Latest news with #JulieFahey
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Republicans intensify opposition to capping bills per session in Oregon
From left to right, House Speaker Julie Fahey, former Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp, and Sen. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, speak in support of House Bill 2006, which would cap the number of bills a lawmaker could request be drafted for consideration in the Oregon Legislature. (Shaanth Nanguneri/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Despite bipartisan support for an Oregon bill limiting the amount of legislation a lawmaker can introduce every session, the measure has angered some prominent Republican lawmakers, who called it a partisan power grab during its first committee hearing. Three of the bill's leading supporters — Sen. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, former Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp, and House Speaker Julie Fahey — argued in front of the House Committee on Rules on Thursday that the number of bills the Legislature has had to consider in the past session has been overwhelming. They described the onslaught of reviews staff and legislative analysts must conduct to draft legislation as swamping the public with excessive bureaucracy that impedes good governance. 'Each bill takes staff time, legal review, printing, scheduling,' said Fahey, D-Eugene. 'Thousands of taxpayer dollars go into processing bills that don't become law or even get here. What we're talking about today — being more focused and deliberative in how we introduce legislation — isn't about stifling good ideas. It's about improving the system.' House Bill 2006, introduced in mid-April by six Democrats and five Republicans, would cap individual lawmakers to requesting 25 drafts during the 160-day long sessions in odd years. Lawmakers have historically limited bills in the 35-day short sessions in even years — in 2024, for instance, lawmakers could introduce two bills apiece. The number of bills lawmakers have been considering in the past years has increased steadily, particularly during odd years. This session, legislators have introduced more than 3,400 pieces of legislation since February. Republicans on the committee, however, said further limits on the legislative process would continue to shut them out of opportunities to pass legislation in the minority. The new bill revives another limitation effort that popped up after the last time the Oregon Legislature saw a record number of bills introduced — nearly 3,300 in 2001. At that time, lawmakers considered similar restrictions that eventually failed in the Senate, which was controlled by Republicans at the time. 'I routinely propose bills that are similar to other bills in the building and the only reason for that is because my district wants me to have that voice,' said House Republican leader Rep. Christine Drazan, R-Canby. 'And what ends up moving is the Democrat bill time and again.' Other provisions of the legislation include allowing 400 bills for state agencies and the governor to introduce, 15 bills for each legislative committee, 25 apiece for the secretary of state, attorney general, state treasurer and commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries, and 100 for the Judicial Department. The Joint Ways and Means Committee is excluded from the bill. The bill wouldn't preclude sponsors from introducing more than 25 pieces of legislation if, for instance, another sponsor requested the drafting from legislative counsel. Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis, R-Albany, said the idea of bill limits 'is great,' but that the bill is 'extremely problematic.' She noted that the legislation would allow for the Senate president and speaker of the House to authorize additional measures for members or committees. Combined with the 400 measures the governor and state agencies could introduce, 'that's a problem,' she said. 'You have the majority party being able to authorize,' she said. 'There's no limit on that.' The opposition to the bill doesn't fall squarely along partisan lines, however. One Democrat has called the bill 'capricious' and warned of unintended consequences for lawmakers. 'The meager number of vehicles would more than likely accomplish the following: increased authority for the Speaker, the Majority Leader, and most policy committee chairs,' wrote Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, in a Wednesday letter to the committee. He has filed the most bills this session as a single lawmaker — over 300. 'This will exacerbate the power differential between leadership, policy, and budget specialists.' During the hearing, however, Fahey said she agreed that 400 bills for state agencies and the governor was an excessive estimate, though it was not clear how far she'd be willing to lower the limit. Another Representative, Jason Kropf, D-Bend, said that even 300 bills would be going too far. 'We use the exact same limits and language in the bill, with two exceptions, increasing the baseline number of bills from legislators to 20 to 25 and the number of committee bills from 10 to 15,' Fahey told the committee. 'This drafted bill will go into effect in the 2027 session. Back in 2001, that bill had bipartisan support and bipartisan opposition, and I fully expect that this bill will have the same.' Passing the legislation would make Oregon the 14th state in the nation to put explicit laws on the books that restrict the amount of bills a legislator can introduce. The bill would essentially make the maximum number of bills per session on an odd-year at least 2,850, if each lawmaker, committee, agency, state official and the governor introduced the maximum number of bills they are allowed under the legislation. Because the Joint Committee on Ways and Means is excluded from the legislation, that number is likely an undercount. Another piece of legislation, Senate Bill 1006 by Sen. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, would limit introductions of bills to committees and legislators, preventing agencies from introducing legislation. It has been parked in the Senate Committee on Rules since March. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Oregon Republicans say Dems delaying vote on wildfire map repeal to get votes for wildfire funding
