Senate Republicans today moved to amend Senate rules to change the masking requirements in the Senate Chamber.

“This body is one of the only legislative bodies in the nation that requires our members to mask while speaking,” said Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp (R-Bend). “There is no reason for it. The majority kicked out a member last week for something that just 24 hours later the CDC says is not required. I asked them to wait, now the CDC shows exactly why they should have.”

Senate Democrats voted down the rule change along party lines, 9-17. The Senate will remain out of step with CDC guidance until the masking requirement is struck.

The CDC announced Friday it is no longer recommending most Americans wear masks indoors. According to the CDC’s framework, Marion County is considered medium COVID-19 level, making masks optional. Oregon Governor Kate Brown has announced that the mask mandate will be lifted beginning March 11.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-03-01 17:46:50

Last Update: 2022-02-28 17:55:56

The Oregon State Senate Committee on Rules passed SB 1566 to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means for possible funding.

This bill establishes an annual salary for members of the Legislative Assembly equal to an annual occupational mean wage estimate for Oregon for the prior year and adjusted once every two years.

The bill allows for annual cost of living adjustment to the interim expense allowance, and adds up to $1,000 per month reimbursement for child care expenses for members who have one or more children or dependents under age 13.

State legislator salaries would go from $32,839 to about $57,000, and applies a cost-of-living adjustment to the monthly interim expense allowance received by members. It also provides for a child care allowance of $1000 per month for members who have children or dependents under 13 years of age.

Three Democrat legislators announced they will not seek re-election assuming that SB 1566 has failed. Representative Anna Williams (D-Hood River), Representative Karin Power (D-Milwaukie), and Representative Rachel Prusak (D-West Linn/Tualatin) all said their base salary was not enough to compensate for the amount of work required as a state representative. The three have professional jobs outside of their legislative duties.

The salary for legislators was set to be a servant of the people and a part-time commitment.

It was never intended to be a career job. SB 1566 salary increases would change legislators to full-time careers.

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In 2010, voters approved legislator’s plea for a short session to adjust budgets and deal with issues that couldn’t wait. That has not changed in the eyes of the public, but the legislature has manipulated legislation with studies and programs that report back to them adding meetings and work until it has exceeded its boundaries.

COVID shut downs have kept the public voices silent making the legislature more powerful than ever intended.

The state would benefit with new blood that will put the brakes on new programs and do a complete audit of programs to determine the value of our "servants" representing us.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-03-01 11:26:58

Last Update: 2022-03-01 13:26:30

House Republicans have negotiated a fix to SB 1529 to ensure that Oregonians can receive insurance coverage for annual primary care and mental health care doctor visits.

SB 1529 previously included a proposal from Democrats that would have given the Oregon Health Authority’s public health director, an unelected bureaucrat, the same powers as the Governor to declare a health emergency and dictate mandates related to that emergency. Republicans successfully changed the bill to prevent OHA from gaining this inappropriate power.

“Oregonians need better access to health care, not a state agency with more power to dictate mandates,” said House Republican Leader Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville).

“The pandemic was and still is exhausting for hardworking Oregonians,” said Representative Raquel Moore-Green (R-Salem), a member of the House Committee on Health Care. “Rather than empowering OHA to declare more frequent emergencies and mandates, this bill gives Oregonians better access to affordable health care.”

SB 1529 is scheduled for third reading and vote on the House floor today, March 1.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-03-01 10:25:43

Last Update: 2022-03-01 11:17:04

Oregon Senate Democrats have moved to make taxpayers foot the bill for the deportation lawyers of illegal non-citizens, including those who have also been convicted of felonies like murder, rape, domestic violence, sex abuse, and kidnapping.

“Making victims pay for their abuser to stay in the country illegally is wrong,” Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp (R-Bend). “These kinds of soft-on-crime policies are what is causing Oregonians to feel unsafe in their homes. In the middle of a crime spike, we should be making communities safer, not putting more criminals back on our streets.”

In the Judiciary Committee, a Republican amendment to SB 1543 was rejected that would have ensured those who had stood accused or convicted of felonies would not receive benefits under the universal representation program.

Department of Corrections data shows that as of January 1, 2022, at least 615 individuals with federal ICE detainers are in custody in Oregon prisons. Three-in-five have been convicted of sex abuse, rape, murder, or sodomy. Under SB 1543, these individuals would be prioritized for taxpayer assistance.

