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PARTIES Some calling for annual sessions Continued from page A1 else for Democrats and Republicans to quibble over. GOP lawmakers complain that the even-year sessions have become unruly, with consequential new laws pushed through with inade- quate time for the public to have its say. The next of these maligned “short sessions” begins Feb. 3. Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, who leads Democrats in the Senate, told reporters last week that short sessions are intended “primar- ily for budget issues.” Legislators write the state’s two-year budget during its longer sessions, then use the even years in between for touch-ups. But in her next breath, Burdick said the session is also time to address issues of an “urgent nature,” such as reducing the state’s emissions. A similar proposal stalled last session after Senate Republicans fled the state. During the 2016 short ses- sion, for example, lawmakers raised the minimum wage, in- tended to stave off a potential ballot measure that Burdick said wouldn’t have been as carefully crafted. “I think you’re always going to have that tension, you know, what is an emergency?” she said. “What is urgent?” With a plan to enforce emis- sions restrictions on green- house gases expected to domi- nate the session, Republican lawmakers have complained that the public won’t have time to give input as the legis- lation is shepherded through the House and Senate with a tight 35-day deadline. Democrats counter that time is running out to tackle climate change and that ballot measures on the horizon, pushed by environmental groups, mean lawmakers should use the session to craft a more careful plan. Some lawmakers say the short session isn’t used as intended. Sen. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, has proposed doing away with it altogether. “Ever since it was instituted, as I live through each of these short sessions, I think, ‘Wow, this is not what was sold to the voters,’” Thatcher said. “I think it needs to be reevaluated as to whether it’s working or not and make some changes.” Thatcher’s proposal— Senate Joint Resolution 202— would eliminate the short session but keep the current 160-day limit on regular ses- sions in odd-numbered years. Lawmakers could extend that session by five days at a time by a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber. “I would even say that (reg- ular sessions) could be made a little shorter,” Thatcher said. While proposing to get rid of the short session, Thatcher said she also is open to looking at ways of limiting what could be done in a short session. She thinks that could restore the short session to what she believes lawmakers intended. What’s particularly frustrat- ing, according to Thatcher, is that the Legislature can call itself into special session for emergencies and budget fixes anyway. She recalls special sessions between her election to the House in 2004 and when the short session was implemented first in 2010. The short session’s archi- tect, Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, wasn’t available to comment on his creation. (Courtney was absent for a week of meetings lawmakers held at the Capitol Jan. 13-17 due to hospitaliza- tion for a hip injury). Previously, Courtney said one session every other year was not enough to complete lawmakers’ work. “Society is so dynamic Wednesday, January 29, 2020 A5 The Dalles Chronicle TheDallesChronicle.com and so diverse,” he told The Oregonian in 2010. “There are so many more people than when they first designed this structure that it cannot respond the way it should.” The Legislature held record-length sessions in 2003 and 2005, followed by a special session in 2006. The saga renewed interest in annual sessions. In 2006, a nonpartisan citizens’ commission recom- mended that the Legislature move to annual sessions to better attend to the state’s business. Two years later, the Legislature held a special ses- sion that was billed as a test run for a permanent annual session. During the 19-day session, lawmakers adjusted budgets, approved bonds for an arena at the University of Oregon and tightened toy safety. But other key proposals didn’t advance, including help for distressed home- owners and changing the handling of teacher mis- conduct. Some lawmakers complained that the session was too short to accomplish all that should have been addressed. Then, in 2010, lawmakers referred the issue to voters with what The Register- Guard described as “scornful opposition from minority Republicans.” Later that year, voters approved the change. In the pamphlet distrib- uted to Oregon voters in November 2010, unions ar- gued that an annual session would allow lawmakers to better respond to economic issues as the state recovered from the 2008 recession. A group of bipartisan lawmakers argued that an annual session would im- prove government efficiency and responsiveness. “Since 1999, the Legislature has had to call eight special sessions to resolve urgent issues that couldn’t wait,” they wrote in the Voter’s Pamphlet. “This is an ineffective and inefficient way of doing the people’s business. Oregonians de- serve better.” Proponents said annual meetings of the Legislature would save taxpayer money by cutting down on lengthy sessions in odd-numbered years. There was no organized opposition to the ballot mea- sure, but Sen. Brian Boquist was a vocal critic. In a recent interview, the Dallas Republican said that voters were told the session would be used for budget adjustments and technical fixes to laws. Boquist still opposes the way the short session is structured. He said that the session’s schedule requires bills to clear hurdles during the first week, which cuts off opportunities for public par- ticipation. Boquist said that’s particularly problematic for complex legislation, such as the plan to enforce emissions caps. He also attributed the short