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Follow
Key Bills
The
League's bill matrix,
which lists key bills that we are following this session, is updated
weekly. The matrix includes legislative action taken, League action
taken, and links to our testimony.
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Volunteer
Help
is needed to monitor legislative committees and report back to the Action
Committee. If you live close to Salem or have an Internet
connection, you can learn to track
bills and listen to hearings. Help is needed to monitor legislative
committees and report back to the Action Committee. It is a
fascinating experience if you have time to dedicate to the legislative
process. Contact LWVOR
to volunteer.
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LWVOR Action Committee
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Chair:
Norman Turrill
Vice Chair:
Marge Easley
Citizen Access Coordinator:
Paula Krane
Governance Coordinator: Kappy Eaton
Natural Resources Coordinator:
Liz Frenkel
Social Policy Coordinator:
Karen Nibler
Legislative Coordinator:
Brena Lopez
Portfolio members and committee representatives:
Bob Adams
Debbie Aiona
Jane Baumgarten
Diana Bodtker
Anna Braun
Barbara Browning
Sarah Chaplen
Anita Francis
Barbara Fredericks
Norma Jean Germond
Gail Holmes
Peggy Lynch
Ellen Maddex
Janet Markee
Erin Miller
Margaret Noel
Barbara Ross
Nancy Stevens
Pam Vavra
Intern:
Terra Ashford
Legislative Report Editor:
Rebecca Smith
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Campaign Finance Reform Commission
The League testified in favor of HB 2060 on May 25 before the House Elections, Ethics
and Rules Committee. This bill would establish a Campaign Finance
Reform Commission. We agreed with proposed amendments to add
additional legislators to the group along with citizens and to require a
report before the February 2009 session. The bill has not yet
appeared again to consider the amendments.
Kappy Eaton, Governance Coordinator
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Corporate Minimum Tax Hike Still Considered
Apparently the desire to increase the corporate minimum tax is still
alive, and various proposals are being considered - but not in
public. Another meeting of the workgroup is scheduled for late
afternoon today, June 8. Again, the problem of needing 36 votes in the
House is in play in consideration of both the what and how of
accomplishing the task.
Kappy Eaton, Governance Coordinator
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Donate to the Legislative Report
Thank you to those of you who have generously contributed funds for the Legislative
Report. The Legislative Report costs money to produce,
yet we don't want to limit who can receive it by charging a subscription
fee. Please support the volunteer Action Team's efforts to share
the happenings at the Capitol with you and others. You can send a
donation, marked "Legislative Report" to the LWV address below.
Thank you.
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Elections Bills Add Homeless Voters; Petition Restrictions
The House has passed HB 2762, which allows qualified voters who live in
shelters, parks, motor homes, marinas or other identifiable locations to
register to vote, and the bill has moved from Senate Rules to the Senate
floor with a do pass recommendation.
Also, HB 2640 A, which requires that nominating petitions
contain the residence address or mailing address of persons signing
petitions, has passed the House and moved out of the Senate Rules
Committee. We expect both to pass the Senate.
Kappy Eaton, Governance Coordinator
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We had hoped the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee would move HJR 14 A to the Senate floor at its hearing and
work session on May 31. However, this bill to revise the double
majority may receive yet another amendment. It was amended in the
House to make elections every May and November not subject to the 50/50 restrictions.
One amendment was proposed to revert to the constitutional language,
which would have required the whole constitutional section to be on the
ballot, but it was not adopted. It has not yet been scheduled for a
final work session. However, committees are now only required to
give 24-hour notice of hearings, so who knows when! We expect it to
move forward and pass the Senate.
Kappy Eaton, Governance Coordinator
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June
8, 2007
Welcome to issue
16 of the Legislative Report. This report will highlight issues
around Healthy Kids, Measure 37, ethics, initiative reform, election
laws, and tax expenditures.
Note: starting with the next issue, the Legislative
Report will be arriving on Thursdays until the end of the
session.
