relaxes laws regarding transportation of firearms. Changes burden of proof to prosecution.
Position: Oppose
Status: Died in a previous Congress
HR 509 National
Abolish the ATF
To abolish the ATF and transfer its functions to the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration.
Position: Oppose
Status: Died in a previous Congress
HR 38 National
Federally Mandated Concealed Carry
The House, including Congressmen Schrader and Walden, voted December 6, 2017 to pass HR 38, Concealed Carry. This bill will endanger law enforcement, private citizens, and allow people who have been convicted of violent misdemeanors carry hidden, concealed guns in all states.
Bills have been introduced in both the House and Senate (H.R. 38; S.B. 446) that would mandate “concealed carry reciprocity.” This means that each state would be required to honor a concealed carry permit issued by another state.
Currently, each state has its own rules about which carry permits, if any, from other states it will honor. But under concealed carry reciprocity, for example, Maryland – a state with broad discretion in granting permits – would be required to honor a permit granted by the state of Utah – a state which grants permits without discretion, even to out of state residents.
Maryland would then have to allow the Utah permit holder to carry a concealed firearm everywhere within Maryland that a local permit holder may carry.
In addition, 12 states are permitless carry states. That means untrained residents from those states who may legally possess firearms in their state could legally carry concealed firearms – without obtaining a permit – even in the other 38 states that normally require permits.
Oregon law does not require a concealed carry applicant to even touch a gun before obtaining a permit to carry a loaded, hidden gun. While some counties require hands-on training, Oregon law does not.
Over 200,000 Oregonians currently hold concealed handgun licenses and are permitted to carry loaded, hidden guns into sensitive places including public schools, graded K through 12.
Reciprocity is similar to allowing people who have never even been in a car to have drivers licenses and forcing other states to honor those licenses. Oregon state law does not require an applicant for a concealed handgun license (CHL) to even touch a gun to obtain a CHL. (Some Oregon counties do require CHL applicants to shoot a firearm before granting a CHL but Oregon state law does not.)
HR 38 does not require high standards for carrying concealed guns. We are all at higher risk of gunshot injury when untrained people carry guns.
Position: Oppose
Status: Died in a previous Congress
SB 549 Oregon
Expanding CHL privileges to retired parole and probation officers.
-This bill would confer concealed handgun license privileges to parole and probation officers.
-Currently, honorably retired police officers are conferred CHL privileges.
-Parole and probation officers must apply for a CHL just as other citizens do.
Position: Oppose
Status: Senate Committee on Judiciary
HB 2173 Oregon
Guns in Public Fallacy Bill
Allows person harmed by criminal act resulting in physical injury or death to bring action for damages against place of public accommodation if place of public accommodation prohibits visitors from possessing firearm.
Ceasefire Oregon suggests a corollary: Anyone harmed by a criminal act in a location where guns are permitted are allowed to bring action for damages.
Position: Oppose
Status: House Committee On Judiciary
HB 2127 Oregon
Forced Mandated Concealed Carry (Reciprocity)
Directs Department of Justice to create and maintain list of states that recognize Oregon concealed handgun licenses and require handgun competency to obtain concealed handgun license that is similar to competency required in Oregon. Authorizes Attorney General to enter into agreement with concealed handgun license issuing authority of other state if agreement is necessary for license reciprocity. Provides person who is not resident of Oregon, who is not otherwise prohibited from possessing firearm and who is licensed to carry concealed handgun in another state with protections provided to person with Oregon concealed handgun license, if other state is on department’s list of states.
Position: Oppose
Status: Referred to Judiciary with subsequent referral to Ways and Means.
HB 2126 Oregon
Repeal SB 941 and Deny Trace Data to Law Enforcement
Repeals requirement that person engaged in business of selling, leasing or otherwise transferring firearms record in register purchase or acceptance in trade of used firearm and provide copy of record to law enforcement agency.
The primary intent of this bill is to repeal SB 941, the Oregon Firearm Safety Act which requires background checks for almost all firearm sales. An unintended consequence could be to prevent law enforcement from receiving trace data concerning guns used in crimes.
Position: Oppose
Status: House Committee on Judiciary
HR 367 National
Deadly Silence Act/Hearing Protection Act
Currently, firearm silencers (called suppressor by the industry) are regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA) which also regulates the sale and possession of automatic rifles. (Yes, people still own fully automatic rifles even though they are heavily regulated.)
The Deadly Silence Act will allow gunfire suppressors to be deregulated and be sold to the public without regard to the dangers posed by silencers.
The Boston Globe reported on July 16, 2017, that "the National Hearing Conservation Association recently declared that silencers provide inadequate protection against hearing loss — recommending ear plugs or other protection even when silencers are in use." (http://bit.ly/2v7KXvt)
History on HR 367 from the American Suppressor Association: "In 2011, the American Suppressor Association formed with one primary goal in mind: remove suppressors from the purview of the National Firearms Act. For years, we have quietly worked behind the scenes in Washington, D.C. to set the stage for [the] Hearing Protection Act..." http://americansuppressorassociation.com/hearing-protection-act/
From The Boston Globe:
"Lifting the restrictions on sales, says Robert Spitzer, a political science professor at the State University of New York at Cortland and author of five books on gun policy, is really about boosting the fortunes of the gun industry.
'A lot of money is made in the gun industry from accessories,' he says. 'This is especially true of the popular AR-15-like weapons — assault-type weapons — which are sometimes referred to as ‘Barbie dolls for men.’
"The sound of gunfire, Spitzer says, is actually an important safety feature. Joggers running in the woods or pedestrians walking city streets should be able to hear gunshots clearly so they can avoid danger."
The American Suppressor Association (ASA) claims they only want to protect the hearing of gun enthusiasts. (Ceasefire Oregon suggests ear muffs which are inexpensive and effective.) The ASA professes to be concerned about the "tender ears of young shooters." Too bad they are not concerned about the tender bodies of young gunshot victims.
Position: Oppose
Status: Died in a previous Congress
Amdt. 4751 National
The Grassley Background Check Amendment
Amdt. 4751 to the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill (S.2837) filed by Sen. Charles Grassley. Senator Grassley’s amendment would repeal longstanding law and make it legal for people with dangerous mental illnesses to buy guns. Specifically, this proposal would allow people who have been involuntarily committed due to severe mental illness to buy a gun immediately after leaving a psychiatric hospital and enable veterans who suffer from severe mental illness, and who are at risk of suicide, to legally buy guns. Furthermore, it would invalidate hundreds of thousands of mental health records already in the background check system.
Position: Oppose
Status: Failed to pass a vote at 2:30 PM PDT, June 20, 2016. Nay: 53; Yea: 47