The Quick and Dirty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Oregon Capitol Chronicle wrote a great report on highlights and lowlights from the session. Here are a few excerpts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- \u201cJust days before lawmakers started work, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled that 10 Republican senators \u2013\u00a0a third of the Senate \u2013 were ineligible to run for reelection\u00a0<\/strong>[\u2026]\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \u201cIn the House,\u00a0incendiary comments<\/strong>\u00a0made by two Republican lawmakers about LGBTQ+ people, atheists and Muslims, and Democrats\u2019 decision to choose their next speaker in a closed-door meeting before the session began, cast a pallor over the early days […]\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- “Under the threat of [a ballot measure],\u00a0Democrats and Republicans came together to enact\u00a0campaign finance limits<\/strong>.”<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \u201cLawmakers also approved\u00a0$376 million for infrastructure and incentives to build houses<\/strong>\u00a0and gave cities the option to more easily add new land to build housing [\u2026]\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Read the full article from the Oregon Capitol Chronicle here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More Details<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Recriminalization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Legislators also passed HB 4002-24 to majorly reform Measure 110, which voters passed in 2022 to provide people suffering from addiction with access to care. There was a lot of attention on this issue this legislative session, including large amounts of spin from journalists, legislators, lobbyists and beyond. What are your thoughts about the bill? What have you been hearing in your community? Email Sidra at\u00a0sidra@rop.org<\/a>\u00a0and let us know as we work on a\u00a0ROPnet\u00a0dedicated to unpacking this bill and drug criminalization in Oregon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Columbia Gorge Resolution Center<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Columbia Gorge Resolution Center (CGRC) Advisory Council won their funding request from the state legislature to the tune of at least $8 million! This money will go towards building a regional facility that offers support for people who are struggling with mental and behavioral health challenges and drug and alcohol addiction. Community members wanted to help their family members, neighbors, and co-workers who are struggling to receive the support they need to improve their health and be contributing members of our families and community.\u00a0For more details check out the\u00a0ROPnet\u00a0we sent out last month.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other mental health, behavioral health, and substance use treatment programs got funding this session too, including Lifeways Inc. in Ontario, New Directions NW in Baker City, and Jefferson County’s BestCare Expansion in Madras. We\u2019re seeing how the original push to pass Measure 110 has continued to lead to the prioritization of treatment resources for Oregonians!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Banning Book Bans<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If passed, Senate Bill 1583 would have protected students\u2019 freedom of expression by banning discrimination related to materials available in Oregon\u2019s public schools based on the race, religion, ability, country of origin, sexuality, or gender of individuals featured. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are disappointed by lawmakers not recognizing a pattern of attacks on libraries and public schools across rural Oregon. This failure to address anti-democratic efforts to ban books and censor inclusive curriculum is a setback after real improvements in recent years to our school curriculum standards and to the range of resources that our libraries offer, particularly when it comes to the diverse experiences of people of color and queer people. We know rural Oregonians across the state will continue to fight to protect our freedoms of expression and information so that all students can go to safe and welcoming schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Big wins from the People\u2019s Budget and some missed opportunities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Written by Fair Shot for All<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/rop.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/unnamed.png\")
- \u201cIn the House,\u00a0incendiary comments<\/strong>\u00a0made by two Republican lawmakers about LGBTQ+ people, atheists and Muslims, and Democrats\u2019 decision to choose their next speaker in a closed-door meeting before the session began, cast a pallor over the early days […]\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n