As crime rates increase both locally and nationally, one of the major focuses this election season will be how elected officials voted on legislation having to do with law enforcement. In the summer of 2020, in the wake of the death of George Floyd, there was tremendous pressure in the Oregon Legislature to move legislation that placed increased scrutiny and legislation on police, with little regard to its impact on crime or police morale.

Those who were in the legislature during the first special session held in June of 2020 cast votes on a variety of these legislative proposals.

Three gubernatorial candidates were in the Legislature at the time. Of course, Tina Kotek (D-Portland) was the House Speaker at the time and she not only voted for all of these proposals, but sponsored them as well. Her counterpart in the House across the aisle, Representative Christine Drazan (R-Canby) also voted for each proposal. Independent candidate for Governor Senator Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose) withstood the pressure better, voting no on two of the proposals and being excused from another for a 50% yes rating.

Two of the candidates in the newly created 6th Congressional District voted on this legislation also. Interestingly, former McMinnville Police Chief and State Representative Ron Noble (R-McMinnville) did not, as they say, "back the blue," voting for each piece of legislation and was a co-sponsor of many. Andrea Salinas (D-Lake Oswego) not only voted for each piece of legislation, she sponsored all but one.

Bill	Christine Drazan	Tina Kotek	Betsy Johnson	Andrea Salinas	Ron Noble	Summary
HB 4205	Y	Y*	E	Y	Y	Requires police officer or reserve officer to intervene to prevent or stop another officer engaged in certain misconduct
HB 4201	Y	Y*	Y	Y*	Y*	Establishes Joint Committee on Transparent Policing and Use of Force Reform
HB 4203	Y	Y*	Y	Y*	Y*	Provides that peace officer may not use force that impedes normal breathing or circulation of blood of another person by applying pressure on throat or neck, unless peace officer may use deadly physical force.
HB 4207	Y	Y*	Y	Y*	Y*	Directs Department of Public Safety Standards and Training to establish public statewide online database of suspensions and revocations of certifications of police officers.
HB 4208	Y	Y*	N	Y*	Y*	Prohibits law enforcement agencies from using tear gas for purposes of crowd control except in circumstances constituting riot.
HB 4210	Y	Y*	N	Y*	Y	Repeals driving privilege suspension and eliminates imposition of driving privilege restrictions for failure to pay fine.
HB 4301	Y	Y*	Y	Y*	Y	Provides that peace officer or corrections officer may not use force that impedes normal breathing or circulation of blood of another person by applying pressure on throat or neck except in specified circumstances.
*Bill Sponsor

During the session, it was hard to find a dissenting voice. Yamhill County Sheriff Tim Svenson gave testimony that offered some resistence. "While the speed at which these measures were crafted and this special session is moving quickly, there are pieces of these measures that may have unintended consequences. We would ask, that if unintended consequences are discovered, we be allowed to suggest adjustments to policy in future sessions."


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-04-14 06:04:34

Last Update: 2022-04-14 03:40:04