A new strict gun control law that was passed in Oregon was upheld by a federal judge late last week.
U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut ruled that the state’s new law didn’t violate the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The trial took one week to be argued.
The new law bans all large capacity magazines, and also requires all residents of Oregon to obtain a permit before they’re able to purchase any firearms.
In the ruling, Immergut wrote that Oregon’s law keeps up with “the nation’s history and tradition of regulating uniquely dangerous features of weapons and firearms to protect public safety.”
The law in question bans the transfer, import or sale of any gun magazine that has in excess of 10 rounds for any resident who isn’t a member of law enforcement or the military.
It doesn’t require any person who already has this type of magazine to turn back in those firearms. It does, however, ban them from taking those weapons outside of their houses for a purpose other than taking it to a firing range, or from participating in either hunting or shooting competitions.
In her ruling, Immergut wrote that guns with such large magazines are “not commonly used for self-defense, and are therefore not protected by the Second Amendment.”
She added:
“The Second Amendment also allows governments to ensure that only law-abiding, responsible citizens keep and bear arms.”
This case was prompted by a lawsuit filed last November by the Oregon Firearms Association. That group argued that Oregon’s new law was in violation of the Constitution.
They sounded somewhat resigned to the fact that the ruling would go against them, as they issued a response to the ruling that said it “wasn’t entirely unexpected.”
In a statement they posted on their website, the Oregon Firearms Association said:
“What we have read defies belief. While not entirely unexpected, Immergut’s ruling is simple nonsense and sure to be overturned at the 9th circuit. When faced with the clear and undeniable issues about all magazines being banned and the permit system being completely unworkable, she essentially said ‘not my problem.’
“We are sure there will be plenty of parsing of this absurd decision in the coming days, but it was clear from the very first day that Immergut was both painfully ignorant and in the pocket of Oregon’s far left ‘Department of Justice.’”
As the statement foreshadows, the Oregon Firearms Association plans to appeal the ruling, which will go to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. They may not find any more luck there, though, as the 9th Circuit is generally considered to be predominantly liberal.
That may mean that the case ultimately ends up in front of the Supreme Court, with justices deciding whether they want to take up the issue at hand.
Even still, Oregon’s new gun control law can’t go into effect because of a lower court order that came out of Harney County. There’s a trial set for that for November.
