Legislative Update

May 2011

IN THIS ISSUE

Bills of Interest

Honorary Pages

Thoughts for Thatcher

IMPORTANT LINKS

You Can Make a Difrerence in the Oregon Legislature

The deadline has passed for most bills coming from the Oregon House to be adopted and sent to the Senate and vice versa. Hundreds of bills are now making their way through the process and I encourage you to contact your local legislator if you want to weigh in to support or oppose a particular issue.

The new state budget continues to dominate discussions at the Capitol and as a member of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means I will be voting on all the various budget items as they move forward. The new revenue forecast will come out May 12th and that should give us our last update on the budget situation before the legislature adjourns at the end of June.

One significant step has been adoption of the budget for K-12 schools, the first time in 15 years lawmakers have approved this budget early in the session, giving local districts the information they need to adjust their funding needs for the next two years. The legislature has approved more money than was included in the Governor's budget for schools and we might be able to add more money when the legislature comes into session in 2012. 

In addition to work on the state budget, I have been very busy with a number of policy bills (see below). Many of you have asked about immigration issues. None of the bills I introduced this year to crack down on illegal immigration made progress. However, other bills in the Oregon Senate to grant in-state tuition to illegal immigrant students and grant drivers' licenses to people without proper legal status have gained traction. It has been discouraging but I am not ready to give up on efforts to sensibly address illegal immigration in Oregon. 

Sincerely,

Rep Thatcher Bills of Interest

Good Government

The integrity of Oregon's voter registration system rests with the House Rules Committee. Rep Thatcher has proposed amendments to House Bill 2804 which would require people registering to vote in Oregon for the first time to provide identification. This would put in state law the same requirements now in federal law. Please help get this bill adopted by contacting members of the House Rules Committee.

The Oregon House recently approved a bill sponsored by Rep Thatcher to allow Oregon State Parks to seek corporate sponsorships and other private donations. House Bill 2778 is now waiting for action in the Senate.

A couple of bills to increase citizens access to information about state government programs and budgets have been adopted unanimously by the House and need movement in the Senate. These transparency measures include House Bill 2788 and House Bill 2825. 

Public Safety

House Bill 3204, passed by the House this week, closes a loophole in Oregon law for those who are required to register as sex offenders. Under current law if a sex offender moves to another state but still works or goes to college in Oregon they don't have to register here. This bill requires registration for those individuals.

The legislation to require ignition interlock devices for drunk drivers on diversion is now

in the hands of the legislature's budget committee. Rep Thatcher would like you to write members of the Joint Committee on Ways & Means urging them to support House Bill 3075. 

2nd Amendment Rights 

A measure which would remove the Oregon State Police as the "middle man" for conducting gun background checks and instead go directly to the federal government was voted out of the House Judiciary Committee. It is now in the hands of the legislature's budget committee. Not only would the federal government do the checks without a fee but in the long run the state bureaucracy could potentially save millions of dollars. Again, you are urged to contact members of the Joint Ways and Means Committee and encourage them to move House Bill 2791 as soon as possible.  

Three other bills to help Oregon gun owners are now in jeopardy in a senate committee. They include House Bill 2787, Concealed Handgun License (CHL) privacy, House Bill 2792, recognizing other states CHLs, and House Bill 2797 to clarify the laws to carry firearms on motorcycles, ATVs and snowmobiles. Senator Doug Whitsett wrote a great summary of what's going on with these bills. Please ask members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to pass these three bills without major changes.  

Education

Both of Rep Thatcher's bills to improve our schools in Oregon are now sitting in the budget committee. House Bill 2280 would enhance the ability to audit school districts similar to the recent follow-up audit on the Willamette Education Service District. House Bill 2286 would help school districts deal with number of students dropping out of high school.   

Know a Student Who Wants to be a Page?

The legislature offers a great opportunity for students who are 12 and older to be a "page for a day". Click here for more information or contact the Page Coordinator at 503.986.1882

Thoughts for Thatcher

What should the Oregon Legislature do this year to encourage job creation in the private sector and help the economy recover? 

Click here to respond or email rep.kimthatcher@state.or.us

Feedback from last newsletter question

Should Oregon's public colleges and universities offer in-state tuition for illegal immigrant students?

Responses received:

• Under no circumstances should the State of Oregon & its colleges or universities offer any type of financial help to illegals, or even allow them to enroll in our institutions of higher learning.
  
• Many of us are stretched more and more and I want the illegals to come into our country the legal way and NOT get these extra "perks".
  
• Yes they should only need to pay in state tuition. It is not the children's fault their parents are illegal.
  
• Oregon tax payers continue to subsidize illegals in many areas of social and educational needs. Oregon taxpayers need your representation to stop the support of illegals receiving funding that should be going to Oregon citizens.
  
• No, I absolutely do not think illegal immigrants should receive any subsidy until they go back over the border & come to the United States legally and become U.S. citizens. This is ludicrous. 
  
• If the State has the revenue to provide for secondary education for illegals, then there's adequate resources to properly fund K through 12.
  
• As a matter of fact I think that illegals should be sent back to their own countries and not allowed to attend our colleges until they come back in legally.  My own grandchildren should get a chance to go to college before any illegal does.
  
• Out of state tuition is higher because they have not contributed to the tax base so we do not subsidize outside education.  Same goes for Illegal.
  
• They are breaking the law by being in Oregon and the USA in the first place. This is not fair to the residents of Oregon who work jobs to pay for college and stay in Oregon to afford college. 
  
• If businesses and corporations continue to enjoy cheaper labor provided by illegal immigrants without interference from the State or Federal government, then yes, the in-state tuition should apply to illegal immigrant students.
  
• What part of illegal do the people at the capitol do not understand? Illegal is wrong. It is against the law.
  
• Absolutely not. First of all they are "illegal". Secondly, it is not fair to the students who are citizens of this country that pay out of state tuition.
  
• No that should be reserved for citizens, why waste money on persons that will not be legal to work after they graduate?
  
• Why on earth would we provide a benefit to someone who is not even a USA citizens when someone in the next state who is a citizen does not receive that benefit.
  
• Allowing illegal visitors (students) into our universities at in state tuition fees will be just another magnet to draw more across the border. This state has no business being in the sanctuary business.
  
• Would you give any criminal a tuition break as a reward for committing a crime?
  
• Start taking the FREEBIES away not adding more benefits to it for breaking the law. I am not against LEGAL immigration, just the ones that come here Illegally and then demand the free hand outs from MY hard earned tax dollars.
  
• Once an illegal alien gets a degree he's probably going to look for a  job but they can't legally work here so what now?
  
• I have been personally involved in the lives of some of the target population. They had no choice whether they came here or not. Why would we want to punish the ones that have the initiative and potential to attain a higher level of education and therefore contribute at a higher level to our society?
  
• If only one resident would be displaced by an illegal it would be one too many.
  
• The colleges want more revenue but this lame idea increases the student body with less revenue for the university / college. "Dogooder-ism" does not operate on logic.
  
• Not only is it a slap in the face of legal citizen resident and nonresident students, but the slightest application of common sense would dictate that they be deported instead of subsidized as soon as they are identified as illegal!
  
• No.  A free bus ride 1,000 miles South is acceptable though.  They aren't legal residents of the United States.

If you want to unsubscribe from Rep Thatcher's newsletter list or would like to contact her office you can send her an email to rep.kimthatcher@state.or.us or call 503.986.1425

Write to Rep Thatcher at:

900 SE Court Street NE
Salem, OR 97301

www.leg.state.or.us/thatcher