in other words
june20
2019
3
Salem Report
• HB 2658 Requires 60 days advance
notice before raising the price of a drug.
As we enter the last
Advance notice would give insurance
month of the 2019 Legisla-
companies time to switch to a more af-
tive session, things are mov-
fordable drug, putting pressure on drug
ing quickly, and many bills
companies to keep their prices down.
are moving through both
This bill was unanimously approved in
chambers. Recently the Ore-
the Senate, and I joined with the major-
gon House approved SB 1049, the PERS
ity in the House to approve this bill.
reform bill. As a state we have seen the
• HB 2935 Requires pharmacies to pro-
PERS unfunded liability balloon since
vide a prescription reader for a person
the recession. Employer contribution
who is visually impaired upon request.
rates have more than doubled in the last
For consumers to safely and effectively
decade, forcing government employers
manage their medication it is critical
to lay off staff and make program re-
they understand the types of medica-
ductions. Even in the best of times the
tions, recommended doses, duration, and
increase in required contributions to pay
side effects. Prescription drugs come
down the $27 billion unfunded liability
with labels and written information and
has led public employers to make pain-
instructions but reading and understand-
ful cuts. For school districts this has
ing those can be difficult for the visually
meant laying off teachers and cutting
impaired. HB 2935 was approved in the
school days and other critical services.
Senate and in the House.
I voted in favor of SB 1049 be-
• HB 2689 Would allow prescription
cause I believe it will help accomplish
The Oregon Department of
two important things. First, the bill in- Transportation held a Community Open drugs to be imported from Canada. Pre-
cludes system-wide cost savings that House June 18 in Rainier to discuss the scription drugs sold in Canada are much
will protect critical services and ensure East A Street Rail Improvement project. less expensive, typically 30% to 50%
long-term stability in our retirement sys- This project has been designed to en- cheaper, but sometimes as much as 80%
tem. Secondly, it will head off efforts to hance safety along the City of Rainier’s lower. While opponents have raised
make even deeper cuts to public employ- main street where the rail line operates safety concerns, Canadian standards are
on par with those of the United States.
ee benefits.
closely to vehicle traffic, pedestrians,
Vermont and Florida already import pre-
The bill is the result of years of and bikes.
scription medications from Canada and
legislative and actuarial analysis to de-
The project will create one-way
termine the best ways to reduce the costs roads on either side of the track, elimi- have had no drug quality issues. Wheth-
of PERS. These changes will reduce nating the asphalt road surface over the er this legislation will be successful
costs for public employers in a way that track and exposing the railroad ties and this session is unknown, although HB
is legally permissible, actuarially sound, aggregate base, called “day-lighting” the 2689 received a do-pass recommenda-
tion in the House Health Care Commit-
equitable, and system-wide.
track. Safety improvements will physi-
Thanks to the advocacy of pub- cally separate vehicles and pedestrians/ tee, it is now in Ways and Means. In or-
lic employees, this proposal was made bikes from the tracks and improve rail der to implement HB 2689, the Oregon
Health Authority would need to design
stronger, eliminating cuts to the Money crossing with new gates.
and implement a wholesale prescrip-
Match and ensuring there were both one-
At the same time, the City of
time and ongoing resources dedicated to Rainier will be upgrading and relocat- tion drug program, which would require
funding of about $1 million per bien-
paying down the unfunded liability.
ing the City’s utilities, adding off-street
One of those ongoing, new parking, and improving freight move- nium.
Recently I was honored to be
PERS revenue resources will be the net ments to Hwy 30.
named
a
Habitat for Humanity Oregon
proceeds from Oregon Lottery Sports
We are continuing to get feed- Legislative Champion. The recognition
Betting. This was a concept I introduced
back on the Personal Tax Kicker. Nearly comes in part for my advocacy of HB
in HB 2288 this session, and it was ad-
300 people have now contacted my of- 2285 which cleared up receivership is-
opted in full form as part of SB 1049.
fice or weighed in on social media about sues on derelict and abandoned homes,
The Oregon Lottery plans to legalize
this issue. The majority of respondents opening up the opportunity to trans-
sports betting before the 2019 NFL sea-
agree with my position which is that until form these so-called “zombie” houses
son starts and the program is estimated
there is a public vote to change the kick- into neighborhood-enhancing, safe and
to contribute tens of millions of dollars
er law, the kicker in its entirety should be healthy affordable homes. Habitat for
each year to reduce the cost of the PERS
returned to the taxpayers. Thank you all Humanity of Oregon announced the
program. I am proud to have found a
for weighing in on this issue.
launch of a national advocacy campaign,
means by which serious reductions in
This session we have taken aimed at improving home affordability
PERS costs will be realized without fur-
ther burdening our employers or public up several bills relating to prescription for 10 million people in the U.S. over the
drugs, in an effort to bring prices down, next five years.
employees.
Housing issues, specifically the
For too many years, Oregon and to help visually impaired individu-
lack
of
affordable housing, has been a
lawmakers have been unable to come als get a better understanding about their
focus this legislative session, and HB
up with a PERS reform solution, and I medication.
By Representative Brad Witt
believe inaction this session would have
caused a much worse result for public
employees and ultimately for communi-
ties across the state. Individuals and or-
ganizations are making very real threats
to put PERS reform on the ballot. One
threatened ballot measure would cre-
ate yet another retirement tier, denying
future employees access to a pension
entirely, and instead create a system
where their retirement comes entirely
in the form of a “defined-contribution”
or 401K-style program. If such a ballot
measure were to pass, it would mean
disastrous impacts on PERS, and public
employees.
Ultimately, I believe there will
be long-term benefits for our entire state
with this legislation, and I remain as
committed as ever to ensuring our pub-
lic employees are compensated in a way
which they deserve.
Publisher and Managing Editor
Scott Laird
503-367-0098
scott@vernoniasvoice.com
Contributors
Jamie Adams
Larry Boxman
Chip Bubl
Tobie Finzel
Jerry Keenon
Florence Lennox
Senator Jeff Merkley
Karen Miller
Shannon Romtvedt
Captain Will Steinweg
Representative Brad Witt
Photography
Scott Laird
Vernonia’s Voice is published
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2001 takes up this issue, with a proposal
to increase infill in established neighbor-
hoods. HB 2001 would require cities
with populations of 10,000 and less than
25,000 to permit the development of a
duplex on each lot in residential-zoned
areas that allow for detached single-
family homes. For cities with a popula-
tion greater or equal to 25,000 and each
county with a metropolitan service dis-
trict, HB 2001 would require the per-
mit of all middle housing types in these
same residential-zoned areas. The term
“middle housing” refers to duplexes, tri-
plexes, quadplexes, cottage clusters, and
townhouses.
Oregon currently lacks more
than 155,000 homes, mostly for middle-
and lower-income Oregonians. Every
continued on page 5
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