Contact: Andrea Dominguez, Chief of Staff
541-889-8866
7/2/2020
Oregon House District 60 Newsletter
Issue #15
The Legislative Special Session Review
Friends,
 
Last week, we started and finished the first Special Session of the year in just three days. While some important things were addressed, like fixes to the Border Bill and the Commercial Activities Tax, there were two emergent issues that we did not tackle in this Special Session—the $2 billion state budget deficit, and the loss of liability insurance protection for schools, businesses, non-profits, and local city governments related to the Coronavirus. This liability for most of our schools expired on June 30.
 
As a school board chair and father, I’m particularly concerned about the impact this loss of liability protection will have on our schools and the tough choices our school boards and districts have to make on whether to reopen in the fall. Without these liability protections, schools will be liable for any staff member, student, parent, or member of the public who contracts Coronavirus on school property or at a school event.

Two weeks ago, Senator Findley and I sent a letter to Governor Brown and legislative leaders asking for these protections for our schools. And despite bipartisan support for these liability protections, this did not move through the Legislature and instead, a workgroup was created. We’ve been told we will see the product of the workgroup’s analysis within the next few weeks.
 
We are expecting there will be a Special Session in late July or early August to discuss the budget deficit.
 
Session Legislation
We were successful in passing three important pieces of legislation that will directly benefit House District 60:
 
  • HB 4209— is a technical fix for the Eastern Oregon Border Economic Development Board (Border Board). The bill allows the Border Board to utilize a third-party administrator to oversee and distribute the loans and grants to ten local programs, while also requiring legislative oversight of the program through a yearly report to the Ways & Means Committee or Emergency Board. Speaker Kotek was a co-sponsor of the original bill with then-Rep. Cliff Bentz that established the Border Board, and the Speaker was enthusiastic to help with this fix.
 
  • HB 4206—Directs Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) to adopt rules establishing a program for state inspection for processing and sale of meat products. I asked the Speaker of the House to include this legislation in the special session due to the meat shortage and skyrocketing prices. This bill has the support of the ODA, the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, the Oregon Beef Council, and members of Oregon’s federal delegation.
 
  • SB 1607—Extends funding for high schools defined as “small schools” to continue receiving grants under the Small School District Supplemental Fund and extends funding for foreign exchange students. I requested this bill on behalf of the Burnt River School District in Baker County.
 
In all, only 22 policy bills were passed upon conclusion of the three-day special session. I’ve shared below the status of the legislation and my yes or no vote on the different matters. If you have questions about any of this legislation or why I voted the way I did, please let me know.
 
There is still hard work ahead to continue to find ways to support our local economies, struggling businesses, families in need, and our overworked health care and frontline workers due to the impacts of Coronavirus. Our key legislative focus right now is on addressing—and hopefully fixing—Oregon’s budget deficit, mitigating further negative effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, and protecting schools and private businesses from lawsuits.
 
As always, please reach out to us if there is anything we can do for you, or information we can provide.
 
Stay safe.
Representative Mark Owens
House District 60
Frontier Oregon--The Best Part of the State
Sixth Virtual Town Hall
It has been a pleasure having the opportunity to hear from many of you during the joint virtual town halls that Senator Lynn Findley and Rep. Daniel Bonham and I have held over the course of the last three months.
 
During our next one, Thursday, July 9 at 5:30pm (PST) , we’ll be weighing in more heavily on the Special Session as well as any updates to the Governor’s Executive Orders, schools and other areas of interest.
 
These town halls are about you and what you’d like to share with us. Please register to join us and bring your questions and comments.
 
Voting Record for the 2020 special session:
 
HB 4201-Passed
Establishes Joint Committee on Transparent Policing and Use of Force Reform.
I voted for this bill.

HB 4202-Passed
Modifies administrative provisions of corporate activity tax.
I voted for this bill.

HB 4203-Passed
Provides that peace officer may not use force that impedes normal breathing or
circulation of blood of another person by applying pressure on throat or neck, unless
peace officer may use deadly physical force.
I voted for this bill. Watch my Floor speech here.

HB 4204-Passed
Extends the ban on commercial and residential evictions through September.
I voted against this bill.

HB 4205-Passed
Requires police officer or reserve officer to intervene to prevent or stop another
officer engaged in certain misconduct, unless intervening officer cannot intervene
safely.
I voted for this bill.

HB 4206-Passed
Authorizes State Department of Agriculture to adopt rules establishing program of
state inspection for processing and sale of meat products from amenable species,
including but not limited to cattle and sheep.
I voted for this bill.

HB 4207-Passed
Directs Department of Public Safety Standards and Training to establish public
statewide online database of suspensions and revocations of certifications of police
officers.

HB 4208-Passed
Prohibits law enforcement agencies from using tear gas for purposes of crowd
control except in circumstances constituting riot.
I voted for this bill.

HB 4209-Passed
Allows Eastern Oregon Border Economic Development Board to enter into
agreement with third-party administrator to operate programs for awarding grants
and making loans that enhance and expand workforce development and economic
development in Eastern Oregon Border Economic Development Region.
I voted for this bill.

HB 4210-Passed
Repeals driving privilege suspension and eliminates imposition of driving privilege
restrictions for failure to pay fine.

HB 4211-Passed
Clarifies timing of when Department of Education is required to make transfers from
Fund for Student Success.
I voted against this bill.

HB 4212-Passed
Authorizes governing bodies of public bodies, other than State of Oregon, to
conduct all public meetings using telephone or video conferencing technology or
through other electronic or virtual means.
I voted against this bill. Watch my Floor speech here .

HB 4213-Passed
Prohibits during emergency period and grace period residential and commercial
evictions for nonpayment during emergency period.
I voted against this bill.

HB 4214-Passed
Declares Oregon policy regarding Indian children.
I voted for this bill.

SB 1601-Passed
Upon passage, allows Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund moneys to be
used to maintain existing public transportation services.
I voted for this bill.

SB 1602-Passed
Requires Governor to facilitate mediation sessions between forest industry and
environmental interest representatives.
I voted for this bill

SB 1603-Passed
Modifies definitions applicable for purposes of universal service surcharge.
I voted against this bill.

SB 1604-Passed
Restricts arbitration award from ordering disciplinary action that differs from
disciplinary action imposed by law enforcement agency if arbitrator makes finding
that misconduct occurred consistent with agency's finding of misconduct, and
disciplinary action imposed by agency is consistent with provisions of discipline
guide or discipline matrix adopted by agency as result of collective bargaining and
incorporated into agency's disciplinary policies.
I voted for this bill.

SB 1605-Passed
Modifies Oregon Promise program to extend eligibility to certain Oregon foster
children who attain their highest level of education while in out-of-state placements.
I voted for this bill.

SB 1606-Passed
Prohibits hospital from conditioning admission or treatment, or suggesting that
treatment is conditioned, on patient having POLST or executing advance directive
or other instruction regarding administration, withholding or withdrawing of life-
sustaining procedures or artificially administered nutrition and hydration.
I voted for this bill.

SB 1607-Passed
Extends for one-year small school district grants and school district funding for
foreign exchange students.
I voted for this bill.

SB 5711-Passed
Appropriates moneys from General Fund to specified state agencies for certain
biennial expenses.
I voted for this bill.
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