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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The 81st Legislative Assembly concluded the work of the 2022 Legislative Session on Friday, March 4th at 11:58 am. A total of 275 measures were introduced and 126 of those passed both chambers. The Oregon Legislature meets annually. In even numbered years, the voter enacted 35-day short session is intended to make technical fixes to legislation passed in the previous long session and to make needed adjustments to the State’s biennial budget. Unfortunately, the fast-paced short sessions have lost their focus. They have morphed into long agendas filled with heavy policy lifts better suited for the 160-day long sessions that provide an opportunity for complex policy issues to be fully vetted in a thoughtful and more realistically paced process.
Important work was accomplished this session yet measures better suited for the long session were brought forward and pushed through without bipartisan support. Bipartisan solutions were proposed but rejected and many good proposals put forth by the minority party were blocked or left on the table unheard.
The past two years brought challenges beyond what many of us have experienced in our lifetimes. We still have a great deal of work ahead of us. We must address the rising cost of living, restore safety by reducing crime in our communities and improve education outcomes for our children.
This report highlights session achievements for House District 18, covers legislation that helps Oregonians across the state and calls out missed opportunities.
It is my privilege to serve as your State Representative in the Oregon Legislature and to be the voice for your concerns in Salem. If you ever need assistance or would like to comment on issues that my office can help with, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
 Rick Lewis
State Representative
House District 18
Oregon's Christmas Tree District
I am pleased to announce $104,274,999. total new investments were approved for House District 18 through HB 5202. I am grateful for the advocacy of my legislative colleagues, Representatives Jessica George, James Hieb and Senator Fred Girod for their assistance and coordination to secure these funds for our shared constituencies. These important investments will help support significant infrastructure needs and improve the viability, safety, and livability of our communities for generations to come. Investments include:
- $3,000,000 to Marion County Public Works for safety corridor improvements to McKay Road. (ARPA Fund dollars)
- $75,000 to Colton Rural Fire District for replacement of a water tender chassis. (General Fund)
- $3,800,000 to City of Aurora for a Fire Station. (General Fund)
- $95,399,999 to Clackamas County for the Clackamas County Courthouse Replacement Project, a bipartisan project of the Clackamas Caucus. (General Obligation Bonds)
- $2,000,000 to Clackamas County for shelter services and infrastructure, hygiene services and homeless outreach. (General Funds)
Details on these and other state investments can be found in HB 5202, the state’s budget reconciliation bill.
Service to my country, my community, and our state have been the central theme of my life’s work as a Vietnam Era veteran and retired police chief. I am honored to serve on the House Judiciary, Wildfire Recovery, Veterans and Emergency Management, the Public Safety Subcommittee on Ways & Means, the Homeland Security Council and the Joint Committee on Transportation where I am able to bring decades of lived and professional experience to these policy areas.
This session, I was pleased to sponsor and lend support to the following measures to keep our communities safe, give first responders the support and tools they need to help Oregonians and bring honor and resources to our veterans.
HB 4113: Passed - Firefighter Cancer Protections
Adds certain cancers as occupational diseases which are presumed to result from employment for nonvolunteer firefighters with five or more years of employment.
HB 4131: Passed - Law Enforcement Tools/Crowd Control
This legislation clarifies “crowd control” and allows police to stop destructive riots again. Language from this bill passed in HB 4008. This bill is a fix requested by law enforcement to HB 2928 from the ‘21 session and is a prime example of the type of action short sessions were intended to address.
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HB 4068: Passed - Omnibus Emergency Management Bill
This measure and HB 4066, the Veterans Omnibus Bill, embodies a great amount of work by the House Committee on Veterans and Emergency Preparedness, of which I serve as a vice-chair. HB 4068 builds on the work from the 2021 session with the passage of HB 2927 and is focused on planning ahead for future critical events. It expands and clarifies the Oregon Homeland Security Council function, clarifies the role of the Emergency Advisory Council, and moves funds to make sure that the newly established Oregon Department of Emergency Management as an independent agency can occur. The measure requires new training for local and state elected officials and emphasizes the importance of this training. Lastly, it allows the Oregon Department of Transportation to request commercial driver license waivers from the federal government during critical events when we need to make sure that products and supplies get where they are needed.
