A pro-Second Amendment group of Oregon state senators recently stopped an omnibus anti-gun bill in its tracks.
The 13 senators refused to participate in floor sessions until the bill was withdrawn from consideration. And in mid-May, Senate leadership reached an agreement that the anti-gun legislation would not be moving forward this session.
Among other things, the package would have allowed gun dealers to refuse service to law-abiding citizens aged 18-20; required firearm storage that would have made guns unavailable for self-defense; allowed local governments to create “gun-free zones” in public buildings, colleges and airports; and increased the fee to apply for a concealed handgun license.
Anti-gun legislators have already announced they intend to reintroduce a similar version next year or potentially file a ballot initiative in 2020.
Senators involved in derailing the legislation were Sen. Dallas Heard, District 1; Sen. Herman Baertschiger, District 2; Sen. Fred Girod, District 9; Sen. Jackie Winters, District 10; Sen. Brian Boquist, District 12; Sen. Kim Thatcher, District 13; Sen. Betsy Johnson, District 16; Sen. Alan Olsen, District 20; Sen. Chuck Thomsen, District 26; Sen. Tim Knopp, District 27; Sen. Dennis Linthicum, District 28; Sen. Bill Hansell, District 29; and Sen. Cliff Bentz, District 30.