Oregon State Shooting Association
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2024 Legislative Summary - Update, 2/9/2024
SB1503 - Opposed - See letter below
HB4096 Suicide Prevention - Opposed - As Written
Requires Amendment - Sec 1.3(b)(A) is not needed and renders HB4096 useless
See notes below
HB4096 Suicide Prevention - Opposed - As Written
Requires Amendment - Sec 1.3(b)(A) is not needed and renders HB4096 useless
See notes below
SB1503 - Opposed
February 13, 2024- passed out of the Senate Committee On Judiciary with a do pass recommendation. Voting was along party lines. The -6 Amendment was approved. See notes below on why this is a bad bill.
February 9, 2024 Letter to Senate judiciary committee Public hearing
Chair Prozanski, Vice Chair Thatcher and Committee, February, 9, 2024
Over the past 4 years the OSSA and the Oregon Association of Shooting Ranges (OASR) has sponsored and driven key actions in awareness, education, and training (QPR) in suicide prevention. Through an outstanding partnership with county health organizations, we have connected expertise and resources with key target groups (rural, veterans, and firearms owners) in over half of Oregon counties. The expertise and knowledge gained from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), Oregon Firearms Safety Coalition (OFSC), and Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide have brought key best methods and tools to help Oregon citizens. Please see these key references www.ossa.org/safety-wellness. Also, please view our informational video on suicide prevention produced just for Oregon. Video - youtu.be/zR7JLE15wt0
Progress is made through rolling up one’s sleeves and focusing on community action in awareness and training.
Unfortunately, SB 1503 failed to grasp and ignores expertise already gained in Oregon before it was initiated. SB1503 does not seek to understand current programs before starting new programs. SB 1503’s initial posting demonstrated its misguided partisan agenda for firearms control instead of truly helping Oregonians. The ongoing scramble for cleanup does not hide this.
Gun violence and suicide prevention very are separate topics – They have very different solution spaces – They should not be in a single bill.
Combining them is like combining Israel, Ukraine, and Border funding – it’s a good way to get NOTHING done. Bills like this are crafted on political agendas not solutions to serious problems. By separating them, one may engage the proper experts and focus true root causes to each of the serious issues.
If gun violence in our community is the priority, as it should be, let’s roll up your sleeves and ask law enforcement and the department of justice to report the legislature what help they need to curb violence in our cities. Enforcing current laws, being firm on crime will come to the top, as previous studies have shown.
If suicide prevention in our community is the priority, as it should be, roll up your sleeves and ask OHA and the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide (both are Oregon publicly funded groups with critical expertise, and the charter) to report to the legislature on their current programs and what help they need to help Oregonians. Fund them. Help them. I AM
Lastly, if you would like to really make progress on suicide prevention - enable the primary tool for suicide prevention which is “Creating Time and Distance” through an amended version of HB4096; amendments must be made to remove Section 1.3(b)(A) and Section 2 which were added after the experts met. See our video to realize how important time and distance are in preventing suicide. Video - youtu.be/zR7JLE15wt0
I am Opposed to SB1503
Thank You.
February 9, 2024 Letter to Senate judiciary committee Public hearing
Chair Prozanski, Vice Chair Thatcher and Committee, February, 9, 2024
Over the past 4 years the OSSA and the Oregon Association of Shooting Ranges (OASR) has sponsored and driven key actions in awareness, education, and training (QPR) in suicide prevention. Through an outstanding partnership with county health organizations, we have connected expertise and resources with key target groups (rural, veterans, and firearms owners) in over half of Oregon counties. The expertise and knowledge gained from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), Oregon Firearms Safety Coalition (OFSC), and Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide have brought key best methods and tools to help Oregon citizens. Please see these key references www.ossa.org/safety-wellness. Also, please view our informational video on suicide prevention produced just for Oregon. Video - youtu.be/zR7JLE15wt0
Progress is made through rolling up one’s sleeves and focusing on community action in awareness and training.
Unfortunately, SB 1503 failed to grasp and ignores expertise already gained in Oregon before it was initiated. SB1503 does not seek to understand current programs before starting new programs. SB 1503’s initial posting demonstrated its misguided partisan agenda for firearms control instead of truly helping Oregonians. The ongoing scramble for cleanup does not hide this.
