Senate Bill 81 (Introduced)
Allows certain persons charged with domestic violence misdemeanors to enter into domestic violence deferred sentencing agreements. Allows court to order certain persons convicted of assault in third or fourth degree to enter batterers' intervention program.
Creates batterers' intervention programs for persons entered into domestic violence deferred sentencing agreements or convicted of assault in third or fourth degree. Requires Attorney General to appoint advisory committee and consult with committee to establish standards for batterers' intervention programs. Requires that Department of Corrections adopt rules for supervision of persons in domestic violence deferred sentencing agreements or batterers' intervention programs. Increases criminal classification of assault in fourth degree from Class A misdemeanor to Class C felony in certain cases if person who committed assault is participating in or has previously completed domestic violence deferred sentencing agreement. (at the request of Joint Interim Judiciary Committee)

FATHERS ONLINE Comment: FATHERS ONLINE condemns all forms of domestic violence, but wants to publicize the fact that every responsible study shows that women commit at least equal violence against men. The State of Oregon currently does not recognize male victims of domestic violence even though it has a Family violence prevention program, 108.610, where the money goes solely to agencies that do not provide services for male victims of domestic violence. This bill has no safeguards for false and/or frivolous allegations.

Status
1-11(S) Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.
1-12 Referred to Judiciary.

Senate Bill 154 (Introduced)
Requires court in domestic relations suit to make adequate provision for safety of child when awarding parenting time to noncustodial parent if court finds that unsupervised parenting time would endanger health or safety of child. (at the request of Senator Bill Fisher for Brad Bowker)

FATHERS ONLINE Comment: A bill that says you are guilty till proven innocent. Encourages false allegations at the noncustodial parent and provides no provisions to safeguard against false allegations or damages when found. It is a fact that mothers are twice as likely to commit child abuse as fathers, but this bill is targeting noncustodial parents - mainly fathers. The word "find" is not defined. Does it mean alleged, proven or is it a gut feeling? Just like restraining orders are given out like candy, this bill gives the same powers to deny visitation, in other words you are guilty if you are a father. This bill is a stepping stone to create supervised visitation centers on every corner.

Status
1-9(S) Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.
Referred to Judiciary.
2-26 Public Hearing held.

Senate Bill 167 (Introduced)
Permits court to appoint parenting plan and custody evaluation panel to assist court in evaluation of parenting plan and parenting time disputes. Establishes qualifications of members of panel. (at the request of Legislative Counsel Committee for Senator-elect Bev Clarno)

FATHERS ONLINE Comment: A bad bill with good intentions. This is a bill that calls for the creation of a so called "non-adversarial parenting plan and custody evaluation panel". If it is non-adversarial then why is it used in court? Under this bill ONE parent can be odered by the court to pay all costs, why not both parents or the one who will not agree to a plan. This bill does not require gender equality of the panel or address the fact that mom is awarded custody in 90% of child custody cases. DADS has studied third party evaluations in the past and they are anti-father, see Family Court Services of Flathead County, Montana. Research has been conducted on test cases of this panel but the finding have yet to be issued or published for public scrutiny, why so secret? The Oregon court system is already bias against fathers (see the Oregon Task Force on Gender Fairness report under News), why should another gender bias level be created.

Status
1-11(S) Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.
1-12 Referred to Judiciary.
2-26 Public Hearing held.

Senate Bill 199(Introduced)
Allows person to leave infant at authorized facility under certain circumstances. Establishes affirmative defense to crime of abandonment of child if person leaves infant in accordance with certain procedures.
Appropriates moneys to Department of Human Services to inform public about change in law.
Declares emergency, effective July 1, 2001. Sponsored by Senators COURTNEY, STARR, Representatives LOWE, STARR; Senator CLARNO, Representative MONNES ANDERSON

FATHERS ONLINE Comment: Also known as the baby dumping bill. When the government is asking fathers to be responsible, this bill would encourage mothers to be irresponsible. The father should be first choice for custody. See a recently decided Oregon Court case where the FATHER was granted custody after the mother gave the baby up. See the article by Margie Boulé titled Bright aftermath follows father's bruising battle for baby daughter. When a father takes responsibility looks what he has to go through, when he does not take responsibility he get the full wrath of the state government. When a mother does not want to be responsible, she is allowed to dump the baby.

