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Update on HB 3200
Sponsor says it appears
"dead on arrival"
HB 3200, the bill which
would ban many
semi-automatic firearms
and high-capacity gun
magazines, has created a
huge public outcry. It
is encouraging to see
the thousands of emails
that our office has
received in defending
our Second Amendment
rights! We encourage you
to direct your efforts
toward the sponsors of
anti-gun legislation,
including the
sponsors of HB 3200.
Read The Oregonian's
update on HB 3200 here
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A Message from
Representative Whitsett
I introduced several
bills this session which
will be discussed over
the course of the next
several newsletters. My
bills are:
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HB 2015 - If
mammogram is
inconclusive due to
dense breast tissue,
requires person who
performed mammogram
to notify patient of
inconclusive results
and to advise
patient to contact
patient's health
care provider
regarding
appropriateness of
supplemental
testing.
-
HB 3321 -
Prohibits Water
Resources Department
collection of
periodic or
recurring fee or
charge pertaining to
well allowing ground
water use for single
or group domestic
purposes.
-
HB 3322 -
Requires Department
of Human Services to
ensure that
electronic benefits
transfer cards
issued to recipients
of aid cannot be
used to purchase
prepaid credit
cards.
-
HB 3323 -
Prohibits
Environmental
Quality Commission
from adopting any
rule concerning air
quality and water
quality that imposes
requirements,
standards or any
other limitation
that exceeds
requirements,
standards or any
other limitation
imposed under
federal law.
-
HB 3324 -
Requires that annual
report by State
Forester to
Emergency Board
include private
property loss
information for
fires of 1,000 acres
or more.
-
HB 3387 -
Changes basis and
permissible scope of
assessments by
Oregon Sheep
Commission.
Spotlight On: HB 3322
This week's newsletter
focus is on
HB 3322. This bill
would prevent TANF
(Temporary Assistance to
Needy Families) funds
from being placed onto
prepaid credit cards. It
is my belief the tax
dollars being used to
fund TANF should be
specifically directed
toward only items and
services needed for
basic survival (housing,
food and personal
necessities).
TANF, as properly used,
can be an important
aspect for families with
children that are
struggling through this
prolonged recession. We
need to remain vigilant
as legislators to make
sure it is being
utilized as such.
As TANF is presently
structured in Oregon, if
funds are placed onto
prepaid credit cards,
they may be used in any
way that recipients
desire. We have heard
anecdotal experiences of
TANF funds which were
converted to cash cards
being used for the
purchase of electronics
such as televisions, for
travel, or even being
sent out of the US to
foreign countries.
We have included a video
made by Americans for
Prosperity which speaks
to this issue.
HB 3322 has been
assigned to the
committee on
Human Services and
Housing, but has not
yet been scheduled for a
hearing. I believe it is
a vitally important
reform and will weed out
those using the system
for other than
legitimate reasons.
Around the World on $69
Million in Welfare Funds
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Americans for Prosperity
California - "Common
Sense" with David Spady
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Discussing the National
Popular Vote
Our office has received
multiple inquiries into
the National Popular
Vote movement. My
legislative assistant
Sarah has put together
the following
information on the
subject:
Currently, eight states
have joined the National
Popular Vote Interstate
Compact, allocating
their state's
presidential electors to
the winner of the
national popular vote.
These eight states
represent 49% of the
necessary electoral
votes needed for the
compact to take effect.
HB 3077 would add
Oregon's seven votes to
the compact.
I am in support of
preserving the Electoral
College's mix of
population-based and
state-based government
as outlined by James
Madison in the
Federalist Papers No.
39,
"The next relation
is, to the sources from
which the ordinary
powers of government are
to be derived. The House
of Representatives will
derive its powers from
the people of America;
and the people will be
represented in the same
proportion, and on the
same principle, as they
are in the legislature
of a particular State.
So far the government is
NATIONAL, not FEDERAL.
The Senate, on the other
hand, will derive its
powers from the States,
as political and coequal
societies; and these
will be represented on
the principle of
equality in the Senate,
as they now are in the
existing Congress. So
far the government is
FEDERAL, not NATIONAL.
The executive power will
be derived from a very
compound source. The
immediate election of
the President is to be
made by the States in
their political
characters. The votes
allotted to them are in
a compound ratio, which
considers them partly as
distinct and coequal
societies, partly as
unequal members of the
same society. [...] From
this aspect of the
government it appears to
be of a mixed character,
presenting at least as
many FEDERAL as NATIONAL
features."
