Case Title: Hopkins/Starrett v. Rosenblum

Citation: 

Docket Number: S067200

State: oregon

Court: Oregon Supreme Court

Date: 2020-03-05T00:00:00Z

Document:
No. 10	
March 5, 2020	
239
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE
STATE OF OREGON
Keely HOPKINS 
and Paul Donheffner,
Petitioners,
v.
Ellen F. ROSENBLUM, 
Attorney General, State of Oregon,
Respondent.
(SC S067200) (Control)
Kevin STARRETT,
Petitioner,
v.
Ellen F. ROSENBLUM, 
Attorney General, State of Oregon,
Respondent.
(SC S067201)
En Banc
On petitions to review ballot title filed November 22, 2019; 
considered and under advisement on January 22, 2020.
Shawn M. Lindsay, Harris Berne Christensen LLP, 
Portland, filed the petition for review and reply memoran­
dum for petitioners Keely Hopkins and Paul Donheffner.
Eric Winters, Wilsonville, filed the petition for review 
and reply memorandum for petitioner Kevin Starrett.
Denise J. Fjordbeck, Assistant Attorney General, Salem, 
filed the answering memorandum for respondent. Also on 
the answering memorandum were Ellen F. Rosenblum, 
Attorney General, and Benjamin Gutman, Solicitor General.
DUNCAN, J.
The ballot title is referred to the Attorney General for 
modification.
240	
Hopkins/Starrett v. Rosenblum
Case Summary: Petitioners challenged aspects of the certified ballot title 
that the Attorney General prepared for Initiative Petition (IP) 40 (2020). If 
approved, IP 40 would establish requirements for securing firearms, reporting 
the loss or theft of firearms, and supervising minors’ use of firearms; and would 
establish consequences for violating those requirements, including strict liability 
for injuries caused by the use of the firearms involved in the violations. Held: 
(1) The caption and the “yes” result statement must be modified to accurately 
reflect that categories of persons in addition to owners would be subject to IP 40 if 
approved; (2) the caption must be modified to describe the liability that IP would 
impose as strict liability; and (3) the “yes” result statement must be modified to 
accurately convey the scope of the requirement to secure firearms under IP 40.
The ballot title is referred to the Attorney General for modification.
Cite as 366 Or 239 (2020)	
241
	
DUNCAN, J.
	
In these consolidated cases, petitioners seek judi­
cial review of the Attorney General’s certified ballot title 
for Initiative Petition 40 (2020) (IP 40). For the reasons 
explained below, we conclude that the ballot title’s caption 
and “yes” result statement do not substantially comply with 
the applicable statutory requirements. Therefore, we refer 
the ballot title to the Attorney General for modification.
	
If enacted, IP 40 would establish requirements for 
securing firearms, reporting the loss or theft of firearms, 
and supervising minors’ use of firearms. It would also estab­
lish consequences for violating those requirements, includ­
ing strict liability for injuries caused by use of the firearms 
involved in the violations. Additional details about IP 40 are 
described below in our discussion addressing petitioners’ 
challenges to the ballot title, and the full text of IP 40 is 
attached as an appendix.
	
We begin with a brief review of the statutes gov­
erning ballot titles, including this court’s review of them. 
The contents of a ballot title are prescribed by statute. ORS 
250.035(2). A ballot title consists of four parts: a caption, a 
“yes” result statement, a “no” result statement, and a sum­
mary. Id. Each part is subject to a word limit. Id.
	
The Attorney General prepares a draft ballot title, 
ORS 250.065(4), and the Secretary of State provides public 
notice of the draft and collects written comments on it, which 
are then provided to the Attorney General, ORS 250.067(1). 
After considering the comments, the Attorney General cer­
tifies either the draft ballot title or a revised ballot title. 
ORS 250.067(2)(a). If an elector who submitted a timely 
written comment on the draft ballot title believes that the 
certified ballot title does not substantially comply with the 
applicable statutory requirements, the elector may petition 
this court for judicial review. ORS 250.085(2). On review, 
the elector may renew any challenge made to the text of the 
draft ballot title. ORS 205.085(6). The elector may also chal­
lenge any text added after the comment period. Id. But an 
elector may not raise any challenge to the text of the draft 
ballot title that could have been made, but was not, during 
the comment period. Id. This court reviews certified ballot 
242	
Hopkins/Starrett v. Rosenblum
titles for substantial compliance with the applicable statu­
tory requirements. ORS 250.085(5).
	
