As you know, the Prozanski-Burdick gun owner registration bill will be heard on April 1st at 8AM in the basement of the Capitol. Calls to action by several groups are asking gun owners to start meeting on the Capitol steps at 7AM. If you are coming, and you should make every effort to be there, here are few things you should know. There is metered parking on the blocks around the Capitol. Bring quarters. Lots of them. You may need to provide some for your brother and sister patriots. If you plan to testify you will need to sign up. The sign up sheets will be placed outside the hearing room before the hearing begins. We don’t know how long before the hearing begins they will be available. The earlier you can be there the better your chances of being able to testify. The sheets ask for your name, if you represent an organization, and whether you support or oppose the bill. Whether you get to testify or not, you can get written testimony on the record by emailing it to: sjud.exhibits@state.or.us

The left likes to plant people at the head of the line and have one person sign up as many people as possible, even if they are not even there yet. Watch for that. When you enter the Capitol you will want to head downstairs immediately. If you enter from Court Street, walk through the Rotunda and turn either left or right before you reach the information desk. There will stairways on either side. If you enter from State Street, walk past the information desk and then turn left or right to the stairs. Once downstairs, the hearing room, (Room 50) will be between the two staircases. It is the only hearing room in the Capitol basement. If you have a CHL you may carry a firearm in the Capitol, openly or concealed. There will be a very heavy police presence. The public will be limited to 2 minutes each, so be prepared. You will be especially effective if you have been delayed or denied because of the failed background check system. Prozanski has coordinated this hearing to maximize the number of anti-gunners who will be there. He will stack the deck to get as many anti-gunners to testify as possible. That’s just the way he rolls. Democratic House Rep Caddy McKeown stated at a recent town hall that she had not read the bill and did not know what was in it, but she did say amendments were coming. Her staff later backtracked and said she didn’t really know if amendments were coming, but assumed there would be. McKeown clearly knows more than she is revealing, but we are certain she is correct. Be on the lookout for amendments that appear to make the bill less onerous. One possibility is that an amendment might be offered to allow gun owners to conduct their own background checks through the State Police, as they can now. Understand, if something like this is proposed, that it is a dodge designed to make you think you are gaining something. The bill will still be a registration law and has to be killed. We have still seen no support from the Oregon Sheriff’s Association and the Oregon Association of Shooting Ranges has taken no action that we are aware of. We know of only one gun club that has stood against the bill, the Canby Rod and Gun Club, which has since left OASR as a result of their policy of inaction. So, for everyone and every organization that is working, mobilizing and fighting, we thank you and look forward to seeing you on Wednesday.