The decision comes one week after she issued a notice that she was considering vetoing the plan, alongside three other bills. Alongside the funding plan for Willamette Falls, Kotek also didn’t veto a bill allowing physical therapists to practice dry needling.
“Following last week’s notice of potential vetoes, I considered all perspectives and gathered additional information before making final decisions, which I believe reflect what is best for the state,” Kotek said in a news release.
Kotek, who signed the funding plan into law on Thursday, said the Willamette Falls Trust provided her office with additional information following her notice of the veto. The trust agreed that it will not seek additional legislative support and it will follow through with transparency requirements, she said.
“I take seriously my responsibility for stewardship of public dollars, and with the assurances outlined in the letter of understanding from Willamette Falls Trust and the accountability measures that will be built into the bond agreement, I am satisfied these funds will be fully accounted for every step of the way,” she wrote in a letter of approval.
Kotek vetoes bill to ease cattle veterinary regulations, expediting projects in Curry County
Kotek vetoed Senate Bill 976, a bill that would have allowed an individual to verify whether cattle are pregnant without holding a valid license issued by the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board under certain circumstances.
The bill passed almost unanimously in both legislative chambers, but Kotek in a veto letter said the bill has unintended consequences because it would allow unlicensed individuals to charge for services similar to those provided by veterinarians.
With diseases such as the bird flu in cattle that can impact humans, Kotek said it’s critical to maintain a connection between animal owners and licensed veterinarians.
“I recognize the need to increase access to key veterinary services in rural parts of our state, especially for large animals,” Kotek said. “I believe that we can have continued conversations about how to meet the needs of rural Oregon while also ensuring the health of our cattle statewide.”
She also vetoed Senate Bill 1047, which would have required Curry County and the Water Resources Department to expedite review of applications for use on specified lands.
While she normally supports efforts to improve permitting processes, Kotek said there is “no overriding policy rationale” for moving the application for a new water right to the head of the line for agency consideration.
While she said she understands many of Oregon’s rural counties are looking to expand economic development, she said the bill prefers Curry County over others.
“Preferencing any one potential project in statute without substantial public debate does not serve the public interest, nor allow for thoughtful and deliberate consideration of the impacts of a proposed development opportunity on a constrained resource, especially one as important to our survival as water,” she wrote.
By Mia Maldonado of news partner Oregon Capital Chronicle
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