Summer is also the time of year that House District 18’s agriculture industries shine with the season’s bounty.  In late July, Pat and I thoroughly enjoyed attending the North Willamette Research and Extension Center Community Open House near Aurora to do some berry tasting and visit with staff for an update since my last visit.  The center is doing some excellent work on the development of varieties of farm produce that require less water.  It is always a pleasure to visit and hear about their work which is so important to agriculture. I am proud to have led the efforts that secured additional funding to support the Berry Initiative for Oregon’s fresh market strawberry and caneberry project. Summertime in the Willamette Valley is truly a season to celebrate and to support our farmers and ranchers who go the extra mile to bring fresh foods to our tables. If you haven’t visited our local farms and markets the Marion Farm Loop is a good place to plan your visit today. Find out what’s in season here

 Homer was an internationally renowned political cartoonist in the late 19^th century and became one of the highest paid political cartoonists in the world. Again, this year, I had the distinct honor to serve on a panel of judges to select the Homer Davenport International Cartoon Contest winner. Artists were challenged to create an editorial cartoon that represents a contemporary political, economic and/or a social idea of interest.  I am pleased to extend a hearty congratulations to our Grand Prize Winner, Phil Fehrenbacher of Salem, for his artistic cartoonist skill, message, and over-all appeal!

A big thank you to the Silverton Chamber of Commerce business group for hosting me at their August 14^th meeting to provide a session update. Our community is truly blessed to have such dedicated business leaders. 

In this job, there is always something new to learn. The conferences brought a host of insightful speakers, engaging sessions, and collaborative conversations with legislative colleagues from across the country where we explored best practices and policy solutions. We also heard about what’s working and the lessons learned from other states in terms of the national criminal justice reform movement.  While I support many of these efforts, one of the take-home messages that resonated with me was, that when making significant policy changes, those changes must be done incrementally. We must have robust re-entry programs and systems in place that are sequenced for success.  Other states have learned that doing too many changes at once, without fully understanding the effects can result in negative consequences to our public safety system.  We must strike a balance in our reform efforts that provide rehabilitation opportunities along with accountability for persons convicted of crimes while addressing the needs and concerns of victims. With public safety in mind, we need to do more to address recidivism rates of persons being released from our states correctional facilities and be mindful of changes in crime trends.  

SB 1013, passed this session, is a good example of why I supported slowing down the process and allowing voters to weigh in on the bill. SB 1013 substantially limits Oregon’s death penalty and is plagued with problems that negatively impact our public safety system. I believe it requires a swift fix before the bill is scheduled to become law on September 29.  Recent articles published by the Oregonian, found here, here and here, underscore the very criticisms that I, and others expressed about the bill. Specifically, that it was hastily enacted without being fully vetted.  I join my legislative colleagues and criminal justice partners in calling for immediate action to fix the bill’s many defects.

The Oregon Homeland Security Council functions within the Oregon Office of Emergency Management and receives briefings on security matters relating to catastrophic disasters declared by the Governor and advises state agencies with the responsibility for security matters on the future direction of the office’s planning, preparedness, response, and recovery activities. The council consists of four members from the Legislative Assembly (two Senators and two Representatives), the Governor, the Adjutant General, the Superintendent of State Police, and the Director of the Office of Emergency Management.

As a U.S. Army veteran and retired law enforcement officer of nearly four decades, public safety, homeland security, and emergency preparedness remain high priorities for me. I am honored to receive this appointment and I look forward to serving our state in this capacity.

This appointment also complements my work as a member of the House Judiciary Committee, as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Veterans and Emergency Preparedness, and as a member of the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Law, Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, and the Council of State Government’s western regional Public Safety Committee.

There are two new faces in the House.  Please Join me in welcoming our new House members.  Representative Raquel Moore-Green, of House District 19, was sworn into office on July 25.  Prior to being appointed to office, Representative Moore-Green dedicated herself to public service and non-profit work for many years. She is a former legislative staffer for then-Representative Kevin Cameron (R-Salem) and the late Senator Jackie Winters (R-Salem). Rep. Moore-Green worked in development for the YWCA of Salem and prior to that in fundraising for the United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley. She is the owner of a consulting company.  Rep Moore-Green and her husband James Green have lived in the Salem area for 24 years. Together they have 3 adult children, and ten grandchildren.

Representative Vikki Breese-Iverson, of House District 55, was sworn into office on August 13.  Rep. Breese-Iverson and her husband of 14 years, Bryan Iverson, are proud to be part of the fifth generation on her family ranch, where she grew up in Central Oregon. They are currently raising their two sons, Alex and Brit, on the same ranch. Additionally, Rep. Breese-Iverson and her husband own several small businesses in Prineville including Windermere Swifterra, where she is the Managing Principal Broker Realtor. Rep Breese-Iverson has been a Realtor for 19 years, serving on the Central Oregon Association of Realtors and Oregon Association of Realtors local and state governmental affairs committees and other leadership roles. She has Salem experience, having worked for former Sen. Ted Ferrioli and former House Speaker Karen Minnis, as well as having worked on several campaigns.

Both are a great addition to the legislature and I look forward to working alongside them. Congratulations and welcome Representatives!