Oregon court blocks new gun law, hearings planned
Oregon court blocks new gun law, hearings planned
Robert Besser
14 Dec 2022, 03:41 GMT+10
- A tough gun control law approved by voters in Oregon was temporarily blocked by the Oregon Supreme Court
- The measure approved by voters requires permits, criminal background checks, fingerprinting and hands-on training courses for new gun buyers
- It also includes a ban on the sale and transfer of high-capacity magazines
SALEM, Oregon: A tough gun control law approved by voters in Oregon was temporarily blocked by the Oregon Supreme Court, which declined to overturn an earlier decision that prevented the law from being enforced.
Last week, Chief Justice Martha Walters denied an emergency motion to intervene, which was filed by Attorney-General Ellen Rosenbaum.
The measure approved by voters requires permits, criminal background checks, fingerprinting and hands-on training courses for new gun buyers, and includes a ban on the sale and transfer of high-capacity magazines.
Hours after a federal judge ruled in favor of the law, Harney County Judge Robert Raschio blocked the measure, in a move that was described as a mistake by the Department of Justice in an urgent filing.
In a statement, Rosenblum said, “Magazine capacity restrictions and permitting requirements have a proven track record: they save lives!”
Several lawsuits have challenged the Oregon measure, which voters narrowly approved last month and bans the sale, transfer or import of magazines over 10 rounds unless they are owned by law enforcement or a military member or were owned before the measure’s passage.
High-capacity magazines can also only be kept in owners’ homes or at firing ranges, and can only be used in shooting competitions or for hunting.
A federal loophole that allows gun transfers if background checks cannot be completed immediately would also be closed.
US District Judge Karin Immergut ruled that the ban on the sale and transfer of high-capacity magazines could take effect on December 8, and granted a 30-day delay before the law’s permit-to-purchase mandate takes effect, but she did not quash it entirely, as requested by gun rights advocates.
Hours later, after the Gun Owners of America Inc., the Gun Owners Foundation and several individual owners alleged that the measure violates Oregon’s constitution, Judge Raschio put the law on hold.
A hearing on the Harney County judge’s order will take place this week.
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