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Hello Friends,
As the Chair of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, I
am always interested in finding out what is going on in the other forty nine
states, what problems they have and what successes they have experienced when
it comes to dealing with rural issues.
Last week, I attended the State Agriculture and Rural Leaders (SARL)
Summit in Denver, Colorado, an organization expressly designed to provide all
fifty states and some Canadian Provinces with the opportunity to share
experiences and troubleshoot ideas.
The SARL was formed in 2002, and it is managed by an elected board of
nine, and I’m proud to say that I was elected as a director at our most recent
meeting based upon a proposed agenda that addresses many of the members’ mutual
concerns. They are as follows:
1.
The
necessity for long term water storage, particularly in these times of lengthy drought.
2.
Comprehensive predator management policies.
3.
Sustainable approaches to habitat
protection/enhancement that place environmental, social, and economic
considerations on equal footing.
4.
The provision of sound science and messaging
about key issues important to the ag community and rural America.
SARL’s mission is to promote and foster cooperation, leadership and
educational opportunities among state and provincial legislators. I look forward to a mutually enriching
involvement with my fellow elected officials and I hope to bring the products
of experience and innovation back to Oregon.
At the Capitol last week, we were preparing for the upcoming session in
February, the so-called “short session” because we are only here for a maximum
of 35 days. Taskforces are reporting
back to standing committees with recommendations, and legislation is being
drafted on a variety of issues. Just to
give you an idea, here is a snapshot of some of the subjects that are coming
before the various committees:
·
The Senate Committee on Health Care has been
taking testimony on the Health Insurance Marketplace, a timely hearing
considering that many of us are experiencing increases in the cost of health
care premiums. The committee also discussed
the growing misuse of prescription medications and the licensing of tobacco
shops.
·
The House Committee on Business and Labor took
testimony on various aspects of raising the statewide minimum wage, and later
that day Governor Brown also submitted her proposal to forge a middle ground
that recognizes the differing needs of urban and rural communities across the
state and for the business community to have the predictability of a phased-in.
·
The Senate Committee on Human Services heard
from the new interim DHS director regarding the care of children in foster care
and other residential settings, including recent allegations of child abuse.
·
Both Senate and House Education Committees
discussed kindergarten programming, school boundary changes, concussions in
high school athletics and improving retention and graduation rates for
university students.
·
The House and Senate Environment Committees met
to discuss the state’s renewable energy portfolio. This included reviewing the recent agreement
with the state’s power companies to phase out the use of coal, and proposed
legislation to incentivize the use of solar power.
·
The Joint Committee on Marijuana Legalization
continues to fine tune the governing of Oregon’s recreational market
place. Testimony was provided by
representatives from the OLCC, the Oregon Health Authority and various
marijuana business groups.
A wide range of taskforces also presented their findings. A short list includes finding new sources of
funding for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and proposals to amend
the Oregon Constitution on campaign contributions. Work also continues on implementing our new
automatic voter registration program, use of isolation tactics with youth
offenders, control of invasive species, law enforcement training and
discipline, and last but not least, whether or not homeowners associations
should be able to require lawn watering during a drought.
Finally, my House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held packed
hearings regarding the recent delisting of the Gray Wolf in Eastern Oregon by
the ODFW Commission. The goal of the
Wolf Plan is to ensure the conservation of gray wolves as required by Oregon
law while protecting the social and economic interests of all Oregonians. Currently, there are a minimum of 81 wolves
in Oregon, which includes 10 known packs and several known wolf pairs. Conservationists emphasized their deep
concerns that removing the endangered species designation was premature and
that some people might be inclined to take wolves as trophies. Ranchers and the agricultural community support
the delisting as the next step in a science-based management plan that was
created with the input of all stakeholders and that now should move into its
next phase. Our Committee will continue
to monitor the plan to make sure that the proper balance is maintained.
If you are particularly interested in listening in on any of these
hearings, you can do so by going to https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/committees. In the left column, select the entity that
you are seeking and you will be taken to a complete list of
committees/taskforces, and from there you will be able to see/hear their most
recent activity.
Thanks for taking the time to read my newsletter, and have a great
weekend!
Yours truly,
Representative Brad Witt
House District 31
 Congratulations to Justin Gwinner of Clatskanie Boy Scout Troop 15 for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout! I was honored to be an invited guest at the ceremony. Being an Eagle Scout myself, I am always reminded of the dedication and hard work it takes to achieve this rank and the way that scouting values are part of one's life. Justin was surrounded by friends and family at his Eagle Court of Honor. Thank you to his supportive parents, Angie and Mike. Good work Justin!
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 Hope to see you at this upcoming event to benefit Veterans and their families.
email: Rep.BradWitt@state.or.us I phone: 503-986-1431
address: 900 Court St NE, H-374, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/witt
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