Item 3: Ratification of IGR Actions

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HB 2512 Relating Clause: Relating to Fallen Public Safety Officer registration plate. Title: Directs Department of Transportation to issue Fallen Public Safety Officer registration plates. Imposes surcharge on registration plates and directs department to deposit net proceeds collected from surcharge to Public Safety Memorial Fund. Sponsored by: Representative WINGARD; Representatives BARKER, FREEMAN, GILLIAM, HANNA, MATTHEWS, SPRENGER, WEIDNER, Senator BOQUIST (at the request of Mary Nunnenkamp) URL:http://www.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measpdf/hb2500.dir/hb2512.intro.pdf ContactRespondentDept Updated Priority Policy Poli Numb Recommendation E. Cushman E. Cushman EPD-ADM 2/4/2009 Pri 3 No No Support Comments: We support this bill, which would allow issuance of Fallen Public Safety Officer vehicle license plates. It would charge those individuals choosing to display them an extra $8 fee, which would go into the state's Public Safety Memorial Fund. The Legislative Revenue Office has determined that the bill will have no impact on state or local revenues. We feel that these license plates are an appropriate way to honor police officers who have given their lives in the line of duty, and to provide additional funds for the Public Safety Memorial Fund. HB 2536 Relating Clause: Relating to crime. Title: Expands robbery in first degree to include use of look-alike firearm. Expands disorderly conduct in first degree to include delivery of unidentified substance with threatening message. Expands felon in possession of restricted weapon to include taser Sponsored by: COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY (at the request of City of Medford, Oregon Association Chiefs of Police) URL:http://www.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measpdf/hb2500.dir/hb2536.intro.pdf ContactRespondentDept Updated Priority Policy Poli Numb Recommendation E. Cushman K. Flynn EPD-ADM 2/10/2009 Pri 2 No No Support Comments: **Support as written; amendment recommended** We support this bill, and particularly believe that Sections 2 and 3 are important. Section 2 adds to the offense of disorderly conduct the act of delivering an unidentified substance, along with a threatening message, to a person, government office, or business. There have been, over the past few years, an increasing number of incidents where an unidentified substance has been delivered along with a message either stating or implying that the substance is some type of chemical or biological agent, such as anthrax. Because such situations generally need to be treated as a haz-mat incident, such an act is extremely disruptive to the person or entity which receives it, and expensive for the jurisdiction in terms of police, fire, and other public resources which must be brought to bear to protect the public by mitigating any hazard and investigating the threat. Section 3 of the bill adds "a taser or pepper spray" to the list of weapons that certain convicted felons may not possess. We strongly support this provision, particularly in terms of the taser, which can be used to completely immobilize a victim. We would recommend that the bill be amended so that, instead of using the term "taser", the bill uses the more generic term "an Electro-Muscular Disruption Technology device as defined in ORS 165.540" as is used in another bill with a similar provision (SB 251). "Taser" is technically a brand name and, since the term is not defined in this bill, could be construed to be limited to that brand, although other brands of similar devices are also available. Use of the more generic term, which is already defined in Oregon law, would be preferable. 8