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Oregon Moms Demand Action, Everytown Applaud House Passage of Legislation to Prevent Domestic Abusers From Obtaining Guns

February 15, 2018

House Bill 4145 Would Help Protect Oregon’s Women and Children by Closing the “Boyfriend Loophole” and Keeping Guns Out of the Hands of Convicted Stalkers

HB 4145 Would Also Enforce the Law by Alerting Law Enforcement When Someone Prohibited from Having a Gun Tries to Buy One

SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today applauded the House passage of HB 4145, legislation that would close loopholes in the law to help protect women and children from gun violence. HB 4145 passed a full House vote with bipartisan support.

If passed and signed into law, HB 4145 would address the following loopholes in Oregon’s state gun laws:

  • Closing the “Boyfriend Loophole,” by prohibiting abusive dating partners from having guns, an important measure that would protect women and children;
  • Prohibiting convicted stalkers from buying or possessing guns;
  • Requiring state officials to alert local law enforcement when an individual who is prohibited from purchasing a firearm attempts to buy one illegally and fails a background check. Local law enforcement would get the information it needs to intervene before a person with a dangerous history obtains a gun through other routes.

STATEMENT FROM DOREEN DODGEN-MAGEE, A MEMBER OF EVERYTOWN SURVIVOR NETWORK:

“I’m thrilled the House passed HB 4145 today. One in every three American women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. And the presence of a gun makes it five times more likely that a woman will be shot and killed in a domestic violence situation. Oregon is a leader on gun violence prevention and it is time to close these glaring loopholes that currently allow domestic abusers to access guns in our state. I applaud the House for their action and urge the Senate to pass HB 4145, legislation that will help protect Oregonian women and children from gun violence.”

STATEMENT FROM ANDREA PLATT, A VOLUNTEER WITH THE OREGON CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:

“Today, common sense was heard – legislators from both sides of the aisle agreed we need to make it harder for domestic abusers to obtain guns. This important legislation addresses glaring loopholes in Oregon law to better protect women and children from stalkers and domestic abusers. We applaud the House passage of HB 4145 and urge the Senate to act quickly and send HB 4145 to Governor Brown’s desk to be signed into law.”

Research proves that stronger gun laws can reduce domestic violence homicides. Research has also shown that American women are 16 times more likely to be shot and killed with a gun than women in other high-income countries and that the presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation makes it five times more likely that a woman will be shot and killed.

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