Document text
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 Bill could gut GMO ordinance, group says ... Our View: We are not ready for The Really Big One ... Serious crime down in Medford ... Bill could gut GMO ordinance, group says ... Our View: We are not ready for The Really Big One ... Serious crime down in Medford ... POLITICS Oregon Democrats move fast as legislative session begins 'Unfinished business' such as low-carbon fuel standards take top priority Comment By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press Posted Feb. 2, 2015 at 5:42 PM By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press Posted Feb. 2, 2015 at 5:42 PM » Social News   SALEM — Democrats are wasting no time before using their expanded majorities in the Oregon Legislature to push forward with several of their initiatives that stalled in recent years. As lawmakers formally began the 2015 legislative session Monday, hearings were scheduled on three Democratic priorities: Expanding a climate-change program, automatic voter registration and changes to the rules for class-action lawsuits. In prior years, all three initiatives fell short of the 16 votes they needed to pass the Senate. The Senate now has two more Democratic seats and the House has one. "We feel this is completing unfinished business from the last session," said Rep. Val Hoyle of Eugene, the No. 2 Democrat in the House. "Things we ran on and said if we got a majority we would do." By moving forward quickly on some of their most provocative measures, Democrats can prevent them from becoming bargaining chips later in the session. They could come up for a vote in the House or Senate as soon as next week and reach Gov. John Kitzhaber's desk quickly. "They definitely have the votes to pass," said Senate Majority Leader Diane Rosenbaum, a Portland Democrat. Republicans say Democrats are rushing, denying critics a chance to have their voices heard. "I always believe that reasoned arguments are persuasive, but I fear in this instance political payback is what tops the priority list for the majority party," said Rep. Mike McLane of Powell Butte, the top Republican in the House. Republicans have fought particularly hard against the proposed extension of Oregon's low-carbon fuel standard, which was never fully implemented and expires as the end of the year. The program is designed to seed a market for cleaner-burning fuel sources such as propane or biofuels. Critics say it would increase gas prices. The proponents say the program would be paused if gas prices rise too much. If the fuel program advances, Republican leaders have threatened to halt a separate transportation funding package. They've also tried to link it to Kitzhaber's embattled fiancée, Cylvia Hayes, who has advocated environmental initiatives, including the low-carbon fuels initiative. Democrats are also pressing ahead with Secretary of State Kate Brown's proposal to use driver's license records to automatically register people to vote. Brown estimates it would add about 300,000 people to the 2.2 million registered voters. A third bill would change the way Oregon handles class-action lawsuits. The measure was intensely disputed in the legal community when it was first proposed last year. In class-action lawsuits, many of the people who are harmed never claim their portion of the judgment. Proponents want to use that money for legal assistance for the poor. But critics say it would unfairly affect lawsuits already in progress. By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press Posted Feb. 2, 2015 at 5:42 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