On this day, November 24, 1971, On Thanksgiving eve DB Cooper boarded Flight 305 in Portland, Or., and demanded $200,000 with the threat of a bomb. He parachuted from a Northwest Airlines 727 with the money over the Cascade Mountains near Ariel, Wash., and was never seen again. FBI agent Ralph Himmelsbach wrote the book NORJAK that described the case. A packet containing $5,880 of the ransom money was found in 1980 on the north shore of the Columbia River, just west of the Washington city of Vancouver. In 2011 evidence was presented that Lynn Doyle Cooper of Oregon, a Korean war veteran, was the hijacker. On July 13, 2016, the FBI said it is no longer investigating the case.
Every year, individuals using firearms prevent 400,000 violent crimes
Over the past two decades, it has become obvious there is an increasing attempt by many in the state legislature to use the passage of more restrictions on firearms and firearm accessories to undermine the right of self-defense and erode the Second Amendment, which is what the sponsors of
SB 554 are proposing. The chief sponsors, all Democrats, are Senators Ginny Burdick (D-Portland), James Manning, Jr. (D-Eugene), Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego), and Representatives Rachel Prusak (D-West Linn), and Lisa Reynolds (D-Portland).
These new proposals on conceal carry will not have any effect on crime or violence because criminals tend to ignore the law. Contrast that to the fact that
SB 554 will hinder law-abiding citizens from exercising their right to self-defense because they tend to obey the law, which could put them in jeopardy of being an unarmed victim to the armed criminal.
Owning a firearm and having the ability to conceal it makes for a safer society. Guns prevent an estimated 2.5 million crimes a year, or 6,849 every day. Most often, the gun owner never fires the gun, and nobody sheds blood, including the criminal.
Every year, individuals using firearms in their defense prevent 400,000 life-threatening violent crimes. That is more lives saved than by police in a year. In a report released by the Center for Disease Control ordered by President Obama in 2012 following the Sandy Hook Massacre, the agency estimated that the number of crimes prevented by guns could be even higher—as many as 3 million annually, or some 8,200 every day.
Sixty percent of convicted felons admitted that they avoided committing crimes when they knew the victim was armed. Forty percent of convicted felons admitted that they avoided committing crimes when they thought the victim might be armed, which makes conceal carry even more vital for protection.
Moreover, felons report that they avoid entering houses where people are at home because they fear the owner shooting them. Then consider less than 1 percent of firearms are used in the commission of a crime and CHL holders are statistically six times less likely to commit a violent crime than the average citizen who does not have a CHL.
--Rob Taylor| Post Date: 2021-02-22 10:04:52 | Last Update: 2021-02-22 10:06:44 |
Creates a vacancy in the East Portland house district.
Oregon Public Broadcasting is reporting that State Representative Diego Hernandez (D-Portland) will be resigning his seat in the Oregon Legislature.
Representative Hernandez faced many calls for his resignation -- many within his own party -- and an expulsion vote on the House Floor this week. Insiders were questioning whether there were enough votes for his expulsion. The Oregon Constitution requires 2/3 or 40 votes to expel a member.
His resignation creates a vacancy which will be filled by appointment by the Multnomah County Commissioners, from a list of three to five nominees sent to them by the local Democratic Party Precinct Committee Persons.
--Staff Reports| Post Date: 2021-02-21 19:42:03 | Last Update: 2021-02-21 19:59:29 |
More regulation on already-stressed businesses
Opposition is beginning to mount against a pair of bills impacting commercial packaging and the recycling process as a hearing nears in the Senate Committee On Energy and Environment.
Extended Producer Liability and tougher packaging requirements are the subjects to be discussed.
Alison Keane is the President and CEO of Flexible Packaging Association, which represents flexible packaging manufacturers and suppliers to the industry, representing $33.6 billion in annual sales.
According to Keane,
SB 581, introduced by Senator Michael Dembrow, (D-Portland) "would institute new Oregon labeling requirements for recyclability of packaging and ban the use of ASTM labeling for resin codes. This would result in Oregon specific requirements, which is unworkable given the fact that products are not manufactured and sold into Oregon only, and in most cases are sold nationally and internationally."
SB 582 would set up an Extended Producer Responsibility program -- similar to existing ones for automobile batteries, tires and other difficult to dispose items. The proposed program is, according to Keane, "not only for consumer products, but for commercial and industrial products as well, if far too broad and complex and because of this, difficult to even determine implementation requirements, responsibilities and timelines."
