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Dispatches from public radio's correspondent at the Oregon Legislature. This is a venue for political and policy coverage of the state government in Salem and its impact on the people of Oregon.

Obama's Action On Gun Control Would Change Little In Oregon, Washington

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Flickr - tinyurl.com/h5s37yu
File photo. President Obama is seeking to to require more gun sellers to be licensed and conduct background checks.

President Barack Obama announced Tuesday that he's taking executive action in an attempt to reduce gun violence. But his actions will mean few immediate changes for many gun buyers in the Northwest.

At the heart of the president's order is a plan to require more gun sellers to be licensed and conduct background checks. That includes people who sell at gun shows but don't register as a federally-licensed firearms dealer.

In both Oregon and Washington, virtually all gun sales already require a criminal background check. That's due to legislative action in Oregon and a voter-approved initiative in Washington.

The story could be different in Idaho. The state has relatively few restrictions on gun sales aside from what exist under current federal law.

Members of Idaho's Congressional delegation blasted the president's executive action. Republican Senator Mike Crapo called it "a brazen example of the administration's overreach."