At their Regular Wednesday Meeting on February 17, 2016, the Jackson County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved Order No. 21-16 proclaiming opposition to the expansion of background checks for the purchase of firearms.
All public officials elected or appointed to an office under the Constitution of the State of Oregon swear an oath to support the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of Oregon. The Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America and the absolutely clear language of Article I, Section 27 of the Constitution of the State of Oregon provide "that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." Attempts at incremental infringements shall be construed as an overt disregard of the undeniable protections and rights of these aforementioned documents. The Board of Commissioners recognize that the first and last protectors of the Constitution of the United States of America are the individual citizens of the United States, and the ability of the citizens to fulfill that role rests in large part on the citizen's right to bear arms as guaranteed within the Second Amendment.
The current firearms purchase background check system rarely results in criminal prosecutions or convictions of prohibited persons, and the criminal element does not follow the laws currently in place; therefore, creating additional restrictive laws will do nothing to increase compliance, but will increase the work load on law enforcement. Order No. 21-16 proclaims Jackson County's opposition to any expansion of Oregon's "background check" system for transfers of firearms between qualified and law abiding persons and any additional state and federal laws, regulations, or restrictions on the Constitutional rights held within the Second Amendment.
The Board of Commissioners, at their staff meeting of February 25, 2016, signed Order No. 31-16 amending Board Order No. 21-16. A copy of Order No. 31-16 is below.