A wildfire outside Ukiah in Umatilla County in 2024, part of the Battle Mountain Complex of fires that burned more than 183,000 acres. Gov. Tina Kotek has asked the Oregon Legislature for more than a year to find more, stable funding to fight wildfires in the state. (Courtesy of Northwest Interagency Coordination Center) A bill to repeal the state's unpopular Wildfire Hazard Map passed the Oregon Senate unanimously in April, signaling it would be one of the least controversial and most bipartisan bills to pass this session. But that momentum hit unexpected headwinds May 22, when the bill — Senate Bill 83 — landed in the Oregon House's Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment, where Democrats opted to send it to the House Rules Committee, rather than to the House floor for a final vote. The decision to delay a vote on Senate Bill 83 came as a surprise to Republicans on the Committee, who later accused Democrats, House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, and Gov. Tina Kotek of using it as a bargaining chip in negotiations over a wildfire funding proposal that would redirect $1 billion from the state's 'kicker' tax return. That proposal would require a two-thirds supermajority vote in each chamber, meaning at least two Senate Republicans and four House Republicans would need to approve along with all legislative Democrats. 'The speaker has been consistent that we cannot responsibly repeal the wildfire risk maps without also having a clear, workable plan for how we manage wildfire risk in the future, including how we fund that work,' Jill Bakken, Fahey's spokesperson, said in an email. Anca Matica, a Kotek spokesperson, said in an email that 'the legislative branch is the custodian of information regarding bills moving through the legislative process, not the Governor's Office.' Oregon Republicans have long insisted that the kicker — returned to Oregon taxpayers when personal income taxes collected by the state end up at least 2% higher than budgeted — is not to be spent by the Legislature. In a news release May 22, Ashley Kuenzi, communications director for the Oregon Senate Republicans, said the 'spirit of collaboration has seemingly vanished' between Democrats and Republicans on Senate Bill 83. State Sen. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford, who supported its passage in the Senate, said in the release it was a 'stunning reversal' and 'clear betrayal.' 'Holding rural Oregonians hostage over votes for future wildfire funding is not only obscene, but disgraceful. Put the damn bill on the floor for a vote!' he said. If passed, Senate Bill 83 would repeal the map produced under a multi-year effort by scientists at state agencies and Oregon State University that show where the highest risk of wildfires are throughout the state. The map provoked backlash from homeowners in some high-risk areas worried about wildfire insurance rates and coverage and potentially having to comply with new building requirements. State Sen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland, who carried Senate Bill 83 in the Senate, has been outspoken that the map should be repealed because of unintended consequences, including widespread misinformation about how the map was intended to be used, creating distrust between some property owners and state agencies. In a text, Golden said House Democrats' decision not to move the bill straight to the House floor for a vote is making the repeal of the maps 'more complicated than it needed to be.' 'To me, the smartest path from the start was to unite around map repeal and get it to the Governor's desk to show folks we all put protecting the state ahead of politics,' he said. 'That's what we did in the Senate. Looks like the thinking in the House was different but nobody's told me what it is.' Golden is also behind the proposal just now gaining steam to use $1 billion of the state's anticipated $1.64 billion kicker to fund much needed wildfire prevention and response work throughout the state. Golden proposed the idea months ago to little fanfare, but Gov. Tina Kotek recently signaled her support for the idea in the absence of other options, telling reporters at a news conference May 20 it would be 'a beneficial approach.' Kotek has asked the Legislature for more than a year to come up with a reliable and consistent funding mechanism to support statewide wildfire work and has so far not received any proposals that come close to meeting her desired target of an additional $150 million per year. Putting $1 billion of the kicker into an account that accrues 5% interest each year could provide the state with at least $50 million of that. 'That would be very helpful for the state,' Kotek told reporters. CORRECTION: Kuenzi is communications director for the Oregon Senate Republicans, not House Republicans, as previously reported. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
House passes bill to save Oregon Health Plan if Congress kills Medicaid funding
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – As the future of federally funded programs like Medicaid , Oregon lawmakers are working to preserve healthcare coverage for its residents. On Thursday, the Oregon House of Representatives passed HB 2010, a bipartisan bill that would ensure ongoing funding for the state's Medicaid program known commonly as the . Oregon State Police trooper shoots, kills person at Army Aviation Support Facility at Salem Airport The state program is currently funded by a combination of state resources that are matched by federal dollars. But as , HB 2010 would cushion OHP in case federal officials double down on the decision. House Speaker Julie Fahey said one out of every three Oregonians rely on OHP for their health coverage. 'HB 2010 will help ensure that those Oregonians continue to have access to care and that our hospitals and providers have the resources they need to serve all Oregonians,' Fahey said. 'Regardless of whether Congress cuts Medicaid funding this year, passing HB 2010 is the surest way to position us to accomplish those goals.' According to state records, OHP covers 1.4 million Oregonians — including 57% of the state's children. The program also protects healthcare coverage for people of color, who make up 42% of its demographic. 'That means thousands of parents, regardless of their income, have access to vital services like regular check-ups, ultrasounds, screenings for complications, nutritional counseling, and maternity services at many of our community hospitals,' Rep. Andrea Valderrama said. 'Dangerous trend': Tillamook students are misusing Benadryl to get high, district says The bill passed the Oregon House with a 40-15 vote, allowing it to advance to the Senate. If approved there, it will head to Gov. Tina Kotek's desk for her to sign. By making it through the Oregon legislature, HB 2010 would ensure program coverage by extending the state's insurance and hospital assessments through 2032. 'While Congress debates cuts to Medicaid, Oregon is standing strong to protect OHP,' Rep. Lesly Muñoz said. 'Our state has led the way in making Medicaid work efficiently, ensuring healthcare access for 1.4 million people. Oregon won't back down when it comes to healthcare.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
