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Legislative Update |
March 2014 |
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Tax filing season is here and don't forget tax returns are due April 15th.
To learn more about filing state taxes click here.
To find out about federal tax return information click here.
*FYI - The Oregonian recently ran an interesting story about the state's tax system - click here to read the article. |
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STATE WEBSITE SURVEY |
As a member of the Electronic Government Portal Advisory Board, Representative Thatcher tracks how Oregonians feel about state websites. A new report reveals interesting data (click here).
A new survey by the E-portal program shows nearly 90% of Oregonians knew of Oregon.gov, the state's main webpage. Around 60% were looking for information and 40% conducting a transaction. 23% received services such as health insurance benefits. There's room for improvement. 36% found a telephone call was more convenient when contacting a state agency than using a website. (Click here for survey results) |
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STATE SERVICES UPDATE |
Historic Bridges
"Oregon's Historic Bridge Field Guide" has just been put out offering information on the 334 bridges of historical significance around the state and some little-known details about many of these structures. (Click here for more)
Kindergarten Assessment
How well are kindergarten programs doing in Oregon? A recent report shows some interesting results. (Click here for more).
Homeowner Assistance
Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) recently expanded two programs to help families struggling to pay their mortgages. Click here for more on Rebuilding American Homeownership Assistance. Click here for information about the Oregon Home Rescue Program. Contact OHCS at
1-877-788-2663 |
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OREGON LEGISLATURE LINKS | |
the Oregon Legislative Information System - OLIS at this link.
Rep Thatcher's webpage is at:
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There's a line from Shakespeare's Macbeth that pretty well describes the compressed 2014 Oregon Legislative Session: It was a "tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
In the days leading up to the short session, there was a lot of political noise and passion on a number of controversial topics. Everything from legalizing marijuana and privatizing liquor sales to resurrecting the idea of a new bridge over the Columbia River and enacting a sales tax rattled around the marbled halls of the Oregon State Capitol. By the time all was said and done in early March, none of those happened; which might be a good thing depending on one's perspective. More on the issues in a minute.
The session lasted 33 days, just short of the constitutional deadline. Some political observers tell Oregon taxpayers their wallets are safer once legislators leave the capitol. Others think the short 35 day session should be extended. Still others believe it needs to be eliminated entirely since pressing problems or budget issues can still be dealt with through emergency sessions. This is only the second time the legislature has met during even-numbered years after voters changed the state constitution for annual sessions in 2010; a change that I opposed for some of the very reasons we've seen this year.
Were many of the controversial proposals floated during this abbreviated session just to gain advantage in the upcoming election season? Were some of them rushed through without enough time to consider many of the consequences? Was there too much time spent on perennial controversies like gun control and illegal immigration and not enough time on more urgent matters like dealing with the Cover Oregon health insurance website mess, and housekeeping items such as adjustments to the state budget? These are questions that need to be considered.
It seems fitting with Spring arriving this week that a few gophers will start showing up. However, last month several of the "political" breed of this nuisance dug holes through good bills, and stubbornly popped up and caused problems in various committee rooms. I will mention only a few of the nuisance encounters I personally experienced.
First, there were new attempts to further restrict 2nd amendment rights by requiring background checks for all private gun transactions including many family members. The requirement sounds reasonable until one considers it more closely. Also, the intent of the legislation seems good - to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous criminals. However, I testified in opposition in part because there was no evidence to show this proposal would do anything to stop bad guys from hurting others (click here for a video link) but would instead ensnare good guys in regulatory traps. Thanks to thousands of Oregonians who contacted lawmakers, this proposal was defeated. For now.
Then there was an effort to manipulate the outcome of the upcoming election during which Oregonians will decide if they endorse the 2013 legislative measure granting driver cards to illegal immigrants. Late in February, a measure was pushed through the House Floor to circumvent the long standing process for writing ballot titles on referendums put forward by voters. This bill would have re-written a draft title from the Attorney General to spin the wording in favor of those who were proponents of the underlying issue to begin with. When I spoke out against this idea on the House Floor (click here to see the video) I made this important point: "Never has the legislature come in and meddled after the fact on a ballot title for a referendum."
