Senate Judiciary Committee Hears Hours of Testimony on SB 243, a Broad Gun‑safety Package

SALEM, Ore. — On March 27 the Oregon Senate Committee on Judiciary held a public hearing on Senate Bill 243 (dash‑1), a broad gun‑safety package that would require gun dealers to wait 72 hours after requesting a criminal background check before transferring certain firearms, raise the minimum purchase age for some semiautomatic rifles to 21, and ban or create new penalties for so‑called rapid‑fire activators such as bump stocks, auto sears and forced‑reset triggers.

The dash‑1 amendment, described in an overview by legislative staffer Jillian, would: require a 72‑hour wait between a dealer’s request for a criminal background check and transfer; create felony and misdemeanor offenses related to the transport, manufacture, sale or possession of rapid‑fire devices; raise the minimum age for certain firearm purchases in provisions named the Russell Paul Evans Act; and give local governments the option to restrict concealed‑handgun license (CHL) affirmative defenses on public buildings and adjacent grounds, with required signage and a reduced affirmative defense that would be a class A misdemeanor where adopted.

Why it matters: Proponents said the package would reduce firearm suicide, limit access to devices that increase lethality in mass shootings, and help protect staff in government buildings. Opponents said parts of the bill are unconstitutional, would burden lawful owners and small businesses, and would harm youth hunting and sporting programs. The committee did not take a vote during the hearing; committee leaders said members had until 3 p.m. Saturday, March 29, to submit supplemental testimony.

What supporters said

State Sen. Lisa Reynolds, a pediatrician, said the bill “is a bill that will save lives” and urged raising the purchase…