PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — What would be one of the toughest gun laws in the country is still on hold after the Oregon Supreme Court on Thursday denied Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum‘s petition to re-instate Measure 114, which was approved by voters last November.
According to court documents obtained by KOIN 6, the state’s supreme court is upholding an order blocking Measure 114 from taking effect.
As approved by voters, the new law would require permits to own firearms and police agencies in the state to maintain a database of permitted gun owners. The law also prohibits higher-capacity ammunition magazines.
The court rejected the state’s request to withdraw two temporary orders that prevented Measure 114 from being enforced while lower court trial proceedings were happening. The state had filed a motion to overturn Harney County Judge Robert Raschio’s ruling that blocked the measure from taking effect following voter approval in November.
“Our only determination today is that now is not an appropriate time to exercise our authority in mandamus in connection with the trial court’s temporary and preliminary rulings,” the court said.
According to the ruling, the measure will remain blocked until the lower court holds a hearing.
The court added that it “recognized that the legal status of Measure 114 is of significant concern to many Oregonians. Of course, it is the role of the judicial branch of government to resolve disputes such as challenges to laws enacted by the legislative branch, which includes the people exercising their initiative power. That resolution is underway in the trial court…”
In a series of tweets, Rosenblum said she was disappointed about the ruling from the state’s highest court.
“We intend to continue to defend the law zealously in the Harney County court,” she said. “My office takes the position the law passed by Oregonians last November is totally proper and legal under the U.S. and Oregon constitutions.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.