Capitol Update Series: Rep. Cedric Hayden, Roseburg Republican followed in his father’s footsteps both as dentist and legislator. Hayden is also a co-founder of Caring Hands Worldwide, a nonprofit organization that provides free dental care for people in need. In the street clinics Hayden runs in Eugene, he performs dental work for mainly veterans. Many…
Zero based budgeting concept has been hailed by many as a way to control government spending. Sen. Fred Girod of Scio representing Senate District 9 has a bill that will do just that. He along with Sen. Linthicum are spearheading the idea and have support from the democrats. The bill is still being written by…
Oregon Capitol Update Series: Sen. Kim Thatcher is optimistic that her bill on eliminating time changes twice a year will pass the Oregon Legislature during this 2019 session. SB 320 A, abolishes annual one-hour change in time from standard time to daylight saving time and places Oregon on a permanent daylight saving time. It has…
Most of the proposed paid family leave bills died midway through the Oregon Legislature, but one remains—and it’s likely to hurt small businesses. Many lawmakers have been making a promise to provide workers with paid family leave for births, adoptions, and other medically necessary time off, and introduced legislation to do so. Under current law,…
Capitol update series, In 2005, the Oregon Legislature passed a bill that made pseudoephedrine products like Sudafed available by prescription only. There was a good reason for it back then, as pseudoephedrine was a key ingredient in the methamphetamine that was being produced in home labs and frequently resulted in explosions. This new prescription law…
A 2018 Oregon Report on school safety by the University of Oregon shows that students are feeling less safe in our schools. Rep. Duane Stark (R-Grants Pass) has been trying to work on solutions in our education system. One simple idea that would help has been brought to his attention by the City of Grants…
Rep. Sherrie Sprenger, R. HD 17, currently serves on eight, count them, eight committees this during the 2019 Oregon Legislative Session – almost as many committees as years she’s been an elected legislator. Her strong work ethic serves her well as she is a chief sponsor of HB 3016 that will appropriate dollars to Department…
The Oregon Legislature looks poised to approve a bill co-sponsored by Rep. Jack Zika enabling construction of 485 new housing units—half of those for people with below-average incomes—on land outside of Redmond. Zika, R-Redmond, is optimistic for passage of House Bill 2336, which sailed through the House unanimously.
A bill in the Oregon House of Representatives (HB 3268) would essentially abolish the death penalty in the state with only one exception—for terrorists who kill two or more people. At the same time, a major Oregon newspaper is asking lawmakers to send the issue to voters who twice reaffirmed the state’s death penalty laws.
An escalating trade war between the United States and China, along with tit-for-tat tariffs on imported goods, may curtail business in West Coast ports, reducing labor hours and creating a ripple effect throughout the Pacific Northwest economy. The latest volley in the trade war brings the battle to the Pacific Northwest home front, especially its…