 * “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”
—Helen Keller
 I hope you can tune in to our online Town Halls on the first Tuesday of every month through the legislative session. I’ll give you a summary of what’s current and then find out what’s on your mind; that’s the only way I can represent you well in Salem.
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88129501405?pwd=UmRHSjlGa1Q0MTc0bFgxMmU3alZWQT09
Months of negotiation, deliberation and revisions of SB 762 are coming to a close. I expect to see it on the Senate Floor soon. It’s a comprehensive response to the monumental challenge of getting our state through the megafires that will be part of summers to come.
Legislation is one needed element. Another is the collective action of Oregonians ready and willing to do what they can do—like this Ashland woman just featured in the Oregonian. Some of the funding in this big bill will help people like her make their homes and communities safer.
 Photo by Richenda Fairhurst on September 8, the day of the Almeda Fire, in downtown Talent.
Whatever wildfire reduction and response program we put into law, our future is bleak if we can’t alter the climate trends that have steadily made our state hotter and drier. The focus on SB 762 is paired this session with a meaningful step to reduce Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions by achieving “100% clean”—an energy grid that uses no fossil fuels—by the year 2040. That goal is on the most ambitious edge of what’s achievable.
The session’s centerpiece bill for climate action is HB 2021. Oregon Public Broadcasting published a useful piece on it this week, though I’m not sure about the title they chose. This bill’s prompted “little friction” compared to the climate bill of the last two sessions, but you could probably say the same thing about the Korean War.
After last November’s overwhelming approval of the ballot measure to allow campaign finance regulation, most people thought that a bill setting campaign contribution limits was a sure thing this session. The urgency of responding to the pandemic, wildfire damage and economic distress pushed that to the back burner for the first two-thirds of the session. Now things are starting to move.
The first bill getting a committee vote will be HB 2680, which I’ve written about in much less than flattering terms. The Oregonian did exactly the same thing in yesterday’s editorial. I think they got it exactly right. HB 3343, the bill they favor, is essentially the same as my SB 336. A decision was made early in this session to let this play out between those bills in the House. If they stalemate, I’ll be pushing for my bill to move forward in the Senate. This issue is too important to get wrong.
Governor Brown thinks so. Trends of the last month have the Oregon Health Authority predicting that two-thirds of eligible Oregonians will be fully vaccinated before the end of June, and the Governor’s planning to lift pretty much all restrictions when that happens.
How many of us are vaccinated now?
Is that in the cards, especially if pretty much all willing people are vaccinated by now? What’s needed for large numbers of less-willing people to roll up their sleeves?
Here’s one new strategy. I’m curious to know how well you think it will work, and what you think it says about where we find our culture right now.
If we don’t reach that 65-70% benchmark in the next couple of weeks, I want us to change what we’re asking of our business community. That’s what I asked for earlier today in this letter to the Governor.
Whether or not you’ve been to one of our earlier online town halls, I hope you’ll join us Tuesday at 5pm for what will likely be the last one of the session.
Take care for now...
 Senator Jeff Golden, Oregon Senate District 3
COVID-19 Vaccine:
General COVID-19 information:
For the remainder of the legislative session, this section will highlight a few bills of interest that have either passed both the Senate and House, or are close to being voted on.
HB 2021
- HB 2021 has passed the House Committee on Energy and Environment and is currently in Ways and Means.
- HB 2021 would require retail electricity providers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with electricity sold to Oregon consumers to 80 percent below baseline emissions levels by 2030, 90 percent below baseline emissions levels by 2035 and 100 percent below baseline emissions levels by 2040.
SB 582
- SB 582 has passed the Senate Committee of Energy and Environment and is currently in Ways and Means.
- SB 582 would establish a producer responsibility program for packaging, printing, and writing paper and food service-ware.
Police Reform Bills: The following bills have passed the House and have passed the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Ballot Measure 110 Implementation.
HB 3164
- HB 3164 would modify the crime of interfering with a peace officer or parole and probation officer.
HB 2513
- HB 2513 would require police officers to be trained in airway and circulatory anatomy and physiology and certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
HB 2929
- HB 2929 would modify police officer's duty to report misconduct.
HB 2936
- HB 2936 would direct law enforcement units to adopt policies that set standards for speech and expression by police officers and reserve officers. It would require employers to provide employment information to law enforcement units for purpose of hiring public safety officers. Exempts law enforcement units from prohibition on employer access to personal social media accounts.
HB 2986
- HB 2986 would require the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training to ensure that police officers and certified reserve officers are trained to investigate, identify and report crimes motivated by prejudice based on perceived gender of victim.
HB 3047
- HB 3047 would establish civil cause of action for improper disclosure of personal information.
HB 3273
- HB 3273 would prohibit the law enforcement agency from releasing booking photos except in specified circumstances.
HB 3355
- HB 3355 would specify identification required on uniforms of law enforcement officers working in crowd management in cities with a population over 150,000.
HB 3059
- HB 3059 would modify statute authorizing law enforcement officers to command dispersal of unlawful assemblies and arrest participants who do not disperse.
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