A year earlier a family friend spent countless hours along with our family, attending Cathy’s 98 year old grandfather during his final phase of earthly life. Rulon Sirls Winsor passed away at home in Central Point in August 2000 at the age of 98. He had a goal of doing church service on his 100th birthday. We were all rooting for Grandpa Winsor, but he wasn’t quite able to make it.

Only one month earlier, in July 2000, my sister Donna and I, with family and friends, had the bitter-sweet honor of sharing the final months, weeks, days and hours with my Mother, Eva McGuire Richardson, as she passed away in her mobile home in Gold Hill in July 2000. She had lived for 91 years. Without going into additional detail, our family and friends also attended the passing of my father, Ralph Lee Richardson, in April 1991. I was with him at the end, as he also passed away in the Gold Hill mobile home, he and Mother had shared since 1983.

These were good, humble people, who have helped form my life and I will never forget them. Each of them were born, lived and died, and, like it or not, all of us are following the same path.

I have shared these personal stories with you to make a point. When family or friends are there to care for senior family members—as is the case about 80% of the time—the final years can truly be golden. I remember Mother saying at age 88 that these were the happiest years she could remember. My two sisters and I were always there for her; she once laughed and remarked that all she had to do was snap her fingers and we would come “a-runnin”. But, when a senior citizen does not have such a support system of family and friends, society—which means community and not just government programs—has the opportunity to provide more than a roof, a bed, Medicaid and Medicare, We can help give many of our senior citizens the dignity, the honor and the opportunity to live out their final phase of life in the comfort and familiar surroundings of their own homes.

Oregon Project Independence with caring workers and neighborly volunteers in our Area Agencies on Aging, Hospice and other programs help make up for the emptiness of outliving one’s own family and friends. These programs bring together government, community and individual resources, who focus on giving limited assistance to elderly folks who want to remain in their own homes for as long as they can. For many, staying in one’s own home and neighborhood fills a bleak present and future with rich, warm memories of the past. Many elderly citizens want nothing more than enough help for them to retain the life they have known for decades, in the home where their sweet memories and walls covered with photographs serve as constant reminders of happier days.

Funding for Oregon Project Independence (OPI) was eliminated by Governor Kulongoski in his recommended budget. The House Republicans believe eliminating OPI would be a mistake. To eliminate OPI would be to force many seniors to leave their homes and enter long-term care facilities at an additional cost of thousands of dollars per month. By contrast, OPI costs only $100-$200 per month per senior. Many of the elderly pay part of the costs out of their meager incomes. Oregon set the model for America when it developed OPI years ago, and it would be a serious mistake to eliminate it now.

The Speaker of the House, Karen Minnis, House Majority Leader Wayne Scott and I have worked with other House members to develop a long term plan to fund and protect OPI for the future. OPI provides independence for our senior citizens, instead of warehousing them in expensive long-term care facilities and institutions at taxpayers’ expense. We are proposing that instead of eliminating OPI’s current $8.5 million budget, it should be expanded to $14 million for the 2005-07 biennium. In addition, there needs to be dedicated funding for OPI, so that its future is not jeopardized during the budget negotiations every two years. To that end, House Bill 2587 is being forwarded to my House Budget Subcommittee on Human Services and Public Safety. HB 2587 will be amended to provide for OPI to receive the excess funds generated by the Senior Property Tax Deferral Revolving Account. These are dollars generated by senior citizens above what is needed for the property tax deferral program. It is only fitting that those excess funds should be used to help seniors citizens stay in the homes on which the tax deferred revenues were generated. If the House can receive the help of concerned Senators—such as Senator Margaret Carter, who wisely suggested this action in past legislative sessions—Oregon’s senior citizens will be benefited for decades to come. It is the least we can do for those who have given so much to so many for so long.

Sincerely,

Dennis Richardson
State Representative
Speaker Pro Tempore

House to Vote on Richardson Bill to Limit
Obesity Lawsuits

Lawsuits have been filed around the country against restaurant chains and food manufacturers claiming the long-term consumption of certain foods have lead to our nation's obestity epidemic. Some legal scholars consider these lawsuits the next "tobacco jackpot."

While the lawsuits attempt to make these businesses accountable for the problem, they fail to address an individual's responsibility in consuming food. In addition, the lawsuits have an enormous impact on small businesses and on consumer pricing.

HB 2591 specifically prohibits an individual from bringing a cause of action for "food-related" conditions against those involved with the selling of food. As part of a compromise, the amended version only provides civil immunity for those involved in the selling of food, and not those involved with marketing or advertising.

The bill was approved, on a bi-partisan vote, by the House Judiciary Committee last Monday.