What appears to be a "gut-and-stuff" amendment -- intended to replace the whole bill -- to
SB 582 has been proposed. Among other things, it says, “‘Equity’ means the effort to provide different levels of support based on an individual’s or group’s needs in order to achieve fairness in outcomes and the acknowledgment that not all people and communities are starting from the same place due to historic and current systems of oppression. Equity requires the redistribution of resources, power and opportunity to communities most impacted by systemic oppression.†It's not clear if there is enough support for this amendment to be adopted.
Both bills are scheduled for public testimony at 1:00 on Tuesday in the Senate Committee On Energy and Environment.
--Staff Reports| Post Date: 2021-02-21 18:39:37 | Last Update: 2021-02-21 20:45:08 |
Bills make it more expensive for local governments
The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries oversees prevailing wage laws in the state of Oregon.
According to their website, "prevailing wage rates are the amounts that must be paid to construction workers on all public works projects in Oregon." Cynics have described prevailing wage laws as "the government overcharging itself for services."
Currently, prevailing wage is set by what is called an independent wage survey that is done across 14 regions in Oregon.
HB 2419 would tie prevailing wage to collective bargaining contracts.
HB 2597 would reduce the number of regions to five. Both bills are sponsored by Representative Paul Holvey (D-Eugene). Both bills had a hearing on February 10 in the House Business and Labor Committee, which is chair by Representative Holvey. Neither has been scheduled for further action.
HB 2419 is being opposed by Lori Sattenspiel who represents the Oregon School Boards Association. She said, "if this bill passes and becomes effective, we expect wages to increase. These eight districts going out for a bond now may find themselves short of funds to complete projects. Again, these schools have done their due diligence up front, including some escalation factors to account for trends in materials and wage rates. If there is a wage spike caused due to these bills, referenced as results of similar legislation in Washington state, these projects are going to have problems."
According to Tracy Rutten Rainey who represents the League of Oregon Cities, "this bill significantly alters the process by which prevailing wage rates are determined by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. The proposed revisions in these bills represent a significant policy change that could result in unexpected cost increases for some projects." Rutten prefers
HB 2252, introduced by Representative Shelly Boshart Davis (R-Albany) which calls for the Bureau of Labor and Industries to study how they determine the wages.
--Staff Reports| Post Date: 2021-02-21 17:12:12 | Last Update: 2021-02-21 18:05:54 |
How does the officer know what gender you are?
Oregon law requires that police trainees be trained to deal with a whole list of crimes that deal with protected classes. The list is long. State Representative David Gomberg is proposing adding gender to the list in
HB 2986 The current law reads:
The Board on Public Safety Standards and Training shall ensure that all police officers and certified reserve officers are trained to investigate, identify and report crimes motivated by prejudice based on the perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sexual
orientation, marital status, political affiliation or beliefs, membership or activity in or on behalf of a labor organization or against a labor organization, physical or mental disability, age, economic or social status or citizenship of the victim.
Interestingly, as society increasingly loses it's understanding of what gender means, it remains to be seen how this law will be able to be enforced. For instance, if gender is regarded as a subjective characteristic that an individual identifies as, how would the police know that a gender-based crime was being committed?
The bill has been assigned to the House Committee On Judiciary House Subcommittee On Equitable Policing.
--Staff Reports| Post Date: 2021-02-21 09:48:05 | Last Update: 2021-02-21 17:12:12 |
Sought to block expulsion vote
State Representative Diego Hernandez (D-Portland) was denied
a temporary restraining order against the Oregon Legislature by US District Court Judge Ann Aiken. He was hoping to get a reprieve from a vote to expel him. That vote is scheduled for Tuesday, February 23 at 11:00.
Hernandez is being disciplined for allegations that he engaged in harassing conduct involving women who had business before the legislature. The
suit filed by Hernandez presents new evidence that Hernandez claims he was unable to present to the House Committee on Conduct.
The suit names House Speaker Tina Kotek (D-Portland), as well as Representatives Julie Fahey (D-Eugene) and Ron Noble (R-McMinnville) who are Chair and Vice-Chair respectively of the House Committee on Conduct, which is considering the actions against Representative Hernandez. The suit also names Jackie Sandmeyer who is the head of the Legislative Equity Office which oversees the work of the Conduct Committee.