As required by statute, the Attorney General pre­
pared a draft ballot title for IP 40, and the Secretary of 
State circulated it for public comment. Dozens of persons 
submitted comments, including petitioners. In response to 
some of the comments, the Attorney General modified the 
draft ballot title and certified the following ballot title:
“Owner must lock firearm/use locked storage (excep­
tions), report loss, supervise minors’ use. Penalties/
liabilities.
	
“Result of ‘Yes’ Vote:  ‘Yes’ vote requires owner to 
lock firearms when stored, transferred; exceptions. Owner 
must report theft, loss. Use by minors supervised. Penalties; 
strict liability for injuries.
	
“Result of ‘No’ Vote:  ‘No’ vote retains current law; 
locking firearms, reporting theft or loss not required. 
Retains current law regarding possession/ sale to minors. 
Owner liability requires negligence.
	
“Summary:  Requires firearm owner/ possessor to 
secure it with trigger or cable lock, or in locked container 
when not carried by owner/ possessor, with some excep­
tions; must transfer firearm with trigger or cable lock, or in 
locked container; must report theft or loss of firearm to law 
enforcement within 24 hours; person transferring firearm 
to minor must directly supervise minor’s use. Failure to 
comply with requirements treated as violation (not crime). 
Person who violates requirements strictly liable if firearm 
that is subject of violation injures person/ property within 
four years of violation; liability does not apply if injury 
results from self-defense or defense of another. Oregon 
Health Authority to adopt specifications for trigger locks, 
cable locks, firearm containers. Defines ‘firearm,’ ‘transfer,’ 
other terms. Other provisions.”
	
Petitioners challenge all four parts of the Attorney 
General’s certified ballot title for IP 40.1 Some of petition­
ers’ arguments could have been made during the comment 
	
1  Petitioner Starrett filed one petition for review, and petitioners Hopkins 
and Donheffner filed another one. For convenience, we refer to the three petition­
ers collectively.
Cite as 366 Or 239 (2020)	
243
period but were not; consequently, we cannot consider them. 
ORS 250.085(6). We have considered all of petitioners’ prop­
erly raised arguments. For the reasons explained below, we 
agree with some of petitioners’ arguments regarding the bal­
lot title caption and the “yes” result statement. We reject the 
remainder of their arguments without further discussion.
	
Petitioners’ first challenge concerns the caption of 
the certified ballot title. A ballot title must contain “[a] cap­
tion of not more than 15 words that reasonably identifies 
the subject matter of the * 
* 
* measure.” ORS 250.035(2)(a). 
“The ‘subject matter’ is the ‘actual major effect’ of a measure 
or, if the measure has more than one effect, all such effects 
(to the limit of the available words).” Parrish v. Rosenblum, 
365 Or 597, 600, 450 P3d 973 (2019) (quoting Markley/Lutz 
v. Rosenblum, 362 Or 531, 534, 413 P3d 966 (2018)). A cap­
tion must describe a measure’s subject matter “accurately, 
and in terms that will not confuse or mislead potential peti­
tion signers and voters.” Greene v. Kulongoski, 322 Or 169, 

174-75, 903 P2d 366 (1995). “One way that a caption may be 
‘inaccurate’ for the purposes of ORS 250.035(2)(a) is by being 
‘underinclusive.’ A caption is underinclusive when it iden­
tifies the subject matter of a measure by mentioning only 
some of its aspects, while leaving other, ‘major aspects’ of the 
measure unmentioned.” Dixon/Frohnmayer v. Rosenblum, 
355 Or 364, 370, 327 P3d 1160 (2014).
	
