Statesman Journal from Salem, Oregon • Page 3

Friday, January 21, 2005 Statesman Journal 3C SALEM New bills introduced Thursday Governor swears in new senator Legislature HOUSE CONVENES: 8:30 a.m. SENATE CONVENES: 11:30 a.m. Monday. No session today. Governor 10 A.M.

TODAY: Speaks at University of Oregon law school, Eugene. Betsy Johnson Betsy Johnson of Scappoose previously served in the House Hearings TODAY SENATE P0SITI0N: State senator, District 16, through November 2006 AGE: 54 HOME: Scappoose FAMILY: Husband, John Helm, who manages TransWestern Aviation EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in history, Carleton College, 1974; law degree, Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College, 1977 CAREER: Licensed commercial pilot; founder, TransWestern Helicopters, 1978-93, when helicopter division was sold and it became TransWestern Aviation; Aeronautics Division manager, Oregon Department of Transportation, 1993-98; vice president for legislative affairs, Oregon Pilots Association, 1999 COMMUNITY SERVICE: Including Oregon Public Broadcasting Foundation, Oregon Health Science University Foundation, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, High Desert Museum. Vice president of S.S. Johnson Foundation PUBLIC SERVICE: Oregon House, 2001-05; appointed to Oregon Senate; former board member of Port of St. Helens, Columbia County Health District NO COMMITTEE MEETINGS POSTED.

HOUSE BUSINESS, LABOR AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS: 8:30 a.m., Hearing Room HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: 8:30 a.m., HR TRADE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: 8:30 a.m., Room 343 AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES: 9 a.m., HR EDUCATION: 1 p.m., HR REVENUE: 1 p.m., Oregon Lottery, 500 Airport Road SE, Salem. Field trip. New bills introduced Thursday in the Oregon Legislature included ones to: Require adoption agencies to give preference to prospective parents who are married and to those who live in Oregon, House Bill 2401, sponsored by Sen. John Urn, R-Gresham. Put a proposed state constitutional amendment on the ballot that would allow the Legislature to limit or restrict campaign contributions.

Senate Joint Resolution 3, by Senate Rules Committee. Require seat belt use in privately owned commercial vehicles designed to carry 15 or fewer people, Senate Bill 367, by Rick Metsger, D-Welches. Require the state to adopt California auto air emission standards starting with 2009 model year, Senate Bill 344, by Senate Environment Land Use Committee. Prohibit local governments from imposing sales taxes on restaurant meals unless tax took effect before Jan. 1, 2003, by Sen.

Kurt Schrader, D-Canby. Make It a crime with possible jail term of up to 30 days for people to refuse to identify themselves when told by police their identity is sought in a criminal investigation, House Bill 2390, by Rep. Jeff Barker, D-Aloha. Expand crime of intimidation to include offensive contact or threats based on transvestite appearance or behavior, Senate Bill 360, by Senate Rules Committee. The Associated Press JOINT By Peter Wong Statesman Journal On Thursday, Betsy Johnson of Scappoose went one step further than her father.

She was sworn as the replacement for Joan Dukes in the state Senate. Her father, Sam Johnson, was a Republican state representative from Redmond from 1965 to 1979 and mayor of Redmond from 1979 until his death in 1984. She has been a Democratic state representative from Scappoose since 2001. Her mother is Elizabeth "Becky" Johnson, lives in Central Oregon. She was seated next to Sen.

Ben Westlund, R-Tumalo, during the ceremony Becky Johnson also has served on several state boards, including the Board of Higher Education and the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission. "When I first told her of my intention to seek this appointment, she informed me that my father served seven terms in the House and he never abandoned the House," Betsy Johnson said after she was sworn in by Gov. Ted Kulongoski. The appointment was made Wednesday by commissioners in the five counties in the Senate district. Johnson succeeds Dukes, who resigned last week after 18 years in the Senate to accept an appointment as one of two Oregon members of the Northwest Power Planning Council.

The legislative term ends in 2006, when Johnson would have to Statesman Journal File Betsy Johnson of Scappoose replaces Joan Dukes in the state Senate. run again for a full four-year term. Johnson moves from a member of the Democratic minority in the House to the Democratic majority in the Senate. But she will remain on the Legislature's joint budget committee, where she will assume Dukes' assignments as chairwoman of the general government subcommittee and member of the transportation and economic development subcommittee. She had been one of three Democratic representatives on the committee, and her replacement there has not been named.

