Support Tuition Equity for All Oregon Students and Our State

The Oregon Student Association has released this new video on Senate Bill 742, Oregon's Tuition Equity Bill. SB742 will ensure that every Oregon student has fair access to quality and affordable higher education. It will also make it possible for all Oregon Students, regardless of their citizenship status, to be able to pay in-state tuition. Besides capitalizing on taxpayer investment in Oregon's K-12 students, it will boost the education level of Oregon's workforce and boost our state economy.



Senate Bill 742 has already passed the Oregon State Senate and now is in the House.  SB742 is about education, opportunity and advancement for Oregon, AND it deserves a vote on the Oregon House Floor! Check out these amazing supporters testifying for the bill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fStZJ3o_A6o

Link here to contact your State Representative and ask them to support Tuition Equity for ALL Oregon students and for our state.

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Tuition Equity Bill passes Oregon State Senate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29, 2011

Contact:
Francisco Lopez, Executive Director: (503) 269-5694
Erik Sorensen, Communications Director: (503) 488-0263

Tuition Equity Bill passes Oregon State Senate

Advocates and students applaud Senators for passing Senate Bill 742

SALEM, ORE. (March 29, 2011) -- Today, the Oregon State Senate voted to pass Senate Bill 742, bipartisan legislation that will ensure that every Oregon student has fair access to quality and affordable higher education, regardless of their status.

During today’s vote, a large group of education advocates and students filled the gallery in anticipation of the Senate’s passage of SB742. The final vote was 18 in favor, 11 opposed and 1 abstaining. The bill will now move on to Oregon State House for debate and a final vote.

"We applaud State Senators for doing the right thing for Oregon students and our state”, said Francisco Lopez, Executive Director of CAUSA. “Oregon's Business Community, the University System, the Public Education System and Oregonians across the political spectrum have come out in support of this legislation”, Lopez added. "They understand the importance that affordable higher education has for the future of all Oregon students and for Oregon’s economy. We encourage members of the State House to pass SB 742 as soon as possible.”

Oregon's Tuition Equity Bill capitalizes on the state's investment in all K-12 students and will boost the education level of Oregon's Workforce, thereby attracting new businesses and jobs for the state.

Cosponsors of Oregon’s bi-partisan Tuition Equity Bill includes Oregon State Senators David Nelson (R-Pendleton), Frank Morse (R-Albany), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Portland/Beaverton), Jackie Dingfelder (D-Portland), Rod Monroe (D-Portland), Chris Edwards (D- Eugene, Santa Clara, and Junction City), Chuck Thomsen (R-Hood River) and Chip Shields (D-Portland), and Oregon State Representatives Michael Dembrow (D-Portland), Mark Johnson (R-Hood River), Bob Jenson (R-Pendleton), Peter Buckley (D-Ashland), Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis), Betty Komp (D-Woodburn) and Chris Harker (D-Beaverton).

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CAUSA, Oregon's Immigrant Rights Coalition, is the largest Latino and Latina civil and human rights and advocacy organization in the Pacific Northwest. We work to defend and advance immigrant rights through coordination with local, state, and national coalitions and allies. For more information, visit http://www.causaoregon.org/

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Oregon needs compromise, but some bills divide

Oregon needs compromise, but some bills divide

By Francisco Lopez,
Executive Director of CAUSA Oregon

In 1933, American philosopher, author and educator, John Herman Randall Jr. wrote a piece for the American Scholar about the importance of compromising.
In his piece, he wrote,

"Cooperation between human beings is possible only if they are willing to compromise; and politics, the art of cooperation, of group action, is at bottom nothing but the practical application of the method of compromise."

The current configuration of the Oregon Legislature is opening the doors for serious compromise. I hope, at some point during the session, a compromise will take place that will resolve the $3.5 billion state budget shortfall. This budget shortfall will affect the lives of the poorest of the poor, working-class Oregonians and state workers. The Latino community is not exempt from the impact of this economic crisis.

We need common-sense solutions in the areas of housing, education, health and human services. We need to make sure that common ground is reached in order to resolve the state's economic problems and be able to mitigate the pain caused by the economic recession.

But there is murkiness in this process: Individuals at the Legislature acting on right-wing principles are promoting legislation in order to distract us from resolving the real problems that Oregonians are facing. There are more than 10 anti-immigrant pieces of legislation at the Oregon Legislature that, if enacted, would affect the lives of working class immigrants.

Examples include mandatory e-verification of work documents for small businesses and hardworking farmers, English-only rules and many other pieces of legislation not related at all with resolving the current economic crisis. They are punitive and not serious problem solvers. These proposed pieces of legislation will create a burden among struggling small businesses, farmers, public services and many other productive sectors in our state. These "Arizona-style" copycat bills are destructive in nature and attached to extremist ideological principles that have nothing to do with compromise and cooperation.