Again, the caption here states, “Owner must lock 
firearm/use locked storage (exceptions), report loss, super­
vise minors’ use. Penalties/liabilities.” (Emphasis added.) 
Petitioners argue that the caption is impermissibly underin­
clusive because it does not accurately reflect the categories 
of persons who will be subject to IP 40 if it is approved. They 
point out that the caption mentions owners but does not 
mention the other categories of persons who will be subject 
to IP 40, including persons who possess, transfer, or control 
firearms.
	
Petitioners are correct that IP 40 applies to persons 
other than firearm owners. Specifically, section 1 provides, in 
part, “A person who owns or possesses a firearm shall, at all 
times that the firearm is not carried by or under the control 
of the person or an authorized person, secure the firearm[.]” 
244	
Hopkins/Starrett v. Rosenblum
IP 40, § 1(1)(a) (emphasis added). Section 2 requires “[a] per­
son transferring a firearm” to secure the firearm. Id. § 2(1). 
Section 3 requires “[a] person who owns, possesses or con­
trols a firearm” to report the loss or theft of the firearm. 

Id. § 3(1)(a). And, section 4 requires “[a] person who trans­
fers a firearm to a minor” to directly supervise the minor’s 
use of the firearm. Id. § 4(2)(a). Thus, IP 40 applies to all 
persons who own, possess, transfer, or control firearms.2
	
The Attorney General does not dispute that IP 
40 applies to persons other than firearm owners. But she 
contends that the caption identifies “as many of the major 
effects of the measure as can be conveyed in fifteen words.”
	
We agree with petitioners that the caption is defi­
cient because it refers to owners but does not refer to the 
other categories of persons who will be subject to IP 40, if 
it is approved. As written, the caption does not accurately 
reflect the scope of IP 40. It could cause potential petition 
signers and voters to incorrectly conclude that, if they do 
not own a firearm, IP 40 will not affect them. Because the 
caption is underinclusive in a way that renders it inaccurate 
and misleading, it must be modified.
	
We recognize that trying to describe all the major 
effects of a measure in 15 words “can be difficult” and that, 
at times, it is necessary “to describe those effects generally.” 
McCann/Harmon v. Rosenblum, 354 Or 701, 707, 320 P3d 
548 (2014). We also recognize, as the Attorney General con­
tends in this case, that it may not be possible to list all the 
categories of persons subject to IP 40 in a 15-word caption. 
But that does not mean that the caption may include one of 
those categories and omit the others, when doing so could 
mislead potential petition signers and voters. Instead, the 
caption may have to be more general.
	
In connection with that observation, we note that 
the caption of the Attorney General’s draft ballot title did 
	
2  The requirements do not apply in all circumstances. For example, the 
requirement that a person who owns or possesses a firearm secure the firearm 
“at all times that the firearm is not carried by or under the control of the person 
or an authorized person,” IP 40, § 1(1)(a), does not apply when the firearm is being 
used for certain purposes, including (with some limitations) safety training, tar­
get shooting, hunting, or self-defense, id. § 1(3).
Cite as 366 Or 239 (2020)	
245
not mention firearm owners or otherwise identify the per­
sons who will be subject to IP 40. It simply stated, “Requires 
firearms be locked during storage/transfer, loss reported, 
minors’ use supervised; imposes penalties/liabilities.”
	
