Oregon Legislature Adjourns 2016 Session

Today, the Oregon Legislature adjourned its 2016 Legislative Session.  This year saw the introduction and defeat of two dangerous and misguided anti-gun bills, Senate Bill 1551 and House Bill 4147.

SB 1551 sought to strip away a person’s ability to purchase a firearm based solely on an allegation without affording due process of the law.  An anonymous phone call or internet submission, alleging that a person is experiencing a “mental health emergency,” would place a 30 day hold on all firearm purchases unless the accused petitions the court for relief.  The accused would be saddled with the burden of proving their mental competency by “clear and convincing evidence,” thereby creating a system of “guilty until proven innocent.”

HB 4147 sought to remove the current safeguard that prevents indefinite delays on firearm transfers which allows federal firearms dealers (FFL) to release a firearm after three business days if the Oregon State Police (OSP) are unable to determine whether a recipient is prohibited from possessing a firearm.    This deferral from OSP does not necessarily mean the recipient is prohibited, but rather that OSP is not satisfied with the background check inquiry and a determination has not yet been made. 

Thank you to all NRA members and Second Amendment supporters for your active involvement throughout the 2016 legislative session.  Your NRA will continue to stand and fight for the rights of law-abiding gun owners and sportsmen across Oregon.