Oregon Considers Delaying Gun Control Law Measure 114 as Legislature Proposes Higher Permit Fees

Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill that will delay the implementation of the state’s stalled gun control law, Measure 114, and increase permit and fee requirements if the Oregon Supreme Court upholds the measure as constitutional.

Measure 114 Could be Pushed Back to 2028 and Increase Fees

House Bill 4145 pushes back the effective date of Measure 114 to 2028. It raises the cost of applying for a permit to purchase a firearm from $65 to $150, and increases permit renewal fees from $50 to $110.

Measure 114 was narrowly approved by voters in November 2022. It has never taken effect due to ongoing legal challenges.

The law requires prospective firearm buyers to obtain a permit and undergo a fully completed background check before a firearm can be transferred, closing what is often referred to as the “Charleston loophole.”

The law also limits the capacity of ammunition magazines to maximum of 10 rounds..

Under current law, Measure 114 is scheduled to take effect on March 15, provided the Supreme Court affirms its legality. The court heard oral arguments last November but has yet to issue a decision.

House Bill 4145 Extends Permits From 30 to 60 Days

HB 4145 extends the time frame for agents to approve or deny permits from 30 days to 60 days. The bill exempts information contained in the permit applications and background check reports from disclosure under public records laws.

The dispute surrounding Measure 114 has moved through multiple legal battles. A Harney Court Circuit judge blocked enforcement of the law in 2023, ruling it unconstitutional.

That decision was later overturned by the Oregon Court of Appeals, which found the measure does not violate the state constitution’s right to bear arms. However, an injunction remains in place while the Supreme Court considers the case.

New Legislation Allows Law Enforcement Agents to Carry Magazines With Capacities Larger Than 10 Rounds

The proposed legislation includes new exemptions allowing current and retired law enforcement officers, including police, parole, and probation officers, to possess magazines holding more than 10 rounds, regardless of whether the magazines are used on duty or after retirement. It also gives licensed firearms dealers 180 days to dispose of large-capacity magazines.

Last year, the Legislature approved about $12 million in special funding for the Oregon State Police to establish a background check unit and a database to track permit approvals and denials. Later, an additional $1.8 million was also approved for the project. However, most of that funding remains on hold pending the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling.

Oregon is Already Facing Background Check Backlogs

Meanwhile, state budget analysts have warned that Oregon State Police are already facing firearm background check backlogs – about 26 staff members processing roughly 400,000 checks a year – raising doubts that the state can roll out a new permit-to-purchase system smoothly without major added capacity.

In 2024, 15,838 background checks were recorded as “pended,” while cases still open at the beginning of the year increased to more than 4,800 in 2024.”