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• Walkouts, Resignation, and Bills Waiting

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Walkouts, Resignation, and Bills Waiting

By Rebecca Gladstone

Republican Senators walked out (press), citing bill summary readability; see the Flesch Kincaid Calculator. The walkout prevents a required quorum and delays progress for divisive gun safety and healthcare bills. It could provide litigation grounds against Measure 113 (press), a constitutional amendment voters passed last fall by a wide majority to prevent legislative work halts from walkouts. League election bill positions are not affected by the SoS resignation.

Here’s a status update on bills we’re watching:

HB 5032 Enrolled: We supported this Public Records Advocate funding bill (our testimony).

Work sessions scheduled:

HB 2490 work session was rescheduled for May 9 in Senate committee for this cybersecurity vulnerability bill. The League urges for maximum protection of public health, safety, and the environment. Defense of our critical infrastructures is at stake (our testimony).

Still awaiting work sessions:

The May 5 agenda posting deadline for second chamber committee work sessions does not apply to bills followed here, since most are in Rules and Joint committees.

SB 11: This access and transparency bill has strong bipartisan support, requiring virtual public state meetings to record and promptly publicize recordings. We will look for data retention rules.

SB 417: This public records bill is important to the League for timely access to candidate filing information for Vote411.org and for concerns of excessive elections records requests (press). We have attended the Task Force since March 7, now focused on agencies bearing the burden of proof for defending staff review assignments, for choosing the most cost-effective staff records review before public release. The bill aims for the lowest records delivery cost by the lowest salaried employee. High-level legal review is necessary for 90% of requested records. Staff could redact basic data like SSNs and birth dates. But experienced attorneys could quickly include those in a single review with complex issues that could help avert much more expensive appellate litigation referrals. See our testimony, predating this work.

SB 166: We hope the scheduling delay, referred to House Rules March 7, implies amending to address privacy and harassment concerns. See our testimony and previous extensive reports.

SB 167: See League testimony in support of this elections bill to replace candidate filing software, add efficiency improvements, address some privacy and cybersecurity issues, with efficiency tweaks.

SJM 6: This DC statehood action has not moved since the April 13 unanimous referral from the Senate floor on April 13. Taxation without representation is a fundamental democratic value we support.

SB 614: We’re watching this police body cam, personal data retention / disclosure bill, after passing the Senate, 18 to 10, on not entirely partisan votes. See details, April 17 LR.

Awaiting further scheduling (mostly W&Ms):

HB 2049 A: This cybersecurity omnibus bill was referred to W&Ms March 3 with unanimous do pass recommendation. The League strongly supports in previous reports (our testimony).

HB 2052 relates to SB 619 and was referred JW&Ms on Feb 13. We support the AG’s data broker registry bill (League testimony).

HB 2806 A: This bill passed unanimously May 2 with a Do Pass to update statute for open meetings, public safety and cybersecurity. It awaits transfer to the Senate President’s desk. See our testimony.

HB 3127 A: An April 27 work session for this “TikTok bill” awaits transfer to the Senate President’s desk, with a Do Pass recommendation.

SB 619: Sent to W&Ms April 12, with Do pass with amendments by prior reference. LWVOR strongly supports this AG’s consumer privacy bill (our testimony), now with a coalition letter.

SB 510: This SB 417 companion funding bill passed unanimously to W&Ms on May 1 without recommendation, to improve efficiency, cost estimates and budgeting, and sustainable funding for the PRAC. See our testimony in support.

SB 1073 A: Referred to W&Ms April 10, to establish a state Chief Privacy Officer (CPO). See our supportive testimony including related bills and the hearing video, details in previous reports.

Rights of Incarcerated People

By Marge Easley

A House floor vote on SB 529 was scheduled to take place on May 4. The bill, a priority bill of the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC), acknowledges that addiction is a chronic disease affecting many incarcerated individuals and creates more comprehensive drug treatment programs in correctional institutions.

Another DOC priority this session is a close examination of the use of segregated housing units in Oregon’s correctional facilities. There will be a Senate Judiciary work session on May 8 for HB 2345 A, which mandates the establishment of a publicly accessible data dashboard detailing race, age, misconduct status, duration in the unit, level of misconduct causing a return to the unit, and the allowable amount of time outside of a cell.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. Worthy causes go unaddressed for lack of League volunteers. If you see a need and can offer your expertise, please contact our staff at lwvor@lwvor.org.