A U.S. District Judge has deemed Oregon’s stringent voter-approved gun control measure to be constitutional. This law, known as Measure 114, mandates safety training and background checks for residents seeking to buy a gun and limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds, except for certain exceptions. This comes in the wake of a major U.S. Supreme Court decision which changed the framework for evaluating firearm regulations, emphasizing the need for consistency with the country’s historical approach to gun laws.
The ruling states:
“Even if LCMs are protected by the Second Amendment, BM 114’s restrictions are consistent with this Nation’s history and tradition of regulating uniquely dangerous features of weapons and firearms to protect public safety,”
“Magazines are an accessory to firearms, rather than a specific type of firearm. At the time of the Second Amendment’s ratification through to the late nineteenth century, firearm accessories like cartridge boxes – which held ammunition but, unlike modern magazines, did not feed the ammunition into firearms – were not considered ‘arms’ but instead were considered ‘accouterments,’”
The ruling suggested that such regulations aimed at protecting public safety align with the Second Amendment’s intention. While the decision supports Measure 114, it’s expected to be challenged, potentially reaching the Supreme Court. This ruling is particularly significant as it’s among the first major gun restrictions enacted since last year’s impactful Supreme Court decision.
