By Al Elkins & Amy Patrick, OHA Lobbyists
Alvinelkins@yahoo.com
The 2021 Oregon Legislative session is over, but the work continues for the OHA legislative team, as initiative petitions threatening hunting and gun ownership have been filed, and we are currently working on defeating them. Here is the latest from Salem.
IP13: Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Ban
IP13 has passed another milestone on the way to the ballot. As of July 15, the petitioners have approval to solicit signatures to place the measure on the November 2022 general election ballot.
After successfully challenging the ballot title to better reflect the sweeping implications of the extreme proposal, OHA continues to spread the message about IP13 through interviews with American/NW Outdoor Radio and participation in the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s regional policy briefing. We are heavily involved with two coalitions working in tandem to keep the measure from making the ballot, and our web page dedicated to IP13 information and updates (https://oregonhunters.org/initiative-petition-13) remains the most comprehensive information source.
How can you help? Three simple ways to help keep IP13 off the ballot:
1) Make sure the people in your family, friends, and coworkers are aware of the ramifications and understand the reasons not to sign.
2) Donate to OHA’s Hunter Victory fund for this and other legislative or legal battles (https://oregonhunters.org/donate).
3) Talk about the importance of our self-reliant lifestyle. Being less reliant on the national food network and understanding where our food comes from is a conversation that resonates well with people even if they don’t hunt or fish.
IP17 & IP18: Gun Control Initiatives
Two gun control initiatives aimed for the November 2022 ballot have been filed with the Oregon Attorney General:
• IP17: Imposes a new, additional permit system in order to purchase a firearm, and prohibits possession or use of magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.
• IP18: Prohibits manufacturing, possessing and transferring many semiautomatic firearms.
OHA submitted a letter about IP17 to the Attorney General stating that the petition violates the constitutional provision that initiatives only address one subject.
OHA also sent a letter to the Attorney General on IP18 that in part stated:
“IP18 also purports to prohibit the use of covered firearms for practice and target shooting expressly permitted under federal law on federal public lands such as the national forests and BLM lands, which comprise almost 50 percent of Oregon’s land. The Draft Ballot Title does not inform voters of this radical, indeed unprecedented effect of IP18.”
OHA is working closely with gun advocate groups to stop these two petitions.
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