This bill is important given Oregon’s vulnerability to a Cascadia subduction zone event. It gives us a modern alignment of structures and systems to look ahead and to determine the kinds of things we should prepare for in the future. It includes an all-hazards stockpile, so we have what we need - when we need it in times of crisis. It allows for the building of public and private partnerships within Oregon to make sure projects are funded, and that a certain percentage of stockpile is being produced every year so that companies are able to expand and produce life-saving supplies. This moves Oregon forward in our ability to be better prepared, respond, and manage future disasters.
HB 4074: Passed - Cracks down on the crime of human trafficking associated with illegal cannabis operations.
Requires employee or worker of marijuana licensee to report human trafficking on licensed premises to Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission.
SB 1564: Passed - Illegal Cannabis Suppression
Creates a tool for counties that have declared a state of emergency related to cannabis to crack down on illegal cannabis production.
HB 4061: Passed - Cuts off water for Oregon’s illegal cannabis grows
Requires certain water suppliers to maintain records for at least 12 months and provide records to law enforcement or Water Resources Department upon request.
HB 4095: Passed - Oregon Veterans Dental Program
Establishes Veterans Dental Program in Oregon Health Authority to provide oral health care to low-income veterans who reside in Oregon beginning in 2023.
SB 1574: Passed - Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Kits
Modifies the definition of sexual assault forensic evidence kit to include the medical examination form and documentation if the victim authorizes the inclusion. The bill ensures that documentation and evidence kits stay together over the 60 years required by law. It gives survivors of a sexual assault the control of the information from the very beginning and allows survivors to remain anonymous until they choose to reveal their identity in the case when there is a prosecution or further investigation.
SB 1509: Passed - Designates a portion of Oregon Route 35 as Oregon Nisei Veterans World War II Memorial Highway
The measure honors the service, heroism and patriotism of Oregon’s Nisei Veterans and recognizes the grave injustices these brave and loyal American citizens and their families endured during World War II. Testimony from Nisei Veteran family members during the public hearing was some of the most moving and powerful testimony of the session. I hope you will join me in listening to their stories by clicking this link. You will also read more about the 80th anniversary of EO 9066 in the “History Spotlight” section below. SB 1509 passed unanimously out of both chambers. Though we will never be able to fully right the wrongs done to our Japanese-American brothers and sisters, who served or were incarcerated during World War II, this bill is a small but meaningful opportunity to acknowledge this historical wrong.
SB 1584: Passed - Oregon Justice for Exonerees Act
Creates procedure for filing petition for compensation for wrongful conviction to help Oregon exonerees rebuild their lives after wrongful incarceration. Thirty-seven states, the federal government, and Washington D.C. allow for compensation for those who have been wrongfully convicted. According to the National Registry of Exonerations, since 1989 there have been 23 exonerees in Oregon. The burden of proof lies with the person convicted to prove they did not commit the crime in order for the law to apply. Typically, this would be accomplished through DNA evidence that shows someone else committed the act.
SB 1524: Passed - Corporate Activity Tax Exemptions for Identified Pharmacies
This is an Omnibus bill. Provisions in section 10 exempts pharmacies with nine or fewer locations in Oregon from the CAT for four tax years (2022-2025). This will provide much needed relief to independent and small regional pharmacies to ensure Oregonians have easy access to necessary prescription drugs.
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SB 1567: Passed - Energy Infrastructure Resilience
Directs owners or operators of bulk oils or liquid fuels terminals in Columbia, Multnomah, or Lane Counties to conduct and submit seismic vulnerability assessments to the Department of Environmental Quality. Additionally, the measure directs the Department of Energy to develop an energy security plan. This is a critical first step that should have been done years ago to assess the vulnerability of Oregon’s bulk oil and liquid fuel supplies to identify safeguards to prevent a major environmental catastrophe in the event of a Cascadia subduction zone earthquake. You can listen to my floor speech in support of the bill by clicking here.
