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Manning said he expects opposition to ease as people learn more about the plan, including that it would cost somewhat less overall that the current system. “I’m pretty sure that Oregonians will say this is a good thing not only for themselves but also for their families,” he said.

"Any time you try to do the right thing, optics are going to be bad," state Sen. James Manning, a Eugene Democrat, told the Oregon Capital Chronicle.

Governor Kate Brown signed the law today, authored by State Senator James Manning Jr., requiring mattress manufacturers to set up and operate a recycling program, overseen by the state, to help consumers recycle unwanted mattresses.

On a 23-6 vote, the Oregon Senate Thursday approved a bill that will allow college athletes to be paid. Senate Bill 5 — a long-time passion project of Sen. President Peter Courtney — gives student athletes the right to sign contracts providing compensation for the use of their name, image and likeness through endorsement deals and appearance fees.

“They pay for it by pouring their blood, sweat, and tears onto the field,” Manning said on the floor Tuesday. “It’s also an economic fairness issue. The NCAA and universities are profiting off our athletes, many of whom are Black and from low-income households, and preventing them from making any money for themselves. We have an opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of our college athletes.”

“I look at this from a broad perspective,” Manning told The Skanner. “One is that, when you see pictures of people with an allegation made of them, it’s flashed all over the television. Those allegations sometimes come up to be inaccurate.

“If you have never felt fear because of the way you look, you don’t know what it’s like to be afraid, to walk down your neighborhood, to see a police car pull up beside your or slow down in your neighborhood," Manning said. "That is fear, and it’s real.”

“This is not us against the police department or policing,” Manning said. “We all realize the police departments serve at the pleasure of the people, as do legislators. Inherently the job comes with high, extreme risks, the same as when I served in the military. I understand that. But that did not give me the authority to do harm to anyone any time I wanted and be justified.”

This pandemic has revealed prisons as a public health hazard. Correctional facilities are hotspots for COVID-19 infections, exposing both the incarcerated population and staff to the virus in close quarters. To date, more than 630 adults in custody and 180 staff have tested positive and the numbers continue to rise.

Senator Manning's closing for HB 4301

The Joint Committee on Transparent Policing and Use of Force Reform held multiple public hearings last week about four legislative concepts. Senator James Manning Jr. co-chairs the committee and he said Oregonians across the state and demanding some sort of reform after weeks of protests.

"They have made it extremely clear they want transparent policing and use of force reform," Manning said.

By Sen. James Manning and Rep. Marty Wilde

Oregonians deserve peace officers who will serve and protect the public, not control the public. We must improve peace officers’ training, reduce excessive and unnecessary uses of force, and hold officers who willfully violate their oath of office accountable for their actions.

But one chief co-sponsor confirmed that House Bill 4107, which would prohibit discrimination based on hairstyle and hair texture, and which would largely prohibit businesses from being “cashless,” will live to see another day. “The bill will come back, and we will get it done,” Sen. James Manning (D-Eugene) told The Skanner. “It is a priority bill.”

When you look at everything that’s happening at the federal level, it’s really disheartening,” Sen. James Manning (D-Eugene) told The Skanner. “We’re trying to provide housing for thousands of Oregonians that are unhoused, and now we have to fight this battle on two fronts, meaning federal government that’s pulling back regulations and taking away resources.”

I wouldn’t support a bill that “destroys” rural communities. That’s rhetoric, not facts. The cap-and-invest bill invests in rural communities, more per person than in cities. My colleagues worked hard to make sure all of Oregon would benefit and the transition to clean energy in our state would be smooth through protections in the legislation.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that gun owners who fail to follow through could be fined as much as $500, or $2,000 if a child gets unauthorized access to the firearm, according to a summary of the proposal released by supporters.

They did not include a copy of the actual legislation, which will be introduced by Rep. Barbara Smith Warner, a Portland Democrat and and Sen. James Manning, a Democrat from Eugene.

Although this time of year technically marks the ending of vacations and time off, it’s a time that feels more like a beginning to me. Kids returning to school, families settling back into a routine, and in my world, myself and my colleagues in the Oregon legislature reconvening in Salem. We’re getting together to discuss priorities and make necessary preparations to ensure a successful, productive session ahead.

