Awaiting Governor Kotek's Signature is HJB 2426 sponsored by Shelly Boshart Davis (R-Tangent) and Julie Fahey (D-Junction City) which will allow self-serve gas in Oregon. The bill requires that notification signs be posted stating which gas pumps are designated for self-service and which are designated for attended service and requires at least one person to be able to provide attended service and for price charged to be identical.

Oregon is one of two states, including New Jersey, that restricts self-service dispensing of gasoline at retail fueling stations. The prohibition dates back to 1951. Legislative findings regarding the prohibition cite: the need for training for safe dispensing of Class 1 flammable liquids; hazards faced by untrained persons dispensing such liquids; difficulties for some persons, such as senior citizens, in self-service fuel dispensing and the lack of ability to ensure full-service fuel dispensing; health and environmental factors; the tendency for significantly higher cost of full-service fuel dispensing in states that allow self-service dispensing; the correlation between self-service dispensing and reduced availability of automotive repair at fueling stations; and employment considerations.

In 2015, the Legislature passed HB 3011 which authorized fueling stations in counties with populations less than 40,000 residents to permit non-employees to dispense fuels into motor vehicles or other containers between the hours of 6:00 pm and 6:00 am. Two years later, during the 2017 regular session, the Legislature passed HB 2482 which eliminated the time-of-day restrictions and limited the applicability only to small counties in eastern Oregon.

Now, House Bill 2426 allows retail fueling stations to operate up to half of their pumps as self-service dispensing devices.

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The testimony during the Legislative Committee hearings was mixed. Mike Freese of the Oregon Fuels Association said that the bill "has overwhelming public support. It is no secret that Oregon has unique gas fueling laws. Nevertheless, as explained by gas station owners, finding employees to pump gas is extremely hard – and even impossible in some cases – which in turn makes it impossible to keep gas stations open and operating. HB 2426 helps relieve pressure in this tight labor market, while preserving the choice to fuel your own vehicle or opt for an attendant to fuel the vehicle."

There were contrary voices. Brandon Venable of Pendleton said, "I’m a manager at a fuel station in Oregon and I oppose self serve. I deal with many dangerous situations on the daily created by people smoking, leaving their engines running, getting in and out of their vehicles creating static electricity, trying to fill up random bottles and jugs and driving off with the pump still in the vehicle. For someone who spends 10 minutes at a gas station this may not seem like something that is dangerous but when you deal with this for 8 plus hours a day it’s reality. Us as attendants do a lot for our customers and keeping everyone safe is a main goal. Selecting half of our pumps won’t speed the process of fueling up it will just add frustration and confusion to long lines of people that aren't concerned with the cars behind them."

Kathy Lincoln of Keizer submitted, "HB 2426 is a bad idea. There is no reason to change the current status of help at service stations. Service stations provide jobs to many people who may not find jobs elsewhere. Contrary to the complaint of the Oregon Fuels Association, we have never had an issue with lack of help at service stations. In my experience, workers are courteous, helpful and obviously, earning a living. Who are the beneficiaries of this bill? Certainly not the general driving public, nor the currently employed gas station attendants."

She continued, "This bill will result in all gas stations in Oregon becoming self-serve, which is a DIS-service to the disabled, seniors, and those who do not want to arrive at their destination smelling like gasoline.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2023-07-02 15:52:03

Last Update: 2023-07-02 16:23:41

The Thielman v Fagan lawsuit ‘Motion to Dismiss’ was heard on June 26th at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, Oregon. The presiding Magistrate Judge was Stacie Beckerman. Attorney Bryan Marshall represented the Office of the Secretary of State and the Oregon Counties and Attorney Stephen Joncus represented the Plaintiffs.

The Thielman v Fagan lawsuit asks for a declaration that Oregon’s mail-in voting and computer tabulation of votes are unconstitutional and asks for an injunction against use of those systems in elections. The lawsuit does not seek money damages, only relief from laws and policies that inflate voter rolls, use hackable tabulators, mandate mail-in ballots and stymie efforts of “We the People” to discover the many nefarious ways an election can be compromised.

