Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon State sheriffs are grappling with the news that their bid to keep concealed handgun records private has died in Salem.

Ethan Lindsey reports the bill is now in the Senate Rules committee – effectively killing it.

Concealed handgun licenses are public records – and the state Senate has declined to change that.

Portland Democrat Ginny Burdick confirmed the news, in a statement, saying that there are no more plans to vote on House Bill 2727, but “anything could happen.”

Sheriffs had asked lawmakers to allow concealed handgun licenses to be confidential.

The House approved the bill in May, by a 54-to-4 vote.

Mitch Southwick is the sheriff in Baker County. I asked him if he’d release the names on concealed-carry permits now.

Mitch Southwick: “No, I wouldn’t. I have told the press here, that I will give you numbers we’ve issued – but I really am not comfortable giving anybody’s name out or private information out on it.”

A circuit court has ruled that Jackson County’s sheriff must release handgun license information.

But sheriffs have not done so -- and have challenged the ruling to the state Appeals Court.