Domestic violence gun bill passes House, has support in Senate
Connor Radnovich
The Oregon House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that would expand the prohibition of gun ownership to people convicted of domestic violence against a partner to whom they are not married.
The bill passed by a vote of 37-23 with three Republicans voting for and one Democrat voting against. It will now be sent to a committee in the Senate and Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, is supportive of the legislation.
In addition to closing the so-called "boyfriend loophole," the bill, sponsored by Gov. Kate Brown, also would block people convicted of misdemeanor stalking from owning a gun.
Gun violence prevention groups have been pushing state legislatures nationwide to pass laws to this effect because of studies that show both are factors in gun deaths among women in particular.
Hanging over the vote was Wednesday's shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, that resulted in the deaths of 17 people. Lawmakers referenced the shooting several times and offered condolences to the victims and families impacted, but added that this legislation addresses a different problem.
An oft-repeated statistic in this debate is that women are five times more likely to die in a domestic violence situation if a gun is present.
"I believe from the bottom of my heart that this bill will save lives in Oregon," Rep. Jeff Barker, D-Aloha, said during debate on the House floor.
The only voice of dissent in the minutes of discussion leading up to the vote was from Rep. Andy Olson, R-Albany.
Olson, a former police officer, said the bill earned his "no" vote because he doesn't believe it would solve Oregon's gun violence or domestic violence problems.
He recounted that in the domestic violence cases he saw first hand, objects including baseball bats, knives and rocks could be used in attacking a spouse.
"This bill does not fix the systemic problems our state is experiencing," Olson said.
Democrats described the bill as an expansion of current law, which states that domestic abusers are not allowed to own a gun, but because of statutory definitions the "boyfriend loophole" exists.
"A person who assaults their boyfriend or girlfriend is no less guilty of domestic violence than someone who assaults their husband or wife," said House Democratic Leader Rep. Jennifer Williamson, D-Portland.
Rep. Knute Buehler, R-Bend, seemed to agree with that description, later calling the legislation a "small change to existing policy" that would keep women and children safe.
"Survivors of domestic violence should not have to live in fear that their abusers will possess a firearm," Buehler said in a statement.
The other two Republicans to join the gubernatorial candidate in a "yes" vote were Reps. Julie Parrish, R-West Linn, and Richard Vial, R-Scholls.
Vial spoke in support of the bill on the House floor, while expressing his dedication to protecting the 2nd Amendment and his concern about gun-related bills opening the door for larger, unwanted legislation.
He also assured his colleagues that would later vote against the bill that his vote wasn't meant to reflect on them in any way.
"Frankly, I pray that all of us can continue to work together for the common good in this body," Vile said, his voice breaking.
The most emotion displayed on the floor, however, was from Rep. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, as she recounted her childhood as a victim of domestic violence.
She said that when her father drank, he would turn abusive, using his words, fists, pans, dishes or anything else nearby to hurt Sollman or her mother.
But, even after fleeing time and again, they would come back home because of the promises of change her father would make. She said it could have been much worse.
"If it weren't for my father's absolute, intense hatred for guns, our story would have a very different ending," Sollman said.
Contact the reporter at cradnovich@statesmanjournal.com or
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