Latest news with #Kotek
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Newly-appointed public defense head mounts effort to stem Oregon's public defense pileup
The newly-appointed head of Oregon's Public Defense Commission announced on Monday an effort to stem Oregon's public defense crisis. (Ben Botkin/Oregon Capital Chronicle) When Gov. Tina Kotek fired the head of Oregon's embattled public defense commission in April, she gave its new director until June 1 to come up with a strategy to end the state's ongoing public defender shortage. On Monday, Interim Executive Director Ken Sanchagrin announced just that: A 12-month-long, seven-point plan by the agency that seeks to expand contracts with lawyers and nonprofits across the state, increase voluntary caseloads for available attorneys and onboard law students who can be supervised while providing a defense for those accused of crimes. The response marks the commission's first attempt at addressing the shortage since Kotek overhauled its leadership two months ago. It doesn't provide a timeline for exactly when the crisis should end, as Kotek requested in April, but Sanchagrin told reporters Monday that he estimates that counties most affected by the issue could see relief as early as mid-fall. 'We can make significant progress over the next 12 months, but I think that coming up with a date, as somebody who really lives in the data, that's not something that is really possible at this point,' he said during a Monday media briefing. 'Given the increases in filings, and then given also some of these new proposals that we've put out that may or may not also be impacted by some legislative decisions that are being made, that makes it extremely difficult.' A Kotek press secretary said Monday that the governor could respond to the news on Tuesday. The announcement drew immediate praise from critics of the public defense agency's prior approaches to solving the crisis. 'We need to honor the hard work of public defenders and provide the appropriate level of representation and service for indigent defense. This plan does that with enhanced capacity and recruitment,' said Sen. Anthony Broadman, D-Bend, in a statement Monday. 'We will continue to leverage the Legislature's accountability and oversight functions to ensure the agency has the tools to execute this plan and resolve the crisis.' The public defense commission is an independent body with power delegated by the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, designed with the goal of ensuring representation and defense counsel for all Oregonians. In April, it made headlines after Kotek fired its head leader and slammed the then-estimated number of Oregonians without representation for being at 4,000, which she had called 'unacceptable.' Oregon employs an array of centralized and deployable trial lawyers, public defenders, and nonprofit attorneys to help ensure that those who cannot afford an attorney are given proper defense, an obligation mandated by the U.S. and Oregon constitutions. The issue has long concerned officials, with a scathing 2019 study slamming Oregon's 'complex bureaucracy that collects a significant amount of indigent defense data, yet does not provide sufficient oversight or financial accountability.' As of June 2, 3,779 people lack public defenders, according to the state's dashboard, though Sanchagrin's letter said that the number was upwards of 4,400 as of May 2025. The majority of cases involve the six 'crisis' counties: Coos, Douglas, Jackson, Marion, Multnomah and Washington. Approaches in each of those localities will vary, but according to the plan, about 40% of an identified 176 attorneys with extra case capacity are based in these areas. 'What we're hoping to do is to proactively work with those individuals to identify who is willing and who has the ability to take additional cases above and beyond current…limits amongst those individuals,' Sanchagrin said. 'Then we can build that expectation into our contracts on the front end, which means it will be able to better predict and forecast what our case needs are going to be in a given area.' In a statement, the Oregon Judicial Department said it was 'encouraged by the urgency' demonstrated by Sanchagrin's plan. 'While we have not yet had the opportunity to fully review this detailed document, we support this step toward data-driven solutions and stand ready to assist the OPDC as needed to move forward,' wrote Chief Justice Meagan Flynn in a statement. Some of the plan's ability to be implemented will hinge on current legislative and budget discussions currently underway at the state level, Sanchagrin said. Currently the Legislature is still negotiating the commission's final budget and considering House Bill 2614, which would declare the public defense crisis an emergency and extend contract availability until July 2033. Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, helped lead the push in 2023 for legislation that allocated around $90 million to overhaul the public defense system. He told the Capital Chronicle on Monday that the plan represents the 'best opportunity we have for progress in sometime.' Citing ongoing negotiations, he declined to comment on the budget or the legislation but said 'we are giving them more than the baseline they need to be able to serve to succeed.' 'We've purposefully taken the long view that this whole session of recognizing that public defense must be integrated into all aspects and you need the entire system healthy,' he said. 'You can't just put money into one compartment and say, OK, somehow it's going to work out.' The amount of in-custody unrepresented individuals has sharply decreased since January — around 30%, according to the commission. Much of that reduction, it says, is because of the work of its trial division, which has taken over 2,200 cases and deploys across the state to assist in cases requiring multijurisdictional authority or high levels of expertise to put on a defense. Under the new plan, the trial division will seek out new counties and jurisdictions in which it can intervene in the crisis, said Aaron Jeffers, the division's chief deputy defender. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Governor signs ban on dangerous chemical used for decades in first responder jobs: 'Something has to change'
