Oregon HB 3508 is being voted out of committee today. If passed, it will phase in legislation to implement Measure 57, a law passed by voters mandating minimum sentences for property crimes. This bill will implement the sentences for the most serious crimes immediately, while phasing in the sentences for less serious crimes slowly. The alternative is to implement all the minimum sentences immediately.

If the bill doesn’t pass, the money to incarcerate these non-violent offenders will come from the closure of Oregon Youth Authority facilities. Youth offenders, including sex offenders, will be released early, before their treatment programs are completed. Also, the closure of OYA will result in the loss of 384 jobs.

It doesn’t make sense to release sex offenders in order to implement longer sentencing for non-violent property offenders.

Please make a call to one or more key legislators identified below today or this evening and use the script provided. Your calls will make a big difference!

Sample Script

Hello, my name is __________ and I am I am a concerned citizen] HB 3508 is a bill that will phase-in Measure 57, implementing the most serious crimes immediately, such as elder fraud and drug trafficking, but waiting to implement the sentences for other crimes to save resources. The reasonable phase-in will protect our public safety system by preventing drastic cuts to the Oregon Youth Authority and the Oregon State Police. If it does not pass we will let sex offenders out because we will have to close down our facility in Burns, OR, we will interrupt treatment for hundreds of children who are being served by OYA, and hundreds of families will lose their income. Please support HB 3508.

List is prioritized:
Rep. Kreiger: 503-986-1401, rep.waynekrieger@state.or.us
Rep. Garrard: 503-986-1456, rep.billgarrard@state.or.us
Rep. Berger: 503-986-1420, rep.vickiberger@state.or.us
Rep. Jenson: 503-986-1458, rep.bobjenson@state.or.us
Rep. Bentz: 503-986-1460, rep.cliffbentz@state.or.us
Rep. Bruun: 503-986-1437, rep.scottbruun@state.or.us
Rep. Olson: 503-986-1415, rep.andyolson@state.or.us
Rep. Cameron: 503-986-1419, rep.kevincameron@state.or.us
Rep. Gilliam: 503-986-1418, rep.vicgilliam@state.or.us

For more information about HB 3508, visit SEIU’s website.

This site also includes a link to e-mail all nine targeted representatives with one click.

To find your own state rep, visit the state legislature’s website.

If you do make the call, leave a comment here to say how it went. I’d be curious to know.