Sincerely,
Norman Turrill, Action Chair
Marge Easley, President
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5 MINUTE
ACTIVIST
Healthy Kids bills SB 3
and SJR 4 were just passed to the Senate and House floors.
Call your legislators
ask them to vote yes on these bills. Let legislators know that
health insurance coverage for children is a priority. Preventive
care of children will have a life-long benefit. It's a good
financial deal for Oregon with federal contributions.
You can help:
Contact your senators and representatives.
To find more
information on this issue, read the article below.
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 Healthy Kids Proposals Need a Push
SB 31, the Senate's Healthy Kids bill, was heard in
the Senate Health Policy Committee at the end of May and was sent to
the Senate Health and Finance Committee along with SB 3 and SJR 4. SB 31 is the basic plan with private subsidies
for those in the 200-350% of Federal Poverty Level (FPL). SB 3 is
a newly introduced, expanded bill capped at 300% of FPL. SJR 4
proposes a constitutional amendment to impose additional taxes on
tobacco products. Senate Finance and Revenue took public
testimony, including the League's, today, June 8, and passed SB 3 and
SJR 4 to the House floor.
The vote on the bills was "Yes" from Senators Burdick,
Deckert and Monroe and "No" from Senators George and
Starr. There was controversy about SJR 4 being a constitutional
amendment. Some preferred that the program be approved by the
legislature rather than by amending the constitution.
Although HB 2201 B, a version of the House's original
Healthy Kids bill, failed on the House Floor along party lines in
April, three other Healthy Kids bills were introduced in that chamber.
On June 1, the House Revenue Committee heard HB 3558, which proposes low income children and
pregnant women be covered with health insurance. It caps eligibility at
250% of FPL and includes an increase in the tobacco tax and a referral
to voters. HB 3559 sets a special election for the tobacco tax
for Oregon Healthy Kids and has been assigned to House Elections,
Ethics and Rules Committee. HB 2967, which taxes tobacco products, was approved
on June 1 in Ways and Means. It has no designated program for the
revenue.
Children in families below the poverty level qualify for
Medicaid, which matches the state expenditure of $.25 with $.75 federal
funds: a bargain Oregon should be utilizing. The number of children
below 200% of the poverty level is calculated to be 68,000, with
another 15,500 under 250% of the poverty level. The Healthy Kids plan
proposes to enroll eligible children without insurance. In HB 3558,
pregnant women below the 250% FPL will also be eligible. A subsidy for
children in families between 200 to 250% of the federal poverty level
will assist the family in purchasing private insurance.
The Healthy Kids plan will utilize the existing Oregon
Health Plan Medicaid eligible children and the Private Health
Partnership Office to facilitate the purchase of private insurance;
however, no new funds to implement the program were added to the agency
budget at the time of its budget hearings. Under the plans, the Private
Health Partnership will have the responsibility of marketing, training
staff, and outreach to the uninsured. They will also approve health
benefit plans for clients with the subsidy.
Republicans remain opposed to this program, because of
decreasing revenues in the tobacco tax and the long term financial
sustainability of the program.
Our senators and representatives need to hear from
Oregonians that this issue is important to us. Please see the 5
MINUTE ACTIVIST above to make a difference on this issue.
Karen Nibler, Social Policy Coordinator
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 Measure
37 Fix Goes to the Voters
This
week the Senate and House both passed a bill which clarifies many of
the issues surrounding Measure 37. After months of public
hearings and receiving testimony from over 300 Oregonians (as well as
many emails and other communications), the Oregon Legislature has
provided Oregonians with an opportunity to vote on HB 3540 C. A separate bill will be needed to
set the election date, but it is assumed to be November 6. Until
then, Measure 37 is in effect and claims processing will proceed.
If passed by the voters, the new legislation will take effect in
December of 2007. If current claimants die before this issue is
resolved, heirs can step in to complete the claim process.
