2017 Legislative Session - Capitol Updates
Capitol Update 2/6
The first week of session has started in full swing for students and our priority issues. This past week, the Oregon Student Association Lobby Corps team had to balance defending attacks on students and pushing our issues forward. Here are some highlights from the last few days:
Informed legislative leadership about attacks on students
Filed Ethnic studies bill- awaiting bill number
Chief Sponsors will be: Rep. Hernandez, Rep. Parrish, Rep. Doherty and Sen. Fredrick.
Filed Survivor Amnesty Bill – awaiting bill number
Chief Sponsors will be: Sen. Gelser and Sen. Taylor
Secured additional committee votes for End Profiling bill – HB 2355
Requested a Public Hearing for the Mental Health Taskforce bill – SB 231
Continued negotiations with Universities, Community College, and Unions on Cultural Competency
We are working on finalizing edits before requesting a hearing
Received a bill number for continued Open Educational Resources funding – HB 2927
Started to work with the Higher Education Coordinating Commission on edits to the Student Whistleblower bill- HB 2457
Worked to finalize details of the OSA Lobby day
Capitol Update 2/22 and Lobby Day
Priority Issues update
In the past couple of weeks, students have been able to make progress on all of our priority issues:
Cultural Competency HB 2864
Hearing date for early March is being finalized
Some language is still being finalized
End Profiling HB 2355
Hearing date for early March is being finalized
The End Profiling coalition is negotiating with the District Attorney’s
Survivor Amnesty SB 762
Hearing date requested
Currently asking organizations to sign on and support the bill
Ethnic Studies HB 2845
Hearing for early or mid March being finalized
Currently asking organizations to sign on and support the bill
Mental Health Taskforce SB 231
Hearing date requested
Currently asking organizations to sign on and support the bill
Other Policy highlights
Hearing for the Student Fee Autonomy for Community Colleges is will be at the beginning of March.
Hearing for Reproductive Health Equity looks like it may be mid March (subject to change).
Stable Homes bill will have a hearing at the beginning of March.
Hearing for OER’s will be Feb. 23rd
Hearing for OSU Cascades expansion will be Feb. 23rd
Ways and Means Roadshows
Students have been represented at every single road show:
Salem
Students from LCC, OSU, WOU, LBCC and Chemeketa all came out in support of OSA’s budget asks.
Mariana (LCC) and Tabitha (OSU) were both able to testify on OSA’s behalf.
Portland
Students from PSU and PCC were present at this hearing.
Brent (PSU) and Sabrina (PSU) were both able to testify on OSA’s budget asks.
Devon (PSU) served as a spokesperson for the media.
PCC student also advocated for OERs to be fully funded.
Hermiston
EOU and Blue Mountain Community College were both in attendance and advocated for funding for universities and community colleges.
Madras
Students from OSU Cascades and Central Oregon Community Colleges were present talking about our budget asks and funding for OSU Cascades expansion.
Jori (COCC), Anthony (COCC), Sarah (OSU-CC) and Beverly (OSU-CC) were all able to testify on OSA’s budget asks.
OSA Lobby Day
Our Lobby day was a huge success:
We were able to meet with about 70 legislators
2 panels where we talked to house members about budgets and revenue
150 students and coalition partners attended throughout the day
Q and A with Governor Brown
Capitol Update 3/7/17
In the past couple of weeks we have had a number of successful hearings on our priority issues and also a few key votes taken. Please see updates below:
Priority Issues
Cultural Competency HB 2864
Hearing was held March 2nd, work session to be scheduled soon
Mariana (LCC), Brent (PSU), Luke (OSU) and Devon (PSU) were all able to testify.
End Profiling HB 2355
Hearing held on March 6th
Mariana (LCC) Maria (UO) and (Corrina) were all able to testify.
Survivor Amnesty SB 762
Hearing held March 2nd
Tabitha (OSU) and Jacqueline (OSU) were able to testify.
Ethnic Studies HB 2845
Hearing date March 15 (tentative)
Currently asking organizations to sign on and support the bill
Mental Health Taskforce SB 231
Hearing held March 1st, Work session to be scheduled soon.
Lina (LBCC), Candaylynn(OSU), Dan (LCC), Samantha (LCC), Ryan (LCC)
Gender and Name Change Documentation HB 2673
Work session held March 6th
Passed out of committee with a 6-3 vote
Other Policy highlights
Hearing for the Student Fee Autonomy for Community Colleges was held March 2nd
Candalynn (OSU), Cody (PCC), Brent (PSU) and Alex (LCC) were able to testify
Stable Homes Hearing was held March 2nd
Rico (LCC) and Scott (LBCC) were able to testify.
Hearing for Universal Credit Transfer hearing was held Feb. 28th
Gus (LCC) was able to testify
Ways and Means Roadshows
Eugene
Rachel (OSU), Robert (OSU), Imani (UO) and Daniel (UO) were able to testify. There were about 15 students there.
Upcoming Key Dates
Ethnic Studies Hearing – March 15th
Sensible Tuition Caps Hearing – March 14th
Work Session on SB 231 – March 8th (Tentitive)
Capitol Update 3/14/17
Priority Issues
Cultural Competency HB 2864
Since the hearing a couple weeks ago, OSA staff and Lobby Corps have been following up work with a variety of stakeholders to make sure we are addressing questions and concerns. We are looking to have a work session scheduled towards the end of March to get HB 2864 voted out of House Higher Education.
End Profiling HB 2355
We joined the End Profiling Coalition this week to discuss the best strategy moving forward after our successful hearing. We are still in talks with law enforcement, DA’s and the speaker’s office about the language around drug decriminalization. Once language is finalized we will move forward with a scheduling a work session.
