Item 2C: Ratification of IGR Committee Actions

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5. Drug Take-Back Legislation Ms. Wilson recalled that she had shared with the committee a list of legislative concepts that the League of Oregon Cities (LOC) intended to put forward, and one of them was drug take-back legislation. She said the committee expressed support for the concept. Senator Dingfelder was introducing legislation that would require pharmacies that sold prescription and non-prescription drugs in Oregon to fund and operate a take back for those medications. She said the mechanism of how the drug take-back would occur was unknown at this point. There were several organizations, including the Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies (ACWA), who did not want such medications entering the drinking water. ACWA had asked the City of Eugene to take the lead on the legislation and asked her to act as lead lobbyist. The State of Washington was currently considering similar legislation. Ms. Wilson anticipated a difficult fight. Ms. Wilson asked the committee’s permission to accept the assignment. She acknowledged it would take quite a bit of time but she thought she could accommodate the work and would do her best to get the bill passed. Mr. Poling thought the bill was worthwhile but believed that the City had other issues that also required Ms. Wilson’s attention. Ms. Wilson pointed out that Eugene often took the lead on State legislation as the second largest city in Oregon, and frequently partnered with the City of Portland, who also had the bill as a legislative priority. She concurred with an observation from Mr. Poling that it appeared the City would have support from the LOC and Portland. Ms. Taylor thought the bill was important and in keeping with the City’s environmental goals. The committee agreed to support Mr. Poling, seconded by Ms. Ortiz, moved to direct Ms. Wilson to take the lead on the bill on behalf of the City of Eugene. The motion passed unanimously. Responding to a question from Mayor Piercy as to how the council would be informed of the committee’s decision, Ms. Taylor suggested a news release. Ms. Wilson said that could be done; she had intended to include the informa- tion in her weekly report to the council. Mayor Piercy suggested that there could be a potential link between the City’s legislative efforts in regard to the bill and the Lane County Health Department. Ms. Wilson concurred. 6. LTD Legislative Concepts Ms. Wilson said that Lane Transit District had some legislative concepts it would like Eugene to support. She reported that agencies in the metropolitan area agreed to work together to speak with a louder voice and the concepts were part of that effort. She anticipated that weekly meetings of the agencies would be held. Ms. Wilson said that LTD submitted four legislative concepts that it hoped would become bills. She reviewed the four concepts: 1) West Eugene EmX Extension; 2) Payroll Tax Credit; 3) Narrow Refund of Property Taxes Paid by Two Local Governments; and 4) Senior and Disabled Transportation. Mr. Poling, seconded by Ms. Ortiz, moved to support LTD Legislative Concept 1 at the level of Pri- ority 1, Support. The motion passed unanimously, 3:0. Ms. Ortiz, seconded by Mr. Poling, moved to support LTD Legislative Concept 2 at Priority 1, MINUTES—Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations January 13, 2009 Page 2