It is estimated that taxpayers already pay over $26 million per year in prison costs to detain criminal illegal non-citizens. SB 1543 appropriates another $10.5 million to pay for their deportation defense.

SB 1543 was introduced by Senators Kate Lieber (D-Portland) and Kayse Jama (D-Portland) and Representative Andrea Salinas (D-Lake Oswego). The bill passed along party lines, 17-8 and will now be considered by the House.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-03-01 06:55:56

Last Update: 2022-03-01 01:02:54

Oregon Senate Democrats have moved to make taxpayers foot the bill for the deportation lawyers of illegal non-citizens, including those who have also been convicted of felonies like murder, rape, domestic violence, sex abuse, and kidnapping.

“Making victims pay for their abuser to stay in the country illegally is wrong,” Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp (R-Bend). “These kinds of soft-on-crime policies are what is causing Oregonians to feel unsafe in their homes. In the middle of a crime spike, we should be making communities safer, not putting more criminals back on our streets.”

In the Judiciary Committee, a Republican amendment to SB 1543 was rejected that would have ensured those who had stood accused or convicted of felonies would not receive benefits under the universal representation program.

Department of Corrections data shows that as of January 1, 2022, at least 615 individuals with federal ICE detainers are in custody in Oregon prisons.

Three-in-five of those have been convicted of sex abuse, rape, murder, or sodomy.

Under SB 1543, these individuals would be prioritized for taxpayer assistance.

It is estimated that taxpayers already pay over $26 million per year in prison costs to detain criminal illegal non-citizens. SB 1543 appropriates another $10.5 million to pay for their deportation defense.

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SB 1543's Chief Sponsors are Senator Kate Lieber (D-Beaverton), Senator Kayse Jama (D-Portland), Representative Andrea Salinas (D-Lake Oswego), Senator Michael Dembrow (D-Portland), Senator James I. Manning Jr. (D-Eugene), Senator Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego), Representative Teresa Alonso Leon (D-Woodburn), Representative Khanh Pham (D-Portland) and Representative Andrea Valderrama (D-Portland).

The bill passed the Senate along party lines, 17-8 and will now be considered by the House.


--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2022-02-28 15:57:16

Last Update: 2022-03-01 17:44:45

The Oregon State Senate has approved Senate Bill 1579 on a vote of 17 to 9.

This legislation would direct Business Oregon to implement an Economic Equity Investment Program to award grants to qualified organizations that provide culturally responsive services to disadvantaged individuals, families, businesses and communities.

“The Equity Investment Act is a proactive investment in our communities statewide,” said Akasha Lawrence Spence (D-Portland), Chief Sponsor of Senate Bill 1579, who carried the bill on the Senate floor. “This measure is necessary to help communities from our rural center to our urban core become self-sufficient, attract private investment and become resilient in the face of economic shocks. Senate Bill 1579 will increase Oregon's capacity to build thriving communities.”

“We are in an immense moment of social reckoning in this country. I have spent nearly every one of 20 years in community advocacy focused on police and criminal justice reform,” said Senator Kayse Jama (D-Portland), Co-Chief Sponsor of Senate Bill 1579. “I am a Co-Chief Sponsor of Senate Bill 1579 because I know creating economic opportunities for all is fundamental to creating a fairer future for Oregonians who have been left behind."

Business Oregon's Strategic Plan for 2018-2022 says that persistent economic disparities exist among people of color and other represented communities, despite growth rates higher than the state's overall population.

They are saying that household income and wages are lowest for Oregon's African American, Native American, and Hispanic communities. Observers might note that Business Oregon is suggesting that "white communities" do not need the "culturally responsive investments" that these other communities do.

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The Strategic Plan states that these groups are also disadvantaged in their access to capital and are underrepresented in employment within the professional and technical services sectors.

Senate Bill 1579 now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.


--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2022-02-28 13:54:02

Last Update: 2022-02-28 15:52:33

With declining case rates and hospitalizations across the West, California, Oregon, and Washington are moving together to again update their masking guidance.

After 11:59 p.m. on March 11, California, Oregon, and Washington will be adopting new indoor mask policies and moving from mask requirements to mask recommendations in schools.

