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Dear Friends,
I wanted to send a short, but not so sweet update from this week's events at the Capitol...it's been a long and contentious past five days.
From gun bills to reproductive health care, there are several hot topics I am strongly opposed to.
Please take the time to read the below updates. As always, feel free to reach out to my office with any questions and concerns.
Thank you for your continued support.
 Anna Scharf
State Representative - HD 23
In my newsletter last week, I discussed HB 2002, relating to reproductive health rights. The House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care held a public hearing on this bill earlier this week. There was public testimony for over four hours. To Chair Nosse's credit, he ran a fair public hearing, ensuring both opposition and support were equally heard.
Regardless of where you stand on abortion, polling has shown most Oregonians agree Oregon's abortion laws are already too extreme, and are tax payer funded in many cases. This bill proposes many different things. One of them is expanding our current laws by legalizing hiding if a baby was born alive or dead.
In addition, this bill would allow for easier access for children with gender dysphoria to make permanent, life-altering decisions about their bodies without parental consent. In Oregon children under the age of 18 cannot get a tattoo or pierce their ears or nose without parental consent ,and going to a tanning bed is not allowed even if the parent says it is OK. All of these things are much less irreversible than gender affirmative care.
I am strongly opposed to this legislation. Please read the testimony I submitted to the committee to learn more.
This week, the House Committee on Judiciary held a public hearing on HB 2005, HB 2006, and HB 2007 - all related to firearms.
HB 2005 bans firearms that are undetectable by a metal detector or without a serial number, which essentially eliminates the ability to make or assemble your own firearm. Current law allows for an individual to make and assemble their own firearms in their residence.
HB 2006 prohibits adults between the ages of 18-21 from possessing a firearm with exceptions for hunting and active duty military.
HB 2007 expands authority to local governments to ban the carrying of firearms even with a CHL.
Not only do I oppose all of these bills, I am disappointed to see HB 2007 being considered. I remember SB 554 passing in 2021 and the other gun bills that were rolled into SB 554. The original proposal to ban CHL carry in certain locations was much more expansive. In the final version of SB 554, it was limited to specific publicly funded areas with a “may adopt vs. required provision”. Now HB 2007 proposes to bring back those negotiated out areas AND expands on them.
In addition, after the passage of SB 554, our gun free Capitol installed metal detectors at every entrance of the building. I don't see public schools being made any safer with a sign that says "gun free zone" while having no tools such as metal detectors, to ensure that it really is a gun free zone. Why do K-12 kids not get the same privilege afforded to the Legislature?
Please see my testimony in full here.
This week, HB 2279 passed on the House Floor. In 1994, Oregon voters passed Ballot Measure 16, known as the Death with Dignity Act. This measure legalized physical assisted suicide within certain criteria which included that you had to live in Oregon.
HB 2279 repeals the residency requirement, allowing non-residents to travel to Oregon to end their life.
I am strongly opposed to this bill. Please watch my floor testimony to learn more about my opposition to this legislation.
My courtesy from the House Floor on March 21st:
"Today is National Ag Day. I would like to extend courtesies to my husband who is a 5th generation family farmer, and my neighbors and friends across the state who are also multi-generational family farms.
97% of all farms in Oregon are family owned and operated. They produce $5B in agricultural production annually and contribute to over 600k jobs across the state. They do this 7 days a week 365 days a year, despite all that is thrown at them. Weather events, droughts and floods, and harmful legislative action, all directed at attempting to destroy the family farmer. Despite this they push on and help feed and clothe the world.
Colleagues join me today in celebrating National Ag Day, and if you ate today, you can thank a farmer."
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Capitol Phone: 503-986-1423
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-387, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.AnnaScharf@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/scharf
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