SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

April 1, 2003 Hearing Room C

3:00 PM Tapes 46-47

MEMBERS PRESENT: Sen. Charles Starr, Chair

Sen. Ryan Deckert, Vice-Chair

Sen. Ted Ferrioli

Sen. Bill Morrisette

STAFF PRESENT: Jan McComb, Committee Administrator

Heather Gravelle, Committee Assistant

MEASURE/ISSUES HEARD: SB 738 – Public Hearing

SB 746 – Public Hearing

SB 727 – Public Hearing

SB 389 – 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 46, A
005	Chair Starr	Calls the meeting to order at 3:10 p.m. Opens a public hearing on SB 738.
SB 738 – PUBLIC HEARING
010	Ron Dexter	Consultant, Career and Technical Education. Testifies in support of SB 738. Provides written testimony (EXHIBIT A). Explains position. Clarifies the intent of SB 738. Provides background and history.
015	Dexter	Provides further information, including any cost associated with SB 738. States concerns that educational programs may be cut.
045	Sen. Ferrioli	Expresses that technical education has been withering. Mentions history of home economics, wood shops etc. Adds that professional technical education is a key alternative for those who do not seek higher education.
065	Sen. Morrisette	Agrees with Sen. Ferrioli. States he is a long supporter of professional technical education.
095	Dexter	Details there are many myths regarding professional technical education, and this study will help dispel these myths.
110	Dexter	Reports SB 738 will help to build new resources. Adds it will also benefit Oregon’s economy.
130	Sen. Morrisette	Inquires if SB 738 has a fiscal impact.
135	Dexter	Explains the Department of Education will provide financial support.
155	Sen. Morrisette	Suggests amending the bill to state the Department of Education will be supporting the work, this will ensure it won’t go to the Committee on Ways and Means.
160	Chair Starr	Closes the public hearing on SB 738. Opens a public hearing on SB 746.
SB 746 – PUBLIC HEARING
175	Ron Dexter	Consultant, Career and Technical Education. Testifies in support of SB 746. Provides written testimony (EXHIBIT B). States position and explains history of the bill. Adds the purpose of SB 746 is to develop a public safety career program for grades 7-16.
210	Dexter	Provides statistics of the program. States 180 people signed up for the program eight years ago. Expresses a major transformation of students who successfully completed the program.
225	Dexter	Declares there is a lot of interest, but few opportunities for this type of program. Adds that many don’t know it exists.
235	Bill Cross	Instructor of Criminal justice. Testifies in support of SB 746. States how many people have enrolled in the program. States the benefits and feels it helps develop career paths.
250	Cross	Adds that most contact youth have by law enforcement is negative, this program allows young people to see law enforcement in a positive manner.
300	Sen. Morrisette	Inquires if Dexter has contacted the Department of Education for support.
305	Dexter	States yes, and explains much of the assistance will be volunteers, and existing staff. States there is no fiscal impact.
375	Chair Starr	Expresses his support of SB 746. Adds these types of programs are vital to the future of the State of Oregon.
TAPE 47, A
005	Chair Starr	Closes the public hearing on SB 746. Opens a public hearing on SB 727.
SB 727 – PUBLIC HEARING
010	Chair Starr	Explains the intent of SB 727. States he is the sponsor of the bill. Provides overview and shares history.
060	Chair Starr	Adds he is taking it off of the agenda. Expresses he deems it appropriate to drop the bill. Closes the public hearing on SB 727. Opens a public hearing on SB 389.
SB 389 – PUBLIC HEARING
075	Chair Starr	Explains the intent and the history of SB 389.
100	Patty O’Sullivan	Portland Public School District. Testifies in opposition of SB 389. States concern with the language in the bill. Specifies which sections.
110	O’Sullivan	Continues explaining the current process. Mentions that liability and funding are major concerns. Adds extensive record keeping would be needed.
125	O’Sullivan	Expresses an alternate solution. States the school district does provide education for children regarding stranger danger. Adds the sex offender by law cannot live or frequent areas such as near schools. States the responsibility should be on the sex offender, not the school district.
160	Chair Starr	States the specific situation which brought the issue forth. Explains a child’s bus stop was right in front of a sex offender’s home. Adds the parents didn’t feel the bus stop should be that close to a known sex offender.
190	O’Sullivan	Expresses surprise that the specific school district did nothing to assist the child.
195	Sen. Morrisette	States SB 389 is a permissive piece of legislation. Adds if a certain school district didn’t feel it was practicable, it isn’t mandatory.
210	John Marshall	Oregon School Board Association. Testifies in opposition of SB 389. States the need for further discussion before action is taken. Expresses it is possible to come to a resolution.
225	Marshall	Declares the bill is relatively permissive, due to the verbiage “practicable.” States concern if language was in statute, it may create liability issues if school districts didn’t take action in a timely manner.
350	Chair Starr	Suggests further discussion is needed on the issue. Closes the public hearing on SB 389. Adjourns the meeting at 3:55 p.m.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A – SB 738, written testimony, Ron Dexter, 2 pp

B – SB 746, written testimony, Ron Dexter, 1 p