State policies do not change federal requirements, which still include masks on public transit.

“Two years ago today, we identified Oregon’s first case of COVID-19," said the Governor Kate Brown. "As has been made clear time and again over the last two years, COVID-19 does not stop at state borders or county lines. On the West Coast, our communities and economies are linked. Together, as we continue to recover from the Omicron surge, we will build resiliency and prepare for the next variant and the next pandemic. As we learn to live with this virus, we must remain vigilant to protect each other and prevent disruption to our schools, businesses, and communities––with a focus on protecting our most vulnerable and the people and communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.”

In Oregon, the Oregon Health Authority rules requiring masks in indoor public places and schools will be lifted after 11:59 p.m. on March 11.

In California starting March 1, masks will no longer be required.

However, the division continues, as masks will be recommended for unvaccinated individuals in most indoor settings.

After March 11, in schools and child care facilities, masks will not be required but will be strongly recommended.

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Masks will still be required for everyone in high transmission settings like public transit, emergency shelters, healthcare settings, correctional facilities, homeless shelters and long-term care facilities. As always, local jurisdictions may have additional requirements beyond the state guidance.

“We’ve continued to monitor data from our state Department of Health, and have determined we are able to adjust the timing of our statewide mask requirement," stated Washington Governor Jay Inslee. "While this represents another step forward for Washingtonians, we will continue to move forward together carefully and cautiously.”

In Washington, indoor mask requirements will be lifted as of 11:59 p.m. on March 11. The Washington State Department of Health will be issuing new guidance for K-12 schools next week so schools can prepare to implement updated safety protocols.


--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2022-02-28 13:06:56

Last Update: 2022-02-28 13:26:28

Mid-Valley Media has trouble keeping their political bias out of their news articles.

They have run a series of articles against gubernatorial candidate Marc Thielman, taking readers down a path of innuendos and suggestions that aren’t factual, and made sure readers know Oregon is a very-blue Democrat state.

They paint Marc Thielman, former Alsea School District Superintendent as ruthless, accusing him of playing theatrics by keeping Alsea school district open allowing students to legally unmask using CDC guidelines and the Oregon and U.S. Constitution.

Mid-Valley Media states Thielman’s resignation was justice for his unmasking stance and suggests it put the district at risk despite his district having no COVID cases traced back to the school as a source. This was an eye-opener to parents and other districts followed his lead.

Thielman’s decision to resign as Superintendent of Alsea was based on not being able to give 100 percent to being superintendent while in the midst of a gubernatorial campaign. He has always had support from the school board and staff in the 11 years he has been Alsea superintendent. The school board’s decision to keep schools open while others were closing didn’t sit well with a few employees who felt threatened by not enforcing the mandates. One employee had health issues and chose a severance package to honor her many years of service, but has now changed her mind with her complaint. Meanwhile, Alsea was able to keep their whole staff because Thielman accepted religious and medical exemptions in support of personal medical freedom.

Thielman had one focus in mind when he kept his schools open during the 2020-2021 school year, and that was to educate kids. The penalty for ignoring mandates was withholding of $275,000 of ESSR III federal funds to deal with COVID shortages and closure. They were not state school funds. His district grew 500 percent during this time, which brought in more sustainable tax revenue than the ESSR III funds. Unused amounts of ESSR funds will expire.

Alsea has two online high school programs. One is credit recovery and the online graduation rates are lower than inhouse. Last year’s inhouse graduation rate was 90 percent, above the state rate of 80.6 percent. Oregon Department of Education doesn’t allow Alsea to separate it's data by the two programs, so it lists a lower rate, where larger districts will create an alternative school to push their failing students into so they can report an inflated rate.

The editorials on Thielman typifies the media’s war on families and personal liberties that Marc Thielman and others are fighting against. Thielman was criticized for showing parents how to apply for a medical exemption, but they didn’t say it was for 504 and IEP qualified disabled students.

He was on national news discussing how his own disabled daughter struggled with masking.

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Mid-Valley Media dug up an Elvis impersonation video over 12 years ago when Yoncalla raised a complaint from a disgruntled employee who had been fired for mismanagement of school funds. Another administrator was to be the Elvis figure for a school assembly, but he got sick, and Thielman being who he is as a servant leader, stepped in and wore the Elvis outfit that was too small for him. Two entities investigated and found the complaint didn’t have merit.

