HOUSE COMMITTEE ON
VETERANS' AFFAIRS
May 3, 2005 Hearing Room C
8:30 A.M. Tapes 86 - 87
MEMBERS PRESENT: Rep. Donna Nelson, Chair
Rep. Phil Barnhart, Vice-Chair
Rep. Debi Farr, Vice-Chair
Rep. Brian Boquist
Rep. Scott Bruun
Rep. Dave Hunt
Rep. Betty Komp
STAFF PRESENT: Jim Stembridge, Committee Administrator
Erin Seiler, Committee Assistant
MEASURES/ISSUES HEARD:
HB 2681 – Work Session
HB 2862 – Work Session
HCR 9 – Public Hearing and Work Session
HB 2864 – Work Session
HJM 25 – Work Session
HB 2700 – Public Hearing and Work Session
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 86, A |
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002 |
Chair Nelson |
Opens the meeting at 8:42 a.m. Opens the work session HB 2681. |
HB 2681 – WORK SESSION |
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033 |
Jim Stembridge |
Committee Administrator. Explains HB 2681, which requires school district to issue high school diploma upon request to veteran who served in United States Armed Forces during specified war or was present in specified operations if veteran attended high school before serving in Armed Forces, did not complete high school because of service in Armed Forces and was discharged or released under honorable conditions from Armed Forces. Submits and summarizes -1 amendments (EXHIBIT A). Submits and summarizes -3 amendments (EXHIBIT B). |
053 |
Rep. Barnhart |
Explains the purpose of -1 amendments and -3 amendments. |
084 |
Rep. Barnhart |
MOTION: Moves to ADOPT HB 2681-3 amendments dated 04/27/05. |
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VOTE: 7-0-0 |
|
Chair Nelson |
Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED. |
092 |
Rep. Barnhart |
MOTION: Moves to ADOPT HB 2681-1 amendments dated 03/22/05. |
108 |
Chair Nelson |
Clarifies how -1 amendments change HB 2681. |
113 |
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VOTE: 7-0-0 |
|
Chair Nelson |
Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED. |
115 |
Rep. Barnhart |
MOTION: Moves HB 2681 to the floor with a DO PASS AS AMENDED recommendation. |
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VOTE: 7-0-0 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye. |
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Chair Nelson |
The motion CARRIES. |
131 |
Chair Nelson |
Closes the work session on HB 2681. Opens the work session on HB 2862. |
HB 2862 – WORK SESSION |
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139 |
Jim Stembridge |
Committee Administrator. Explains HB 2862, which directs public post-secondary education institutions to award credit for education and training obtained while serving in Armed Forces of United States. Submits and summarize -1 amendments (EXHIBIT C). Submits and summarizes -2 amendments. (EXHIBIT D). |
157 |
Chair Nelson |
Clarifies the difference between -1 amendments and -2 amendments. |
173 |
Stembridge |
Submits Oregon University System Veterans Academic Resource List (EXHIBIT E). |
183 |
Rep. Boquist |
Confirms that -2 amendments direct the Chancellors’ Office to establish the standards for the Oregon University System for awarding academic credit to veterans’. |
200 |
Rep. Bruun |
Asks if -1 amendments and -2 amendments are competing amendments. |
205 |
Stembridge |
Clarifies what the difference is between the -1 amendments and -2 amendments. |
213 |
Cindy Hunt |
Senior Deputy, Office of the Legislative Counsel. Explains that “shall” directs community colleges to give credit and “may” makes it optional for community colleges to give credit for education and training. |
225 |
Rep. Boquist |
Verifies that “shall” places a mandate on community colleges to give credit. |
231 |
Rep. Barnhart |
Questions whether keeping the word “shall” does prevent local community college boards from adopting “unreasonable standards” for giving credit. |
242 |
C. Hunt |
Confirms that maintaining the word “shall” prevents community college boards from adopting standards that would not give any credit. |
250 |
Rep. Barnhart |
Questions how changing the language from “shall” to “may” would affect community college boards’ ability to set credit standards. |
253 |
C. Hunt |
Explains that current law gives community colleges the discretion to set the standards for awarding academic credit for military training. |
264 |
Rep. Boquist |
MOTION: Moves to ADOPT HB 2862-2 amendments dated 04/25/05. |
270 |
Rep. Barnhart |
Objects to adopting -2 amendments. |
275 |
Rep. Boquist |
Points out how community colleges have done an “exceptionally good job” assisting veterans and should be given the latitude to adopt independent standards for awarding credit. |
288 |
Chair Nelson |
Acknowledges the efforts of community colleges on behalf of veterans and states willingness to support -2 amendments despite displeasure with the language. |
297 |
Rep. Farr |
Verifies that even if -2 amendments were adopted, community colleges would not have the latitude to adopt standards that prevented awarding any credit. |
303 |
C. Hunt |
Confirms that -2 amendment prevent community college boards from adopting standards that prevent awarding any credit to soldiers. |
310 |
Rep. Hunt |
Concurs that community colleges should be given latitude to set individual standards. |
327 |
Rep. Komp |
Speaks in support of adopting -2 amendments. |
360 |
Rep. Barnhart |
Withdraws objection to the motion to adopt -2 amendments. |
365 |
|
VOTE: 7-0-0 |
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Chair Nelson |
Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED. |
366 |
Rep. Boquist |
MOTION: Moves HB 2862 to the floor with a DO PASS AS AMENDED recommendation and the SUBSEQUENT REFERRAL to the committee on Ways and Means BE RESCINDED. |
370 |
Rep. Hunt |
Verifies that permission has been given to rescind subsequent referral to Ways and Means. |
397 |
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VOTE: 7-0-0 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye. |