The lawsuit states that; “…the very agents of the state and county governments that swear an oath to uphold the United States Constitution have encumbered, disrupted, obstructed, and out-right denied access of the people to public records, refused to investigate findings from election canvassers, and impugned the reputation of election integrity minded citizens.“

The suit details about 50 pages worth of election anomalies both in and out of Oregon. The suit does assert a fraud claim, and some anomalies reach to that level.

Defendant Shemia Fagan was appointed as Secretary of State after Stephen Trout was fired/resigned during the 2020 election when he insisted the election was not secure. On May 8th, 2023 Fagan was forced to resign due to the scandal over her acceptance of $10,000 a month as a cannabis consultant. For the June 26th hearing, it was mandatory that the participants agreed that Fagan’s successor, Cheryl Myers, was accepted as replacement as the SOS Defendant in the lawsuit. Fagan’s ethical breaches regarding her position as SOS were not discussed at the hearing.

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The Motion to Dismiss asserts that Plaintiffs do not have standing because they are asserting a generalized grievance applicable to all citizens. Defendants’ Attorney, Bryan Marshall, argued that the Plaintiffs do not have standing in subject matter and Plaintiffs cannot establish ‘an injury in fact’ that is ‘concrete, particularized, and actual or imminent, that the injury was likely caused by the defendants and that the injury would likely be redressed by judicial relief’.

Plaintiffs’ Attorney, Stephen Joncus, explained that Defendants’ argument does not address the situation where the government has taken complete control of the election system, uses it to re-elect themselves, and prevents the public from discovering the fraud. Defendants’ rule cannot be right because it means that there is no way for a free people to escape a tyrannical government. Joncus relied on authority stating that “elections enable self-governance only when they include processes that give citizens confidence in the fairness of elections.” In other words, when the public does not have confidence in elections, they are no longer governing themselves.

The subjectiveness of a feeling of lack of confidence is not a bar to a constitutional remedy because in Brown v Board of Education, the Supreme Court found that separate but equal schools for black children was unconstitutional because of a feeling of inferiority. The injury can be emotional rather than concrete and does not have to be particularized. Joncus explained that the voters have lost the civil right of fair and free elections due to the election anomalies presented by Plaintiffs. The voters have lost confidence in the election system.

Joncus stated that Oregon touts risk-limiting audits as one of the pillars of Oregon’s purported transparent and robust security measures. In fact, no county is capable of doing risk limiting audits and no county has ever done a risk limiting audit.

Joncus argued that in cases where the very rules regarding elections are broken, it is that broken system that incumbent officials have to thank for their incumbency. Such officials will not be motivated to reform the system that put them in power; instead, they will tend to defend the system that keeps them in power.

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Magistrate Judge Stacie Beckerman summarily rejected Plaintiffs’ arguments. She sided with the Defendants when her opinion relied on the post 2020 election caselaw that refuses to acknowledge that election fraud exists. For her opinion, Beckerman cited the case Lake v. Hobbs, that finds Plaintiffs lacked standing as their alleged injury of potential voter fraud was too speculative because “a long chain of hypothetical contingencies must take place for any harm to occur” and concluding “that speculative allegations that voting machines may be hackable are insufficient to establish an injury in fact under Article III”.

Judge Beckerman also cited the case Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. v. Boockvar. This case dismissed claims related to the state’s mail-in voting system as “too speculative to be concrete” where the plaintiffs claimed a “fear that absent implementation of the security measures that they seek; guards by drop boxes, signature comparison of mail-in ballots, and poll watchers, there was a risk of voter fraud by other voters”.

