By Salem Reporter
From state to local: how government puts lobbyists to work
(Tiffaney O’Dell and Molly Filler of Pamplin Media Group) SALEM — Lobbying is largely synonymous with interest groups, but every year, government agencies big and small spend money to amplify their interests at the Capitol. Yet lobbyists for the city…
Popular vote bill passes Senate, but not before discussion was derailed by Linthicum
A debate about national elections reform on the Senate floor was hijacked Tuesday when Sen. Dennis Linthicum, R-Klamath Falls, brought up the political treatment of slaves in the 1700s. After senators James Manning, D-Eugene, and Lew Frederick, D-Portland, talked about…
Nike lobbyist and PPS official who disputed state audit now aids Secretary of State Clarno
Secretary of State Bev Clarno gives a speech at her swearing in April 3. Behind her, (middle) Nike lobbyist Julia Brim-Edwards looks on. Brim-Edwards orchestrated the press event as part of her volunteer position with the office. (Claire Withycombe/Oregon Capital…
Business group takes aim at PERS benefits, with Kulongoski’s help
SALEM — Current and future public employees wouldn’t have as generous a retirement under initiative petitions being pushed by business interests in yet another effort to reform the state’s notoriously complex and expensive retirement system. The effort has attracted two…
BREAKING THE SILENCE: Improvements sought in suicide prevention in Oregon schools
Adi Staub, who took her life in 2017, struggled to fit in as a transgender teen, despite the support of her family and many friends. A bill requiring all Oregon schools to develop suicide prevention plans is named after her.…
BREAKING THE SILENCE: Suicide prevention efforts in Oregon showing promise
Oregon’s suicide rate has been higher than the national average for the past three decades. More than 800 people killed themselves last year in Oregon. The problem affects everyone. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people,…
Should DAs defend record requests? Lawmakers tinker with complicated system
SALEM — Legislators are weighing a proposal that would put Oregon’s attorney general and district attorneys in the position of defending public records requests in court. Oregon law allows anyone to request records from any public entity, from school districts…
Backed by an ACLU report, bipartisan lawmakers push for district attorneys to publish policy guidelines
The House Judiciary Committee (Aubrey Wieber/Salem Reporter) The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon has found that at least 40 percent of the state’s district attorneys don’t have written policies to guide their core work. These policies could outline whether…
You’re one step closer to never having to ‘fall back’ with clock changes
SALEM — Oregon took a step toward moving to year-round daylight saving time on Thursday, as the state Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation that could stop the changing of the clocks for most Oregonians. Like 47 other states, Oregon “springs forward”…
Clarno takes ceremonial oath of office
Secretary of State Bev Clarno said she is honored by the appointment as she was ceremonially sworn in to office. (Claire Withycombe/Oregon Capital Bureau) Scores of family, friends, lawmakers and journalists packed into the Governor’s ceremonial office to watch Oregon’s…