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If you're having trouble viewing this message, please visit my legislative web page at http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/prozanski/, click on "News" in the lower left-hand column and scroll down.
Dear Friends,
Tuesday, April 4, was the second major procedural deadline of the 2023 Legislative Session. Any bill assigned to a regular policy committee – except the Rules Committee – had to have its work session by the end of that day to advance.
As a result, we will start having longer floor sessions for the full Senate to vote on bills. This coming Monday and Tuesday, the Senate is scheduled to meet from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. to take up bills. This schedule will allow us to have each bill read in its entirety and then voted on. (We have a large number of Senate bills to get through to advance them to the House for consideration.)
On April 4, I carried SB 810 to unanimous passage on the Senate floor. This legislation increases penalties for using drones to direct a laser at an aircraft while airborne, crash into an aircraft while it is in the air, or prevent the takeoff or landing of an aircraft. As technology advances, so does the risk that it may be used for harm. SB 810 send a message to would-be wrongdoers that this sort of malicious activity is taken seriously.
Below you will find information on:
- Election Worker Safety, Voter Privacy Bill Passes Senate
- Tougher Consequences for Street Racing
- Avoid the "Financial Hardship Department" E-mail Scam
- LTD Wants Passengers' Opinion
- Local Winners of 2023 Oregon Beer Awards
I hope this information is helpful and informative for you or someone you know. As always, feel free to share your comments, questions or concerns with me by phone, mail or e-mail.
Election Worker Safety, Voter Privacy Bill Passes Senate
Last week, the Oregon Senate passed SB 166, which will further protect voters, election workers, and the integrity of Oregon's electoral process. In response to rising threats against election officials, this legislation defends voters' right to privacy, increases penalties for harassment of election workers, and sets new guidelines for annual county elections security plans.
SB 166 explicitly guarantees electors' right to vote by secret ballot and reclassifies harassment against election workers from Class A misdemeanor to Class C felony. It also establishes that the crime of aggravated harassment includes harassment against election workers and punishes crimes of harassment or aggravated harassment against election workers by maximum of five years' imprisonment, $125,000 fine, or both. It also alters requirements for annual county elections security plans. SB 166 now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Tougher Consequences for Street Racing
Also last week, the Senate passed SB 615, which will empower law enforcement with new tools to deter street racing, including tougher consequences for those convicted of street racing. The change comes after multiple street racing crashes in Oregon have claimed the lives of both racers and pedestrians. I worked with the bill's chief sponsors and stakeholders to pass this legislation out of the Senate Judiciary Committee with bipartisan support.
SB 615 increases the penalties for a person convicted of street racing to a maximum of 364 days' imprisonment, a $6,250 fine, or both. It increases the punishment for second and subsequent convictions within a five-year period by a maximum of five years' imprisonment, $125,000 fine, or both. It will also allow law enforcement to use criminal forfeiture to seize street racers' cars.
Avoid the "Financial Hardship Department" E-mail Scam
(From the Oregon Department of Justice)
Have you received an email from the "Financial Hardship Department" lately? The Financial Hardship Department is a scam with one goal: to infect your device with malware and steal your personal and financial information.
The e-mail claims to be from a government agency or organization that offers financial assistance to those in need. It states you have been approved for financial support and to call a phone number to finish enrolling in the program. The scammer merely wants to steal your personal and financial information.
Here is what a Financial Hardship Department scam message looks like:
"Hi it's Shela with the Financial Assistance Department. We tried reaching you at your home and did not hear back ... I'm not sure if you’ve spoken to an assigned agent yet, but I do see that you’re pre-approved for our Hardship Program, so what I'm going to do is keep this in a pending status. And if you have about five minutes today give me a call so we can go over the details."
Legitimate financial institutions and government agencies do not ask for personal information over the phone, through e-mail or via text message, especially without verifying the identity of the person they are speaking with. If you receive a phone call, email, or text message like the Financial Hardship Department scam:
- Do not reply to the e-mail or call the phone number provided in the message.
- Do not click on any links or download any attachments provided in the e-mail. They may contain malware or viruses that can harm your device.
- Do not provide any personal information, such as your Social Security number, bank account information, or credit card information.
If you have already responded to the scam email or provided personal information to the scammers, contact your bank or credit card company immediately to report any suspicious activity and protect your accounts. You may also want to consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze on your accounts to prevent any unauthorized access. And, as always, file a complaint with the Oregon Department of Justice online at www.oregonconsumer.gov or by calling 1-877-877-9392.
LTD Wants Passengers' Opinion
Lane Transit District passengers are being asked to participate in an online survey to assist the district in evaluating customer satisfaction with fixed or neighborhood bus service as well as to identify opportunities for improvements throughout the District. The survey is available through Sunday, April 30, 2023.
Administered by the American Bus Bench Marking Group (ABBG), the three- to five-minute-long survey is confidential. The survey is available on LTD's website with paper copies at the LTD Customer Service Center in Eugene Station (1080 Willamette Street). Participants who complete the survey will be eligible to win one of two $100 gift certificates from Fred Meyer.
LTD is one of 23 mid-sized transit agencies nationwide that participate in the ABBG Fixed-Route Survey. Results are shared among member agencies as a tool to compare performance, share experiences, and identify best practices for fixed-route services. This confidential online research is conducted by The Transportation Strategy Centre at Imperial College in London, a world leader in public transit benchmarking. LTD also participates in the ABBG's paratransit survey that will be administered later this year.
Local Winners of 2023 Oregon Beer Awards
This year's Oregon Beer Awards ceremony was held on April 6, 2023. Local breweries that took top (gold) awards include ColdFire Brewing for their Italian-style pilsner, Oakshire Brewing for their Line Dry Rye, and Alesong Brewing for their Raspberry Parliament. Congratulations to these and other local awardees!
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