3x hearings: Gun control, De-squatters, Free Gov’t breakfast

Three bills are up for public hearings or vote, House Bill 3075, House bill 3522, House Bill 3435
By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

Three good/bad bills are up for public hearings or a vote in the next 48 hours.

#1. House Bill 3075 — GUN CONTROL BILL – Makes Measure 114 worse.
#2. House Bill 3522 — EVICTING SWATTERS – Gives landlords ability to evict squatters
#3. House Bill 3435 — FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH TO ALL STUDENTS — inclduing state’s richest

#1 Gun Control Bill – HB 3075

House Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on HB 3075 on Monday March 17th, Hearing Room F: which makes key adjustments to the gun control ballot Measure 114 (2022).

HB 3075 increases both waiting delays and costs involved with Measure 114.  This means if your life is immediately threatened by someone, your ability to purchase a firearm to save your life may takes weeks, months — and it may cost you a lot of money to save your life because this bill increases fees for the right to protect yourself.

House Bill 3075 summary, “The Act makes changes to the gun permit and transfer process. Modifies the firearm permit provisions of Ballot Measure 114 (2022). Specifies where a person may apply for a permit to purchase a firearm and adds an eligibility requirement. Provides that information obtained during the application process and during the criminal background check and maintained within the database of permit holders is exempt from disclosure as a public record. Extends the time, from 30 to 60 days from receipt of the application, by which a permit agent must issue a permit to a qualified applicant or mail reasons for a denial in writing to the applicant. Increases the maximum fee that may be charged for an initial application for and renewal of a permit. Specifies the portion of the fee payable to the Department of State Police for conducting a criminal background check. Establishes alternatives to a firearms training course or class that may be used to satisfy the requirement of proof of completion of a firearm safety course for the permit. Provides that permits are not required for firearm transfers until July 1, 2026. Establishes a temporary exception to the permit requirement for the transfer of certain firearms until July 1, 2028. Establishes a permanent exception to the permit requirement for active duty law enforcement and military. Modifies the affirmative defense language for the large capacity magazine provisions of Ballot Measure 114 (2022). Provides that a challenge to legality of the Act must be commenced in the Circuit Court for Marion County. Declares an emergency, effective on passage”

#2. HB 3522: Evict squatters bill

HB 3522 will have a hearing in the House Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans on 03/18/2025 1:00 PM , HR C

This bill helps landlords evicts squatters by creating a process for landlords to take control of the situation.  Landlords in Portland have a big problem of trespassers claiming others people’s homes as their own.

KGW-TV reported on widespread squatting at a once famous Portland building, “Blood-stained walls cover a historic Southwest Portland storefront. It’s just one of the many vacant buildings downtown struggling to get off the market. The Charles F. Berg building on Southwest Broadway and Southwest Alder Street once stood out for its avant-garde design and pure gold façade. Now, it’s the latest side effect of the drug and homelessness crisis plaguing Portland. Squatters broke in and took over the 20,000 square-foot space…The smell of urine inside the building was so strong, one could almost taste it. Given the state of the building, they’re hiring a biohazard team to clean it.”

HB 3522 summary “This Act allows the eviction of a squatter.”

#3. HB 3455: Free breakfast and lunch for all students

This bill will be heard in House Education 03/17/2025 at 3:00 PM , Hearing Room B. << Work session/CommitteeVote. No public testimony >>

HB 3435 Phases in the requirement that school districts offer lunch and breakfast to students at no charge, regardless of household income.  It will cost at least $5 million from the State of Oregon and possibly more from the Federal side.

#1. Government hand-outs should be based on needs — not guarantees written with a blank check.
#2. Forces taxpayers to subsidize some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Oregon.
#3. This shoves children’s diet away from healthy home meals to less healthy mass meals.
#4. This creates separation between the child and the parents over having control over their children’s nutrition.  A parent may pack a lunch but it may be scrapped by the student for the less healthy lunch all the other students are eating or the child may secretly be eating a second breakfast.   Under this plan most meals that a child eats in a day will be out of control by the parents.  How is this good?
#5. This generous hand-out also has the unintended consequence of attracting families form other states when they realize that Oregon offers all kinds of benefits not offered in most places like (1) extended welfare benefits (2) free tuition for non-citizens (3) free hotels for non-citizens  (4) free $30,000 grants for non-citizen home-buyers and (5) free pre-k schooling (Multnomah County).

Taxpayers do not have a problem with the idea of helping give important food aid to financially disadvantaged children.  But expanding it to all children is a government waste of tax dollars that threatens the total cost of providing the meals in the first place.

HB 3435 summary reads, “Makes school meals available at no cost. Phases in the requirement that school districts offer lunch and breakfast to students at no charge, regardless of household income. Requires school districts that make breakfast accessible at a school site to make breakfast accessible at the school site after the beginning of the day. Provides exceptions. Prescribes nutrition standards for reimbursable meals that are paid for by state sources. Directs the Department of Education to apply for statewide participation in federal programs and projects that expand the availability of free or reduced price meals. Appropriates moneys to the Department of Education from the General Fund for the purposes of paying any costs owed by parents or guardians for costs previously incurred for a reimbursable meal and assisting school districts in purchasing or upgrading equipment necessary to comply with the expanded provision of free lunches and breakfasts. Declares an emergency, effective July 1, 2025.”

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