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HB 5202: Passed – Wildfire Recovery (2022 Budget Reconciliation Bill)
This measure rebalanced the state budget and contains funding for projects around the state. This session, the House Special Committee on Wildfire Recovery, of which I am a vice-chair, conducted several listening sessions, hearing directly from 2020 wildfire survivors, local governments in fire-affected areas, and state agencies responsible for ongoing recovery efforts. The committee identified ongoing recovery needs and recommended funding to meet those needs. Funds allocated to help fire-impacted areas in House District 18 are noted in the achievements section above.
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On February 25, I joined my legislative colleagues from both sides of the aisle to oppose Washington State’s Transportation package proposal to institute a 6-cent per gallon tax on exported fuel. As most of Oregon’s fuel comes from Washington this would result in fuel price increases for Oregon drivers to add to the already skyrocketing fuel prices that are emptying Oregonians’ wallets at the pump. This egregious proposal would also impact our friends in Alaska and our neighbors in Idaho. It is insulting, disrespectful and Oregonians should have no part in funding Washington’s transportation infrastructure projects outside of the collaboration taking place on the interstate bridge. Legal challenges threatened by Oregon, a resolution in the Idaho state House opposing the fuel tax, and retaliatory legislation introduced by the Alaska legislature added to the mounting opposition, resulting in Washington removing the tax proposal from the package. You can watch the video of my remonstrance here.
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There were countless opportunities this session to help Oregonians. The following bills represent some of the significant opportunities that were missed.
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HB 4135: Died - Closes a legal loophole exploited by drug traffickers allowing them to continue dealing substantial quantities of illegal drugs in neighborhoods and to our children. Allows law enforcement to arrest illicit drug traffickers to make communities safer.
I shared the information below in my February Mid-Session Update but it’s worth repeating following the biggest drug bust in our state’s history just last week.
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Tuesday, March 1, 2022, federal agents seized 150K counterfeit pills made with fentanyl, 20 pounds of fentanyl powder in a record Oregon seizure. A street value of drugs is estimated near $4 million.
If passed, the measure would have expanded the definition of “deliver” or “delivery” to include the possession of a controlled substance with intent to transfer to another person. It applies to conduct occurring on or after the effective date. This is a fix for a recent conflict in an appellate court decision regarding the state’s role in investigating and prosecuting drug dealers. It adds a provision to ORS 475.005 specifying that possession with the intent to deliver constitutes delivery. Until legislators take bold action like this, we will continue to see this river of deadly drugs flowing through our communities
This is how we got here: In November 2021, the Oregon Court of Appeals changed 34 years of law defining what constitutes a delivery of drugs in Oregon. Prior to the Court’s ruling, it was legally sufficient to show that a person was engaged in illegal drug dealing if they were caught in possession of such things as huge quantities of drugs, lists of sale logs, and large amounts of cash from drug sales. The law treated these circumstances as evidence that the person possessed the drugs with the intent to deliver them. Now, the Court has held that those circumstances are not enough to charge someone with selling drugs. The state must show the sale was to a specific and identifiable person. This is an almost impossibly high burden for prosecutors to meet. As a result, these offenders will now only be charged with possession of drugs or an attempted delivery, much less serious crimes which are sometimes only a misdemeanor.
We are already seeing the effects of rampant and unchecked drug sales in Oregon, as shown by an unprecedented increase in drug overdose deaths. In the first six months of 2021 alone, 607 Oregonians died of drug overdoses - as compared to 280 Oregonians in all of 2019. As a result of this change in Oregon law, large quantity drug traffickers who profit off of others’ addiction, and are responsible for many deaths, will be treated as users, not dealers, if charged with a crime.