The legislation limits claims to residential uses and does not allow
commercial or industrial claims like billboards, big box stores or
aggregate mines. However, residential claims for up to three
houses (estimated to be about 40% of the current claims), if qualified,
will be quick, easy and transferable. And current claims which
have been processed by both the state and local government and which
can prove they are "vested" under common law can
continue.
Residential claims for four to ten houses (estimated to be about 30% of
the current claims) must prove they lost that additional value by the
application of land use laws. As we are learning, due to the
natural increase in land values, many claims may find it difficult to
prove value lost at the level currently asked for by their claim
applications. Measure 37 referred to "compensation for
loss." By requiring appraisals for these larger claims, the
waiver will more closely meet that compensation promise.
Rules defining where Measure 37 development can occur have been created
to protect, as best as possible, high value farm and forest land from
development, while allowing claimants some recourse. Other
special areas, such as the lily fields near Harbor, OR, and our vibrant
vineyards, were recognized. Groundwater restricted areas will
have special scrutiny.
Ownership is clarified and spouses who were not added to a land deed on
marriage are now assumed to be owners for Measure 37 claims.
Those who choose to go to court on Measure 37 issues can file in the
local Circuit Court where the property is located.
Both sides of this issue can see positive sections and have concerns
about others. HB 3540-C is a compromise bill. The League of
Women Voters supports HB 3540-C. If you have questions,
contact Liz Frenkel or Peggy Lynch through the LWVOR office.
Liz Frenkel, Natural Resources Coordinator
Peggy Lynch, Action Committee Member
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It's that time in the session - three weeks out - when certain nursery
rhymes come to mind: "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush"
(more amendments) and "Mary, Mary Quite Contrary" (keep it
simple, get it done for heaven's sake); followed by the favorite symbol
from "Alice in Wonderland" - Senate President Peter
Courtney's alarm clock tie (a la the White Rabbit). And what
makes it all the more surreal is that there may be enough bi-partisan
cooperation to fund the state police, through a dedicated beer tax, and
healthy kids, through a rise in tobacco revenue. These won't get
passed outright, of course, but we will at least get an opportunity to
vote on them. The tobacco tax will probably be on the November
2007 ballot. See the Healthy Kids article above for more
information.
After 16 years of grid-lock and lip-service to compromise, the
decision-makers appear to be getting a lot of things right for
Oregonians. So where are we with initiative reform, ethics law
revisions, corporate minimum tax, legislative and judicial
salaries/expenses, tax expenditures, election laws, campaign finance
reform, more funding for victims of sexual abuse and domestic
violence? Keep reading to find out.
Kappy Eaton, Governance Coordinator
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Details Slow Initiative Reform Bill
HB 2082 A, the comprehensive revision of the
initiative process, is finally reaching fruition in the Senate Rules
Committee. Still intact are the stricter regulations for paid
petitioners such as picture and signature ID, along with Secretary of
State training, and review of the petition industry's payrolls,
single-sheet, electronic, one-person signature sheets, and regulations
on tampering with signature sheets.
Still on the table for discussion in the committee is a proposed
amendment that 1000 signatures would be needed on the petition in order
to obtain a ballot title, instead of the current 25 signatures. A
work session on the amendments will happen next week, perhaps Monday or
Tuesday. One of the amendments tampers with the signature
provision, eliminating having a ballot title altogether. The League
will oppose that amendment.
We, and many other groups, are hoping for reasonable initiative reform
this session and will continue to work hard for passage of HB 2082 A in
its current wording. Incidentally, Freedom Works is running radio
ads urging Oregonians to protest changes "in our sacrosanct
initiative process" and to contact their legislators to oppose any
changes. Bill numbers are not included in the ad.
