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Director’s Desk: Legislative session leaves little for the poor to celebrate

The message sent to Oregonians is that their government cares about protecting corporations more than people The 2017 Oregon legislative session started with big promises. Both the business community and legislators said they would find a way to avoid mas ...

7 Jul 2017 - Israel Bayer
Director’s Desk: With Legislature ignoring housing crisis, local progress is crucial

Oregon lawmakers have never prioritized housing in a substantial way On the same day Multnomah County announced a 10 percent increase in people experiencing homelessness, Oregon announced cuts to emergency rent assistance. If that didn’t add enough insul ...

23 Jun 2017 - Israel Bayer
Oregon bill would expand sanctuary protection for immigrants

The House passes a bill to extend privacy measures to all public bodies, including local agencies A bill aimed at further protecting undocumented immigrants in Oregon had its first legislative hearing June 8. While its introduction comes late in the legis ...

16 Jun 2017 - Emily Green
Foster Children’s Sibling Bill of Rights becomes law

Gov. Kate Brown signs the legislation that foster youths brought before lawmakers On May 17, Gov. Kate Brown signed the Oregon Foster Children’s Sibling Bill of Rights into law. Oregon Foster Youth Connection, a youth-led advocacy group composed of curre ...

18 May 2017 - Emily Green
Buzzworthy: The widely used pesticide that's killing Oregon bees

Oregon lawmakers killed a bill to restrict neonicotinoids, but could you be doing more to help declining pollinator populations? In June 2013, an insecticide containing neonicotinoids caused a massive bumblebee die-off at a Target in Wilsonville. The chem ...

17 Apr 2017 - Emily Green
SR editorial: Let’s end the lethal loophole in Oregon’s gun laws

Allowing abusers to possess firearms — right up until they kill — is unconscionable It happened again. Another case of domestic violence resulting in a murder. Just this week in San Bernadino, Calif., a man walked into his wife’s place of work – an elemen ...

15 Apr 2017 - SR editorial board
Oregon unions stand up to racism, hate

Labor leadership in Portland comes together in defense of targeted communities and immigrant workers Many activist groups may find their members fall into one school of thought or another, but few organizations represent such varying ideologies among thei ...

12 Apr 2017 - Emily Green
Guns and domestic violence: Oregon's loophole

State lawmakers will consider tightening a law that gives some abusers access to firearms UPDATE: On March 5, 2018, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown signed a bill to close the "Boyfriend Loophole" into law. Carsen thought she was going to visit an old fr ...

12 Apr 2017 - Sarah Hansell
Nick Fish: We must fund legal services for the poor

COMMENTARY | We believe in justice for all – not just for those who can afford it "Equal justice under law” is a core value of our nation. But what happens when a victim of domestic violence, or an older adult facing eviction, can’t afford a lawyer? ...

11 Apr 2017 - Nick Fish
SR editorial: Revamp Oregon’s destructive drug laws

House Bill 2355 would defelonize low-level possession charges, emphasize public health The travesty of the so-called war on drugs plays on a constant loop, destroying lives, families and communities, and starting over with each generation. It continues, s ...

6 Apr 2017 - SR editorial board