Salem, OR – House Democrats again turned down a real, rational solution to firearm violence by voting down the second Republican-sponsored Minority Report during today’s debate on SB 941. Minority Report 2 (MR2) would’ve provided $44 million in critical mental health services and instituted harsher penalties against criminals who had obtained or used a firearm.
“A common thread in so much of the testimony we heard in committee was the critical need for mental health services dealing with issues that went unnoticed, untreated or inadequately treated,” said Deputy House Republican Leader Carl Wilson (R-Grants Pass) while speaking in support of MR2. “By securing $44 million in mental health services and bumping up penalties for those who commit crimes using firearms, we are making a real commitment in this Minority Report to reduce firearm violence in our state while finally taking meaningful steps to help Oregonians dealing with mental health crises.”
Minority Report 2 keeps firearms out of the hands of criminals and represents a real solution to address the issue of firearm violence by making a substantial taxpayer dollar investment of $44 million in mental health services and by levying harsher penalties against dangerous criminals. These penalties include:
- Increasing the penalty for Unlawful Purchase of a Firearm (ORS 166.425) from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class C felony;
- Increasing the penalty for Unlawful Transfer of a Firearm (ORS 166.470) from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class C felony;
- Increasing the penalty for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class C felony for all categories of unlawful possession (for those 18 years of age and older); and,
- Increasing the penalty for Felon in Possession of a Firearm from Class C felony to a Class B felony (Felon in possession applies to those with multiple felony convictions or if a single felony that included criminal homicide or use of a firearm or deadly weapon)
“Minority Report 2 invests our taxpayer dollars in solving the problem instead of imposing a mandate on others and asking them to solve it,” said Representative Cliff Bentz (R-Ontario). “Investing in mental health services is an anticipatory action to help Oregonians dealing with these issues so that we can prevent suicides, homicides and other acts involving firearms.”
MR2 was defeated by Democrats on a party-line vote.