Kappy Eaton, Governance Coordinator
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Ethics Revisions Move to House Floor
The House Elections, Ethics and Rules Committee has been working on a
revised version of HB 2595 A, which addresses the administration of
the Government Standards and Practices Commission (GSPC). On June
4, the committee moved it to the House floor with a "do pass"
recommendation, and the subsequent referral to Ways and Means was
rescinded. The House passed it unanimously June 7.
The Ways and Means Subcommittee on General Government has passed out HB
5025, which funds the operations of GSPC through the General
Fund. It is still sitting on SB 10 A, which funds the ability of GSPC to plan
for an electronic filing system through fees on the entities it
oversees, rather than by the General Fund, and puts in place
restrictions on lobbying by former legislators and gift limits.
Expected amendments will be discussed next week. Testimony from
legislators indicated their concern about the bill and the public
perception of unethical conduct, but they still seem reluctant to move
forward. Crystal ball assumption: something will pass!
Kappy Eaton, Governance Coordinator
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 Women (and families)
With the successful passage of contraception, workplace milk expression
and workplace leave for victims of domestic violence, several other
bills on the Women's Health and Wellness agenda are moving
forward. The paid family leave fund, HB 2575, is in Ways and Means because it requires a
start-up loan until the revenue provided by employees can be
collected. We expect it to be approved, but not until all the
major budgets have passed.
SB 578, which addresses human trafficking, is in
Ways and Means because it establishes a task force. Also in Ways
and Means is SB 873, which would provide birth defect
monitoring. The earned income tax credit bill, HB 2966, had a positive hearing in the House
Revenue committee on May 30 and a work session to move on June 1.
This bill would exempt from payment of Oregon income taxes any income
below the poverty level and impose a higher tax rate of 10% on incomes
above $100,000 to make it revenue neutral. Will it make it
through the House?
Kappy Eaton, Governance Coordinator
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We would like to extend a special thanks to our intern, Terra Ashford,
for her work on the Legislative Report. Her time spent
each week setting up the report was very valuable in getting our
publication out on time and in a more professional manner. Thank
you!
Rebecca Smith, Editor and Members of the LWVOR Action Committee
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Legislative
and Judicial Salaries
SB 700 A, already passed by the Senate, had a
positive hearing in House Elections, Ethics and Rules on June 4.
The League supports this bill, which would reactivate the Public
Officials Compensation Commission. It takes out of legislative
hands the recommendations for salaries of all state-wide officials, the
Legislature, and all judges. The 11-member commission would be
established immediately after the end of the current session and would
prepare recommendations for the 2008 Special Session.
The proposal would be sent to the Governor, Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court, President of the Senate and Speaker of the House by
November 15, 2007, and would be acted upon by the February
session. The final proposal would go into effect July 1,
2008. We are particularly pleased at the inclusion of the
judicial officials, which we could support with the League's new
advocacy position on Oregon State Courts. The committee will hold
a work session today, June 8.
Kappy Eaton, Governance Coordinator
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Tax Expenditure Commission Considered
The League is supporting SB 2001 A, which, as amended, would create a
14-member Tax Accountability Commission to review and audit state tax
expenditures. It would create criteria for reviewing expenditures
and a review list and then make a report to the 2009 Legislature
regarding its recommendations and findings. The criteria to be
used would include measuring the specific economic, employment and
other outcomes by which the goals and purposes of the expenditures can
be objectively evaluated.
The League has proposed the addition of "public benefit" to
the criteria. American Association of University Women has
proposed increasing the number of public members from 6 to 7 in order
to make the membership an uneven number as well as specifically
including "property tax expenditures" under "other tax
expenditures." Only personal and corporate income tax
credits were named. These suggestions were to be considered at a
subsequent hearing and work session.
There would be a comprehensive list of measures for each expenditure
under consideration by the Legislature. A decision would be made
to extend or repeal a particular expenditure, and there would be a
regular schedule for review of those expenditures that have no repeal
date. We believe this is a positive move forward in this critical
area of lost state revenue.
Kappy Eaton, Governance Coordinator
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