HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GENERAL GOVERNMENT

March 27, 2003 Hearing Room D

8:30 AM Tapes 43 - 45

MEMBERS PRESENT: Rep. Jerry Krummel, Chair

Rep. Donna Nelson, Vice-Chair

Rep. Floyd Prozanski, Vice-Chair

Rep. Brad Avakian

Rep. Derrick Kitts

Rep. John Mabrey

Rep. Kelley Wirth

STAFF PRESENT: Patrick Brennan, Committee Administrator

Jeana Harrington, Committee Assistant

MEASURES HEARD: HB 3060 – Public Hearing

HB 3226 – Public Hearing

HB 3124 – Public Hearing

HB 3154 – Public Hearing

HB 3257 – Public Hearing

HB 2913 – Public Hearing

These minutes are in compliance with Senate and House Rules. Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speaker’s exact words. For complete contents, please refer to the tapes.

TAPE/#	Speaker	Comments
TAPE 43, A
004	Chair Krummel	Calls meeting to order at 8:41 AM. Opens public hearing on HB 3060.
HB 3060 PUBLIC HEARING
017	Patrick Brennan	Reads Staff Measure Summary (SMS) on HB 3060.
021	Dave Hunnicutt	Oregonians in Action (OIA). Testifies in favor of HB 3060.
034	Michelle Deister	League of Oregon Cities (LOC). Testifies regarding HB 3060. Notes amendments.
045	Chair Krummel	Requests the parties return when amendments are ready. Closes public hearing on HB 3060. Opens public hearing on HB 3226.
HB 3226 PUBLIC HEARING
050	Rep. Rob Patridge	House District 6. Provides PowerPoint presentation (EXHIBIT A). Testifies in favor of HB 3226. Explains the issues behind Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). Speaks on consolidation issues. Discusses his work on public safety issues. Informs the committee of dispatch systems. Provides a history of State Police Dispatch Centers. Speaks on the need to upgrade. Lists the reasons the program would be beneficial to government.
398	Chair Krummel	Requests Rep. Patridge to differentiate physical facilities and ‘buildings and towers’.
410	Rep. Patridge	Explains the terms and the requirements.
TAPE 44, A
003	Chair Krummel	Asks if he suggests that 9-1-1 services are being provided by tax money.
005	Rep. Patridge	Affirms and comments on the costs to the state.
014	Chair Krummel	Clarifies the money paid by the state and local governments.
016	Rep. Patridge	Explains.
018	Chair Krummel	Asks for the statewide cost for 9-1-1 service is.
022	Rep. Patridge	Extrapolates the state picks up 20% of the cost, about $30 million, currently.
029	Rep. Prozanski	Clarifies the legislature would remove funds from other programs.
033	Rep. Patridge	Estimates the money missing.
036	Rep. Prozanski	Speaks to the vision of the program overall.
040	Rep. Patridge	Asserts he never said the actions were correct.
042	Rep. Prozanski	Comments on an aspect missing from the program.
047	Rep. Patridge	Understands the questions on the matter.
054	Rep. Prozanski	Poses question regarding the backup systems and his vision for them.
059	Rep. Patridge	Explains the system would be statewide.
063	Rep. Prozanski	Asks if there will be a loss of time.
	Rep. Patridge	Responds he does not see a substantial delay.
073	Rep. Prozanski	Asks if it would not be better to facilitate overall communication initially and works in steps.
082	Rep. Patridge	Believes the issue is nothing new. Speaks to the current budget crisis to illustrate the need for the program. Offers he would like to leave some aspects of the program to local governments, but that consolidation is important to the model. States he does not believe the federal government will fund the whole program.
113	Rep. Kitts	Poses question about the cost ratio.
117	Rep. Patridge	Responds that the cost per call is currently inappropriate. Thinks optimization by the legislature would help the burden on citizens. Speaks on Full-time Equivalent (FTE) employees.
140	Rep. Kitts	Asks what the percentage of costs to the state would be.
144	Rep. Patridge	States the state would overtake the program entirely. Comments on radio networks and jurisdiction by district.
160	Rep. Mabrey	Believes the question is not whether citizens in Oregon are well served by 9-1-1. Asks why given the states’s history of funding programs adequately citizens should feel comfortable giving the government the authority to oversee the funds.
