community news
Salem Update
By State Representative Brad Witt
There’s scarcely
a week that goes
by that we do not
read about some
incident involving
cyber bullying,
“sexting,” or other
transmissions of
images and remarks that are devastating,
even life changing, to the object of these
postings. You may recall that several
teenage girls were seriously affected
by such events in the Clatskanie area
a couple of years ago. Recently the
legislature passed SB 188, which creates
a crime of unlawful dissemination of an
intimate image. The bill came at the
request of the Attorney General and a
work group comprised of all segments
of the legal community.
Our laws clearly needed to be
updated to reflect new technologies
that can be used to harass and humiliate
unsuspecting victims. The consequences
will be substantial, with the first offense
subject to a maximum of one year’s
imprisonment, $6,250 fine, or both.
Subsequent offenses may garner up to 5
years in prison and/or a $125,000 fine.
Another bill, SB 919, introduced
at the request of our own Senator Betsy
Johnson, amends the disorderly conduct
statute and elevates the penalties for
those who falsely report hazardous
substance, fire, explosion, catastrophe or
other threats of emergency in all public
buildings and court facilities to a Class
A Misdemeanor for a first offense, and
to a Class C Felony for each subsequent
offense. It also elevates the penalty if the
location of the false report is a school.
We have had a number of
such incidents in Columbia County,
with three bomb threats called into the
Columbia County Courthouse in the
space of 6 months last year. St. Helens
High School experienced a similar threat
in September 2014, and Scappoose in
February of this year. Thankfully, they
were all hoaxes, but going forward,
perpetrators when apprehended will be
subject to enhanced penalties, the same
as those described above involving
cyber offenses.
On a happier note, HB 3014
passed the House and will give
grandparents some reason for optimism
when it comes to visitation rights
with their grandchildren. Currently,
grandparents may be excluded from
notice and visitation provisions if the
parental rights of the parents have been
july2
2015
terminated. Termination is perhaps the
most serious consequence of failure to
parent appropriately, and in those cases,
the grandparents may be the only source
of stability that the children have. This
bill ensures that grandparents have the
right to notice and visitation even if the
parents are no longer in the picture.
SB 79A requires school
districts to provide instruction in
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
and the use of external defibrillators
(AEDs). In 2010, the legislature
required all schools to have AEDs
on their premises and I know that
many schools have at least one adult
on site who knows how to use them.
Beginning with the 2015-16 school
year, as a part of the health education
or PE curriculum, school districts will
be required to provide instruction to
students in grades seven through twelve.
This will include hands-on CPR and
how to use an AED based on nationally
recognized
emergency
cardiac
guidelines. This is very exciting when
we take into consideration that every
year about 45,000 students graduate
from high school and move into the
general population. Having that many
more people versed in these life-saving
techniques is truly a wonderful prospect.
I’m glad to hear from people
all over our district that are genuinely
interested in what is happening in Salem,
especially what has happened since the
inauguration of our new Governor, Kate
Brown. I think it is fair to say that she
has taken hold of the reins of government
and is moving forward with her own
policies and programs. Evidence of this
can be found in her legislative agenda,
which includes a package of ethics
reform measures: HB 2020, HB 2019,
and SB 9. These bills respond to the
many Oregonians who have demanded
clearly defined regulations for those
within the Executive Branch, as well as
revised procedures regarding requests
for public records.
The House passed HB 2020,
which formally defines “first partner”
as the spouse or domestic partner of the
Governor, and it requires the Oregon
Government Ethics Commission to
determine those definitions by rule.
SB 2019 expands the Oregon
Government Ethics Commission from
seven to nine members and shortens the
preliminary review period for an ethics
complaint from the current maximum
135 days to 30 days. It should not take
more than 4 months to determine if there
is cause for further investigation.
SB 9 asks the Secretary of
State to conduct a performance audit
to examine state agency retention and
disclosure policies when it comes to
requests for public records. This should
provide some clarification for both the
agency and the public as to what is
exempt, what is a reasonable fee, and
what should be considered a timely
response to these requests.
This leads us to the Governor’s
next initiative, which calls for a study
on campaign finance limits. Oregon is
the only state in the nine western state
region with no limits on campaign
contributions. As Gov. Brown states, “No
one should be able to buy a megaphone
so big it drowns out every other voice.
It’s time to reopen conversations about
reasonable campaign limits in Oregon.”
As a result, she has asked for the creation
of a task force, with representation
from all stakeholders and chaired by
Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins, to
deliver recommendations by the end of
the year.
The Governor’s push for
transparency and accountability has
resonated well with her constituents.
A recent survey reported a statewide
approval rating of 55%. So, when
people ask me, “How’s Kate doing,” I
think it is safe to say that Oregonians
appreciate her efforts to reinforce the
reputation that Oregon has for clean
government. In partnership with the
Legislature, she is working to restore
faith in public service and to make sure
that those who follow her will have clear
directions as to what Oregonians expect
of their elected officials.
Two more bills of interest
continued on page 13
Publisher and Managing Editor
Scott Laird
503-367-0098
scott@vernoniasvoice.com
Contributors
Britt Bensen Steele
Michal Smith
Grant Williams
Representative Brad Witt
Photography
Scott Laird
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Nominations Wanted For
“Citizen of the Year”
The Vernonia Friendship Jamboree and Logging Show
Committee is seeking nominations ”or “Citizen o” the Year” to be
recognized at the 2015 Jamboree celebration on August 7-9.
I” you know someone who deserves recognition ”or their
contributions to the Vernonia community please ”ill out this
nomination ”orm and drop it o”” in the box at Vernonia City Hall
by July 10, 2015.
My nomination ”or 2015 Jamboree Citizen o” the Year is:
____________________________________________
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