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To contact me, please click here: Rep.KevinMannix@oregonlegislature.gov

Three Weeks Down, Two To Go

Hello Friends,

The final two weeks of session begin today! Our days at the Capitol have been fast and furious. The biggest two issues continue to be housing and Measure 110. The proposed "fix" to Measure 110 is currently being debated through House Bill 4002, the Democrat Majority's bill to address Oregon's drug crisis. 

There is a hearing on this amended legislation tonight at 5pm in the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response. You can register to testify or submit written testimony here.

I will be proposing several amendments this evening alongside my colleagues to try and make this legislation even stronger. More on that later in the newsletter.

I want to begin this newsletter with a story about the beginning of the Legislative Session: 

The day before session started, I read a story in The Oregonian about something no parent should ever have to go through - losing their child to addiction. When Isa Wilde's mom tried to get her son the addiction treatment he needed, she continually ran into a roadblock: Her son’s absolute right, under Oregon law, to refuse treatment, which he did, over and over.

As a member of the Joint Committee On Addiction and Community Safety Response, I have the opportunity to take steps towards some of the most critical issues facing our state, including Oregon's Addiction Crisis.

That is why, right from the start, I introduced an amendment to House Bill 4002 to provide full parental authority over minors, age 15 through 18, when medical professionals see emergency behaviors relating to mental health disorders, as well as drug and alcohol addiction.

This continues to be a focus for me as legislative proposals have evolved. 

Rep. Mannix on the first day of the 2024 Legislative Session.

Measure 110 Update

House Bill 4002, the proposal by Democratic leaders to "fix" Measure 110, is simply not enough on its own to solve the drug crisis. We need real accountability and rehabilitation for drug users.

That's why I proposed a comprehensive plan last week to ensure House Bill 4002 has the teeth needed to get hard drug users the treatment they need. Penalties for drug traffickers are also critically important. 

I remain committed to working with my colleagues every day to ensure we get the results Oregonians deserve. You can read my full press release on the comprehensive plan here or below.

I was able to discuss my proposal to fix Measure 110 within House Bill 4002 on KATU News. You can watch the interview or read more about it here.

Amendments to House Bill 4002 - Hearing Tonight

As I mentioned above, House Bill 4002 is not a strong enough proposal on its own.

My proposed plan to fix House Bill 4002 (listed above) will be in front of the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety TONIGHT via 9 amendments.

• -12 Amendment: Would allow parents to seek involuntary admission of any child under the age of 18 to treatment facility for drug rehabilitation. 
• -15 Amendment: A political subdivision may enact a local law, ordinance, or regulation prohibiting or restricting the following:
  • Public intoxication or being under the influence of controlled substances in public
  • Public drinking of alcohol
  • Public use of any drug unlawfully possessed under federal law
  • Disorderly conduct related to the use of alcohol or controlled substances
  • Trespassing on public property while using alcohol or controlled substance, or while intoxicated or under the influence of controlled substances
• -17 Amendment: Would implement "Statewide Prevention and Treatment Coordination" via an Office for Drug Prevention and Treatment, with an executive director, within the Office of the Governor. Sunsets January 2, 2027.  Would create a workgroup to plan for best use of the Dome Building (former Oregon State Hospital facility) as a residential treatment facility. 
• -18 Amendment: Utilizes an OSU Extension Services Project to accelerate the promotion of behavioral health in rural areas.
• -19 Amendment: Directs the Department of State Police to study ways to expedite forensic testing of controlled substances, focusing on expediting testing to determine whether controlled substances were involved in the death of a person.
• -20 Amendment: Would allow drug traffickers to be held in custody until arraignment; require bail between arraignment and trial. State shall reimburse county for cost of pretrial incarceration of persons charged with drug trafficking. 
• -34 Amendment: Directs the Department of Corrections to establish regional residential treatment facilities capable of accommodating persons where there is no local treatment facility available. 
• -35 Amendment: Allows a person with a substance use disorder to be committed and receive treatment as to a substance use disorder if the person has lost the ability to control the person’s personal use of a controlled substance or another substance with abuse potential. 
• -36 Amendment: A new hospital is not subject to the certificate of need process if the hospital provides substance use disorder treatment, including alcohol withdrawal services, as its primary focus.

You can watch this hearing at 5pm TONIGHT here. 

