Oregon Moms Demand Action, Everytown Applaud Governor Brown for Signing Legislation to Keep Guns Out of the Hands of Domestic Abusers

SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today applauded Gov. Kate Brown for signing House Bill 2013, legislation that will help keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. The bill passed through both chambers with strong bipartisan support. Earlier this year, Gov. Brown testified in support of the bill.

“Gov. Brown has proven herself to be a gun sense champion and a champion for Oregon women and families once again,” said Hope Wyss, a member of the Everytown Survivor Network and a volunteer with the Oregon chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Last year’s domestic violence legislation was a major step forward, but without a law on the books to ensure abusers and stalkers were turning in guns they might already own, too many Oregon women and families were still in harm’s way. I’m proud that my state has recognized the deadly relationship between domestic abusers and guns, and that we’re doing all we can to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people like abusers and convicted stalkers.”

An Oregon law enacted last year prohibited domestic abusers and convicted stalkers from having guns, but the law did not require them to turn in any guns they may already own. This means that many abusers and stalkers, who are legally prohibited from possessing firearms, come home to guns they already own when returning from court or after completing short sentences.

HB 2013 will protect families in Oregon by requiring convicted domestic abusers, abusers subject to final orders of protection and convicted stalkers to turn in their guns immediately. Removing guns from abusers and stalkers is crucial, as access to a gun in a domestic violence situation makes it five times more likely that a woman will be killed, and according to the Oregon Violent Death Reporting System, 62 percent of intimate partner homicide victims in Oregon were killed with a firearm between 2011-2015.

With today’s vote, Oregon will become the 17th state to require those convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence to relinquish their guns and the 21st state to require those subject to final domestic violence restraining orders to relinquish their guns. States that require prohibited domestic abusers to relinquish their guns have a 10-12 percent lower total rate of intimate partner homicide and a 14-16 percent lower rate of intimate partner gun homicide.