SALEM – Oregon State Representative Donna Nelson (R-McMinnville) celebrated an important milestone towards enacting Dalton’s Law. House Bill 3176, named after the late Dalton Robertson, was unanimously approved by the House Judiciary Committee and will now proceed to the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote.
In 2005, Dalton Robertson disappeared in his brand new car equipped with an anti-theft vehicle locator device. Because the device could only be activated by the vehicle’s owner, law enforcement was unable to use it to find Dalton. When Dalton was found five days later, he was already dead; the coroner’s report indicated his death occurred earlier that same day. Had law enforcement been able to quickly obtain the vehicle location, Dalton could have been saved.
“This is a great day for the safety of our citizens,” said Representative Nelson. “This bill will help law enforcement quickly and safely find missing people when lives are in danger.”
Once enacted, Dalton’s Law would require vehicle location services to provide vehicle location information to law enforcement when life is danger or when crimes are committed. Representative Nelson’s office worked together with the Department of Justice and civil liberties groups to strengthen the bill’s capabilities to respond to life-threatening emergencies while protecting individual rights. J Graigory, Representative Nelson’s son and a personal friend of Dalton Robertson, emphasized the focus of the bill: “Dalton’s Law is about time: it protects the responsibility to obtain search warrants while affording the opportunity of law enforcement to save lives when time is of the essence, such as an Amber Alert, a violent car-jacking, or when a person suffering from an illness disappears.”
During the committee hearing, Representative Nelson read a prepared statement from Ann Robertson, Dalton’s Mother: “The greatest gift of Dalton’s Law is sparing a mother the frustration and anguish of knowing there is a way to immediately locate her son who’s in imminent danger, but law enforcement is not being allowed to utilize it—so the family must wait. Wait and fear. Wait and cry. Wait until it’s too late. House Bill 3176—Dalton’s Law—will not only save lives, it will save mothers and brothers and cousins and spouses from that terrible wait.”
The committee also received written testimony from John Walsh, host of America’s Most Wanted. “Every minute counts when trying to find missing persons. Oregon House Bill 3176 saves time, saves the resources of law enforcement, and saves lives.” The importance of time was echoed in written testimony from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. According to NCMEC President Ernie Allen, “immediate response is critical to safely recovering an abducted child. A recent study found that in 76% of the child abduction-homicide cases, the child is killed within the first 3 hours.”
Representative Nelson is optimistic that Dalton’s Law will soon pass the House of Representatives and move on to the Oregon Senate for further consideration.
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Showing posts with label Crime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crime. Show all posts
Friday, April 27, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
Dalton's Law
SALEM – Oregon State Representative Donna Nelson (R-McMinnville) has introduced House Bill 3176, named Dalton’s Law, in honor of the late Dalton Robertson. Dalton was a close friend of Representative Nelson’s family.
In 2005, Dalton Robertson disappeared, along with his brand new car. The car did not yet have license plates, but was equipped with LoJack. Despite requests by Dalton’s mother and local law enforcement, LoJack was unable to provide information on the whereabouts of the vehicle without permission from Dalton himself. Dalton was found dead five days later; the coroner’s report indicated Dalton died earlier that day.
“It is such a tragedy, and it might have been stopped had emergency services been able to use the information available from his automobile,” said Representative Nelson. “I’m bringing Dalton’s Law to Oregon to help prevent this from happening again, to help save lives.”
House Bill 3176 would give emergency personnel the ability to obtain information from telematic service providers, the companies providing such services as LoJack and OnStar for the owners of new automobiles, when there is probable cause to believe lives are in danger. “This is as appropriate as the Amber Alert System,” Representative Nelson stated. “It takes the search for a missing person from a needle-in-a-haystack to a precise search and rescue—and it protects service providers who risk liability from providing customer information.”
House Bill 3176 has bipartisan support in the Oregon Legislative Assembly. Representative Nelson is currently working with Oregon’s law enforcement community to help garner additional support for Dalton’s Law.
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In 2005, Dalton Robertson disappeared, along with his brand new car. The car did not yet have license plates, but was equipped with LoJack. Despite requests by Dalton’s mother and local law enforcement, LoJack was unable to provide information on the whereabouts of the vehicle without permission from Dalton himself. Dalton was found dead five days later; the coroner’s report indicated Dalton died earlier that day.
“It is such a tragedy, and it might have been stopped had emergency services been able to use the information available from his automobile,” said Representative Nelson. “I’m bringing Dalton’s Law to Oregon to help prevent this from happening again, to help save lives.”
House Bill 3176 would give emergency personnel the ability to obtain information from telematic service providers, the companies providing such services as LoJack and OnStar for the owners of new automobiles, when there is probable cause to believe lives are in danger. “This is as appropriate as the Amber Alert System,” Representative Nelson stated. “It takes the search for a missing person from a needle-in-a-haystack to a precise search and rescue—and it protects service providers who risk liability from providing customer information.”
House Bill 3176 has bipartisan support in the Oregon Legislative Assembly. Representative Nelson is currently working with Oregon’s law enforcement community to help garner additional support for Dalton’s Law.
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Friday, March 16, 2007
Why I voted no
I write today to explain the reasons for my vote in opposition to House Bill 2700 on March 15, 2007. While I support the use of prescription birth control as a form of contraception, and recognize that available contraception will reduce unwanted pregnancies—and therefore reduce abortion—a number of flaws with House Bill 2700 made it impossible to support.
The definition of “emergency contraception” included in the bill is dangerously vague. The definition is “a drug or device that is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to prevent pregnancy after sexual intercourse.” Nothing in this definition restricts use of emergency contraception to a specific time period following intercourse. Nor does the definition strictly limit emergency contraception to a treatment that prevents conception from taking place. This vagueness could result in requiring health care providers to give treatment outside the scope of legislative intent. Any treatment performed after conception affects not just the patient, but also the human embryo growing within. Because of this vagueness, I could not support House Bill 2700.
