Rapid-fire devices are illegal in Oregon, and local governments can prohibit concealed weapons in public buildings.
Gov. Tina Kotek held an event commemorating the passage of the Community Safety Firearms Act on Tuesday. It passed along party lines during this year’s legislative session. The governor signed it in July.
“This matters to every parent dropping their kid off at school,” Kotek, a Democrat, said in a statement. “It matters to everyone who deserves to feel safe in their own neighborhood. It matters because gun violence is preventable. And we’re proving it.”
FILE - A bump stock, shown in this Oct. 4, 2017 file photo, will be illegal once the new law goes into effect. The law bans such rapid-fire devices that can effectively turn semi-automatic weapons fully automatic.
Rick Bowmer / AP
The new law bans rapid-fire devices — often known as bump stocks — that can effectively turn semi-automatic weapons fully automatic. Possessing one of these attachments is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail. Transporting or manufacturing one is a Class B felony, which can carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
In addition, local governments can now pass their own policies to bar people from bringing concealed weapons into certain public buildings. Agencies that do so are required to post signs at the entries of public buildings and grounds and put a notice on its website, per the new law.
On paper, Oregon already has some of the strictest gun laws in the country. The debate over the new law highlighted the ongoing tensions over how to prevent gun deaths that have surged in Oregon in recent years.
Democrats argue that such restrictions can prevent bloodshed. The majority party passed the bill over the opposition of Republicans who say it risks punishing law-abiding gun owners while also failing to tackle the state’s mental health problems that often lead to fatal shootings.
The new law also sets the implementation date for Measure 114, the voter-approved law which bans purchases of magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition and requires a permit before buying a gun.
More than three years since its passage, that law is still being challenged in court. The Oregon Supreme Court recently heard arguments over its legality.
A separate bill, which would have initiated a state licensing program for gun dealers within the Oregon Department of Justice, died in the Legislature this year. Democrats say they plan to bring it back in the future.
Editors note: This story was updated to reflect the governor signed the bill in July, but held an event this week.
