In Tuesday’s Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response, Democrats unveiled their plan to address Measure 110. Republicans have also proposed several key pieces of legislation.

“Above all, I am saddened by the Democrats’ lack of interest to do what is necessary to end the drug addiction crisis, which is killing people young and old every single day. They are instead choosing to listen to special interest activists and pursue an omnibus bill reduced to window dressing,” said Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp (R-Bend). “While Democrats kick the can down the road, we will continue to put forward bold solutions that will stop the drug crisis in its tracks.”

“The proposal we saw today is one chalked full of farcical fixes which will work about as well as the drug treatment hotline. Measure 110 has proven that voluntary addiction treatment does not work and keeps people chronically addicted. Oregonians overwhelmingly agree that we must scrap this naïve approach, but the Democrats’ proposal keeps the status quo in place,” said Representative Christine Goodwin (R-Canyonville). “Oregonians deserve better than this weak proposal. It will do almost nothing to save lives, clean up our streets, and restore safety to our communities.”

“Oregonians have made it abundantly clear: we must reestablish hard drug use as a class A misdemeanor so that rehabilitation treatment can be required. The current system does not include such power and a low-level class C misdemeanor only provides 30 days in jail as an alternative. This is nowhere near the amount of time needed to address addiction,” said Representative Kevin Mannix (R-Keizer). “Our current system is not compassionate. People are hurting. The Legislature has a responsibility to step up and meet this challenge.”

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

“Clearly Democrats in the legislature haven’t walked the streets to see the crisis Measure 110 has caused," said House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich. “The Republican bill restores accountability, ushers addicts into treatment, and makes our streets clean and safe again – none of which will be achieved with the majority’s proposal. While people suffer, the majority party ignores Oregonians’ calls for bipartisan action, choosing instead to pander to radical special interests with a bill that solves nothing. Oregonians have demanded real solutions, and that is what House Republicans will continue to strive for.”

Candidate for Oregon Attorney General and former prosecutor, Will Lathrop, rebuked politicians in Salem for failing to propose a real solution to Oregon’s failed Measure 110 and instead hiding behind House Bill 4002, a half-hearted proposal.

“Unfortunately, Salem politicians have failed to listen to law enforcement, local governments, and Oregonians across our state who are demanding meaningful solutions to Oregon’s failed Measure 110. Instead, these same politicians have opted to hide behind their political ideologies with an inadequate bill that fails to respond to the historical crisis on our streets,” said Will Lathrop.

“What was hailed as revolutionary change, is now known to be an unmitigated disaster shrouding Oregon in a state of crisis. Despite calls from our law enforcement community, treatment experts, and local jurisdictions to replace Measure 110 with real accountability measures that get people into treatment and traffickers off the street, HB 4002 is a half-measure designed to provide cover to a political class determined to continue the status quo,” added Lathrop

With less than two weeks before the 2024 Legislative Session convenes, AG candidate Will Lathrop offered Oregonians some words of encouragement while challenging legislators to return to the drawing board.

“It’s not too late for legislators in Salem to reject band-aid fixes and work with law enforcement and addiction service providers to deliver lasting solutions. Oregonians are relying on our elected politicians to act with urgency to shift the tide of crime and addiction in our communities and give Oregonians real hope for change,” concluded Lathrop.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-01-23 15:31:59

Last Update: 2024-01-23 16:38:51