Furthermore, House Bill 2700 includes a requirement that a “student health insurance policy” provide coverage or reimbursement for prescription contraceptives. Student health insurance policies are intended to provide medical insurance to college and university students who do not otherwise have available health care. However, not everyone attending college or university is over the age of 18. House Bill 2700 could require the dispensing of prescription contraception to children under the age of 18. This is incompatible with public policy and laws concerning sexual intercourse with minors. Sexual intercourse with a minor under age 18 is statutory rape, and is illegal in Oregon. I believe that House Bill 2700, by allowing minors to obtain prescription contraception, would amount to a state endorsement of sexual intercourse by children under the age of 18. Because I believe my duty as a State Representative is to protect our children and uphold the law, I could not support House Bill 2700.
Finally, House Bill 2700 is an unfunded mandate on health insurance providers. Unfunded mandates increase costs to consumers. Presently, employers can choose to offer employees health insurance plans that offer coverage for contraception. Likewise, individuals are free to obtain private health insurance plans of their own. Ultimately, every person can choose to purchase contraceptive drugs and devices out-of-pocket. The ability to choose which benefits will comprise a health insurance plan results in the lowest possible cost to the consumer. House Bill 2700 would take the power of choice away from the people. The net effect of the bill might help one segment of the population afford contraception, but would at the same time make the overall cost of health care more for all Oregonians. While I support more available and accessible contraception, a mandate that places a burden on health insurance providers is not the answer.
For all these reasons, I voted NAY on House Bill 2700.
The definition of “emergency contraception” included in the bill is dangerously vague. The definition is “a drug or device that is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to prevent pregnancy after sexual intercourse.” Nothing in this definition restricts use of emergency contraception to a specific time period following intercourse. Nor does the definition strictly limit emergency contraception to a treatment that prevents conception from taking place. This vagueness could result in requiring health care providers to give treatment outside the scope of legislative intent. Any treatment performed after conception affects not just the patient, but also the human embryo growing within. Because of this vagueness, I could not support House Bill 2700.
Furthermore, House Bill 2700 includes a requirement that a “student health insurance policy” provide coverage or reimbursement for prescription contraceptives. Student health insurance policies are intended to provide medical insurance to college and university students who do not otherwise have available health care. However, not everyone attending college or university is over the age of 18. House Bill 2700 could require the dispensing of prescription contraception to children under the age of 18. This is incompatible with public policy and laws concerning sexual intercourse with minors. Sexual intercourse with a minor under age 18 is statutory rape, and is illegal in Oregon. I believe that House Bill 2700, by allowing minors to obtain prescription contraception, would amount to a state endorsement of sexual intercourse by children under the age of 18. Because I believe my duty as a State Representative is to protect our children and uphold the law, I could not support House Bill 2700.
Finally, House Bill 2700 is an unfunded mandate on health insurance providers. Unfunded mandates increase costs to consumers. Presently, employers can choose to offer employees health insurance plans that offer coverage for contraception. Likewise, individuals are free to obtain private health insurance plans of their own. Ultimately, every person can choose to purchase contraceptive drugs and devices out-of-pocket. The ability to choose which benefits will comprise a health insurance plan results in the lowest possible cost to the consumer. House Bill 2700 would take the power of choice away from the people. The net effect of the bill might help one segment of the population afford contraception, but would at the same time make the overall cost of health care more for all Oregonians. While I support more available and accessible contraception, a mandate that places a burden on health insurance providers is not the answer.
For all these reasons, I voted NAY on House Bill 2700.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Make English our Official Language
NEWS RELEASE
January 12, 2007
Contact:
David Gulliver
(503) 986-1424
SALEM – Oregon State Representative Donna Nelson (R-McMinnville) announced a proposal to make English the official language of Oregon’s government.
“With the recent passage of Arizona’s new English-language law, there are now 28 states that have made English their official language,” said Representative Nelson. “Oregon should follow the lead of such other progressive states as California and Massachusetts that have enacted similar laws.”
According to the most recent United States Census, at least 138 languages are spoken in the State of Oregon. “While our diversity makes us strong, it takes a common language to bring diverse people together.”
Jim Ludwick, the Director of Oregonians for Immigration Reform, agrees. “America is the greatest and most successful experiment regarding the integration and assimilation of people of differing cultures, languages and religions,” said Ludwick. “Speaking one language, English, is one of the reasons for that success.”
In addition to the English-language proposal, Representative Nelson will be introducing measures to improve our Troops to Teachers program, strengthen sentencing under “Jessica’s Law,” and promote new energy sources.
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January 12, 2007
Contact:
David Gulliver
(503) 986-1424
SALEM – Oregon State Representative Donna Nelson (R-McMinnville) announced a proposal to make English the official language of Oregon’s government.
“With the recent passage of Arizona’s new English-language law, there are now 28 states that have made English their official language,” said Representative Nelson. “Oregon should follow the lead of such other progressive states as California and Massachusetts that have enacted similar laws.”
According to the most recent United States Census, at least 138 languages are spoken in the State of Oregon. “While our diversity makes us strong, it takes a common language to bring diverse people together.”
Jim Ludwick, the Director of Oregonians for Immigration Reform, agrees. “America is the greatest and most successful experiment regarding the integration and assimilation of people of differing cultures, languages and religions,” said Ludwick. “Speaking one language, English, is one of the reasons for that success.”
In addition to the English-language proposal, Representative Nelson will be introducing measures to improve our Troops to Teachers program, strengthen sentencing under “Jessica’s Law,” and promote new energy sources.
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