As we gather, I hope they will remember all the work we did in 2018 to move forward the Clean Energy Jobs bill. Under it, major polluters would pay for every ton of climate pollution they emit. It’s not a cap for small businesses like your local grocery store or florist; it’s one for huge greenhouse gas polluters. Proceeds from the cap would be invested in clean energy projects and jobs across the state.

For my district, that means helping homeowners and small business owners make energy efficiency upgrades that will save them money — like installing LED bulbs, double-pane windows and more insulation to keep the heat in during the winter and keep it out in the summer.

It means making it easier for Lane County farmers to upgrade equipment, install drip irrigation and pursue other projects that help lower costs and increase the efficiency of their operations.

It means landlords will be able to more easily afford property retrofits to help renters save on utility bills. Low-income households spend as much as a quarter of their income on energy expenses, compared to less than five percent for the top income bracket. Proceeds from Clean Energy Jobs will help change that.

Pricing climate pollution from fossil fuels mean the true value of carbon-free resources like hydropower, solar and wind power will be recognized. Bonneville Power Administration, which supplies power to Eugene Water & Electric, has run the numbers and projects Clean Energy Jobs could keep rates stable and even potentially make them go down.

In passing Clean Energy Jobs, we have a tremendous opportunity to create homegrown, family-wage paying jobs while also preparing our state to be its best by investing in our local communities. And because the bill contains a specific provision to set aside part of the revenue to help Oregon’s most vulnerable communities — rural and low-income Oregonians, and communities of color — we know Clean Energy Jobs will provide real, tangible solutions to the communities we serve.

Clean Energy Jobs can be a powerful force in unleashing business innovation in our state. It can strengthen rural and economically distressed communities in need of support, create good jobs that can’t be outsourced, and help the state lead in the clean energy economy. 48,000 Oregonians already work in the clean economy — in transportation, clean energy, construction, design, engineering, sales and more. These jobs offer a glimpse of what a clean energy economy can promise.

Thus far, hundreds of Oregonians have attended work groups, testified, written letters to the editor of their local papers, emailed, called, and visited me and my colleagues in Salem to show support for Clean Energy Jobs. Bipartisan work groups made up of legislators and stakeholders from a wide range of industry and interest groups met multiple times to refine the legislation. I am proud to have served on the Environmental Justice work group for the bill to make sure Oregon’s most vulnerable communities will receive specific benefits that will help them become more resilient.

Lastly, the Oregon Joint Interim Legislative Committee on Carbon Reduction was formed in 2018, co-chaired by Senate President Peter Courtney and Speaker of the House Tina Kotek. This joint committee was created primarily to get the Clean Energy Jobs bill ready for 2019.

With so much work and public participation over multiple legislative sessions, it’s not hard to see why this bill is shaping up to be one of the most pressing legislative priorities for 2019. As your state senator, I am committed to doing my part to making sure Clean Energy Jobs passes in 2019. Senator James Manning represents District 7 – North Eugene, West Eugene, Santa Clara, Bethel and Junction City. He also served as a commissioner on the Eugene Water & Electric Board from 2013-2017.

Recently, 16 county sheriffs announced support for Measure 105, which would get rid of the state's 31-year-old statute that prohibits use of state and local resources to enforce federal immigration law.

In his statement, Clatsop County Sheriff Thomas Bergin says failing to enforce immigration laws legitimizes more law breaking.

Ore. state Sen. James Manning, a former police officer, disagrees. The Junction City Democrat maintains the sheriffs are politicizing this issue and says repealing the state's sanctuary law actually could lead to more crime.

"We're talking about communities of people that will be less likely to report crimes,” he states. “Victimization will be increased as people, again, (are) not willing to report crimes, and people will be taking advantage of that."

The Oregon Chapter Sierra Club's political committee endorses candidates for public office at all levels of state and local government who will help protect Oregon's environment and our communities.

State Senator James Manning, a Democrat from District 7 and a former police officer, says one of the biggest dangers, should it pass, is that crimes will go unreported out of fear of profiling.

