[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6363522,"mediaKeyId","2166170-743deaf4b43068a80d1c50575cc2f55c","parentId",2166170,"title","Senate committee hears bill to require plaques recognizing Peter Courtney, seismic school upgrades","audioSeconds",220,"startMs",96170,"endMs",317050,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2166170-743deaf4b43068a80d1c50575cc2f55c&start=96&end=317","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2166170-743deaf4b43068a80d1c50575cc2f55c/thumbnail_96170.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6363522/Oregon/Senate-committee-hears-bill-to-require-plaques-recognizing-Peter-Courtney-seismic-school-upgrades","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6363522-00a9d3918dad2bb23a77fa045aa7f0fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155365&Signature=I4LXkxBDg9Kvg-Lxc6O5UCPNwz-K3S-b3byEygs-3L2AwEDTdEbZKSOmOFw9UJdZ0PFuMf98MIxRT9TnstgKwKs4nHepyai9SA347pa~Ximaq7o1yYGx1H2Uy~3tD-JE-GN2uXTkd7ZPpMAJPKG87qBFMqILHuD~FihKxTdjgmQtK6dDeImVtJMeYx8WGpCGlyuxB41s2Piq-biYJy1faZce0psBnViy4MdBBhKAHRxakSrGd5ZeCboOn1d95xKtbd79UExeOdbTgG2B6gU887IzhVVQ0Uo9aXtIK0aWOtQU2XmVn6srX6jRMuktkzNvP-9jIlemVXq89bK4QQPFoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 223 would require the Oregon Department of Education to design a memorial plaque recognizing and honoring former Senate President Peter Courtney’s contributions to school seismic rehabilitation and would require qualifying schools that received Education Seismic Fund distributions to display the plaque.

Supporters told the Senate Committee on Education that the plaques would preserve public memory of statewide investments made after voters approved bond measures and that the program has materially reduced risk to students. “This measure is a memorial both to Peter Courtney and to the state's efforts in making our schools and public spaces safer,” said Senator Michael Dembrow during the public hearing. Dembrow described Courtney’s sustained advocacy for bonding authority that allowed state investment in school seismic upgrades.

State officials outlined the scope and history of the Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program. Michael Elliott of the Oregon Department of Education said the program began after passage of ballot measures and subsequent legislative action: the initial seismic-rehabilitation program launched in 2009 with $30 million for schools and emergency services, and later moved to Business Oregon in 2014. Business Oregon’s Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program has funded 346 school projects and roughly $596,000,000 in school seismic work, Elliott said; 157 emergency-services projects have received about $173,000,000. Grant maximums were raised over time — the program now commonly awards grants up to $2,500,000; projects exceeding that amount require a local match.

Gloria Zacharias, Seismic Program Manager at Business Oregon, said the program remains oversubscribed: a recently closed application round produced 98 applications, and funded projects now cover school districts in all but four Oregon counties (one of which had just applied). Jay Wilson, past chair of the Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission, described why recognition matters: mitigation that succeeds is often invisible, and placards would help explain to future generations that leaders and state investment made buildings safer. Morgan Allen, who serves on the program’s advisory committee, read a list of school districts awarded grants in May 2024 — totaling about $55 million — to show geographic spread, including Ashland, Medford, Portland Public Schools and Tillamook.

Proponents urged the committee to move SB 223 to a work session. No formal committee action was taken during the public hearing; supporters said they want to avoid fiscal changes that could interfere with the bill’s passage.

The committee closed the public hearing on SB 223 and proceeded to other agenda items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee On Education 01/29/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 223 would require the Oregon Department of Education to design a memorial plaque recognizing and honoring former Senate President Peter Courtney’s contributions to school seismic rehabilitation and would require qualifying schools that received Education Seismic Fund distributions to display the plaque.","taxTitle","Education, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",17625,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6363512,"Bill shortens TSPC complaint timeline; substitute-teacher group urges broader reform",859,2315320,3174650,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2166170-743deaf4b43068a80d1c50575cc2f55c&start=2315&end=3174","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2166170-743deaf4b43068a80d1c50575cc2f55c/thumbnail_2315320.jpg","/articles/6363512/Oregon/Bill-shortens-TSPC-complaint-timeline-substitute-teacher-group-urges-broader-reform","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6363512-1dd8f14cd4e6e8180ffc002c764d3193/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155365&Signature=SylVtGpAUmZ4dfcGieMvu2na~RXgB6N1NYJbOehVJbXCpOU7nnB6eQ8Gha81Mjd7RXW9EyefHYGlA40CQtJO0GmyzzgiB9nf395EoF5AW-6dVnuS3ZxLkvJL1N3WsUq1MhO9u1GV1mNJ6vC9B9UEQna4eUC9tNG5N5js5bxdbxewlvYi~OyerkF3biPypJqdw1qD6dZu9ZkXkc-4T2F92ddOgL5ZN3YEtsqJ~spHnkG-LvFbDdyIsaNbBJGzhKG5QjLd6x2aA9GhiAyL-MRkhQRkg8b~toApvUovZFCqGbS-CjOkXFn16CrJXh-GeSixUprZ5H6qk4HREMvh7OSsVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 805 would allow the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission to close complaints in its intake process after six months if a patron asked to pursue local resolution does not respond, rather than the current 12-month period in statute. TSPC said the change would make agency data on active complaints more accurate while preserving the ability for a patron to reactivate a matter if they later provide verification that the district did not resolve it.

