You made your voices heard, and once again, it worked.
In its original form, HB 2334 contained several provisions that were a danger to gun owners and confusing for law enforcement. But today, after you made your feelings known, the bill was amended to address all the concerns we had about it. What’s even better, the bill contains provisions we have been working towards since last session.
If this bill makes it through the full House and then the Senate, active duty military personnel will be able to renew concealed handgun licenses by mail, a goal we have been working towards for two years.
As amended, the bill more specifically defines “residency” for purposes of obtaining a CHL and prohibits persons who have been dishonorably discharged from the military or are registered sex offenders from gaining CHL’s. The prohibition would also be extended to people who have had two convictions for possessing marijuana.
The sections that address the marijuana convictions are a bit complicated, but they state that only one conviction for a marijuana violation does NOT disqualify a license applicant. The exception would be a person who has both a conviction, and has been through a court supervised “diversion” program. These programs are sometimes offered to persons who have been convicted, and if completed allow the conviction to disappear. So if, after a person has completed one of these programs they have a subsequent violation, they can be denied a CHL.
However, all the vague language that referred to mere “reports” by police about drug use have been removed, and other sections that were subject to misinterpretation and abuse have been stripped from the bill. This and the inclusion of the military renewal language were clear victories for your activism.
On another note, we told you in an alert on 4.21.07 that there are very well founded rumors that the Port of Portland may be attempting to use another bill to expand the powers they were denied when your response (apparently) killed HB 2852.
While we have been unable to get a confirmation, the best information we have now indicates that the bill that may be used is HB 2890, a bill which creates a crime of having a handcuff key. We believe that this bill may be “gut and stuffed” with the language the Port’s Police want to expand their power. This bill is currently scheduled to be heard this Friday.
Several Capitol insiders have informed us that there is extensive talk of a “deal” where the Port will rescind its illegal “no-guns” policy in exchange for this power expansion. If that’s true, that’s fine with us. All we have demanded all along is that they obey the law. However, unless there is an unequivocal elimination of the illegal ordinance, we are still opposed. Vague promises of future action are not enough.
We are having important and significant victories but please take the time to contact the House Judiciary Committee one more time and tell them “no” to any “deal” that does not fully remove the illegal Port policy.
Sample message follows:
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Dear Representative,
I have received a report that there may be an attempt to “gut and stuff” a bill to allow the Port of Portland Police to expand their powers. As you know, this very idea was rejected when they attempted it in HB 2852.
I urge you not to make any “deals” with the Port of Portland until it rescinds its illegal “no-gun” policy.
Very truly yours,
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