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04.08.17
As we told you in our last alert, anti-gun bills are about to get hearings.
First, on Wednesday, April 12, the Senate Judiciary Committee will be hearing a strange bill requested by a former Senator.
SB 897
"Creates crime of militia terrorism."
This bill was introduced at the request of former anti-gun legislator, Charlie Ringo, and is clearly a reaction to the Malhuer occupation. But it serves little purpose but to stigmatize the term "militia" and open the door for prosecutions of people who have actually complied with law enforcement orders to leave a "publicly owned premises". It's one more attempt to demonize the mere possession of a firearm, serves no public benefit and deserves to be shuffled off to the garbage heap.
But the real action comes on April 17, when both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees have scheduled numerous anti-gun bills for hearings.
Just so you know, these hearings have been scheduled and designed to limit public input as much as possible.
Both committees are limiting testimony to two minutes. It appears the Senate committee is limiting testimony to two minutes for all bills being heard. That means if you testify, you get a total of two minutes to express your feelings about all three bills on the schedule. That's 40 seconds a bill and that is no accident.
Rest assured the anti-gun folks will be given a lot of leeway when they testify.
The bills being heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee at 8 AM in Hearing Room 50 are:
SB 764
This bill "Directs Department of State Police to study reasons for certain denials of concealed handgun license applications and report results to interim committees of Legislative Assembly related to judiciary on or before February 1, 2019."
However, unpublished amendments will change this bill drastically . We don't know what the proposed changes will be yet but when they are made public you can see them here. Because the "relating clause" says "relating to firearms" This bill can be turned into anything.
SB 797
This is the bill we told you about in our last alert. It allows the Oregon State Police to deny a gun purchase to anyone for as long as they want. There are no safeguards for people who are delayed in error, which is 95% of people delayed. We strongly oppose this dangerous bill.
SB 868
This bill allows a family member or police officer to petition a court to remove any firearm you own with no arrest for, or conviction of, a crime. While it purports to be about removing firearms from the hands of "dangerous" people, it considers you "dangerous" if you have purchased or acquired a firearm or ammunition in the last 180 days. We strongly oppose this dangerous bill.
Over on the House side the Judiciary Committee will also be hearing gun bills. They will be heard at 1PM also in Room 50 in the Capitol basement. Those bills are:
HJR 13
This resolution "Proposes amendment to Oregon Constitution providing that law authorizing police officer to ask person if person is in possession of firearm is not law violating right of people against unreasonable search or seizure." Currently, due to an Oregon Supreme Court decision, police, under most circumstances, are not allowed to ask a person if he possesses a firearm. This resolution, which would require a vote of the people, would eliminate that rule. While we support the intention, the resolution is overly broad and even with a proposed amendment that limits the police powers, goes way too far, allowing a police officer to stop anyone and ask them if they have a firearm. Without further amending we oppose this legislation.
HB 2526
This bill, the product of a Republican (Knute Buehler) and a rabidly anti-gun Democrat (Elizabeth Hayward) "Directs Department of Justice to establish firearm safety and suicide prevention education program, to create or approve educational materials and to provide educational materials to gun dealers." It also says "Multiple versions of materials must be created or approved, to reflect the different local values and cultures within this state." Once again, an attempt to demonize firearms as if they were the only means by which a person could commit suicide. The reality is, far more people are harmed by prescription drugs. Both sponsors are doctors. Why are they not addressing the damage done by the drugs they are allowed to prescribe? We strongly oppose this bill.
HB 3281
This bill "Authorizes state agency employee who is licensed to carry concealed handgun to store personal handgun and ammunition in locked container in vehicle while employee is at work and vehicle is parked in state agency parking lot."
If this bill is not saddled with dangerous amendments we support it.
Please contact the Senate Judiciary Committee and urge them to vote "no" on Senate Bills 897,797 and 868.
Please contact the House Judiciary Committee and urge them to vote "no" on House Resolution 13 and House Bill 2526.
We will keep you informed on any changes made to SB 764 and HB 3281.
Thank you for your activism.