Judge Beckerman stated in her opinion that Plaintiffs seek entry of a judgment declaring that Oregon’s voting systems are unconstitutional, Plaintiffs allege that Oregon’s computerized vote tabulation and mail-in voting systems violate their constitutional rights including violations of the Due Process Clause, the Equal Protection Clause, and their fundamental right to vote.

The Judge continued with, “Plaintiffs allege that organized criminals are manipulating Oregon’s elections, and they base their claims on a documentary about voting irregularities in other states and reports of voting irregularities in Oregon.”

Judge Beckerman’s opinion concludes; “The Court agrees that Plaintiffs have failed to plea a cognizable injury-in-fact and therefore grants Defendants’ Rule 12(b)(1) motion to dismiss.”“Plaintiffs lack standing here because the injury they allege is neither particularized nor concrete.”

Joncus immediately filed an appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on the same day of Judge Beckerman’s order. Joncus will request expedited review by the Ninth Circuit, and plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court if the Ninth Circuit fails to reverse Judge Beckerman’s order.

Editor's note: The author of this article is a Plaintiff in the Thielman v Fagan lawsuit.


--Terry Noonkester

Post Date: 2023-07-02 15:02:56

Last Update: 2023-07-02 15:52:03

The Oregon Senate unanimously passed two significant bills, House Bill 2271 and House Bill 3001, further reinforcing the state’s commitment to supporting veterans and their families. These bills will provide crucial assistance to student veterans and recognize Gold Star Families for their sacrifice. The bills passed on a bipartisan vote and now heads to the Governor’s desk for consideration.

HB 2271, the Veterans Educational Bridge Grant bill, addresses the challenges faced by student veterans who encounter obstacles in completing their academic or training programs. The program offers grants of up to $5,000 to veterans that meet the eligibility requirements. The bill will expand eligibility for the program, allowing more veterans to qualify and receive support. This bill also makes this program permanent, ensuring long-term assistance for student veterans pursuing their education.

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“We owe it to our veterans to ensure that they have the resources they need to successfully complete their educational programs and embark on fulfilling careers,” said Senator Mark Meek (D-Clackamas), U.S. Air Force Veteran and chair of the Senate Committee On Finance and Revenue.

The Also passed is HB 3001, which allows roadside memorial highway signs to be placed without charge to Gold Star families and requires the Department of Transportation to waive the surcharge associated with the vehicle registration plate for Gold Star families.

“This bill sends a resounding message of gratitude and recognition to the families who have suffered unimaginable loss of a loved one in military service,” said Senator Meek. “Waiving the fees and surcharges associated with these symbols of remembrance is just common sense. It acknowledges the contributions and sacrifices made by these families in the defense of our nation.”

HB 2271 and HB 3001 were among the hundreds of bills that were rescued by negotiating an end to the Senate Republican walkout.


--Ritch Hanneman

Post Date: 2023-07-01 15:28:10

Last Update: 2023-07-01 17:41:34

In a landmark decision, the US Supreme Court has struck down a so-called Colorado anti-discrimination law. The case is strikingly similar to the Sweet Cakes by Melissa case in Oregon, which features nearly the same law and claims.

At issue was a Colorado law forbidding businesses from engaging in discrimination when they sell goods and services to the public. The petitioner, a website desigener named Lorie Smith, worried that, if she enters the wedding website business, the State will force her to convey messages inconsistent with her belief that marriage should be reserved to unions between one man and one woman. In an opinion authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch, the High Court held that The First Amendment prohibits the state of Colorado from forcing a website designer to create expressive designs speaking messages with which the designer disagrees.

The Oregon Legislature's LGBTQ Caucus put out a statement condemning the decision in 303 Creative v. Elenis saying, "The U.S. Supreme Court struck a major blow to all Americans’ civil rights, particularly those of the LGBTQ community, with their unjust decision in the 303 Creative v. Elenis case."