The measure is a simple fix to return the law to its original form and hold substantial quantity drug traffickers accountable. The change would explicitly add to the definition of delivery that possession of drugs with the intent to deliver them to another person constitutes the crime of delivery. With this basic change, we can help stop overdose deaths of Oregonians suffering from drug addiction and restore the State’s ability to prosecute obvious drug dealing.
The bill received a public hearing in the House Committee on Judiciary but did not receive a work session to move forward for further consideration.
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Sadly, this week, two Portland teens died of suspected fentanyl overdoses. KGW8 News aired the heartbreaking story on Wednesday. Please take the time to listen in and be informed here. The Oregon Poison Center has issued a public warning about Fentanyl and KGW8 News aired a follow-up segment to their story last night highlighting the failed passage of HB 4081. This bipartisan, bicameral measure would have made life-saving medication more accessible to prevent drug overdose deaths. Watch the "The Story" here.
We as legislators must do more to address the drug crisis in our state to keep our communities and our kids safe. The failure to pass these measures is a step in the wrong direction. I will continue to work on this legislation and push for its passage in the ’23 session.
I am grateful for the efforts of the dedicated law enforcement officers of the Beaverton Police Department and Washington County Sheriff's Office, along with the Beaverton School District and the Washington County Health Department who are working in partnership to raise awareness about the dangers of buying pills on social media. This is a positive example of community policing we can all be proud of. Check out the Fake & Fatal campaign website to learn more about what's happening and how to help the teens in your life.
HB 4142: Died- Expands protections against violence for hospital workers
The measure passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support. Language for the bill was first proposed in 2007. The legislation was stalled in the Senate where it died on the Senate President’s desk.
HB 4097: Died - Tax Credit for Volunteer Firefighters
The bill supports Oregon volunteer firefighters and provides lifesaving protections to our rural communities. It received a public hearing but did not move forward. A motion to withdraw it from the Revenue committee failed on a narrow margin. A fiery speech by the bill’s Chief Sponsor, Representative Jamie Cate (R-Lebanon) called for legislative leadership to evaluate its priorities and hold itself accountable for the failure of the bill in the face of, wide bipartisan support, record revenues, another horrific wildfire season forecasted, and the recent death of a St. Paul Volunteer Firefighter, Austin Smith, last month. I am also a sponsor of the bill and I find her fury properly directed. You can watch the video of her speech here.
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Expanding protections against violence for hospital workers and providing a tax credit for volunteer firefighters who have both been on the front lines serving our communities throughout the pandemic and historic wildfires should be a top priority. Failure to pass these measures is irresponsible.
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HB 4151: Died - Self Serve Gas
Gives drivers a choice between self-serve gas or service from an attendant. It strikes the balance between the needs of consumers, businesses, and employees, providing a solution that ensures access for people with disabilities and for those who simply prefer service from an attendant.
Oregon is one of just two states nationwide that prohibit drivers from pumping their own gas, although in rural areas and at nighttime on the coast, Oregonians have been able to pump their own gas since 2015, when legislators provided important relief to ensure Oregonians in rural areas had access to fuel at all hours.
Owners of gas stations large and small say the change is desperately needed amid labor shortages statewide and will not result in a reduction in existing jobs. The measure has bipartisan support in both chambers. The bill requires that an attendant still be on duty for those who do not wish to pump their own gas. It simply offers a choice, very similar to the option to self-checkout in a store or go through a cashier’s line. The bill passed out of the Joint Committee on Transportation. A budget question halted its passage this session.