The Attorney General added the word “[o]wner” to 
the caption after the comment period. It appears that she 
did so in response to comments asserting that the draft cap­
tion incorrectly implied that, under IP 40, a firearm must be 
secured only when stored or transferred, even though IP 40 
provides, in pertinent part, “A person who owns or possesses 
a firearm shall, at all times that the firearm is not carried 
by or under the control of the person or an authorized per­
son, secure the firearm.” IP 40, § 1(1)(a) (emphasis added). 
As described by the Attorney General, one of the comment­
ers had asserted that “the use of ‘storage’ in the caption is 
misleading, in that the measure requires that a firearm be 
locked whenever it is not under the immediate control of 
the owner.” It appears that the Attorney General may have 
added the word “[o]wner” to the caption in response to the 
commenter’s use of that word. But adding the word “[o]wner” 
to the caption was not necessary to address the comment, 
which concerned when firearms must be secured under IP 
40, not who must secure them. Indeed, in response to the 
comment, the Attorney General focused on when a firearm 
must be secured, stating, “We have modified the caption 
to make it clear that the firearm must either be locked or 
placed in locked storage, with exceptions.” The modification 
resulted in the use of the phrase at issue here: “Owner must 
lock firearm/use locked storage (exceptions)[.]” (Emphasis 
added.) Thus, it appears that, in an attempt to fix one prob­
lem, the Attorney General inadvertently created a different 
one.
	
The term “owner” does not appear to be necessary 
to the caption. The Attorney General has not identified any 
reason for including it, and petitioners have not argued that 
the caption must specify the categories of persons who will 
be subject to IP 40. Indeed, one petitioner has stated that, 
given the word limit, it would be impossible to do so. Thus, 
the problem that resulted from adding “owner” to the cap­
tion can be remedied by deleting it.
246	
Hopkins/Starrett v. Rosenblum
	
Petitioners raise a second challenge to the certified 
caption, contending that it does not adequately describe the 
consequences of violating a requirement set out in IP 40. 
Again, the caption states, “Owner must lock firearm/use 
locked storage (exceptions), report loss, supervise minors’ 
use. Penalties/liabilities.” (Emphasis added.) Petitioners con­
tend that the caption is deficient because it does not convey 
that, if a person violates an IP 40 requirement by failing to 
secure a firearm, failing to report the loss or theft of a fire­
arm, or failing to supervise a minor’s use of a firearm, the 
person can be “strictly liable” for injuries resulting from the 
use of the firearm involved in the violation.
	
Petitioners are correct that IP 40 provides that per­
sons who violate its requirements can be “strictly liable” for 
injuries. Section 1 of IP 40 provides, “If a person obtains 
an unsecured firearm as a result of the owner or possessor 
violating [subsection 1(1), which requires that firearms be 
secured,]” and the firearm is used to injure a person or prop­
erty within four years of the violation, the owner or possessor 
of the firearm who violated [subsection 1(1)] is strictly liable 
for the injury.” IP 40, § 1(4)(a). Similarly, section 2 makes 
a person who transfers an unsecured firearm “strictly lia­
ble” for injuries caused by use of the firearm within four 
years of the transfer. Id. § 2(4)(a). Section 3, which requires 
the reporting of lost or stolen firearms, provides that a per­
son who fails to make a required report is “strictly liable” 
for injuries caused by use of the firearm until the person 
makes the report or four years pass, whichever occurs first. 

Id. § 3(3)(a). Finally, section 4 provides that a person who 
transfers a firearm to a minor, but fails to directly super­
vise the minor’s use of the firearm, is “strictly liable” 
for injuries “caused by the minor’s use of the firearm.” 

Id. § 4(2)(a).3
	
In response to petitioners’ contention that the cap­
tion must describe the liability that IP 40 would impose as 
“strict liability,” the Attorney General asserts that the cap­
tion is sufficient, given the word limit.
	
3  There are exceptions to a person’s strict liability under each section, includ­
ing for when the firearm was used in a lawful act of self-defense or defense of 
another person.
Cite as 366 Or 239 (2020)	
247
	
We agree with petitioners. A caption must identify 
a measure’s subject matter in a way that does not under­
state the scope of the legal changes that would result from 
approval of the measure. Kain v. Myers, 337 Or 36, 40, 93 
P3d 62 (2004). IP 40 would substantially increase a person’s 
liability for injuries caused by use of a firearm, including 
use by another person, by eliminating the requirement of 
recklessness, negligence, or intent that would otherwise 
exist and that exists for most tort liabilities. See generally 
Black’s Law Dictionary 1099 (11th ed 2019) (defining “strict 
liability” as “[l]iability that does not depend on proof of neg­
ligence or intent to do harm but that is based instead on a 
duty to compensate the harms proximately caused by the 
activities or behavior subject to the liability rule”). To ade­
quately alert potential petition signers and voters to that 
substantial change in the law, the caption must identify the 
heightened liability that IP 40 would impose.
	
