OHA Legislative Report
SB 978 Gun Bill
What SB 978 Does
- Legalize age discrimination for firearm dealers to allow them to refuse service to young adults ages 18, 19 and 20 for no reason other than being under the age of 21.
- Makes possession of a firearm without a serial number a felony. Remember: Many firearms manufactured prior to 1968 do not have a serial number
Simply owning a classic hunting rifle or family heirloom manufactured without a serial number will be a felony.
- Imposes a one-size-fits-all government solution for firearm storage and require them to be made unavailable for self-defense by requiring all guns to
*Be stored in a locked container or have trigger locking device installed whenever gun is not carried by or in control of the owner.
*Directs Oregon Health Authority to define what is and is not considered a container o or locking devise.
*The bill clearly states container does not include a building, room or vehicle or a space within a vehicle.
Therefore, a gun locked inside a pickup, even in a locked glove box or other locked space in the pickup, will be illegal.
- Victimizes gun owners who have suffered a loss or theft of their property with criminal penalties if they fail to follow certain requirements when reporting them, including holding the gun owner strictly liable for the future illegal acts committed by criminals using the stolen firearm.
Update: This bill is now in the Senate Committee on Rules. OHA sent out an alert on this bill.
FW Candidates
The Fish and Wildlife nominees for the FW Commission passed the first hurdle last Wednesday as the slate of four candidates was approved by the Senate Committee on Rules. The four: Mark Labhart, Robert Spelbrink, Mary Wahl and Jill Zarnowitz must now be approved by the full Senate. OHA worked with the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association and the Oregon Farm Bureau in supporting James Nash as a candidate for the Commission appointment. OHA also penned an editorial piece in support of his candidacy that was published in newspapers throughout Oregon.
Anti-Poaching Bills
HB 3035 Penalties Bill
This is the bill we have been working with OSP, and ODFW on increasing maximum penalties for wildlife violations.
Update: This bill passed the floor of the House by a vote of 58 to 2 and the bill is now in the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. It is scheduled for a hearing on 5/14.
HB 3087 and HB 3088
HB 3087 is the anti-poaching bill and HB 3088 is a wildlife penalties bill.
Update: These two bills were combined into one bill. The bill is now HB 3087 and is in the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Natural Resources.
Brief Updates
HB 2068 Percentage of Nonresident Tags Increase
Increases percentage of nonresident tags issued for hunting of black bear, cougar and antelope within area that may be issued by drawing.
Update: The bill has passed the floor of the Senate. The bill has been signed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate. The bill now goes to the office of the Governor for her signature.
HB 2069 Unallocated Game Hunting Tags
Removes requirement that State Fish and Wildlife Commission issue unallocated game mammal hunting tags in order requested.
Update – The bill has passed the floor of the Senate. The bill has been signed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate. The bill now goes to the office of the Governor for her signature.
HB 2293 Residency Requirements
Amends residency requirements for purposes of licenses, tags and permits related to wildlife.
Update – The bill is in Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. A work session was held on for 4/30. Bill has been referred to Ways and Means by the Senate President.
HB 2294 Commercial Urine Products
Requires that commercial product that contains or is derived from cervid urine and designed for luring, attracting or enticing cervids be from herd free of chronic wasting disease.
Update: The bill is in Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. Amendments banning the selling of products containing cervid urine were adopted, and the bill now goes to the Senate floor for a vote.
HB 2361 Multiyear Resident and Nonresident Hunting Licenses
Requires State Fish and Wildlife Commission to establish and prescribe fees for multiyear resident and nonresident hunting licenses. Sets agent fee for issuance of each multiyear license at $5.
Update: The bill passed out of committee. The bill is now in Ways and Means.
HB 2747 FW Commission Membership
The bill eliminates the provision that the FW Commission will be made of members of the general public.
Over a four-day period the OHA Legislative Committee developed testimony that was the best of all the testimony given (my opinion and others shared that thought as well). Paul did a great job of giving the testimony. While the bill received a hearing, I do not see it going any further. However, various interest groups were encouraged by Chair Witt to carry on the conversation, if they so desired.
Update: The bill was passed out of committee. The House voted to send the bill back to committee. The bill is now dead.
HB 2834 Wildlife Corridors
This bill has passed the House and is now in the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. It is scheduled for a hearing on 5/14.
HB 2841 Information Disclosure
This bill allows FW to refuse disclosure of information relevant to department ability to manage or protect described fish or wildlife species or individual members or populations of species. Exempts information from disclosure as public record.
Update: The bill was passed out of the House Committee on Natural Resources. The bill passed the House and is now in the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. A Public Hearing and Work Session is scheduled for 5/21.
HB 3118 Cougar Bill
This bill authorizes ODFW to use appointed agents for cougar management.
Update: This bill was passed out of the House Committee on Natural Resources and referred to the House Committee on Rules.
SB 723 Coyote Hunting Contest Ban Bill
Update: The bill passed out of Senate Committee on Judiciary. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Rules by the Senate President. OHA is opposed to this bill.
OHA Lobbyist Al Elkins Email: alvinelkins@yahoo.com
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