GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Oregon Lawmakers Move To Create An Equity Office To Curb Harassment
Oregon Public Broadcasting
More
than a year after allegations of sexual misconduct rocked the Oregon
Legislature, lawmakers in the House agreed Thursday to overhaul a rule
addressing harassment and discrimination and to create a new equity
office tasked with improving the Capitol’s workplace culture. The
measures now head to the Senate. An investigation by the Oregon Bureau
of Labor and Industries concluded that the state Legislature had not
done enough to curb hostile and inappropriate interactions. The
discussions about harassment often exposed deep political divides, but
both parties in the House on Thursday spoke to the importance of making
the state Capitol an institution where harassment is not tolerated.
Once Stalled, A Cigarette Tax Hike Is Moving In Oregon Capitol
Oregon Public Broadcasting
With
just weeks left in Oregon’s legislative session, Democratic leaders
have put another contentious issue on their to-do list: a tobacco tax
hike. In a hearing Thursday, the House Revenue Committee took up House
Bill 2270, a long-dormant bill to raise taxes on cigarettes and other
products. After making substantial amendments, the committee moved the
bill on. The bill’s newfound momentum sets up what could be another
divisive fight as the session approaches adjournment. As with all
revenue-raising measures, three-fifths of lawmakers will have to approve
the bill to pass it.
Paid family leave bill tries to avoid political tug of war
Portland Tribune
Nearly
all workers in Oregon would gain the right to take paid leave for
family and medical reasons under a proposal advancing through the
Legislature, but it likely won’t become available until 2023. Under
House Bill 2005, employers would have to let an employee — provided she
made $1,000 or more during the current or previous year — take up to 18
weeks’ leave to care for a new child or ill family member; to deal with
serious health problems, a difficult pregnancy or childbirth, or abuse;
or some combination thereof. For up to 12 weeks, plus two more for a
medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, a person could
receive much or all of their pay while on leave.
Oregon could join California, Washington in universal paid family and medical leave
Statesman Journal
Oregon
legislators took another stab at developing a paid family and medical
leave policy, a top priority for both Democrats and Republicans who are
quickly approaching the end of the session. House Bill 2005 passed out
of the House Committee on Rules Thursday and will head next to the Joint
Committee on Ways and Means. It has not yet received a floor vote in
either chamber. The policy would allow up to 12 weeks of paid leave for
new children, sick family members and victims of domestic violence, a
number that was negotiated down from 32 weeks in an earlier bill.
Public defenders mobilize for pay, staffing overhaul
The Bend Bulletin
Facing
an ever-mounting caseload, dozens of public defenders in Oregon walked
out of courthouses and into the Statehouse this week to lobby for a bill
that would fix a staffing shortage and an outdated contract payment
system that has some attorneys representing more than 200 clients at
once. A national watchdog report deemed Oregon’s fixed-fee contract
system for paying its public defenders unconstitutional earlier this
year, and the ACLU has threatened to sue. But sweeping legislation that
would fix the problem has been stalled in a House committee since April —
and two weeks remain before lawmakers go home for the year.
Who’s Following The Forest Practices Act? Oregon Can’t Say For Sure.
Oregon Public Broadcasting
lawmakers
during a budget hearing and reported his agency’s sterling compliance
rate with the laws that govern private logging. “The audit showed an
overall rule level compliance rate of 98%,” Daugherty told them. Others
aren’t so sure about that. “We don’t know if it’s 98, 99 or 50,” said
Brenda McComb, a retired Oregon State University professor who serves on
the board overseeing Daugherty’s agency, the Department of Forestry.
Health care companies furious after Legislature moves toward surprise cut in allowable inflation rate
Oregonlive
In
the Oregon Health Authority’s supersized $23.1 billion budget, $25
million is practically pocket change. But some of the companies that
provide health care to the state’s poorest citizens were furious
Thursday after lawmakers cut their allowable annual inflation rate from
3.4 percent to 3.3 percent. That amounts to about $25 million spread
among all 16 of the state’s so-called coordinated care organizations.
Yet some of the care organizations felt blindsided. “I walked into the
Capitol this morning to the sight of a bunch of very excited health care
representatives gathered in the rotunda,” said Paul Phillips, a veteran
lobbyist who represents several CCOs. “I had to tell a couple of them
to settle down.”
