Latest news with #OregonLaw
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Oregon lawmakers OK changes to landmark bottle redemption law amid concerns over homelessness, drugs
Oregon lawmakers approved changes to the state's landmark bottle redemption law on Wednesday, allowing redemption sites that some say have become magnets for drugs and homelessness to refuse returns of empty beverage containers during nighttime hours. The trailblazing law to reduce littering by incentivizing recycling helped cement the state's reputation as a leader in the emerging environmental movement. It has also become a financial security net for many, including those experiencing homelessness. The legislation was drafted in response to concerns that the nation's first 'bottle bill,' signed into law in 1971, needed an update to address its interplay with the dual fentanyl addiction and homelessness crises in Oregon. 'This bill is responsive to concerns from retailers both large and small, as well as some of our constituents," said Democratic state Rep. Mark Gamba, who carried the bill on the House floor, adding that it would 'help to create a balance in our redemption system while maintaining the program we all seek to protect.' The bill passed the state House with broad bipartisan support, 48-4. It previously passed the state Senate 28-1. Democratic state Rep. Pam Marsh, who was among the four representatives to vote against the bill, had previously voiced her opposition during a committee hearing last week. Marsh said she worries the bill will undermine access to bottle and can redemption sites for people 'who need to turn in cans and bottles for immediate return because they actually need those dimes and those quarters to buy dinner, to help pay rent, to take care of basic life needs." Consumers currently pay a 10-cent deposit on eligible beverage cans and bottles. They get that deposit back when returning them at stores or redemption centers, which can hand count containers or provide counting machines and drop-off areas. People can sign up for accounts in which their refunds are deposited or choose cash redemptions. The state's bottle drop program had over a million account holders last year, according to the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative, which operates the program on behalf of its distributor members. 'From its inception, Oregon's Bottle Bill has helped protect Oregon's ocean, beaches, roadsides and special places,' the cooperative said in its 2024 annual report, adding that hundreds of thousands of residents used redemptions 'to save for college or disability support and to save on groceries.' In recent years, however, some residents and store owners, particularly in Portland, have become frustrated with redemptions and what they describe as negative impacts on their neighborhoods and business operations. Currently, stores must accept container returns when they are open, and owners of all-night convenience stores, particularly in Portland, have expressed concerns about employee safety. The bill passed by lawmakers Wednesday would allow stores to across the state to refuse container returns after 8 p.m. In Portland, the bill would allow for alternative redemption sites, including possible mobile sites such as trucks that travel to different neighborhoods. Nonprofits would run the alternative sites for people who redeem containers every day, relieving the pressure on retailers, particularly downtown. Stores in an area with an alternative drop site could limit or refuse hand-counted returns, with convenience stores specifically allowed to stop them at 6 p.m. The proposal was supported by retailers and associations whose members include 'canners' and waste pickers who collect containers for income. In 2023, roughly 87% of eligible containers were returned for redemption, according to the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission. That was the highest rate in the nation that year, according to the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oregon Senate passes bill to ban sharing AI-generated ‘deepfake' porn
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Oregon Senate has unanimously passed a bill that will make it illegal to share AI-generated pornography 'deepfakes' online. 'Deepfaking' is a form of digital forgery that has been used to create realistic pornography of a person without their consent. Oregon currently has a loophole in its revenge porn law that does not address AI images or videos. Man who killed himself after police standoff in Oregon City was former Canby police sergeant Rep. Annessa Hartman (D-Gladstone) said House Bill 2299 aims to close that gap. 'As a mom of two girls, the idea that someone could use AI to create fake, explicit images of a child—or anyone—and face no consequences is horrifying,' Rep. Hartman said. 'This bill fixes that. It ensures our laws reflect the reality of what victims are facing today and gives them a real path to justice.' According to a survey conducted by Thorn, one in eight 13 to 20-year-olds knows someone who has been the target of AI-generated deepfakes. 1 animal euthanized, others relocated after warrants served at Oregon Coast safari park The bill came from a Forest Grove parent who reached out to the office of Rep. Susan McLain (D-Forest Grove) to express their concern over the trend. 'I was moved to find a solution after hearing from my constituent about the toxic and bullying environment these images are creating in our schools,' Rep. McLain said. 'This parent took the initiative to ask for help on a very real problem, and in doing so, they inspired action to stop this issue from growing unchecked.' The bill now heads to Gov. Tina Kotek's desk and will await her signature. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Yahoo
Madras street fight ends in man shot, killed by police
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A man is dead after he was shot by police Thursday evening during a call involving a reported street fight in Madras, officials said. Authorities responded to Highway 97 in the southern part of the city just before 5:30 p.m. and encountered 26-year-old Allen Dale Warner, Jr. Sunriver woman who allegedly forced child to eat vomit arrested along with her parents Within a half hour, Warner was declared dead, according to the Jefferson County DA. 'It appears Mr. Warner died after police used deadly force upon him at approximately 5:55 p.m.,' the DA office said. 'Under Oregon Law and local protocols, a death caused by law enforcement is seriously and meticulously investigated.' Man arrested in death of woman found in suitcase on Sauvie Island Details of how the incident led to the officer-involved shooting are unclear. An investigation is ongoing. The departments that were on the scene of the shooting include the Redmond, Bend and Prineville police departments, Oregon State Police, and the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office. 'Upon completion of the investigation, it will be reviewed by the Jefferson District Attorney who is charged with the duty of reviewing the lawfulness of police use of deadly physical force under Oregon law,' according to the DA's office. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
