East Oregonian
A4
Saturday, July 6, 2019
CHRISTOPHER RUSH
Publisher
KATHRYN B. BROWN
Owner
ANDREW CUTLER
Editor
WYATT HAUPT JR.
News Editor
JADE McDOWELL
Hermiston Editor
Founded October 16, 1875
OUR VIEW
Tip of the Hat,
kick in the pants
L
egislative success can often
be hard to come by the, but a
tip of the hat to Oregon law-
makers for approving a bill that fun-
nels more than $1 million to the edu-
cation department for FFA programs.
The legislation, House Bill 2444,
secured a 27-0 vote in the Senate last
week and it will furnish $1.43 mil-
lion to help fuel enrollment, leadership
development and coordinate statewide
competitions.
Most notably the funds will elimi-
nate fees to join at FFA program, often
an obstacle for some who can’t afford,
but want to join, a local FFA program.
There are almost 7,000 students
already enrolled in the Oregon FFA.
JD Cant, co-chair for Advocacy with
the Oregon Agriculture Teacher’s
Association, said the funding could
help as many as 5,000 additional stu-
dents, who already take agriculture
classes, become enrolled in the intra-
curricular program.
This time lawmakers made the
right decision and should be lauded for
pushing through this important legis-
lation. FFA programs provide a much-
needed — and in some places — and
necessary addition to regular school
curriculum.
A kick in the pants to Gov. Kate
Brown for threatening to use her pow-
ers as the state’s chief executive to
revive the failed state climate bill. The
controversy of the bill sent Republi-
can lawmakers fleeing the capital last
month and sparked a series of protests
in Salem. The governor needs to stop
the threats and let the climate bill die.
A tip of the hat to all of those who
helped support Pendleton’s Fourth
of July Parade. The downtown cor-
ridor was covered with red, white and
blue and the parade was a triumph.
While all the volunteers that helped
make the parade possible deserve
praise, the local Veterans of Foreign
Wars Post 922 spearheaded the event.
The big thank you goes out to the
VFW post.
A kick in the pants to Lexington
AP Photo/Andrew Selsky
House Bill 2444, relating to agricultural education, flew through the Senate on June 30 by
a 27-0 vote. The bill appropriates $1.43 million to the Oregon Department of Education for
FFA to provide financing for enrollment, leadership development and the coordination of 24
state-level competitions.
elected city leaders for being unable
to pass a budget before the end of the
fiscal year, which forced the town’s
government to close. The city council
was scheduled to pass its 2019-20 bud-
get last week but only one city coun-
cilor showed up. A meeting will occur
Tuesday at the Lexington City Hall
where the issue will be discussed.
The city’s elected and appointed
leadership can surely do better than
this. They need to pass a budget and
then get on with other important
business.
A tip of the hat to the Pendleton
City Council for its idea to seek input
from residents about the best way
to raise money for city road renova-
tions. The council plans to hold pub-
lic meetings and other presentations
to gather feedback. The idea is a good
one. Elected leaders can’t go wrong if
they actively seek out information and
input from voters.
OTHER VIEWS
Oregon Constitution
disapproves of walkouts
to deny quorum
B
efore the dust settles on this
won’t be effective in future walkouts. For
just-completed legislative session,
one thing, it’s not their job, and to mount
we need to debunk a false narrative a concerted search for AWOL mem-
bers would detract from their mission of
about the Senate Republicans’ two walk-
outs that disrupted legislative business.
public safety. For another, members can
In his press conference
evade the state police by leaving the
last Friday, Sen. Herman
state. Sen. Brian Boquist introduced
Baertschiger Jr. claimed
a chilling new reason not to send
the walkouts were a legit-
OSP to compel absent members
imate legislative strategy
last month when he threatened any-
one who tried to bring him in. We
authorized in the Oregon
should not ask troopers to put their
constitution.
“The founders put (the)
lives in danger just to enforce the
quorum in there for this very
constitution’s quorum requirement.
L ane
reason when you get a super
A better answer would be to
S hetterLy
majority,” he said. “By deny-
amend the constitution to include
COMMENT
ing quorum, you force par-
automatic penalties for those who,
ties to come back together.”
for whatever reason, would be
That’s not true. In fact, the constitu-
absent without an excuse during a legisla-
tion pointedly disapproves of a walkout to tive session. This could include fines that
escalate on a daily basis, with an ultimate
deny a quorum.
The quorum requirement is found in
penalty of expulsion after so many days
Article IV, section 12:
of unexcused absence.
“Two thirds of each house shall con-
Such an amendment would ensure that
stitute a quorum to do business, but a
the walk-out does not become normalized
smaller number may meet; adjourn from
as a legislative strategy. We can’t allow
day to day, and compel the attendance of
that to happen.
absent members.”
For those concerned about protecting
This says two things about a quorum.
a minority from an oppressive majority,
First, two-thirds of each House consti-
there are already protections in place. Tax
tutes a quorum to do business. Second, if
measures require a three-fifths super-ma-
there isn’t a quorum, those members pres- jority. With divided government, each
ent can “compel the attendance of absent
chamber can limit the other and the gov-
ernor can control both with the veto. Ore-
members.”
gon has the referendum and initiative, by
Webster’s dictionary says “compel”
means “to impel or force to appear.”
which actions of the legislature can be put
Compel does not mean to sit and wait,
to a vote of the people. There is recourse
plead or negotiate. Nothing in this con-
to the courts. And there is always the bal-
lot box, where voters can throw out a
stitutional provision suggests the found-
ers “put (the) quorum in there” to give
party that has acted against their interest.
any faction of the Legislature the right to
Of all the Constitution’s protections
deny a quorum for any purpose.
for the minority, walking out on the job is
It’s important to note that both par-
not one of them. No, in fact, the opposite:
ties have used the walkout as a legisla-
By allowing members to be “compelled”
tive strategy. When I was speaker pro
to attend, the Constitution places high-
est priority on members being present to
tem of the Republican-controlled Oregon
House in 2001, it was the Democrats who do the work for which they were elected.
If our system lacks meaningful tools to
left town to deny us a quorum to enact a
enforce that expectation, we should put
redistricting plan. House Speaker Mark
Simmons and I signed summonses direct- them in place.
ing the Oregon State Police to bring in the
———
absent members.
Lane Shetterly is a former Republican
As in this past session, the OSP were
member of the Oregon House of Represen-
tatives. He served as speaker pro tem of
not effective in compelling the miss-
ing members to return in 2001. And they
the House from 2001 to 2004.
Unsigned editorials are the opinion of
the East Oregonian editorial board. Other
columns, letters and cartoons on this page
express the opinions of the authors and not
necessarily that of the East Oregonian.
YOUR VIEWS
Border conditions a subject
of disagreement
I was at the town hall that Greg Walden
hosted in Athena on Sunday and, to say the
least, I am aghast at how he distorted con-
ditions on the border. He let on like there
are no issues with the housing of the immi-
grants from South America, yet when peo-
ple like Ron Wyden and Alexia Oasia-Cor-
tez talk about conditions down there, they
are awful. Even the people who treat the
migrants say that conditions are bad.
No one in America should have to sleep
on the floor covered up with a space blan-
ket, yet you can see pictures every day of
children laying on the floor covered with
a space blanket and trying to sleep. Per-
haps Representative Walden should go
with Senators Merkley and Wyden and see
first-hand what a horrendous situation it
is down there, instead of listening to No.
45 tweet about how wonderful it is down
there.
Barbara Wright
Pendleton
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Pendleton, OR 97801