Members of the caucus are Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber (D-Beaverton, SW Portland), Representative Ben Bowman (D-Tigard, Metzger, South Beaverton), Representative Farrah Chaichi (D-Aloha), Representative Dacia Grayber (D-SW Portland, Beaverton), Representative Travis Nelson (D-N/NE Portland), and Representative Rob Nosse (D-Portland).

They continued, “This decision is proof that even with historic victories, we still have a long way to go for everyone -- regardless of who they love or how they identify -- to be equal in this nation. We will never live up to our pledge of liberty and justice for all as long as hate and bigotry are protected by the powerful. We condemn this discriminatory decision in the strongest possible terms. This decision will not make us more free. It oppresses a community built on love and acceptance.

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Reversing a US 10th Circuit decision, Gorsuch concluded:

In this case, Colorado seeks to force an individual to speak in ways that align with its views but defy her conscience about a matter of major significance. In the past, other States in Barnette, Hurley, and Dale have similarly tested the First Amendment’s boundaries by seeking to compel speech they thought vital at the time. But, as this Court has long held, the opportunity to think for ourselves and to express those thoughts freely is among our most cherished liberties and part of what keeps our Republic strong. Of course, abiding the Constitution’s commitment to the freedom of speech means all of us will encounter ideas we consider “unattractive,” “misguided, or even hurtful.” But tolerance, not coercion, is our Nation’s answer. The First Amendment envisions the United States as a rich and complex place where all persons are free to think and speak as they wish, not as the government demands. Because Colorado seeks to deny that promise, the judgment is reversed.

Recently, there has been a pushback against non-traditional sexual minorities' displays, especially those involving children, though the American Library Association continues to support Drag Queen Story Hour. In a dissent from the 330 Creative decision, Justice Sotomayor recognized the trend, saying, "Around the country, there has been a backlash to the movement for liberty and equality for gender and sexual minorities."


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2023-07-01 07:03:30

Last Update: 2023-07-01 13:52:35

Oregon's 29th Secretary of State, LaVonne Griffin-Valade, was sworn into office by Chief Justice Meagan Aileen Flynn at Governor Tina Kotek's ceremonial office in the Oregon State Library. Secretary Griffin-Valade was joined by her husband, members of her family, Governor Tina Kotek and Acting Secretary of State Cheryl Myers.

Secretary Griffin-Valade will serve the remaining 18 months of the current term, vacated by former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan after her resignation on May 8.

For over 16 years, LaVonne worked as a government performance auditor. She was hired as a Senior Management Auditor at the Multnomah County Auditor’s Office in 1998 and later went on to serve as the elected Multnomah County Auditor. In 2009, LaVonne was elected the Portland City Auditor. As the City Auditor, she oversaw several divisions requiring a high level of independence and ethical judgment from managers and staff, including government performance auditing, elections, archives, ombuds office, and additional accountability functions. Throughout her many years working as a staff auditor and then as an elected auditor, she was a member of an international committee shaping the course of local government auditing throughout the U.S. and in several Canadian jurisdictions.

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The Oregon Secretary of State is one of three constitutional offices created at statehood. Oregon's Secretary of State is Oregon's chief elections officer, chief auditor, and oversees the State Archives and the Oregon Corporation Division. The Secretary of State also serves as one of three members of the State Land Board and as the chair of the Oregon Sustainability Board. As an independent constitutional officer, the Secretary of State answers directly and solely to the people of Oregon.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2023-06-30 12:46:00

Last Update: 2023-06-30 12:55:32

In the dust of the end of the 2023 Legislative Session, a resolution to send an amendment to the Oregon Constitution to allow for impeachment of Statewide Elected officials has passed both chambers. Currently, they may only be removed from office through recall, a very difficult process. Oregon is the only state without any impeachment process.

The Resolution -- sponsored by Representative Jami Cate (R-Lebanon) -- proposes an amendment to the Oregon Constitution to give the House of Representatives the power of impeachment for statewide elected officials of Executive Branch for malfeasance or corrupt conduct in office, willful neglect of statutory or constitutional duty, or other felony or high crime, and the Senate the power to try any impeachment received from House. Requires two-thirds majority vote of House to deliver impeachment resolution to Senate and two-thirds majority vote of Senate for conviction.