In her opinion on the restraining order, Judge Aiken says,
[Hernandez] makes numerous arguments that defendants did not properly follow the requirements of Rule 27. For example, [Hernandez] alleges he was only given seven days to respond to the draft report instead of ten. He also complains that he was not allowed to cross-examine his accusers. However, these technicalities do not in themselves mean that [Hernandez] has failed received (sic) adequate due process under the Fourteenth Amendment. The "very nature of due process negates any concept of inflexible procedures universally applicable to every imaginable situation."
Though members of the same party, Speaker Kotek and Representative Hernandez have been at odds over Hernandez's no vote on
SB 1049 in 2019. The bill, which was introduced by Speaker Kotek, required that public employees contribute to their retirement fund.
--Staff Reports| Post Date: 2021-02-20 20:05:29 | Last Update: 2021-02-20 20:55:43 |
The assumption of racist values and beliefs is destructive to students
The Oregon Department of Education received national attention from major media outlets this week after releasing their monthly Math Educator Update. The news sources focused on a specific
teacher training course that claims “white supremacy culture infiltrates math classrooms in everyday teacher actions,†and, “[c]oupled with the beliefs that underlie these actions, they perpetuate educational harm on Black, Latinx, and multilingual students, denying them full access to the world of mathematics.â€
The ODE Update also included a document called The Mo(ve)ment to Prioritize Antiracist Mathematics. The board states they have been thinking about using some of the principles outlined in this document to promote anti-racism in teaching mathematics throughout Oregon public schools. The anti-racist and equity principles put forth in these resources are more widely known as
Critical Race Theory, which is built on the premise that racism is ingrained in our society and a fact of American life. “CRT questions liberalism and the ability of a system of law built on it to create a just society.†CRT teachings are divisive and harmful to students because they utilize immutable external characteristics rather than individual behavior and actions to determine culpability in perpetuating racism.
Here is a quick look at some of the CRT material promoted by ODE:
“A Pathway to Math Equity Micro-Courseâ€
Within this course, math educators are guided through monthly practical exercises to reflect on their own biases and teaching practices to better recognize and subsequently deconstruct White supremacy culture in their classrooms. One example given, for instance, is the common request teachers make for students to “show their work.†The authors theorize that this is evidence of White supremacy culture, stating that it is “a crutch for teachers seeking to understand what students are thinking,†instead of an attempt to gain insight into student comprehension of new concepts. Teachers trying to understand students' thinking, they claim, is racist.
They go on to state that White supremacy is reinforced by the belief that “teachers are teachers and students are learners,†ingraining cultural ideals of “paternalism and power-holding†in teachers. Furthermore, “valuing independent work†is White supremacy culture because “[independent work] reinforces individualism and…, does not give value to collectivism and community understanding, and fosters conditions for competition and individual success.â€
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
There is no question that educator’s techniques should be evaluated and discussed with the goal of improving student’s experiences and learning. However, contextualizing common practices such as “showing work†and obtaining “right†answers in a framework of racism is simply inappropriate. The assumption that teacher actions are undergirded by racist values and beliefs is destructive to students and relationships within the classroom.
This material put forth by the Oregon Department of Education is an attempt to strip liberties from students and teachers by reducing them to nothing more than the color of their skin and lowering the bar for academic achievement. “A hundred years ago civil rights leaders would unhesitatingly have sought to get black people the skills they needed to break in, not indignantly demand that the powers that be change what they think of standards,â€
as stated by John McWhorter, linguist and associate professor at Columbia University.
Editor's note: The author of this article, Natalee Maxfield, is with Liberty in Education
--Natalee Maxfield| Post Date: 2021-02-20 18:12:50 | Last Update: 2021-02-20 18:37:27 |
HB 2002 prohibits firearms for parole and probation officers
Alongside far left policies already in play in Oregon, the super-majority Democrats of the Oregon legislature have proposed sweeping changes to the institutions of the Oregon Justice and Corrections departments. In 2020, observers in Oregon witnessed the Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt proclaim a commitment to not prosecute certain crimes in Oregon's most populous and troubled county. If some Democrats in Oregon have their way, this trend will certainly continue.
Now with
HB 2002, parole and probation officers would not be allowed to carry firearms while performing their official duties. The bill has been introduced by Representatives Janelle Bynum(D-Portland), Senator James Manning, Jr. (D-Eugene), Kayse Jama (D-Portland).
