Some observers might be wondering lately why there is another walkout protest happening at the Oregon legislature. The Republican Senators have staged a walkout protest lasting several days in response to some radical legislation being pushed through by the Majority Democrats. The walkout seems to be a technique used to leverage perhaps at least some bargaining power, with hopes to get the majority party to alter the bill to be more acceptable, and less radical.

HB 2002 proposes a number of radical changes to Oregon law, even stripping parental rights. It would encode into Oregon law that a child of any age, can receive an abortion, without parental knowledge.

It prohibits health insurance plans from denying or even limiting coverage irreversible sex-changing procedures and treatments. Under this law, parents would not have the right to know whether their child is receiving these treatments.

Under this radical law, insurers must cover cosmetic medical procedures for those identifying as a different gender, such as tracheal shaving, hair electrolysis and facial feminization surgery.

Another Oregon law that HB 2002 alters is the decriminalization of the concealing the birth of an infant.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Within the bill, in section 59(5) the bill states that it would repeal ORS 167.820, and ORS 161.005.

These Oregon laws are enumerated within the Oregon Revised Statutes as Offenses Against General Welfare and Animals, concealing the birth of an infant.

According to ORS 167.820, a person commits the crime of concealing the birth of an infant if the person conceals the corpse of a newborn child with intent to conceal the fact of its birth or to prevent a determination of whether it was born dead or alive.

Concealing the birth of an infant in Oregon is currently only a Class A misdemeanor, it seems that the complete removal of the law would set a dangerous precedent for society, a suggestion that an infant's life is not worth investigating.

For many people, this raises serious concerns about the society we are building, and our culture.

Representative Andrea Valderrama (D-Portland), Representative Travis Nelson (D-Portland), Senator Kate Lieber (D-Beaverton & Southwest Portland) and Senator Elizabeth Steiner (D-NW Portland/Beaverton) are the Chief Sponsors of HB 2002.

At the time of this publication, the Republican Senators are continuing their walkout in protest of the radical legislation.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2023-05-10 13:25:58

Last Update: 2023-05-30 13:43:17