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HB 4022: Died - Parent Access to School Curriculum
HB 4119: Died - Enrollment in Virtual Public Charter Schools
SB 1575: Died - Modernize Oregon’s School Curriculum Transparency
SB 1552: Died - Enrollment in Virtual Public Charter Schools (Work Group)
The four bills above all support school choice and transparent school curriculums. House motions to pull HB 4022 and HB 4119 to the floor for a vote failed, as did a Senate motion to pull SB 1575. SB 1552 removes requirement that a student must receive approval from resident school district before enrolling in virtual public charter school not sponsored by school district if specified percentage of students in school district already are enrolled in virtual public charter schools not sponsored by school district. It removes the requirement that a school district that does not give approval for enrollment in virtual public charter school not sponsored by school district provide information about other online options available to students. The measure received a courtesy public hearing in the Senate Committee on Education. The committee chair committed to forming an interim work group on virtual education to continue conversations on the concept moving forward.
HB 4108: Died - Ezra’s Law enhances sentences for those convicted of assaults that result in permanent injury. (Work Group)
I have sponsored this proposal in four legislative session. Though the bill did not pass again this session, Ezra’s Law will move forward with a work group to ensure appropriate justice for critically injured victims of violent crime. The proposal named after Ezra Thomas who was just 2 years old when his mother’s boyfriend, Josue Mendoza-Melo, attacked him. Today, as a result of the injuries, Ezra cannot walk, talk, or see and requires round the clock care. While Ezra’s injuries have given him a life sentence of disability, Josue will serve no more than 12 years in prison. Ezra’s law would secure longer and more appropriate sentences for people who cause permanent physical injury to their victims.
Due to limited time available during the 35-day 2022 Legislative Session, lawmakers have agreed to continue work on this measure in a work group. The group will bring stakeholders together, including Ezra’s grandmother, district attorneys, disability advocates and more so a broadly supported, bipartisan solution can be introduced for passage in the 2023 legislative session.
HB 4082: Died - Internment of Unclaimed Veteran Cremains (Work Group)
Directs each county’s governing body to designate a person to ensure internment of unclaimed human remains of veteran, spouse, dependent or survivor of veteran. The measure passed the House unanimously. Testimony in the Senate Committee on Veterans and Emergency Preparedness brought forward funding concerns that will be placed upon counties when the number of cremains is not known. The bill will go to an interim work group. Failure to pass this bill after unanimous support in the House was extremely discouraging.
HB 4066: Died “ambushed” - Veterans Omnibus Bill
This measure enhances supports and services to care for and honor our veterans with a focus on public employment preference, the Veteran Educational Bridge Grant Program and Memorial Highways. The Memorial Highway section includes an amendment I submitted designating a portion of U.S. Highway 30 as Oregon Veterans Memorial Highway. The bill passed unanimously off the House floor. Unfortunately, the veterans employment preference piece of the measure was ambushed and died after receiving testimony in a hearing in the Senate Committee on Veterans and Emergency Preparedness.
It is a great privilege to serve as Vice-Chair of the House Committee on Veterans and Emergency Management and an honor to be able to serve our veterans in this capacity. I look forward to working with my committee members to bring these critical policies back to the table for passage in the next session.
HJR 206: Died – Places Limitations on the Governor’s Emergency Powers
Changes the way the executive branch can declare a state of emergency to bring more balance to state government and restore local control. One of my top priorities in the ’23 session will be to work to align the emergency declaration provisions in ORS Chapter 401 with the “catastrophic emergency” provisions in the Oregon Constitution. There have been multiple attempts to do this during the past 2 years, many of those bills having been ones that I sponsored. The best time to fix the problem may well be after the current “emergency” has been terminated by the Governor. This effort should be a part of our on-going emergency management work.
HB 4002: Passed - Farm Worker Overtime
This was one of the most contentious and divisive measures brought forward this session. The bill passed on party lines and will harm farm worker hours and pay. It does not take into account Oregon’s unique and diverse agriculture industry and seasonal harvest work. Legislation like this is far too heavy a lift in a short session. The opportunity to find an Oregon Solution was missed. All parties are willing to come to the table to find that solution.
HB 4079: Died - Establishes Oregon Freedom Pilot Program in Department of Human Services to provide monthly stipends to low-income families.
