Oregon Lawmakers Pass New Gun-Safety Legislation

Senate Bill 554 requires gun owners to securely store their weapons when not in use, and will ban possession of guns in the state Capitol and Portland International Airport. It paves the way for public schools and universities to enact their own bans.

Years of halting efforts by gun-safety advocates paid off Wednesday, as the Oregon Legislature gave final approval to a bill to require gun owners to securely store their weapons when not in use, or face potential consequences.

The “safe-storage” bill — a key policy aim for groups like Moms Demand Action and State of Safety since 2018 — passed the state Senate on a vote of 17-7 after a brief debate. It passed the House of Representatives last week on a similarly fraught vote.

If signed by Democratic Gov. Kate Brown, Oregon will join 11 other states with laws requiring locking devices on stored firearms. Oregon’s bill also opens up gun owners to civil litigation if their unsecured weapon is used to inflict injury.