Weekly Legislative Update for Citizen Lobbyists

by Salem 9-12 Project

UPDATE: Update for today (Weds 6-15). Primarily covers the Ways and Means Committee meeting today as well as a few other committee meetings, all of which are happening today.

As was the case with last week, the state web site was not updated for the weekend.  Consequently we do not know all the bills that will be in committee this week nor do we know which bills will be up for floor votes in the House and Senate.  Therefore, we will have to do an amended update at some point when the web site is updated.

There are several important bills this week including:

– A new insurance premium tax
– Tax breaks for agriculture cooperatives
– The bisphenol A ban for infant food containers is back again
– And several others

Peter Wong’s article today also talks about pending issues in the coming week:

– Measure 57, which increased prison term for repeat property and drug offenders, was passed by the voters in 2008. The 2009 Legislature overrode voters and suspended Measure 57 to “save money.”  That suspension is set to expire and some legislators want to extend the suspension.
– Similarly, some in the Legislature want to suspend Measure 73 (passed by voters in 2010; requires 25-year prison terms for repeat felony sex offenders & jail time for repeat drunken drivers).
– There are 3 education bills the Democrats want and 3 education bills the Republicans want. There is also an education bill the Governor Kitzhaber wants.
– The budget for the Oregon Health Authority will also be an issue.

click here to see this week’s full Legislative Update