Gun control vs. gun rights: More than 2 dozen Oregon firearm bills introduced this session

Gun control vs. gun rights continues to be a hot-button issue in Oregon, with more than two dozen bills relating to firearms introduced this legislative session.

None have yet to gain serious traction for a combination of reasons. A barrage of bills is clogging the system, Measure 114 is facing ongoing court challenges, and the state has already reformed several gun laws in recent years.

Many of the record 3,317 bills, resolutions and memorials introduced this session will inevitably die.

Separate state and federal challenges have left Measure 114, a sweeping expansion of Oregon gun laws voters narrowly passed in 2022, in legal limbo.

Even without the muscle of Measure 114, which would require Oregonians to apply for and obtain a permit before purchasing a gun and outlaw large-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, Oregon has some of the strictest gun safety laws in the nation.

It ranks just outside the top 10 by the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence (No. 11) and Everytown for Gun Safety (No. 12).

The Giffords Law Center annually ranks states based on new and preexisting gun laws. Oregon’s grade has risen from a D+ to an A- in the past 10 years and has what the organization recognizes as the 11th-strongest gun laws in the U.S.

“We probably could be doing a better job publicizing what we have on the books, but there’s still more work to do,” said state Sen. Lisa Reynolds, D-Portland, a chief sponsor for a handful of firearms-related bills this session.

Here is a look at some of those and others introduced this session.

Bill aims to take firearms out of hands of ages 18-20

Senate Bill 697 would limit gun possession for people who are under 21 years old with exceptions for certain groups such as police officers and military personnel.

The bill is also known as the Russell Paul Evans Act, after the late grandfather of Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, and a carryover from a bill introduced by Evans during the 2023 session. House Bill 2006 received a public hearing but died in committee upon adjournment.

While Senate Bill 697 addresses concerns about the role of young people in gun violence incidents, including mass shootings, opponents argue it infringes on the Second Amendment rights of 18- to 20-year-olds.

The bill would make it illegal for someone under 21 to use or possess semiautomatic rifles or shotguns, and it would have a significant impact on high school trap shooting, one of the fastest-growing sports in the country. An estimated two-thirds of firearms used in trap shooting are semiautomatics.

72-hour waiting period could reduce gun violence and suicide

Senate Bill 429 would implement a mandatory 72-hour waiting period for transfers of a firearm or unfinished frame or receiver from the time a gun dealer requests a criminal background check and has received an approval number from Oregon State Police.

Supporters say waiting period laws delaying the purchase by a few days can reduce gun homicide and suicide rates and allow for more thorough background checks.

Opponents argue the bill has no provisions for OSP accountability or timely response to the application, leading to what they would expect to be an indefinite waiting period.

DOJ would study state licensing for gun dealers

House Bill 3076 would direct the Department of Justice to study the establishment of a state gun dealer licensing program, which sponsors believe necessary to deal with a handful of bad-faith gun dealers who skirt regulations and whose guns sold are disproportionately found among those used in crimes.

Opponents argue a state-level licensing program would be redundant. Oregon gun dealers already need a Federal Firearms License from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and they must renew it every three years.

Seventeen states and the District of Columbia require dealers to obtain a license, including Washington and California, to engage in the retail sale of firearms.

Lawmakers would be allowed to carry in Capitol

House Bill 3742 would allow members of the Legislature and their staffers with concealed handgun licenses to possess a firearm in the Capitol, a response to concerns for their safety walking to and from vehicles and an increasingly hostile political climate.

The bill comes four years after armed protesters breached the security at the Capitol, which was closed to the public at the time. That same year, lawmakers passed a bill banning firearms in the Capitol.

Oregon gun rights organizations and CHL carry permit holders are outraged.

“We adamantly oppose this attempt to, once again, elevate the members of the legislature over the people they work for,” the Oregon Firearms Federation posted on its website, calling it an “outrageous insult” to deny citizens this right while allowing legislators to be armed.

Bill targets rapid-fire activators for firearms

Senate Bill 696 would create the crime of unlawful transport, manufacture or transfer of a rapid-fire activator, a device attached to a firearm to increase the trigger rate and mimic automatic weapon fire.

The crime would be punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.

The bill also would create the crime of unlawful possession of a rapid-fire activator, punishable by a maximum of 364 days in prison, a $6,250 fine or both.

CHL would negate need for permit to purchase

Matching House Bills 2396 and 2780 would automatically qualify a person to obtain a permit to purchase a firearm if they hold a valid concealed handgun license.

A permit-to-purchase system, part of Measure 114, has yet to be established, let alone defined or resourced, because of the ongoing court challenges.

The permit system would require anyone who wants to buy a firearm in Oregon to pass a background check and take a firearms safety course first. No permit is currently required, and a gun can be given to a buyer after three business days, even if the background check is unfinished.

House and Senate bills want study of background check efficiency

Three identical bills have been introduced, two in the House (2606 and 3074) and one in the Senate (243), requiring the Department of State Police to study the efficiency of background checks for gun transfers.

All three bills direct the department to submit findings to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to the judiciary no later than Sept. 15, 2026.

Resolution would establish right to carry in state constitution

Senate Joint Resolution 27 proposes an amendment to the Oregon Constitution establishing a right to carry concealed firearms. The resolution would refer the proposed amendment to the people for their approval or rejection at the next regular general election.

Capi Lynn is a senior reporter for the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to her at clynn@statesmanjournal.com, and follow her work on X @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiLynnSJ.