HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ELECTION AND RULES

 

 

April 13, 2005 Hearing Room E

3:30 P.M.           Tape 38

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:            Rep. Derrick Kitts, Chair

Rep. Paul Holvey, Vice-Chair

Rep. Kim Thatcher, Vice-Chair

Rep. Billy Dalto

Rep. Debi Farr

Rep. Mitch Greenlick

Rep. Steve March

 

STAFF PRESENT:                  Cletus Moore, Committee Administrator

Annetta Mullins, Committee Assistant

 

MEASURES/ISSUES HEARD:

                                                HB 2347 – Public Hearing

                                                HJR 7 – Public Hearing and Work Session

                                                Approval of Drafting Requests – Work Session

 

 

 

TAPE/#	Speaker	Comments
TAPE 38, A
003	Chair Kitts	Calls the meeting to order at 3:35 p.m. and opens a public hearing on HB 2347.
HB 2347 – PUBLIC HEARING
014	Rep. John Lim	HD 50.  Testifies in support of HB 2347.  States that HJR 7 creates the position of lieutenant governor.  Only Oregon, Wyoming and Arizona do not have lieutenant governors.
	Chair Kitts	Explains that HB 2347 is the funding mechanism for HJR 7 and has a subsequent referral to Ways and Means.
	Rep. March	States he supports referring the lieutenant governor question to the voters but is concerned about the special election costs because it may kill the bill in Ways and Means.  Asks if Rep. Lim has thought about having the referral be on a regular election ballot.
043	Rep. . Lim	Responds there will be several issues on the ballot in November this year.
	Rep. Greenlick	As if Rep. Lim knows what other issues will be on the November ballot.
	Rep. Lim	Responds he does not know what issues will be on the ballot.
	Rep. Greenlick	Asks if Rep. Lim would amend the bill to the effect that if there are no other statewide issues on the November 2005 ballot that this issue would be automatically carried over to the November 2006 ballot.
059	Rep. Lim	States he is willing to make an amendment to do that.
	Chair Kitts	States he thinks the amendments are appropriate and will wait until the amendments are drafted to act on HB 2347.
	Seth Hatmaker	Legislative Assistant to Rep. Lim.   Offers to contact the Secretary of State’s Office and find out what issues will be coming up in November.
	Chair Kitts	States if there are other issues, the amendments are not important and the committee will reschedule HB 2347.
	Rep. Thatcher	Expresses concern about spending $1.3 million on a special election.
	Chair Kitts	Explains that we are not spending anything on HB 2347.  If there are no other measures on the ballot, we will postpone it until an election when there are other issues.
		The Legislative Fiscal Statement on HB 2347 is hereby made a part of the record (EXHIBIT A).
104	Chair Kitts	Closes the public hearing on HB 2347 and opens a public hearing on HJR 7.
HJR 7 – PUBLIC HEARING
100	Rep. John Lim	HD 50.  Testifies in support of HJR 7.  States that creating the position is also creating many jobs in Oregon.  The lieutenant governor would act as an ambassador, a trade commission, and would assist the governor.
114	Craig Burk	Acting Director, International Division of the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department.  States he has been asked by their Director, Marty Brown and by the International Trade Commission to go on record with the division’s and commission’s opinions on Section 19 of HJR 7.  States they are neutral on this.  The reason is they presently defer to the governor and would take his or her cue as to how this would be handled.  States they would assume, given the interest the lieutenant governor would have, that the person would be sympathetic to the fact that Oregon is greatly dependent on its place in the international economy.
		The Legislative Fiscal Statement on HJR 7 is hereby made a part of the record (EXHIBIT B).
147	Chair Kitts	Closes the public hearing on and opens a work session on HJR 7.
HJR 7 – WORK SESSION
149	Rep. March	MOTION:  Moves HJR 7 be sent to the floor with a BE ADOPTED recommendation.
152		VOTE:  7-0-0 AYE:            In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye.
	Chair Kitts	The motion CARRIES. REP. LIM will lead discussion on the floor.
158	Chair Kitts	Closes the work session on HJR 7 and opens a work session for the purpose of approving drafting requests.
APPROVAL OF DRAFTING REQUESTS
168	Chair Kitts	Explains that he is requesting a motion by the committee to request the Speaker’s permission for the committee to request Legislative Counsel prepare a draft on behalf of Rep. Nelson who had a drafting request lost while in the possession of Legislative Counsel.
168	Rep. Kitts	MOTION:  Moves the committee request of the Speaker permission to request that Legislative Counsel prepare an LC draft on behalf of Rep. Nelson.
170		VOTE:  7-0-0
	Chair Kitts	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.
180	Rep. Kitts	MOTION:  Moves the committee request of the Speaker permission to request Legislative Counsel prepare LC drafts relating to state finance.
193		VOTE:  7-0-0
	Chair Kitts	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.
195	Chair Kitts	Closes the work session on approval of drafting requests and adjourns meeting at 3:49 p.m.

 

 

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

 

1. HB 2347, Legislative Fiscal Statement, staff, 1 p
2. HJR 7, Legislative Fiscal Statement, staff, 1 p