Petitioners also challenge the certified ballot title’s 
“yes” result statement. A “yes” result statement must be 
a “simple and understandable statement of not more than 
25 words that describes the result if the * 
* 
* measure is 
approved.” ORS 250.035(2)(b). “To substantially comply with 
that standard, an accurate description of the change that 
will be caused by the measure is key.” Lavey v. Kroger, 350 
Or 559, 564, 258 P3d 1194 (2011) (citation omitted).
	
Again, the “yes” result statement states, “Result of 
‘Yes’ Vote: ‘Yes’ vote requires owner to lock firearms when 
stored, transferred; exceptions. Owner must report theft, 
loss. Use by minors supervised. Penalties; strict liability 
for injuries.” (Emphases added.) Petitioners challenge two 
aspects of the “yes” result statement. First, they assert that, 
as with the caption, inclusion of the word “owner” results in 
an inaccurate and misleading description of IP 40. For the 
same reasons explained above in connection with petition­
ers’ challenge to the caption, we agree.
	
Second, petitioners assert that the “yes” result 
statement is inaccurate because it implies that firearms 
must be secured only when they are stored or transferred. 
As mentioned, IP 40 provides, “A person who owns or pos­
sesses a firearm shall, at all times that the firearm is not 
248	
Hopkins/Starrett v. Rosenblum
carried by or under the control of the person or an autho­
rized person, secure the firearm.” IP 40, §  1(1) (emphasis 
added). Petitioners argue that the “yes” result statement 
implies that IP 40 requires that firearms be secured only 
when stored or transferred. According to petitioners, that 
is inaccurate because, under IP 40, a firearm may have to 
be secured even when it is not “stored,” as that word is com­
monly understood.
	
As described above, petitioners made a similar 
argument about the caption of the draft ballot title, to which 
the Attorney General responded by modifying the caption. 
But now, in connection with petitioners’ challenge to the 
“yes” result statement, the Attorney General asserts that 
the phrase “requires owner to lock firearms when stored, 
transferred” is accurate because, “[w]hen a firearm is not 
being carried, it is usual for it to be in a designated place 
where it can be readily located—in other words, ‘stored.’ 
”
	
We agree with petitioners. In the “yes” result state­
ment, the word “stored” conveys that the firearm has been 
left or deposited in a place for keeping or preservation. 
See Webster’s Third New Int’l Dictionary 2252 (unabridged 
ed 2002) (defining “store” to mean “to leave or deposit in 
a * 
* 
* place for keeping, preservation”). It covers some cir­
cumstances in which, under IP 40, a firearm would have 
to be secured. But potential petition signers and voters are 
not likely to associate it with other common circumstances 
in which a firearm is not carried or under the control of 
an authorized person and, under IP 40, would have to be 
secured. Therefore, the “yes” statement does not accurately 
convey the scope of the requirement to secure firearms 
under IP 40. See Stacey v. Myers, 342 Or 455, 458-59, 154 
P3d 109 (2007) (when the concept to be communicated is key 
to understanding the proposed measure, and the word limit 
permits including that concept, the “yes” result statement 
should notify signers and voters of that result).
	
In sum, we conclude that the caption and “yes” 
result statement of the certified ballot title for IP 40 do not 
substantially comply with the applicable statutory require­
ments. The caption is deficient because it refers to firearm 
owners, while excluding other categories of persons who will 
Cite as 366 Or 239 (2020)	
249
be subject to IP 40 if approved, and because it does not state 
that IP 40 would impose strict liability. The “yes” result 
statement is deficient because, like the caption, it refers to 
owners, but excludes others who will be subject to IP 40, and 
because it does not reflect common circumstances in which, 
under IP 40, a firearm must be secured. Therefore, we refer 
the ballot title to the Attorney General for modification of 
the caption and “yes” result statement.
	