Oregon's governor, Tina Kotek, approved a ban on firefighting foam that contains forever chemicals. As Environment America reported, Kotek made Oregon the 16th state in the U.S. to ban perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, in firefighting missions. She signed Senate Bill 91 into law at the request of the state Senate Interim Committee on Energy and Environment. This firefighting foam ban is good news because experts have linked PFAS to many health and environmental issues. The ban will protect firefighters from toxic chemical exposure as they risk their lives to save others. These substances are called forever chemicals because they don't break down in the human body or in natural environments. Even small amounts of exposure to them can lead to serious health conditions, including cancer, birth defects, organ damage, and developmental delays. Fortunately, many states have been working to pass laws to reduce exposure to forever chemicals. Because of the growing body of research connecting PFAS to health risks, lawmakers have proposed banning them from hospital equipment and common household products. Meanwhile, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed a ban on a commonly used, toxic solvent called N-Methylpyrrolidone because of its health risks. As new laws are gradually implemented to keep forever chemicals out of everyday life, you can protect yourself by reading product labels and avoiding plastic products. For example, you can choose plastic-free alternatives for the products you use and support brands that use plastic-free packaging. The Statesman Journal reported state Rep. Courtney Neron as saying: "When our first responders are getting sick from the very tools meant to keep us safe, something has to change. Safer alternatives are already being used by the military, at Oregon airports and fire stations in numerous states across the country." Celeste Meiffren-Swango, state director of Environment Oregon, thanked Kotek and the Oregon legislature for eliminating PFAS-laden firefighting foam to protect firefighters. "Together, we can keep working to eliminate PFAS from consumer products and help build a cleaner, greener, safer future in Oregon," she said, per Environment America. Do you worry about having toxic forever chemicals in your home? Majorly Sometimes Not really I don't know enough about them Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Rolling up our sleeves': Gov. Kotek, Mayor Wilson unveil action plan to build more housing in Portland
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson are unveiling their plans to bolster housing development in the Rose City with a series of strategies, informed by a workgroup with multiple local stakeholders. This comes after the duo previously announced a plan to earlier this month. 'I believe in a vision for Oregon and for Portland where everyone can afford a home, where people can live in the places they want and still make ends meet at the end of the month,' Governor Kotek said. 'Rolling up our sleeves together like this is how we are going to make that happen. Thank you to Mayor Wilson for convening this workgroup with me and to the developers who shared their experiences to guide these actions.' Largest K-12 budget in Oregon history advances This past spring, Kotek and Wilson , which informed the leaders on recommendations to spur more multifamily housing construction. The workgroup members and attendees included multiple Portland City councilors, state housing officials, and people representing housing, construction and development organizations. One major focus in the slate of strategies is cutting down on the permitting process. 'Portland is open for business — for housing, for opportunity, and for a thriving future,' Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said. 'By expanding Self-Certification and investing in office-to-housing conversions, we are cutting red tape and accelerating the creation of much-needed homes for Portlanders.' Some of the initiatives being adopted as part of the effort to accelerate multifamily housing construction include streamlining the permitting process, as well as increasing the number of permits for developers, converting some office structures into housing and allowing more affordable housing to be built. The plan also includes Kotek sending staff from the state's Building Codes Division down to the Portland city level. They won't be replacing the city staff, but rather, working with them. She's also ordered a mutual aid agreement between the state and the city to share the workload in the plan review process. Kotek said they're focused on customer service. 'Our Building Codes Division staff will be helping the City of Portland achieve greater goals in the work that they're doing. It's going to bring down the cost of construction, because when you get through your permitting, faster time is money that's going to help build things — more effectively and more affordably,' Kotek said. As part of Wilson's plan to bring back and expand the city's Self-Certification program, experienced developers would be able to certify on their own that their plans meet building codes and regulations. Bypassing that review process should speed up construction. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Largest K-12 budget in Oregon history advances in state legislature
