Democrats in the Oregon State Senate won the passage of five bills relating to health care, education, public safety and economic fairness in a special session April 20.
“Today counts as a victory for all Oregonians,” Senate Majority Leader Kate Brown, D-Portland, said. “After spending months putting together detailed and comprehensive proposals on each of these issues, our hard work paid off, and the people can be proud of their legislature.”
In two separate bills, Democrats prevented budget cuts in health services to children, senior citizens and the disabled after the Department of Human Services announced a budget shortfall in December and extended gap bond authority for the Portland, Ore., school district, which faced a budget shortfall.
Democrats also passed a bill to move a $42 million surplus from the state lottery fund to statewide schools, which includes more than $1.3 million for schools in Eugene.
“The money we’re making available today will benefit school districts in every corner of the state, from urban centers to suburban communities to farm towns,”
Sen. Vicki Walker, D-Eugene, said. “Moreover, the money is targeted to classrooms, where it can make the most difference, instead of being spent on administrative costs in educational service districts.”
Democrats also added a kidnapping provision to a bipartisan bill that would increase the penalties for sexual predators who target children, and a payday loan reform bill that combines interest-rate caps with protections against predatory lending practices.
Each bill received unanimous support from Democrats in the Senate.
Oregon Senate Democrats victorious in special session
Daily Emerald
April 23, 2006
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