Bill Text: OR HCR24 | 2013 | Regular Session | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Expressing support for creation of Veterans Treatment Court in all judicial districts.

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2013-05-20 - Filed with Secretary of State. [HCR24 Detail]

Download: Oregon-2013-HCR24-Enrolled.html

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     77th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2013 Regular Session

                            Enrolled

                 House Concurrent Resolution 24

Sponsored by Representative WEIDNER; Representatives BARKER,
  CAMERON, ESQUIVEL, GILLIAM, HICKS, HOYLE, KENY-GUYER, MATTHEWS,
  MCLANE, OLSON, THOMPSON, WITT, Senators KNOPP, MONNES ANDERSON

  Whereas 2013 marks the 12th straight year of the United States
at war; and
  Whereas there are now more than 23 million United States
veterans, including approximately two million from the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan; and
  Whereas the men and women of our military shoulder the burden
of safeguarding our freedom; and
  Whereas the United States military instills a sense of honor,
duty, leadership, commitment and respect that is evident in the
millions of veterans who return home to their communities as
productive citizens, strengthened by their military experience;
and
  Whereas more than 30,000 members of the Armed Forces of the
United States from Oregon have been deployed on active duty
domestically and overseas since 2002; and
  Whereas Oregon has experienced one of the largest mobilizations
of citizen soldiers in history; and
  Whereas nearly 13 percent of the overall population of the
State of Oregon is made up of veterans, with more than 328,000
veterans residing in this state as of September 2012; and
  Whereas veterans in Oregon and across the nation are
experiencing serious reintegration issues as they grapple with
such conditions such as traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic
stress disorder, military sexual trauma and significant physical
injuries; and
  Whereas some of these veterans enter the legal system due in
part to their combat stress and injuries; and
  Whereas the first Veterans Treatment Court was created in
Buffalo, New York, in January 2008, by Judge Robert Russell, who
asked his local veterans' affairs medical center and volunteer
veterans to join in creating a new program that would focus
exclusively on ensuring that veterans who appeared in his court
for nonviolent offenses were connected to their veterans'
services and benefits and to mentors who understood military
service and the difficulties some veterans might have in
adjusting to civilian society; and
  Whereas a Veterans Treatment Court judge handles numerous
veterans' cases, supported by a strong interdisciplinary team,
and is thus in a better position to exercise discretion and
respond effectively to cases involving veterans than a judge who
only occasionally hears a case involving a veteran; and
  Whereas a Veterans Treatment Court judge better understands the
issues that a veteran may be struggling with and is also more
familiar with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs,
state public and private support agencies and local veterans'
service organizations, all of which are the strength behind
mentorship programs for veterans; and

Enrolled House Concurrent Resolution 24 (HCR 24-INTRO)     Page 1

  Whereas a Veterans Treatment Court eliminates the 'no one
understands me' excuse and replaces it with peer support from
fellow veterans to successfully complete court-mandated treatment
programs; and
  Whereas Klamath County and Marion County have sought federal
training and each successfully launched a Veterans Treatment
Court modeled after Judge Russell's program; and
  Whereas there are more than 100 Veterans Treatment Courts
throughout the United States, with hundreds more being planned,
because the concept works; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:

  That we, the members of the Seventy-seventh Legislative
Assembly, strongly support ongoing judicial initiatives to create
a Veterans Treatment Court in all judicial districts in the State
of Oregon; and be it further
  Resolved, That we encourage veterans in this state to volunteer
as mentors through their local Veterans Treatment Court.
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                                 Adopted by House April 12, 2013

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                                 Ramona J. Line, Chief Clerk of
                                              House

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                                  Tina Kotek, Speaker of House

                                 Adopted by Senate May 16, 2013

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                                  Peter Courtney, President of
                                             Senate

Enrolled House Concurrent Resolution 24 (HCR 24-INTRO)     Page 2