Kevin Starrett Director of Oregon Firearms Federation Reviewing Initiative Petition #17 3:08PM Monday July 04th, 2022 Independence Day on KWRO
07.01.2022
As we prepare to celebrate Independence Day, let’s not forget what we are celebrating.
The blood of countless patriots was spilled to free us from a tyrannical and unaccountable government determined to control and oppress us. Sounds familiar doesn’t it?
The recent Supreme Court Decision striking down New York’s unconstitutional ban on self defense outside the home is reverberating across the country. As you may have heard, this decision is poised to impact multiple other 2nd Amendment cases nationwide.
We believe that, long term, we will see many local restrictions overturned as a result of the ruling in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association vs Bruen. The key words here being “long term.”
In the short term we are facing a challenge whose severity cannot be overstated.
Almost immediately after the decision came out, New York started crafting language to create as many obstacles and impediments to the court’s ruling as they could. Other states are sure to do the same.
At a time when crime is skyrocketing and Soros funded DA’s are making sure criminals are not punished, places like New York are not only doing all they can to prevent people from having self defense firearms, they are also trying to outlaw things like body armor.
It has never been more clear that the state is doing all it can to keep the populace defenseless in the face of rising mob violence.
And Oregon is following suit.
The sponsors of gun ban initiative IP 17, believe they have enough signatures to put this measure on the ballot. Oregon’s Secretary of State, who will verify the signatures, is a rabid anti-gun extremist who has never hidden her disdain for gun owners and OFF in particular, so we have little doubt the measure will be approved for the ballot.
If that happens you can rest assured that the cartel media will promote and misrepresent what it actually does.
While the proponents of the measure will probably receive massive influxes of cash for media buys, they will certainly be getting most of it for free from the controlled establishment press.
As such, it is essential that people know what this measure actually does so they can share this information with others.
It is not an overstatement to say that, for many, this measure would essentially ban the future purchase of firearms.
That is NOT an exaggeration.
Section 2 of the measure calls for the “regulation of sale, purchase, and otherwise transferring of all firearms.”
Section 3 creates a mandate for a “permit to purchase” a firearm. Any firearm.
As you know, Oregon already requires the permission of the Oregon State Police before a person can purchase a firearm. Firearms may not be purchased or transferred without approval of the State Police through the Oregon background check system.
Oregon State Police have no statutory time limit on how long they can take to conduct a background check. There are many cases of people waiting over 2 years for the completion of a check.
Requests for information or corrections from OSP are routinely ignored.
While current law allows a transfer to take place after 3 business days if the OSP has not completed the check, in practice that virtually never happens because dealers fear retribution from the ATF. (This ballot measure removes even that one small and rarely used safeguard.)
IP 17 creates a second and far more onerous “permit to purchase” that will be required before you can even start the often frustrating process of getting permission from the State Police.
Under the proposed “permit to purchase” you must apply for the new permit from the police chief or Sheriff of your jurisdiction.
That will require an additional background check and fees.
The applicant must provide any information the “permitting agent” demands.
The applicant must complete a “firearms safety course.” (Keep in mind this is required just to ask for permission from the sheriff, to then ask permission from the State Police to simply buy a firearm. Not to carry one.)
Here is how the “safety course” is described:
8) As used in this section, “proof of completion of a firearm safety course” means the following:
(a) Proof of completion of any firearms training course or class available to the general public that is offered by law enforcement, a community college, or a private or public institution or organization or firearms training school utilizing instructors certified by a law enforcement agency, and that includes the components set forth in paragraph (c) of this subsection; or
(b) Proof of completion of any law enforcement firearms training course or class that is offered for security guards, investigators, reserve law enforcement officers, or any other law enforcement officers, and that includes the components set forth in paragraph (c) of this subsection;
(c) A firearms training course or class required for issuance of a permit-to-purchase must include:
(A) Review of federal and state laws in place at the time of the class and other safe practices related to ownership, purchase, transfer, use and transportation of firearms;
(B) Review of federal and state safe storage laws in place at the time of the class and other safe practices related to safe storage, including reporting lost and stolen guns;
(C) Prevention of abuse or misuse of firearms, including the impact of homicide and suicide on families, communities and the country as a whole; and
(D) In-person demonstration of the applicant’s ability to lock, load, unload, fire and store a firearm before an instructor certified by a law enforcement agency. This requirement may be met separately from the other course requirements in subpargagraphs (A), (B) and (C) of paragraph (c), which may be completed in an on-line course, provided the on-line course has been conducted by a trainer certified by law enforcement.
(d) Proof of successful completion of a training course in order to meet the requirements for a concealed handgun license issued under ORS 166.291 and 166.292 may be submitted for a permit as a substitute for the requirements in paragraph (c) of this subsection, provided the completed course included each of the components set forth in paragraph (c) of this subsection.
(9) The department may adopt rules to carry out the provisions of this section.
The required course must be taught by “instructors certified by law enforcement, not NRA certified instructors.
There is no requirement that these classes actually be made available anywhere.
There is no definition of who is qualified to “review state and federal laws.”
There is no limit on what you will be charged for the “safety course.”
The “instructors” will be required to have a range for live fire.
There is no time limit on how long the “permitting agent” can take to issue the “permit to purchase” as long as the “permitting agent” says he needs more time to determine if the applicant is qualified.
A person attempting to purchase a firearm could wait forever to get permission from the sheriff to then ask for permission from the State Police, which could also, literally, take forever.
In any location where law enforcement does not, or will not provide live fire training, a firearm’s purchase would be impossible.
The measure also requires a published database of persons attempting to purchase firearms like that just released to the public in California.
The database can include any information the State Police decide to include. That means your name, date of birth, physical description, and home address and phone number.
The measure also outlaws the possession, sale, manufacture, or transfer of new firearm’s magazines over 10 rounds (the kinds most common in modern firearms), and the prohibition of having existing magazines outside your home unless they were transported locked up in route to a range.
In light of recent court decisions, the magazine ban will almost certainly be found unconstitutional. However, if enacted by Oregon it will be law until challenged in court where our anti-gun Attorney General will certainly defend it at your expense.
The magnitude of this ballot measure simply cannot be overstated.
If you think Oregonians would never pass something this dangerous, keep in mind what kind of government the residents of Portland keep reelecting. Keep in mind that Oregon voters overwhelmingly approved a measure to legalize hard drugs which has resulted in unprecedented crime and overdose deaths.
Voters often don’t read what is actually in ballot measures and rely on the emotional and inaccurate, but well funded campaign pitches by their sponsors. This measure will be no different. Please be prepared to help us fight this insanity or the things our forefathers died for could become a memory.
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