PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Oregon State Police on Thursday launched a new webpage that includes a gun permit to purchase application and explains the steps required to receive a gun permit in the state after the passage of Measure 114.
The implementation of Measure 114, Oregon’s new gun control law that voters passed in the November election, is currently on pause after a Harney County Circuit Court judge approved a temporary restraining order on the measure Tuesday.
The Oregon Supreme Court also ruled Wednesday that the hold on the measure will remain for now.
Despite this, Oregon State Police said it is moving forward with its efforts to prepare for the measure’s implementation.
Its new website is a first step.
Under Measure 114, a person must apply for and be issued a “permit to purchase” a firearm from the local law enforcement authority that oversees the jurisdiction where the person lives.
Before a person can buy, lease or transfer a firearm from an Oregon gun dealer, they must show proof of current identification and a valid permit to purchase. If they have those two things, a federally licensed gun dealer can conduct a firearms background check on the person.
The permit to purchase application is available on the new Oregon State Police website. State police ask anyone who completes the application to submit it, and the required proof of completion of an approved safety course, to a local police department or sheriff’s office.
The permit agent at the local police department or sheriff’s office will review the application packet before submitting it to the Oregon State Police for a national and state background check.
The permit agent will make the final decision on whether to issue a permit to purchase or to deny the applicant. The decision must be completed within 30 days of the Oregon State Police’s background check.
In addition to completing the permit to purchase application, anyone hoping to purchase a gun in Oregon must also show proof that they’ve completed a firearms training course or class offered by law enforcement, a community college, or a public or private institution or organization or firearms training school that has instructors who are certified by a law enforcement agency.
The eligible courses must review federal and state laws that are in place at the time of the class that relate to gun ownership, purchase, transfer, use and transportation.
The class must also review safe gun storage laws and ways to prevent abuse or misuse of firearms.
The applicant must participate in an in-person demonstration to prove to an instructor that they know how to lock, load, unload, fire and store a gun. The instructor must be certified by a law enforcement agency.
Measure 114 also tightens restrictions on firearm magazines. It bans the sale and purchase of magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. People who already own magazines that hold more than 10 rounds are allowed to keep them.
The Harney County Circuit Court Judge, Robert Raschio, who placed the temporary restraining order on Measure 114 plans to hold a hearing for the preliminary injunction of the measure.
Raschio made his decision based on a lawsuit filed by Gun Owners of America and the Gun Owners Foundation against defendants Gov. Kate Brown, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, and Superintendent of the Oregon State Police Terri Davie.
Rosenblum tweeted about Measure 114 Thursday, pointing to what she hopes is a temporary hold on the law.
“If you’re wondering about the legal status of Measure 114, the law’s enforcement is (we hope temporarily) on hold by the state courts. There is a hearing in Harney County next week and we will continue to defend the constitutionality of this voter-passed gun safety law,” she said in the tweet.
The AG’s office has not responded specifically to the Supreme Court refusing to block the Harney County delay of the law. This is one of five current lawsuits, the other four were heard in federal court and that judge, when asked, did not temporarily block the law as Harney County’s Judge Raschio did.
All of these orders are leading up to a potential trial to hear testimony and evidence on the constitutionality of the law, and this order to block, Raschio said, is to prevent anyone’s rights under the Oregon Constitution from being infringed.
The group that got the measure on the ballot, Lift Every Voice Oregon, is confident it will stand up to the test.
“The components of Measure 114 have held up constitutionally around the country, different parts are in different states. And so we’re very confident and when all of a sudden done, this will be law,” said Rev. Dr, Mark Knutson.
Before Raschio issued the temporary restraining order, the bill was set to take effect on Dec. 8.