Dear Senator Manning,

Congratulations, our nominating committee has voted to offer you The Working Families Party cross nomination for this November’s election. We are so excited to fight with you on the issues that matter to our voters. We will be following up shortly with paperwork and other details.

Hannah Taube

Interim Executive Director

Oregon Working Families Party

Senator James I Manning Jr:

You are an AFT-Oregon Legislative Champion in the Senate. As a reminder, you were endorsed by the 13,000 members of AFT-Oregon back in May due to your 100% voting record on our issues. With the general election just around the corner, I wanted to circle back and check in.

Marcus Swift

Director of Political and Legislative Affairs

American Federation of Teachers-Oregon (AFT-Oregon)

Susan Ban, executive director of ShelterCare, one of five local social service providers that organized the tour, said the aim was to demonstrate how public money awarded to the projects has helped many people in the community and how that funding stream must continue to assist others. The tour came as state lawmakers and others begin to gear up for the coming six-month legislative session that begins in January.

“None of them (the projects) are enough because the demand way exceeds the supply, but it’s not that we don’t know what to do,” Ban said. “It’s just that we don’t have the resources to do as much as we could.”

Toward that end, the Oregon Community Foundation recently announced the award of a three-year, $500,000 loan to Sponsors as start-up capital to build more units to house offenders released from prison.

Attending the tour were Sen. James Manning; Marty Wilde, who is running for a local House seat in November; and a few other state legislators from outside the area.

The tour also took attendees to a “rest stop,” or legal homeless camp, along Roosevelt Boulevard on a city-owned parcel and operated by Community Supported Shelters, a local nonprofit organization. Another stop was at NEDCO’s Polk Street Apartments, which provide housing and services for youth transitioning out of foster care.

Senator Manning,

Congratulations! Due to your record of support for the priorities of the Oregon Building Trades Council, you have earned the Council’s endorsement for the 2018 General Election.

Senator Manning will host a Veterans and ODVA Town Hall, Friday September 14, 2018, at the VMA 1626 Willamette St, Eugene, OR 97401-4046

John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts, Saturday, July 21, 2018, 868 High Street, Eugene, Oregon.

State Senator James Manning will be the keynote speaker. The symposium will commence at 9:00 a.m. with a salute to the flag of our nation and all of those who have given service to our country and our people. This will be followed by an invocation presented by Father Jonathan Landon, our local VA chaplain. Other local leaders will be invited to speak briefly about the impact of trauma and PTSD-related issues upon our community. Dr. Michael Leeds is a noted expert on trauma and treatment methods and will address PTSD issues impacting military veterans and their families, friends, and co-workers. The moderator is Ronald R. Sticka, Colonel, USAF (retired), executive director of the Kim Sticka PTSD Music and Arts Foundation.

Dear Senator Manning,

Congratulations on your endorsement from the Safety and Justice PAC for your November 6, 2018 election cycle. We are doing everything we can to elect smart on crime candidates this year and look forward to supporting your campaign.

With the school year racing to a close, Roosevelt Middle School students in a U.S. and world history class wasted no time Monday on class parties and end-of-year celebrations. Instead, they tackled big topics, such as climate change and gun control.

Students in Jenoge Khatter’s second-period class sat on giant steps in the school’s lobby and came forward one-by-one to present their findings from a months-long project on gun control policies and how they might be improved. About 40 students took turns reciting data and their own analyses to a panel of local and state leaders who then offered their opinions.

Panelists at Monday’s 50-minute presentation included state Sen. James Manning of Eugene; Oregon State Board of Education Chair and University of Oregon professor Charles Martinez; Dawnnesha Lasuncet, education equity specialist for the state Department of Education; UO professor Allison Schmitke; and Roosevelt teacher Matt Beyers.

Manning, an Army veteran and former state corrections officer, argued that there’s no place for guns in schools.

“Schools are not designed to have teachers packing heat,” he said. “Guns are designed for one and one reason only, and you have to be willing to take another person’s life if you want to carry a gun. And that’s not a burden I think should be put on teachers.”