The National Popular
Vote Interstate Compact
detailed in HB 3077
seeks to circumvent the
balance of power
derivation currently
present in the
Constitution. It would
shift the emphasis of
elections to the most
heavily populated states
(twenty-six states have
higher populations than
Oregon), and give the
most power to cities
with the highest
population (Portland is
the 29th largest).
HB 3077 is currently
sitting in the House
Committee on Rules and
is not presently
scheduled for a hearing.
Thank you for reading my
newsletter and staying
informed. Please don't
hesitate to contact my
office with any
questions or concerns.
Best regards,
Representative Gail
Whitsett
House District 56
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On Monday, Republican
leaders held a press
conference in response
to the budget released
by the co-chairs of the
Ways and Means
committee.
Republican Leaders Press
Conference
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Republican leaders
respond to co-chairs
budget, March 4th |
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OPB Interview with Sen.
Whitsett and Speaker
Kotek
On Wednesday, March 6th,
Senator Whitsett and
Speaker Kotek discussed
the budget on OPB's
radio show "Think Out
Loud."
Read the recap of the
segment
Download mp3 archive
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Agriculture & Natural
Resources
Agendas:
Tuesday 3/5/13 -
Thursday 3/7/13
Tuesday's bills:
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HB 2032 -
Relating to off-site
compensatory
mitigation
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HB 2396 - Adds
large woody debris
to removal-fill
provisions
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HJM 3 - Urges
Congress to support
marketing of Oregon
seafood
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SB 348 - Allows
commodity commission
to choose calendar
year as fiscal year
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HB 2233 -
Modifies laws
governing seizure of
abandoned vessels
Thursday's bills:
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HB
2027 -
Requires DFW to
develop
wildlife/human
conflict reduction
program
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HB 2697 -
Provides that fish
carcass may be
returned to water in
certain cases
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HB 3086 -
Private entity
actions affecting
sage grouse habitat
must notify DFW
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HB 3262 - Fish
and Wildlife
Commission to issue
permits for removing
crab pots
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HB 2252 - Allows
State Fish and
Wildlife Commission
to establish
multiyear licenses
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HB 2249 - Form
Willamette River
Basin Bonneville
Power Admin.
Stewardship Fund
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HB 2649 -
Removes requirement
that grant to
purchase Oregon food
products and to fund
certain educational
activities be
allocated in
specific percentage
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Energy & Environment
Agendas:
Tuesday 3/5/13 -
Thursday 3/7/13
Tuesday's bills:
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HB 2437 - Allows
credit against
income taxes for
purchase of energy
efficient home
-
HB 2793 -
Requires Housing and
Community Services
to adopt criteria
for assignment of
energy performance
scores for
residential
buildings
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HB 2801 -
Authorizes public
purpose charge
moneys invested on
cost-effective local
energy conservation
that involve
updating energy
efficiency of
nonresidential
buildings to be used
for purposes of
conducting whole
building energy
assessment of
building energy
efficiency
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HB 2817 -
Provides that real
estate appraisal
activity includes
issuance of opinion
as to value
associated with
energy efficiency of
buildings located on
real property
Thursday's bills:
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HB 2694 -
Requires Dept. of
State Lands to study
certain issues
related to
development of
energy resources in
Oregon's territorial
sea
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HB 2516 - Allows
moneys in Watershed
Conservation
Operating Fund and
Watershed
Conservation Grant
Fund to be used for
educating elementary
school students
concerning
protection and
restoration of
native fish or
wildlife habitats,
watersheds or
ecosystems
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Human Resources &
Housing
Agendas:
Monday 3/4/13 -
Wednesday 3/6/13 -
Friday 3/8/13
Monday's bills:
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H
B
2095 -
Aligns definition of
"former foster
child" with federal
standard for
purposes of higher
education grants,
tuition wavers and
scholarships
Wednesday's bills:
-
H
B 2639 -
Redefines "source of
income" for purposes
of prohibiting
discrimination in
selling, renting or
leasing real
property
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HB 2417 -
Increases amount of
fees charged and
collected by county
clerks to record or
file certain real
property documents
Friday's bills:
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HB 2980 -
Extends sunset for
tax credits for
owning or operating
farmworker housing
and for lending to
construct or
rehabilitate
farmworker housing
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HB 2474 -
Extends sunset for
tax credits for
owning or operating
farmworker housing
and for lending to
construct or
rehabilitate
farmworker housing
-
HB 2316 -
Exempts pension
income from
determinations of
income and net worth
for qualification to
be account holder of
individual
development account
-
HB 2388 -
Appropriates moneys
from General Fund to
Oregon Department of
Administrative
Services for
distribution to
Oxford Houses of
Oregon for
establishment and
maintenance of
revolving loan fund
to aid in
development of
housing for veterans
or victims of
domestic violence
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