Oregon Senate Bill. Heads up!!!

Oregon Senate Bill. Heads up!!!
Senate Hearing regarding an 'anti-terror' bill, SB 742
8:00am Monday 24 March
Contact: Oregon Criminal Justice Reform Coalition
ocjrc@westernprisonproject
westernprisonproject.org Oregon Capital- Senate Judiciary room 343, Salem, Oregon

We need people to campaign against bill SB 742, which is a poorly written "anti-terrorism" bill. If passed would subject people to life in prison if they or any other participant intended to disrupt commerce, transportation, educational, or governmental institutions (such as strikes, protests, student food fights).


The Oregon Criminal Justice Reform Coalition has endorsed the campaign to protect Oregon�s 181 laws to prevent police spying on lawful activities. Now, there is a badly written �anti-terrorism� bill in the Oregon State Senate that, if it passed, could result in innocent people being sent to prison for life.

This bill is SB 742. It creates the crime of "terrorism" and defines it so broadly that individuals would be subject to life in prison if they or any other participant intended to disrupt commerce, transportation, educational, or governmental institutions (such as strikes, protests, student food fights-- there is a proposed amendment to change the definition, but we do not have details at this time).

More importantly, under section 2 it would also allow state and local law enforcement to ignore both ORS 181.575 & ORS 181.850 if investigating �terrorism.� This provision unravels the protections that these two "181" laws provide, and would allow police spying on Oregonians who are not breaking any laws.

ORS 181.575 Protects Against Police Spying on Innocent People and Organizations: The law prohibits law enforcement agencies from collecting or maintaining information about the political, religious, social views, associations or activities of any person or group unless that information directly relates to a criminal investigation.

History: From the creation of the Portland Police �Red Squad� in the 1940s until the passage of this law in 1981, hundreds of political, religious and other organizations were the subjects of FBI and police surveillance for no valid reason. A recent series in the Portland Tribune (September 2002) uncovered Portland police intelligence files tracking groups such as ACLU of Oregon, American Friends Service Committee (Quakers), Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, Hispanic Commission, Peace House, Planned Parenthood, Rape Relief Hotline, Sierra Club, United Farm Workers and many more.

ORS 181.850 Allows State & Local Law Enforcement to Focus on Oregon Priorities. This law prevents state and local law enforcement agencies from targeting people based on their race or ethnic origin when those individuals are not suspected of any criminal activity.

Local law enforcement is prohibited from using resources to apprehend people whose only offense is a federal immigration violation. The law allows state and local law enforcement to contact the INS after they have arrested someone. The law also permits state and local police to request information from the INS that may help solve a criminal case.

This law does not prevent local law enforcement from working with federal law enforcement to investigate threats of terrorism.

History: In the 1980s, several local law enforcement agencies carried out raids and roadblocks in collaboration with the INS targeting Oregon�s Latino community. Many lawful residents and US citizens were swept up in the raids and were treated harshly by local police and INS agents. Passage of ORS 181.850 in 1987 has not completely eliminated such practices, but has helped create dramatic improvements in the relationship between immigrants and the police.

Here's the link to the full text of Senate Bill 742: pub.das.state.or.us...

I'm sorry but if it's an Oregon senate bill, than it is no concern of anyone unless they are from Oregon.

I find this attempt to unite the nation to determine politics in various states, offensive, and worthy of Civil War.

If the purporter of this email does not wish for decent Americans to beat down his door and pin the constitution to him permanently, he best learn what the Constitution means.

if it concerns other americans with american problems, oregon or not, then it concerns everyone. anything that could reshape the way we do things here deserves a response from everyone here and anywhere else. and i dont think that anyone needs to beat down the door of anyone else and PIN a copy of the constitution. I think that anyone that posts here, u.s or not, knows what the constitution says.

No sir, you want to know how to keep your freedoms then see Dragonriders thread about this same subject, where it has been better discussed.

Forcing a change in the legislation of a State from the Central Government, or other outside groups, destroys Federalism.

And pinning the Constitution is to the person who has created the email, not to the people here, who generally take things with a keener eye. But I would hope everyone here understands how democracy works.

"I'm sorry but if it's an Oregon senate bill, than it is no concern of anyone unless they are from Oregon."

5POF,

Of course this should be of concern to the residents of Oregon, however, it should also be of concern to the residents of the rest of the country. Do you not think that other states could eventually follow suit or do something comparable to that which is occurring in Oregon?

As far as the Constitution goes, I am very much aware of its content, as well as the importance it holds for all Americans.

Have a great day!!!

All that matters is maintaining Federalism, what matters to them, yes you can know about, I just speak against actually changing their minds. Just don't let it happen in your state.