Bills

This is a list of the bills which I have authored and will actively advocate (“Chief Sponsor”) and other bills that I have joined as a co-sponsor.  This is not a list of all the bills that I support or will vote for. Please note: these are very short descriptions of the main intent of the bill. Please consult the bill for complete information. Click here for the Legislative website. 

Economy, Jobs, and Housing

Chief Sponsor, HB 2177: Small Business Investment Tax Credit for qualified investment in machinery and equipment to stay competitive in manufacturing and agriculture.  Applies only to small business investment in Oregon.

Chief Sponsor, HB 2970: Earned Income Tax Credit. Expanding the number of people who hear about and claim this credit for low-income working people and families, and expanding awareness of free tax preparation assistance from trained volunteers

Chief Sponsor, HB 2383: Helping people remain in their manufactured or mobile home park: requiring that a residents’ association or co-op have the right of first refusal to make an offer when the owner sells the park.

Chief Sponsor, HB 3253: New cars for new times: encouraging purchase of electric plug-in cars as an alternative to conventional fuel.  Development and marketing of hybrid fuel vehicles is well established; it’s time to take the next step and encourage purchase of electric vehicles.  This tax credit, similar to that used for hybrid vehicles, will encourage a growing sector in Oregon’s economy, to stimulate jobs for Oregonians, cleaner air, healthier people. [ Testimony ]

HB 2624    Expands eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits to economically distressed workers

HB 3144    Direct Dept. of Transportation to use 1/2 of 1 percent of federal money for on-the-job training

HJR 43     Recognizes importance of Oregon small businesses to Oregon economy

Public safety and Consumer Protection

Chief Sponsor, HB 2423: Metal theft: increasing penalties and drying up the market for sale of stolen metal such as wire, irrigation equipment, construction materials, and outdoor sculpture.

HB 3255    Allows exception to response time mandates during declared state of emergency

HB 2421    Metal theft, increasing penalties and stricter requirements for sale and purchase

HB 2422    Metal theft, stricter requirements with emphasis on catalytic converters

SB 570     Rules for purchasing scrap metal and penalties for selling or purchasing stolen metal

SB 759     Allows local public safety coordinating council to take action by affirmative vote of majority of quorum present

HB 2629    Increases maximum penalty for crime of interfering with or assaulting a law enforcement animal

HB 2858    Adds federal and state tax ID numbers for protection under Oregon Consumer Identity Theft Protection Act

HB 2526    Prohibits operating motor vehicle while using cell phone for text communication

Health, Human Services, and Seniors

Chief Sponsor, HB 2755: Health care cost containment: focusing on ways to reduce escalating insurance costs as we consider more sweeping system reforms.  Establishes task force to determine the potential benefits and cost savings from pooling reinsurance for health insurers.  [ Testimony ]

HB2391     Establishes the Aging and Disability Resource Center, and expands direct services provided through Oregon Project Independence

HB 2011    Allows senior citizens to audit higher education courses without paying fees

SB 528     Prohibits certain field burning in specified Oregon counties

HB 2735    Establishes a Drug Policy Coordinator

HB 2506    Requires health plans to cover services of professional counselors and marriage and family therapists; requires licensing

HB 2680    Prohibits use or sale of prescription drug information for commercial purposes

HB 2468    Requires drug manufacturers to report compensation or gifts to physicians and nurse practitioners

HB 3209    Requires reporting of health care information from health insurers, third party administrators and others

SB 891     Expands eligibility for medical assistance for low income and uninsured women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer

HB 3340    Allows limited licensing for nurses from other states to work in rural Oregon

HB 3022    Authorizes practitioner to prescribe antibiotic drug for sexually transmitted diseases

HB 2691    Requires money spent on intervention and treatment be for cost-effective, evidence-based programs

Veterans

Chief Sponsor, HB 3104: Services to veterans: making sure veterans have access to information and services, and that counties and state get reimbursement from the federal government.  A recent report indicates that Oregon loses millions of dollars from not obtaining federal reimbursements.  [ Testimony ]

HB 2571    Allows veterans with honorable discharge to pay resident tuition rates at public colleges and universities

HB 2762    Designates Military Appreciation Day

Education, Children, and Schools

HB 2800    Reimbursements to school districts for Oregon food used for school breakfast or lunch

HB 2518    Exempts reasonable expenses paid to teacher for extracurricular educational services or trips or supervision of student teachers from ethics reporting

HB 2586    Allows Dept of Education to award grants for school library programs; requires library program inclusion in district improvement plan

Environment

Chief Sponsor, HB 3253: New cars for new times: encouraging purchase of electric plug-in cars as an alternative to conventional fuel.  Development and marketing of hybrid fuel vehicles is well established; it’s time to take the next step and encourage purchase of electric vehicles.  This tax credit, similar to that used for hybrid vehicles, will encourage a growing sector in Oregon’s economy, to stimulate jobs for Oregonians, cleaner air, healthier people. [ Testimony ]

HB 3199    Establishes amount for general obligation bonds for energy conservation measures for public and Indian tribe buildings

HB 2625    Allows inspection for ballast water samples to combat invasive species introduced through marine transport

Government and Elections

Chief Sponsor, HB 2920: Revamping state and county services: taking a fresh look at criminal justice, assessment and taxation, human services, public health, elections, and other programs that are shared or delivered by both state and county government. The objective is to ensure that the state and county government relationships are set up to deliver programs in the most effective and cost-efficient manner. Government structures were set up a hundred years ago or more, and we keep piling on more complexity so that there is often great overlap, and too many hoops to jump through. [ Testimony ]

HB 2547    Denies public assistance to serious criminals being actively sought by law enforcement

HB 2820    Establishes Initiative Petition Review Committee

HB 2815    Establishes Interagency Compliance Network for auditing and investigating business done on cash basis for purpose of avoiding compliance with laws taxation and employment laws

HB 2895    Allows Secretary of State to designate organizations to establish citizen panels to review and create statements on initiated state measure

HB 2396    Authorizes lottery bonds to finance extension of bus rapid transit system (EmX) in west Eugene

HB 3420    Requires use of certain criteria for evaluating bids or proposals for software procurements

HB 2616    Allows local government to tax tobacco products

HB 2639    Allows manufactured home tenant to place political signs on space owned or leased by tenant

SCR 11     In memoriam: James Klonoski, 1925-2009