Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Education heard Senate Bill 551, to require Oregon schools to potentially push anti-gun propaganda. NRA testified in opposition on behalf of our members. Please contact members of the House Committee on Education and ask them to oppose SB 551.
This bill requires school districts to provide specified information related to secure storage of medications and firearms, but it tasks the Oregon Health Authority to make this “information” available to school districts. They are not a subject matter expert on firearms and nothing in the bill prevents them from simply distributing anti-gun propaganda to impressionable young children. In addition, the bill requires that such “information” must be provided on social media. As social media platforms are known to censor or throttle anything firearm related, this presents an avenue for them to impose their biases on what sort of “information” parents and students receive.
Oregon state law already mandates how firearms must be stored. The agency with authority for enforcing this is the Oregon State Police, who would be better equipped to provide non-biased information on firearms storage. The NRA and as we understand it, other pro-Second Amendment groups, were not contacted as stakeholders to shape what “information” would be provided to families and students about secure firearms storage under this bill.
Again, please contact members of the House Committee on Education and ask them to oppose SB 551.
