SALEM, Ore. — Oregon lawmakers have been meeting in Salem this week ahead of Wednesday's Special Session called by Gov. Kate Brown to discuss police reform and the response to COVID-19.
Just a few months ago, the legislature's short session was cut short after Republican lawmakers walked out over the cap-and-trade bill. More than 250 bills were introduced and only 3 passed, and the legislature had yet to discuss the state budget.
However, this week's short session is intended to only focus in on the coronavirus response and police reform.
Here are the police-related bills being discussed:
Police misconduct: One bill would create a statewide database of discipline records for officers that would be published online. Another would make sure officers can't get their punishments reduced, if they appeal to an arbiter and are still found guilty of wrongdoing.
Use of force investigations: A proposal would change who investigates use of force incidents. Right now, district attorneys in each of Oregon's 36 counties handle those cases on a county by county basis. Democratic lawmakers want the state attorney general to investigate all use of force cases, when someone is killed or seriously hurt.
Ban on chokeholds: This bill has support from both sides of the aisle. Portland Police banned chokeholds after the 1985 death of Lloyd Stevenson, a black man who was choked to death by an officer. However, Portland officers can still to this day use chokeholds where they "reasonably believe to be an immediate threat of death or serious physical injury.”
Tear gas and L-RAD: A bill would ban the use of tear gas or long range acoustic devices on protesters. Both have been used by Portland Police in recent weeks, through Mayor Ted Wheeler banned the use of the L-RAD to clear protesters earlier this month. A judge has also ruled Portland Police should stop using tear gas, unless they fear for their lives. Tear gas has been used most nights in Portland.
And here are the COVID-19 relief-related bills:
- Protecting CARES Act payments from being taken by debt collectors
- Letting more students enroll in virtual public charter schools
- Allowing local governments to conduct public meetings virtually
- Collecting race and ethnicity data for COVID-19 testing
Gov. Brown also wants to make some of her pandemic-related executive orders permanent, like extending the moratorium on evictions and limits on foreclosures.
Republicans are already pushing back on passing some of these orders as law.
"Rather than focusing on policy bills to put executive orders into statute, the serious budget deficit should be prioritized," Rep. Christine Drazan said.
Gov. Brown plans to call another special session sometime this summer to focus on the budget.