Oregon gun hearing debate heated

SALEM, Ore. – A heated debate over gun control in the Oregon Legislature on Wednesday drew relatives of people killed during an Oregon mall shooting, law enforcement officers and gun owners as Democratic lawmakers push a bill expanding background checks to cover private firearms sales.

The Senate Judiciary Committee heard two hours of public testimony on a proposal that would require gun buyers and sellers who aren’t related to appear in person before a licensed gun dealer who can run a background check through the Oregon State Police. Proponents say it would close a “loophole” that widened with the advent of Internet gun transactions.

“This bill will not take all the guns off the streets, it will not remove all the guns from the illegal buyers,” said Robert Yuille, whose wife Cindy was killed during a shooting at the Clackamas Town Center in December 2012 while she was Christmas shopping. “It will take some off. Hopefully it’ll take the one off that would have killed your wife or your daughter.”

Opponents said background checks are ineffective, difficult to enforce and disproportionally burden law abiding citizens. Dan Reid, a National Rifle Association representative, said most criminals acquire guns through ways that are already illegal, such as through theft and the black market. The gun used in the Clackamas shooting was stolen.

Keizer Republican Sen. Kim Thatcher asked how law enforcement officers would be able to police every private transaction, and Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer responded the law will be impossible to enforce.

“I don’t have any idea how it’s going to be enforced. I will tell this committee I have no intention to enforce it,” Palmer said. “State law allows me to use discretion on misdemeanors and I plan to use it every step of the way,” he added.

The state’s background check requirement already goes further than federal law, requiring them at gun shows.