Rowan thinks Measure 114 will be overturned, but it will take time
By Terry Murry on Thursday, January 19th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
UMATILLA COUNTY – The Oregon State Police has told a federal judge that it can be ready to implement the licensing requirements under Oregon’s new gun control law by March. Umatilla County Sheriff Terry Rowan says he doubts that can happen.
“When you’re talking about creating entire programs in a short amount of time, it’s a recipe for disaster in my opinion,” he said.
Under Ballot Measure 114, which narrowly passed in November, obtaining a license to own a firearm would require training. Rowan said that while creating the system is the duty of the OSP, the training and permitting would fall on the local law enforcement agencies.
“The training aspect is on all of us local agencies,” he said. “We’re the ones that are supposed to be the permitting agency. We’ll do the administrative side of it and then from there it’s shipped to Oregon State Police, and they issue the permit.”
Rowan said his office is already at work just in case the new laws are enforced. They are currently subject to a restraining order from Harney County Circuit Court Judge Robert Raschio.
“If a switch is flipped and we have to go in that direction, then we’ll be prepared so that we’re not stalling anyone’s right to get the permit and purchase firearms,” he said.
Rowan, who is a named plaintiff in the federal suit against Measure 114, predicts that it will take time, but he believes the new law will be declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court.