180	Rep. Patridge	Disagrees with Rep. Mabrey’s views on government funding of programs. Comments on the need for local and state governments to work together. Believes the state is a more apt purveyor of the network.
205	Chair Krummel	Speak to section three of the bill.
222	Rep. Patridge	Explains the intent of the section.
224	Chair Krummel	Questions the cost.
226	Rep. Patridge	Notes the cost would be on the government.
236	Chair Krummel	Clarifies.
238	Chair Krummel	Asks why a local government would spend its own money to fund a separate PSAP.
245	Rep. Patridge	They might believe the service would be improved.
250	Chair Krummel	Asks if it is his vision despite the type of phone service.
259	Rep. Patridge	Replies.
266	Chair Krummel	Offers example of air frequencies.
284	Rep. Patridge	Differentiates older and new technology.
300	Rep. Nelson	Comments on the situation in her district. Asks HB 3226 is a mandate.
315	Rep. Patridge	Replies it is not a mandate on local government as the state would pay for the costs.
322	Rep. Nelson	Requests the other options.
327	Rep. Patridge	Explains two service centers would achieve efficiency and cost savings. Voices hope the legislature can spend down in areas such as these.
358	Rep. Nelson	Asks if the PSAP could be by county.
368	Rep. Patridge	Explains he has looked oat situations such as those and that it would not be beneficial.
TAPE 43, B
005	Rep. Jeff Kropf	House District 17. Comments in his own involvement as a firefighter. Testifies against HB 3226 (EXHIBIT B). Reads account of a town hall meeting in Stayton on the negative effects of 9-1-1 consolidation. Voices concern for consolidation as a burden to citizens. Provides accounts of emergency management. Believes the current system is working and efficient at the local level. Speaks to issues of radio tuning. Comments on a meeting with Tom Ridge of Homeland Security regarding first response to terrorism and needed upgrades in communications. Concludes.
182	Judge Laura Pryor	Gilliam County Judge. Testifies against HB 3226. Calls attention to district size versus population regarding 9-1-1 operations. Provides accounts of an emergency in a rural part of the state. Points out there is no cell phone reception in parts of the counties.
251	Chair Krummel	Closes public hearing on HB 3226. Opens public hearing on HB 3124, HB 3154, and HB 3257.
HB 3124 PUBLIC HEARING, HB 3154 PUBLIC HEARING, HB 3257 PUBLIC HEARING
260	Rep. Joanne Verger	House District 9. Testifies in favor of HB 3257. (EXHIBIT C).
313	Rep. Greg Smith	House District 57. Testifies in favor HB 3124. Explains the rural implications of 9-1-1 regarding safety and expense. Challenges the committee the issues as one of local control. Provides an account of a family emergency to illustrate the importance of local PSAPs.
TAPE 44, B
005	Rep. Smith	Notes the lawsuits the State could incur when the services are not provided. Provides he introduced HB 3124and requests that formation of a workgroup be considered.
030	Rep. Wirth	Comments.
035	Chair Krummel	Comments.
042	Sen. Tony Corcoran	Senate District 4. Testifies in favor of HB 3154. Shares an anecdote of burglary to illustrate the need for local control of public safety issues.
075	Rep. Jeff Kruse	House District 7. Notes the bipartisan agreement on the measures. Testifies in favor of the bill he has sponsored, HB 3154. States support for the related measure, HB 3124 and HB 3257. Points out the need for local involvement in emergencies. Believes the issue should not be one of money, it should be of public safety. Echoes the concerns of Rep. Smith on central dispatch and the need for redundancy. Urges quick action on HB 3154.
132	Rep. Prozanski	Requests what vehicle was used to establish sponsorship.
137	Rep. Kruse	Explains sponsorship is not important and that he supports the passage of the bills.
145	Chair Krummel	Notes written testimonials submitted by Chuck Knight, Chief of Police, Coos Bay (EXHIBIT D) and Leroy Cammack, Mayor, City of Ontario (EXHIBIT E).