Status
1-18(S) Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.
Referred to Judiciary with subsequent referral to Ways and Means.
3-1 Public Hearing held.

Senate Bill 337 (Introduced)
Requires that notice of certain domestic relations proceedings be given to Department of Justice when support rights have been assigned to state. (at the request of Attorney General Hardy Myers for Department of Justice)

FATHERS ONLINE Comment:

Status
1-10(S) Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.
Referred to Judiciary.
1-29 Public Hearing held.
2-14 Work Session held.
2-20 Recommendation: Do pass with amendments. (Printed A-Eng.)
2-21 Second reading.
2-22 Carried over to 02-23 by unanimous consent.
2-23 Third Reading. Carried by Burdick. Passed. Ayes, 28 --Excused, 1--Miller, Attending Legislative Business, 1----Atkinson.
2-26(H) First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.
3-1 Referred to Judiciary.

Senate Bill 339 (Introduced)
Modifies definition of administrator for purposes of support enforcement to make definition consistent. Directs Department of Human Services to adopt rules relating to distribution of support collections made by Department of Revenue. (at the request of Attorney General Hardy Myers for Department of Justice)

FATHERS ONLINE Comment:

Status
1-10(S) Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.
Referred to Judiciary.
1-29 Public Hearing held.
2-14 Work Session held.
2-20 Recommendation: Do pass with amendments. (Printed A-Eng.)
2-21 Second reading.
2-22 Carried over to 02-23 by unanimous consent.
2-23 Third Reading. Carried by Harper. Passed. Ayes, 28 --Excused, 1--Miller, Attending Legislative Business, 1----Atkinson.
2-26(H) First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.
3-1 Referred to Judiciary.

Senate Bill 340 (Introduced)
Reduces amount of child support arrearage that triggers suspension of licenses, certificates, permits and registrations. (at the request of Attorney General Hardy Myers for Department of Justice)

FATHERS ONLINE Comment: Reduces the trigger from $2,500 to $500 for draconian child support measures. See Kathleen Parkers article: Deadbeat dads more myth than reality and The deadbeat dad is less a scoundrel than an object of pity

Status
1-10(S) Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.
Referred to Judiciary.
1-29 Public Hearing held.
2-14 Public Hearing held.

House Bill 2078(Introduced)
Requires State Commission on Children and Families to establish relief nurseries statewide. (at the request of House Interim Committee on Health and Human Services)

FATHERS ONLINE Comment: Fathers should be the first choice for daycare. Another method to exclude the father from the family. The government has taken on the role of fathers.

Status
1-8(H) First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.
1-10 Referred to Health and Public Advocacy.

House Bill 2328 (Introduced)
Requires court to consider parent's felony conviction or violation of conditions of probation, parole or post-prison supervision when considering custody or parenting time. (at the request of Representative Jeff Kropf)

FATHERS ONLINE Comment:

Status
1-11(H) First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.
1-17 Referred to Judiciary.

House Bill 2531(Introduced)
Requires court, upon finding that may be ex parte, to order that identifying information about party or child in certain child custody proceedings not be disclosed to other party when health, safety or liberty of party or child would be jeopardized. Sponsored by Representative LOWE

FATHERS ONLINE Comment: Two words should tip you off to the true intensions of this bill, "ex parte."

Status
1-17(H) First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.
1-19 Referred to Judiciary.
3-6 Assigned to subcommittee on Civil Law.
4-4 Public Hearing and Possible Work Session scheduled.

House Bill 5010 (Introduced)
Allocates moneys from Criminal Fine and Assessment Public Safety Fund to various programs, agencies, and offices.
Subjects allocations to Oregon Department of Administrative Services allotment process.
Declares emergency, effective July 1, 2001. (at the request of Budget and Management Division, Oregon Department of Administrative Services)

FATHERS ONLINE Comment: Money is dedicated to the Domestic Violence Fund. The State of Oregon does not recognize male victims of domestic violence, why should money go to a gender bias fund?

Status
1-8(H) First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.
1-10 Referred to Ways and Means.