Gun violence and suicide prevention very are separate topics – They have very different solution spaces – They should not be in a single bill.
Combining them is like combining Israel, Ukraine, and Border funding – it’s a good way to get NOTHING done. Bills like this are crafted on political agendas not solutions to serious problems. By separating them, one may engage the proper experts and focus true root causes to each of the serious issues.
If gun violence in our community is the priority, as it should be, let’s roll up your sleeves and ask law enforcement and the department of justice to report the legislature what help they need to curb violence in our cities. Enforcing current laws, being firm on crime will come to the top, as previous studies have shown.
If suicide prevention in our community is the priority, as it should be, roll up your sleeves and ask OHA and the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide (both are Oregon publicly funded groups with critical expertise, and the charter) to report to the legislature on their current programs and what help they need to help Oregonians. Fund them. Help them. I AM
Lastly, if you would like to really make progress on suicide prevention - enable the primary tool for suicide prevention which is “Creating Time and Distance” through an amended version of HB4096; amendments must be made to remove Section 1.3(b)(A) and Section 2 which were added after the experts met. See our video to realize how important time and distance are in preventing suicide. Video - youtu.be/zR7JLE15wt0
I am Opposed to SB1503
Thank You.
HB4096 Suicide Prevention - Opposed - As Written
Requires Amendment
Sec 1.3(b)(A) is not needed and renders HB4096 useless
Requires Amendment
Sec 1.3(b)(A) is not needed and renders HB4096 useless
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HB4096 - Could Save Lives by:
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What HB4096 is NOT!
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Some Background / Foundation:
However:
Section 1.3(b)(A) needs to be removed - or HB 4096 is rendered useless. Legislative Counsel's inclusion is "section 1.3(b) Paragraph (a) of this subsection does not apply: (A) If the licensee returns the firearm to a person the licensee knows, or reasonably should know, is a danger to self or others. "
Bottom-line:
- Unfortunately Oregon's firearm transfer laws only enable transfer to others(not family) (often the only ones available) for the duration of an "immediate crisis". This is often TOO LATE. HB4096 could enable a path of a firearm owner to proactively secure their firearms without fear of getting them back.
- A transfer occurs when the new person has access to the firearm. This requires FFL/ATF and Oregon transfer processes which include background checks.
- A transfer DOES NOT occur when the new person does not have access to the firearm.
- Think of a safe-deposit box - the owner of the contents must be present when it is opened. Only they have sole access.
- Think of a secure room full of lockers (small square or tall ones) where the firearm owner rents one and puts his/her lock on the locker. Only they have sole access.
- Yes, there would be a contract to cover access procedures, disposal if rent is not paid, transfer to others (with proper FFL processes) if the owner dies.
- In the "Locker model" the firearms owner that deposited the firearm is not subject to transfer/background check requirements.
- In the "Locker model" the firearm is never 'returned' to the owner the owner merely accesses their property
However:
Section 1.3(b)(A) needs to be removed - or HB 4096 is rendered useless. Legislative Counsel's inclusion is "section 1.3(b) Paragraph (a) of this subsection does not apply: (A) If the licensee returns the firearm to a person the licensee knows, or reasonably should know, is a danger to self or others. "
- In the case of a hold agreement to an FFL where the FFL places it in his/her inventory ATF/FFL procedures require a FFL/background check process. These FFL procedures cover this issue. Section 1.3(b)(A) is not needed in HB4069
- In the case of a hold agreement using the "Locker model", where the business owner never has access to the firearm, the firearm owner merely accesses their firearm or property. Section 1.3(b)(A) again does not apply.
- The mere presence of sec3(b)(A) will: 1) prevent business owners from ever entering into this business model. 2) prevent firearms owners from trusting they will have access to their firearms and as a result we are unable to save Oregonian lives.
Bottom-line:
- OSSA can not support HB4096, as written, and require the amendments noted above.
- Section1.3(b)(A) renders HB4096 useless as it betrays business owners (meaning if they do the right thing by providing this business model they risk their business and livelihood)
- Section 1.3(b)(A) removes all trust from firearms owners to enter into the process if there are conditions on their access to their firearms.