It allows Chief Justice to preside in the Senate impeachment trial and limits judgment to removal from office and disqualification from holding any other public office in state. It allows Legislative Assembly to convene to exercise its impeachment powers.

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The text of the amendment, which voters should see on the November 2024 ballot, will be:

SECTION 34. (1) The House of Representatives shall have the power of impeachment of statewide elected officials of the Executive Branch for malfeasance or corrupt conduct in office, willful neglect of statutory or constitutional duty or other felony or high crime. The House of Representatives may deliver a resolution of impeachment to the Senate only upon the concurrence of at least two-thirds of all Representatives.
(2) The Senate shall have the power to try any impeachment received from the House of Representatives. When sitting for the purpose of trying an impeachment, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall preside and Senators shall swear or affirm to do justice according to law and evidence. A person may not be convicted under this section without the concurrence of at least two-thirds of all Senators.
(3) Judgment shall extend only to removal from office and disqualification from holding any other public office in this state. Any person convicted or acquitted under this section remains subject to any criminal prosecution or civil liability according to law.
(4) Section 10a of this Article may be invoked for the purpose of exercising the power of impeachment under this section.

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2023-06-29 13:35:49

Last Update: 2023-06-29 22:38:29

In a pair of related decisions, the US Supreme Court has held that the admissions programs at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina -- similar to those used as all public colleges and many private colleges in Oregon -- violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.

The claims made by Students for Fair Admission in this case were based on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which said, “No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” This was cited by Justice Neil Gorsuch in his concurring opinion where he also notes that "the trial records reveal that both schools routinely discriminate on the basis of race when choosing new students -- exactly what the law forbids."

In a single opinion, Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard College and University of North Carolina, the Chief Justice Roberts, writing for the majority said, "Admission to each school can depend on a student’s grades, recommendation letters, or extracurricular involvement. It can also depend on their race. The question presented is whether the admissions systems used by Harvard College and UNC are lawful under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment."

In his majority opinion, Chief Justice Roberts concludes, "the student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual—not on the basis of race. Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.

Segregated Admissions has been under consideration by the US Supreme Court since 1954 when it first considered that issue in Regents of University of California v. Bakke, which involved a set-aside admissions program used by the University of California, Davis, medical school. Each year, the school held 16 of its 100 seats open for members of certain minority groups, who were reviewed on a special admissions track separate from those in the main admissions pool.

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In a statement sent out by University of Oregon Interim President Jamie Moffitt and Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Janet Woodruff-Borden, the decision was lamented.

"We are disappointed in the decision made today by the United States Supreme Court related to race-conscious decisions in admission. The University of Oregon shares the concerns of our university peers across the nation that this ruling will impact the ability of underrepresented students to access the benefits of higher education.

"However, the decision will not change our unwavering commitment to admitting students based on a comprehensive review of their capacity for excellence, a strategy that has vigorously supported our values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The UO will continue to seek to attract and retain underrepresented and underserved students while providing them with equitable and inclusive access to higher education. This is critical to our mission of inclusive excellence.

"Our current university and academic program admissions processes focus on evaluating the promise of each applicant based on a comprehensive review of their quality of character, achievements within the context of their educational experience, and their unique ability to contribute to the university. That aspect of our admissions process has produced a diverse class of scholars each year, and we do not intend to change our successful strategy of evaluating each applicant based on their individual potential.

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"We are carefully reviewing the decision and will make any necessary changes to our processes to comply with the ruling while ensuring we continue to achieve our mission-driven goals of providing access, opportunity, equity, and inclusion for students."