If passed, the measure would grow government, enact a sales tax on a variety of consumer goods despite record revenues and skyrocketing inflation. Fortunately, robust opposition to this bill stopped it in its tracks.
SB 1521: Passed - Authorizes district school board to terminate superintendent without cause only if certain conditions are met.
The bill passed on a narrow margin. It eliminates local control for school boards and will cause legal fights between school boards, cities, counties, and the state over curriculum taught in schools. The legislature should not be a collective-bargaining authority for school boards and superintendents. This policy will only create animosity and lets politics influence the classroom.
SB 1511: Failed - Retroactive Ramos
In my February mid-session update, I shared concerns about this bill and some background on Oregon’s constitution to allow for non-unanimous jury verdicts. If passed, the measure would have created a process for potentially violent criminals to get out of prison earlier. Republicans stopped this bill to protect victims of crime, including domestic abuse. The measure fails to recognize the trauma crime victims and their family have endured and revictimizes them further. An opinion piece published in the Oregonian provides a deeper dive into the history and impacts of the bill. I urge you to read it.
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SB 1510: Passed - Law Enforcement Traffic Stops Limitations and more...
Passed on nearly party lines – Prevents police from enforcing some traffic laws which will endanger drivers and pedestrians. Eliminates expectations for parolees to reform after exiting prison. This measure has a number of unintended consequences. Watch the video of my floor speech opposing this measure here.
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This session, I emphasized Oregonian’s concerns about safety in their communities and the growing concerns I hear about the legislative action we are taking in the public safety arena. I also spoke about the looming crisis in our public safety professions.
  Watch the video here.
There is a growing concern in our state about the actions we as a body are taking and the bills we are passing. That unease is never more obvious than in the public safety arena. We have all seen the crime statistics, so I won’t belabor that point. We have reduced penalties for hard core drugs when we have a spiraling out-of-control drug problem flooding our state with fentanyl, meth and heroin. We have taken away the ability of judges to leverage voluntary drug treatment in lieu of sentencing for drug possession. We are seeing increases in our homeless population and those in need of drug treatment, likely exacerbated by addicts moving into Oregon because of our tolerance for possession of hard core drugs. We are dumping millions of dollars into treatment programs that aren’t being used. We are opening our prison doors, releasing violent convicted felons, and looking for other ways to turn felons loose before their court-imposed sentences have been completed. We are closing prisons and taking potshots at BM 11, hindering the ability of prosecutors and judges who are trying to support victims and keep our communities safe. We are making it more and more difficult for law enforcement agencies to do their jobs and to hire qualified applicants, to the joy of many who advocate for defunding, disarming, and disbanding the police. We have laws before us to force victims to come back to court again to relive the horrifying experiences they had at the hands of their assailants.
We have made significant strides in the past 6-8 years with justice reinvestment initiatives. Many great programs have been started and have proven to be successful. At the same time, as we create more opportunities for criminal offenders, we should not be losing sight of who the true victims are. We have seen the backlash several times over the years with the public perception that we are soft on crime which, in turn, spurred a movement demanding accountability. We are seeing that movement gain momentum now. We see the demand for accountability more in the rural parts of our state than perhaps in Portland where ignoring the rule of law or failure to prosecute certain crimes emboldens the lawless and sets a new community standard of tolerance.
Let us not destroy the good work that has been done in justice reinvestment by our actions. Let’s exercise caution going forward lest we throw the baby out with the bathwater.
  Watch the video here.
The desire to enter policing as a career is changing before our very eyes. Thousands of the nation’s police officers are re-evaluating their commitment to the profession, not because they don’t love the job, but because the balance of risk vs. reward in policing as a career is moving rapidly in the wrong direction for them and their families.
