PREEMPTION
We are hosting a panel discussion about preemption at 7 pm on Thursday, October 23 in room 110 of the Knight Law Center on the University of Oregon campus. The immediate concern that brings this up is relates to Lane County’s attempt to preempt Eugene’s sick leave ordinance. Preemption was also a prominent issue in Oregon last fall with the state’s preemption of County attempts to regulate the use of genetically modified seeds.
Our speakers include:
Paul Diller, expert on Home Rule, teaches in the Law department at Willamette University
Jim Edmunson, Eugene attorney, former legislator in office when the state preempted local anti-gay ordinances
Ken Tollenaar, elderly civil servant known around Eugene as the eminence grise behind civil law; helped write the Home Rule referendum passed in 1954, former president of the Association of Oregon Counties
Pete Sorenson, county commissioner, former legislator and legislative assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives
Melissa Wischerath, Eugene attorney, will be the moderator
Reference Materials of interest include:
Paul Diller on home rule (40 pages): http://law.uoregon.edu/org/olrold/archives/87/Diller.pdf
League of Oregon Cities 2006 publication on home rule (25 pages): http://www.orcities.org/Portals/17/Premium/HomeRule06newcover2012.pdf
County Home Rule in Oregon, prepared by Ken Tollenaar for the Association of Oregon Counties (129 pages): http://www.aocweb.org/aoc/Portals/0/Policy%20Center/County%20Home%20Rule%20Paper.pdf
ALEC & sick leave preemption:
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2014/07/12551/paid-sick-days-gain-momentum-as-alec-allies-push-back
Text of one of the county ordinances preempting Eugene’s sick leave ordinance:
http://www.lanecounty.org/Departments/BCC/Documents/ORDINANCES/2014/14-04.pdf
Register Guard article on reaction to county’s ordinances:
http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/31900391-75/story.csp
Eugene Weekly article quoting Melissa Wischerath:
http://www.eugeneweekly.com/20140807/news-briefs/county-commission%E2%80%99s-anti-sick-leave-ordinances-questioned
Ken Tollenaar’s letter to Register Guard regarding the Lane County/city of Eugene conflict:
http://registerguard.com/rg/opinion/31900496-78/county-government-rule-counties-eugene.html.csp
National Association of Counties article 2004 article about Dillon’s Rule – posted at CELDF: http://www.celdf.org/downloads/Home%20Rule%20State%20or%20Dillons%20Rule%20State.pdf