Senator Bill Hansell: The Year in Review
As we approach the close of 2023, I’m thrilled to share a snapshot of our legislative journey this year. It’s been a whirlwind of activity, and your engagement has been pivotal.
This legislative session, we successfully protected the rule of law and made sure to hold the majority accountable for their unconstitutional actions, while also addressing pressing concerns in our community. Budget decisions were strategic, prioritizing vital areas that impact us all. Through spirited debates and collaborative efforts, we’ve shaped policies that will leave a lasting impact.
As we turn the page to 2024, let’s carry forward the momentum. Your voices matter, and together, we’ll continue working towards a brighter future for our beloved state.
Senate Bill 498 – Estate Tax Relief for Natural Resource Families
SB 498 makes the state’s estate tax more workable for multigenerational farms, fishing businesses, and family forestlands. It allows up to $15 million of farm, fishing and forest property to be excluded from the value of estates that pay the estate tax.
This is a major issue for Oregon’s national resource families who fuel our economy. Corporate farming organizations are ready to gobble up farmland, including multigenerational farms facing foreclosure due to an unpayable estate tax bill. SB 498 ensures that our natural resource families get the relief they both need and deserve”.
The release said there are 37,000 farms in Oregon, averaging 423 acres in size. 96.7 percent are family owned.
Senate Bill 955- AgriStress Helpline
Senate Bill 955 appropriates $300,000 to the Oregon State University Foundation (OSUF) to establish an endowment to cover the expenses of the Oregon State University Extension Service in the implementation and operating an AgriStress Helpline in Oregon.
I come from a multi-generational farm family. Agriculture is the number 1 industry in my district. Farming, ranching, fisheries, forestry, etc. These are folks, regrettably, with some of the highest suicide rates in the nationally. The AgriStress program that other states have adopted would help combat this issue.
House Bill 3086 – A More Regionally Diverse ODFW Commission
HB 3086 changes the ODFW Commission makeup. The ODFW commission was previously aligned to congressional districts plus two at-large positions, one eastside and one westside. The new statute bases all positions in the river basin regions with two commissioners each from the Northwest and West Central Regions, and one commissioner each from the Southwest, North Central, and Eastern Regions. This provides greater representation to the eastern portion of the state and ensures we will no longer have three, or more, commissioners centered in the Portland area.
Senate Bill 463 – Proton Beam Therapy
This is a bill that I sponsored and that prohibits health benefit plans from imposing prior authorization or other utilization review requirements on coverage of proton beam therapy that do not apply to coverage of radiation therapy. I have had similar bills in the past concerning proton beam coverage, and they had passed the Senate with no issues only to get held up in the House. This time however we had an advocate in the house, Representative Hai Pham. A fellow cancer survivor and pediatric dentist, Rep Pham knew the importance of urgency and options for cancer treatment. I am thankful for his support and advocacy.
SB 463 passed the Senate unanimously and the House with only one “No” vote. This is a significant feat for those who want options in prostate cancer treatments.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 3 – The Potato Bill
Potatoes are Oregon’s most widely cultivated vegetable crop. Oregon grows more than 200 crops and we grow them well. But potatoes grown on 44,000 acres outproduce all vegetables crops significantly.
In 2021, Oregon Farmers harvested roughly w.6 billion, that’s billion, pounds of potatoes. Friends, that is a lot of potatoes. The next closest thing was onions, at 22,00 acres and 1.5 billion pounds, which is half the acres and 1.1 billion pounds less.
Oregon potato’s are seeded in the final four, when it comes to potato production. Neighbors Idaho #1, Washington #2, Wisconsin #3, and Oregon #4, but we are very close to replacing Wisconsin!
Additional bills and resolutions:
SCR 4 – Recognizes and honors Deputy Douglas Eugene Smith (1955-1978) for his service to this state.
SCR 16 – Declares legislative intent to address inequities facing Compact of Free Association islanders residing in State of Oregon.
SB 478 – Dedicates a portion of Oregon Highway 82 shall be known as Deputy Raymond Williams and Deputy Michael Cheney Memorial Highway.
SB 479 – Directs State Department of Agriculture to adopt rules allowing donation of meat to charitable organizations and other organizations that offer food for noncommercial purposes.
SB 957 – Expands types of prior convictions that increase offense level for crime of public indecency. Modifies crime of luring a minor to include engaging in sexual conduct in immediate presence of minor for purposes of inducing minor to engage in sexual conduct.
SB 864 – Provides that person who voluntarily fights wildfire on private forestland is not civilly liable for injury to person or property resulting from good faith performance of firefighting efforts.
HB 2010 – Drought package, it incorporated SB 455 which was my aquifer recharge bill that Directs Oregon Business Development Department to establish and administer grant program for aquifer recharge due diligence and a forgivable loan program for aquifer recharge testing.
Community Awareness
After the session was over, I had the unique and special privilege to host a delegation from the People’s Republic of China. Four diplomats from China’s Embassy in Washington DC and four from the San Francisco Chinese Consulate came to this year’s Round-Up. I had invited them earlier this year when I learned they were interested in purchasing wheat, hay, and oil seed commodities, all of which we grow in Eastern Oregon. We met with growers, OSU staff, local officials, and off course went to the Round-up and Happy Canyon Pageant.
My thanks to everyone who made this visit so successful. The Round-Up and Happy Canyon Boards, County Commissioners, Pendleton Officials, Women of Eastern Oregon and so many more. I was told this was the highest ranking group of Chinese Diplomates ever to visit Eastern Oregon. China is Oregon’s #1 trading partner. It is my hope, because of this visit, they will be favorably inclined to increase their purchases of what our hard working farmers and ranchers produce.
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