One other item was a move in the state senate to dismantle the important new law I sponsored in 2011 to require ignition interlock devices for first time offenders undergoing diversion for drunk driving. A bill was rejected at the last minute which would have let offenders off the hook who get arrested with a blood alcohol content of .15 or less which is almost twice the legal limit. I believe we have not heard the last of this proposal.
Each legislator is allowed to sponsor two bills during these short sessions. I made one more attempt to require that Oregonians provide identification--when registering--in order to vote in state and local elections, just like is required in order to vote in federal elections. That was House Bill 4060. Unfortunately, once again, legislative leadership refused to even give this idea a hearing. So, we will continue to have thousands of people voting in Oregon in state and local elections each year without knowing if they are even truly eligible to vote. In addition thousands of these voters may not realize that their choices on federal ballots are being cast aside while costing taxpayers thousands of dollars a year for special handling of these ballots.
The second piece of legislation was House Bill 4059 to establish a new task force of some kind to review the various occupational business licenses issued by state agencies. While I was able to get a hearing on that proposal it did not go forward and I am convening my own ad-hock work group of regulatory and industry representatives.
I welcome your feedback on the various issues that came up during the recent session ( see comment section below) and look forward to working on these and other subjects in the months ahead as we prepare for the 2015 legislative session.
Sincerely,
P.S. Included in my monthly newsletter is information about various government programs paid for with your tax dollars that you may want to know more about. |
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2014 Session: Short List 
of New Laws Adopted
Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
Senate Bill 1531 lets cities and counties regulate or ban medical marijuana facilities until May 2015 if they adopt local ordinances before May 2014.
Gun Rights Legislation
House Bill 4068 is a measure Representative Thatcher sponsored for several years. It corrects an error in current law by allowing applicants with a single conviction for a small amount of marijuana --whether it occurred in Oregon or another state-- to apply for a Concealed Handgun License.
House Bill 4035 allows corrections officer employed by the state prison system to keep a firearm at work if the employer provides a secure location. If not they can keep it in their car while they're at work if it's locked in a container or glove box and if they have a Concealed Handgun License.
School Mascots
Senate Bill 1509 permits school boards to enter into agreements with Native American tribes for acceptable names and images of mascots and related conditions.
Dual High School & College Credits
Senate Bill 1574 clarifies that students in grades 9 through 12 can earn course credit for both high school and higher education at a public institution.
Protection for Vulnerable Oregonians
Senate Bill 1577 establishes "Silver Alerts" for vulnerable adults similar to the program for missing children feared to be in danger. This new law creates a public notification system for law enforcement to broadcast information about seniors with Alzheimer's Disease and other people with mental disabilities.
911 & Public Safety Revenue
House Bill 4055 closes a loophole which allowed around 143,000 prepaid cellular phones to escape payment of taxes which support 911 emergency services. Currently every cell phone and land line pays a 75 cent per month tax generating about $39 million a year. This new law will eventually increase revenue around $700,000 per year
Economic Development
Senate Bill 1563 increases the maximum amount of loans that Business Oregon can make to small businesses from the Entrepreneurial Development Loan Fund from $70,000 to $100,000.
House Bill 4078 helps resolve a major land use dispute in Washington County that involves the Metro government agency. This legislation allows local governments to expand the Urban Growth Boundary in order to meet the need for housing and industries to stimulate millions of dollars in economic development in the area. |
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Cover Oregon Legislation & Other Updates
Ongoing developments with the Cover Oregon Health Insurance Exchange continue to make headlines around the state. Despite receiving over $300 million in federal grant funding, the website is still not functioning for the public. And it is not expected to be operational before the March 31st deadline for most people to get health insurance or face financial penalties. Even though administrators for the new program assured lawmakers last fall that over 400,000 Oregonians were eligible to get subsidies or tax credits through this new system, as of this month only 145,000 have been enrolled, more than two-thirds signed up for the Oregon Health Plan and not private insurance. Questions continue to surface about whether the public corporation that runs Cover Oregon will be able to keep the program running because of enrollment figures and other factors.