Agencies nationwide are reporting officers leaving at unprecedented rates. During the Public Safety Committee meeting at the Council of State Governments, West, I heard from several legislators who reported more than 100, and in some cases, more than 200, vacancies in their large city police departments. I suspect the situation has worsened since last September. The same trend is seen in other west coast cities and it impacts small rural communities, as larger agencies try to entice officers away with higher salaries and better benefits. There is currently a reported 18% increase in resignations and a 45% increase in retirements across the nation and those numbers are growing. 86% of the nation’s police departments reported a shortage of officers by the start of 2022. A study by the Police Executive Research Forum reported a 63% decline in the number of police applications for employment over the previous 5 years. I’m hearing similar expressions of concern from Oregon law enforcement leaders. I believe the very last thing we want is to risk forcing law enforcement agencies to consider lowering their hiring standards in order to fill positions. That would not bode well for the agency or their community.
This may be good news to some who support defunding the police, but those who support their police and recognize the importance of the work they do, see dire consequences on the horizon. We need to examine hiring and retention issues in detail. It is time for us to take a step back and evaluate the many police reform bills we have passed over the past several years – most with the support of law enforcement. It is time to give law enforcement agencies and others tasked with implementation of these laws the time they need to implement the necessary changes. It is time to gather Oregon-specific data and analyze the benefits and yes, the harm, that these new laws may have created. My hope is that we will endeavor to do just that in the ’23 session.
March 28 - Minoru Yasui Day and more about SB 1509 – Designates portion of Oregon Route 35 as Oregon Nisei Veterans World War II Memorial Highway
In 2016, Minoru Yasui’s centennial, the Oregon Legislature unanimously passed HB 4009, that enacted a statute designating March 28 as Minoru Yasui Day in perpetuity. The commemoration recognizes the date in 1942 when Yasui deliberately challenged the military curfew pursuant to Executive Order 9066 to bring his constitutional test case.
My former colleagues, Representatives Clem, Johnson, Gilliam, and Wilson delivered a moving floor presentation to honor Minoru Yasui and tell his story. Please take the time to watch it here.
In the heartfelt words of my friend, the late Representative Vic Gilliam, “Let Minoru Yasui Day remind us - Never Again…”
Minoru Yasui (1916–1986) - The Oregon Encyclopedia
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Kerry Tymchuk, Director of The Oregon Historical Society shared the following history spotlight on the 80th Anniversary of Executive Order 9066 (EO 9066).
On Saturday, February 19, we recognized the 80th anniversary of the day President Franklin Roosevelt signed EO 9066. This order authorized the secretary of war to prescribe certain areas as military zones, resulting in the incarceration of nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans living on the West Coast. Two-thirds of those incarcerated were U.S. citizens, born and raised in the United States. The order stayed in place until June 1946, when President Harry Truman signed an executive order that allowed Japanese Americans to return to their homes. Many returned home to find their belongings stolen and their property sold, while discrimination and prejudice remained rampant.
Reflecting on the anniversary of EO 9066, I recommend reading several fascinating entries on The Oregon Encyclopedia, including:
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There are also compelling profiles of Japanese American Oregonians who persevered through discrimination — including some who served in the military, risking their lives for the nation that was incarcerating their family members. Read about:
OHS is honored to be the custodian of a number of items connected to the Yasui family. Masuo Yasui arrived in Hood River at nineteen years old in 1905 and became a successful and respected merchant and orchardist. In the days and weeks following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was arrested and charged with being a “potentially dangerous enemy alien.” The U.S. government then closed his store, seized his lands, and sent his family to one of the incarceration camps. His son Minoru Yasui, who had attended law school and was the first Japanese American to enter the Oregon Bar, was arrested and imprisoned after intentionally challenging a curfew that confined all Japanese Americans to a prescribed area and banned them from being outside after 8pm or before 8am. Minoru would devote his life and career to public service, civil rights, and working to redress the injustices against Japanese Americans during the war. He passed away in 1986, and in 2015, he posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The cell where Minoru Yasui was imprisoned in Portland is now on display at the Japanese American Museum of Oregon and is very much worth a visit. You can access OHS’s Yasui Bros. museum collection on OHS’s new Museum Collection Portal.
