By Representative Cyrus Javadi
House District 32
I have some good news to report on the HCP (Oreogn Dept. of Forestry Habitat Conversation Plan) situation…
In the wake of the Governor calling the North Coast’s economy “outdated,” my bill to provide more oversight over the Dept. of Forestry’s HCP process is scheduled for an informational hearing this Tuesday. I have organized a panel of industry experts, local leaders, and concerned community members to educate the Legislature about the devestating impacts the HCP will have on Clatsop County.
More good news… The federal COVID-19 public health emergency expired last week. What this means for you:
- Oregon will be lifting the vaccine requirements for health care workers and K-12 workers and 5-day isolation requirements.
- Weekly opt-in screening testing for K-12 students and staff without symptoms will end July 31.
These last few weeks have been busy. The House passed the controversial HB 2002 and 2005, the Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan resigned from office, and lawmakers even sued the Legislature for allegations of breaking the law…
Last week, a federal judge in Virginia struck down a federal law that bans 18-20-year-olds from buying handguns. This has severe implications for HB 2005 because it would ban those same adults from buying rifles.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me with comments, questions, or concerns at 503-986-1432 or Rep.CyrusJavadi@oregonlegislature.gov.
National Nurses Week
Last week on National Nurses Week, I joined House Republicans in supporting two pieces of legislation to support nurses.
HB 2408
It’s no secret that we have a nursing shortage in Oregon partly because of vaccine mandates. Thirty-nine other states have established the interstate nurse licensure compact, an interstate agreement allowing nurses to hold a single license issued by a Compact member state that permits the nurse to practice in any other Compact-member state. On April 20, Washington State joined the compact.
According to the Oregon Employment Department 2021 Job Vacancy Survey, registered nurses (RNs) had the seventh most open positions among 432 occupations, with 76 percent categorized as “difficult-to-fill.”
Republicans, joined by five Democrats, voted to advance HB 2408, which would have made Oregon the 40th state to join the compact, up for a vote on Tuesday but ultimately failed.
HB 2141
On Thursday, I joined House Republicans in an attempt to force a vote on House Bill 2141. This legislation would have awarded hospital workers the same protections offered to many other sectors, including emergency medical services providers, taxi operators, flaggers, highway workers, correction officers, and youth authority staff.
This legislation has been introduced in each of the last three sessions. Every year it has failed to get to the Governor’s desk. It died in committee in 2021 (House Bill 3161), passed in the House in 2022 but died in the Senate (House Bill 4142), and left in committee to die in 2023 (House Bill 2141).
Last week, the House Committee on Judiciary was scheduled to hear Senate Bill 787, which would award the same protections that are sought in House Bill 2141 to public transit vehicle operators acting in their official capacity.
The motion to withdraw the bill failed with 30 votes in support and 27 votes against – just one vote short of the required 31 to withdraw a bill. Seven Democrats voted in support of the motion.
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DEQ Propose Damaging Rules for Small Businesses
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is seeking to proprose rules that would expand the Employee Commute Options (ECO) program that would impose huge burdens on struggling small businesses in the Salem area.
The rules would require a 15% reduction in employee commuting for employers with 100 or more employees. That will be difficult and costly to implement, particularly for employers with a primarily in-person workforce and those not located near safe public transit options.
Under the program, employers must survey at least 75% of their workforce every two years and develop a trip reduction plan that includes such options as telecommuting, free or subsidized transit passes or vanpools, daily stipends for carpoolers, onsite or nearby childcare, and eliminating paid parking. Failing to achieve a trip reduction target would not be a violation, but employers would be required to revise their plans (i.e., add more commute options) and demonstrate a good faith effort to implement them. The proposal also requires employers to identify someone whose primary professional responsibility is to implement the ECO program.
I, along with many of my House Republican colleagues, signed a letter to the DEQ Director expressing concerns about the program and how it would negatively impact Oregon businesses.
For more information, go here.
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Secretary of State Shemia Fagan Resigns
Secretary of State Shemia Fagan resigned last week.
It recently came to light through media reports that Fagan had a side hustle (making $10,000 per month) for a marijuana company, named La Mota, that had millions in unpaid taxes and was alleged to have been given favoritism in licensing by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC). The owners of the troubled cannabis shop also had given Fagan $45,000 in campaign contributions – which were largely delivered in cash. Part of Fagan’s contract with La Mota: she was to get a $30,000 bonus for each business license that she helped secure outside of Oregon. This raises serious ethical concerns that she was using her position as Oregon’s Secretary of State for personal gain by essentially acting as a lobbyist for La Mota.
The Secretary of State holds a unique position in Oregon. They have the power to audit nearly every government agency in the state. These agencies have power over a wide range of Oregonian’s life, including the marijuana industry. Her audits division was in the midst of an audit of the OLCC, which oversees the licensing of marijuana shops, after previous reports of misconduct. She was overseeing the audit of the agency tasked with regulating her side hustle employer. New reporting suggests she even allowed the owners of La Mota to provide direct input over the scope of that OLCC audit.
This story is a good summary of Fagan and the unfolding scandal.
House and Senate Republican leaders were among the first to call for her resignation the day after the news broke.
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Accountability is Needed – Pass HJR 16
Fagan’s story reminds us that political corruption is real and that we must have more balance and oversight tp prevent it. That’s why I support HJR 16. It would establish a process for the Legislature to impeach statewide elected officials. Oregon is THE ONLY state in the nation without any process of impeachment. This would act as a deterrent from this happening in the future and accountability in case it happens again.
The same bill has passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support twice before, once in 2015 and once in 2017, with the support of then-Senator Shemia Fagan and then-House Speaker Tina Kotek. Both times it was left to die in the Senate. It has bipartisan support again this year, and with a new House Speaker and Senate President, I think we have an opportunity this session to get it across the finish line. This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It’s establishing accountability and a balance of power in our state that it desperately needs.
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Make Your Voice Heard – OLCC Trying to Raise Taxes on Booze
OLCC is seeking public comment on a proposed increase of the current 50-cent surcharge on each bottle of distilled spirits to one dollar per bottle. The Commissioners heard initial testimony at their April 20 Commission meeting.
You can watch the Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association (ORLA) testimony on how this tax increase will hurt small bars and restaurants the most at a time when the Governor and the OLCC Commission should be supporting them.
The Commission will listen to additional verbal testimony at the May 18 meeting and will accept written comments through June 5, 2023.
As background, a temporary surcharge of fifty cents was first enacted in the 2009-2011 budget cycle and has been continued ever since, including the 2021-23 cycle. On top of that surcharge, Governor Kotek’s budget for 2023-25 includes a line item for an additional fifty-cent surcharge on distilled spirits which is estimated to raise $45.2 million for the general fund.
Please consider taking action on this by either:
- Providing verbal testimony at the May 18 Commission meeting (email paul@oregon.gov by 5pm on May 16, 2023)
- Submitting written comments; visit ORLA’s Take Action page by June 5, 2023 at 5 PM to send a customized message to the Commissioners
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Capitol Phone: 503-986-1432
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-373, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.CyrusJavadi@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/javadi