session to growing animosity in the Capitol. (Boquist made national headlines last year for threats against state police and now must give Capitol admin- istrators 12 hours’ notice before entering the building). Having a legislative session every other year gave law- makers a chance to cool off after a confrontation, Boquist said, but the Legislature is now essentially full time and lawmakers struggle to hold down jobs while being responsive to Salem. “We have created this beast that is not capable of supporting itself,” he said. But instead of abolishing the short session, Boquist said that Oregon should have a longer session in even years, similar to Washington. Oregon Bureau reporters Jake Thomas and Sam Stites contributed to this report. Students to sing in New York Six local students from the Lutz Music Studio, taught by Shawn Lutz, have been selected as finalists for the Honors Performance Series Honors Choir and Young Adult Honors Choir. They will be heading to New York City this week and will be under the direction of world renowned choral conduc- tors. Along with other stu- dents from across the globe, they will be performing in one of the most famous con- cert halls—Carnegie Hall. Nominated by the vocal instructor, they have been selected from among thou- sands of students who were also nominated by their teachers. The students ar- rive in NYC and will spend three full days in rehearsals, see a Broadway musical, and attend a dinner cruise by the Statue Of Liberty and the skyline of New York. The culmination of this trip is an experience they will never forget...singing in Carnegie Hall. Lutz was also selected as a chaperon for this event and will be chaperoning fifteen high school students from across Six voice students of Shawn Lutz’s Lutz Music Studio were nominated and selected to be finalists in the Honors Performance Series Honors Choir. Pictured above are, left to right, front row, Alex Rector, Savannah Ezelle and Zora Richardson. Back row, Shawn Lutz, Noah Holloran, Jacob Vallie and Tayor Beeks. Contributed photo and talented in their own the nation. The students selected this right and are looking forward to the opportunity. year are Alex Rector, Noah Holloran, Jacob Vallie, Taylor Beeks, Zora Richardson and Savannah Ezelle. The students must have all of their music rehearsed and memorized before arriving in New York. All of these students are musically skilled The event is put on by Honors Performance Series/ WorldStride. OBITUARIES DEATHS Maurice Odeal Mallonee, 96, a resident of The Dalles, Ore., died Jan. 23, 2020. The family is plan- ning services to be held at a later date; information will be posted on the Spencer, Libby & Powell website once plans are finalized. Ronald Herbert Reynier, Sr., 95, died Jan. 21, 2020, at Brookside Manor in Hood River, Ore. He was born Dec. 4, 1924, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Arrangements under the direction of Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River. Visit www. AndersonsTributeCenter. com to leave a note of con- dolence for the family. James Ishizaka, 86, died Jan. 25, 2020, at the Mid-Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles, Ore. He was born April 2, 1933. Arrangements under the direction of Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Ore. Visit www. AndersonsTributeCenter. com to leave a note of con- dolence for the family. Marjorie Thompson, 95, died Monday, Jan. 24, 2020. She was born in Portland, Oregon, and grew up in Hood River, Ore. Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River. Visit www. AndersonsTributeCenter. com to leave a note of condo- lence for the family. George Lee Williams II, 66, died Dec. 30, 2019, at his home in Hood River, Ore. He was born Aug. 23, 1953. A celebration of his life will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, at the Hood River Alliance Church, 2650 Montello Ave., Hood River. Arrangements under the direction of Anderson’s Tribute Center, 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River. Visit www. AndersonsTributeCenter. com to leave a note of condo- lence for the family. Karen E Slaughter, 83, a resident of The Dalles, Ore., died Jan. 27, 2020. Private family services will be held. Spencer, Libby & Powell Funeral Home in care of arrangements. without ODFW gathering data through GPS collaring. Rosenberg added that Data also helps removing carcasses from the identify conflicts roadside minimizes waste and protects scavengers from Continued from page A1 also being hit later. “A lot of our eagles that get Checking a deer for CWD hit on the road are hit while requires biologists to remove scavenging, so a lot of that a lymph node at the base of volume is being taken out to the skull. For elk, the lymph be consumed by humans,” Rosenberg said. node is taken alongside Thompson and Rosenberg “something called the obex, which is basically the base of said the annual movement patterns of blacktail and the brainstem,” Rosenberg mule deer affect how likely said. they are to be hit. Mule deer Thompson said permit- become more concentrated ting roadkill harvest has at lower elevations during also given ODFW data on where animals are being hit the winter and blacktails tend to be hit most during frequently. “There’s a massive move- their breeding cycle, they said. ment throughout the west Of the 18 deer salvaged at identifying movement locally, Rosenberg had good corridors and potential conflict zones on highways,” news for hunters. “Most of them were Thompson said. He said younger deer. Not very many the roadkill salvage data helps identify “critical pinch mature bucks—I think only points” where wildlife cross- one that I can remember,” Rosenberg said. ing structures are needed “I’ve already prearranged” You’ll be happy to know that your plan and wishes are transferable and the price you paid is honored at either locations. 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