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Chair Nelson |
The motion CARRIES. REP. BOQUIST will lead discussion on the floor. |
TAPE 87, B |
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007 |
Chair Nelson |
Closes the work session on HB 2862. |
049 |
Chair Nelson |
Opens the public hearing and work session on HCR 9. |
HCR 9 – PUBLIC HEARING AND WORK SESSION |
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051 |
Jim Stembridge |
Committee Administrator. Explains HCR 9, which recognizes June 14 of each year as “Honor Our Troops Day.” Submits and summarizes -1 amendments (EXHIBIT F). |
070 |
Chair Nelson |
Reads -1 amendments to HCR 9. |
128 |
Fred Schaffer |
Chairman, Oregon State Chapter of Atomic Veterans. Testifies in support of HCR 9. |
184 |
Schaffer |
Speaks to personal experience as a veteran and efforts to identify other Atomic Veterans. |
200 |
Rep. Farr |
MOTION: Moves to ADOPT HCR 9-1 amendments dated 05/02/05. |
209 |
Rep. Barnhart |
Confirms that other states have adopted the same date for recognizing Atomic veterans. |
215 |
Rep. Boquist |
Points out the high number of Oregonians who were involved in Hiroshima and affected by Atomic testing. |
248 |
|
VOTE: 7-0-0 |
|
Chair Nelson |
Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED. |
250 |
Rep. Farr |
MOTION: Moves HCR 9 be sent to the floor with a BE ADOPTED AS AMENDED recommendation. |
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VOTE: 7-0-0 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye. |
|
Chair Nelson |
The motion CARRIES. REP. KROPF will lead discussion on the floor. |
286 |
Chair Nelson |
Closes the public hearing and work session on HCR 9. Opens the work session on HB 2864. |
HB 2864 – WORK SESSION |
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301 |
Jim Stembridge |
Committee Administrator. HB 2864, which creates Veterans’ Discharge Stipend Program to provide temporary income to veterans when discharged from active federal service. Submits and summarize -1 amendments (EXHIBIT G). |
329 |
Rep. Boquist |
Asks if HB 2864 is first or second bill with a specific dollar amount attached to it. |
332 |
Stembridge |
Identifies all the committee measures with specific fiscal requirements. |
355 |
Chair Nelson |
Explains the purpose of the Veterans’ Discharge Stipend Program. |
379 |
Rep. Hunt |
Asks whether the bill defines veteran using current statutory language or if new definition has been substituted. |
395 |
Rep. Boquist |
Points out the need for an amendment with new definition of veteran because the existing statutory definition of veteran is used in the text of the bill and -1 amendments. |
TAPE 86, B |
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001 |
Chair Nelson |
Closes the work session on HB 2864. |
017 |
Chair Nelson |
Opens the work session on HJM 25. |
HJM 25 – WORK SESSION |
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020 |
Jim Stembridge |
Committee Administrator. Explains HJM 25, which urges Congress to eliminate practice of subtracting disability payments from pension amounts due to disabled veterans regardless of level of disability. Submits and summarizes -1 amendments (EXHIBIT H). |
039 |
Rep. Bruun |
MOTION: Moves to ADOPT HJM 25-1 amendments dated 4/29/05. |
040 |
Kevin O’Reilly |
Government Relations/Advocacy Director, Oregon Paralyzed Veterans of America. Submits written testimony on behalf of Jerry Ryan in support of HJM 25 (EXHIBIT H). |
041 |
Chair Nelson |
Summarizes written testimony of Jerry Ryan (EXHIBIT I). |
059 |
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VOTE: 7-0-0 |
|
Chair Nelson |
Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED. |
062 |
Rep. Bruun |
MOTION: Moves HJM 25 be sent to the floor with a BE ADOPTED AS AMENDED recommendation. |
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VOTE: 7-0-0 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye. |
|
Chair Nelson |
The motion CARRIES. REP. BRUUN will lead discussion on the floor. |
072 |
Chair Nelson |
Closes the work session on HJM 25. Opens the public hearing and work session on HB 2700. |
HB 2700 – PUBLIC HEARING AND WORK SESSION |
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079 |
Jim Stembridge |
Committee Administrator. Explains HB 2700, which directs Director of Veterans’ Affairs to establish Veterans’ Service Officer Expansion Program. Submits and summarizes -3 amendments (EXHIBIT J). Submits and summarize -4 amendments (EXHIBIT K). |
111 |
Bill Penhollow |
Assistant Executive Director, Association of Oregon Counties. Testifies in support of HB 2700. |
118 |
Tim Josi |
President, Association of Oregon Counties. Submits and summarizes written testimony in support of HB 2700 (EXHIBIT L). |
177 |
Josi |
Explains why AOC does not support -3 amendments. |
239 |
Rep. Farr |
Verifies that the problem AOC has is with “the maintenance of effort“ and states that the goal is to increase the funding of County Veterans’ Service Officers. |
262 |
Rep. Brad Witt |
House District 31. Testifies in support of HB 2700 and -4 amendments. |
327 |
Rep. Farr |
Reads from -3 amendments as evidence that a county can adjust the budget for the County Veterans’ Service Officer budget if there is a decrease in revenue. |
349 |
Rep. Farr |
Questions why AOC objects to the language relating to “maintenance of effort” if there is no reason, other then loss revenue, that County Veterans’ Service Officer positions would not be fully funded. |
363 |
Josi |
States that AOC “just does not want it in statute.” |
371 |
Chair Nelson |
Submits and summarizes written testimony on behalf of Mark Behnke in support of HB 2681 (EXHIBIT M). |
TAPE 87, B |
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027 |
Chair Nelson |
Closes the public hearing and work session on HB 2700. Adjourns the meeting at 10:05 a.m. |
EXHIBIT SUMMARY