04.29.2021
Today, as expected, the House passed SB 554B.
The bill will restrict where CHL holders may protect themselves and others while doubling the cost of a permit.
Proponents of the bill have repeatedly claimed that under it your minor child could be an “authorized person” to possess one of your firearms to protect themselves in your home.
Here are exact quotes from the bill.
(1) “Authorized person” means a person authorized by the owner or possessor of a firearm to temporarily carry or control the firearm while in the presence of the owner or possessor.
(b) That the owner or possessor of the firearm is in the person’s own residence, either alone or with only authorized persons who also live in the residence and who are not minors, and the residence is secure.
We added the emphasis.
What do you think the bill means?
During the debate, Republican Leader Christine Drazan lashed out at the Oregon Firearms Federation, calling’s us “inaccurate and misleading” while defending her capitulation to the Democrat majority and helping them pass this latest attack on your rights by making sure there were enough Republicans on the floor to provide a quorum.
Taking a page from Floyd Prozanski’s playbook she pointed to exactly not one single thing we said that was inaccurate or misleading. This has become the custom of the many Republicans under her leadership. Shift the blame, cover your backside and collect the money.
She expressed her anger that we concentrated on contacting the Republicans we supported instead of contacting the Democrats who promised to make gun restrictions the centerpiece of this session. Translated this meant, “Please leave us alone. Call the people who are doing exactly what they said they would do so we don’t have to take the heat for folding like five dollar hide-a-beds.”
Drazan, and the other Republicans in the House, had the tools to stop this bill. Instead they chose to give up even the pretense of working to protect your rights when they made a deal with the Democrats to speed the process of passing leftist legislation in exchange for millions in Federal money.
Drazan can continue to blame you and OFF for her unwillingness to stand up to the left. But you and OFF don’t get a voice in the legislature because we are not allowed in our own building anymore.
During election season Drazan was eager to contact us and meet with us whenever she wanted money. Our PAC was generous in funding the candidates she asked us to help. Now, when we ask that she and her caucus do their jobs, we are the devil.
While Drazan pointed out that the bill does not have an emergency clause so the “people who oppose it” can put it on the ballot, she did not offer to return any of the money we sent her to fund a referral.
We think a refund is in order.
6 Republican Senators folded on the original version of this bill and let it pass in the Senate. Now all but two Republican House Reps showed up on the floor to provide the quorum for this version to pass the House.
The bill now goes back to the Senate for concurrence on the changes made in the House. There is still time for this terrible bill to be killed, but it will require that Republicans stand up. Something they seem only interested in doing to attack us… and you.
Added:
After the floor session, House Rep Bill piled on. We are eager to have Post report what the “lies” he is talking about are. Go ahead Bill. Please share.