CAUSA Oregon will work in the coming months and years on policies that will guarantee access to health services, affordable housing and quality education for all Oregonians. We will work to promote policies that will guarantee the safety and protection of the fundamental human and civil rights for all. We will promote these policies in an environment of civility. We will respond to that climate by promoting peaceful and respectful marches; we will pray for those who promote hate; we will visit our legislators and present to them humane solutions to our state's problems. We will organize educational and public-policy forums, leadership development classes, voter registration and education; we will help eligible Latinos to apply for citizenship; and we will build alliances to work for the common good in our state.

There is no doubt that this will be a difficult year, but we hope that with the help of God, our friends and allies, we will continue building an Oregon that is welcoming and inclusive in a spirit of cooperation and compromise for the well-being of all.

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Poll Shows Majority of Oregonians support Tax Increase

Looks like bad news for the opponents of Tax Measures passed by the Oregon State Legislature this year.

According to the Oregon Center for Public Policy (OCPP), "By more than a two-to-one margin Oregonians favor the legislature's recently enacted tax increases on corporations and the wealthy"

OCPP says that a poll showed that "if the election were held today, 62 percent of likely voters would vote "yes" to uphold the legislature's actions, compared to 26 percent voting "no," with 11 percent being unsure how they would vote."

For more details, read OCPP's news release New Poll Shows Most Oregonians Back Legislature’s Tax Measures. The poll results can be found by linking here, or visiting Oregon Center for Public Policy's website at www.ocpp.org.

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Driver's License Restrictions Snares Republican Strategist

Last week, Publius over at Oregon Independent blog reported on a situation with Oregon’s new Drivers License law where a citizen needing a replacement driver’s license was denied. Immigrant Rights advocates have maintained since the new restrictions were first floated by the Governor back in November that it would not only affect immigrants, but citizens alike.

According to Oregon Independent, who picked up the story from a popular Republican blog, Jason Williams, a conservative lobbyist and political strategist for the Taxpayer's Association of Oregon found out just how tough getting a replacement driver’s license under the new law could be. He posted his entire account of navigating the new regulations in a blog entry. Readers can get that link over at Oregon Independent.

According to the Republican blog today, Williams was finally given his drivers license after making four trips to the DMV and waiting almost a week. He received a faxed letter from Alabama clearing his name and allowing the Oregon DMV to declare him a legal driver. Responding to the situation, the DMV clerk told Williams “this happens all the time”.

We leave you with this: Jason Williams is just one person. How many people, who do not have access to well known blogs to report their stories, are having the similar problems obtaining a replacement driver's license or renewal under Oregon’s new Driver’s License Law?

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How did your Representative Vote on SB1080?

Yesterday, Senate Bill 1080 passed the Oregon State House by a vote of 45-15. Upon final approval from the Governor, the bill will become law requiring ALL individuals to show proof of legal presence in United States and a valid Social Security number before the DMV will issue, renew or replace a driver's license, driver's permit or identification card. read more

See which legislators turned their back on immigrants, the Latino community and the safety of Oregonians and voted to deny driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants Here

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Immigrant Rights Advocates Denounce Passage of Draconian Driver’s License Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 13, 2008

Contact:
Erik Sorensen, Communications, CAUSA (503) 488-0263
Aeryca Steinbauer, Coordinator, CAUSA (503) 984-6816

Immigrant Rights Advocates Denounce Passage of Draconian Driver's License Bill

Under the watch of Democrats, undocumented immigrants lose the ability to drive legally

Salem, OR- Today CAUSA, Oregon's statewide immigrant rights coalition, denounces the passage of SB 1080 and expresses deep disappointment that undocumented immigrants lost the ability to drive legally on the Democrat's watch.

The bill, which passed the State House today by a vote of 45-15, comes just a week after rule changes set forth by Governor Kulongoski's Executive Order went into affect. Since February 4th, the DMV has been operating under new rules requiring individuals to present a valid social security number to obtain a driver's license. Upon final approval from the Governor, SB 1080 will become law requiring individuals to show proof of legal presence in United States and a valid Social Security number before the DMV will issue, renew or replace a driver's license, driver's permit or identification card.

Currently, there are over 120,000 undocumented immigrants in Oregon, many of whom drive on Oregon's roads to get to work, buy groceries, and take their children to school. As a result of this bill becoming law, drivers who can't prove their legal status will be denied a driver's license, causing them to choose between taking care of their families and risking driving without a license and insurance. It is certain to have a disastrous effect on public safety, Oregon's economy and trust in government.

