04.18.13
Four anti-rights bills moved out of the Senate Judiciary Committee today.
Senator Arnie Roblan who had told us he saw little need for three of these bills voted for all four. Roblan was the swing vote and he caved to the pressure of the Senate Democrats and agreed to attack your liberties.
The bills that passed, with 3 Democrats voting yes and both Republicans (Jeff Kruse and Betsy Close ) voting no, were SB 347, 699,700 and 796.
SB 347 as amended will make you a criminal if you are a CHL holder and you take your daughter to a soccer game at a school.
SB 699 as amended would make you a criminal if a firearm you were carrying in a “public building” could be seen. As bad as that is, what’s worse is that this bill redefines what a “public building” is. While currently that term is pretty limited, this bill would expand it to “any other building owned or occupied by a public body as defined in ORS 174.109”. As NRA lobbyist Roger Beyer pointed out, in some small towns this could be a private home! For example, a small water district might have its office in the private residence of a member of that board. If you pulled into his driveway with a rifle in your pickup, you would become a felon! Apparently Arnie Roblan was informed of this and voted for it anyway.
SB 700 as amended will make it illegal to give a gun to your nephew or your best friend without permission from the failed State Police ID Unit . It will require that you acquire and use state issued forms and keep records of your transfer for 5 years. It allows the State Police to delay a transfer… forever.
It provides no relief if the delay is unwarranted.
SB 796 as amended will make it illegal for you to to use 21st century technology to get firearms instruction for a CHL.
This bills now all move to the full Senate for a vote. They can still be defeated if all Senate Republicans vote no and one Senate Democrat votes no.
Since it is now clear that Roblan is going to roll over and vote for these attacks, that means the only Senate Democrat who could vote no is Betsy Johnson.
She has repeatedly written that she will vote no and her staff assured us today she is solidly against all four bills. But it never hurts to encourage her.
If your Senator is a Republican or is Betsy Johnson, a short note of opposition to these bills is in order.
You can use this link to send an email to your Senator even if you do not know who he is. Be sure to only check the “State Senate” box.