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Greetings from Salem!
The second week of the 2016 Legislative session has been busy as legislation needs to move quickly in order to meet the committee hearing deadlines. When Oregonians approved annual sessions in 2010, it was with the idea that legislators would return to Salem for a month on even-numbered years to do budget adjustments and make minor tweaks to legislation. This year lawmakers have introduced a wide range of bills, and I’m concerned because we can’t possibly give the needed consideration for complicated issues during the short session. Many bills have already missed the committee hearing and workshop deadline so they will not continue during this legislative session.
The cost of higher education continues to climb, and many graduates complete their studies only after accumulating staggering amounts of student loan debt. In an effort to examine this problem and try to find an affordable solution, HB 4021 was introduced which would require the State Treasurer and Higher Education Coordinating Commission to assess the viability of establishing a student loan refinancing program within the office of the State Treasurer. HB 4021 was approved with a vote of 54-6 in the House on Thursday and moves to the Senate for consideration.
In the House Veterans and Emergency Preparedness committee we took up the issue of funding emergency preparedness with HB 4098. This legislation would allow use of existing bonding capacity to create a resiliency grant program to enable distribution of state emergency preparedness equipment and funding to local governments. It will require that the Homeland Security Council work with state and local emergency management departments to develop a prioritized equipment list designed to enable the state to respond to local and regional emergencies throughout the state. Tillamook County Commissioner Mark Labhart testified in support of this bill, underlining the importance of emergency preparedness along the coastline in HD 32. The bill moved out of committee with a “Do Pass” recommendation and was referred to Ways and Means.
This week, the House of Representatives considered several House Concurrent Resolutions that were referred for a floor vote from the Veterans and Emergency Preparedness committee.
- HCR 201 honors Army Private First Class Anthony T. Justesen for his service to country. PFC Justesen served in the 82nd Airborne Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team and was killed in action June 2010 in Afghanistan. PFC Justesen was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
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HCR 204 honors Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert L. “Bob” Talburt, a Hillsboro High school graduate who was killed in a car crash while responding to a crime December 1984.
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HCR 206 honors Clackamas County Sheriff’s Deputy William Bowman. Deputy Bowman was a paramedic with the Life Flight network, and a Reserve Officer for the Beaverton Police Department before his work with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Bowman died in a SWAT training exercise at Camp Rilea September of 2000.
- HRC 207 honors Sergeant Donald R. Walters, a North Salem High School Graduate who enlisted and served in the Army during the Persian Gulf War and then left military service. Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Sgt. Walters reenlisted and was sent to Iraq, where in March 2003 he was captured and executed by Iraqi fighters. Sgt. Walters was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart.
Each of these resolutions received unanimous support in the House for these Oregonians who gave their lives in service to our state and country. After passage in the House, they were sent to the Senate President’s desk for committee assignment.
It is with heavy heart that I head home to the District early this week to attend the memorial service for Seaside Police Sergeant Jason Goodding. Sgt. Gooding, a 13 year veteran with the Seaside Police Department, was killed in the line of duty February 5th while trying to arrest a career criminal in downtown Seaside. The Oregon Department of Transportation is advising motorists to expect delays this Friday on U.S. Hwy 101 in connection with Sgt. Goodding’s memorial service. Prior to the 1 p.m. service at the Seaside Convention Center, a law enforcement procession will travel from Camp Rilea south on U.S. 101 to Seaside. The procession will leave Camp Rilea around 10:45 a.m., effectively closing the southbound lane for over two hours. Delays should also be expected after the service as mourners leave Seaside.
My door is always open to constituents, and if you are planning to visit the Capitol this month, let my office know in advance so we can try to schedule an appointment. If you have a concern about proposed legislation, you can phone or email my office.
You can follow the legislative process through the state legislative information system (OLIS) via the following link:
https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2016r1/2016-02-01.
It is my privilege to represent you in the House of Representatives, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Representative Deborah Boone
House District 32
email: Rep.DeborahBoone@state.or.us I phone: 503-986-1432
address: 900 Court St NE, H-481, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/boone
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