Bill Text: OR SCR205 | 2012 | Regular Session | Enrolled

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Bill Title: In memoriam: Betty Roberts, 1923-2011.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-8)

Status: (Passed) 2012-02-29 - Filed With Secretary of State. [SCR205 Detail]

Download: Oregon-2012-SCR205-Enrolled.html

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     76th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2012 Regular Session

                            Enrolled

                Senate Concurrent Resolution 205

Sponsored by Senator ROSENBAUM; Senators ATKINSON, BATES, BEYER,
  BOQUIST, BURDICK, COURTNEY, DEVLIN, FERRIOLI, GEORGE, HASS,
  JOHNSON, MONNES ANDERSON, MONROE, MORSE, OLSEN, PROZANSKI,
  SHIELDS, STEINER HAYWARD, TELFER, VERGER, WINTERS (Presession
  filed.)

  Whereas Betty Roberts was one who defined an era in the history
of this state, serving with strength, fairness, compassion and
integrity and becoming a mentor and role model for many; and
  Whereas Betty Roberts was born in Arkansas City, Kansas, on
February 5, 1923, spent much of her childhood in Texas and moved
to Oregon after World War II; and
  Whereas Betty Roberts attended Eastern Oregon College and
graduated from Portland State College with a bachelor of science
degree in education in 1958; and
  Whereas Betty Roberts taught at Portland high schools and Mt.
Hood Community College from 1958 to 1967; and
  Whereas Betty Roberts earned a master's degree in political
science in 1962 and a law degree from Lewis and Clark Law School
in 1966; and
  Whereas Betty Roberts raised four children while pursuing her
education, pursuing her teaching career and launching her
political career; and
  Whereas Betty Roberts was first elected to the House of
Representatives in 1964, representing Multnomah County, and was
re-elected in 1966; and
  Whereas in 1968 Betty Roberts was elected to the Oregon Senate,
where she was the only woman; and
  Whereas in 1971 Betty Roberts was a cosponsor of the landmark
Bottle Bill, the first bill of its kind in the nation and a model
for similar legislation throughout the United States; and
  Whereas Betty Roberts ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Oregon
in 1974, losing narrowly in the primary to the person who would
become Governor, Robert W. Straub; and
  Whereas in 1974 Betty Roberts was nominated by the Democratic
Party to run for the United States Senate, but lost in the
general election to Republican Bob Packwood; and
  Whereas Governor Straub appointed Betty Roberts to the Oregon
Court of Appeals in 1977, where she was the first woman to serve
as appellate judge in the state's history; and
  Whereas, when up for election to retain her position on the
Court of Appeals, Betty Roberts overcame discrimination based on
her gender and won the election to a full six-year term in 1978;
and
  Whereas Governor Vic Atiyeh appointed Betty Roberts to the
Oregon Supreme Court in 1982, again as the first woman in the
history of the State of Oregon to serve on the Supreme Court; and
  Whereas Justice Roberts authored many landmark opinions,
including  { - Hewitt v. SAIF - }, which established that men and
women have equal rights under the Oregon Constitution; and
  Whereas Justice Roberts retired from the Supreme Court in 1986
in order to spend time with her husband, Keith Skelton; and

Enrolled Senate Concurrent Resolution 205 (SCR 205-INTRO)  Page 1

  Whereas after retirement Betty Roberts had an active career as
a mediator and continued to serve as a senior judge in this
state; and
  Whereas Betty Roberts received many awards for her unflagging
commitment to equality and justice and for her leadership in
promoting the role of women in the law and in politics; and
  Whereas Betty Roberts received an honorary doctorate from
Portland State University in June 2011; and
  Whereas Betty Roberts died in Portland on June 25, 2011; now,
therefore,

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

  That we, the members of the Seventy-sixth Legislative Assembly,
express our gratitude for the lifelong commitment to justice,
leadership in combating discrimination and selfless service of
Betty Roberts on behalf of all Oregonians; and be it further
  Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be presented with our
condolences to Betty Roberts' children, Dian, John, Jo and Randy.
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                                 Adopted by Senate February 16,
                                              2012

                               ----------------------------------
                                   Robert Taylor, Secretary of
                                             Senate

                               ----------------------------------
                                  Peter Courtney, President of
                                             Senate

                                  Adopted by House February 27,
                                              2012

                               ----------------------------------
                                  Bruce Hanna, Speaker of House

                               ----------------------------------
                                 Arnie Roblan, Speaker of House

Enrolled Senate Concurrent Resolution 205 (SCR 205-INTRO)  Page 2