House Republicans Work to Assist Oregon’s Veterans and Active Military

This week, the House passed several key bills in support of Oregon’s veterans and active military. On Tuesday, the House passed without any opposition HB 2945A, a bill that modifies Oregon’s war veterans and spouses partial property tax exemption program. The bill expands the threshold for qualified disabled veterans and modifies eligibility requirements to receive the exemption. In fiscal 2003-2004 over 37,000 qualified veterans and their spouses received the average exemption.

On Wednesday, the House passed HJR 34, a bill that would allow citizens to vote on whether or not to amend the Oregon Constitution and dedicate 1 percent (estimated $10 million per biennium) of net lottery proceeds for veterans’ services. If passed by the Senate, HJR 34 would go to the voters in the 2006 primary election.

On Thursday, the House passed HB 2933B and HB 3096A. HB 2933B eliminates the outstanding tax liability for qualified members of the Armed Forces who lose their life while on active duty. The bill also provides that active duty military can defer payment of any unpaid personal taxes for six months after they return to Oregon. HB 3096A connects Oregon to federal tax changes relating to the 2003 Military Family Tax Relief Act. Both bills passed the House floor without any opposition.

House Passes Law to Protect Children
from Sexual Predators

The Oregon House today unanimously passed legislation that protects children from sexual predators by making it a crime for known sexual offenders to be in a location where children congregate.

“Children aren’t able to spot sexual predators, which is why it’s up to us to keep these monsters away from them,” said Speaker Minnis (R-Wood Village). A child only sees a friendly stranger. They don’t know sexual predators are preying on their innocence and trust. This bill cuts off child sexual predators’ access to children and if they are caught in these places, law enforcement will now have a tool to prosecute them before they ruin another child’s life.”

“Sexual predators are opportunists,” said Rep. Greg Macpherson (D-Lake Oswego/SW Portland) who carried the bill with Speaker Minnis. “They prepare for their crime by building a trusting relationship with a child and then violate that trust.”

House Bill 3469 creates two new Class C felony crimes for sexually dangerous offenders, predatory sexual offenders, and sentenced dangerous offenders upon conviction of a sex crime in Oregon or another jurisdiction. The first crime is unlawfully being in a location where children regularly congregate. The second crime is unlawful contact with a child. A Class C felony is punishable by a maximum fine of up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $100,000. The new crimes would apply to offenses committed on or after January 1, 2006.

House Bill 3469 closes a loophole in the law related to what is called “grooming.” Child sexual predators strike up friendships with children in the hope of abusing them. To do that, they need to be where children congregate such as playgrounds, swimming pools, parks, and amusement arcades.

House Profile: Rep. Alan Brown Rep. Alan Brown is Chair of the House Business, Labor and Consumer Affairs Committee. Rep. Brown is owner of a retail tire store, and previously served the State of Oregon as an ODOT district maintenance office manager. His vast governmental experience also includes a tenure on the Newport City Council and the Port of Newport Commission. Last session, he chaired the House Transportation Committee where he crafted major legislation to repair and upgrade Oregon's highway infrastructure. Rep. Brown represents the the Central Oregon Coast including Lincoln City, Toledo, Newport, Waldport, and Yachats, as well as western Lane County. For more on Rep. Brown, visit his legislative Web site: http://www.leg.state.or.us/browna/

From the Senate Republican Office:
Majority Dems Support 391% Interest Rate for Payday Loans

When Democrat Governor Neil Goldschmidt removed interest rate caps to attract businesses to Oregon in 1987, few would have guessed that Senate Democrats would circle 18 years later and set caps at 391% APR. Today, Democrats in the Senate chose to reinstate those caps and attack businesses that provide short-term loans to cash strapped workers until their next payday.

“Those that voted for this measure have brought interest rate caps back to Oregon. Their votes tell us that while 392% is too high, the 391% proposed by this bill is acceptable,” stated Senator Roger Beyer (R-Molalla). “We should be letting the market determine these rates, not the legislature.”

In the past, lenders in Oregon were limited in the interest rates they could charge. The lack of these limits, known as usury, was used by then Governor Neil Goldschmidt to attract a major credit card company to Oregon in the late 1980’s. The passage of Senate Bill 545 reinstates these limits for the payday lending industry.

“This bill sounds good on the surface but has the unintended consequence of creating a state sanctioned 391% interest rate,” stated Senator Jackie Winters (R-Salem). “This bill puts the state seal of approval on this rate and forever enshrines it in statute.”

Businesses throughout the state offer short-term payday loans to help Oregonians with unexpected expenses that come up between paydays. Borrowers are often high risk and traditional lenders are not an option.

Missed a Newsletter? Download all past newsletters for the 2005 Session at http://www.leg.state.or.us/richardson/news.htm

Capitol Office
900 Court Street NE
H-285
Salem OR 97301
Tel: (503) 986-1404
Fax: (503) 986-1590
E-Mail: rep.dennisrichardson@state.or.us

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