Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

Oregon Gun Control Ballot Measure Passes, Barely; Iowans Overwhelmingly Approve RKBA Amendment

Monday, November 14, 2022

Oregon Gun Control Ballot Measure Passes, Barely; Iowans Overwhelmingly Approve RKBA Amendment

Two firearm-related ballot measures – one bad, one good – were voted on in last week’s midterm elections. Both passed.

In the blue state of Oregon, voters were presented with Measure 114, the 12-page Changes to Firearm Ownership and Purchase Requirements Initiative, described by the NRA as “the nation’s most extreme gun control Initiative.” Among other things, it requires a law enforcement-issued “permit to purchase” to buy or transfer a firearm, requires law enforcement to maintain a registry of gun owners’ personal information (gathered from permit applications), and subjects legitimate gun owners to extra fees to exercise their rights. It also unconstitutionally bans the use, possession, manufacturing, and transfer of magazines with a capacity of more than ten rounds.  

This extreme law was supported by gun control groups Giffords, Bloomberg’s Everytown, and the Oregon Alliance for Gun Safety. Law enforcement associations, state gun groups, and the NRA opposed the measure.   

There was a huge funding disparity in the campaign contributions reported in relation to the measure, with $2,930,049.57 in support and $173,205.26 against. Large donations from single individuals made up most of the pro-Measure 114 funding, with Connie Ballmer, the wife of Steve Ballmer, billionaire and former Microsoft CEO, being the top donor with a contribution of $750,000, followed by Nicolas Hanauer ($250,000), and Bloomberg’s Everytown PAC donating an additional $155,000.

Even with the spending so massively weighted in favor of the proponents, on election day the measure barely squeaked by, with current results showing just over 50% of voters favored the law.

In Iowa, pro-gun Amendment 1 will amend the state constitution to add an explicit guarantee of the right to keep and bear arms as “a fundamental individual right” and subject any gun laws and restrictions to “strict scrutiny” by a court. Unlike the Oregon measure, the amendment was initially passed by two consecutive legislatures before it was put on the ballot for the people to decide. The NRA and other gun rights supporters have worked for years to ensure that the measure completed the daunting process for a constitutional amendment, through the state legislature and onto the ballot. 

True to the language of the Iowa state motto (“Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain”), voters in the Hawkeye State approved the measure by a very large margin, 65% for, 34.9% against, and Iowa now joins the 44 other states that have a similar provision in their state constitutions.

Anti-gun advocates are fond of bolstering their positions with allegations that a majority of everyday Americans support gun control. As recently as last week, Bloomberg’s Everytown quoted a poll claiming that “[f]ifty-six percent of 2022 voters supported stricter gun safety measures” as proof that gun control “is a winning issue.” The recent election shows, though, that when gun control measures are actually put to the voters, even a multi-million dollar campaign in a Democratic state couldn’t do better than push the measure a hair past the 50 percent point.

TRENDING NOW
U.S. Senate Adds Pro-Gun Tax Relief Language Back into Reconciliation Bill

News  

Saturday, June 28, 2025

U.S. Senate Adds Pro-Gun Tax Relief Language Back into Reconciliation Bill

Overnight, the U.S. Senate added pro-gun tax relief language back into the Reconciliation bill after the Senate Parliamentarian struck out an earlier provision.  While this new provision is not as expansive as the language we advocated for which ...

One Big Beautiful Bill Clears Senate, and Heads Back to House

News  

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

One Big Beautiful Bill Clears Senate, and Heads Back to House

Earlier today the U.S. Senate passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” This bill contained a provision that would, among other things, eliminate the burdensome $200 excise tax imposed by federal law on suppressors, short-barreled firearms, and “any ...

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

News  

Second Amendment  

Thursday, May 22, 2025

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.1 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included Section 2 of the Hearing Protection Act, completely removing suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA).

U.S. Senate Forced to Remove Pro-Gun Language from Reconciliation Bill

News  

Friday, June 27, 2025

U.S. Senate Forced to Remove Pro-Gun Language from Reconciliation Bill

Today, the U.S. Senate was forced to remove the pro-gun language that had been previously included in the Reconciliation Bill currently making its way through the chamber. We explained in a previous article that this language would, ...

Armed Churchgoers Prevent Mass Attack as State Lawmakers Plot More Gun Control

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Armed Churchgoers Prevent Mass Attack as State Lawmakers Plot More Gun Control

Just over an hour away from the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan – even as lawmakers worked feverishly to pass various gun control measures, including expansion of “gun free” zones – a chilling reminder unfolded of the ...

Urge the U.S. Senate to Pass the One Big Beautiful Bill – Contact Your U.S. Senators Today!

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Urge the U.S. Senate to Pass the One Big Beautiful Bill – Contact Your U.S. Senators Today!

The U.S. Senate has cleared a number of procedural hurdles and is preparing to vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill. This vote will likely come within the next day. The One Big Beautiful Bill includes ...

Canada’s Big Ugly Gun Grab: An Update

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Canada’s Big Ugly Gun Grab: An Update

Canada’s Liberal government is pressing on with its harebrained gun ban and confiscation program for “assault style weapons,” but, true to form and precedents, it has been far from smooth sailing.

North Carolina: Update on Gun Bills Moving through the General Assembly

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

North Carolina: Update on Gun Bills Moving through the General Assembly

Recently, House Bill 193 (H193) was reported favorably out of both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Rules Committee, with amendments.

U.S. Court of Appeals Backtracks on Adverse Suppressor Ruling

News  

Monday, June 23, 2025

U.S. Court of Appeals Backtracks on Adverse Suppressor Ruling

In a single sentence, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit added to the high-profile and consequential national conversation on firearm suppressors.

Argentina President Milei Continues to Make Improvements to Country’s Gun Laws

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Argentina President Milei Continues to Make Improvements to Country’s Gun Laws

We’ve reported before about Argentina President Javier Milei expanding access to firearms for law-abiding Argentinians.

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.