Oregon
Homeless people can sue for $1,000 if ‘harassed’ under new Oregon bill
A newly proposed regulation in Oregon would enable the homeless to sue municipalities for as a lot as $1,000 per violation as a part of a brand new initiative to decriminalize homelessness.
Sponsored by Beaverton-area Democratic Consultant Farrah Chaichi, Home Invoice 3501—in any other case generally known as the “Proper to Relaxation Act”—would enable anybody experiencing homelessness to make use of public areas in “the identical method as every other individual” with out discrimination for his or her housing standing, together with the precise to an affordable expectation of privateness even when they’re dwelling in a public house.
These experiencing homelessness would even be protected against “harassment, quotation or arrest” by native police, public or non-public safety personnel, and even staff of native governments—a proposal Chaichi mentioned is an effort to finish the apply of punitive policing towards these simply because they’re poor.
These present in violation of the regulation can be topic to compensatory damages or $1,000 per violation, “whichever is larger,” together with a civil penalty within the quantity of $1,000.
“There are greater than 220 native legal guidelines in Oregon criminalizing homelessness, which successfully means in case you are ever unable to afford housing, and you do not have buddies or household which you can crash with, or depend on for shelter, you’re criminalized,” Chaichi mentioned in an April 5 livestream selling the invoice.
Newsweek has reached out to Chaichi’s workplace for remark.
Chaichi, who known as the invoice her “primary” precedence within the stream, mentioned that the laws is unlikely to cross this session, having already missed a lot of key deadlines and a way of “compassion fatigue” that has taken route within the Oregon state legislature this session.
In the meantime, federal information present Oregon skilled a 27 % enhance within the variety of individuals experiencing homelessness between 2020 and 2022, the fourth-highest complete within the nation.
Although the invoice is scheduled for a committee listening to Might 4, Chaichi mentioned there will likely be a rally in favor of the invoice on June 1 and—within the coming months—will search to rally extra individuals to help it.
It is not the one piece of laws concentrating on homelessness this session. The Oregon legislature has additionally already authorized $100 million in its upcoming funds for homeless providers and housing whereas, earlier this yr, lawmakers made headlines for proposed laws to start a year-long trial program to offer low-income earners and the homeless $1,000 in assured earnings per 30 days for hire, emergency bills, meals and childcare.
To advocates, nevertheless, the “Proper to Relaxation” invoice represents an effort to decriminalize poverty and return to insurance policies enacted in the course of the Nineteen Sixties limiting the proliferation of “anti-vagrancy legal guidelines” established on the state stage all through the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Critics have argued these legal guidelines primarily allowed police virtually limitless energy to arrest anybody who appeared homeless to be arrested for crimes starting from loitering to prostitution, oftentimes with extensively variable software.
In current a long time, nevertheless, these legal guidelines have been changed with ordinances on the native stage to limit the variety of homeless individuals in public areas, creating an atmosphere advocates say has primarily criminalized the poor.
“Many of the advocate neighborhood within the state actually wish to set up a constitutional proper to exist, and I’m very sympathetic with that place as a result of I do not consider that when individuals lose their housing they lose their authorized and constitutional rights,” Jimmy Jones, govt director of the Mid-Willamette Valley Neighborhood Motion Company, advised Portland’s KATU2 Information this week.
Already, nevertheless, the invoice has acquired some pushback. In testimony submitted to the committee, some expressed concern concerning the prevalence of drug use amongst a few of those that are homeless, and feeling unsafe strolling across the streets of locations like Portland and the state capital of Salem.
The regulation might additionally probably create issues for cities to enact emergency orders like Portland did in the course of the 2021 wildfire season, when town prohibited homeless individuals from tenting in forested areas across the metropolis to forestall them from igniting or getting damage by the fires.
Others criticized the invoice as “out of contact with actuality,” citing the failure of earlier laws like a 2021 invoice sponsored by present Gov. Tina Kotek mandating that native legal guidelines regulating the acts of homeless individuals sitting, mendacity, sleeping, or maintaining heat and dry in outside public areas be “objectively cheap as to time, place, and method.”
