The state Senate Judiciary Committee heard from dozens of people Wednesday and received many more statements for and against expanded background checks for gun purchases. But the main questions remain unanswered and new ones were raised.
Senate wants more expensive fuel
Written February 17th, 2015 by Hasso Hering
Democrats in the state Senate on Tuesday rammed through a program to make fuel more expensive and less useful. You’d think that they would have more regard for the people of this state. Instead, they showed they are looking out for the fat cats who speculate and invest in alternative fuels.
Senator Close makes it official
Written October 17th, 2013 by Hasso Hering
As expected, state Sen. Betsy Close, R-Albany, next year will run for a four-year term in the position to which she was appointed a year ago. She talked to me on camera just before she announced her plans at a reception at the Albany Golf and Event Center Thursday evening. She plans to file on Friday. […]
Let the gun bills die
Written May 7th, 2013 by
Four bills aimed at gun owners are stuck in the Senate, as I mentioned last week. Jeff Mapes of the Oregonian reports that Senate President Peter Courtney has sent them to the Rules Committee because they don’t have the 16 votes needed to pass. Courtney hopes that negotiations can still save the bills. But saving […]
Gun bills: Surprise would be nice
Written April 15th, 2013 by
On Tuesday the state Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to act on — and will probably endorse — four bills related to guns. Only one of them makes some kind of sense. It would bar people from carrying firearms in the Capitol building but makes an exception for people with concealed handgun licenses who keep […]
Gun hearing: Did testimony matter?
Written April 5th, 2013 by
You almost have to feel sorry for legislators when they have to sit through endless public hearings even though their minds are made up on the issue at hand. With rare exceptions, witness after witness says pretty much the same thing, and legislators have to sit there and pretend to look interested. Friday’s four-hour hearing before […]
Cell phones: The urge to punish
Written February 13th, 2013 by
What is it that some members of the legislature seem to have against the people of Oregon that they want to punish us every chance they get? The Senate Judiciary Committee has just voted for a bill that would increase the maximym fine for using a hand-held cell phone while driving from $250 to $1,000. […]
The goal: Higher property taxes
Written January 30th, 2013 by
Don’t look now, but they want to increase your property taxes. By “they,” I mean the majority of those senators who were on the state Senate Interim Committee on Finance and Revenue. They have introduced a constitutional amendment that would remove the property tax limits where local option tax levies are concerned. This has been […]
Senate walkout: It’s not about climate
It’s worth taking another look at the size of the increase in the Oregon cost of living that Republican senators are trying to prevent by blocking final action on HB 2020.
Tags: carbon, climate, HB 2020, Oregon Senate