Oregon Legislative Report from George Okulitch:
Anybody who tells you politics is boring, wasn’t watching the Oregon legislature this week. In order to prevent Senate Democrats from passing House Bill 2020 (a cap-in-trade bill), Senate Republican’s left the building to prevent quorum necessary to conduct business. Governor Brown ordered Oregon State Police to round them up and bring them back to the State Capitol, causing Republican’s to leave the state. For a total of 8 days, Senate Republicans avoided arrest from State Police and literally prevented the Oregon Senate from conducting any business. They agreed to return on Saturday, with a promise that House Bill 2020 would die (or not be voted on), pushing the climate change debate to next year. Adjournment or “Sine Die,” is scheduled for this Sunday at midnight.
On a positive note, NSIA and others, were successful in securing funding for Leaburg State Hatchery. Without this necessary funding, the hatchery would be shut down and ODFW would mothball the facility. It was a more than 6 month process of lobbying legislators and pushing back on anti-hatchery proponents, but this Wednesday saw the final budget being pushed out to both floors from the Joint Ways and Means Committee. On one line of a 49 page bill, was just one sentence appropriating the $1.3 million to ODFW to continue operation of the Leaburg Hatchery. With less than 48 hours of session, and in the final clean up budget bill, we were successful. Thank you to everyone who called and wrote their legislators, that came to the Capitol, or generally assisted us in our efforts. Never giving up made the difference. We are also excited to report out that funding was secured for Sea Lion removal at Willamette Falls and for Santiam hatchery.