Image Credits: (Top) Broadside of Western Defense Command, May 6, 1942. This broadside, directed at both Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans, ordered residents in Clackamas and east Multnomah counties to surrender to detention before incarceration at one of several camps in the West. OHS Research Library, Coll 619; (Bottom) Minoru Yasui, March 30, 1942, OHS Research Library, Org. Lot 1284, box 15, 500-1.
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 In the 2020 Legislative Session, I sponsored SJM 202, a resolution urging Congress to enact legislation that addresses medical care and disability compensation for veterans exposed to burn pits while serving overseas. I am pleased to recently learn that the VA now recognizes open pit burning as a service-related disability.
The Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs shared the following information from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs:
Exposure to contaminants or environmental hazards poses a major health concern for Veterans of all eras. If you served in Iraq, Afghanistan or other areas and believe you were exposed to hazardous materials – including particulate matter, burn pits and others – disability compensation and other VA benefits for related illnesses or conditions may be available for you.
New presumptive conditions
In 2021, VA began processing service-connected disability claims for six new presumptive conditions related to exposure to hazardous materials. Veterans who were exposed to particulate matter when serving in the Southwest Asia theater of operations, Afghanistan, Syria, Uzbekistan and/or Djibouti and developed asthma, sinusitis or rhinitis within 10 years of military service may now be eligible for disability benefits and VA health care.
File a disability claim
If you have an illness or condition related to military environmental exposure, we encourage you to file a claim. For more information on how to file a VA disability claim, click here.
If you were previously denied service connection for any of the new conditions but had symptoms manifest within 10 years of military service, you will need to file another claim. Be sure to use VA Form 20-0995, “Decision Review Request: Supplemental Claim” when filing. The claim form should include the name of the diagnosed medical condition and specify that the medical condition is due to military environmental exposure. If you have additional questions about the claim process, visit VA.gov or call 800-827-1000.
If you are concerned about exposures during your military service, you should also talk to your health care provider and apply for VA health care. Once enrolled, VA will work with you to understand your health concerns and connect you with the care and services you need.
To learn more visit www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/.
More than three million Veterans have served in Southwest Asia. Many were exposed to airborne hazards like open burn pits.
Open Burn Pits – What Was Burned
Waste products commonly disposed of in open burn pits include:
- Chemicals, paint, medical and human waste
- Metal and aluminum cans
- Munitions and unexploded ordnance
- Petroleum and lubricant products
- Plastics, rubber, wood, and food waste
Join even if you don’t have health problems
Of all the Veterans who served in those theaters, fewer than 300,000 have signed up for our Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry. I encourage all of you to sign up and learn more about how participating in the registry can help you get connected to VA health care and services you have earned.
Even if you’re not having any health problems currently, joining the registry can help us to really understand the potential health effects of these exposures and provide better care for all Veterans.
Join even if you aren’t enrolled in VA health care
Joining the registry cannot negatively impact your VA claim or access to care. You can join even if you aren’t enrolled in VA health care. That said, you can submit your registry information to support your claim if you choose. I also strongly encourage you to take advantage of the free, optional health evaluation that is a part of the registry.
Veterans are encouraged to come forward, talk to your doctors and medical teams, sign up, and ensure that we are better able to help all Veterans in the future.
After nearly two years, Oregonians can breathe an additional sigh of relief. Effective at 11:59 pm tonight, Oregon’s mask mandate for schools and most indoor public places is no longer required. Though the pandemic is not fully behind us, Oregonians will have the freedom to assess their own personal risk factors to wear or not wear a mask. Businesses and private workplaces will also be free to set their own policies around masking for customers and employees.
Oregon Department of Education (ODE) is leaving it up to each individual district to decide whether to continue requiring masks after March 12. Please contact your local school district to learn about their specific protocols. You can read more in ODE’s March 2nd update of the Ready Schools, Safe Learners Resiliency Framework for the 2021-22 School Year here.
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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