Oregon Bill Would Control Private Firearms Transfers
Wednesday, 01 Apr 2015 06:28 PM
By John Blosser
An Oregon bill to control the transfer of firearms between private, non-related persons could land a seller in jail for up to 10 years and impose a fine of up to $250,000 if passed into law.
The bill, Senate Bill 941, represents the third time Oregon Democrats have tried to pass such legislation in the last two years, but supporters say this time it looks like it has a better chance, with a larger Democratic legislative majority, the Eugene Register-Guard reports.
Passions are running high on both sides of the bill, sponsored by Eugene Democratic state Sen. Floyd Prozanski, and erupted at a public hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which could vote on the bill as early as Thursday.
The bill would require that anyone wanting to transfer a gun privately must do so through a licensed firearms dealer, for a fee, and have a background check run through the Oregon State Police, unless selling the gun to a close relative, the Statesman Journal reports.
For a first offense, it would be a misdemeanor carrying up to a year in jail and a $6,250 fine. Do it twice and it becomes a felony and the heavier punishment kicks in.
Breitbart News commented, "Background checks will not keep guns out of the hands of some of the most dangerous persons — at least. They have failed to do so in the past, but in Oregon, they will crush you with a $250,000 fine for selling a gun to your co-worker."
Prozanski told the Statesman Journal, "My goal is to keep individuals who shouldn't have access to guns from having easy access to guns."
Kevin Starrett, head of the Oregon Firearms Federation, said, "If they were saying, 'Yes, it's an inconvenience for you people, but at least we're getting bad guys off the street,' I'd still object to it philosophically, but they'd have a practical argument."
"But they're not getting bad people off the street," he told the Statesman Journal.
At the hearing, Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer said that it was "borderline treasonous" to pass the bill, and that he had "no intention" of enforcing the bill if it is passed, Oregon Live reported.
NRA lobbyist Dan Reid told the Register-Guard that criminals obtain their guns through "theft, the black market or the use of straw purchasers," adding, "Only the law-abiding will comply with this new law."
Reid complained that if he were an Oregon resident leaving town for awhile, and wanted to store his firearms with a friend for safety, under the proposed law he would be required to transfer them through a licensed firearms dealer and pay a fee.
Former Portland Police Chief Mike Reese told the committee, "It is far too easy for a prohibited person to avoid a background check by simply buying a gun from an unlicensed seller," Oregon Live reported.
The law also would allow a judge to prohibit those under court-ordered mental health treatment from purchasing a gun and require police to notify local law enforcement if an applicant failed a background check, the Register-Guard reports.