"Denying licenses is an all around bad idea for Oregon." said Aeryca Steinbauer, Coordinator with CAUSA. "Rather than increasing security as Democrats maintain, it will erode the safety of our roads, public trust, the well-being of working immigrant families and Oregon's economy. And it is certain that more than just undocumented immigrants will be at risk under this new law."

In response to this draconian bill being passed by the Legislature, CAUSA and allies are calling on the Governor and legislative leadership to form a committee of legislators, business people and community members to study the economic and social impacts of the Executive Order. They are also calling on quick action to restore driver's license access to all Oregonians.

In addition, CAUSA, Voz Hispana and their allies will launch the largest Latino voter registration campaign in Oregon history.

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Bill Restricting Driver's Licenses to be Voted on Today

Over at Blue Oregon, there is a discussion going on about the passage and merits of Senate Bill 1080. For those who have been trying to desperately keep up with the Oregon Legislature's speed at cramming this bill through both houses, you may have heard that it passed the full Senate with a vote of 23-7 on Monday. The bill is now before the Oregon House for consideration and a vote is expected to take place sometime this morning.

If passed, Senate Bill 1080 will require proof of legal presence in United States and a Social Security number before the Oregon Department of Transportation may issue, renew or replace driver license, driver permit or identification card. During Monday's Session, several Senators spoke out against the forseen consequences of the bill. During the open debate, Senate Avel Gordly said she was "deeply disturbed by the already apparent consequences of this bill, whether intended or not, which is to divide us from one another, even from our own neighbors."

It is not too late. We encourage all immigrant rights supporters and those concerned with public safety to call their State Representatives this morning and tell them to Vote “NO” on the draconian Senate Bill 1080, “a costly, dangerous and unfair law that threatens the safety of ALL Oregonians and the economy of our state.”

If you don’t know the name of your Representative, you can get contact information for them here: http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/

You can also send an e-blast to your Representative by linking here: http://www.leg.state.or.us/writelegsltr/

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Oregon doesn't need more unlicensed drivers

in the news

An editorial from the Corvallis Gazette Times in response to Senate Bill 1080:

We don’t need more unlicensed drivers

We shouldn’t allow a federal security mandate to trump common-sense highway safety here in Oregon.

The state Senate on Monday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would require proof of legal U.S. residence to get an Oregon driver’s license. The measure, which now goes to the House, where it also seems likely to win approval, would place into state statutes tighter identification requirements that are included in an executive order by Gov. Ted Kulongoski that took effect last week.

Supporters of the proposal claim that Oregon had become an easy place for noncitizens to obtain identification cards for “nefarious” purposes. They say these new, tougher requirements will help keep us all safer by preventing terrorists and drug dealers from obtaining driver’s licenses that could be used as ID. >>read on

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State Legislators turn back on Immigrants, Latino Community

Last Thursday, with over 3000 immigrant rights supporters in attendance, members of the Oregon State Legislature Joint Committee on Ways and Means voted 11-6 in favor of draconian driver’s license restrictions. Senate Bill 1080, which will threaten the public safety of Oregonians and hurt working families and Oregon’s economy, was passed on to the full senate.

Among those that voted in favor of SB 1080 were six Democrats including Senate President Peter Courtney. Courtney, who represents a district with a large Latino and Immigrant constituency, doesn’t actually sit on the Committee for Ways and Means however attended Thursday's work session just to take the vote.

Other legislators who turned their back on immigrants and Latinos in addition to Senator Courtney include:

Sen. Kurt Schrader(D)
Rep. David Edwards (D)
Sen. Betsy Johnson(D)
Rep. Larry Galizio(D)
Sen. Rod Monroe (D)
Sen. Peter Courtney (D)
Rep. Bruce L Hanna(R)
Sen. David Nelson R)
Rep. Bob Jenson(R)
Sen. Doug Whitsett(R)
Rep. Susan Morgan (R)

CAUSA would like to recognize those legislators below who had the courage to stand up for Immigrants, the Latino community and the public safety of all Oregonians.

Sen. Alan C Bates (D)
Rep. Mary Nolan (D)
Sen. Avel Gordly(I)
Sen. Margaret Carter(D)
Rep. Chip Shields(D)
Rep. Nancy Nathanson(D)

In response to the vote taken last week and the one taken in the full senate today, immigrant rights groups will push for the Governor to form a committee of legislators, business people and community members to study the economic and social impacts of the Executive Order and restore driver’s license access to all Oregonians.

In addition, CAUSA and their allies will also launch the largest Latino voter registration campaign in the history of Oregon.

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Work Session Tonight on Driver's License Restrictions (S.B.1080)

On Tuesday, the Oregon State Senate Transportation Committe passed Senate Bill 1080 unanimously with additional rules. The new version approved now not only will require applicants to have proof of legal citizenship, but will limit validity of Oregon licenses to the length of the applicant's authorized stay, up to eight years, or to one year if there is no stay limit.

