Hansell withdraws support for diesel bill
By Terry Murry on Thursday, February 10th, 2022 in Featured Stories Northeastern Oregon News
SALEM – State Sen. Bill Hansell (R-Athena) was one of several Republicans who initially signed up to support House Bill 4141 sponsored by Rep. Paul Evans (D-Monmouth) regarding the development of renewable diesel. He then got busy with other issues affecting his district during the Oregon Legislature’s short session and was surprised when a fellow Republican asked him why his name was the only GOP name still on the legislation.
Hansell said the bill, one of hundreds being introduced in the short session, had grown to include negativity toward the petroleum industry, which Hansell did not like. Then he learned amendments were planned for the bill, so he waited to see if they would change its tone.
“I was waiting to pull my name or keep it on depending on what the amendments look like,” Hansell said. “The amendments still aren’t up to what we need them to be, so my name is no longer of the bill. But, because we haven’t published newer versions of it, my name stays on it.”
Hansell said the bill won’t be published without his name until it moves from the Oregon House of Representatives to the state Senate.
“I know it’s causing some confusion among my agricultural friends in the district,” he said. “I just want to assure them I am not supporting House Bill 4141 either in its form or what the amendment will be unless it’s further amended as to get it more to what I was willing to support,” he said.