The 2014 legislative session made a few positive changes related to Cover Oregon but there were several missed opportunities for significant reforms. Representative Thatcher serves on the Joint Legislative Audits and Information Management and Technology Committee which spends a lot of time on Cover Oregon issues. She also supported efforts by other lawmakers to request a federal GAO audit. |
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House Bill 4154 sets up a new transition program for around 3,000 individuals denied commercial insurance due to preexisting conditions who were formerly enrolled in the Oregon Medical Insurance Pool. Expands the power of Governor Kitzhaber to remove members of the Cover Oregon Board.
Senate Bill 1562 calls for the head of Cover Oregon to report back to the legislature this Spring on enrollment, funding and other updates. It also requires the results of any investigations or audits conducted by state agencies on Cover Oregon to be made available to the public.
House Bill 4122 puts into state law a practice many agencies already do - hire quality management services to oversee large IT projects. This may be more of a "feel good" bill because similar oversight was in place for Cover Oregon over the past couple of years and the red flags raised by contractors reviewing the program were ignored by state leaders.
Several reforms were proposed but not adopted which would have allowed Oregon to switch to the federal exchange and scrap the failed Cover Oregon website. Other suggested changes would have created an expedited process for the Secretary of State to audit Cover Oregon, established an IT accountability taskforce for large projects, required statewide elected officials and certain agency heads to get their health insurance through Cover Oregon, and prevented the Governor from firing the Cover Oregon Board in order to blame them for the all the problems.
Helpful information about the new health insurance changes:
Open enrollment for coverage continues through March 31st.
Cover Oregon will still try to assist those who want to sign up through their system. However, if you have to get coverage outside the Cover Oregon system before the end of the month the federal government may grant tax credits for individuals and small businesses that qualify.
If you want to buy health insurance from the private sector the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services provides some helpful information; click here.
Cover Oregon www.CoverOregon.com or call their Customer Service staff at
1-855-CoverOR (855-268-3767)
Questions about the Federal Affordable Care Act or call 1-877-696-6775. Also check out information at www.healthcare.gov/ |
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Small Business News 
Small Business Advocate
Oregon now has a special place for small businesses to go if they're having trouble navigating the sometimes choppy waters of state government. The new Office of Small Business Assistance opened recently, thanks in part to legislation spearheaded by Representative Thatcher in 2011.
Small businesses make up 98% of all Oregon companies and employ half the workforce. The Small Business Advocate works with businesses and state agencies to help resolve problems in licensing and other regulatory issues.
To contact the Office of Small Business Assistance call 844-469-5512, email business.sos@state.or.us or check out the website http://sos.oregon.gov/BusinessSOS
Small Business Development Centers
A new report was recently issued showing the positive impact the Small Business Development Center Network (OSBDCN) has on Oregon's economy. The OSBDCN just celebrated its 30 year anniversary and the 2013 Impact Report explains how the network helped open 266 new businesses in our state which created nearly a thousand new jobs.
There are 19 Small Business Development Centers around the state offering advice on just about every aspect of business development and growth. The one in Representative Thatcher's legislative district is located at Chemeketa Community College (click here).
To read the new report click here. For more information about OSBDCN call 541-463-5250 or go to their website at www.bizcenter.org. |
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Recognizing Special People
Korean War Vet from Keizer
Receives Medals
Representative Thatcher had the honor of introducing 82-year old Bob Robison from Keizer and his family on the House Floor last month (click here for video). Bob came to the capitol to receive a Purple Heart Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster and the Korean War Service Medal. 
Robison was wounded twice during combat in the Korean War while
serving in the US Army, but did not receive the medals before leaving the service. He has waited 62 years for this well-deserved recognition. The Purple Heart has a bronze oak leaf cluster attached to signify multiple injuries sustained during wartime.
Click here to see a video and here to see more photos of the medal award ceremony at the Capitol courtesy of the Oregon Military Department Public Affairs Office.