Former State Representative Mike Nearman (R-Independence) was a member of the House Committee on Higher Education and celebrated the decision. "Where limited opportunities exist, any acceptance of a student for any reason means that some nameless, faceless student has been rejected out the back door. It is unjust to base admissions on something as shallow as skin color."


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2023-06-29 12:13:54

Last Update: 2023-06-29 13:35:49

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has now announced that she is appointing LaVonne Griffin-Valade to serve as Oregon's next Secretary of State. Griffin-Valade worked as a government performance auditor for over 16 years, including eight years as an elected auditor.

“I told Oregonians in May that the primary objective of our next Secretary of State was to restore confidence in the office. LaVonne Griffin-Valade has the professional background and ethical judgment to rise above politics and lead the important work of the agency forward,” Governor Kotek said. “This role demands accountability and transparency, especially at this moment, and I am eager to see her leadership restore faith in the Secretary of State’s office.”

Griffin-Valade was hired as a Senior Management Auditor at the Multnomah County Auditor’s Office in 1998 and later went on to serve as the elected Multnomah County Auditor. In 2009, LaVonne was elected the Portland City Auditor. By the time she retired in 2014, The Oregonian Editorial Board credited her audits with exposing “mysteries about spending or management that would have otherwise gone unchecked and unknown – even by those in charge of the spending and management.”

“I have the experience to bring back credibility, accountability, transparency, and trust to the Secretary of State’s office,” Griffin-Valade said. “It’s never been more important to have a leader who will focus on rebuilding the public’s trust in the Secretary of State’s office, and that is exactly what I will aim to do every day.”

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As the City of Portland Auditor, Griffin-Valade oversaw several divisions that required a high level of independence and ethical judgment from managers and staff, including government performance auditing, elections, archives, ombuds office, and additional accountability functions. Throughout her years working as a staff auditor and then as an elected auditor, she was a member of an international committee shaping the course of local government auditing throughout the U.S. and in several Canadian jurisdictions.

After leaving office, Griffin-Valade went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in writing from Portland State University and has since pursued a successful writing career.

Griffin-Valade will serve the remaining 18 months of the current term. She will be sworn in on Friday, June 30 in Salem.

Despite her credentials as an auditor, Secretary of State Designate Griffin-Valade will have her hands full as Oregon's chief elections officer.

After Secretary of State Shemia Fagan focused much energy and taxpayer resources countering what she called "false election information," some have questioned the role that the Secretary of States office has played in what they call "countering false election information." Many find it inappropriate for the agency involved in managing elections in Oregon to engage in suppressing investigations into election integrity -- especially with cartoonish productions that treat voters like children.

In an open letter to Oregonians, acting Secretary of State Cheryl Myers pointed out that during the last legislative session that Legislative funding for programs designed to combat false election information was reduced from $370,000 to $150,000. According to Myers, "With election workers bracing for a challenging 2024 election season, states like Washington, Colorado and California are making significant investments in this area." Legislative budget writers apparently have less of an appetite for this kind of information control.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2023-06-28 17:49:03

Last Update: 2023-06-28 22:16:05

Aashington County Administrator Tanya Ange has appointed Dora Perry to serve as interim Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer. Perry will take over from Latricia Tillman who served for three years as the county’s first Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer. Tillman says she is departing Washington County to travel and spend time with family.

Washington County says that Perry has over 30 years of experience with a focus on social justice, equity and inclusion.

She is the founder and principal of Cultural Coaching Solutions LLC, a minority-led consulting firm.

She also played a key role in the establishment of the Office of Equity and Human Rights for the City of Portland, including serving as its interim director.

“We are grateful to Dora for taking this important interim appointment and for carrying on with Latricia’s foundational accomplishments over the last three years,” said County Administrator Tanya Ange.

Perry went to the University of Washington and also got an arts degree in urban planning at Portland State University, with a concentration in housing and community development.

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She is a former commissioner of the Oregon Commission on Black Affairs, past president of the African Women’s Coalition, past co-chair of the board of Unite Oregon and past board member of Resolutions Northwest.

