Table of Contents
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- Request for Public Comment – Legislative Assembly’s Harassment-Free Workplace Policy
- House of Delegates Meets at Bar Offices
- 2018 election results in legally-trained elected officials
- Citizens Campaign for Court Funding Kickoff
- Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability Public Meeting
- What’s Next?
Request for Public Comment – Legislative Assembly’s Harassment-Free Workplace Policy
At the request of the Legislative Assembly, the Oregon Law Commission has reviewed the law and policies concerning workplace harassment in the State Capitol. After extensive deliberation, the Commission’s work group has produced a number of preliminary recommendations and now seeks your feedback.
To review the preliminary recommendations, work group materials and other relevant information, please visit https://law.uoregon.edu/explore/olc-workplace-project.
The Commission will accept written testimony and comments until 6:00 PM on November 30.
There are three ways for you to provide input addressing the preliminary recommendations of the Oregon State Capitol Workplace Harassment Work Group:
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- Public Oral Testimony – You may provide oral testimony to the work group on November 30, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, in Hearing Room B of the State Capitol.
- Public Written Testimony – You may submit written testimony to: [email protected].
- Informal Written Comment – You may submit informal comments – with or without attribution – via the Oregon Law Commission website.
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House of Delegates Meets at Bar Offices
On November 2, 2018 the Oregon State Bar’s House of Delegates (HOD) met at the bar offices in Tigard. The meeting began with comments from Chief Justice Martha Lee Walters; Vanessa Nordyke, the current Oregon State Bar President; and David Wade, the Chair of the Board of Governor’s Budget and Finance Committee.
Chief Justice Walters began the morning with an overview of the state of the Oregon court system and a call for Bar member support for the Oregon Judicial Department’s 2019 – 2021 proposed budget. In addition, David Wade announced that member fees would not increase in 2019 but may increase in the next few years. There will be a $5 increase in the Client Security Fund to $15.
This year the HOD voted on six resolutions.
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- Adequate funding for legal aid
- Transparency in Criminal Proceedings
- Expand the definition of “rural” for the purposes of the Justice Across Oregon Stipend for Summer Employment
- Study the creation of a young lawyer tier for annual license fees
- In Memoriam
- Veterans Day Remembrance
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The HOD adopted each of the resolutions. The Annual Meeting has been posted on the bar’s website at https://www.osbar.org/leadership/hod/ for those who could not attend. Thank you to all of the HOD delegates who participated.
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2018 election results in legally-trained elected officials
This election cycle a number of legally-trained candidates successfully ran for office. Kate Brown was re-elected as Governor of Oregon. Governor Brown is a former family law attorney, legislator, and Secretary of State. Attorney General Rosenbaum, a former Court of Appeals judge and Secretary of State Dennis Richardson, a former litigator, were not up for re-election this year. Oregon Commissioner of Labor and Industries, Brad Avakian, a civil rights attorney, did not run for re-election and will step down in 2019.
The House of Representatives included nine legally-trained legislators from 2016 to 2018. Two legally trained representatives will be leaving at the end of the term. Thank you to Representative Rich Vial (Sherwood) and Representative Phil Barnhart (Eugene) for your support of Bar priorities, including funding for the courts, civil legal services, and indigent defense. Representative Linninger (Lake Oswego) left during to become a Circuit Court Judge in Clackamas County and Representative Bentz (SE Oregon) received a mid-term appointment to the Senate.
Two new legally-trained legislators will be sworn in and join the House of Representatives: Kim Wallan (Medford) and Marty Wilde (Eugene). In addition, five legally-trained members of the House of Representatives successfully ran for re-election. Congratulations to:
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- Representative Dan Rayfield (Corvallis)
- Representative Ken Helm (NE Washington County)
- Representative Karin Power (Milwaukie)
- Representative Jennifer Williamson (SW Portland)
- Representative Mike McLane (S Central Oregon)
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This election increases the number of legally-trained senators to five. While Senator Betsy Johnson (St. Helens/North Coast) was not up for re-election this year, Senator Floyd Prozanski (South Eugene) and Senator Peter Courtney (Keizer/Woodburn) both ran successful campaigns and will be returning to Salem. In addition, Senator Cliff Bentz (SE Oregon), who was appointed to the Senate in 2017, ran a successful re-election campaign. Shemia Fagen (Clackamas), a former state representative, successfully ran her first Senate race this year.
Citizens Campaign for Court Funding Kickoff
The 2018 Citizens Campaign for Court Funding Breakfast was held early Halloween morning in downtown Portland. Chief Justice Martha Lee Walters and Justice Thomas Balmer of the Oregon Supreme Court as well as leaders in the legal and business community, joined Ed Harnden, Michael Haglund, and Graciela Gomez Cowger to discuss the importance of adequate funding for Oregon’s Court system. Over the course of the breakfast, the Justices shared the budget priorities for the Oregon Judicial Department.
This biennium the Oregon Judicial Department is focusing on increasing the number of judges and court staff, safe and secure courthouses, and adequate judicial salaries. The court has provided a list of priority projects which can be found here. Of particular concern to the courts is judicial compensation. Oregon currently ranks 46th of the 50 states in cost-adjusted salaries.
During the legislative session that begins in January and will run through June, lawyers and business leaders will have the opportunity to reach out to legislators and share their support for adequate funding for Oregon’s court system. For more information on the CCCF and how you can get involved, please visit the CCCF website.
Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability Public Meeting
On December 14, 2018, the Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability will be holding a public meeting from 9:00am – 10:00am at the Oregon State Bar in Tigard. Please see below for the agenda and more information.
Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability
Public Meeting
December 14, 2018
9:00 – 10:00 am
Oregon State Bar Building, Columbia Room
16037 SW Upper Boones Ferry Rd, Tigard, OR 97224
Agenda:
1. Review proposed revisions to the Commission’s Rules of Procedure
2. Budget
3. Proposed Customer Service Survey
Comments from the public will be taken in person, or by phone by dialing 866-403-9130 and entering passcode #1135315.
Comments can also be emailed ahead of time to [email protected].
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What’s Next?
December 11: Task Force Day
December 12 – 14: Legislative Days
January 14: Swearing In
January 15 – 16: Organizational Days
January 22: Opening Day of Session
Archives
Thank you for reading the Oregon State Bar’s CAPITOL INSIDER.
The archives are available here.
2018 Public Affairs Committee Members
Kathleen Rastetter, Chair
Whitney Boise, Vice Chair
Rob Gratchner
John Bachofner
Eric Foster
Liani Reeves
Michael Rondeau
Public Affairs Department
Susan Grabe, Public Affairs Director
Amy Zubko, Public Affairs Legislative Attorney
Matt Shields, Public Affairs Staff Attorney
Kellie Baumann, Public Affairs Assistant