Document text
Shooting spurs action in Salem on firearm bills By PETER WONG SALEM -- With the school shootings in Springfield and Littleton, Colo., fresh in mind, one Rogue Valley lawmaker says the Oregon Legislature will act soon on bills to keep young people away from guns and lower their risk of committing crime. But another lawmaker lamented that the Legislature should not have to be prompted to act by shootings such as those last May 21 at Thurston High School and Tuesday in Colorado. The aftermath of the latest school shooting stirred more partisan wrangling Wednesday in the House, which is holding a Senate-passed bill to require criminal background checks for purchasers at gun shows. Democrats attempted to withdraw Senate Bill 700 from a House committee and force a vote, but the majority Republicans defeated the attempt. The Senate will vote Friday on Senate Bill 344, which would require teachers and others to report any student who brings a firearm to school. Police would have to bring such students for hearings before judges, who could detain them 72 hours for psychological evaluation. State Rep. Rob Patridge, R-Medford, was part of a group that worked out details of the bill. "There is concern about its financial effect on communities, particularly the cost of evaluations, but I think it is appropriate to allow holds for juveniles who possess guns," said Patridge, a former Jackson County deputy district attorney. Patridge was part of another group working out details of a $30 million package for prevention of juvenile crime that was originally offered by Gov. John Kitzhaber. The group was named by Sen. Neil Bryant, R-Bend, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to break a political logjam over it that has developed in the House. The logjam occurred because the House Human Resources Committee wanted to direct more money toward younger children. Under Kitzhaber's plan, Jackson County would be in line for $1.5 million and Josephine County $600,000. The money would help juvenile departments assess the risk of young offenders between ages 10 and 17 and intervene with those offenders at the highest risk of repeating crimes. Patridge, whose mother is a middle-school counselor in Grants Pass, acknowledges there is a big problem. "What happened in Colorado is a terrible tragedy," he said. "We have a great need for the involvement of parents, and the availability of teachers and counselors to identify at-risk and troubled individuals. "But the state can go only so far to protect individuals. It is difficult to legislate against individuals who have a death wish, as it appears these kids did in Colorado. It would have been nice to have early intervention for those types of kids." Rep. Judy Uherbelau, D-Ashland, has championed early intervention programs ever since she was a public member of the Jackson County Budget Committee in the early 1990s. "My reaction is: How many wake-up calls do we need before we do something?" asked Uherbelau, a lawyer who is vice chairwoman of the House Judiciary-Civil Law Committee. "We all agree that many of these young people who get into trouble or commit an act such as this shooting can be identified as early as their preschool years. The problem is that we do not furnish the tools for society to deal with them and their families. "Why do we react only when something like this tragedy happens?" Steve Marks, Kitzhaber's senior policy adviser, said the Colorado tragedy may be the impetus he needs to get the Legislature to act. "It cannot help but refocus the attention of the Legislature on issues of juvenile crime," he said. "The governor has asked and every county has a plan in place that deals with prevention of crime by high-risk juveniles. The plans need to be funded." Sen. Lenn Hannon, R-Ashland, said the Legislature is not the only place for people to seek solutions to juvenile violence. "It frustrates me and some of my colleagues on what we can and cannot do," he said. "I think this is a good time to reflect on ourselves, make sure we listen to our children, and hear their frustrations, anger and disappointments." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA