New laws for the New Year
Compiled by Caitlyn Ark, student intern

As the New Year rolls around, be prepared to for some changes in state and local protective regulations, taxes, and fees for Oregon. Starting Jan. 1, the following laws will be put into action.

ESPD neighborhood livability improvements

Washington County neighborhoods within the Enhanced Sheriff Patrol District (all of Cedar Mill and Bethany) will experience livability improvements, including changes in towing and parking, as well as altering the “chronic nuisance” complaint to include things like domestic violence, creating a hazard like an open well or hole, public indecency, and drug offenses.

Towing and Parking:

If you notice any of the following violations, please call non-emergency dispatch: 503-629-0111.

• No person shall use a vehicle or recreational vehicle for overnight lodging on a public right of way for a period in excess of 48 hours at the same location or within a two-mile radius of the same location.
• No person shall park a recreational vehicle on a residential street within the Enhanced Sheriff's Patrol District for a period in excess of four days (96 consecutive hours) in any 28-day period.
• No person shall park a commercial vehicle, as that term is defined in ORS 801.208, on a residential street within the Enhanced Sheriff's Patrol District.
• No person shall park in front of the entrance of any place where mail is received or within ten feet of a mailbox during the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm.
• A vehicle shall not be parked on a public street or public right of way without license plates, with expired tags, with expired registration, or with expired temporary licensing permit.
• No person shall park a vehicle in a manner that interferes with use of the right-of-way, the safe flow of traffic or obstructs the view of other drivers.

Chronic Nuisance:

A "chronic nuisance" generally applies to unsavory behavior or potential criminal activity that impacts the livability of your community. We have included some common examples below. If you notice any of these nuisance behaviors in your area, or ANY kind of suspicious activity, please report it by calling non-emergency dispatch: 503-629-0111. Even if you are unsure whether you should report something, call anyway. No call is too small!

• Disorderly conduct
• Discharge of a firearm
• Noise disturbance
• Minor in possession of alcohol
• Public indecency
• Criminal mischief or graffiti
• Prostitution or related offenses
• Illegal gambling
• Alcoholic liquor violations
• Drug offenses
• Endangering the welfare of a minor
• Harrassment
• Theft or ID theft
• Animal abuse, neglect or abandonment
• Creating a hazard (such as an open well/cistern/hole)
• Assault, menacing or recklessly endangering
• Domestic violence
• Reckless driving, DUII or possession of a stolen vehicle

For a complete list of code enforcements visit co.washington.or.us/Sheriff/CodeEnforcement/index.cfm.

Transportation taxes and vehicle fees

To pay for $5.3 billion in state highway and bridge improvements, transportation taxes have been increased. Vehicle registration fees increase 30%, raising the cost from $86 for two years to $112. The gas tax will be raised to 34 cents per gallon (an increase of 4 cents) with three more jumps in 2020, 2022, and 2024, totaling an increase of 10 cents over seven years. Title fees, when a vehicle is sold or transferred to a new owner, will rise from $77 to $93, an increase of $16.

A new tax, called dealer privilege tax, will be introduced, meaning that buyers of new passenger vehicles will be subject to a 0.5% tax to be paid by the dealer, who can collect it from car buyers among other processing fees.

For bikes, there will be a $15 fee added to the purchase of any new, adult bike that originally costs $200 or more. Heavy vehicles, such as commercial trucks and buses, will also incur increases in fees. According to legislators, these fees will fund highway and infrastructure improvements for at least a decade.

Protecting kids against tobacco addiction

The legal age for purchasing tobacco or vape products will be raised from 18 to 21, hopefully decreasing overall nicotine addiction, which is the leading cause of preventable death in Oregon.

Protecting against gun violence

Oregon judges will be able to issue “extreme risk protection orders” to remove firearms away from those who pose an immediate threat to themselves or family members. These people would then have to turn in their guns to the police or a qualified third party. They would be able to retrieve their guns when the order expires. This law may help prevent suicides and shooting sprees.

More bottles for deposit/return

The bottle bill, which allows consumers to return empty bottles and collect a 10 cent deposit, will expand to apply to nearly all beverage bottles, including coffee, tea, hard cider, fruit juice, coconut water, kombucha, and other drink containers, all of which will be subject to a deposit that will be returned when they’re recycled. Containers not included in this expansion are wine and distilled spirits, milk, baby formula, and meal replacements.

For more detailed information, visit the FAQ from Oregon Assoc. of Recyclers: oregonrecyclers.org/blog/2018-bottle-bill-expansion-faq.

And more…

Portland will be able to lower the speed limit of residential streets from 25 miles per hour to 20.

Undocumented Oregon residents will be able to obtain a no-cost abortion at the taxpayer expense. This bill also provides women access to reproductive health care services with no out-of-pocket expense, and will eventually require health insurance in Oregon to cover abortion.

A new bill aimed to increase government transparency will set deadlines by which public officials must respond and evaluate requests by the public for government documents.

The penalties for riding public transportation without a paid fare will increase from a Class A to a Class C misdemeanor and increase the penalties for repeated offenses.

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