OHA Legislative Report 

Updated January 14, 2019

Bills Target Oregon Gun Owners

A total of 1,467 bills were filed in advance of the 2019 Oregon Legislative session, and several target gun ownership rights. The gavel falls to open the session on Monday.

Here is a small sample of some of the House and Senate bills OHA is following. The OHA Legislative Committee will review all bills to determine the OHA position. We will keep you updated on all the latest 2019 legislative happenings.

To learn more about the bills listed below, visit the Oregon Legislative Information System page:

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Measures/list/

HOUSE BILLS:

  • HB 2505 – Would require the owner or possessor of firearm to secure firearm with trigger or cable lock or in locked container except in specified circumstances.
  • HB 2251 – Defines “assault rifle.” The bill also prohibits the transfer of a handgun or assault rifle to a person under 21 years of age.
    • HB 2069 – This bill removes the requirement that State Fish and Wildlife Commission issue unallocated game mammal hunting tags in order requested.
  • HB 2072 – Would authorize ODFW to operate wildlife inspection stations for purposes of preventing spread of infections or infestations harmful to wildlife or of furthering wildlife management efforts.
  • HB 2082 – Would require Class II and Class IV all-terrain vehicle operator 16 years of age or older to carry and present both driver license and all-terrain vehicle operator permit.
  • HB 2566 – Would require owner to register all-terrain vehicle, if vehicle is not otherwise registered in this state.

SENATE BILLS:

  • SB 47 – Would require a person operating a nonmotorized boat to have a waterway access permit.
  • SB 340 – Requires ODFW to annually establish special season during which holder of cougar tag or purchaser of SportsPac may use dogs to hunt cougars.
  • SB 5 – Would make shooting ranges and any person discharging a firearm at a shooting range strictly liable for injuries resulting from bullets that stray outside boundaries of the shooting range.
  • SB 501 – Would require a person to secure a permit before purchasing or otherwise receiving firearm.

—Al Elkins, OHA Lobbyist, alvinelkins@yahoo.com

 

OHA submits cougar bill concepts to Legislature

OHA has submitted two cougar bill concepts for introduction in the 2019 Legislative Session. The two concepts stemmed from a November workgroup led by Rep. Sprenger (R-Scio) that OHA attended. At the end of the group meeting, Rep. Sprenger asked for legislative concepts for the 2019 Legislative Session.

The OHA board members and staff who attended the workgroup (Steve Hagan, Paul Donheffner, John Thiebes, Jim Akenson and Al Elkins) worked with the OHA board and designed two concepts that will be put into bill form. The concepts are:

  • Establish a position within ODFW to train and coordinate cougar agents used by ODFW. If passed and funded, this position would coordinate contracted cougar agents in zones to help maintain zone cougar quotas.
  • Where available, allow ODFW to contract with agents to assist in cougar population management. If passed, this would redistribute unused zone quotas to agents to administratively assist in removal within the allowable mortality cap.

The next step in this process is for the concepts to be written in bill form and then introduced during the 2019 Legislative Session that begins in January.

Anti-poaching campaign will go to Legislature

The anti-poaching campaign stemming from a budget note OHA had attached as part of the ODFW budget was not included in the Governor’s Recommended Budget that was submitted to the 2019 Legislature. So, an anti-poaching campaign legislative concept will be submitted to be introduced in the 2019 session. The concept involves addressing poaching by focusing on two areas: increasing detection of poaching incidents and enhancing current efforts to deter poaching. This multi-year strategy involves multiple agencies and partners in a coordinated effort to:

  • Increase public awareness of the impact of poaching
  • Increase reporting of poaching incidents
  • Increase law enforcement detection of poaching
  • Ensure consistent prosecution and punishment of poaching

OHA joins SageCon Coalition

OHA has joined the SageCon Coalition to help secure funding for the state’s Sage Grouse Action Plan. The funding will help meet the challenges to the sage grouse population, including the increase of large wildfires and invasion of rangelands by juniper and non-native annual grasses.

OHA Lobbyist Al Elkins Email: alvinelkins@yahoo.com

Looking for bills?  Try these links:

This one takes you to the main Bills page, where you can search by bill number:

https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws

This page allows you to subscribe for bill updates and alerts:

https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/citizen_engagement/Pages/e-Subscribe.aspx

You’ll see a “sign up” box towards bottom of page, which allows you to sign up and customize the bills you want to get updates on.

NOTE: For updates on the Elliott State Forest sale and other issues outside the Legislature, see recent issues of the OHA Tracker:

http://www.oregonhunters.org/pub.html#tracker