Landmark Locksmith Bill Passes Oregon House

"In this changing economy, the last thing we need is someone scamming us out of our money and safety” - said Chris Tardiff, Certified Master SafeCracker

Courtesy: surpriselock.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - Landmark legislation to license locksmiths was adopted by the Oregon House of Representatives today by a vote of 56 to 3. State Representative John Huffman (R-The Dalles) said the state needs to, “ensure the public has trustworthy, competent, technicians to help protect families and businesses by certifying individual locksmiths.”

House Bill 3127 allows the Construction Contractors Board to do background checks, require locksmiths to pass a test and enact other rules. Up to 2,000 individual locksmiths could be licensed under HB 3127.

Currently there is no law to determine who can and can’t be a locksmith. “That means a sex offender or someone with a felony can have access to the knowledge and material to walk through any door,” noted Huffman. During his remarks on the floor of the Oregon House of Representatives he also pointed out there are scam artists preying on consumers.

“If you look in the phone book or call 411 you will find hundreds of out-of-state scammers ripping off customers through shoddy workmanship and bait-and-switch schemes, costing the public thousands of dollars in bogus charges,” commented Huffman after the vote. He added HB 3127 will help hundreds of small businesses across Oregon; the legitimate locksmith shops.

"In this changing economy, the last thing we need is someone scamming us out of our money and safety,” said Chris Tardiff CMS, Certified Master SafeCracker and owner of KeyConcepts Locksmith and Safecracker service. "Legislation like this makes a strong statement about the ethics the State of Oregon strives to maintain."

"We are proud of legislation that protects the public and keeps up the good name of locksmiths," said Ernie Blatz, President of the Pacific Locksmith Association and Owner of Ernie's Locks and Keys in The Dalles and Hood River. "We are looking forward to the safety aspect this bill will bring to the general public.” The legislation was sponsored by the Pacific Locksmith Association with help from their national group, the Associated Locksmiths of America.

One of the thousands of Oregonians who fell victim to these unscrupulous characters every year is Claudine Werner of Lake Oswego. She used an 800 number to contact a locksmith claiming to be from Tigard. He changed the lock on her front door leaving her with a knock-off key. When a legal locksmith finally came out, he discovered the lock was set up to accept a master key as well.

“I assure you, to know that a key to your front door is out there in the world somewhere is a very frightening and unsettling experience,” explained Werner. “Other large cities in this country have experienced phony locksmiths who have shared or sold the duplicate keys of houses and cars. Oregon citizens should be protected from this invasive crime.”

Source: State Representative John Huffman