Notable Leaders

Many times the vote on a bill is simply the conclusion of a huge amount of work – and that work cannot be captured with a simple score. While many legislators provided inspiring leadership beyond their voting records, these leaders stand out.

In the House

Environmental Champion of the Year

Rep. Ben Cannon (D-Portland)

In only his second term, Rep. Ben Cannon has grown into the House’s most respected voice on the environment. As chair of the House Committee on Environment and Water, Cannon used his principled yet pragmatic ability to work with a diverse caucus and move key bills to fight global warming pollution, promote water conservation and create marine reserves.

Particularly notable was his work on House Bill 2186, the nation’s first legislatively adopted law to cut carbon pollution from fuel.  

Cannon was the only legislator to score 100 percent this session.

Innovator of the Year

Rep. Jules Bailey (D-Portland)

Freshman Rep. Jules Bailey is the legislature’s sole professional economist.  He’s also proven to be one of the most dogged leaders on climate, and one of the sharpest minds.

Bailey led the charge to create a complex bill based on a simple idea: Homeowners and businesses should be able to invest in energy efficiency without having to pay all the costs up front. His bill, which allows people to borrow money for such improvements and pay it back on their utility bills, brought together various interests and passed overwhelmingly. It has since garnered national attention.

The Dynamic Duo

Reps. Bob Jenson (R-Pendleton) and Jefferson Smith (D-Portland)

Rep. Bob Jenson and Rep. Jefferson Smith are a political odd couple: Jenson, a 78-year old veteran Republican statesman from Pendleton, and Smith, a driven 36-year old freshman Democrat from East Portland, were paired and asked to reform Oregon water law.

Together, they managed to craft and pass the most significant water bill in more than 20 years. The two spent countless hours working with water interests from across the state. The result: House Bill 3369, a bill that protects fish and wildlife, encourages conservation, cuts water waste, and puts Oregon on the path to having a statewide water management plan.

Senate

Watchdog of the Year

Senator Jackie Dingfelder (D-Portland)

A key moment of the legislative session came before it even began, when Senator Jackie Dingfelder was named to chair the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. A lifetime 99% OLCV voter (over five sessions), Dingfelder’s leadership of the committee meant many anti-environment bills died quick deaths, allowing legislators to focus on positive bills.

Dingfelder championed clean-energy bills, as well as a bill to clean up Oregon rivers by limiting phosphorous in household dish soap, and a water-conservation bill to let households use graywater systems.

Protector of Children’s Health

Senator Suzanne Bonamici (D-Beaverton)

While we pay our legislators to work only part-time, Senator Suzanne Bonamici worked throughout the interim and the 2009 session to navigate a complex issue: The use of pesticides in and around schools.

Using her ability to bridge interests and bring people together, Bonamici built broad support for Senate Bill 637, key legislation which requires schools to adopt integrated pest management plans, using pesticides only as a last resort. The bill will protect the health of students, faculty, and workers at Oregon’s schools.