Legislative Update       April 30, 2013 A Message from Representative Whitsett  Senate Bill 833 B-Eng passed through the legislature this week with a 38 to 20 vote. I voted NO on this bill for the following reasons: 1) Illegals are here illegally. They are breaking the established laws of our nation just by being here. There is a system in place to immigrate legally to the US. Millions of citizens have processed through our system legally to become American citizens, and we should all expect foreign nationals to adhere to our constitutional principles. 2) There is an argument that passage of this bill will somehow promote insurance for illegal drivers. There is NO mandatory insurance requirement with SB 833. States that have tried to provide cards or licenses for illegals such as New Mexico have met with failure in this regard. New Mexico, which has had 10 years of driver’s licenses issued to non-citizens, shows NO decrease in insured drivers on their roads. In fact there has been an increase in uninsured motorists. An estimated 49,000 undocumented illegals reside in New Mexico; and yet, after passage of a bill similar to SB 833, they issued over 80,000 driver’s licenses. Obviously they are attracting individuals from other states into New Mexico for the sole purpose of being licensed without documentation. 3) Oregon’s law will provide for issuance of 4-year driver’s cards with documentation of the person’s name through a utility bill or other non-official means. Utah, on the other hand, requires fingerprints of prospective card holders, which are submitted to law enforcement in an effort to keep criminals from the state. Oregon’s new law does not differentiate between law abiding drivers and those already convicted of crimes. Utah also only allows for a one year issue of drivers’ cards, with renewal mandatory every single year. This is very important to keep the criminal element out of our already overcrowded prisons and justice system. 4) These cards will allow some holders to drive otherwise CDL requirement vehicles whose gross weight is over 100,000 pounds up to 100 miles from their farms of origin. Regular driver’s licenses will not be sufficient for individuals to drive the same massive and potentially deadly (due to size) vehicles, but with a card the illegal or card holder will be able to circumvent the CDL laws.   5) States that have issued these cards or licenses are now reconsidering their laws. Tennessee is the latest state to repeal their law as of last Friday after investigations found that illegal immigrants were coming in from other states by the busload, using fake residency papers and bribing state workers to issue them cards. The DMV already appears to be understaffed, as many of us can attest when we need to utilize their services; how in the world are they going to handle the influx of people expected from this new law?  All House Democrats as well as the following House Republicans voted YES on SB 833: Representatives Davis, Gilliam, Jenson, Johnson, Smith. The Governor will be signing SB 833 into law tomorrow, May 1, on the Capitol steps to appease the May Day Rally attendees.  Best regards, Representative Gail Whitsett House District 56 This Week in Salem: Bill allowing four-year driver's cards passes House Thousands of Oregonians will be allowed to drive with four-year driver’s cards, instead of regular eight-year licenses, under a bill that won final legislative approval today. The House voted 38-20 to pass Senate Bill 833, which goes to Gov. John Kitzhaber for his signature at a May Day rally Wednesday on the Capitol steps. The bill would take effect Jan. 1, 2014.    Read Statesman Journal article May Day rally has wider focus this year The annual May Day march and rally, which often has been linked with immigrant rights, will have a broader focus this year. Sponsors say Wednesday’s activities will focus not just on federal immigration legislation — which now has been introduced in the U.S. Senate — but also education, health care and jobs for all Oregonians. Read Statesman Journal article Oregon Senate bill discourages feeding raccoons One lawmaker recalled an afternoon when her adolescent son was bitten by a raccoon after wandering into the backyard to play with the masked creatures. Read Statesman Journal article Committee Updates Agriculture & Natural Resources Agendas: Tuesday 4/30/13 - Thursday 5/2/13 Tuesday's bills:   SB 474 - Adds raccoon to list of potentially habituated wildlife SB 571 - Adds State Marine Director, or designated representative, and one appointed member to Invasive Species Council SB 719 A - Changes basis and permissible scope of assessments by Oregon Sheep Commission Thursday's bills: SB 199 A - Changes approval process for lease transferring all or part of existing water right for use as in-stream water right SB 200 A - Allows record landowner holding certain water rights to apply for assignment of all or part of water right to owner of land to which water right pertains SB 25 A - Provides that State Marine Board has authority over certain charter boats carrying seven or more passengers SB 26 - Authorizes State Marine Board to make grants from funds received  through federal Boating Infrastructure Grant Program SB 31 - Allows representatives of certain landowners to serve on forestland classification committees SB 198 A - Provides that in certain cases court may order State Fish and Wildlife Commission to revoke licenses or permits issued under commercial fishing laws Energy & Environment Agendas: Tuesday 4/30/13 - Thursday 5/2/13 Tuesday's bills:   SB 692 A - Establishes minimum energy efficiency standards for certain products SB 840 A - Imposes new water use limitations on fixtures Thursday's bills:   SB 112 A - Allows Oregon Liquor Control Commission to impose civil penalty for violations related to beverage containers SB 117 A - Provides that beverage container redemption center approved as pilot project is approved for certain purposes SB 242 A - Modifies definition of baseload electricity for purposes related to greenhouse gas emissions standards Human Resources & Housing Agendas: Monday 4/29/13 - Wednesday 5/1/13 - Friday 5/3/13 Monday: Informational Meeting - Foster Care System of Oregon Wednesday:   Tour of Oregon State Hospital Friday: No committee meeting scheduled COMMITTEES: - Ag & Natural Resources - Energy & Environment - Human Services & Housing   Latest Third Readings List Rep. Whitsett's Record Bills Passed By the House Past Newsletter Issues

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