Issue Position: Black Lives Matter
Issue Position
For the past few months, my newsletters have been about the COVID-19 pandemic and
the economic downturn we are experiencing. But by now it should be obvious that America is facing two pandemics: COVID-19, which is disproportionately impacting the health and livelihoods of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities; and a generations-long pandemic of police violence, institutional racism, and oppression that is taking the lives of Black people across the nation.
I stand with the Black community against these horrible inequities and in calling for justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, Aaron Campbell, Quanice Hayes, Kendra James, Keaton Otis, and many more whose lives were ended by police violence. As a state legislator, I pledge to use my position to advocate for and vote for major transformations in policing. We cannot return to the status quo.
On June 2nd, the People of Color Caucus (POC) here in the Oregon Legislature put out a press release that offered concrete suggests to get this transformation work started in the coming "special session" of the legislature that is likely to be called by the Governor at the end of the month.
First, the POC Caucus is requesting that a bill from the last two sessions regarding law enforcement disciplinary actions that go to arbitration be taken up and included in any proposed policy bills the legislature considers. The concept has been approved twice unanimously by the Senate, as Senate Bill 383 (2019) and Senate Bill 1567 (2020). The new law would prohibit an arbitrator from reducing a disciplinary action against a law enforcement officer if the arbitrator and the law enforcement agency determine that the officer had committed misconduct. This is a change that is sought and needed in public sector collective bargaining laws here in Oregon. I voted "yes" on this bill in the House Rules Committee before the Republican walk out killed all bills in the Oregon House before they could be considered and voted on by members. I believe it would have passed in the House overwhelmingly and been enacted into law had it not been for the Republican walk out. I plan to vote yes on this bill when it comes up again.
Second, the POC Caucus is requesting a bill that would authorize and require the State Attorney General to investigate and prosecute, if the evidence dictates, any death or serious physical injury resulting from the use of force by a law enforcement officer. The POC Caucus believes that independent investigations are necessary for all cases where law enforcement kills or seriously injures civilians, and that the Oregon Department of Justice is the appropriate agency to be assigned this task. I will vote yes on this bill and I believe it will pass.
Third, the POC Caucus is requesting that the House Interim Committee on Judiciary immediately convene a bipartisan work group to recommend changes to the state's laws regarding use of physical force or deadly physical force in making an arrest or in preventing an escape (ORS 161.235 and 161.239). This work will lead to a bill or bills for the 2021 legislative session. The Caucus believes Oregon's standard for use of force needs to be strengthened. I will follow their work closely and be ready to support bills that the Judiciary Committee brings forward.
While acknowledging that it's not nearly enough, I am grateful to have been a member of the Oregon Legislature during a time when we have taken steps in recent sessions to improve police accountability. The most significant actions were bills to prohibit racial profiling, track and analyze law enforcement stops, and require implicit bias training, House Bill 2002 (2015) and House Bill 2355 (2017). The legislature also established a framework for local police departments to implement the use of body cameras, House Bill 2571 (2015). I am grateful for the members of the POC Caucus who championed and carried these bills forward.
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