Christina Edgar, TSPC’s director of professional practices, told the Senate Committee on Education that the agency currently asks patrons to try local resolution before the commission opens full proceedings, excluding allegations of sexual or physical abuse. Under the proposed change, if a patron does not provide verification within six months TSPC could close the file; if the patron later submits verification the case may be reactivated.

Testimony at the hearing raised broader concerns about TSPC’s complaint, investigation and public-discipline processes. Debbie Ferry, representing the Oregon Substitute Teachers Association (ASTA), said ASTA was neutral on SB 805 but urged the Legislature to form a task force to review and overhaul TSPC’s entire process for background checks, complaints, investigations and contested-case procedures. Ferry told the committee that substitute teachers are frequently targeted for complaints, that TSPC’s processes can be costly and slow for educators, and that educators who have completed discipline sometimes remain on a public list maintained by TSPC.

Nan Baker Croft gave personal testimony recounting a long legal history in which she said a conviction was overturned by the Oregon Supreme Court but that she continued to have difficulty obtaining work because records remained accessible in TSPC or other systems. ASTA and witnesses asked the committee for clearer pathways for licensed educators who have completed any discipline to be removed from a publicly posted list, and for a broader review of how licensing actions, historical records and court datasharing affect employment.

TSPC said no additional staff or funding would be needed to shorten the verification window from 12 to 6 months and that the change would reduce stale matters in the agency’s active caseload (TSPC reported roughly 515 open cases in testimony). The committee did not take formal action on SB 805 during the hearing.","Senate Bill 805 would let the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission close a complaint after six months if a patron asked to pursue local resolution does not respond, rather than the current 12 months; TSPC says the change improves accuracy of its active-case data.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6363516,"Committee hears change to when unlicensed educators may begin work — move tied to cleared background check",288,1544590,1833450,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2166170-743deaf4b43068a80d1c50575cc2f55c&start=1544&end=1833","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2166170-743deaf4b43068a80d1c50575cc2f55c/thumbnail_1544590.jpg","/articles/6363516/Oregon/Committee-hears-change-to-when-unlicensed-educators-may-begin-work-move-tied-to-cleared-background-check","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6363516-dd5b9a12303c13b2139a09c5410d1414/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155365&Signature=ENBNK4jRK9gCxFutIH45BBY2IrV2Qj7kUN6ox8NgqBnt6nFlGwvt5BXk1TcbzYryODDaq5y1CnxGs0PJiaXmHJQWqU0XBH3auhaU6q63d6UpPH1q9U-er-n1zm~STOD19oDi1gt2iyqV68Hes5NnZRTNNuSWd02B9QyuFep~Y4mS8YxOjzE6VWtl4tQTKAMBkv6vRBL4oQUQmg1MZzVmWaUADl94ScYOa88uAMXON9R1VrvskSWYd3HThMw65joFZnXBa741Fn6MHwhnJ4whMOjmFN-OWipvwOxvkILBgrstV-PfaFnVcRtfiR5nyuST3OwLxIhzVdQVMIUfMVpEFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 802 would change the date when an applicant may be employed in a public school without a license. Under current law, the 90-day provisional employment period begins at the time an applicant submits a license application. SB 802 would instead make the 90-day period start after a person satisfies background-check requirements as determined by the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC). The measure includes an emergency clause and a stated effective date of July 1, 2025.

Melissa Goff, interim executive director of TSPC, and Christina Edgar, TSPC’s director of professional practices, told the Senate Committee on Education that the change is aimed at student safety. Edgar said the commission and district human-resources staff favor assurance that fingerprint-based background checks are complete before individuals take unsupervised classroom roles. “This makes sure that when educators enter the classroom … they have that thorough background check before entering the classroom and having unsupervised access to our students,” Edgar said.

TSPC officials described the background-check process: first-time applicants or those whose license expired more than three years submit fingerprints to the Oregon State Police, which are also checked through the FBI. TSPC also reviews character questions and maintains a list of mandatory crimes under statute; individual cases are weighed by staff for nexus to the profession and the relevance and recency of the conduct. Officials said the typical fingerprint-check turnaround is about one to two weeks.

Committee members asked for data about the size of the population affected and how many applicants are ultimately denied licensure because of background checks. TSPC said the rule change would apply to all applicants going forward, that school HR professionals have requested the change, and that the commission would provide numerical data to the committee upon request. TSPC witnesses said denials are evaluated case-by-case and vary year-to-year; the commission did not offer a yearly denial count during the hearing.

Supporters urged the committee to consider the bill as a student-safety measure; no formal committee vote occurred during the public hearing.","Senate Bill 802 would shift the 90-day provisional employment window for teacher-license applicants so it begins after a fingerprint-based background check clears rather than after an application is filed. TSPC officials said the change is intended to ensure that educators entering classrooms have completed core background vetting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate committee hears bill to require plaques recognizing Peter Courtney, seismic school upgrades

Bill shortens TSPC complaint timeline; substitute-teacher group urges broader reform

Committee hears change to when unlicensed educators may begin work — move tied to cleared background check