PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A gun safety bill is making its way through the Oregon legislature, which would ban bump stocks and allow local governments to decide whether to allow firearms in public meeting spaces.

The Oregon Senate passed Senate Bill 243 -- the Community Safety Firearms Act -- on Thursday, which would create new crimes for possessing bump stocks -- or devices that turn semi-automatic guns fully automatic.

Under the bill, local governments would also have the authority to limit concealed handgun license holders from bringing firearms in public buildings where official meetings are held, such as city halls.

Following the bill's passage, Oregon Senate Democrats said the legislation marks "action for community safety."

“Being elected to serve means guarding the people who put their trust in us: protecting their safety, defending their rights, and leading with humility and common sense,” said Senator Anthony Broadman (D –Bend). “As a father, a hunter, a responsible gun owner, and an Oregon Senator, I know Senate Bill 243 honors that responsibility.”

“Rapid-fire activators are simply tools of mass destruction and do not belong in our communities,” added Sen. Floyd Prozanski (D –Eugene & Springfield), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and chief sponsor of the bill.

“It’s time to call these devices what they are. They give legal firearms the same dangerous abilities as machine guns,” said Senator Lisa Reynolds (D –Portland). “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a machine gun.”

The bill passed the Senate in a 17-12 vote along party lines, with the Oregon Senate Republican Caucus calling the legislation "deeply flawed."

“The people who follow the law deserve policies that respect them. The people who break the law deserve consequences,” said Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles). “Senate Bill 243 targets responsible Oregonians, not criminals. That’s a mistake we’ve made before. We should learn from it, not double down on it.”

According to the Senate Republican Caucus, “there is no credible evidence” that banning bump stocks will reduce gun violence.

“This bill does not address the core issues driving gun violence in our communities,” said Senator Bruce Starr (R-Dundee). “It doesn’t target criminals. It doesn’t invest in mental health or illegal gun trafficking enforcement. Instead, it creates new penalties for responsible gun owners who already follow the law, store their firearms safely, and have undergone background checks.”

The Republican caucus noted they offered their own proposals in a minority report, which was rejected by Democrats.

The proposals from Republicans included repealing SB 554, a bill from 2021 that allows school districts and local governments to decide whether to allow concealed handgun license holders to bring firearms into public buildings.

Other proposals from the Republican caucus included preventing people who have been charged with drug-related misdemeanors from owning guns along with another provision requiring participants in deflection programs to transfer their firearms to a law enforcement agency, a gun dealer or a third party until their deflection program is completed.

After passing the Senate on Thursday, the bill moves to the Oregon House of Representatives, where the bill will have its first reading on June 2.