Measure 110 - Focus Since The Start

Since the beginning of the Legislative Session, Measure 110 has remained a critical focus. During the beginning days of the session, the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety heard a wide range of public testimony in regard to Measure 110 and how to reform it.

I am grateful to all of the Oregonians that came and shared their perspective on the legislation before us. I believe I am best informed by my own constituents and the individuals in law enforcement and local government who deal with these issues on a daily basis.

The two pieces of legislation we heard testimony on included House Bill 4002, the Democratic Majority's Legislation in its original form, and our House Republican Bill, House Bill 4036. I discussed both of these proposals at length in my last newsletter.

While I hoped House Bill 4036 would move forward, it was never scheduled for a work session after the public hearing. 

Rep. Mannix listens to testimony in the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety.

I had the opportunity to discuss our initial House Republican proposal, House Bill 4036, on Fox News Radio. This legislation would have included both recriminalization and mandatory drug rehabilitation and treatment. You can listen to this conversation here.

Oregon's Student Protection Law Passes House

I am happy to report that the House of Representatives unanimously passed one of my priority bills, House Bill 4160, or Oregon's Student Protection Law. This bill is designed to reduce the opportunity for predatory sexual behavior by educators who work with children.

House Bill 4160 now has a possible work session in the Senate Education Committee scheduled for Tuesday, February 27th. You can watch that here.

Click here to read my full statement following the legislation's passage. 

Click here to read more about the bill in the Statesman Journal. 

It was an honor to work with the Salem-Keizer School District and other school
authorities to bring this legislation forward. I was joined by Salem-Keizer Public Schools Superintendent Andrea Castaneda and Debbie Joa, Prevention and Protection Coordinator for Salem-Keizer Public Schools, as we testified in support of House Bill 4160 in front of the House Committee on Education. 

They also joined me a second time last week to testify on the Senate side in the Senate Committee on Education. 

This legislation was motivated by a disturbing event that recently occurred in our community. Together, we can work to make our schools a safer place for students!

Rep. Mannix with Salem-Keizer Public Schools Superintendent, Andrea Castaneda, and Debbie Joa, Prevention and Protection Coordinator for Salem-Keizer Public Schools.

Modernizing Oregon's Anti-Stalking Law

My second priority bill, Modernizing Oregon's Anti-Stalking Law (House Bill 4156), is still making its way through the legislative process. This legislation would broaden the scope of the stalking law to cover many new kinds of electronic and internet harassment, including efforts to damage a victim’s identity and credit rating. This legislation passed out of the House Committee on Judiciary and has been referred the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. 

Below is a photo during the public hearing in the House Committee on Judiciary where I was joined by Ms. Oregon, Amber Rosenberry, and Detective Sergeant Matt Smith. Also included in the photo is: Jeff Nitschke, Deputy District Attorney from Clackamas County, Mrs. Oregon Tyree Cooper, and Mrs. Petite World America Grace Hahn, and my Chief of Staff Michelle Mhoon. 

Special Guest At The Capitol - Bradley Guptill

Last week, I welcomed Bradley Guptill to the Capitol to play in the Opening Ceremonies for the House of Representatives. Bradley is 5 years old and has been playing the fiddle for almost two years. He enjoys playing in contests around the Pacific Northwest and won 3rd place at the Washington State Contest this summer. Joining him as his accompanists were his two sisters, Caraline Ford and Natalie Guptill. Bradley also happens to be younger brother of my Legislative Assistant, Hayley Guptill.

You can watch this performance here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Bradley Guptill and his two sisters, Caraline Ford and Natalie Guptill, performing for the Oregon House of Representatives.

Bradley and Rep. Mannix after his performance.

Beef Day at The Capitol

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet with ranchers from around the state in honor of Beef Day at the Capitol!

Even though there are no farms in my district, I realize ranchers are critical to Oregon's economy. That is why I led the successful effort to pass the historic estate tax reform bill last year, saving Oregon's ranchers, farmers, and fisheries millions of dollars in costly taxes.

Thank you Oregon Ranchers for all you do for our beautiful state!

McKay High School FFA

I also met four students from McKay High School's FFA Club. McKay is the only school within House District 21 that has an FFA program. Thank you all for supporting the future of Oregon Agriculture!

As always, please reach out to my office via the information below if you have any questions or concerns. It is an honor to serve as your State Representative.

Sincerely, 

Representative Kevin Mannix
House District 21

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1421
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-384, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.KevinMannix@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mannix