Senate Republicans strip burdensome gun control provisions from Gun Bill before final passage

Before it was amended, House Bill 4145 would have nearly tripled the cost of a gun permit from $65 to $150, doubled the processing time from 30 days to 60 days, and created new layers of bureaucracy that would have made it more difficult and more expensive for law-abiding Oregonians to exercise their constitutional right to bear arms.

Measure 114, narrowly approved by voters in 2022, remains tied up in litigation and has not taken effect. If the Oregon Supreme Court finds the measure constitutional, House Bill 4145 simply delays its implementation to 2028.

“I never bought the line that the original House Bill 4145 was about advancing the will of the people because Supermajority Democrats have repeatedly proven that they do not respect their voices,” Senator Christine Drazan (R-Canby) said. “For years, this Legislature has chipped away at the right to bear arms for law-abiding citizens. This legislation is a win in an ongoing battle to defend the constitutional rights of Oregonians.”

“The original HB 4145 attempted to dramatically expand restrictions beyond what voters approved in the original Measure 114. By successfully replacing it with the A9 amendment, our dedicated group of Oregon gun owners helped stop governmental overreach. They forced a strategic pause on the implementation of Measure 114, moving it to January 2028,” said Derek LeBlanc, a firearms instructor and gun rights advocate whose organization played a key role in raising public awareness about the original bill’s impacts. “This campaign demonstrated that informed, organized citizens can work closely with House and Senate Republicans to hold the Democratic Supermajority in the Oregon Legislature accountable and effectively defend their constitutional rights.”

“Many who advocate before this Legislature appear to me to want to completely eradicate firearms in Oregon, outside the possession of law enforcement. Our state and federal Constitutions do not allow that,” said Senator Mike McLane (R-Powell Butte).