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A 2022 Oregon ballot measure established a permit to purchase process for people who wish to be qualified to purchase or acquire firearms. This law requires local law enforcement agencies to provide to the State Police a copy of any permit to purchase firearms they issue, and any information necessary for the State Police to maintain an electronic searchable database of such permits.1 The Department of State Police is required to maintain this electronic database by ensuring that new permits are added to the database, renewed permits are assigned a new expiration date, and expired or revoked permits are marked expired or revoked but retained in the database.2

Previously, Oregon law prohibited the State Police from retaining information obtained during a firearm background check request for more than five years. However, Oregon’s 2022 ballot measure now authorizes the State Police to retain information provided to a licensed dealer in a firearms transaction sufficient to identify each firearm purchased by a permit holder for inclusion in an electronic law enforcement database.3 The law requires that this information be attached to the electronic record of the permit maintained by the Department of State Police.4

Records of information obtained during a firearm background check are exempt from disclosure under Oregon public records law.5

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  1. 2022 Oregon Ballot Measure 114, Section 4(5).[]
  2. Id.[]
  3. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.412(7)(a).[]
  4. Id.[]
  5. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.412(7)(b); Or. Admin. R. 257-010-0010(4), Or. Admin. R. 257-010-0055(3).[]