There are numerous other changes proposed in the bill, and is summarized as follows:
- Converts mandatory minimum sentences for specified felonies other than murder to presumptive sentences.
- Reduces presumptive sentences for certain crimes.
- Authorizes court to impose greater or lesser sentence according to sentencing guidelines of Oregon Criminal Justice Commission.
- Authorizes person receiving presumptive sentence to be eligible for certain programs and sentence reductions.
- Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Oregon Department of Administrative Services for
distribution to Northwest Health Foundation for deposit into Reimagine Safety Fund.
- Prohibits arrest without warrant for misdemeanor other than person Class A misdemeanor unless offense committed in presence of law enforcement officer.
- Requires law enforcement officers to issue citation in lieu of arrest for specified crimes.
- Prohibits traffic stop based solely on specified traffic violations.
- Prohibits parole and probation officers from carrying firearm while performing official duties in
certain locations.
- Requires certain continuing education for parole and probation officers.
- Expands earned reduction in term of probation or post-prison supervision.
Modifies general conditions of probation and post-prison supervision.
- Prohibits revocation of probation or post-prison supervision unless person willfully absconds or is convicted of new felony or person Class A misdemeanor.
- Prohibits supervision fees.
- Modifies Justice Reinvestment Program grant distribution.
- Directs Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to collect certain data on imposition of supervision conditions, persons on supervision and expenditures of Justice Reinvestment Program funds and biennially report on data to Legislative Assembly.
As the Oregon legislature too often does, if this bill is passed, it will be declared an emergency, and it will instantly be effective on passage.
--Bruce Armstrong| Post Date: 2021-02-20 16:02:29 | Last Update: 2021-02-20 18:59:44 |
He takes over a party focused on winning
State Senator Dallas Heard (R-Winston) was elected chair of the Oregon Republican Party by a vote of 74 to 52 at a biennial convention of the ORP in which elections of officers is held.
In his acceptance speech, Heard said, “Now the real work begins for me. And for you. Hold me accountable.†Heard, age 36, will be the face of a party that is seeking to attract younger voters.
Outgoing Chair Bill Currier graciously stepped down. "I wouldn't do anything differently."
Former State Senator Herman Baertschigger was elected vice-chair.
--Staff Reports| Post Date: 2021-02-20 12:21:07 | Last Update: 2021-02-20 14:42:47 |
You might be a felon if you carry where you used to
Oregon's concealed handgun law contains a pre-emption against local jurisdictions from establishing their own rules for concealed carry by persons licensed to do so, but that pre-emption is on the block, and some places where you can now carry will be off limits.
A proposal put forth by Senators Ginny Burdick(D-Portland), James Manning Jr (D-Eugene), Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego), Representatives Rachel Prusak (D-West Linn), Lisa Reynolds (D-Portland) have introduced
SB 554 authorizes city, county, metropolitan service district, port operating commercial airport, school district, college or university to adopt ordinance or policy limiting or precluding affirmative defense for possession of firearms in public buildings by concealed handgun licensees.
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
Additionally, Senator Burdick has introduced introduced
SB 585, which would explicitly allow local jurisdictions to create their own rules regarding the right of license holders to carry, potentially creating a patchwork of laws across the state.
ORS 166.170 describes the pre-emption
"Except as expressly authorized by state statute, the authority to regulate in any matter whatsoever the sale, acquisition, transfer, ownership, possession, storage, transportation or use of firearms or any element relating to firearms and components thereof, including ammunition, is vested solely in the Legislative Assembly.
Except as expressly authorized by state statute, no county, city or other municipal corporation or district may enact civil or criminal ordinances, including but not limited to zoning ordinances, to regulate, restrict or prohibit the sale, acquisition, transfer, ownership, possession, storage, transportation or use of firearms or any element relating to firearms and components thereof, including ammunition. Ordinances that are contrary to this subsection are void."
Oregon's
Concealed Carry law had its origins over 30 years ago. In 1989 a shooter in Stockton, California killed five children and wounded 29 others at a school, then killed himself with a pistol. In the wake of that shooting, Oregon House Speaker, Vera Katz, worked a compromise bill, HB 3470, which established some restrictions on gun ownership in exchange for a concealed carry law, and was signed into law by Governor Neil Goldschmidt.
SB 554 is
scheduled for a hearing on Monday in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 585 was scheduled, but has been pulled from the agenda.