Senator Manning,

I am pleased to inform you that you have earned an endorsement from Basic Rights Equality PAC for the 2018 General Election in your race for elected office. Thank you for completing the Equality PAC’s questionnaire and participating in our board review process.

Amy Herzfeld-Copple

Co-Executive Director

Basic Rights Oregon

OFFICE OF

SENATOR JAMES I. MANNING JR.

Senate District 7

Oregon State Legislature

State Capitol, Salem, OR

News Release

May 24, 2018

A small donation of blood can be the gift of a lifetime

SALEM – Sen. James Manning, D-Eugene, issued a challenge to his Oregon State Capitol colleagues to give blood, and the response could save many lives.

Manning challenged his legislative colleagues to join him in donating blood when the Lane Bloodworks bus came to the Oregon State Capitol on May 22. The response was solid, with 21 people registering and trying to donate blood. Of those, 17 were able to successfully donate. Because one unit can save potentially three lives, up to 51 lives may be saved through the effort.

“I just can’t say enough how much I appreciate everyone who welcomed Lane Bloodworks to the Capitol and who donated blood yesterday,” Manning said. “For many of the Bloodworks staff, it was their very first time visiting the Capitol and they left in awe of the whole experience. I am a strong believer in the importance of giving blood and so this is the first of what I expect to be several opportunities to save lives in this way.”

###

The Oregon State Hospital in Junction City could be axed as part of Governor Brown’s broad budget cuts. But as KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, a state lawmaker is working on a proposal that could spare the psychiatric facility. Democratic State Senator James Manning of District 7 says he’s hoping that some additional, unused space at the facility could ease prison overcrowding. He spoke to KLCC while touring the hospital.

As in Louisiana, some lawmakers are agitating to change the law with or without the DAs’ support, though the effort is not quite ripe. State Sen. James Manning Jr., a Eugene Democrat, has called on Oregon to "join the other civilized states" in requiring unanimous juries. He told The Advocate he plans to introduce legislation to do that next year.

As we present this year’s May Primary endorsements, we note an increase in the diversity of candidates. There are six African Americans candidates in Multnomah County, as well as other people of color running for office. In Eugene, for example, James Manning, an outstanding candidate with an excellent record of public service, is running for re-election as a state senator in District 7. We think it is good for the state and city to hear from different viewpoints.

This group of current legislators received a 100% rating by AFT-Oregon due to their strong support of our union’s priority issues in recent legislative sessions.

Oregon State Senate

Floyd Prozanski - SD 4 – South Lane, North Douglas

Lee Beyer – SD 6 – Springfield

James Manning, Jr. - SD 7 – Eugene, Junction City

Sara Gelser – SD 8 – Corvallis, Albany

Peter Courtney - SD 11 - Salem

Chuck Riley – SD 15 – Hillsboro, Cornelius, Forest Grove

Elizabeth Steiner Hayward – SD 17 – NW Portland, Beaverton

Rob Wagner – Lake Oswego, Tualatin, SW Portland

I am just informed that ONA ON-PAC Board has awarded me with a “Friend of Nursing: Rising Star Award”. This award recognizes outstanding support and emerging leadership around public policy issues important to the nursing profession and improving patient outcomes. The award also comes with an ONA endorsement for my 2018 election effort. Thank you ONA and your membership for this unexpected honor. I am humbly grateful.

The CAPE Council, 52 SEIU members elected by the membership to drive our union’s voice in politics, has announced the following endorsements in the 2018 primary elections.

Incumbent Champions

This group of current legislators received an A+ in our 2018 legislative scorecard for their strong support of our union’s priority issues, and for taking extra steps to support our union in contract negotiations or new organizing.

State Senate

Sara Gelser (SD 8 – Corvallis/Albany – Democrat)

James Manning – (SD 7 – Eugene/Junction City – Democrat)

Oregon State Sen. Lew Frederick said he’s not surprised by his colleague’s turn into politics. As he sees it, Manning’s military and law enforcement background – coupled by his leadership within various nonprofits and committees – has groomed him for the state legislature.

