Sen. Boquist: Vaccine passport, Police bill, flood of last minute laws

By Oregon State Senator Brian Boquist,
Highlights, excerpts from Sen. Boquist newsletter

“‘Oregon Legislature nears exit with flood of legislation’ “Sine die is imminent,” declared Senate President Peter Courtney on Tuesday, using one of the secret decoder ring-needed terms of the Oregon Legislature.”  Courtney invoked one-hour notice for hearings and work sessions so to block public input even further so prepare for the worst.  Click above for full article. 

“’Capitol Chatter: Legislator conduct queries leave more questions.’  Excerpts.  What really counts as “bad” behavior in the Oregon Capitol?  Political observers are salivating over what will happen to Rep. Mike Nearman, R-Independence.  I’m more intrigued by the conduct case involving Rep. Brad Witt, D-Clatskanie, whom Rep. Vikki Breese Iverson, R-Prineville, accused of sexual harassment.  Yet lying doesn’t count as a hostile work environment.  Two observations:  First, I am neither a lawyer nor a legal investigator. However, the Oregon Legislature’s outside investigators’ reports often have struck me as full of holes.  Second, the Legislature has a long, long way to go in establishing a respectful, harassment-free workplace – let alone deciding what constitutes a respectful workplace.  Click above for the full article.  

HB 2420 passed the Legislative Assembly this week which makes employees who face retaliation from an employer like the legislature chose to file a court action if they are rich or lose their rights via BOLI if they are poor.  Not both.  It is no wonder legislative employees voted this week to unionize against the majority Democrat leadership in the Legislative Assembly this week.See my HB 2420 vote explanation.

SB 865 the attack on free assembly and free speech remains in hiding in the Senate Rules Committee meaning it can be passed on one-hour notice by the Senate Democrats and Senator Findley and Senator Hansell with the green light from Senate President Peter Courtney.

HB 3284 the vaccine passport approval bill is on the Senate Floor on Monday.  So-called Democrats along with some socialist Republicans are trying to claim the bill protects medical privacy.  Note I said ‘medical privacy’ not vaccine privacy.  The text of the bill protects medical privacy except what ‘federal law’ allows released:  says this in several places.  Governor Brown with the Oregon Health Authority, and OSHA backed by the Attorney General says neither federal law or HIPPA protect vaccination information thus businesses have been tasked to implement vaccine passports.  HB 2002A codifies the Governor’s dictatorship.  Waiving your copy of the constitution around is useless the Governor and Attorney General have billions of your tax dollars to defend themselves in court.  In the meantime, it is vaccine passports.  Any GOP legislator who voted or votes for HB 2002A should be tossed from office in the next election.

HB 2002A is getting a lot of attention.  It is a police reform bill.  Between metropolitan protests and riots against elected Democrat officials, and the total rural establishment law enforcement attack on citizens as mask raiders, business closers, free assembly blockers, and free speech censures explains the wide support for limiting establishment government police powers.  In our office, we are getting lots of form letters from establishment bureaucrats and police wanting more power meaning a NO vote on HB 2002A.  Oddly, if history repeats itself as it always does the Democrat proponents will be surprised when the same police are turned on them in the future.  Unfortunately, rogue law enforcement has become the new normal since Governor Brown turned symptomatic covid into a political weapon.  It should be pointed out SW Oregon officials now claim a higher murder rate than Portland as organized crime is in control.  Cops claim Portland crime is up 1900% so here are few links to fact check yourself:

https://www.lawofficer.com/portland-murder-rate/

https://www.koin.com/is-portland-over/looking-at-the-data-portland-crime-during-the-pandemic/

https://www.koin.com/is-portland-over/we-have-a-record-gun-violence-and-homicide-problem-in-this-city/

Again, ask yourself after 18 months of the police state locking you down why even rural law enforcement focused on being mask raiders, business closers, free assembly blockers, and free speech censures while property crime goes unchecked, portions of rural Oregon are ‘no go’ zones, and organized crime is in charge not establishment politicians?   Something must change with Sheriffs and District Attorneys along with the establishment Democrat city and state government. 

HB 2936 is another police accountability bill that passed the Legislative Assembly this past week.  It puts the ACLU and Southern Poverty Law Center in charge of hiring practices for law enforcement.  The same ACLU that has supported the Klu Klux Klan in court and the same Southern Poverty Law Center that calls churches and religious organizations hate groups.  Cannot get any stranger.   See my HB 2936 vote explanation.