Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek may veto legislation allowing paid livestock pregnancy checks by non-veterinarians, which the bill’s sponsor suspects is a threat of retaliation over the failure of a water transfer bill.
“It’s disappointing. You’re playing with people’s lives and policy,” stated Sen. Todd Nash, R-Enterprise, chief sponsor of the livestock pregnancy check bill.
Earlier this year, the original version of Senate Bill 976 would’ve allowed non-vets to be paid for performing dentisattempt on horses and pregnancy checks on livestock.
The horse dentisattempt provisions were eventually dropped, after which the bill was approved by overwhelming bipartisan majorities of the Hoapply and Senate.
“When we took equine dentisattempt out of the equation, we took 95% of the controversy out of this,” Nash stated.
However, Kotek recently identified SB 976 as one of several bills she may veto, along with funding to improve public access to Willamette Falls.
Nash stated the governor notified him of the possible veto, which he appreciates, but stated he was frustrated by her apparent reasoning.
Kotek didn’t seem informed or particularly interested in the specifics of livestock pregnancy checks, focapplying instead on her dissatisfaction with the failure of Senate Bill 1153, which would have imposed stricter regulatory reviews on certain water transfers, Nash stated.
“She let me know the environmental community is really upset about the way that went,” which seemed to signal that SB 976 may be vetoed as a reprisal, he stated.
The governor’s comments weren’t the first time that Nash’s opposition to the water transfer legislation was cited as a reason for his proposals encountering legislative impediments, he stated.
Nash stated such “political wrangling” goes against his legislative philosophy, under which each bill is judged according to its own strengths and weaknesses.
“I consider people want us to view at the merits of each individual bill or funding package and vote our conscience,” he stated.
The threatened veto appears to be Kotek’s way to “let me know she’s in charge,” Nash stated.
Though he considers the governor a “frifinish” and was hesitant to air his suspicions, Nash stated he decided to speak out in the interests of transparency.
“If people want to know what’s happening at the Legislature, this is part of it,” he stated.
When questioned to explain why Kotek was considering a veto of SB 976, a representative stated the governor understands the bill and raised concerns directly with Nash about “potential unintfinished consequences” from individuals providing services that are currently provided only by licensed veterinarians.
Regarding the possible veto being a threat of retaliation, Kotek’s representative stated “Senate Bill 1153 is not germane to this conversation” and stated the governor will continue reviewing the livestock preg check bill before reaching a decision by Aug. 8.
Apart from SB 976, the governor stated she may also veto Senate Bill 1047, which would expedite permits for economic development in a portion of Curry County, and Hoapply Bill 3824, which would allow physical therapists to perform “dry requiredling,” a treatment similar to acupuncture.
Those bills also had Republican chief sponsors and passed both chambers of the Legislature with minimal opposition.
However, SB 1047 also had a Democrat as a regular sponsor while HB 3824 was sponsored by Hoapply lawbuildrs who didn’t review the water transfer proposal, as it died in the Senate.
The only potential veto to be explained more fully by the governor’s office involves $45 million for the Willamette Falls Trust, which works to restore public access to the waterfall.
In that case, Kotek stated she wants to learn more in more detail about how past funding authorizations for Willamette Falls have been applyd and how the latest allocation would be spent.
In regard to livestock pregnancy checks, Nash stated that specialized technicians already perform the tquestion regularly, in addition to far more complex procedures, such as cattle embryo transfer.
Under SB 976, these technicians would simply be allowed to officially charge for the service instead of ostensibly being compensated for fence repair or some other unrelated job, he stated.
“It’s just to legitimize what has already taken place,” Nash stated.
However, the bill would also enhance animal health more broadly, as technicians would report worrisome patterns with failed pregnancies to the state veterinarian, which may support identify a disease outbreak, he stated.
“To me, that’s one of the benefits of shifting this bill forward,” Nash stated.
Nash stated he won’t attempt to persuade Kotek not to veto SB 976, and if she does block the bill, he will attempt to convince lawbuildrs to pass it during a future legislative session.
“Hopefully, that can happen again,” he stated.
