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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Emergency services, Oct. 16 ... Since You Asked: Park resurfacing delayed during winter ... SOU training gives tips on what to do if there's an active shooter ... Emergency services, Oct. 16 ... Since You Asked: Park resurfacing delayed during winter ... SOU training gives tips on what to do if there's an active shooter ... OREGON LEGISLATURE Lawmakers seek authority to impeach State already has other ways to hold elected officials accountable Oregon House asks voters for authority to impeach governor Comment By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press Posted May. 19, 2015 at 3:51 PM By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press Posted May. 19, 2015 at 3:51 PM » Social News SALEM — Oregon voters may be deciding whether state legislators should have power to impeach the governor and other elected officials from the executive branch after the state House approved a resolution Tuesday sending a proposed constitutional amendment to the ballot in 2016. The House Joint Resolution would give the House and Senate, with the approval of a supermajority, the ability to remove officials from office on the grounds of malfeasance, corruption or neglect of duty. If the measure makes it through the Legislature, it would then be referred to the 2016 general election ballot. Oregon is the only state without a legislative impeachment process, a problem backers of the measure say most Oregonians aren't even aware of. Rep. Jodi Hack, a Salem Republican, proposed the change after former Gov. John Kitzhaber resigned amid influence-peddling allegations. "The sad fact is, the people of Oregon are losing faith in their leaders and it's up to use to build their trust," Hack said. Bill co-sponsor and House Majority Leader Val Hoyle told the House Committee on Rules in April the reason Oregon doesn't have an impeachment process in place is because it already has other ways to hold elected officials accountable, such as recall and initiative methods. According to the secretary of state's office, an elected public official, such as the governor or the attorney general, can be recalled if opponents gather enough signatures to file a recall petition after they served as least six months into their current term. A state senator or representative can be recalled at any time. The initiative process allows people to propose laws or amendments to the state constitution, such as Measure 91, which legalized recreational marijuana. Hoyle said while those two procedures are "robust" in the state, the impeachment proposal would be the "third leg of the stool" that holds government accountable. Though the measure drew bipartisan support from House lawmakers, Rep. Mitch Greenlick said he was against the resolution because he's seen the "federal Congress make a mockery of the impeachment process." "We've seen the governor resign recently without the threat of impeachment. And I just think we should be very proud of our recall abilities in this state," said Greenlick, a Portland Democrat. House lawmakers passed the resolution 47-12. It now goes to the Senate. By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press Posted May. 19, 2015 at 3:51 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501