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 Advocate Fighting for Victims
of Drunk Driving Retires
Over the past several sessions, Representative Thatcher has had the privilege of working with Anne Pratt from Springfield on a number of new laws to combat drunk driving. Her 23-year old son Brian was killed by a drunk driver in 1998. After that Pratt, and her husband Bruce, came to the Capitol every year to change state laws so hopefully the same tragedy and heartache wouldn't happen to another family.
This year Pratt is retiring after working tirelessly for the past 14 years to enact a number of new laws related to DUII offenses including one on ignition interlocks sponsored by Representative Thatcher in 2011. For most of that time she was the Public Policy Liaison for Mothers Against Drunk Driving and served on the Governor's Advisory Council on DUII.
Representative Thatcher and other legislators acknowledged Pratt's accomplishments on the House floor during the recent session. Several lawmakers and public safety representatives attended a special ceremony held for Pratt at the capitol as well.
According to ODOT in 1998, the year Pratt's son died, the number of DUII fatalities was 280. In 2010 that had dropped to 107 alcohol related deaths. Click here to learn more about Pratt's recognition. |
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 Thoughts for Thatcher
Do you feel the short 35 day sessions held in even-numbered years should be extended by more days, reduced, stay the same or be eliminated all together? Why?
Click here to respond or email rep.kimthatcher@state.or.us
Feedback from last month's newsletter question:
What issues do you think are most important for state lawmakers to deal with during the 2014 Legislative Session?
Responses received:
- I'm once again writing to ask that you be tough on those that want to dilute our 2nd Amendment and for that matter, anything that puts more government fingers into our lives, like ObamaCare and even Cover Oregon.
- If only we could convince more people that things like the CRC that really benefits Washington residents more than Oregon residents, the slippery downhill slope toward total legalization of cannabis, a regressive sales tax, etc. are not good for our citizens. They all end up costing all the taxpayers more money.
- Our highest priority is jobs/economy. My neighbor the plumber says the regulation increase makes it extremely difficult to stay in business. EPA is out of control.
- My two thoughts for the upcoming session are to oppose any gun control issues and do whatever possible to curtail or eliminate the Cover Oregon/Obamacare monstrosity in our state, it will destroy our nation.
- The issues that I think need to be dealt with is the cost of government. Every two years the people of Oregon are asked to pay more, either in new taxes or different fees. I think that it is time that we push through a bill that reduces government spending by 10%. We as citizens of this state have to live within our means and our government should learn to do the same.
- The most important issue for 2014 is doing whatever we can to prevent further inroads by illegal aliens and do whatever we can to turn back the tide. If we don't get control of the illegal alien invasion, our state is further irreparably changed, diluting our culture, and destroying the respect for law.
- I do not know all the complications surrounding requiring illegals to register at DMV.
But, it seems that we hear of younger illegals causing deaths by erratic driving. I know they will be dealt with after the fact, but it seems they would be a lot more cautious if they know they have registered.
- Two primary concerns: 1) Cover Oregon Debacle - There needs to be consequences to those who caused this debacle, starting with our esteemed Governor. 2) The Columbia River Crossing, again our esteemed Governor is trying to push thru, even if Washington State is not onboard. This needs to be slammed dunked right into the Columbia.
- Tax Reform. I would love a 5% sales and 3-6% graduated income tax solution to insure revenue stability. Is this a non-partisan thing?
- Manger Mandatory Rotation. As a citizen and taxpayer, I would be in favor of the compensation for state managers reforms if it could include mandatory job rotation after say 6 years in a position a manager must be rotated.
- I think that we should stand up to the federal government and tell them to take Obamacare and stick it where the sun doesn't shine. We the people are getting very tired of having things rammed down our throats by government.
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If you want to contact Rep Thatcher's office you can send an email to: rep.kimthatcher@state.or.us or call 503.986.1425
Write to Rep Thatcher at:
900 Court Street NE
Salem, OR 97301
www.oregonlegislature.gov/thatcher
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