Oregon Senator James Manning (SD-7, Eugene), welcomes home Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers with Company G, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, during their demobilization ceremony, March 4, in Salem, Oregon. Approximately 70 Soldiers in the unit returned ...

“Hanging in my office at the state Capitol, I have a sign that reads, ‘We support our veterans,’” Sen. James Manning, D-Eugene, who carried the bill in the Senate, said. “I am a veteran myself and there are many who have not lost their lives in service to this country, but they have suffered life-altering impacts. I am proud to bring forward this bipartisan legislation. When we work together, good bills pass.”

Crafting legislation is not an easy process. It can be divisive and heated. However, governing and helping those in need has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Often, good legislation must be introduced in multiple sessions before it gains the support it needs to become a law.

“Being a former police officer, I have investigated a lot of domestic disturbances,” Sen. James

Manning, D-Eugene, said. “This bill is not about Second Amendment rights. This is about

people’s right to life. When you have convicted people of domestic violence and they can go

out and still get and own a gun, then we have a broken system.”

Hi James ,

Congratulations! You have been named to the 2018 Champions List by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee!

We’re honoring candidates around the country who are committed to taking on economic and social inequality and fighting for the needs of working families. We want to recognize your leadership by highlighting your race to our million grassroots members.

SB 1531: Relating to law enforcement officers

Senator Manning is proud to sponsor Senate Bill 1531, which requires law enforcement officers to meet with a mental health professional to promote mental and emotional support. The current law requires police officers that are involved in the use of deadly or/and physical force to meet with a mental health professional. This bill would require all law enforcement officers to meet with a mental health professional once every two years in addition to the mental health sessions required after the use of physical and/or deadly force. Senator Manning’s experience in law enforcement and the military has given him first-hand experience of the importance of mental health in these stressful jobs. Watch the video below of his testimony.

https://youtu.be/2050348zKig

The committee’s other Democrat, Sen. James Manning of Eugene, said members have not yet been presented with evidence gathered by the investigator. Manning said the investigation is ongoing and that he’s made an effort to reserve judgment until the results are available. “I have made it a point to avoid conversation or communicating with anyone about this,” he said.

Alonso León, for example, spoke with authority during the Cover All Kids bill debate when she described the pain of an immigrant mother who couldn’t afford to take a sick child to a doctor.

“People with a lot of means would never experience that, so they wouldn’t know,” Manning says.

“It’s heartbreaking. I grew up very poor. I didn’t have access to medical insurance or anything like that. Our thing was, stay healthy. Don’t get sick. If something happens you go to the emergency room. You get patched up and you went back out and healed the best that you could.”

Grayson Dempsey, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon said, “With their support for the Reproductive Health Equity Act, these elected leaders put the right to legal abortion into state law for the first time in Oregon’s history. As the Trump Administration and other states work to undermine these rights and limit access and coverage of abortion, contraceptives, and reproductive health care, Oregon legislators worked courageously to protect and empower all women and families in their districts.”

State Senate

Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward (SD17)

Senator James Manning (SD7)

Senator Lee Beyer (SD6)

At the Junction City town hall, Manning seemed similarly exasperated about this measure’s coming to a vote. “Voting ‘yes’ just agrees with what had already been done,” he said. “Everyone had approved it, bipartisan, the hospitals, everyone!”

A “yes” vote will allow the funding to go into effect. A “no” vote could result in as many as 350,000 Oregonians losing their health care, according to state Sen. James Manning, a Democrat representing District 7 in Lane County.

State Senator James Manning is running again. The Eugene Democrat’s re-election campaign formally kicked off this weekend.

The event’s keynote speaker, state Sen. James Manning, a retired Amy sergeant major and former drill sergeant, noted the myriad of challenges facing some of today’s veterans: a suicide rate higher than the civilian population; an increased opioid addiction rate; and uncertainty surrounding veterans’ benefits.

As Veterans Day approaches, I want to take a moment to honor the men and women who have served our country.

To all our service men and women, and their families, who have sacrificed to serve our country, I say: Thank you.

