Capitol round-up: Helt named to state school board

Voting, housing and roadkill also in the news

April 15, 2019 at 11:10PM

SALEM — State Rep. Cheri Helt, R-Bend, has been chosen by Secretary of State Bev Clarno to replace a controversial … Read more

Gary A. Warner, The Bulletin

Lawmakers scramble to move bills before they expire

Bills by Bend-area lawmakers among the casualties of Tuesday deadline

Published April 9, 2019 at 07:47PM / Updated April 10, 2019 at 05:27AM

SALEM — Scores of bills died on Tuesday, the second key deadline for the Legislature … Read more

PERS plan likely won’t fix problem

Methods of gathering funds not enough to protect schools from rising pension costs

April 9, 2019 at 11:04PM

Much of the intrigue in this year’s legislative session centers around lawmakers’ push to raise … Read more

Capitol roundup: Cascade of bills as Legislature faces deadline

Redmond housing bill goes to governor; Kaylee’s law moves forward as lawmakers face Tuesday deadline

Published April 8, 2019 at 04:46PM / Updated April 8, 2019 at 09:14PM

SALEM — With one day to go before a key deadline that will kill off … Read more

Bev Clarno rides again

Redmond rancher-politician is new Secretary of State

April 6, 2019 at 10:01PM

SALEM — Bev Clarno just published her memoir. But she’s going to have to add … Read more

Oregon Democrats want to bring back double health insurance for state, school workers

Published April 5, 2019 at 02:59PM / Updated April 5, 2019 at 06:53PM

SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown and Democrats in the Oregon Legislature are looking at undoing … Read more

Two PERS reform ballot initiatives aim to rein in costs

2 possible ballot initiatives seek to rein in costs

Published April 4, 2019 at 04:45PM / Updated April 4, 2019 at 07:01PM

Members of the business community filed two prospective ballot measures Thursday that would aim to … Read more

Democrats vote to cut 2020 ‘kicker’ tax rebate by $108M

April 2, 2019 at 08:04PM

SALEM — Oregon’s projected “kicker” tax rebate will decrease by $108 million under a bill … Read more

Key Bend-area bills live or die as Legislature hits halfway mark

Affordable housing moves on, while marijuana bill dies

Published April 1, 2019 at 11:25PM / Updated April 2, 2019 at 03:57PM

SALEM — A key affordable housing bill for Redmond moved forward on Monday, while a … Read more

Capitol Roundup: Legislature’s ‘witching hour’ doomed many bills

Last Friday’s deadline also pushes the pace of surviving legislation

Published March 31, 2019 at 06:01PM / Updated April 1, 2019 at 06:30AM

SALEM — Poof! Friday was the first “witching hour” deadline for the 2019 Legislature as … Read more

Outdoor industry backing new business accelerator fund

Bend-based Oregon Outdoor Alliance would lead effort to invest $500,000 in state funds

Published March 27, 2019 at 07:01PM / Updated March 27, 2019 at 09:33PM

SALEM — Bend’s outdoor industry is strongly backing a bill to create a $500,000 state … Read more

Oregon state employee emails blacklisted after compromise

Published March 25, 2019 at 03:31PM / Updated March 25, 2019 at 07:18PM

SALEM — For the third time in a year, state employees are unable to send … Read more

Bill that would kill Bend short-term rental rules stalls

Legislation would bar local limits statewide

Published March 19, 2019 at 06:46PM / Updated March 19, 2019 at 08:38PM

SALEM — The legislative clock is running out on a bill that would overrule local … Read more

State budget road show comes to Redmond

Oregon lawmakers to discuss budget, take public comment

Published March 15, 2019 at 06:05PM / Updated March 15, 2019 at 06:56PM

The Legislature’s state budget “road show” will pull into Redmond on Saturday as part of … Read more

Oregon vaccination bill passes key panel

House Health Care Committee approves bill barring non-medical exemptions

Published March 14, 2019 at 07:03PM / Updated March 14, 2019 at 07:17PM

SALEM — A bill to remove nonmedical exemptions for schoolchildren not inoculated for communicable diseases … Read more

‘Kaylee’s Law’ has its first public hearing

Bill named after COCC student killed by a campus security officer would add safeguards

Published March 13, 2019 at 10:01PM / Updated March 13, 2019 at 10:52PM

SALEM — Grieving family members, frustrated law enforcement leaders and worried students testified Wednesday in … Read more

Helt in middle of vaccination fight

Bend lawmaker wants to end nonmedical exemptions for inoculations

Published March 12, 2019 at 10:01PM / Updated March 12, 2019 at 11:30PM

SALEM — A Bend lawmaker is in the middle of one of the most hotly … Read more

Capitol Round-up: New Secretary of State debate

Richardson replacement, budget tour, primaries, lobbyists and clocks in the news

Published March 10, 2019 at 05:01PM / Updated March 10, 2019 at 10:59PM

SALEM — The solemn ceremonies for the state funeral of Secretary of State Dennis Richardson … Read more

