Newberg Graphic Guest Opinion by  Bill Post

Guest Opinion

Back in 2016, some Newberg residents expressed concern that I wasn’t as involved in Newberg as I am in Keizer. Well, as a resident of Keizer, that’s where I spend most of my time, though I love to ride my motorcycle up to Newberg as often as I can. I want Newberg to know that I take the role of state representative seriously and do my best to truly represent everyone in my district, no matter which community it is in House District 25. I want to make sure that your voice is heard here at the capitol.

This week has been “Newberg week” in my office. Before the session started I was approached by our wonderful superintendent of the Newberg School District, Dr. Kym LeBlanc-Esparza. She shared with me a difficult situation that the school district had recently gone through and asked if I might be able to introduce a bill that would help other school districts avoid this funding problem.

With Dr. LeBlanc-Esparza’s help we introduced House Bill 3156, which was heard in the House Education Committee. Hearings often don’t go the way they are scheduled so LeBlanc-Esparza and I had plenty of time to get to know each other waiting in the hallway. I am grateful for her tireless work in our community.

As you know, the Camellia Festival was recently held in Newberg. The days leading up to that event, my staff and I worked hard to push Senate Joint Resolution 26, through the building. This resolution recognizes Newberg as the camellia city of Oregon.

People often speak of the gridlock of partisan politics, but on an issue like this, it was wonderful to watch everyone pull together to run this resolution through the Senate Rules Committee, the Senate floor, the House Rules Committee the House floor, and then signed by both the speaker of the House and the Senate president, all in time for the Camellia festival event.

Conversations continue to be had over the state transportation package and I continue to advocate strongly for funding for the Newberg-Dundee bypass. I would like full funding, but if we can’t get that, I am advocating for at least the completion of Phase 2.

I am looking forward to hearing a real common sense firearm bill in the House Judiciary committee. House Bill 3281 would authorize any state employee who has a concealed handgun license (CHL) to store a handgun and ammunition in their vehicle while parked in a state parking lot. This is important to me because I have constituents who work in dangerous jobs with the state. They would like to feel safe and this is a reasonable way to protect them. HB 3281 mirrors a bill from 2015 that gave these protections to Department of Corrections employees — it makes sense to me to offer it to all state employees.

April 7 was the deadline for bills to be scheduled for a work session in their originating chamber — which means most bills died. Still alive though are my bills addressing the emergency clause, motorcycle safety, and two affordable housing bills.

Bill Post represents District 25 in the Oregon House