Back to Home Page

Representative Kim Thatcher: Preview of Special Session

by In the news Tuesday, February 2. 2010

thatcher best.serendipityThumb Representative Kim Thatcher: Preview of Special SessionSome of the Issues for the February Special Session
By State Representative Kim Thatcher,

Annual Sessions: a proposed ballot measure which would allow the legislature to meet every year instead of every two years. Senate Joint Resolution 41

Unemployment: a plan is in the works to extend unemployment benefits for Oregonians who have run out. Another would allow up to $2400 of benefits to be tax exempt. Senate Bill 1034

Ethics: an attempt to stop the revolving door of legislators accepting jobs in state government. Instead they would have to wait until after the next regular legislative session is over. House Bill 3638

Water: look for attempts to require permits and limit the amount of water allowed from new exempt wells in areas where groundwater is limited and to add additional bodies of water designated as navigable.

Early Release: for over 4000 inmates is now possible but there might be efforts to reduce the number who are eligible for the program. Senate Bill 1007 (the new release law should be repealed)

Renewable Energy: tax credits would be established for woody biomass. House Bill 3608

Sobriety Checkpoints: would be allowed to stop DUII offenders. Senate Bill 1018

Health Insurance: premiums should be deductable off your federal taxes. House Bill 3611

Oil Drilling: leasing for oil and gas exploration would be prohibited. House Bill 3613

Budget Reserve Fund: made up of agency reserves. Senate Joint Resolution 49, House Bill 3636

Human Trafficking: information would be included in OLCC liquor license renewal packets. House Bill 3623

Kicker Refunds: modifies the current tax surplus law. Senate Joint Resolution 45

Health Care: for all Oregonians would be a right. House Joint Resolution 100

Religious Clothing: repeals ban on teachers’ ability to wear religious garb in classroom.

Spending Limit: on state government expenditures based on inflation and population. House Bill 3641

State Agencies: would have to downsize functions and evaluate programs. Senate Bill 1035

BETC: implement new limits on the Business Energy Tax Credit program.

tt twitter big4 Representative Kim Thatcher: Preview of Special Session tt digg big4 Representative Kim Thatcher: Preview of Special Session tt facebook big4 Representative Kim Thatcher: Preview of Special Session tt reddit big4 Representative Kim Thatcher: Preview of Special Session

Posted by at 06:00 | Posted in Measure 37 | 7 Comments |Email This Post Email This Post |Print This Post Print This Post
Back to Home Page
  • Jerry

    These look really great.

    It is wise to prevent any and all drilling for oil or gas as wind will carry the day. It is wise to release thousands of inmates as we can not afford them to be locked up. It is wise to allow teachers to wear whatever they wish or nothing at all if that is their religion. It is wise to get rid of the kicker as the state owns that money, not the peoples. It is wise to make health care a right as it is in most every civilized nation on earth. It is wise to limit the taking of water as it belongs to all the peoples, not just the landowners who drill for it. It is wise to inform people who sell liquor to be on the lookout for human trafficking, as these people are the eyes and ears of law enforcement.

    Salem knows what is best and I applaud them for the courage to explore these bold and meaningful bills. We must have more sessions so that things like these can be enacted by the persons doing the peoples’ work. No state has such few sessions (at least no state with the global importance of Oregon).

  • Jim Ray

    What’s the need to “legalize” annual sessions. Didn’t the Oregon Supreme?s throw out Larry, transportation tax increase, George’s lawsuit against having unconstitutional annual sessions?

    Why waste the time and money to vote down annual sessions when the Bastards will have them anyway!

    • Steve Plunk

      I agree Jim. The arrogance of these people amazes me.

  • Frank Martin

    “Health Insurance: premiums should be deductable off your federal taxes. House Bill 3611 ”

    How can the Oregon Legislature dictate to the Federal Government on Taxation measures? this is impossible law to enact and make stick.

    Now Oregon has every right to allow us to Deduct State income tax.. but they would never allow that would they.

  • Moe Yoder

    Thank you Rep. Thatcher for the update. I thought this was supposed to be an emergency session. What is the emergency in these items? We give them an inch and they want a mile. We pass 66 & 67, what a rip-off, and now they want to take the kicker, AND a sales tax. They are a bunch of leeches. Time to clean house.

  • Steve McGuire

    Every time the legislature meets we lose a little more freedom. One of the reason legislative session was limited was a form of passive damage control. That, and passing new laws was not the intention of those sessions. The government that governs least governs best. We just don’t need more laws. Some how we’ve lost our way. Governments’ job is not to spend money but to protect the people from abuse.

    Taxes and government are the proverbial water down a rat hole.

    Explain to me how taking money out of the economy (taxes) can make the economy better. Me thinks the definition of BETTER has been bastardized. Better for whom?

  • granny gripes

    Excuse me, HB 3637 and HB 3620 are to be kind a pathetic joke, smoke n mirrors

    READ THE FINE PRINT. giggle, WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE , Where are the feasibility studies
    that prove if and when and how many “EMERGENCY JOBS” this silly bills will produce.

    BOTH PARTIES are pathetic. They do not have a clue:

    Besides, they are all in hysterical panic after 6 or 8 years of having their vochal chords tied.
    Where is that TIRELESS voice, it certainly has been tired for way too long.

    DESPERATE dart throwing session, hoping something is going to get them elected again
    and or “PROMOTED’ to a higher level of government.

    Can you believe all of this hockus pockus ?

Stay Tuned...

Stay up to date with the latest political news and commentary from Oregon Catalyst through daily email updates:

Prefer another subscription option? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, become a fan on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Twitter Facebook

No Thanks (close this box)