PORTLAND- Medical marijuana has been controversial in Oregon since before it became legal in the state in 1998.
Oregon Capitol News sat down to talk with five experts to discuss the unforeseen consequences of the state’s medical marijuana law.

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SALEM—As temperatures rose outside, tensions within the House Chamber soared Tuesday over House Bill 2301.

This legislation would establish a basic framework for governance of online education through Oregon’s existing public schools.

The proposed bill joined many other education-related measures that passed out of the House, but not without opposition.

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SALEM—On Monday the Senate voted to raise the threshold of eligibility for the Oregon estate tax to estates valued at over $1.5 million.

The bill was authored by the Oregon Law Commission (OLC) and, if signed into law by Governor John Kitzhaber, will raise the minimum estate holdings from $1 million to $1.5 million.

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SALEM—Rep. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, has until 5 p.m. Tuesday to revive Senate Bill 742, which would allow undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition at Oregon state universities if they meet a long list of criteria.

As of Monday afternoon, Rep. Dembrow thinks he has 25 of the requisite 31 House member signatures for the discharge petition he filed last Thursday.

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SALEM- On a 17-12 vote nearly down party lines, senators approved a measure which would change the way Oregonians receive their “kicker” refund.

Currently, taxpayers receive a check from the state government in December if the actual tax revenue collected by the state was more than two percent above the amount allocated in the approved state budget.

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SALEM- One Salem legislator has been fighting for years to bring locally grown food into Oregon’s schools and this year hopes to provide subsidies for schools to do so.

The Farm to School program, proposed by Rep. Brian Clem, D-Salem, is the official policy of the State but lacks funding for school districts to actually buy Oregon food for their students.

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SALEM- Rep. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, is proposing legislation aimed at improving education for children with disabilities.

Gelser’s proposals include altering diploma standards for high school students, changing which districts are responsible to provide services for charter school students with special needs, and restrictions on the use of seclusion and restraints on children.

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CLACKAMAS- The Oregon Republican Party welcomed their new Chairman, Allen Alley, at the Monarch Hotel Saturday morning.

“One small step for a man, and one giant leap for the Republican Party,” said Alley to a standing ovation upon his acceptance of the Chairman’s gavel.

HILLSBORO- We sat down with Senate Republican Bruce Starr to discuss his positions on environment, education, and budget policy.

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PORTLAND- In preparation for the election in November, we sat down with Republican Scott Bruun, running in Oregon’s fifth Congressional district, to ask him why he should be elected, if he sees a lot of corruption in Washington and how he would best represent Oregonians in a body of 435 members.

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