There are more than 325,000 veterans who call Oregon home. They are our friends, family members, neighbors and coworkers. I believe that Oregon has a responsibility to support our service men and women, and their families, especially as they return home and prepare to enter the workforce. I’m proud to say that in the 2017 Legislative Session, my colleagues and I passed several bills to help veterans and their families. Oregon’s veterans have made many sacrifices serving our country, and these laws help us honor their service by providing veterans with greater opportunities and resources.

Bills passed in the 2017 Legislative Session that support veterans include:

HB 5039 Implementing Increased Veterans Funding

In 2016, Oregon voters passed Measure 96, which amended Oregon’s constitution to direct 1.5 percent of net lottery proceeds into a Veterans’ Services Fund to provide services for the benefit of veterans. As a result, the 2017-19 budget for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs implements Measure 96 by increasing the agency’s budget for the previous biennium, including the $18.7 million from lottery revenue funding. HB 5039 creates the largest funding package for veteran services in our state’s history.

SB 129 Task Force for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Senate Bill 129 creates a task force to study and make recommendations about the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, particularly for veterans. This task force will include members of the Oregon Health Authority and the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as medical professionals. The task force will be responsible for identifying the best treatments and possible funding for treatment of PTSD. This bill will improve the treatment of PTSD in Oregon by setting guidelines for creating such a task force.

SB 143 Expanding Resources for Veterans in Higher Education

This bill focuses on helping veterans transition from military life to college and beyond. Senate Bill 143 establishes and expands the resources offered to veterans on community college and public university campuses. This includes employing campus veteran resource coordinators to assist and act as advocates for veterans enrolled in college or university. This bill will help Oregon’s veterans pursue and achieve educational goals.

SB 993 Purple Heart Recognition

The Purple Heart is a medal awarded to members of the armed forces who are wounded in action. More than 21,000 Oregonians are eligible for the Purple Heart. Senate Bill 993 recognizes the sacrifices these men and women gave for our country, and designates Aug. 7 of every year as Purple Heart Recognition Day.

HB 2220 Helping Veterans Earn a High School Diploma

House Bill 2220 removes an outdated requirement barring veterans from receiving a high school diploma if they have not received a GED or post-secondary degree. Under House Bill 2220, veterans may obtain high school diplomas if they did not complete high school as a result of their service.

Thank you for joining me this month in honoring our veterans and their service to our country.

I look forward to returning to the Capitol in the 2018 Legislative Session to continue fighting for veterans and their families. As always, if you have any questions, concerns or comments, please don’t hesitate to call my District office 541.632.4163 or Capitol office 503.986.1707.

Best wishes,

James I. Manning Jr

Guests will include Sen. Floyd Prozanski, Sen. James Manning and Rep. John Lively from the state Legislature; Craig Opperman, president and CEO of Looking Glass; Brian Megert of the Springfield School District; and the UO basketball team.

EUGENE, Ore. - According to an Oregon legislator, "no-cause" evictions are not a rarity, and it happened recently to a Eugene couple who were about to become parents.

His advice to others who are think about running for office: It has to be about helping people, not about personal gain. Visit places that don’t feel familiar to you. Visit schools. Pay attention to the kids huddled outside, waiting for their first meal of the day. Build up name recognition, and then just do it.

SALEM – Sen. James Manning, D-Eugene, released the following statement today regarding the progress of the Oregon Clean Energy Jobs bill:

When asked about the bill by the Eugene Weekly, Manning responded “[It’s] a good bill to for us to move forward on, we can certainly make it better, but we have to make a move on it because the uncertainty that’s going on in Washington D.C. has me really concerned.”

State Sen. James Manning of Eugene will take part in a demonstration of how quickly a closed vehicle heats up.

State Senator James Manning will sit in a car with the windows rolled up, to demonstrate how hot it can get for pets or kids left alone.

State Senator James Manning (Senate District 7) was named 2017 Rookie of the Year for being a strong voice for workers in the Senate Democratic Caucus and because his lived experience is reflected by his advocacy for working peoples’ values in the legislature.

SALEM, Oregon—Senator James I. Manning Jr. announced he will seek election to a full term in the Oregon Senate and officially filed to run today. In the 2017 Session, Senator Manning fought to keep the Junction City Hospital open and secured state funding for many local projects that will create good-paying jobs, such as the Knight Science Campus, the Civic Stadium rebuild, and a health care facility for Lane Community College. He serves as Co-Chair of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on General Government.

