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On this day, July 22, 2020, protesters broke into the Portland Police Association building, set it on fire and started dumpster fires late today, as demonstrations that have been taking place since the death of George Floyd intensified for another night. Navy veteran Christopher David (53), a peaceful protester, was hit with a baton five times by one of the militarized federal agents deployed by President Donald Trump. Another officer, wearing green military camouflage, a helmet and gas mask, sprayed David full in the face with what appears to be pepper gas. Video of the incident went viral. Federal authorities had assembled a force of 114 federal officers to protect US government buildings in Portland, in response to ongoing protests, unrest and violence there, as part of a mission dubbed "Operation Diligent Valor".
“The state does not need this moneyâ€
Representative Shelly Boshart Davis (R-Albany) has
sent a letter to Governor Tina Kotek urging her administration to take executive action to waive and refund fines related to OR-OSHA’s COVID-19 rules. Representative Boshart Davis suggested that, with the exception of willful and egregious violations, these fines should be cleared to allow Oregon employers and the state to continue to recover from the pandemic and its impacts.
“I’ve talked to plenty of business owners who were doing their best to keep their employees and the public safe during the pandemic, but simply had a hard time keeping up with often changing rules and a complex regulatory landscape,†said Representative Boshart Davis. “The pandemic is over and OR-OSHA’s COVID-19 rules have been suspended. It only makes sense that these fines should be suspended and refunded as well.â€
In
her letter to Governor Kotek, Representative Boshart Davis referenced media reports suggesting outstanding fines total approximately $800,000. An estimated $100,000 has already been collected by OR-OSHA. Representative Boshart Davis said eliminating these fines would represent a gesture of good will between state government and the employer community and would also allow OR-OSHA regulators to focus their time and attention on keeping workplaces safe prospectively, rather than events that occurred in the past.
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
“I think even state regulators would admit that the rollout of COVID-19 rules was often confusing, conflicting, and difficult to navigate for everyday Oregonians,†said Representative Boshart Davis. “The state does not need this money. Let’s accelerate our state’s recovery process by wiping out these fines and working together with the employer community to move our state forward. I urge Governor Kotek to get this done.â€
--Staff ReportsPost Date: 2023-05-18 06:06:57 | Last Update: 2023-05-17 18:05:57 |