Survivor Amnesty SB 762
We are currently in discussions with Sen. Gelser’s office and the Attorney General’s office about an amendment to also provide Amnesty to the friends who may call for medical assistance if the survivor is incapacitated. After the language is finalized this week we will be moving to schedule a work session.
Ethnic Studies HB 2845
Hearing date is set for March 15. We will have students, coalition partners and educators testify on the bill. We currently have over 40 organizations that have endorsed the Ethnic studies bill.
Mental Health Taskforce SB 231
We are currently working on an amendment to include drug addiction as it relates to mental health issues. We are hoping to have the amendment in the next couple of days to move forward with a work session.
Gender and Name Change Documentation HB 2673
This is scheduled for a House floor vote March 14th. We have submitted a letter of support for legislators to view.
Other Policy highlights
OSU Expansion package is scheduled for a work session for March 14th and will be referred to Ways and Means for further deliberation.
Upcoming Key Dates
Ethnic Studies Hearing – March 15th
Gender and Name Change Floor Vote – March 14th
Capitol Update 4/3/17
Priority Issues
Cultural Competency HB 2864
The association has been focusing much of its legislative capacity towards cultural competency in the last couple weeks. We have been working with the Universities and community colleges on agreeing on a cost for the components of the bill and closing out policy negotiations. At this point universities have agreed to to report a minimal fiscal impact for this biennium if change the effective date of the bill to the end of 2019. After we get the amendment back HB 2864 will be scheduled for a work session. We should expect to see it scheduled within the next week.
End Profiling HB 2355
HB 2355 passed out of House Judiciary 8-2-1 with a few amendments. These amendments came forth after the speaker’s office and law enforcement negotiations completed. The coalition accepted these amendments in an effort to keep law enforcement on the table and keep the drug portion intact. At this point we will start to shift our efforts to Ways and Means so that it gets fully funded. The amendments include:
All residue cases are misdemeanors and will not count towards your number of charges to a felony.
3 strikes you’re out- after someone receives 2 drug misdemeanors charges, they will receive a felony charge on their 3rd conviction.
Lowering the amount of time someone can receive jail time for a drug misdemeanor.
Data collection on drug charges in Oregon.
Survivor Amnesty SB 762
We have finalized the amendments for SB 762 and we are looking to have a work session scheduled the second week of April. The amendment expands the protection to bystanders who are calling for medical assistance.
Ethnic Studies HB 2845
HB 2845 is scheduled for a work session April 10th. Since the hearing we have worked with Representative Parrish on an amendment to include someone who is an expert of Middle Eastern or Jewish studies.
Mental Health Taskforce SB 231
SB 231 is scheduled for a hearing and possible work session April 3rd where it is expected to be voted out and sent to Ways and means. There, we will have to opportunity to adjust the bill if necessary to ensure the bill is costing Oregon a substantial amount of money.
Gender and Name Change Documentation HB 2673
Now that HB 2673 is on the Senate side, we are waiting for the Senate to finish considering all of the Senate bills, which they are expected to wrap up by April 18th. After that the Senate will start to hear house bills.We have joined Basic Rights Oregon in efforts to provide organizing capacity to the bill when needed. BRO Lobbyist will be joining us for our O-Board lobby day to go over the bill and messaging.
Other Policy Highlights
Stable Homes
Voted out of committee 5-4 on a party line vote with . Scheduled for a floor vote on in the house chamber April 4th.
Veterans Resource centers
Work Session Scheduled April 4th.
Student Fee Autonomy for community colleges
Work Session Scheduled April 6th.
Reproductive Health Equity
Seeking a work session date.
Undocumented survivor Protections
Public Hearing and Work Session scheduled April 4th.
Open Educational Resources
Referred to Ways and Means March 31st
Budget Priorities
Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education
Currently, the Ways and Means subcommittee on education is currently going through an educational series on Higher Education Budgets.They have also scheduled a set of public hearings where they hope to hear from students. The dates are as follows:
April 4th Public Hearing for Financial Aid
April 10th Public Hearing for Community Colleges
April 17th Public Hearing for Universities
Higher Education Coordinating Commission tuition setting meeting
As Universities begin to set their tuition increases, the HECC has planned on hearing all of the universities tuition increases on May 11th. This is an opportunity for students to testify about our budget asks and tuition affordability. Please note that this tuition setting meeting is only for universities that are planning to raise their tuition above 5%.
Higher Education Lobby Day
We have been asked by the Higher Education coalition to participate in a lobby day May 16th. This is the same day that the May revenue forecast is being released, so we are hoping to talk to legislators about our budget asks and the need for more revenue.
May 16th Revenue Forecast
The May revenue forecast is what the Co Chairs of Ways and Means base the bulk of their budget on. A week or two after the May revenue forecast is released, the Co-Chairs will release their preliminary budget, which will be a key point in time for students to see what dollars may be coming into Higher Education.
Legislator Townhalls
Students have started to attend local townhalls to talk about our Budget asks and the need for more revenue. Students may be asked to attend one in your district in the next couple of months.
Upcoming Key Dates
April 3rd Public Hearing and Possible work Session for SB 231 (Mental Health Taskforce)
April 4th Public Hearing for Financial Aid
April 10th Public Hearing for Community Colleges
April 10th Work Session for Ethnic Studies
April 17th Public Hearing for Universities
May 11th HECC Tuition Setting meeting
May 16th May Revenue Forecast
May 16th Higher Education Lobby Day
Capitol Update - June 2017
Written by Lamar Wise