Portland Council Unanimously Approves Concealed Handgun Restrictions in City Buildings

Portland, OR. — Portland City Council voted unanimously October 28 to eliminate an exception allowing concealed handgun license holders to carry firearms into city buildings used for official meetings.

The ordinance, introduced by Council President Jamie Dunphy, passed 12-0 and covers buildings including City Hall, the Portland Building and the 1900 Building. Police, authorized security personnel and other groups protected by state-law exceptions would remain exempt.

Although the city’s October 29 announcement described the restriction as already in place, Portland’s code-change records list the ordinance’s effective date as November 27, 2026. The ordinance also requires signs and an online notice before a building’s designation takes effect. Portland.gov

The measure uses authority granted through Oregon Senate Bill 243, which took effect September 26, 2025. That legislation allows local governments to remove the concealed handgun license exception in buildings used for their official meetings. Multnomah County adopted the option in September 2025.

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Portland’s personnel rules already prohibit most city employees from carrying firearms on city property, even with a concealed handgun license. The ordinance extends restrictions to licensed members of the public entering covered buildings.

Dunphy said confrontations and threats during protests in Council Chambers prompted his push for the change. He argued that the potential presence of armed attendees could complicate security officers’ response to a confrontation.

“In a tight, intense environment where activists are intentionally trying to get each other to over-react, the correct number of guns not in the hands of professional security is zero,” Dunphy said.

The proposal underwent nearly six months of discussion in the council’s Community and Public Safety Committee before advancing to the full council. According to the city’s announcement, some councilors continued to express reservations despite the unanimous final vote.

Representatives of Moms Demand Action, Ceasefire Oregon Education Foundation and the Alliance for a Safe Oregon testified in support. They argued that concealed firearms could discourage people from attending or speaking at public meetings and increase the risk of escalation during tense encounters.

“Democracy requires more than the right to speak. It requires the ability to speak without fear or intimidation,” said Alliance for a Safe Oregon Executive Director Amie Wexler.

Implementation will require the city to identify covered buildings, post clearly visible signs at normal entrances and publish the building list on its website.

The ordinance also directs the city administrator to establish progressive enforcement procedures. Those procedures must include notice and an opportunity to correct a violation, followed by ejection or exclusion from the building before referral to law enforcement. The city said the ordinance changes existing code without creating new offenses or penalties.