Lane County Republican Party passed a resolution and Chair, John Large, issued a letter for Representative Charlie Conrad to resign his position as Lane County Representative to the Oregon House of Representatives.

The action came after Conrad voted in support of HB 2002, the controversial bill with a long list of grievances affecting children and parents. Democrats have focused on the protection of reproductive health care, as in abortions, which isn’t in danger. Opponents point to other matters such as allowing minors of any age to obtain abortions, contraception and other reproductive care without their parents’ knowledge and teens 15 or older to access gender-affirming care without their parents knowing. 

Conrad claimed to do his own research and changed his vote once out of committee becoming concerned for kids wanting to transgender. In his vote explanation, he states, “I support this bill because, overall, I think its cumulative impact will strengthen Oregon's health care system. Specifically, it will provide support to people in need of critical healthcare services by allowing them to make the best decisions for themselves based upon their individual circumstances. The bill accomplishes this by providing legal protections for patients, providers, and staff while ensuring medically necessary treatments are covered by insurance.” He details his reasoning, but neglects to address the real issue of minors receiving medical advice and treatment without parent knowledge and other critical issues.

Lane County Republican Party’s request for resignation states Conrad’s vote does not align with their stated values, and lists ten reasons that Conrad ignored in his vote for HB 2002b.

• A minor to receive irreversible sex-change treatments and procedures without parental knowledge and consent.
• A minor to have their parent’s insurance cover such treatment and procedures without parental knowledge and consent.
• Requirement of insurance plans to cover irreversible sex-change treatments.
• Requirement of insurance plans to cover sex-changing cosmetic procedures and surgeries.
• Decriminalizing the concealing of the dead body of a newborn baby.
• A child of any age to receive an abortion without parental knowledge and consent.
• A doctor to hide information from a child’s parent regarding an abortion.
• Requirement of Oregon taxpayers pay for abortions and sex-change procedures for out of state persons.
• Requirement of universities and colleges to provide medical abortions paid for by Oregon taxpayers.
• Changing the language from “terminate pregnancy” to “exercise reproductive health right.”

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

Lane County Republican Party further “withdraws all current and future support for Representative Charlie Conrad.”

HB 2002 isn’t the only bill Conrad has sided with Democrats on. He voted for HB 2004, which establishes ranked choice voting. He voted with Democrat on HB 2279 to repeal residency requirement in Oregon Death with Dignity Act. Conrad also voted with Democrats on critical enforcement bills relating to paramilitary activity and domestic terrorism, HB 2572 and HB2772 among others.

Representative Conrad gives no indication he will resign, but has indicated after the session he will go around to reach the 70,000 people in his district and if they don’t like who he is, he said they can vote him out.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-05-27 00:18:03

Last Update: 2023-05-27 17:02:35