Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Here is an update on my work as your State Representative.
From September 18th through the 20th, legislators
convened in Salem for Legislative Days, during which committees held
informational meetings on a variety of issues relating to what the legislature
did during the 2017 Regular Session and what some legislators would like to do in
2018. In the House
Interim Committee on Education, we received a presentation from the Oregon Education Association on the impacts
that large class sizes have on student achievement. As a former School Board
Chair, I recognize that class sizes are an important factor in ensuring that
our children receive the best education possible. Given the resources that are
currently available for our schools, however, we cannot rely on class sizes
alone to ensure our students’ success. One thing that I have observed, for
instance, is that gifted teachers whose school districts are able to provide
them with resources to meet the needs of each individual student can make all
the difference when large class sizes are a reality. It is my hope that, during
future legislative sessions, we can enact meaningful changes that will give
more power to local school districts to retain the most effective teaching
staff available to them and to ensure that more of the money they receive from
the state goes directly toward improving the classroom experience.
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I also wanted to provide you with a quick update regarding Oregon’s Be College Ready program. During the 2015-16 school year, the Oregon 529 Savings Network launched a Be College Ready pilot program in the elementary schools of five public school districts around the state. The goal of the program was to teach families in these districts the value of saving for higher education early through the Oregon College Savings Plan. During the 2016-17 school year, the program was expanded to include fifteen school districts. In that time, participating school districts saw an increase in new OCSP accounts of nineteen percent and an increase in new account contributions of 29 percent, totaling more than $2.4 million. As a result, the Be College Ready program has been expanded statewide for the 2017-18 school year, covering all public and private elementary schools, and homeschooled children of elementary school age, across Oregon.
In the House Interim Committee on Judiciary, we received an update on the Equifax data breach. You may recall that, on July 29th, the credit reporting company Equifax discovered its records between mid-May and July had been hacked, exposing the personal information of 143 million Americans, including 1,721,725 Oregonians. Unfortunately, information needed to commit identity theft, such as legal names, Social Security numbers, birthdates, address histories, driver’s license information, and in some cases credit card numbers, were all obtained during the hack. Representatives of the Department of Justice and the Department of Consumer and Business Services have advised us that, while routine safeguards like checking your credit reports and bank statements regularly are a good idea, it may be worthwhile for some Oregonians to consider freezing their credit, which would make it impossible for new accounts or bank cards to be opened in their name. For more information regarding what options are available to consumers and who to contact with further questions, you can view the Department of Justice’s presentation here.
On October 1st, Oregon’s new distracted driving law, HB 2597, took effect, making it illegal to operate phones and other electronic devices while driving without a hands-free system in place. Drivers will still be allowed to answer phone calls and activate navigation systems by swiping a screen, but they will not be allowed to hold the device in their hand, text, or type in an address unless they pull safely off the road. Law enforcement officials have been instructed to take a “zero tolerance” approach to this issue, meaning that even a glow inside of a vehicle at night will give police officers probable cause to pull drivers over. Fines for first offenses can be as much as $160, increasing to $2,500 and potential jail time for three offenses within ten years. The Oregonian recently published an informational video highlighting some of the things drivers should know about the new law, which you can watch by clicking here.
On September 12th, I attended a
ribbon cutting ceremony for the Oregon Youth Authority's
new MacLaren
Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn. In an effort to increase efficiency
and save taxpayers money, the OYA recently combined the population of its Hillcrest
Youth Correctional Facility in Salem with its MacLaren campus, both of
which were only about half full. The new and upgraded buildings, living spaces,
and programs at the MacLaren campus will give youth more opportunities to gain
the skills they need to turn their lives around and become productive citizens.
I want to thank the OYA for inviting me and a number of my legislative
colleagues to participate in such a special occasion.
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From September 21st through the 22nd, I
joined other members of the House
Interim Committee on Transportation Policy for a tour of the International Port of Coos Bay. For
several years, private companies have tried to obtain Federal approval to begin
laying a pipeline that would divert liquified natural gas (LNG) from an
existing pipeline in Eastern Oregon to Coos Bay on the Southern Oregon Coast.
There is an enormous demand for LNG in several Asian markets, and one of the
most efficient ways to export it there is through the Port of Coos Bay, one of
Oregon’s only deep-water ports. This kind of development would be a tremendous
economic boon for communities like Coos Bay, and my sense from having visited
and toured the facility is that residents are supportive of these efforts. I
look forward to working with my colleagues both in the Oregon State Legislature
and in Congress to overcome some of the environmental challenges associated
with this project and find a way forward for the people of Coos Bay, the
region, and the State.
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On September 28th, I delivered the keynote
address at the “Drones, Droids and Unmanned Systems” conference in Kah-Nee-Ta,
organized by the Cascade Chapter of
the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International
(AUVSI). I have been involved with both the Autonomous Vehicle (AV) and Drone
workgroups since last legislative session, partnering with Representative Susan
McLain (D-Forest Grove) and Representative John Huffman (R-The Dalles) to
ensure that, as each of these technologies becomes more prevalent in our daily
lives, Oregon is positioned to lead the nation in their development, production,
and deployment. It would be a mistake, in my opinion, for our state government
to spend time and money establishing a regulatory network for these industries,
as that would be a duplication of efforts that are already being conducted on a
national level by the National Highway
Transportation Safety Administration. Instead, we should work to incentivize
our existing technology sector to set the stage for these new industries by
investing in cybersecurity, remote communications, as well camera and radar
systems, all of which are crucial to fully embracing the AV and drone industries.
In fact, Intel has already
begun some of this testing at its facility in Washington County. Oregon’s
leaders must work to ensure that we are doing all we can to facilitate this
research—and they must act quickly. Washington’s Governor has already signed an
Executive
Order inviting companies in these fields to open their doors there. During
future legislative sessions, I intend to continue advocating for these
industries to start up here in Oregon.
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On my drive home from the drone conference in Kah-Nee-Ta, I
was struck by the devastation wrought on our state’s natural resources by
forest fires this season. It seems to be getting worse every year, and I would like to extend a special thank you to the courageous men and women who have spent their summers fighting these fires across Oregon. While I
agree with the sentiment behind efforts to prevent the clear-cutting of our
beautiful forests, I also believe it is important that we begin to shift toward
forest management policies that will allow for more thinning and selective
logging of our state and federal forests. Such practices would benefit our
environment and our climate by improving the health of our forests, leading to
fewer and more manageable wildfires and lessening the amount of smoke that gets
pumped into our atmosphere and our lungs each year. It would also lead to
economic growth within our long-standing timber industry.
On a more positive note, I hope that you are enjoying the
beginning of Fall and the change of the seasons. Since my last newsletter, our
family has been working hard on this year’s grape harvest. In fact, on my way
to the capitol for Legislative Days on September 19th, I made an
early morning delivery to the Sherwood School
District. Putting fresh table grapes in
the mouths of our school children here in the metro area is actually a fun and
rewarding way to spend my fall mornings! Looking ahead, the grandkids are
already excited for Halloween, and I am excited to spending more time with
family as the holiday season approaches.
As always, it is a privilege to serve as your State
Representative. As a reminder, I welcome your input, value your perspective,
and urge you to share your views by emailing me at
rep.richvial@oregonlegislature.gov or by calling my office at (503) 986-1426. My
staff and I welcome the opportunity to serve you in any way, whether it is
through the legislative process or through personal assistance with state
government. I hope you will always feel free to call on us.
Sincerely,
Rich
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Capitol Phone: 503-986-1426 Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-484, Salem, Oregon 97301 Email: Rep.RichVial@oregonlegislature.gov Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/vial
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