By Sheriff Joshua Brown
I have received many questions and inquiries regarding Measure 114. Unfortunately, at this time, there is little concrete information that I can report except that it is scheduled to go into effect on December 8, 2022. I have been involved in several meetings with other Oregon Sheriffs and the Oregon Sheriffs Association’s legal staff to discuss how we will be moving forward as the extensive and far-reaching ramifications of this Measure become a reality.
As directed by the text of Measure 114, the Oregon State Police (OSP) is working on the rule making and creating procedures surrounding implementation of this law, along with standardized applications that will be used by Police Departments and Sheriff’s Offices. Until these are set or better defined, I am unable to speak to the exact process that citizens will have to go through in order to obtain a permit to legally purchase a firearm in Oregon — along with other new restrictions that are spelled out in the Measure. It is fully expected that there will be legal challenges to the constitutionality of the Measure, and those court actions could change the timeline/specifics of implementation dramatically.
As of this writing, there are tens of thousands of Oregonians in cue for background checks to purchase firearms in the OSP system. I believe that this number will only increase in the coming weeks as law-abiding Oregon residents recognize that their ability to legally purchase firearms will become exponentially difficult and much more expensive very soon.
This measure changes how Oregonians can hunt, recreate, and transport firearms. The measure also bans all firearm magazines more than 10 rounds. While there are provisions that allow magazines purchased before December 8, 2022 to still be possessed after the law takes effect, those instances are limited and very specific. In fact, even sworn law enforcement officers will be restricted to the 10 round magazine limit when off-duty. The constitutionality of a similar California law is currently being challenged and there is a court-ordered stay on implementation of that law. The result of that challenge will affect the legality of Measure 114’s proposed ban as well.
I opposed this measure, and a majority of Tillamook County voters (58.8%) rejected it at the ballot. I strongly suggest every citizen read the complete Measure 114 text as provided here to ensure their complete understanding of all of its elements: https://sos.oregon.gov/admin/Documents/irr/2022/017text.pdf
Simply put there are far too many unknowns at this time to definitively say how this law will come together. I will strive to keep the citizens of Tillamook County apprised of any updates regarding the implementation of Measure 114 as I become aware of them.
Thank you.