Others argued town was dealing with growing points with crime and homelessness they are saying has contributed to a lower within the variety of individuals coming downtown—a reality some consider contributed to Republicans’ unexpectedly sturdy efficiency within the state throughout final yr’s gubernatorial election.
“We’re barely hanging onto some semblance of public order within the present local weather,” one commenter wrote of the invoice. “How on earth do you anticipate this type of harmful rhetoric to push the needle ahead? That is borderline lunacy. You do not have to step a couple of blocks in any path to see how dangerous issues are on the streets of Portland, not to mention harden legal guidelines in favor of people that clearly battle with making any type of considerate choices on their very own.
“Cease attempting to make this example worse than it already is. Spend money on the rattling providers that have been promised as a part of 110,” they added. “Selling Portland to be a beacon for a protected house or the only real arbiter of homelessness within the US not solely harmful, but additionally extremely immoral.”
They weren’t alone. In all, 534 individuals who wrote concerning the invoice as of Monday—together with greater than 300 from Portland—have been against its passage.
Simply 5 mentioned they have been in help.
Oregon
Powerball ticket worth $328.5 million sold in Oregon
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The first Powerball jackpot of 2025 was sold in Oregon and is worth $328.5 million, according to lottery officials.
The winner purchased the winning ticket in Beaverton on Thursday, Jan. 17, the Oregon Lottery said. The retail location will not be revealed until a winner has come forward.
The winning numbers for the Saturday drawing were: 14, 31, 35, 64 and 69 and Powerball 23.
The winner has a year to claim their prize, Oregon Lottery spokesperson Melanie Mesaros said. After the winning ticket is presented, “it will take time before a winner can be identified due to security and payment processes.”
Oregon lottery winners, with few exceptions, cannot remain anonymous, Mesaros said.
The winner will have a choice between an annuitized prize of $328.5 million or a lump-sum payment of $146.4 million, according to lottery officials, which are both options before taxes.
Last year, the largest Powerball prize won in Oregon — a $1.3 billion jackpot — was split between a Portland man, his wife, and friend.
Before Saturday, the most recent Powerball jackpot was sold in December in New York and was worth $256 million.
Powerball is a multi-state jackpot operated by 44 states, plus the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
Fernando Cervantes Jr., a news reporter for USA TODAY, contributed to this story.
Cherrill Crosby is the executive editor of the Statesman Journal and The Register-Guard. Reach her at crosbyc@gannett.com
Oregon
Oregon’s Dan Lanning visits 5-star recruit Cantwell, top TE Premer during Midwest run
Oregon head football coach Dan Lanning has been a busy man.
But when you’re the man tasked with running one of the top college football programs in the country, burning jet fuel to shake hands and take photos is a big part of the gig. And Lanning was doing plenty of that last week.
A native of Kansas City, Mo., Lanning returned home last week on a two-day tear recruiting some of the top 2026 prospects in the country.
Lanning’s known stops included Lee’s Summit on Jan. 16, where the Tigers have 2027 interior line prospect Zach Harsha (6-5, 260) and 2028 tight end Max Trillo (6-4, 225).
He was even busier the following day. He had stops at Raymore-Peculiar, where he visited with and offered four-star uncommitted running back DeZephen Walker (6-0, 205) who is believed to be heavily considering Kansas and Nebraska.
He also headed to Illinois, where he swung by Lincoln-Way East to visit with quarterback Jonas Williams, who agreed with the Ducks on Aug. 3, 2024,
A trip to the Springfield, Mo. area was also on the docket, as Lanning traveled to Nixa High School to again meet with the country’s No. 1 2026 offensive lineman, Jackson Cantwell, on Jan. 16. The 6-8, 315 offensive tackle has offers from just about everyone in the country, though he has spoken highly of Lanning and his relationship with the Ducks coach – making Oregon one of the favorites for his services.
Cantwell was honored by the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 18 during their AFC Divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans after he was selected to represent the Chiefs at the ‘Nike Ones’ showcase during Super Bowl weekend in New Orleans.
Lanning concluded his trip with a little basketball in Hutchinson, Kan., where he watched Great Bend tight end Ian Premer (6-6, 215) – the top tight end in the 2026 class – take on Hutchinson. Premer, a three-sport star in football, basketball and baseball, impressed with 22 points in the game.
