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Rep.SarahFingerMcDonald@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep. Finger McDonald (middle left) holding her daughter (2014)
On December 14, 2012, Sandy Hook Elementary in Newton, Connecticut was planning for a normal school day. They didn't know that a few miles away, a twenty year old was gathering the guns that his mother had bought, and was intending on using them. Twenty children and six adults didn't come home from school that day.
Like many of you, I watched the aftermath of this atrocity on tv; unable to process the "how" and the "why". I got a letter from our then state senator telling me that armed possess might be a good way to protect schools. I knew that thoughts and prayers of politicians and possess in our schools would not protect our children. I promised my son that I would work hard to make things better and I went to work organizing our community.
This work led me to co-found the Oregon chapter of Mom's Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. I served as the first Oregon chapter leader and continue as a supporter of Moms while also serving on the board of the Alliance for a Safe Oregon. And, ultimately, this work led me to representing Oregon House District 16.
A Brief History of Time (Gun Tragedy Prevention Version)
Oregon Firearms Safety Act (2015): Oregon passed a law requiring backgroud checks for all firearm transfers, clo.
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Extreme Risk Protection Orders (2017): Oregon passed a law allowing family members or law enforcement officers to petition a court to temporarily remove firearms from someone who is deemed a danger to themselves or others.
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Safe Homes & Neighborhoods (2018): Oregon expanded firearm possession restrictions to include people with a history of domestic violence, sexual offenses, or stalking, enhancing public safety.
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Safe Storage and Safe Carrying (2021): Oregon passed legislation requiring gun owners to securely store firearms, especially in households with minors, to reduce the risk of accidental shootings, suicides, and school shootings.
We also made it easier for schools to prohibit concealed handguns from being carried on school grounds.
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Measure 114 (2022): Passed in Oregon during the November 2022 election, Measure 114 introduced significant gun control measures. It requires background checks be completed for all firearm purchases closing the 'Charleston loophole', bans high-capacity magazines (those holding more than 10 rounds), and creates a permit-to-purchase system, requiring individuals to complete a safety training course and undergo a background check before buying a firearm.
On December 6, 2022, Harney County Circuit Judge Robert S. Raschio issued a temporary restraining order blocking all provisions of Measure 114, a decision that came shortly after Federal Judge Karin Immergut ruled to allow most of the law to take effect.
On July 14, 2023, a federal judge upheld Measure 114, stating that banning large-capacity magazines and requiring a permit to purchase a firearm aligned with "the nation’s history and tradition of regulating uniquely dangerous features of weapons and firearms to protect public safety." However, on November 21, 2023, Judge Robert Raschio ruled that the law was unconstitutional under Oregon's state constitution and granted a permanent injunction.
Last week the Oregon Court of Appeals found that Measure 114 is constitutional and can move forward. Let's dig a little deeper into what that means!
What did the Oregon Court of Appeals ruling say?
The Oregon Court of Appeals overturned the ruling from the Harney County Circuit Court finding that Measure 114 is a reasonable regulation intended to promote public safety and therefore allowable under the Oregon Constitution. A copy of the full ruling from the Oregon Court of Appeals is available here.
How soon can Measure 114 go into effect?
The current stay is still in place while opponents have the opportunity to ask the state Supreme Court to review the opinion. They have 35 days to file the request. The Supreme Court has discretion to allow the appeal or let the Court of Appeals decision stand as the final ruling. If the review is denied, the matter will return to the Court of Appeals and final judgement, removing the injunction, will be issued. If the appeal is allowed, the Supreme Court will have control over whether the stay will continue. There is no set time limit for the Supreme Court to decide whether it will accept the case for review, though it is likely to take a couple of months and during this time, the stay is expected to remain in place. If the case is accepted for review, more time will be required. Lawmakers and law enforcement leaders will use this opportunity to finalize preparations to fully implement Measure 114 statewide.
What needs to happen in order to implement Measure 114?
Gun tragedy prevention advocates are encouraging lawmakers to pass House Bill 3075 to make several technical fixes to Measure 114 and to allocate sufficient resources for
law enforcement agencies to be able to ensure smooth implementation and ensure permits are available by the time the law goes into effect.
What Are We Doing Now?
