Less than half way through the Oregon Legislative Short Session and the trickery is starting to show up. With barely 24 hours notice, Senator Deb Patterson (D-Salem), chair of the Senate Committee on Health Care, rushed through a committee sponsored amendment to SB 1529. What was a good bill that authorized pharmacy or pharmacy technician to swipe identification card or driver license of purchaser of pseudoephedrine or ephedrine, turned ugly.

The amendment that was pushed through by Democrats on the committee allows the Oregon Health Authority to declare a health care emergency and to deploy the State Emergency Registry of Volunteers in Oregon (SERV-OR). To completely close voters out of their voice, the bill declares an emergency, effective upon passage. This emergency prevents any challenges to the bill by voters.

SB 1529 redefines ‘Health care emergency’ to include:

• A state of emergency declared under ORS 401.165;
• A state of public health emergency declared under ORS 433.441; or
• A determination by the Public Health Director that there exists a disease outbreak, epidemic or other condition of public health importance statewide or in a specified geographic area of this state.

A last-minute amendment in the work session prevented the public from giving testimony or submitting testimony for public record. The pandemic emergencies are still very raw to many, so threats of more emergencies won’t set well with those still struggling.

The bill goes to the Senate floor for a vote this week, then to the House for a public hearing.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-02-13 22:27:20

Last Update: 2022-02-13 22:32:19