February 22, 2018 Newsletter

Rich Vial

February 22, 2018 Newsletter


Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Below is an update on my work as your State Representative.


Bill Report

Today, HB 4047, relating to high school diploma requirements, passed on the floor of the Senate. You may recall that, last session, I co-sponsored HB 3267, relating to transient students, with Representative Janelle Bynum. This bill, which was signed into law, made it easier for students who are classified as homeless, runaway, or in foster care to graduate from public high schools by waiving certain unessential graduation requirements. HB 4047 provides similar assistance to students in educational service districts like the Willamette Education Service District who are enrolled in programs like the Juvenile Detention or Youth Corrections Education Programs. I appreciated being able to work with Representative Bynum on this important piece of legislation, and I look forward to it becoming law.

Farmland

On February 8th, HB 4075, relating to the land use designation for certain real property located in Washington County, received a public hearing in the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. This bill would have reclassified 1,700 acres of land north of the City of Hillsboro and south of U.S. Route 26 as part of the City’s Urban Reserves, giving Hillsboro more room in which to develop housing and industrial facilities in order to accommodate Washington County’s rapid population and economic growth, with the potential to ease pressures on the region’s affordable housing crisis. I supported this bill because, while I recognize the need to prioritize farmland preservation, I do not believe our state’s land use system is enabling us to adequately accommodate the growth we are experiencing. While this bill will not be moving forward this session, I look forward to supporting similar responsible, reasonable efforts to address these issues in the future.

On February 13th, HJR 203, which proposes an amendment to the Oregon Constitution requiring the state to ensure access to health care for all Oregonians, passed on the floor of the House. The amendment proposed by this bill would be the first of its kind in the entire country and, while I applaud the desire of those who want to make Oregon an example for others to follow, I do not believe either our health care or our legal systems are ready for it. Oregon’s state government already struggles to balance its tax revenue with its desire to ensure that no one is left without food, shelter, or education. In addition, the bewildering morass of tie-ins, kickbacks, rebates, service agreements, circular billing, and other complicated features make our nation’s health care system difficult for even the most advanced policy minds to understand. Adopting such a constitutional right would be asking ourselves to promise something we don’t know how to deliver, and would be the beginning of a very painful and expensive era of litigation. For these reasons, I voted “No” on the bill. You can watch a video of my floor speech here.

HB 4092

On February 15th, HB 4092, relating to state airports, was voted out of the House Committee on Transportation Policy and has been referred to the House Committee on Rules for further consideration. This bill would have made it easier for larger state airports in rural areas to expand their runways as needed to improve their safety. This bill would be particularly beneficial for the City of Wilsonville, the Portland Metropolitan area, and Marion County, where many businesses rely on the Aurora Airport for their corporate aircraft needs. As a farmer, I recognize the importance of protecting agricultural areas in our state. However, in this particular instance, I believe the potential economic benefits outweigh those concerns. As Vice Chair of the House Committee on Transportation Policy, I was pleased to support this bill along with members of the Wilsonville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Also on February 15th, HB 4099, relating to motorboats, was voted out of the House Committee on Transportation Policy with a “do pass” recommendation and has been referred to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means for further consideration. As I have mentioned in previous newsletters, I introduced this bill because significant waves along a portion of the upper Willamette River between West Linn and Newberg have resulted in the erosion of homeowners’ property and damage to docks—an issue which was brought to my attention by a group of my constituents in the area. Originally, the bill would have prohibited the operation of motorboats with wake-enhancing devices and required that wakeboard boats be operated at slow, no-wake speeds on this stretch of the river, much of which has already been enacted by the Oregon State Marine Board. In response to subsequent conversations I have had with other constituents who regularly use the river, I have decided to amend the bill to instead establish a Task Force on Motorboat Water Sports and Recreational Activities. This task force will study the conflicts between motorboat users, shoreline property owners, and other persons who enjoy recreational activities on the water, and report back to the legislature with recommendations for legislation to address these issues such that all community members’ rights are respected.

On February 19th, HB 4138, also relating to motorboats, passed on the floor of the House. This bill, which I co-sponsored with Representative Bill Kennemer, was also introduced to address property damage caused by waves on the upper Willamette River. The bill formally gives the Oregon State Marine Board the ability to consider effects such as erosion when it adopts regulations governing the operation of motorboats, and I look forward to its passage on the floor of the Senate.


In the Capitol

Wilsonville Citizens Academy 2

On February 9th, Senator Kim Thatcher and I had lunch with members of the Wilsonville Citizens Academy during their annual visit to the Capitol. This program seeks to prepare participants for positions of leadership by teaching them how the city government operates and interacts with other governments at the local and state level. Special thanks to the City of Wilsonville for organizing the program and to those who participated for taking an active role in their community!

Transportation

On February 19th, the Speaker of the House appointed me to serve as a member of the Joint Committee on Transportation, the committee that was responsible for developing the $5.3 billion Transportation Package which was signed into law last year. While I was not formally a member of this committee during the 2017 Regular Session, I have continued to attend its meetings in order to contribute to its deliberations and to lend my perspective as Chair of the Washington County Planning Commission. While I will continue to serve as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Transportation Policy, this appointment provides me with an opportunity to formally participate in the prioritization of Oregon’s transportation spending and maintenance efforts. In addition, I will be able to better advocate for efficiency and transparency from the Oregon Department of Transportation as it carries out those efforts. I am honored to receive this appointment.

As we progress through the last half of the 2018 Short Session, I urge you to share your views by emailing me at rep.richvial@oregonlegislature.gov or by calling my office at (503) 986-1426. I welcome your input and value your perspective. As always, it is a privilege to serve as your State Representative.

Sincerely,

Rich

Signature

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