The ballot title is referred to the Attorney General 
for modification.
250	
Hopkins/Starrett v. Rosenblum
APPENDIX
	
Whereas this measure is designed to prevent trag­
edies such as the 2012 Clackamas Town Center shooting by 
creating rules for safe storage of guns, and is named after 
victims Cindy Yuille and Steven Forsyth; and
	
Whereas this measure will help reduce accidental 
child injury and death by requiring safe storage (Section 1) 
and transfer (Section 2); and
	
Whereas this measure will help law enforcement 
catch thieves and stop the transfer of guns to people pro­
hibited from owning them by requiring reporting of lost or 
stolen guns (Section 3); and
	
Whereas this measure will hold irresponsible own­
ers responsible if their guns were not stored safely. (Section 
1); and
	
Whereas this measure has no effect on what guns 
you can own or purchase, and does not make any changes to 
who can own guns; and
	
Whereas nothing in this measure allows police to 
come into your home to inspect how your guns are stored; 
now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
	
SECTION 1.  (1)(a)  A person who owns or pos­
sesses a firearm shall, at all times that the firearm is not 
carried by or under the control of the person or an autho­
rized person, secure the firearm:
	
(A)  With an engaged trigger lock or cable lock that 
meets or exceeds the minimum specifications established by 
the Oregon Health Authority under section 5 of this 2020 
Act; or
	
(B)  In a locked container, equipped with a tamper-
resistant lock that meets or exceeds the minimum specifi­
cations established by the Oregon Health Authority under 
section 5 of this 2020 Act.
	
(b)  For purposes of paragraph (a) of this subsec­
tion, a firearm is not secured if a key, combination or other 
Cite as 366 Or 239 (2020)	
251
means of opening a lock or container is readily available to 
a person the owner or possessor has not authorized to carry 
or control the firearm.
	
(c)  Each firearm owned or possessed in violation 
of this subsection of this 2020 Act constitutes a separate 
violation.
	
(2)(a)  A violation of subsection (1) of this section is 
a Class C violation.
	
(b)  Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsec­
tion, if a minor obtains an unsecured firearm as a result of 
a violation of subsection (1) of this section and the owner or 
possessor of the firearm knew or should have known that 
a minor could gain unauthorized access to the unsecured 
firearm, the violation is a Class A violation.
	
(3)  Subsection (1) of this section does not apply if 
the unsecured firearm was obtained:
	
(a)  At a shooting range, shooting gallery or other 
area designed for the purpose of target shooting, for use 
during target practice, a firearms safety or training course 
or class or a similar lawful activity;
	
(b)  For the purpose of hunting, trapping or target 
shooting, during the time in which the person is engaged in 
activities related to hunting, trapping or target shooting;
	
(c)  When the person and the firearm are in the 
presence of the owner or possessor of the firearm under cir­
cumstances in which the owner or possessor can prevent the 
person from obtaining or using the firearm;
	
(d)  By a person who is in the business of repairing 
firearms, during the time in which the person is engaged in 
repairing the firearm;
	
(e)  By a person who is in the business of making or 
repairing custom accessories for firearms, during the time 
in which the person is engaged in making or repairing the 
accessories; or
	
(f)  By a person who obtained the firearm for the 
purpose of a lawful act of self-defense or defense of another 
252	
Hopkins/Starrett v. Rosenblum
person and the person retains the firearm only as long as is 
necessary to prevent a death or serious physical injury.
	
(4)(a)  If a person obtains an unsecured firearm as 
a result of the owner or possessor of a firearm violating sub­
section (1) of this section and the firearm is used to injure 
a person or property within four years of the violation, the 
owner or possessor of the firearm who violated subsection (1) 
of this section is strictly liable for the injury.
	
(b)  The liability imposed by paragraph (a) of this 
subsection does not apply if the injury results from a lawful 
act of self-defense or defense of another person.
	
(5)  This section does not apply to an individual 
who is on duty as a member of a law enforcement unit as 
that term is defined in ORS 181A.355.
	