Johnson's replacement in the House will be nominated by Democrats and chosen by commissioners in Clatsop, Colum- bia and Multnomah counties. The scheduled date is Wednesday. Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, paid tribute to the public service of Johnson's family "I know Sam Johnson would be extraordinarily pleased with his daughter," Courtney said. pwongStatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6745 WAYS AND MEANS: 9:30 a.m., HR MONDAY SENATE REVENUE: 9 a.m., Hearing Room A HEALTH POLICY: 1p.m.. HR JUDICIARY: 1 p.m., HR F.

EDUCATIONWORKFORCE: 3 p.m., HR ENVIRONMENTLAND USE: 3 p.m., HR TRANSPORTATION: 3 p.m., HR HOUSE BUSINESS, LABOR AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS: 8:30 a.m., HR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: 8:30 a.m., HR JUDICIARYCIVIL LAW: 8:30 a.m., Room 357 TRADE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: 8:30 a.m., Room 343 EDUCATION: 1 p.m., HR JUDICIARY (FULL): 1 p.m., HRF. TRANSPORTATION: 1 p.m., HR LAND USE: 1:30 p.m., Room 50 REVENUE: 1:30 p.m., HR A JOINT WAYS AND MEANS (FULL): 8:30 a.m., HRF WAYS AND MEANS (SPECIAL): 1 p.m., HRF. Taxes off radar for 2005 session Freshman Continued from 1C Lim reluctantly agreed: "Even though the carrier's name is Olson, I change my vote from nay to yea." Off the floor, Olson said he spent a few hours researching the bill in preparation. He also Yea 7, Nay 45. That's 45 opportunities for wisecracks another delight many lawmakers rarely refuse.

Each stood up to change his or her vote, many tacking on snide commentary. "I think I punched the any new taxes to ease a $1 billion shortfall. It's quite a change from the 2003 session, when a revenue package aimed at Olson Jenson admit he was tipped off about the annual House tradition of "hazing" a freshman. "Twenty-nine years in state police; I had a little Intel." wrong button," Rep. Jerry Krum-mel, R-Wilsonville, said.

"I'd like to take pity on the poor freshman and change my vote from no to aye." 3 Salem Berger selected for foundation Rep. Vicki Berger has been appointed to a four-year term on the Oregon State Capitol Capitol Grounds any tax hike talk this legislative session. The makeup of the House where, by law, tax proposals must originate has become much more hostile to tax increases since 2003. That's mainly because some of the moderate House Republicans who joined with Democrats to support the tax increase have since left the Legislature. They included former Reps.

Vic Backlund of Keiz-er, Lane Shetterly of Dallas, Max Williams of Tigard and Rob Patridge of Med-ford. Senate Democratic Leader Kate Brown of Portland said that the more fiscally conservative bent of the House is the key reason she thinks that spending a lot of time talking about tax hikes this year would be futile. Democratic Rep. Mark Hass of Beaverton puts it more bluntly. "The chances are absolutely zero for any kind of income tax increase," Hass said.

Republicans say they'll stay unified against increases By Brad Cain Associated Press Republican state Rep. Bob Jenson has watched as the state's money woes have forced cuts in health care and other services, and he's come to the view that a tax increase might be needed. The Pendleton lawmaker hasn't found many supporters among his GOP House colleagues, though. "I'm sure I'm the only one willing to raise taxes," Jen-son says. In fact, it does appear there's virtually unanimous opposition among House Republicans to anything smacking of a tax increase.

Senate Democrats, while not wanting to foreclose any possibilities, say chances of a tax hike are remote. And Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski is refusing to support Continued from 1C forestalling cuts to schools, social programs and law enforcement bubbled just below the surface all session long. In that year, Republicans and Democrats fought a protracted battle before agreeing in late summer to an $800 million tax hike the core of which was a temporary income-tax surcharge. But anti-tax groups collected enough petition signatures to refer the tax increase to voters, who trounced the increase in a February 2004 special election.

It was the second time in two years that Oregon voters had defeated a tax hike crafted by the Legislature. The strong anti-tax mood of voters isn't the only thing having a chilling effect on Foundation. The nonprofit foundation raises money to restore and make improvements to the Capitol building. Berger, a Salem Despite working just outside the building where lawmakers are crafting legislation and cutting powerful deals, Degerstedt said he has never wandered inside to watch a session. "I'm curious about what goes on in there, but I've never gone in," he said.

"Maybe one of these days, I'll eat my lunch in there." approached by a state senator, who tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me, sir, what are you doing?" he recalled her asking. "Do you have a plan?" Not one to map out what flowers will go where, Degerstedt explained to the senator that he prefers to "sprinkle" color throughout the grounds. "I just kind of came up with a vision," he replied. "I see a plant that I like and I plant it Berger Republican, said the foundation is "dedicated to making sure that the Capitol building retains its grandeur." Tara McLain gricoStatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6815 Salem's Best Selection 1 i Complete installation service available.

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