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Hello Friends,
The 2016 Short Legislative Session.
The 2016 legislative short
session is about to get underway starting on February 1st and it
will be the busiest short session to date.
In 2010 Oregon voters
approved Measure 71 during
the November 2010 general election. When
the measure passed it created a constitutional change that established a short
35 day session in even-numbered years, and a long 165 day regular session in odd
numbered years. Previously the Oregon State
Legislature met once every other year. In 1990 voters rejected a similar annual
session proposal.
Measure 71 was sold to voters by the proponents of the measure as being necessary for the Legislature to meet briefly so they could make needed adjustments
to state budgets, make small fixes to laws passed in previous sessions, and to
address emergencies. The Majority
Democrats are ignoring the intent of Measure 71 and taking advantage of their
majority status to propose major issues like minimum wage increases, gun control, housing & land use laws and also making significant
energy policy changes, which the Oregonian stated as being "the biggest change in history to the state's energy policy – and to consider it in a session that lasts only a month." They called it right, 35 days is not enough time to
publicly vet major policy changes for Oregon.
The voters of Oregon who passed Measure 71 have been duped.
The bills that I will be
introducing in the 2016 Legislative session will honor the intent of Measure
71.
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SB 1547 This Senate bill is a simple definition change of “public utility”. There has been a long standing problem with
the definition of “public utility” in Oregon statute. My bill remedies this problem and is
considered a “housekeeping” bill.
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SB 1560 This Senate bill will make a change in statute
to require that amendments to bills have the name of the requester on the
amendment. This bill addresses a
“loophole” in the legislative process that lacks in transparency and would eliminate mystery amendments from anonymous authors. It would also bring accountability and transparency to the "Gut & Stuff" procedure. Whoever writes it, should have to claim it for accountability one way or the other. This will be the 5th session I
have introduced this bill.
- SCR 206 This Concurrent Resolution will honor and acknowledge the
sacrifices made by the Wright family of Boring Oregon. In the 1960’s the Wright
family was one of only 41 families in the United States to lose two sons in the
Vietnam War. In addition, Mr. Wright, now 91, the father of both George
and James Wright, also served his country and is a surviving World War II
Veteran. I can think of no greater sacrifice than to lose both of your sons
while in the service of our country. In
honoring this family the Concurrent Resolution will give ODOT the authority to place a roadside
memorial sign in honor of George and James Wright along the highway.
I continue to serve on the following Senate Committees:
Vice Chair of Senate Committee Environment & Natural Resources
Vice Chair of Senate Committee Human Services & Early Childhood
Senate Committee on Veterans & Emergency Preparedness
As always, if there is any legislation of interest to you or issues of concern, my door is always open so please feel free to contact me or make an appointment to stop by my State Capitol office.
Look for my next update in the next few weeks.
Yours truly,
Senator Alan Olsen
Senate District 20
Email: Sen.AlanOlsen@state.or.us
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1720
District Phone: 503-266-4599
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, S-425, Salem, OR 97301
District Address: 675 Northwest 2nd St., Canby, OR 97013
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/olsen
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