SECTION 2.  (1)  A person transferring a firearm 
shall transfer the firearm:
	
(a)  With an engaged trigger lock or cable lock that 
meets or exceeds the minimum specifications established by 
the Oregon Health Authority under section 5 of this 2020 
Act; or
	
(b)  In a locked container, equipped with a tamper-
resistant lock, that meets or exceeds the minimum specifi­
cations established by the Oregon Health Authority under 
section 5 of this 2020 Act.
	
(2)(a)  A violation of subsection (1) of this section is 
a Class C violation.
	
(b)  Each firearm transferred in violation of sub­
section (1) of this section constitutes a separate violation.
	
(3)  Subsection (2) of this section does not apply 
if the improperly transferred firearm was obtained for the 
purpose of a lawful act of self-defense or defense of another 
person and the person retains the firearm only as long as is 
necessary to prevent a death or serious physical injury.
	
(4)(a)  If a firearm transferred in a manner that 
violates subsection (1) of this section is used to injure a per­
son or property within four years of the violation, the owner 
or possessor of the firearm who transferred the firearm in 
Cite as 366 Or 239 (2020)	
253
violation of subsection (1) of this section is strictly liable for 
the injury.
	
(b)  The liability imposed by paragraph (a) of this 
subsection does not apply if the injury results from a lawful 
act of self-defense or defense of another person.
	
SECTION 3.  (1)(a)  A person who owns, possesses 
or controls a firearm shall report the loss or theft of the 
firearm to a law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction in 
which the loss or theft occurred not later than 24 hours of 
the time the person knew or reasonably should have known 
of the loss or theft.
	
(b)  If a means of reporting a loss or theft of a fire­
arm within 24 hours is not reasonably available, the person 
who owned, possessed or controlled the firearm that was 
lost or stolen must report the loss or theft within 24 hours of 
the means of reporting becoming available.
	
(2)(a)  A violation of subsection (1) of this section is 
a Class B violation.
	
(b)  Each firearm for which a person does not make 
the report within the time required by subsection (1) of this 
section constitutes a separate violation.
	
(3)(a)  If a lost or stolen firearm is used to injure 
a person or property and the person who owned, possessed 
or controlled the firearm at the time of the loss or theft did 
not report the loss or theft within the time period required 
by subsection (1) of this section, the person who owned, pos­
sessed or controlled the firearm at the time of the loss or 
theft is strictly liable for the injury for four years from the 
expiration of the time limit for reporting or until the loss or 
theft report is made, whichever occurs sooner.
	
(b)  The liability imposed by paragraph (a) of this 
subsection does not apply if the injury results from a lawful 
act of self-defense or defense of another person.
	
(4)(a)  If the report of the loss or theft of a firearm 
contains the serial number of the firearm, the law enforce­
ment agency receiving the report must retain the serial 
number.
254	
Hopkins/Starrett v. Rosenblum
	
(b)  Within 24 hours of receiving a report under 
subsection (1) of this section, a law enforcement agency shall 
provide the information concerning the lost or stolen fire­
arm to the Department of State Police.
	
(c)  The department shall enter the information con­
cerning the lost or stolen firearm into the Law Enforcement 
Data System or another electronic database as determined 
by the department.
	
(d)  The department may adopt rules to carry out 
the provisions of this subsection.
	
SECTION 4.  (1)(a)  A person who transfers a fire­
arm to a minor shall directly supervise the minor’s use of 
the firearm.
	
(b)  Notwithstanding ORS 166.250, except in the 
case of a lawful act of self-defense or defense of another per­
son, a minor may possesses [sic] a firearm only under the 
direct supervision of an adult.
	
(2)(a)  A person who transfers a firearm to a minor, 
and who fails to directly supervise the minor’s use of the 
firearm, is strictly liable for injury to person or property 
caused by the minor’s use of the firearm.
	
(b)  The liability imposed by paragraph (a) of this 
subsection does not apply if the injury results from a lawful 
act of self-defense or defense of another person.
	