Parents want a governor that will put education back under local control and fight for their constitutional rights. It will take a strong person to sort through the quagmire left from the pandemic.

Parents, guardians, and the public have come to realize there has been an erosion of parental rights, graduation standards, and educational options within the public sector.

Thielman is only the first target of the media. The question is, how much will we allow the media to influence our choice.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-02-28 12:50:32

Last Update: 2022-02-28 13:54:02

Oregon congressional candidate Dr. Angela Plowhead has been endorsed by Pastor Lew Wootan from the River Church, of Salem, Oregon. Dr. Plowhead is a constitutional conservative running for Oregon's new congressional district 6 (CD6).

"My wife and I are endorsing Angela Plowhead," said Pastor Lew Wootan. "Yeah, we're endorsing her. She believes in what we're doing, we believe in what she's doing, and not only that, the reason that I'm endorsing her is for a couple reasons. First, she stands up for Liberty and Freedom. And secondly, she wants to correct things that are wrong."

Pastor Lew continued, "Beyond that - the biggest reason I support her is because she's teachable. She's been a friend, she has stood up with us when other people were criticizing us. She stood up and has been there with us."

Dr. Plowhead responded to the endorsement, "Every American has the right to freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion. The constitution is very clear that there can be no law established against these things. I will stand for and with anyone whose rights are being impeded. That is why I’m am standing with Pastors Lew and Lorri Wootan, who have stood for the constitutional freedom of their congregation from the beginning. At the age of 19, I vowed to defend the constitution, that vow did not end when I left military services. It is integral to who I am. Standing up for what is right should not be a choice but an obligation we demand of every politician who represents this nation."

Pastor Lew believes that Angela is principled but willing to listen to other views. He says, “You can't be so rigid that you end up full of pride and surrounded by people who are butt-kissers. That will end up hurting you. And hurting who you represent. And you have to have people that when you correct them and you speak to them in a way that can be corrected - that they'll listen, and they'll take it to council, and they'll do something different if it needs to be done. And that's been Angela. She's been a friend, she has stood up with us when other people were criticizing us. She stood up and has been there with us."

The River Church is outspoken on civics issues, particularly the role of government in American lives.

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They have a code of conduct which states the church's stance on such issues as how all Americans have God-given rights as described in the Bill of Rights of our State and US Constitutions, and as a Constitutional Republic we have elected governments to protect those rights.

They also do not support violence, especially against individuals and government officials, and they do not support or approve racism or extremism. They believe that American rights of freedom of speech and press, as recognized by our State and US Constitutions, protect every American’s ability to share truth about the violations of our rights and learn how to preserve our God-given rights and restore liberty.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-02-27 11:44:58

Last Update: 2022-02-27 21:14:39

Amid runaway inflation, Oregon Democrats are bringing multiple spending packages out of Ways and Means, and the Senate Republicans voted to cut taxes on prescription drugs and items necessary for Oregon families.

Senator Lynn Findley (R-Vale) made a motion to withdraw SB 1507 from the Finance & Revenue Committee, where the bill has been blocked by majority Democrats this session.

The bill would exempt prescription drugs, diapers, baby formula, and feminine hygiene products from the corporate activities tax. Democrats don't seem to want that to happen.

The effort was blocked by Democrats along a party-line vote, 8-16. Senator Rachel Armitage​ (D-Scappoose), Senator Michael Dembrow (D-Portland), Senator Lew Frederick (D-Portland), Senator Sara Gelser Blouin (D-Corvallis), Senator Jeff Golden (D-Ashland), Senator Chris Gorsek (D-Portland), Senator Kayse Jama (D-Portland), Senator Akasha Lawrence Spence (D-Portland), Senator Kate Lieber (D-Beaverton), Senator James I. Manning Jr. (D-Eugene), Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem), Senator Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene), Representative Janeen Sollman (D-Hillsboro), Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward (D-Portland), Senator Kathleen Taylor (D-Portland), and Senator Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego) all voted no to this exemption that would lead to lower prices for Oregonians. Observers say that the Democrats may want to retain this revenue in order to fund pet projects.