Schrader Calls For BIE Director Replacement Over Chemawa Problems
Oregon Public Broadcasting
A
leading critic of how the federal government manages a Salem boarding
school for Native American students wants changes at the top of the
agency supervising the school. The Chemawa Indian School in Salem has
faced mounting scrutiny from Oregon’s congressional delegation Rep. Kurt
Schrader, D-Oregon, wants Bureau of Indian Education Director Tony
Dearman replaced after a tense and combative congressional hearing last
month over the management and oversight of Chemawa Indian School, an
off-reservation boarding school for Native American students, in Salem.
State Commission Approves Tuition Increases At 3 Oregon Universities
Oregon Public Broadcasting
Substantial
tuition increases at three of Oregon’s public universities have been
approved by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. Barring more
state funding, tuition will increase by 10% for students at Southern
Oregon University, 6.91% at University of Oregon and 6% at the Oregon
Institute of Technology. Staff representatives and students from each
institution made their case in front of the state commission Thursday.
The tuition increases are much lower than initial proposals.
Universities reined them in after legislators amended a budget bill to
allocate $100 million to public universities, instead of the $40.5
million in the governor’s proposed budget. The budget is not final.
A life devoted to service shared at Sen. Jackie Winters’ Capitol memorial
Statesman Journal
Hundreds
came together in the Oregon Senate chamber Thursday to honor Sen.
Jackie Winters — a trailblazing stateswoman, dedicated advocate for the
vulnerable and friend to many in the state Capitol and Salem community.
With great patience and grace, or with a stern look, a wag of her finger
or a setting of her lip, she was said to be able to raise her
colleagues to believe more in themselves and in their ability to
overcome the challenges they faced. Winters, a Republican, had
represented Salem in the state Senate since 2003. She died May 29 at the
age of 82 after living with lung cancer for nearly two years. Senate
President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, remembered Winters’ last day in the
Senate chamber.
Gov. Kate Brown declares June 12 Women Veterans Day
The Register-Guard
For
the first time in Oregon history, Governor Kate Brown designated a
statewide observance recognizing women veterans — Wednesday was
recognized as Women Veterans Day. The date also marks the 71st
anniversary of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, which
acknowledged the great contributions made by women in the military and
finally enabled them to serve as regular members of the United States
Armed Forces and Reserves.
LOCAL
Innovative Eugene business Bulk Handling Systems develops robotic waste-sorting machines
The Register-Guard
Ever
since China stopped accepting U.S. recycled materials at the end of
2017, the future of recycling has been hanging in the balance. But Bulk
Handling Systems in Eugene isn’t giving up that easy — in fact, the
company is working on new, innovative ways to combat the recycling
crisis. “China went away, but there’s still a demand for recycling at a
municipal level,” said Peter Raschio, Bulk Handling Systems marketing
manager.
$12 million accounting error, soaring pension costs put Beaverton schools in dire straits
Oregonlive
Three
hundred and eight. That’s how many faculty and staff positions
Beaverton schools officials announced they’d lose over the summer when
they rolled out a budget proposal to mitigate a $35 million shortfall.
Superintendent Don Grotting’s proposed $500 million budget represented
an increase of $11.7 million over this year’s. Community members were
incensed, filling school board meetings to demand answers why a district
with a steadily increasing budget was making such deep staffing cuts
and pulling $9.7 million out of its rainy day fund. At the Capitol,
school advocates cited Beaverton’s budgetary straits as evidence the
state’s $9 billion school funding plan wasn’t generous enough.
State takes on oversight of developmental disability in Clatsop County
Daily Astorian
Clatsop
County will no longer have an oversight role over intellectual and
developmental disabilities, as the responsibility for people with
autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and epilepsy shifts entirely to
the state. The state Department of Human Services will contract with
Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare, a private nonprofit, to provide services
and work with adult foster homes, group homes and supported living to
help about 230 people in need.
OPINION
Readers respond: Send HB 2015 to the voters
Oregonlive
In
1824, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Men by their constitutions are naturally
divided into two parties: 1. Those who fear and distrust the people,
and wish to draw all powers from them into the hands of the higher
classes. 2. Those who identify themselves with the people, have
confidence in them, cherish and consider them as the most honest and
safe, although not the most wise depositary of the public interests. “In
every country these two parties exist, and in every one where they are
free to think, speak, and write, they will declare themselves.”