--Staff Reports| Post Date: 2021-02-20 09:50:10 | Last Update: 2021-02-20 19:02:31 |
Don’t let the bill collectors and your past financial history get you down
Need to cash a check? One State Representative, Zach Hudson (D-Troutdale) wants to make sure you don't have to pay a fee, even if you don't have an account or any business relationship with the bank or credit union.
HB 2356 is seen by many as one of many that is sympathetic to persons with legal or criminal history in Oregon.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation -- better know by its acronym FDIC -- says that 4.2% of Oregonians were
unbanked in 2017.
Why are people unbanked?
Analysts note several reasons, among which are:
- Your past financial mistakes put you on a no-account list
- You don’t trust banks
- You’re worried about minimum balance requirements
- You’re aiming to avoid fees
- You’re trying to avoid debt collectors
- You’re young
This list, which doesn't include an inability to have a relationship with a bank due to being an illegal alien, seems to make a pretty clear case that it's not really the bank's fault that you're not in a position or don't desire to have a relationship with a bank. Incredibly, Representative Hudson doesn't have a problem with making the bank provide the service for free. Of course, nothing is free and the service will be paid for by existing customers.
Another side effect of the bill is that since state law can only govern state chartered banks and credit unions -- not federally chartered ones -- the law only applies to smaller, local banks and credit unions. They'll have to face the additional burden of servicing the unbanked, while their larger, federally chartered competition can still charge fees.
--Staff Reports| Post Date: 2021-02-20 07:52:32 | Last Update: 2021-02-21 19:10:00 |
Tax season is quickly approaching
As state Democrats look for ways to prop up government growth during the government imposed COVID recession, Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR 4) has stepped up to support State Senator Dick Anderson (R-Lincoln City) in his quest to keep relief money from being taxed.
DeFazio is urging that Governor Kate Brown, Oregon State Senate President Peter Courtney, and Oregon House of Representatives Speaker Tina Kotek to ensure that COVID-19 Economic Impact Payments do not contribute to working-class Oregonians’ tax liabilities for 2020.
“It is unconscionable to ask the very families who have struggled the most during the COVID-19 crisis to include these payments in their tax liability,†said Rep. DeFazio. “These payments are a lifeline for Oregon’s working families, and while the ongoing pandemic has caused a budget shortfall for the state, the state should not ask these Oregonians to bear the brunt of that shortfall on their backs.â€
Although Congress intended for EIPs to be tax-free, current Oregon state statute will result in hundreds of thousands of Oregonians being indirectly taxed at the state level. Data from the Oregon Legislative Revenue Office shows that EIPs included in the CARES Act that passed in March of 2020 will result in approximately 870,000 Oregonians seeing an increase in their state tax liability to the tune of more than $100 million.
Senator Anderson sent the following letter to Congressman DeFazio:
Congressman DeFazio,
Thank you for your recent support of my efforts to ensure federal Economic Impact Payments are shielded from
state taxes. I currently have legislation being drafted that would keep this relief money in the pockets of working
Oregonians.
As you have identified, this is an important step to fulfilling the intent of the federal legislation that helped
millions of Oregon families during the pandemic.
While our parties differ, we serve many of the same constituents. It is my hope that we can work together to get
this legislation passed this session for the good of our constituents, and Oregonians more broadly.
For a family of four, $300 can make a big difference for working families who are struggling to make ends meet.
Yet under the current law, these families will be sending that much of their stimulus check to the state
government.
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Tax season is quickly approaching and given procedural roadblocks that will keep this legislation from going to
effect before taxpayers must pay last year's taxes, I am including provisions in the law that would allow affected
Oregonians to either amend this year's taxes or file for a credit next year. Of course, any future payments should
also be exempt.
To that end, I would respectfully request that once the bill is assigned to a committee, that you would testify in
support of its passage. You were involved in the bipartisan crafting of the federal legislation that sent the much needed relief to Oregon families, and I believe your insights and support would be important to this effort.
Again, thank you for your support on this issue and for your service to our state.
I look forward to working together in bi-partisan ways to help Oregonians begin their long road to recovery from
this pandemic.
The bi-partisan agreement on this indicates the value of this proposal. It remains to be seen if Oregon's legislative leaders will share this view.
--Staff Reports| Post Date: 2021-02-19 18:20:50 | Last Update: 2021-02-19 18:46:06 |
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