HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 5457E ~-
COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 5457
A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A POLICY PROVIDING THAT
THE AFFIRMATIVE DE-FENSE DESCRIBED IN ORS
166.370(3)(g) DOES NOT APPLY TO THE POSSESSION OF
FIREARMS IN CITY BUILDINGS WHERE OFFICIAL CITY
MEETINGS ARE HELD.
PASSED: 6:1
REJECTED:
OPPOSED: Clark
ABSENT: Evans
CONSIDERED: September 22, 2025 ,.(J,
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RESOLUTION NO. 5457
A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A POLICY PROVIDING THAT THE
AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE DESCRIBED IN ORS 166.370(3)(g) DOES
NOT APPLY TO THE POSSESSION OF FIREARMS IN CITY
BUILDINGS WHERE OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS ARE HELD.
The City Council of the City of Eugene finds that:
A. The 2025 Eugene-State Legislative Priorities, approved by the Eugene City Council
on January 22, 2025, included the following priority:
5. Secure authority for local governments to prohibit
firearms in public buildings.
HB 2007 from the 2023 session is the basis for a 2025 bill being led
by Metro. Specifically, the bill would:
'Authorize[] governing bodies of certain public entities that own or
control public building[s] to adopt policy, ordinance or regulation or
precluding affirmative defense for possession of firearms in public
building and adjacent grounds by concealed handgun licensees.
Provides that in prosecution for possession of firearm in building or
on grounds subject to such policy, ordinance or regulation,
concealed handgun licensee affirmative defense in not complete
defense, but results in Class A misdemeanor conviction punishable
by 364 days' imprisonment, $6,250 fine, or both.'
B. During the 2025 legislative session, the Oregon Legislature adopted Senate Bill (SB)
243, with an effective date of September 25, 2025. Among other things, SB 243 amends ORS
166.377 to add a new subsection (3), that new subsection authorizes the governing body of a city,
a county, or a district to:
adopt a policy, ordinance or regulation providing that the affirmative
defense described in ORS 166.370(3)(g), concerning persons
licensed to carry a concealed handgun under ORS 166.291 and
166.292, does not apply to the possession of firearms within a
building owned or controlled by the governing body that is used by
the governing body for official meetings.
C. SB 243 requires any governing body that adopts a policy allowed under ORS
166.377's new subsection (3) to: (1) post a clearly visible sign, at all normal points of entry to the
buildings subject to the policy, indicating that the affirmative defense described in ORS 166.370
(3)(g) does not apply; and, (2) post a notice on the governing body's website identifying all
buildings subject to the policy.
D. The City of Eugene owns or controls a number of buildings in which official
meetings (meetings subject to Oregon Public Meetings law) are held. In furtherance of the
legislative priority set forth in finding A, the City Council desires to adopt a policy providing that
the affirmative defense described in ORS 166.370(3)(g), concerning persons licensed to carry a
Resolution -Page 1 of 2
concealed handgun under ORS 166.291 and 166.292, does not apply to the possession of firearms
within any building owned or controlled by the City in which official meetings of the City are held.
NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EUGENE, a
Municipal Corporation of the State of Oregon, as follows:
Section 1. The City Council of the City of Eugene adopts the following policy in accordance
with ORS 166.377(3):
The affirmative defense described in ORS 166.370(3)(g), concerning persons
licensed to carry a concealed handgun under ORS 166.291 and 166.292, does not
apply to the possession of firearms within any building owned or controlled by the
City of Eugene that is used by the City of Eugene for official meetings.
Section 2. Followings its passage by the City Council, this Resolution shall become effective
on September 26 , 2025.
The foregoing Resolution adopted the 22 nd day of September, 2025.
Resolution -Page 2 of 2