SALEM, Ore. – Oregon Governor Kate Brown has officially signed a new gun control measure.
Proponents of House Bill 4145 say it will make it more difficult for people with a history of domestic violence to buy a gun. Currently, Oregon law prohibits those with a violent history from buying a gun if they are related to or live with their victim.
This leaves the so-called “Boyfriend Loophole” or “Intimate Partner Loophole” for those who may be in a relationship but are not living with their significant other. HB 4145 is an attempt to close that loophole by modifying state law to include those who used to live with their victim or those who are still in an intimate relationship.
HB4145 through the Oregon House and Senate, eventually ending up on Governor Brown’s desk. Throughout the process, she expressed her support of the bill on multiple occasions.
On March 5, Governor Brown officially announced she signed the bill into law. “I’m proud to sign this bill, making Oregon the first state to take action to prevent senseless gun violence since the tragedy in Parkland, Florida,” Governor Brown said. “Today marks an important milestone, but we know we have more to do. It’s long past time we hold the White House and Congress accountable. Now’s the time to enact real change and federal gun safety legislation.”
Jackson County Deputy District Attorney Lucy Durst said the change further aligns with how they charge domestic assault cases.
“When we’re charging say… a criminal assault in the fourth degree, a boyfriend is considered a family or household member,” Durst said.
The legislation also adds gun-purchasing restrictions on people who have been convicted of misdemeanor stalking. Additionally, it’s an attempt to make sure “appropriate authorities” are notified when a person who falls under the restrictions tries to buy a gun and have the state track information about those cases to learn where the reporting system can be improved.
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