153	Michelle Deister	LOC. Testifies in favor of HB 3124, 3154, 3257. Adds LOC is opposed to HB 3226 (EXHIBIT F). Points out representatives from all over the state has brought forth concerns on the issue. Asserts consolidation takes place when it makes sense to local communities.
190	Daniel Coulombe	Hermiston, Umatilla County. Testifies in favor of HB 3124. Believes consolidation efforts are unnecessary as the current efforts are successful. Adds consolidation will increase response time and increase risk. Points out the chemical depot existing in Umatilla County to illustrate the potential for tragedy if PSAP was not local.
295	Roger Bennett	City Manager, Florence. Believes the issue of diversity needs to be considered when making decisions. Discusses economic issues. Speaks on PSAPs and 9-1-1 consolidation in Lane County.
320	Cindy Rubert	City of Medford. Testifies in opposition of HB 3226 despite the consolidation of the PSAPs in the county. Points out there are great reasons for consolidation and that it can make sense.
366	Chair Krummel	Points out the decision was made locally and that it was not mandated by the state.
370	Rubert	Affirms.
375	Chair Krummel	Asks if the area between the cities belong to the consolidated area.
380	Rubert	Explains they belong to Source.
TAPE 45, A
002	Chair Krummel	Remarks.
005	Mary Botkin	Association of Federal, State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Local 79. Testifies on the bills. Comments on mandatory consolidation. Believes common sense is a great part of the issue. States the organization would be happy to work to bring their people into the process.
023	Gary Williams	Mayor, Cottage Grove. Testifies on the measures. Asserts Cottage Grove does not support consolidation concepts. Presents the resolution passed by his city (EXHIBIT G).
040	Richard Meyers	City Manager, Cottage Grove. States the issue is not one of funds, but of level of service. Presents the situation of the lakes in the area. Notes the resolution.
068	Chair Krummel	Closes public hearings on HB 3124, 3154, and 3257. Opens public hearing on HB 2913.
HB 2913 PUBLIC HEARING
075	Cathy Pollino	Secretary of State Audits Division. Provides audit report on Oregon Emergency Management and area map (EXHIBITS H and I).
085	Phil Hopkins	Secretary of State Audits Division.
117	Rep. Mabrey	Asks about the audit review.
121	Hopkins	Explains the legislature has not required a follow up.
124	Chair Krummel	Notes the committee may have further issues, thanks them for the input.
133	Judge Jeanne Burch	Wheeler County Judge. Voices concerns about HB 2913. Speaks on PSAPs in rural counties. Notes that Sherman and Wheeler counties would receive no funds.
150	Judge Mike McArthur	Sherman County Judge. Opposes 2913, and the redline proposal to shift money among counties. Believes a thorough analysis of the counties should be done.
187	Chair Krummel	Asks if in his estimation the legislature was ahead of itself in the matter.
200	McArthur	Replies that it appears that way.
203	Paul Snyder	Association of Oregon Counties (AOC).
206	Chair Krummel	Asks Ms. Squires to testify and provide an update on the directions he espoused the other day
218	Hasina Squires	Association of Public Safety Communications Officers; National Emergency Number Association (APCO-NENA). Reiterates her understanding of his requests. Believes the issue becomes one of audits. Comments on the issues of ensuing 9-1-1- service throughout the state. Explains APCO-NENA can not report on those issues. Supports work in the interim into the matter. Comments on HB 2913 and the sunset clause.
256	Chair Krummel	Concurs with Judge McArthur. Believes look into state policy and decisions needed.
273	Rep. Mabrey	Thanks Chair Krummel publicly for holding the hearing longer to hear all testimony.
279	Chair Krummel	Closes public hearing on HB 2913. Adjourns meeting at 10:48 AM.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A – HB 3226, Rep. Rob Patridge, 23 pp

B – HB 3124, Rep. Jeff Kropf, 2 pp

C – HB 3257, Rep. Joanne Verger, 1 p

D – HB 3124, Chuck Knight, 1 p

E – HB 3124, Leroy Cammack, 3 pp

F – HB 3124, 3154, 3257, Michelle Deister, 2 pp

G – HB 3124, Gary Williams, 2 pp

H – HB 3124, Cathy Pollino, 6 pp

I – HB 3124, Cathy Pollino, 1 p