Reporting elder abuse, smoking with kids in cars, family leave: Oregon Legislature today

Editor's note: What good is HB 2205 when judges are part of the elder abuse as in the Probate Court of Cook County?  What are considered "non-lethal" methods to control wolves and what criteria  allows "lethal methods if necessary" in HB 3452? Shame on Oregon for molesting the wolf population!  Lucius Verenus, Schoolmaster, ProbateSharks.com

 

Reporting elder abuse, smoking with kids in cars, family leave: Oregon Legislature today

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By Janie Har, The Oregonian The Oregonian
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on June 03, 2013 at 6:00 AM, updated June 03, 2013 at 6:12 AM

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The Oregon Legislature. Don Ryan/Associated Press

 The Oregon House is scheduled to give final approval this morning to legislation expanding the list of people who must report incidents of elder abuse to authorities.
House Bill 2205 adds lawmakers, attorneys, dentists, optometrists and chiropractors to the list of mandatory reporters. The duty would apply around the clock, and not just when the person is working in his or her professional capacity. Lawyers and clergy would not have to report abuse if the information was learned through privileged communications.
Further down the agenda is a bill that would make smoking inside a vehicle with minors present a ticketable offense. Senate Bill 444 would allow enforcement only as a secondary offense.
Also, the House is scheduled to vote on Senate Bill 344, which would prohibit private and public colleges, universities and so on from requiring or otherwise compelling students and prospective students to share social media passwords.
In the Senate, members are scheduled to take up House Bill 2950, which would allow eligible employees to take up to two weeks of family leave for bereavement purposes.
Members are also set to vote on Senate Bill 186, which would allow courts to authorize the installation of mobile tracking devices to investigate potential criminal violations of commercial fishing and wildlife laws. The tracking devices could be installed for 30 day periods, with extensions.
There are plenty of informational meetings scattered among the committees, including presentations on coordinated care organizations; financial aid and student visas at universities; housing; and specialty license plates.
House Rules Committee has a number of items scheduled for public hearing as well as a work session on a bill related to gray wolf kills. House Bill 3452 needs to be amended to further a compromise reached May 23 by livestock owners and wolf advocates. 
Read Gov. John Kitzhaber’s very pleased letter on the compromise. The agreement settles a lawsuit challenging the state’s authority to kill wolves as related to shrinking livestock. Livestock owners agree to use non-lethal methods to discourage predators, but can turn to lethal methods if necessary.

-- Janie Har