They instead are moving forward a more narrow provision in SB 1524 that would reaffirm taxes on most Oregonians’ prescription drugs, by only exempting those with nine or fewer locations.

“Most Oregonians don’t realize we have a sales tax here in Oregon,” Senator Findley said. “They don’t think they are paying a sales tax when they buy their prescriptions, diapers, or baby formula. Make no mistake, the hidden sales tax of 2019 is costing Oregonians more and putting pharmacies out of business.

“Some will pat themselves on the back for voting for SB 1524 which picked only select pharmacies to exempt from these taxes. It doesn’t go far enough and reaffirms taxes on the majority of Oregonians' prescription drugs. I don’t want anyone paying taxes on these items. We need to make health care more affordable and accessible, and SB 1507 would have been a more comprehensive approach to accomplish that goal.”

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Provisions within SB 1524 would not have saved Bi-Mart pharmacies from closing. Nor will it reduce the cost of prescriptions purchased at Walgreens, Walmart, or another main supplier.

Without the passage of SB 1507, Oregonians will continue to pay more for basic necessities.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-02-27 09:24:35

Last Update: 2022-02-27 15:19:25

Amid runaway inflation, Senate Republicans have voted to cut taxes on prescription drugs and items necessary for Oregon families. Senator Lynn Findley (R-Vale) made a motion to withdraw SB 1507 from the Finance & Revenue Committee, where the bill has been blocked by majority Democrats this session. The bill would exempt prescription drugs, diapers, baby formula, and feminine hygiene products from the corporate activities tax.

The effort was blocked by Democrats along a party-line vote, 8-16. They instead are moving forward a more narrow provision in SB 1524 that would reaffirm taxes on most Oregonians’ prescription drugs.

“Most Oregonians don’t realize we have a sales tax here in Oregon,” Senator Findley said. “They don’t think they are paying a sales tax when they buy their prescriptions, diapers, or baby formula. Make no mistake, the hidden sales tax of 2019 is costing Oregonians more and putting pharmacies out of business.

“Some will pat themselves on the back for voting for SB 1524 which picked only select pharmacies to exempt from these taxes. It doesn’t go far enough and reaffirms taxes on the majority of Oregonians' prescription drugs. I don’t want anyone paying taxes on these items. We need to make health care more affordable and accessible, and SB 1507 would have been a more comprehensive approach to accomplish that goal.”

Provisions within SB 1524 would not have saved Bi-Mart pharmacies from closing. Without the passage of SB 1507, Oregonians will continue to pay more for basic necessities.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-02-26 06:08:07

Last Update: 2022-02-25 16:56:58

Senator Heard Comments on Todays Proceedings Oregon Senate Democrats have voted to exclude Senator Dallas Heard (R-Roseburg) from the chamber floor and State Capitol building for respectfully refusing to wear a mask. In a motion brought forward by the Super Majority Democrats, they silenced over 140,000 Oregonians with a simple majority vote. All Senate Republicans opposed the motion and supported Senator Heard. He released the following statement:

“In a time when virtually no legislative bodies, both foreign and domestic, are requiring masks during speech and debate, Oregon Democrats have seen fit to not only continue to expel the people of Oregon from their House and Senate chambers, but to also silence the voice of opposition through the tyranny of mob rule over the rights of the individual.

“Governor Brown stated the metrics for ‘reopening’ the state would be that 70% of the adults be vaccinated. As of Tuesday, according to OHA’s data over 75% have been vaccinated fully, and over 80% have received at least one dose.

“She had stated that she would remove indoor mask mandates by the end of March or once we reached less than 400 hospitalizations. She has now moved that up to March 19th. For the week of February 13th which is the most recent data from OHA, Oregon was down to 390 hospitalizations. Since then our daily case number has trended down which means we might be well under the 400-person threshold already. Even the CDC is slated to relax their masking recommendations as soon as tomorrow. With moving targets and delayed metrics, who is to say that mask mandates shouldn’t be removed even by the Democrats' own rules.

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“This goes to show that this is no longer about health. This has never been about protecting citizens. This is a clear demonstration of tyrannical power and it shows how eager the Democrats are to wield it. The people of Senate District 1 will not submit to this government overreach.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-02-25 21:19:36

Last Update: 2022-02-24 21:25:30