Today, the Oregon Senate passed anti-gun Senate Bill 941 by a 17-13 vote. SB 941, which seeks to expand background checks to private transfers, will be transmitted to the House of Representatives where it will await committee referral.
Senate Bill 941 would require individuals to appear jointly before a gun dealer to request a criminal background check prior to privately transferring a firearm, absent limited exceptions. Transfers include, but are not limited to, sales, gifts, loans and leases. An example of just how burdensome this bill will be on the average citizen is the common storage issue. An individual who has asked to store a firearm with an old friend during a vacation will now need to pay an undetermined fee to a dealer and have a background check run on the friend prior to doing so. Upon returning, another fee would be paid and another background check would be run, this time on the owner, just to return the firearm. Failure to comply with this mandate could result in stiff penalties and possible loss of an individual’s right to keep and bear arms. It is important that you contact your state Representative and politely urge him or her to OPPOSE Senate Bill 941. Contact information for your state Representative can be found here.