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – An Oregon legislative committee has approved a massive education bill that, if passed, could mark the largest K-12 school budget in state history. Senate Bill 5516 would dedicate $11.4 billion to the , which serves as the primary funding source for school districts to pay for their teachers, supplies, and maintenance. Portland has the worst housing crisis outlook, LendingTree finds 'It is our responsibility to make sure our schools are preparing Oregon's young people for their career and college pathway,' Sen. Janeen Sollman (D-Hillsboro) said. 'Increasing funding while providing clear expectations and ongoing oversight will help ensure our students and educators are getting the support they need.' The bill's advancement comes after for the 2025-27 biennium. In it, she requested more than $835 million in education — including a $600 million increase to the State School Fund to reach roughly $11.4 billion. This bill matches Kotek's recommendation. The funding, in addition to other school funds, could mean that Oregon's schools will gain 10.5% in funding over the next biennium, equating to $16.7 billion. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now It also comes as Oregon's schools face several roadblocks, such as and drops in and . 'For years I have been a strong proponent of fully funding our schools, but the data shows that our schools are not adequately meeting the needs of our kids,' Rep. Christine Drazan (R-Canby) said. 'We must reduce the regulatory burden on our schools and dramatically reform public education to give more options — and return more control — to the families of students who are not getting the education they deserve.' SB 5516 is now up for consideration by the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. If approved, it will advance to the Oregon House and Senate. Stay with KOIN 6 News as we continue to follow this story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Oregon sees a rise in eviction filings, but rent assistance programs are working
Worker Mike Friley removes a table during an eviction in the unincorporated community of Galloway on March 3, 2021 west of Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by) Oregon saw a record number of eviction filings in 2024, with most cases related to a tenant struggling to afford rent. There were nearly 27,300 evictions filed in 2024, and middle class families that previously were not considered rent-burdened are increasingly at risk of eviction, Sybil Hebb, the Oregon Law Center director of legislative and policy advocacy, told the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness on Wednesday. Oregon's rise in eviction filings is largely driven by high demand for housing and stagnant wages. As the housing crisis continues, housing advocates are urging lawmakers to maintain funding for rent assistance and legal aid programs, which they say are critical to keeping Oregonians housed. Gov. Tina Kotek, who declared a homelessness emergency on her first full day in office, has consistently prioritized solving the housing crisis. In her budget proposal in December, Kotek recommended the state allocate $173.2 million to maintain eviction prevention services to prevent Oregonians from becoming homeless in the first place. Oregon has the sixth most expensive housing cost index in the nation, according to Oregon Housing and Community Services. And one in four Oregon households spend more than 50% of their income on rent, leaving many renters vulnerable — particularly families with children and Black women — to eviction should they face unexpected emergencies, such as illness or a family crisis. 'The presence of a child in a home is the single greatest risk factor for eviction,' Hebb said. Oregon Gov. Kotek's $39.3 billion proposed budget has more for housing, homelessness, schools The average monthly eviction filings in 2024 was nearly 2,300. That number has risen to a monthly average of almost 2,400 eviction filings so far in 2025. 'I think that's a direct relationship to the cost burden that is increasing for folks,' Hebb said. While eviction filings have increased, not all evictions are carried out. Housing advocates say eviction cases are getting dismissed more often as people have more access to rental and legal assistance. In February, Hebb said tenants who could not afford their rent kept their housing in 91% of cases with help from a lawyer, in comparison to 51% of cases where tenants did not have legal representation. Kemp Shuey, executive director for Community Action in Washington County, urged lawmakers to support House Bill 5011, a budget bill for the Housing and Community Services Department that would allocate millions to housing stabilization programs like the ones he provides. Eviction prevention efforts from his organization have kept 91% of the 2,500 households he's served over the last two years housed. 'We know the need for this resource remains high for families in Washington County as the cost of basic needs rise faster than family incomes,' he told the committee. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