Washington County is located on the western side of the Portland metropolitan area and has a population of 606,378, the second largest in Oregon. It has a budget of $1.6 billion and is staffed by 2,368 full-time equivalent employees.

In February 2020, Washington County created the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Community Engagement (OEICE) to ensure that all Washington County residents have culturally and linguistically appropriate access to the County's services.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2023-06-27 18:54:38

Last Update: 2023-06-27 19:20:53

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, as Superintendent of Public Instruction, has now announced that she has appointed Charlene Williams to serve as the next Director of the Oregon Department of Education and Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction. Kotek says that Dr. Williams has a lot of experience as a public school administrator and a teacher.

Kotek says she will be the first Black woman in Oregon history to be appointed to the role.

Williams will officially take over as interim director on Monday, July 10. The Oregon Senate will take up her confirmation as permanent director in September.

“Dr. Williams will be a transformative, inclusive education director for all of Oregon,” Governor Kotek said. "I’m thrilled to work with someone who is highly skilled in developing and implementing programs designed at closing education gaps."

“First and foremost, my goal will be to support students in every corner of the state so that they have the same chance to succeed", Dr. Williams said. "I recognize the significance of my appointment to this role and the immense amount of work we have ahead of us. I’m looking forward to building partnerships with students, educators and families across Oregon that advance equity and student success.”

Williams spent the past seven years as an administrator in Southwest Washington public school districts, most recently as deputy superintendent at Evergreen Public Schools.

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Williams previously served as an assistant superintendent in the Camas School District from 2016 to 2022.

She facilitated the adoption of the district’s first equity policy. She was also a recipient of the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) Award for promoting access, equity, and social justice in public schools.

Williams also previously worked for seven years at Portland Public Schools. Her last role at the district was as the Senior Director of School Performance, where she worked with the teacher's union.

Williams arrived in Oregon in 1999 to become a program coordinator and curriculum developer at Portland Community College.

“I am confident that Dr. Williams will continue ODE’s commitment to serving each and every student in Oregon’s 197 diverse school districts and striving toward equitable access to education for all our children,” Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill said. “Throughout the process I learned that Dr. Williams is a collaborator, she believes every student matters, and that she is deeply committed to serving all of Oregon’s kids. She is the right leader for Oregon schools at this time.”


--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2023-06-27 17:52:28

Last Update: 2023-06-27 18:35:45

Governor Tina Kotek announced that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration will be allocating $688.9 million to Oregon to help improve access to affordable, high-speed, reliable internet in unserved and underserved communities across Oregon. The funding allocation will be used to develop and deploy the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program from President Biden’s already received millions in federal dollars to support broadband access, as well as passing a cell phone tax, also dedicated to support broadband access.

Governor Kotek has already signed HB 3201 which aligns Oregon statute with federal rules, guidance, and best practices related to federal broadband funds by eliminating restrictions on the Broadband Fund. The measure aligns Broadband Fund speed requirements with current technology needs and requirements of funding sources, maintains a preference for unserved and underserved areas in Oregon, and provides a process for public notice and an opportunity for comment on applications.

“High-speed Internet is essential to our daily lives, but too many communities across our state lack access to reliable, affordable, high speed broadband speeds. We’re changing that,” said Sophorn Cheang, Director, Business Oregon. “I’m grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration for this historic nearly $690 million investment for Oregon, that will enable our State to increase access to quality, affordable, high speed internet for our unserved and underserved communities.”

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The Broadband Office is currently in the planning and development phase of their BEAD and Digital Equity programming. Critics of the program have pointed out that much of the funding is going to support hard-wired connections, when the technology is still shifting to wireless. Additionally, some are skeptical that government funding of information infrastructure will lead to increased government control of information.

