Oregon Supreme Court expedites gun-control measure case

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon’s Supreme Court has set tight deadlines for written briefs to be delivered, trying to expedite a ruling on a dispute that has stalled a proposed ballot measure to restrict assault weapons and large-capacity magazines in the state.

The court on Friday directed the attorney general to file by June 18 a single response to five petitions to the court from gun-rights activists. And it told the five petitioners to reply by June 21.

Backers of the statewide Initiative Petition 43 have only until July 6 to gather 88,000 verified signatures from voters to put their measure on the November ballot.

They can’t start gathering the signatures until the petitions by the five, who argue that the language in the ballot title is misleading, are resolved by the high court.