Veterans Tuition Equity

I have been a long time supporter of veterans, you can never thank veterans enough, without them we wouldn't be able to do what we do. The sacrifice and virtue exhibited by military service to our country should be recognized at all times. Which is why I worked with my fellow legislators to pass a bill that provides veterans in Oregon the ability to pay in-state tuition before establishing state residency.

This week the Oregon Senate voted to extend in-state tuition to veterans seeking a college education at one of the state’s public universities or community colleges. House Bill 2158B, which passed the Senate on a vote of 28-0 with two excused, directs public universities and community colleges to charge veterans in-state tuition, as long as they provide proof of presence in Oregon for a period of one year.

Under current law, all honorably-discharged, nonresident veteran undergraduates at public universities and community colleges in Oregon receive a tuition reduction until they establish residency in the state. Under this formula, veterans pay the resident rate plus half the difference between resident and nonresident rates, and the GI Bill does not cover this added 50-percent difference.

HB 2158B requires that colleges charge in-state tuition for undergraduate veterans with either an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions if the veteran demonstrates his or her physical presence in Oregon within 12 months of enrollment. That saves veterans from having to pay the added 50 percent calculation that is not covered by the GI Bill.

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Recently the Oregon Senate passed House Bill 2710A which regulates how law enforcement agencies may use drone technology, giving Oregonians additional privacy protections. It passed on a vote of 23-5 with two excused, establishes a strict set of rules for law enforcement agencies to use drones in order to protect Oregonians’ privacy.

Drones, also known as ‘unmanned aerial vehicles’ (UAV), are aircrafts that can be remote-controlled by a human operator or can be purely automated.  Many drones come equipped with sophisticated imaging technology that allow for surveillance of terrain, people, homes, and small objects with great detail. Drones have numerous practical uses but some practices of drone usage if left unchecked can infringe on citizens privacy. This bill's intention is to keep honest people honest. 

HB 2710A prohibits law enforcement agencies from using a drone to acquire information on a suspect without a warrant. Additionally, the bill preempts local government regulation of drones, forbids weaponized drones, and beginning in 2016 requires public bodies to register drones with the Oregon Department of Aviation.

Photo of the Week

My cousin Specialist Stephanie Gaylord was on leave from the Army. Thank you for visiting the Capitol but more importantly thank you for what you do. #ORLeg #Hero

Visitors From Central Oregon 

Elizabeth Therrin - UFCW 555

Laurie Kelly - UFCW 555

Debra Eskie - UFCW 556

Duane Looper - UFCW 557

Cheri Helt - Bend-La Pine School Board Member

Tammy Baney - Deschutes County Commissioner

Make Sure To Keep Up 

In the News 

Lawmakers shrug off a fix for PERS 'spiking': Agenda 2013

The Legislature has struggled this session to reform the state's public pension system in a manner that is fair to both the people who depend upon it and the taxpayers who support its crushing burden. Given the difficulty of finding bipartisan common ground, you can understand the eagerness with which lawmakers jettisoned such indefensible practices as compensating out-of-state retirees for taxes they don't pay and allowing Tier 1 and Tier 2 PERS members to "spike" late-career salaries used to calculate pension payments.

Read More From The Oregonian >>>

Oregon Seeks Public Health-Religious Accommodation Balance

By Don Byrd Monday

In Oregon, more parents citing religious reasons are opting out of vaccinations for their kindergarten-aged children than in any other state in the U.S. The state senate, concerned that non-medical exemptions have become too common, has responded by passing a law that would require parents to be made aware of the medical benefits of vaccination. The purpose of the regulation is to encourage vaccination thorough awareness. But many are concerned that the result is to stifle religious liberty.

Read More From Baptist Joint Committee For Religious Liberty >>>