Each session, Oregon lawmakers tackle typical budget, health care and safety issues along with avant garde politics that may not affect the average citizen, but still have the potential to become law. These bills were proposed in the legislature last week and could voted into law by July.

SENATE BILL 391
Senate Bill 391 would make it more difficult to keep an alligator or crocodile as a pet. Currently, members of the order Crocodylia are classified as non-controlled species and are under the jurisdiction of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Therefore, if an Oregonian wanted one as a pet, it would be legal without the prospective owner acquiring permission from a state-wide governmental agency.
Sen. Mark Hass said his interest in the law started in Beaverton when he heard about Al, the abandoned alligator that escaped her living quarters and made her way into a cul-de-sac where no one, including the police, knew what to do with her.
“While the story is a little humorous, it also could have been very dangerous,” Hass said. “I have been trying to bar unresponsible people from keeping dangerous pets ever since.”
Although some cities such as Beaverton and Springfield have city ordinances against owning crocodiles and alligators within city limits, most areas remain completely unregulated. If SB 391 passes, citizens would be required to obtain a permit costing up to $300 from the Oregon Department of Agriculture. In addition, the ODA would legally be able to dictate the reptile’s living environment.
ODFW specialists said they don’t fully understand the reasons for the change.
“Of course we get an escaped one every so often, and we have had a few cases where landowners have completely abandoned their pets and left the critters behind, but why they would change the agency that takes care of them remains the missing link for me,” said Rick Boatner, invasive species and wildlife integrity coordinator for the ODFW. “My hunch is they like to get things out of our control.”
HOUSE BILL 2470
House Bill 2470 “prohibits owning, possessing, controlling or having charge of more than 25 sexually intact dogs aged four months or older.”
The law’s language doesn’t directly address instances of animal abuse, but that is what it is intended for.
“I wouldn’t say the law is silly; it was created to regulate puppy mills,” said Chris Scaro, a spokesperson for Rep. Sara Gelser. “The hope is that it prevents instances where dogs are neglected in order for a breeder to make money.”
Puppy mills have been an issue in Oregon. In April 2007, a 200-dog farm was broken up at a home in Burns, Ore. The dogs were found to be malnourished and severely mistreated.
HOUSE BILL 2486
Other ideas for laws come from representatives’ constituents, such as House Bill 2486, which establishes a medal of honor to be given to distinguished Oregonians. The bill was born out of an idea Rep. Brian Clem received from one of his citizens who heard University President Dave Frohnmayer was retiring and wanted a way to honor him on the state level.
“We didn’t draft the bill to directly honor Frohnmayer, but my constituent’s comment made me realize how many people there are in our state who are worth honoring,” Clem said.
HOUSE BILL 2284
House Bill 2284 shows that even the smallest issues must be approved by law.
The bill corrects grammar and punctuation errors from last session’s laws. The editing revision of the laws would have no bearing on the meaning. Shannon Sivell, judiciary committee spokesperson, said laws like this one are very common and generally don’t have difficulty passing.
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