------
Oregon Firearms Federation
As we told you in our last alert, anti-gun bills are about to get hearings.
First, on Wednesday, April 12, the Senate Judiciary Committee will be hearing a strange bill requested by a former Senator.
SB 897
"Creates crime of militia terrorism."
This bill was introduced at the request of former anti-gun legislator, Charlie Ringo, and is clearly a reaction to the Malhuer occupation. But it serves little purpose but to stigmatize the term "militia" and open the door for prosecutions of people who have actually complied with law enforcement orders to leave a "publicly owned premises". It's one more attempt to demonize the mere possession of a firearm, serves no public benefit and deserves to be shuffled off to the garbage heap.
But the real action comes on April 17, when both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees have scheduled numerous anti-gun bills for hearings.
Just so you know, these hearings have been scheduled and designed to limit public input as much as possible.
Both committees are limiting testimony to two minutes. It appears the Senate committee is limiting testimony to two minutes for all bills being heard. That means if you testify, you get a total of two minutes to express your feelings about all three bills on the schedule. That's 40 seconds a bill and that is no accident.
Rest assured the anti-gun folks will be given a lot of leeway when they testify.
The bills being heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee at 8 AM in Hearing Room 50 are:
SB 764
This bill "Directs Department of State Police to study reasons for certain denials of concealed handgun license applications and report results to interim committees of Legislative Assembly related to judiciary on or before February 1, 2019."
However, unpublished amendments will change this bill drastically . We don't know what the proposed changes will be yet but when they are made public you can see them here. Because the "relating clause" says "relating to firearms" This bill can be turned into anything.
SB 797
This is the bill we told you about in our last alert. It allows the Oregon State Police to deny a gun purchase to anyone for as long as they want. There are no safeguards for people who are delayed in error, which is 95% of people delayed. We strongly oppose this dangerous bill.
SB 868
This bill allows a family member or police officer to petition a court to remove any firearm you own with no arrest for, or conviction of, a crime. While it purports to be about removing firearms from the hands of "dangerous" people, it considers you "dangerous" if you have purchased or acquired a firearm or ammunition in the last 180 days. We strongly oppose this dangerous bill.
Over on the House side the Judiciary Committee will also be hearing gun bills. They will be heard at 1PM also in Room 50 in the Capitol basement. Those bills are:
HJR 13
This resolution "Proposes amendment to Oregon Constitution providing that law authorizing police officer to ask person if person is in possession of firearm is not law violating right of people against unreasonable search or seizure." Currently, due to an Oregon Supreme Court decision, police, under most circumstances, are not allowed to ask a person if he possesses a firearm. This resolution, which would require a vote of the people, would eliminate that rule. While we support the intention, the resolution is overly broad and even with a proposed amendment that limits the police powers, goes way too far, allowing a police officer to stop anyone and ask them if they have a firearm. Without further amending we oppose this legislation.
HB 2526
This bill, the product of a Republican (Knute Buehler) and a rabidly anti-gun Democrat (Elizabeth Hayward) "Directs Department of Justice to establish firearm safety and suicide prevention education program, to create or approve educational materials and to provide educational materials to gun dealers." It also says "Multiple versions of materials must be created or approved, to reflect the different local values and cultures within this state." Once again, an attempt to demonize firearms as if they were the only means by which a person could commit suicide. The reality is, far more people are harmed by prescription drugs. Both sponsors are doctors. Why are they not addressing the damage done by the drugs they are allowed to prescribe? We strongly oppose this bill.
HB 3281
This bill "Authorizes state agency employee who is licensed to carry concealed handgun to store personal handgun and ammunition in locked container in vehicle while employee is at work and vehicle is parked in state agency parking lot."
If this bill is not saddled with dangerous amendments we support it.
Please contact the Senate Judiciary Committee and urge them to vote "no" on Senate Bills 897,797 and 868.
Please contact the House Judiciary Committee and urge them to vote "no" on House Resolution 13 and House Bill 2526.
We will keep you informed on any changes made to SB 764 and HB 3281.
Thank you for your activism.
------
Oregon Firearms Federation