Business Oregon’s Broadband Office is currently seeking community input as the agency readies a five-year action plan and initial proposal to map out how to use this funding. Input via the surveys and meetings will be crucial to inform the plan and gather information about specific barriers, needs, and opportunities related to high-speed internet access. For more information on how to participate, click here.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2023-06-26 12:01:37

Last Update: 2023-06-26 14:10:10

The Oregon Democrat leadership made a last ditch effort to pass their “pet” bills on Sunday, leaving Oregonians grasping for air. With no time left for debate or public input, the House entertained 13 bills on the floor, and the Senate read 19 bills, walking bills back and forth to make sure they passed by the end of the day.

One such bill is HB 2004, putting ranked-choice voting before the voters. There is a lot of public misunderstanding about the consequences to ranked-choice voting and how it puts elections in control of big donors. Representative Boomer Wright (R-Coos Bay) stated, “I believe ranked-choice voting will lead to confusion and perplexity in our elections. If enacted, HB 2004 will lead to diminishing of trust among Oregon voters and sow further doubt about our election process.” Representative Lucetta Elmer (R-McMinnville) expressed concerns by county clerks across the state seeing the bill as unfinished work. “There is also uneasiness around a candidate not winning an election with a simple majority vote.”

HB 2757 barely passed with the needed two-thirds vote to impose a $0.40 tax to expand the 9-8-8 suicide prevention behavioral health crisis hotline. The new tax would collect $27.4 million per year, the highest in the nation. It takes only $5 million to run the program, and there is already a line-item within the agency budget to fund the 9-8-8 program. We may need to expend this program since Oregon has one of the highest suicide rates, but a bill with loose guidelines as to what it will be used for, and over taxing is not good governing. Representative Anna Scharf (R-Yamhill/Polk) also points out that “the bill as written could be brought back at any time before the sunset date and the rate raised with a simple majority vote.”

HB 3229 appeared the last week that had one public hearing, referred to Ways and Means for work session then to the House floor, and Senate floor before closing. The bill increases the pollution fees imposed by DEQ on businesses by 80%. On the surface, it may seem like a financial punishment for businesses who aren’t wanting to “go green”, but the reality is DEQ’s revenues have plummeted due to Oregon businesses’ abundant compliance with environmental initiatives, so DEQ wants to increase the fees to make up the lost revenue. This bill had only 30 votes on the floor, until a Democrat was “convinced” to change his vote to provide the needed 31 votes for passage.

The bi-partisan bill, HB 3632, passed that will increase the statute of limitations for first degree sex crimes to 20 years after commission of crime or, for minor victim, any time before victim attains 30 years of age, whichever occurs later.

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

Three bills are headed to voters. Besides HB 2004 (above), two others will be on the ballot to amend the constitution. SJR 34 establishes an independent Public Service Compensation Commission to establish salaries for specified public officials. HJR 16 gives the power of impeachment of statewide elected Executive Branch officials to the House of Representatives and power to try impeachments to the Senate.

After several amendments, HB 3013 failed to pass that would have required pharmacy benefit managers to be licensed by Department of Consumer and Business Services and imposed new requirements to help mitigate rising costs of prescription drugs.

Also failing in the Senate is HB 3414, which at the request of Governor Kotek, it required local governments to approve certain adjustments to land use regulations for housing development within urban growth boundary. But for Eastern Oregon Border Economic Development Region, SB 70 passed to modify requirements for residential rezoning of lands.

Governor Kotek’s press release lays claim to a successful session working “successfully with legislature to deliver on mission-focused agenda.” Her highlight of successes has a price tag of $1,398,400,000, represented in a budget that is a 25.5% increase over current levels and an increase of 4,792 public employees. She offers no justification for her budget increases or how taxpayers will maintain this level when the forecasted recession hits. According to the latest Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast, Oregon’s risk of recession is still high, and believes it could start as soon as 2024. The increased budget was still passed knowing the risk.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-06-25 21:22:06

Last Update: 2023-06-26 17:56:28