Rep. Tawna Sanchez, Rep. Teresa Alonso Leon, Rep. Mark Meek, Rep. Janelle Bynum, Sen. Lew Frederick, Sen. James I. Manning Jr. and I wrote an op-ed standing up to white supremacy. In Oregon, we must do our part to recognize our dark history of sanctioned racism and the increase of hate crimes and incidents in our communities. All politicians must use their voice to combat white supremacy in all forms.

During my first term in the Oregon Senate, I worked with my colleagues in both chambers of the Legislature to achieve advances in criminal justice reform, funding for education at all levels — including career and technical education programs — health care for all Oregonians, renters’ rights and protections, environmental justice, efforts to address climate change and new policies that will protect low-wage workers.

I was chief sponsor or co-sponsor of legislation that will protect and improve the lives of Oregonians. Closer to home, my actions and the support of my colleagues will bring millions of dollars to fund jobs and infrastructure projects in Lane County.

It was my privilege to vote for the largest transportation infrastructure package in Oregon history. That package will bring Lane County and the cities of Eugene and Springfield an additional $102.5 million for roads improvement over the next seven years. That money will support improvements to Territorial Highway, bicycle infrastructure, safe school routes and public transportation.

“Today we are sending a clear message that Oregon is a place where these types of crimes are

not tolerated,” said Sen. James Manning (D-Eugene), who co-carried the bill on the Senate

floor. “Oregon is a place where all are welcome and protected under the law from being

threatened or harmed, simply because they may look different, practice a different religion, are

living with a disability or come from another part of the world, or even who they love.”

“We should be doing everything we can to protect our most vulnerable, and that includes

animals and children,” Manning said. “I don’t care if somebody has to rip the door off a car; if

that’s the only way they can rescue a child or an animal from potentially deadly harm, they

should not be liable for property damage in those situations. They should be applauded as

heroes. I also think that the local Girl Scouts who participated in the passage of this bill should

be commended. For such a young group to be so committed to protecting other kids and

animals who are placed in harmful situations, that is truly commendable.”

“Today we are sending a clear message that Oregon is a place where these types of crimes are

not tolerated,” said Sen. James Manning (D-Eugene), who co-carried the bill on the Senate

floor. “Oregon is a place where all are welcome and protected under the law from being

threatened or harmed, simply because they may look different, practice a different religion, are

living with a disability or come from another part of the world, or even who they love.”

I know firsthand that running for political office costs money. As a candidate for House District 14 in West Eugene and Junction City, I made a lot of fundraising calls. I didn’t (and still don’t) mind raising money and I think I’m not too bad at it. Every candidate needs resources to explain to voters about why they’re running to serve and what ideas they have for fixing the biggest problems facing your community.

As a former police officer, I recall that each day I went to work my family expected me to return home after my duty shift. I have a lot of friends and colleagues who are police officers and are serving their communities with the highest distinction and honor. Their families expect for them to return home after their duty shift, too.

At the same time, we must acknowledge video evidence of unarmed African-American men and women being killed by police without accountability. Ask yourself whether a broken tail light, or selling CDs or loose cigarettes outside of a convenience mart, or playing in a park with a toy gun, or being a teenager playing loud music, or trying to walk home or change lanes while driving, would result in you losing your life.

Sen. James Manning is a cosponsor of the bill, and he thinks it’s a good bill. “So far I haven’t had anybody come to me in opposition,” he says. “It sends a good message and help protect our farmers” whose crops might be affected by pollinator die-offs, the senator adds.

“James every time I look down my face book timeline and see a new post from you about the great work you continue to do after the uniform I stop and recite the Army Values; Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless-Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage. You continue to represent these seven Army Values; you are a true Leader, “Cornell Coyle, First Sergeant, U.S. Army (Retired).

"When James Manning moved from a military base in Washington state to Eugene in 2007, he didn’t think that in five years he would have served on 10 public or nonprofit boards..."