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We are more than halfway through the short session and while important issues are being discussed and solutions are being found, we find ourselves in a slower holding pattern this week. We are waiting for the bills to come over from the House so that we can hear them in our committees and decide if they should advance to the Senate floor for vote. We also continue to have informational sessions within our respective committees that will aid in our decision making.
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For a quick update on some of the bills, join me for this week's episode of From the District. You can watch on YouTube or listen in on SoundCloud.
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Senate Bill 1553 expands the existing crime of Interfering with Public Transportation to include drug use.
The Senate passed Senate Bill 1553 with bipartisan support. The bill would expand the existing crime of Interfering with Public Transportation to include drug use on public transit. This would be a drug-designated Class A misdemeanor, which would open up access to state-funded treatment for those convicted of the crime in many cases.
“As someone who takes public transit in my community, I understand why it’s so important for us to take action,” said Senator Chris Gorsek (D - Gresham), co-chief sponsor of the bill. “Oregonians deserve to be safe on public transit. Our kids, people with disabilities, seniors, and people just trying to get to work should not have to worry about being exposed to smoke and residue from illicit drugs.”
Drug use on public transit is significantly impacting Oregonians across the state. TriMet reports a 30% drop in riders feeling safe on buses and trains. Schools are reporting that students are finding drug paraphernalia on transit vehicles provided by ride connection partners.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community, but the growing presence of public drug use and crime has made it nearly impossible. Public transportation has greatly struggled with safety particularly in our major cities, and it’s long-past time for rehabilitation. Recriminalizing to a Class A misdemeanor sends a strong message that public transit is not a welcoming place to illicit drug use, creating a safer environment for all,” said Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp (R - Bend), co-chief sponsor of the bill.
“As we look to address the drug crisis as a whole, this is one of the many tools we need to be using to intervene in dangerous situations, such as smoking fentanyl on a transit bus. At the same time, it is important that the state work hand-in-hand with our cities and counties to build a more robust treatment system if we’re going to truly solve this problem,” said Senator Floyd Prozanski (D - Springfield & Eugene), who co-carried the bill on the floor of the Senate.
Senate Democrats and Republicans agree that improving public safety is a major priority for the 2024 legislative session. SB 1553 now heads to the Oregon House of Representatives for consideration. Follow the bill here: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/.../Overview/SB1553
I was humbled and honored to receive the Atteberry Award, presented by Oregon Right To Life's executive director Louis Anderson and political director Sharolyn Smith.
The Atteberry Award is named after Gayle Atteberry, a concerned mother, who some decades ago, decided to do something about abortion being legal. Having experienced a teenage pregnancy herself, Gayle Atteberry knew what women were up against and how much support they truly needed. Gayle began by giving pro-life presentations in schools and other educational projects. As she became more involved, Gayle looked for additional ways to make a difference. As Oregon Right to Life had been growing, the need for a dedicated lobbyist in Salem attracted Gayle as an opportunity she needed to pursue.
Gayle had no experience lobbying but didn't let that stand in her way. As Oregon Right to Life’s new lobbyist. Gayle marched in the Oregon Capitol building to advocate for Oregon's most vulnerable. Small of stature with a contagious laugh, she surprised Capitol veterans and engaged their interest effectively. She lobbied for some time before being hired on as the executive director of Oregon Right to Life, a position she held for 22 years, prior to her retirement in 2017. She was a tireless advocate, even continuing her work throughout a very serious fight with breast cancer.
She believed fully in the cause and was tenacious in her public defense of reestablishing legal protection in Oregon for all innocent human life from fertilization to natural death. It is in her honor that we produced the Atteberry Award.
The Atteberry Award is granted to members of the Oregon Legislature who, like Gayle, are tenacious in their defense of Oregon's vulnerable, on the record.
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We had a wonderful visit from the folks with the Oregon Dairy Farmers Association (ODFA). They came by for a mini Dairy Day at the Capitol last week.
We were visited by Alternate Oregon Dairy Princess Ambassador, Clara Blaser, of Tillamook, as well as Shelby Owsley-Oaks, ODFA Communications Manager, and Tami Kerr, ODFA Executive Director, as they distributed Tillamook cheese, Darigold, Lochmead and Umpqua milk, and jerky from the Oregon Beef Council to every office in the Senate and House.
Oregon is a national leader in milk quality, because our dairy producers take care great care of their animals. High quality milk makes the best cheese. We are proud of our hard-working dairy farmers in Tillamook and Clatsop Counties and across the state!
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I am so pleased to see The Scott Family home become a reality. Habitat for Humanity is a wonderful program that I intend to continue to support during my time in the legislature.
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The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is seeking interested veterans to fill current and future vacancies on the Veterans Advisory Committee.
The Advisory Committee was established in 1945 at the agency’s founding and holds a distinct and fundamental role in advocating for veteran issues, sharing insight on veteran concerns and advising the director of ODVA. The committee is composed of nine military veterans appointed to four-year terms by the Governor.
The Governor is committed to ensuring that all Boards and Commissions represent diverse Oregonians by age, race, ethnicity, gender, and LGBTQIA+ status. To ensure a broad and diverse pool of candidates to consider for appointment, ODVA is seeking applications from interested members of the veteran community from both rural and urban areas, across diverse backgrounds and eras of service.
The quarterly advisory committee’s meetings are held virtually and in-person throughout the state on the first Wednesday in March, June, September and December.
Interested veterans from all branches of the U.S. Armed Services are encouraged to apply. The application process can be reviewed and accessed at the Governor’s Boards and Commissions webpage: https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Pages/board-list.aspx.
Follow the application instructions for “External – New Applicants” and be sure to include a resume, a short personal biography that includes your military service and other veteran community activities you have or are currently involved in, and fully answer the supplemental questions. Only complete applications will be considered.
ORS 406.210 also states that the executive committees of congressionally chartered veterans’ organizations that maintain an Oregon state headquarters may submit a list of up to three veterans to be considered for Advisory Committee openings to the ODVA Director’s Office at odva_vaac@odva.oregon.gov. Important: All nominees must still apply through the normal application process by the application deadline.
Applications or nominations for the Advisory Committee must be submitted to the Governor’s Executive Appointments office no later than March 29, 2024. Questions about this recruitment process may be directed to ODVA at odva_vaac@odva.oregon.gov.
More information about ODVA’s Veteran Advisory Committee can be found online at www.oregon.gov/odva/Connect/Pages/Advisory-Committee.aspx.
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Capitol Phone: 503-986-1716 District Phone: 503-300-4493
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, S-405, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Sen.SuzanneWeber@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/weber/
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