Gun control bill brings heated debate in Salem

Oregon Democrats, who currently hold a majority of votes in the Legislature, have their finger on the trigger of Senate Bill 941, to expand background checks on gun purchases.

As always, the topic is rife with controversy, and the measure has drawn strong opposition, as well as support.

“I’m opposed to it — I’m totally opposed to it,” Bill Layton, president of the Redmond Rod and Gun Club, said Friday.

He is on one side of a heated debate that came to a head on Wednesday an the Capitol. The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony from more than 60 people over two hours, though Republicans said more should have been allowed to speak.

After a GOP lawmaker offered a major change by amendment, committee leaders decided to cool off and postpone the expected vote until next Monday.

The law aims to close two gun-purchasing loopholes, online and privately, that currently do not require a background check, with the hopes of keeping guns out of criminals’ hands.

“I could see where some people say, ‘Oh, this is more government intrusion,'” said Saundra Hopkins, a gun owner and gun violence survivor.

Hopkins says she has owned guns her entire life.

“But the reality is, we already have background checks on guns. This is just closing those two loopholes,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins is also the survivor of a gun violence attack. She said that because she knows the pain of the situation, she would never wish it on someone else, and that it’s nothing like you see in the movies. It’s worse.

“I couldn’t imagine anything worse, except knowing that I sold a gun that was used to kill a child or something equally awful,” Hopkins said.

With neighboring states, California and Washington, passing similar bills, Hopkins says she is worried about “gun tourism” in Oregon.

But Layton said, “Do the laws that we have now keep the criminals from getting their hands on guns? No, they don’t.”

He said the measure could make it harder for kids to learn about gun safety and complicate education programs.

It’s an issue with kickback, and that will have real impact throughout the state. For now, at least, it’s in the Legislature’s hands.

Track the bill’s progress here: https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2015R1/Measures/Overview/SB941