Judge stops Oregon gun safety law because he says they are unconstitutional

(NOVEMBER 24, 2023) Last year, Oregon voters approved a new law called Measure 114. It had made new laws for gun safety. It required people to take a safety course and pass a test before they could buy a gun. The law also required a background check, and it banned guns with more than 10 rounds of bullets.

However, a judge in Harney County Circuit Court said these new laws violated the Oregon state constitution. In his decision, he wrote, “Oregon citizens have a right to self defense against an imminent threat of harm, which is unduly burdened by Ballot Measure 114.” In other words, Oregon citizens have a constitutional right to have guns without these barriers. So he stopped the new law. Only a higher state court can change the decision now.

Ellen Rosenblum is the Oregon Attorney General. That means she gives the state legal advice. She says, “The Harney County judge’s ruling is wrong. ... Worse, it needlessly puts Oregonians’ lives at risk. The state will file an appeal, and we believe we will prevail.”