Education Funding
Yesterday, the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education passed SB 5517 on a partisan vote. The bill appropriates $8.2 billion for the K-12 budget, which is almost a nine percent increase in funding.
 
Currently, I'm serving my seventh term as the State Representative from Albany. This is my 13th year working in the Capitol, and each time the legislature works to balance the budget; the number one concern has always been funding education.
 
Our class sizes are too big and need to be reduced. Our schools need new curriculum with opportunities to excel in vocational training. Many schools need updates and additional staff. Unfortunately, SB 5517 will not help accomplish this. The reason being, this bill does not address cost containment measures. For example, key cost drivers like PERS and health care are most likely to rise significantly. The additional funding for the K-12 budget will be insignificant and without meaningful reforms. Funding education is a priority, so lets ensure the cost drivers are addressed  so that no resources are taken away from the classroom.
 
Rep. Diego Hernandez (D-Portland) is a voting member on the committee. Unfortunately, Rep. Hernandez was temporarily removed from the committee and replaced by Rep. Nancy Nathanson (D-Eugene). You see, Rep. Hernandez does NOT support SB 5517, because he too wants to see more for our schools.
 
The bill now moves to the full committee on Ways and Means for further consideration.

Survivor Amnesty
According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 1 in 5 women are sexually assaulted while they attend college. Evidence reveals that college freshmen and sophomore women are at greater risk of being sexually assaulted than upper classmen
 
While many students under the age of 21 are consuming alcohol and experiencing sexual assault, less than 10 percent of assaults on college campuses are reported. A contributing factor to low reporting is the fear of receiving an MIP (Minor in Possession) citation for those under the age of 21 who are victims of sexual assault while intoxicated.
 
Last month, the House Committee on Judiciary listened to testimony from two Oregon State University students supporting the bill. Both students found themselves drinking at a party, then being sexually assaulted. Both were afraid to go to the police due to being under age. One victim shared with us, "...I am one of the 84% of women who were assaulted in their first 4 terms of college when I was 18, and I am one of the 90% of survivors who did not report their rape. If legislators want to begin conversations and find solutions to a major problem on college campuses, the first step is allowing survivors the ability to come forward without fear of persecution on a legal level."

SB 762, known as Survivor Amnesty, grants immunity to anyone under 21 years of age in possession or under the influence of alcohol if contacting law enforcement or seeking medical attention in response to an act of sexual assault.
 
Yesterday, I carried SB 762 on the House Floor where it passed unanimously.

Until next time,


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