Local lawmakers reflect on special session
Hectic pace in Salem highlights gathering
By Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
Monday, February 18, 2008 10:41 AM PST
SALEM — Friday, nine days into the Oregon Legislature’s special session, lawmakers were still busy with meetings and floor action, and District 60 state Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, said he has already heard rumblings the session may conclude this week.
State Sen. Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day, also conceded the hectic schedule has been intense.
“(The pace) has been hard on both staff and legislators,” he said.
One piece of legislation the Republicans had on their agenda for the session is a requirement that people have proof of legal residency to obtain an Oregon driver’s license.
The bill, which Bentz said had been before the House Transportation Committee on which he serves, has passed both the House and Senate and is expected to be signed by the governor.
Explaining its impact, Ferrioli said if a person has a student visa, their driver’s license will expire at the same time as the visa and the same time as a work permit.
“They need to be able to show it,” he said, regarding whether the applicants are in the United States legally.
One piece of legislation, which has passed the House and is headed toward the Senate, is a referendum to the voters — which would be a constitutional amendment — on whether health care is a fundamental right.
“Health care is on everybody’s mind,” Ferrioli said. “It’s fabulously expensive.” However, by having voters say it’s a fundamental right, “creates an expectation it will be funded,” he said.
“It is truly a socialized medicine,” he said, adding the costs will be in the billions, with costs to be picked up by the taxpayers.
Bentz also acknowledged the pace at the special session.
“It’s been absolutely busy going from one meeting to another,” Bentz said.
Because of his knowledge about water issues, through his law practice and serving on the state Water Resources Commission, he has been invited to sit in on water- related discussions and hearings and provide input.
Bentz and Ferrioli both noted the projected revenue shortfall, down an expected $183 million.
“Oregon’s economy has slowed down,” Ferrioli said. On the other hand, Bentz said there has been a 20 percent increase in spending.
One thing he noticed, Bentz said, is that people who come before the Legislature usually do so to ask for money, and figures quickly get into the billions of dollars.
Another piece of legislation that the two lawmakers said is expected pass is a bill that provides $3 million for a study on diverting Columbia River water to store in the aquifer during the winter months and use for irrigation during the summer. Bentz said the state of Washington is already planning to divert water from the Columbia.
Bentz has seats on two of former Rep. Tom Butler’s committees — Revenue and Transportation. He was also given a seat on the Rural Policy Committee but because of the makeup of the committee, he would have ended up as the ranking Republican and vice chair of the committee. The leadership decided against having a new member being at the top of a committee.
