SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, issued the following statement today after lawmakers in the House Judiciary Committee voted to advance a comprehensive piece of gun safety legislation. Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers have been testifying in support of the bill which now awaits a hearing in the Joint Ways and Means Committee before the full chamber votes.
“This bill has a clear goal – to save lives and protect Oregon families from gun violence,” said Sylvia Banks, a volunteer with the Oregon Chapter of Moms Demand Action. “We thank our representatives for working on these life-saving measures and fighting to make Oregon a national leader in the fight against gun violence. We look forward to continuing partnering with our gun sense champions at both chambers, as well as Governor Tina Kotek to turn this into law.”
HB 2005 is an omnibus bill that will accomplish three things:
- Prohibit ghost guns by prohibiting the sale, transfer, possession, and manufacture of a firearm without a serial number, and the sale, transfer, possession, and manufacture of 3-D printed guns or guns that cannot be picked up by metal detectors.
- Raise the age to 21 to purchase semi-automatic assault rifles.
- Allow local jurisdictions to prohibit firearms in government buildings, including city halls, and other locations.
The bill was voted out of the House Judiciary Committee today, and will now be considered by the Joint Ways and Means Committee. As we await further legislative action on gun violence prevention bills, Moms Demand Action and Student Demand Action volunteers will continue to advocate for measures that make Oregon a national leader in the fight against gun violence.
In an average year, 587 people die by guns in Oregon. With a rate of 13.0 deaths per 100,000 people, the state has the 34th-highest rate of gun deaths in the US. More information about gun violence in Oregon is available here. To speak to a local volunteer with Moms Demand Action, a volunteer with Students Demand Action, or a policy expert, please reach out to [email protected].