(3)  This section does not apply to the transfer of a 
firearm:
	
(a)  That is owned by the minor; or
	
(b)  To a minor who holds a valid youth license 
under ORS 497.127 for the purposes of hunting in accor­
dance with ORS 497.360.
	
SECTION 5.  (1)  No later than January 1, 2021, 
the Oregon Health Authority shall adopt temporary rules 
establishing the minimum specifications for trigger locks, 
cable locks and containers equipped with tamper-resistant 
locks required by sections 1 and 2 of this 2020 Act.
	
(2)  No later than July 1, 2021, the Oregon Health 
Authority shall, in consultation with the Department of 
Cite as 366 Or 239 (2020)	
255
State Police and after considering any relevant standards 
in the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2051 et seq.), 
adopt permanent rules establishing the minimum specifica­
tions for trigger locks, cable locks and containers equipped 
with tamper-resistant locks required by sections 1 and 2 of 
this 2020 Act.
	
SECTION 6.  A gun dealer shall post in a promi­
nent location in the gun dealer’s place of business a notice, 
in block letters not less than one inch in height, that states: 
‘The purchaser of a firearm has an obligation to store fire­
arms in a safe manner and to prevent unsupervised access 
to a firearm. If a person obtains access to a firearm and 
the owner failed to store the firearm in a safe manner, the 
owner may be in violation of the law.
	
SECTION 7.  As used in sections 1 to 6 of this 2020 
Act:
	
(1)  “Authorized person” means a person authorized 
by the owner or possessor of a firearm to carry or control the 
firearm.
	
(2)(a)  “Container” means a box, case, chest, locker, 
safe or other similar receptacle.
	
(b)  “Container” does not include a building, room 
or vehicle or a space within a vehicle.
	
(3)  “Control” means, in relation to a firearm, that 
a person is in sufficiently close proximity to the firearm to 
prevent another person from obtaining the firearm.
	
(4)  “Firearm” has the meaning given that term in 
ORS 166.210, except that it does not include a firearm that 
has been rendered permanently inoperable.
	
(5)  “Law enforcement agency” has the meaning 
given that term in ORS 166.525.
	
(6)  “Minor” means a person under 18 years of age.
	
(7)(a)  “Transfer” means the delivery of a firearm 
from a person to a recipient, neither of whom is a gun dealer 
or is licensed as a manufacturer or importer under 18 U.S.C. 
923, including, but not limited to, the sale, gift, loan or lease 
of the firearm.
256	
Hopkins/Starrett v. Rosenblum
	
(b)  “Transfer” does not include the temporary pro­
vision of a firearm by a person to a recipient other than a 
minor if the person has no reason to believe the recipient 
is prohibited from possessing a firearm or intends to use 
the firearm in the commission of a crime, and the provision 
occurs:
	
(A)  At a shooting range, shooting gallery or other 
area designed for the purpose of target shooting, for use 
during target practice, a firearms safety or training course 
or class or a similar lawful activity;
	
(B)  For the purpose of hunting, trapping or target 
shooting, during the time in which the recipient is engaged 
in activities related to hunting, trapping or target shooting;
	
(C)  Under circumstances in which the recipient 
and the firearm are in the presence of the person;
	
(D)  To a recipient who is in the business of repair­
ing firearms, for the time during which the firearm is being 
repaired;
	
(E)  To a recipient who is in the business of making 
or repairing custom accessories for firearms, for the time 
during which the accessories are being made or repaired; or
	
(F)  For the purpose of preventing imminent death 
or serious physical injury, and the provision lasts only as 
long as is necessary to prevent the death or serious physical 
injury.
	
(G)  Delivery of a firearm made inoperable for the 
specific purpose of being used as a prop in the making of a 
motion picture or a television, digital or similar production.
	
SECTION 8.  This 2020 Act shall be known and 
may be cited as the Cindy Yuille and Steve Forsyth Act.
	
SECTION 9.  Sections 1, 2, and 6 of this 2020 Act 
become operative January 1, 2021.