Richardson lauded for ‘kindness, respect and civility’

Published March 6, 2019 at 07:07PM / Updated March 6, 2019 at 09:15PM

SALEM — Former Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson, who died in office last month … Read more

Oregon Legislature passes nation’s first statewide rent control policy, eviction protections

Published Feb. 26, 2019 at 05:56PM / Updated Feb. 26, 2019 at 09:16PM

The Oregon House on Tuesday approved new eviction protections and a first-in-the-nation statewide rent control … Read more

Capitol round-up: Legislature on a roll

Bills moving fast, plus updates on Buehler, Carpenter and Walden

Published Feb. 22, 2019 at 04:31PM / Updated Feb. 25, 2019 at 08:10AM

SALEM — One month down and four to go for the 2019 session of the … Read more

Wyden shares views on national, local topics at town hall

Feb. 22, 2019 at 06:07PM

MADRAS — Sen. Ron Wyden held his first of a series of three Central Oregon … Read more

Helt co-sponsors ban on vaccine exemptions

Measles outbreak spurs bill to end nonmedical opt-out on shots

Published Feb. 22, 2019 at 07:01PM / Updated Feb. 22, 2019 at 10:04PM

SALEM — A bipartisan bill to remove nonmedical exemptions for vaccinations required for children attending … Read more

Wyden town halls for Central Oregon

Senator in Madras, Bend and Prineville Friday and Saturday

Feb. 21, 2019 at 05:26PM

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., will hold three Central Oregon town hall meetings Friday and … Read more

Statewide rent control headed for final vote

Panel sends bill to the House, despite opposition from Helt and Zika

Published Feb. 20, 2019 at 07:07PM / Updated Feb. 20, 2019 at 08:48PM

SALEM — Statewide rent control took a step closer to reality Wednesday with the approval … Read more

Reps. Helt and Zika split on Medicaid vote

Helt votes yes, Zika votes no on bipartisan package

Published Feb. 19, 2019 at 05:35PM / Updated Feb. 19, 2019 at 08:44PM

SALEM — The Bend area’s two first-term Republican House members went separate ways on Tuesday’s … Read more

Redmond housing plan gets first OK

House panel votes to OK affordable housing plan

Published Feb. 18, 2019 at 04:45PM / Updated Feb. 18, 2019 at 08:59PM

SALEM — An affordable housing project targeting Redmond received unanimous approval Monday from a House … Read more

Oregon GOP chair re-elected despite challenge from Bend man

Sam Carpenter of Bend loses bid for top party job

Published Feb. 16, 2019 at 05:55PM / Updated Feb. 16, 2019 at 06:54PM

Bill Currier was elected Saturday to a third term as chairman of the Oregon Republican … Read more

Bills would block workers from being fired for using pot on off hours

Business groups oppose laws they say will clash with federal prohibitions

Published Feb. 15, 2019 at 04:59PM / Updated Feb. 15, 2019 at 09:06PM

SALEM — You can buy it, sell it, grow it, smoke it, eat it, rub … Read more

Oregon Senate approves statewide rent control

First-in-nation bill expected to win approval in the House

Published Feb. 12, 2019 at 08:33PM / Updated Feb. 12, 2019 at 09:41PM

SALEM — Statewide rent control took its first big jump toward becoming law Tuesday, winning … Read more

Carbon cap hearing coming to Bend

Legislative panel coming on March 2

Feb. 12, 2019 at 05:20PM

The Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction will hold a hearing March 2 in Bend to … Read more

Capitol roundup: Housing votes an early test for Helt, Zika

Helt already reporting significant fundraising for 2020 race

Published Feb. 10, 2019 at 03:01PM / Updated Feb. 10, 2019 at 10:44PM

It may feel like the 2019 legislative session just started, but big pieces of Democrats’ … Read more

Bigger building fund could boost OSU-Cascades plans

Gov. Brown talks about higher ed funding in Salem; OSU’s Ray speaks in Portland

Feb. 7, 2019 at 10:01PM

SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown said Thursday there might be up to $100 million in … Read more

Search-and-Rescue operations under Salem spotlight

Bend man’s death helps spur look at improving response

Published Feb. 6, 2019 at 08:07PM / Updated Feb. 6, 2019 at 10:02PM

SALEM — Financing and fixing search and rescue operations in Oregon is the target of … Read more

Capitol roundup: Oregon could make permanent — or ban — daylight savings time

Legislature looking at bills to change constitution, and clocks

Published Feb. 4, 2019 at 05:17PM / Updated Feb. 4, 2019 at 11:28PM

SALEM — An update on an ailing state official and a bundle of bills that … Read more

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