SALEM, Ore. — “Ballot measure 114 will be the systematic end of firearm purchases in Oregon,” Aoibheann Cline with the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action said.
On November 8th, Oregonians will vote on ballot measure 114, otherwise known as the Gun Violence Reduction Act.
“Measure 114 is a safety and effective measure,” Anthony Johnson with the Yes On 114 Campaign said.
It’s a ballot measure that supporters claim will reduce gun violence in Oregon.
However, Aoibheann Cline said there’s more to the story than this claim.
“It’s only going to affect law abiding gun owners and NRA members and it’s not going to have any measured impact on the reduction of gun violence act as it’s titled,” she said.
The NRA has taken a strong stance against the measure, which would place a ban on gun magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds. Cline said the ballot is worded to call these magazines high or large capacity. She said in reality, 10 rounds is industry standard.
“First these are commonly owned and commonly used,” she said.
Johnson said they support the ban.
“Those high-capacity magazines of more than 10 are used in the most-deadly mass shootings,” he said.
However, Cline said some of the most popular firearms in the US come with magazines that can hold anywhere from 15-30 rounds.
The proposed law said the magazines could be grandfathered in, but under certain conditions.
“Under the grandfathering clause, they say you are only allowed to use that on your own personal property that you own, at a shooting range or while hunting — the issue with that is self-defense — the right and need for self-defense doesn’t end at your front door,” she said.
In one part of the ballot measure, the text reads (if the ballot is passed) it will be an affirmative defense to own a magazine with a higher capacity than 10 rounds, and hasn’t been grandfathered in. The text mentions ORS 166.055, which doesn’t exist.
KAPP KVEW spoke with the Oregon Legislative Counsel who said it’s likely a typo, and if voted in, legislation would have to amend it during session.
Cline also spelled out how 114 could burden local law enforcement agencies.
“We’re already very underfunded and understaffed in Oregon, it is going to be the responsibility of individual law enforcement agencies to conduct the permitting process as well as the training — a concealed weapons license doesn’t count, hunter safety doesn’t count, NRA safety courses don’t count,” she said.
The ballot text also says these departments will have to maintain a database for people who get permits to purchase or transfer a firearm. Nowhere in the text does it state that database will be public.
Johnson said 114 will be good for state spending.
“It’s an investment that will not only save lives but it’s also an investment in our economy because gun deaths cost our state billions of dollars a year,” he said.
Johnson also said it would close a background check loophole.
“The completed background check is really important because currently three percent of gun sales take longer than three days and when that background check takes longer than three days the seller can sell that gun even if they’re not legally allowed to possess it,” he said.
“A background check is already required for any purchase or any transfer of a firearm in Oregon and in federal law — federal law has a failsafe that say sin three-days if the background check hasn’t been processed — SSL has the discretion to release a firearm, that rarely happens,” Cline said.
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