Families shouldn't have to beg.
When a gun hurts someone in Oregon, the victims and their families should be paid for funerals, hospital bills, and counseling, fast. Not left to a fundraiser.
Contact your legislators Read the billWhat the Responsible Owners Act does
Help when it matters most. A statewide victim compensation pool pays victims when no one else does: when the shooter is unknown, uninsured, or used a stolen gun. After a shooting that kills or injures three or more people, it pays funeral, medical, and counseling costs within 14 days, before anyone argues over who's liable.
Responsible owners pay less. Cities and counties can choose to require gun owners to carry liability coverage, the way drivers carry car insurance. Coverage pays victims at least $250,000 per person. A safe, trigger locks, or a safety course lowers your premium.
No lists. No seizures. No arrests. Owners keep a signed form with the gun. Nothing is filed with the government, and no agency can build a list of owners. A violation is a civil infraction, dismissed when you show coverage.
Who pays for it
The product that causes the harm, not taxpayers. A 6.5% excise tax on gun and ammunition sales funds the victim pool. Oregon voters would decide it, the way Colorado voters approved their own tax in 2024.
Until then, the pool runs on fines, voluntary contributions from manufacturers, and a state appropriation.
- Coverage
- At least $250,000 per victim, $1,000,000 per occurrence
- Waiver
- Households under 200% of the federal poverty guidelines
- Fine
- Up to $250, dismissed with proof of coverage within 30 days
- Funding
- 6.5% excise on gun and ammunition sales, referred to voters
- Reserve
- At least 25% of the prior year's revenue, plus reinsurance
Questions people ask
Is this a gun registry?
No. Owners sign a form listing their insurer and policy number and keep it with the gun. Nothing is filed with any government agency. The forms aren't public records, and the bill bars agencies from compiling a list of owners.
Can police take my gun or arrest me?
No. A violation is a civil infraction with a fine of up to $250, dismissed if you show coverage within 30 days. The bill expressly bars seizure and arrest for a violation.
What will coverage cost?
That isn't known yet, which is why no requirement can be enforced until the state publishes a rate study. Premiums are priced on risk, so safe storage and training bring them down. Owners turned down by two insurers can buy coverage from the state pool.
What if I can't afford it?
Households under 200% of the federal poverty guidelines can claim a waiver. If a waived owner's gun is used to hurt someone, the pool pays the victims.
Does it cover crimes, or only accidents?
Both. Policies must pay victims even when the harm was intentional, up to $250,000 per victim, and the insurer can then recover from the shooter. When the shooter is unknown, uninsured, or used a stolen gun, the pool pays instead.
What about suicide?
Self-inflicted harm is generally excluded. Families can petition for a confidential hearing in specific cases: when the person was a minor, used someone else's unsecured gun, or was legally barred from having guns.
Why can't Bend just do this itself?
Oregon law, ORS 166.170, reserves firearm regulation to the state and voids local ordinances on gun ownership and possession. The Legislature has to act first.
My county doesn't want this. Will it be forced on us?
The insurance requirement is opt-in: each city or county decides. The victim pool and its funding are statewide, so victims everywhere in Oregon are covered.
Ask your legislators to sponsor it
Bend is represented by three legislators. A short, personal email asking them to support the Responsible Owners Act makes a difference, especially in your own words.
Not sure what to say?
"I live in [your neighborhood] and I'm asking you to sponsor the Responsible Owners Act. When a gun hurts someone in Oregon, families shouldn't have to rely on fundraisers to pay for funerals and hospital bills. Responsible owners would pay less, with no registry and no seizures."