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Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 07:00:00 AM PDT
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The 2009 session of the 75th Oregon Legislative Assembly came to an end Monday night, and I thought I'd just do a brief wrap-up of food, farming and environmental measures that passed out of the Oregon State Legislature this session. I'm not intimately familiar with all of these bills, just gathering them here in one place for informational purposes right now. I'll look deeper at many of them soon. Inclusion in the wrap-up below does not necessarily equate to an endorsement.
With an efficiency rarely seen in Oregon politics, Democrats took advantage of supermajorities in the House and Senate to push an aggressive agenda, rolling through Republican resistance and facing down Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski.
Looking back, the 2009 session, the shortest since 1995, will be remembered largely as a fight against the economic tornado that ripped billions of dollars and thousands of jobs from the state. Despite the hard times, lawmakers approved more than $1 billion in new taxes, vastly expanded health care programs and signed off on some of the most expensive transportation and capital construction plans in state history.
Specifically, lawmakers approved higher taxes on upper-income earners, on corporations, on hospitals and health insurance providers and on gasoline. Combining the tax increases with federal stimulus dollars, lawmakers staved off what might have been crippling cuts to public schools, prisons and programs that help the poor, elderly and disabled.
Some bills I really would have liked to have seen passed - specifically HB 2800, the Oregon Farm to School bill, and HB 2995, which would have created an Oregon Food Policy Council - stalled in Salem (again, in the farm-to-school bill's case) for now. We may have another chance when the Oregon Legislature convenes for a brief session early in 2010.
Below the fold is a list of what will now be (or in some cases, already has been) sent on to Governor Ted Kulongoski (D) for his signature... |
| JayinPortland :: 2009 Oregon Legislative Session Ends: Industrial Hemp Passes, and Other News... |
By no means are these all of the food, farm and environmental-related bills to pass the Oregon Legislature this session, but they're the ones that stuck out most to me. If I missed any major ones, I'll update as necessary. In no particular order -
- SB 676 - authorizes the production, possession and commerce in industrial hemp commodities and products. Passed the Oregon Senate 27-2, and the Oregon House 46-11.
"Senate Bill 676 will allow farmers to re-establish industrial hemp as an agricultural crop in Oregon," said Senator Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene), who carried the bill on the floor. "Industrial hemp is an innovative crop that is regaining its popularity across the globe. This legislation sets the course for growing and selling this high-demand crop in Oregon."
- HB 2763 - this local foods bill "Permits contracting agency that procures goods for public use to give preference to agricultural products produced and transported entirely within state if certain conditions (a cost difference over the lowest bidder of 10%, or in some cases more) are met." Passed the Oregon House 60-0, and passed the Oregon Senate 29-0.
- SB 528 - will ban Willamette Valley field burning. Passed the Oregon Senate 16-14, and passed the Oregon House 31-29. Governor Kulongoski has already said he will sign the bill.
- HB 2220 - a good preventative measure against invasive species entering our state's waterways will "require persons transporting recreational or commercial watercraft to stop at check station for inspection of watercraft for presence of aquatic invasive species". Here's a good recent article on this issue, and why this bill is hugely needed. The zebra mussel and other invasive animals and plants can make quick work of even the healthiest ecosystem. This bill passed the Oregon House 44-15, and passed the Oregon Senate 26-4.
- HB 2544 - establishes an 'Oregon Environmental Literacy Task Force', which will "create a plan that teaches students about environmental issues facing Oregon and the U.S. The Task Force, also called "No Child Left Inside," is charged with encouraging healthy lifestyles by promoting outdoor experiences, and creating opportunities for teachers to improve their knowledge of environmental topics". I really like that name. This bill passed the Oregon House 35-24, and passed the Oregon Senate 16-14.
- SB 105 - increases maximum penalties on polluters for violations of environmental laws. This bill passed the Oregon House 38-21, and passed the Oregon Senate 16-13. Governor Kulongoski signed this bill two weeks ago, and the law takes effect January 1, 2010.
- SB 409 - "creates antitrust immunity for Oregon blackberry cooperatives
and other participants negotiating price of blackberries". Passed the Oregon Senate 28-1, and passed the Oregon House 57-0.
- SB 637 - "requires adoption of integrated pest management plans for
schools", aimed at limiting exposure of children to dangerous pesticides and other chemicals on school grounds and campuses. Passed the Oregon House 40-15, and passed the Oregon Senate 22-6 (Really? 21 Oregon state legislators (20 Republicans, and one Gresham Democrat - shame on you, Greg Matthews) voted for needlessly exposing children to harmful chemicals?!?) This bill was signed into law by Governor Kulongoski last week. Takes effect January 1, 2010.
- HB 2626 - establishes the Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Technology loan program (EEAST), providing state loans to home and business owners to make existing buildings more energy-efficient. US Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) has also introduced federal legislation based upon this idea. This passed the Oregon House 57-0, and passed the Oregon Senate 27-3.
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