Oregon Firearm Legislation

By Oregon Firearms Federation

Although there are numerous bills dealing with firearms in the 2009 Legislature, some good and some very bad, the two that have had the most attention have been HB 2463 and HB 2727.
HB 2463 would require Oregon to recognize all other state’s concealed handgun licenses, and HB 2727 would protect the privacy of CHL holders.
What makes both these bills remarkable is the support they have received from both sides of the aisle and the law enforcement community. As a matter of fact, HB 2727 which was created with the help of the Oregon Firearms Federation, was introduced at the request of Oregon Sheriffs.
Since a Medford teacher was harassed by her school district and principle when it was discovered that she had a concealed handgun license, it has been clear that making this information public could result in widespread abuse. In fact, the Medford Mail Tribune demanded the names of every teacher in the county who had a CHL.
The sheriff, Mike Winters, refused to disclose the names and legal action has been ongoing ever since. With the passage of 2727, these kinds of invasive demands would be halted.
HB 2727 has support of virtually every sheriff in Oregon and the vast majority of CHL holders.
House Bill 2463 would recognize the concealed handgun licenses from every state that issues one. This very concept has been debated in the Oregon Legislature for years, and over and over the law enforcement community has opposed it. But this year, the Oregon Sheriffs have stated their approval of the concept, defusing all but the most anti-gun legislators.
Both of these bills have been heard in the House Judiciary Committee but not passed as of time this article was written.
Other bills that correct errors in Oregon law are currently languishing in the Senate Judiciary Committee where the chairman, Floyd Prozanski, has indicated no interest in hearing them. One, SB 573, would correct the anomaly in Oregon law that allows someone with a felony conviction to petition the court to have his rights restored to BUY a gun, but is still not allowed to OWN a gun. So far efforts to convince Prozanski to address this error have been unsuccessful.
HB 2463 and 2727 have a good chance of passing on the House floor, but their fate in the Senate is uncertain.
A list of all pending gun legislation is available on the website of the Oregon Firearms Federation – oregonfirearms.org.
Contact your legislator today!