Dear Friends and Neighbors,
June 26th concluded a historic three-day special session convened by the Governor to address the impacts of COVID-19 and to enact police accountability reforms.
Legislation for the special session was drafted solely at the request of the majority party and the Capitol remained closed to the public. Legislators and essential staff in the building adhered to physical distancing protocols and wore face coverings to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19. Committee meetings and floor sessions were accessible online through the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS), but presented challenges to the public, legislators, and essential staff who followed and worked remotely.
I served on the Joint Committee On the First Special Session of 2020, which was the only committee formed for this special session. The committee was comprised of 14 members from the House and Senate (8 Democrats and 6 Republicans.)
A total of 24 bills were passed, 14 House bills, 7 Senate policy bills, and 1 Senate budget bill as follows:
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HB 4201 – Law Enforcement Reform Committee
HB 4202 – Corporate Activities Tax (CAT) Technical Fixes and Dairies
HB 4203 – Chokehold Ban
HB 4204 – Foreclosures Bill
HB 4205 – Duty to Report and Intervene
HB 4206 – State-Run Meat Processing Plant Inspection
HB 4207 – Police Discipline Records
HB 4208 – Tear Gas/Sound Cannon Restrictions
HB 4209 – Eastern Oregon Border Board Grant Fund Limitations
HB 4210 – Debt-Based License Suspension
HB 4211 - Student Success Fund Transfer Timing
HB 4212 – Omnibus COVID Bill
HB 4213 – Residential and Commercial Evictions
HB 4214 - Indian Child Welfare
SB 1601 – Transportation Changes
SB 1602 – Forestry Memorandum of Understanding
SB 1603 – Broadband/Cell Phone Tax
SB 1604 – Law Enforcement Arbitration
SB 1605 – Out of State placement and Family First
SB 1606– Hospital Support for Vulnerable Oregonians
SB 1607 – Small Rural Schools’ Formula Extension
SB 5711 – Omnibus Appropriation Billthis placeholder text.
As a law enforcement veteran of nearly 40 years, 28 of those as a police chief and serving on several public safety regulatory bodies, I was pleased to be part of the conversations which led to the passage of HB 4201.This bill had broad bipartisan support and takes significant steps toward improving policing in our state. We must ensure the highest standards for the men and women whom we entrust with the power to enforce our laws. HB 4201 creates the Joint Committee on Transparent Policing and Use of Force Reform. There is always room to improve our public safety system and this bill provides the opportunity for meaningful change. It is my hope that this committee will review SB 111 passed in the 2007 regular session (the most recent statewide police reform bill relating to use of force) and work with stakeholders to make the best decisions moving forward. I spoke on the House floor in support of the final version of HB 4201. My floor speech can be viewed here.
The six police “accountability and reform” bills introduced during the special special session were very complex with a number of potential unintended consequences. I appreciate the willingness of the People of Color Caucus to work with those of us with a law enforcement background to amend the bills on short notice, which eliminated many of the concerns and resulted in better legislation that garnered significant bi-partisan support.
Our brave men and women in law enforcement continue to do their job under the most difficult of circumstances, a job that very few are called to do. They are the ones who run toward danger, not away from it. Police work is one of the very few professions where good people endure ridicule and criticism when the few bad cops in the profession, no matter where in the country, bring discredit on the profession as a whole. Let’s not let the bad tarnish the badge of the good. I am honored to have been appointed by the Speaker to serve on this newly created committee to work on crucial issues that will advance quality policing in Oregon.I look forward to working with my colleagues on future legislation that will create meaningful and lasting change for Oregonians and for those serving our state in law enforcement roles.
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Overall, legislators worked in a bipartisan manner to do good work for Oregonians and addressed many of the serious concerns facing our state. However, there were missed opportunities to address the substantial backlog of unemployment claims at the Oregon Employment Department, as well as provide certainty to schools, businesses, nonprofits, medical professionals, and other organizations by enacting liability protections from COVID related lawsuits. Moving forward, I will work with my colleagues and stakeholders to address the liability concerns of Oregon’s public and private entities.
Oregonians across the state are facing bleak economic futures. Our businesses have had to close, some permanently, and the Oregon Employment Department is still struggling to meet the needs of out of work Oregonians. The reopening process has left many uncertain about how, when, and if they can reopen their businesses. The Oregon Employment Department recently announced that there are 70,000 Oregonians waiting for relief in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. We must seek immediate action to resolve the backlog of claims and get Oregonians the money they are owed and rely upon during these unprecedented times.
We also missed the opportunity to address Oregon’s $2.7 billion budget shortfall and figure out how to get Oregon’s economy moving again. Oregon’s government must operate within a balanced budget. We should not sit back and let the spending stack up and hope that the federal government will come to our rescue from this self imposed economic emergency.
While actions were taken to provide protections for Oregon renters, we did not provide relief for landlords who are struggling to pay their mortgages during this difficult time. Looking forward, we must be very careful when any form of government attempts to intervene in contract law, especially when the contracts are between private entities.
The words “we are all in this together” should remain the focus. We have a great deal of work ahead of us. As we plan for a second special session, possibly to come in the next 60 days, we must embrace the voices and collective wisdom from leaders on both sides of the aisle to move our state forward towards a bright and prosperous future.
Thank you for remaining engaged in the legislative process and for showing compassion and care for one another during this most challenging time. Stay safe and stay well.
Sincerely,
 Rick Lewis
State Representative
House District 18
Oregon's Christmas Tree District
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1418
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-484, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.RickLewis@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/lewis
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