Proposed Ore. ballot measure requires safe storage of guns

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Two people whose loved ones were shot dead at a Portland-area shopping mall by a man with a stolen assault rifle are chief petitioners of a proposed ballot measure that calls for firearms to be safely stored.

The prospective petition was filed Monday with the secretary of state’s office and would require law enforcement to be quickly contacted if a firearm is lost or stolen, its backers said.

If enough signatures are gathered for the measure to go on the November ballot, and if it passes, guns must be stored with a trigger or cable lock, or be in a locked container.

Chief petitioner Jenna Yuille’s mother, Cindy Yuille, was killed at Clackamas Town Center in 2012. Chief petitioner Paul Kemp lost his brother-in-law Steve Forsyth. The gunman committed suicide.

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News release:

Oregonians for Safe Gun Storage File 2018 Ballot Measure

A newly formed group of Oregonians committed to reducing gun violence filed a prospective petition today which would require the safe storage of firearms and prompt reporting to law enforcement if a firearm is lost or stolen. The group, Oregonians for Safe Gun Storage, intends to place the measure on the ballot in the November 2018 election.

“Today marks a critical step to reducing gun violence in Oregon,” said chief petitioner and Gun Owners for Responsible Ownership PAC leader Jenna Yuille. “Establishing clear standards for responsible firearm storage will save lives. Unsafely stored firearms pose an immediate danger. People who gain unintended access often cause harm to themselves and others.”

The proposed measure sets forth the obligations for an owner or possessor of firearms with regards to safe storage and reporting lost or stolen firearms. Specifically:

·Firearms must be secured with a trigger or cable lock or in a locked container when the firearm is not carried by or under the person’s direct control.

·Firearms must be transferred in a locked container, or with a trigger or cable lock engaged.

·A lost or stolen firearm must be reported within 24 hours of the time a person knew or should have known about the loss or theft.

·Apart from firearms owned by the minor, a minor may not carry or control another person’s firearm unless the use of the firearm is being directly supervised.

·Except in matters of self-defense or defense of another person, a person whose violation of this measure results in injury to person or property is strictly liable for the injury.

·Each firearm owned, possessed, or transferred in violation of this measure constitutes a separate violation. Violations range from Class C violations to Class A violations and carry fines from up to $500 to up to $2,000 per violation.

“Oregon deserves a culture where gun owners behave responsibly,” said Paul Kemp, second chief petitioner and founding member of Gun Owners for Responsible Ownership PAC. “This Measure will create clear duties that come with owning a firearm. This is how we will make our communities safer and cure the scourge of gun violence that is plaguing our state.”

Unsafe Gun Storage is an Important Contributor to Gun Violence

·Most school shootings use weapons taken from the attacker’s home or from the homes of the attacker’s relatives.

·Studies of states that have adopted safe storage requirements have shown reductions in the rate of teen suicides and unintentional child shootings.

·Safe storage requirements are supported by groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Physicians Alliance.

Unsafe Gun Storage is Especially Dangerous to Children

·Most children do not know how to properly handle a gun. We see unintentional shootings every year in Oregon resulting from a child gaining access to a firearm.

·About 50,000 Oregon children live in homes with loaded guns, and over half (26,000) of those guns are not stored in a locked container or with a trigger lock, according to the Oregon Health Authority.

·These shootings are not accidents–they are preventable if gun owners take the simple steps to safely store their firearms.

Unsafe Gun Storage Increases the Incidence of Suicide

·Teen suicide is on the rise–especially with a firearm. Access to a gun increases the risk someone will attempt suicide.

·Most of teen suicides are committed with a family member’s gun. Making it harder for teens to access a firearm will save lives.

·States that have enacted Safe Gun Storage laws have experienced significant declines in suicide rates compared to states without such laws.

“The majority of Oregon gun owners are responsible and already practice safe gun storage,” said Henry Wessinger, community leader and third chief petitioner. “It is past time to set standards and consequences for the minority of Oregon gun owners who create tragic situations for others because of their negligence.”

Wessinger noted that chief petitioners Jenna Yuille and Paul Kemp have both lost family members to gun violence. Yuille’s mother, Cindy Yuille and Kemp’s brother-in-law, Steve Forsyth were shot and killed at Clackamas Town Center in 2012 by an individual who had gained unauthorized access to a firearm that the owner had failed to safely store.

“Oregonians for Safe Gun Storage is bringing together people from across Oregon dedicated to making our state safer from gun violence,” said Jake Weigler, spokesperson for Oregonians for Safe Gun Storage. “It reflects the strong support for reducing gun violence and is building a robust coalition including representatives from health care, law enforcement, veterans, communities of color, gun owners, education, social service providers, faith communities, and residents of rural Oregon.”

Oregonians for Safe Gun Storage is currently gathering supporting signatures to obtain a ballot title and expect submission of those signatures later this week.

More information is available at www.oregonsafegunstorage.com