During the 2025 Legislative Session the Oregon Gun Violence Tragedy Coalition is hard at work to ensure that we leave the Capitol with a safer Oregon than we had when we started session. I am grateful for their advocacy, and proud to be on their team.
Chief Sponsor - House Bill 3076 - State Licensing & Gun Dealer Code of Conduct
Oregon has seen a staggering 172% increase in firearm homicides over the past decade, with thousands of illegal firearms flooding our communities. In 2021 alone, law enforcement traced 5,459 firearms recovered at crime scenes.
Where Are the Guns Coming From?
In states with stronger regulations, like New Jersey, only 11% of guns come from local dealers. In Oregon 75% of crime guns traced to a purchaser come from a gun dealer. Oregon’s current system has major vulnerabilities:
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Weak Federal Oversight: Average gun dealers are only inspected once every 57 years.
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Nearly 50% of Inspections Reveal Violations.
- Half our gun dealers are in residential homes and have no security or inventory storage requirements.
The Solution:
To address these issues, we need comprehensive state licensing for gun dealers, including a code of conduct with:
- Annual reporting requirements
- Mandatory inventory tracking
- Required security measures
- Employee training to prevent illegal sales
- Regular state inspections
The Impact of Strong Regulations:
States with robust gun dealer oversight have seen:
- 64% Reduction in Gun Trafficking
- 35% Decrease in Gun Homicide Rates
Chief Sponsor - Senate Bill 696: Rapid Fire Device Ban
Devices such as bump stocks and Glock switches increase the firing rate of semiautomatic guns, making them function like machine guns. Seventeen states, including Washington, have passed laws to ban bump stocks and similar devices, often with bipartisan support. Oregon must take action and ban rapid-fire devices.
Chief Sponsor - Senate Bill 697: Raising the Age to 21 for Semi-Automatic Rifles
Currently in Oregon, an 18-year-old can purchase a semi-automatic rifle. No teen should have access to weapons designed for combat. Oregon should raise the minimum age to 21 for all purchases of semi-automatic rifles and long guns.
Chief Sponsor - Senate Bill 698: Keep Firearms Out of Sensitive Public Places
This bill would allow local officials to implement policies that keep guns out of sensitive locations, such as government offices or the Oregon Zoo.
Support - Senate Bill 429: Waiting Periods
This bill would require a 72-hour waiting period for the purchase of all firearms—an evidence-based policy proven to significantly reduce firearm suicides. Oregon must take action to address our high firearm suicide rates.
Support - Senate Bill 203: Improve Our Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Law and Strengthen Protective Orders
Oregon has an important law, the Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO), designed to save lives, but it is underused and could be saving many more. Oregon must mandate law enforcement training on the ERPO law, remove barriers, and expand access for petitioners. Additionally, Oregon needs to review its court processes for protection orders to ensure that firearms are actually removed when the order is issued.
Support - House Bill 5014: Funding for Community Violence Intervention (CVI)
Research shows that Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs can reduce homicides and shootings by providing street-level outreach to those most at risk, along with case management and wrap-around services. The state must allocate $20 million in ongoing funding for CVI as part of the state budget to reduce violence and keep our communities safe.
 I had the pleasure of participating in the Corvallis League of Women Voters Town Hall at the Kalapuya Building on March 8th. It was wonderful to be joined by Senator Gelser Blouin and Representative Gomberg. The next one will be on April 5th! Come join us!
Upcoming Events
Month of March
Every Saturday 9am-1pm (until April 12th)
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Corvallis Indoor Winter Market! Outdoor markets in Corvallis and Albany are run by Corvallis-Albany Farmers’ Markets. Please visit their page, www.locallygrown.org, for information about regular season markets.
Monday March 24th
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Public Advocates Meeting at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis, 2945 NW Circle Blvd, Corvallis from 12pm-2pm.
- Attend and learn about our work to bring efficient and fair health care to all Oregonians. This meeting is open to the public, so feel free to bring along anyone you like! EVERYBODY IN – NOBODY OUT
Yours truly,
 Representative Sarah McDonald
House District 16
email: Rep.SarahFingerMcDonald@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1416
address: 900 Court St NE, H-477, Salem, OR 97301
website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mcdonald
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