Ghost Guns are Now Officially Illegal in the State of Oregon
PORTLAND, OR – Starting September 1, 2024, ghost guns are now officially illegal in the state of Oregon. Called House Bill 2005, passed by the Oregon Legislature in 2023, the law marked a significant headway in the fight against gun violence within the state.
Ghost guns are normally unserialized firearms pieced together from kits that for years have grown in concern for law enforcement agencies across the country. Because they are difficult to trace, the weapons are appealing to criminals.
House Bill 3015 mandates that every firearm manufactured after October 22, 1968, must bear a serial number. Anyone convicted of breaching this law faced up to a $1,000 fine for the first violation. Fines for subsequent violations could be even more substantial and might include imprisonment.
It also bans the sale, transfer, and importation of unserialized firearms and the possession, sale, and manufacturing of firearms undetectable either by metal detectors or X-ray machines.
“Responsible gun ownership means respecting the gun laws of our state, and that now includes a ban on unserialized and undetectable ‘ghost guns, ‘” Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said. “For the safety of your families and communities, please make sure you understand our new law and that you are in compliance.”
A ban on ghost guns has been at the top of Rosenblum’s agenda for years, as she’s been advocating legislation to take it on. In July 2023 a federal judge ruled that such firearms are not in common use for lawful purposes and are thus not protected by the Second Amendment.
In line with the implementation of the same by several states, the passing of House Bill 2005 brings Oregon in line with those states clamping down on such breezy accesses. Amie Wexler, an Oregon chapter lead for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, noted that Oregon was the 13th to ban ghost guns and is now one of 15 states with such legislation in place.
It is yet another step in the fight against gun violence across Oregon, and the ghost gun ban means everything to the law enforcement agency-letting criminals have a hard time using such dangerous weaponry.
References & Resources
https://www.opb.org/article/2024/08/29/oregon-ghost-gun-ban-effective-sunday