SB 1080 is now before the Oregon State Legislature Joint Committee on Ways and Means. This evening, the Committee will be meeting for a Work Session to discuss the bill. Although there will be no testimony heard, we want to encourage immigrant rights supporters and those concerned with the public safety of ALL Oregon residents to be present at the State Capitol tonight.

Senate Bill 1080 will require proof of legal presence in United States and a Social Security number before the Oregon Department of Transportation may issue, renew or replace driver license, driver permit or identification card.

Work Session on Senate Bill 1080
Joint Committee on Ways and Means

When: Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 6:00pm

Where:
Oregon State Capitol
900 Court St NE,
Salem Oregon
Room: HR F

For more information on immigrants' access to drivers' licenses, please visit http://www.causaoregon.org/

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Hearing tomorrow on driver's license restrictions

Today, we remember and honor the great civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and call on our members, allies and partners to continue the fight for justice. The time is critical for us all to stand up and defend immigrant workers and families in Oregon as we fight for driver's license access for all Oregonians.

Last week, over 3,000 immigrants and allies attended the Joint Senate and House Transportation Committee hearing on driver license restrictions, the largest turn-out ever for any legislative hearing in Oregon history.

The second hearing in this series will take place tomorrow, and we must continue to pressure legislators to protect everyone's public safety.

We invite you to take some time and view our new eight-minute documentary titled "Bad Policy: A Danger to Public Safety" which includes segments from last weeks hearing at: http://www.causaoregon.org/

Then do two things:

1. Come to the hearing tomorrow! Joint Senate and House Transportation Committee members will continue to hear testimony on if Oregon should require proof of legal presence for driver's license and ID applicants.

When: Tomorrow, January 22th -- Rally at 12 noon, hearing at 1 pm.

Where: Oregon State Capitol, 900 Court St NE, Salem Hearing Room A

2. Call Senate and House Transportation Committee chairs and tell them to: Please, defend the public safety of all Oregonians. I call on you to uphold and restore immigrants' access to driver's license."

Senator Rick Metsger: 503-986-1726
Representative Terry Beyer: 503-986-1412 or 541-607-9207

For for information on immigrants' access to drivers' licenses, please visit www.causaoregon.org

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Video Released on New Driver's License Restrictions

On January 11th, over 3000 Oregon Residents gathered at the State Capitol to raise concerns over restrictions that will limit drivers licenses for immigrants, causing a crisis for their families and a danger to public safety.

Today CAUSA, Oregon's Immigrant Rights Coalition, launched an eight-minute documentary title "Bad Policy: A Danger to Public Safety" which includes segments from the hearing conducted by the Oregon State Senate and House interim Transportation Committees.

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Oregonians Rally against Rules Denying Licenses to Immigrants

Over 3000 Oregon Residents gathered at the State Capitol during a legislative hearing in Salem today to protest new rules that will deny licenses to undocumented immigrants. With hundreds on the steps of the Capitol, three rooms were filled to capacity with people watching the hearing on closed circuit TV.

The hearing was conducted by the Oregon State Senate and House interim Transportation Committees to discuss the proposed legal presence requirement to Oregon driver's licenses set to be put in place next month. The vast majority testifying at the hearing today were opposed to the new rules.

The new license restrictions comes from an executive order Governor Kulongoski signed in November allowing the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles to limit documents accepted from immigrants. Currently under Oregon law, all residents of Oregon, regardless of legal status, can obtain a driver's license.

Among the testimonies, concerns were raised about the threat to public safety and security if licenses are denied to immigrants. While others discussed consequences to Oregon’s economy if immigrants can’t drive to work, and how families will be affected when the restrictions are put in place in February.

This afternoon’s hearing is the first of several scheduled leading up to the implementation date of the Governor’s new ID plan. The next hearing is scheduled for the 22nd of January.

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Legal Opinion: Kulongoski Exceeded Authority on Driver ID Plan

According to a legal opinion from the Oregon Legislature's legal council, Governor Kulongoski may have exceeded his legal authority by signing Executive Order 07-22, which would deny licenses to Oregon residents based on citizenship.

A copy of the draft legal opinion obtained by the Eugene Register-Guard says the Governor does not have the authority to administratively require that people provide proof they are in the state legally before issuing a driver’s license. Governor Kulongoski is denying he overstepped his authority.

In response to the legal opinion, Sen. Rick Metsger (D-Welches) said, “Regardless of your view on it, the Legislature has to either make this executive order work or come up with an alternate law that negates it.”

Read the Full Article HERE

Copy of Legal Opinion

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