The Midwest swing adds to a busy month for Lanning, who also has been spotted with Utah No. 1 athlete Salasi Moa and recently secured a visit with top 2026 quarterback and Nashville native Jared Curtis.
Oregon
People with disabilities are extra vulnerable in major disasters like wildfires, says Oregon advocate
Jake Cornett, Executive Director and CEO of the advocacy group Disability Rights Oregon, says he will forever be haunted by Ashlyn Maddox’s death during the 2021 Oregon heat wave.
The Portland woman, 36, was disabled and living in a group foster home. She was dropped off by a medical transport company, but the company didn’t make sure she made it safely into her air-conditioned home. She ended up wandering around for hours in the heat, and died only 50 feet from safety.
Cornett says, “These deaths are preventable with the right planning, the right strategy for mitigation, the right preparedness and a response plan that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and respects the needs of people with disabilities.”
Cornett spoke with “All Things Considered” host Geoff Norcross about Oregon’s ability to help people with disabilities during a natural disaster, such as the deadly wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.
Geoff Norcross: If we were to transport those fires in Southern California here, would we see a similar catastrophe for people with disabilities?
Jake Cornett: Surely, we fear that the same disasters we’ve seen play out in the catastrophes in the lives of people with disabilities in LA would play out right here in Oregon as well. And I don’t think this is just a theoretical question. It’s only a matter of time before we have major wildfires along Highway 20, very close by in Portland and in other major cities throughout our state.
Norcross: What is the obligation of local governments to provide for people with disabilities when disaster strikes? I guess I’m asking if the Americans with Disabilities Act applies here.
Cornett: Absolutely. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that cities, counties, the state and the federal government are taking into account what the needs are of people with disabilities, and providing accommodations for those needs when engaging in disaster planning.
Norcross: Getting information out to people quickly in a disaster is so critical, especially for something that’s as fast-moving as the LA wildfires. For people who are deaf or blind, can you talk about how that’s extra complicated?
Cornett: Absolutely. You know, emergency response notification systems that happen on your phone are a great tool if you have a phone, or if you have the technology to make your phone provide you the information you need. And that’s particularly important for folks who are blind.
I think about a blind person who may not have the same visual access to information as others. If police run around your neighborhood and put a notice on your door that says “get out of town, there’s an evacuation order, you’re under wildfire threat,” that notice on your door might not be enough because you can’t access that information.
And this is where cities, counties and the state really have an obligation to adjust to how they communicate so that it’s effective for all people with disabilities.
Norcross: And again, when you say obligation, you mean a legal obligation, not just because it’s the right thing to do.
Cornett: Absolutely. There’s a legal obligation to do that under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Norcross: Even if an evacuation order gets to affected people quickly, there’s this expectation that most people will get in their car and they will leave. How does that expectation leave people with disabilities in even greater danger?
Cornett: Yeah, that’s another huge issue for people with disabilities, especially when it happens quickly like the LA fires. People think evacuating is getting in the car, driving quickly away to safety.
But many people with disabilities don’t have access to a car, or they can’t physically drive a vehicle. They’re totally reliant on others to transport them to safety. So just providing that notice is not an adequate way to ensure that we are saving the lives of people with disabilities in the way it needs to be done.
Norcross: Is there an event here in Oregon that you can point to that shows us how situated we are to help people with disabilities when disaster strikes, good or bad?
Cornett: Here in Oregon, we’ve seen hundreds die or have serious injuries because of heat in the past few years. Climate change is real. We live in a warming environment, and it’s having a really disproportionate impact on seniors, on people with disabilities and people with underlying medical conditions.
And I’ll forever be haunted by a story of a 30-something year old woman who was dropped off by a medical transport company, but didn’t wait in their air-conditioned van to make sure that she got inside her home where there was air conditioning. Instead, they took off. She wandered around for hours before dying of heat, just 50 feet from her adult foster home.
These deaths are preventable with the right planning, the right strategy for mitigation, the right preparedness, and a response plan that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and respects the needs of people with disabilities.
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