SALEM, Ore. — The passage of HB 4002 does not point to Measure 110 as a policy failure; the failure lies in the state’s inability to implement the law and meet Oregon’s addiction crisis with the urgency it demands. The vote also occurred under threat of lawsuit for failing to follow the state law that requires public information about the costs for local law enforcement, estimated arrests and additional people in jail, or project the costs for the next decade before putting a new crime into statute.
Despite the many issues with HB 4002, we believe that now it’s time for all stakeholders to work together to ensure that this new, complicated system enacted through HB 4002 be implemented with the least harm. HJRA will continue advocating on behalf of Measure 110 providers to maintain and increase critical and call for the urgent expansion of Oregon’s treatment landscape across the continuum of care. Our organization stands at the ready with all stakeholders to provide oversight, strategic recommendations, and support to ensure that HB 4002 — particularly the deflection provision of law — be implemented to cause the least amount of harm. We must not lose sight of our shared goal to create a system of care that works for everyone, is available on-demand, and ensures that communities most-impacted by drug war policies are given the resources to heal.