Connor Radnovich | Statesman Journal

Statesman Journal

A bill set to appear in the Legislature this year would require Oregonians to obtain a permit before buying a gun, limit the amount of ammunition a person could buy, outlaw magazines with a capacity of more than five rounds and create gun locking and storage requirements.

It's the broadest of more than a dozen bills dealing with guns submitted by lawmakers ahead of the 2019 Legislature, which convenes Jan. 22.

The bill came from Students for Change, a group of Lake Oswego teens formed last year after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. They lobbied lawmakers and Gov. Kate Brown last year and pledged to come back this year with a legislative proposal.

Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Lake Oswego, and Sen. Rob Wagner, D- Tualatin, submitted Senate Bill 501 on their behalf.

Wagner said that it's "probably a long shot that something like this passes in whole cloth," but this is the bill the students wanted to put in front of the Legislature.

Elaine Thompson / AP

"What we told them is that this is your movement, and we want to support you as representatives," Wagner said.

Some other 2019 bills focus on aspects of SB 501, such as raising the minimum age for purchasing a gun to 21, lengthening background check delays or setting firearm locking requirements.

But no other bill attempts to achieve as many gun-control goals as SB 501.

Wagner said the students did all the research for the bill and he hasn't looked much into its constitutionality.

Other lawmakers did have thoughts on that aspect.

"The Oregon Constitution is clearer about the Second Amendment than the United States Constitution. We value and respect firearms in Oregon — and this is not a partisan issue," Rep. Bill Post, R-Keizer, said in a statement. "The bill is culturally blind to the heritage of our state and Oregonians’ values."

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Permit required for gun purchase

The bill would require a person receive a permit from their county sheriff before purchasing a gun.

To qualify for a permit the person would need to: be at least 21 years old; have no criminal convictions; have not violated a restraining or stalking order; not use illegal controlled substances; and provide proof of completing a firearms safety course.

Within a 30-day period, someone could apply for one handgun permit and one rifle or shotgun permit.

If someone meets all of those requirements, a sheriff could still deny a permit if he or she "has reasonable grounds to believe" that they are likely to be a danger to themselves or others.

Copies of each permit approved would be kept by the sheriff for at least one year.

Limiting 'large-capacity' magazine

If it were to pass in its current form, the bill would also require all "large-capacity" magazines be altered, given to law enforcement or disposed of within 180 days after passage.

With exceptions for tubular feeding devices on lever-action and 0.22 caliber firearms, the bill defines "large-capacity magazine" as: "an ammunition feeding device, whether fixed or detachable, with the capacity to accept more than five rounds of ammunition."

The ban wouldn't apply to law enforcement officers or military members who need larger magazines for official duties.

Other restrictions in the bill include:

Capping at 20 the number of rounds of ammunition a person could receive in a 30-day period, exempting shooting ranges.

Requiring firearms be stored with a trigger or cable lock or in a locked container when not carried or within reach of the gun's owner.

Gun owners would be required to report the loss of a firearm within 24 hours.