Home education needs parents to have the freedom to do what is best for their children, without outside interference.

So OCEANetwork has initiated two bills this session: HB 3446 eliminates notification and testing requirements for homeschoolers (except for sports). SB 809 eliminates testing, leaving notification in place.

We want to thank Senator Bruce Starr and Representative Jeff Barker for submitting these bills on behalf of home educators throughout Oregon.

Now it is your turn. We need you to ask the appropriate committees to hold hearings on these bills. As you call or write the committee members, please be respectful and polite.

HB 3446

The House Education Committee meets on Thursdays. Wouldn’t it be exciting if we could get them to hear HB 3446 on March 21st, Apple Pie Day? Let them know homeschoolers will be in Salem on March 21st and would love to be able to attend a hearing on HB 3446. Here is the House Education Committee contact information:

House Education Committee:

Sara Gelser (D), Chair 503-986-1416 Rep.SaraGelser@state.or.us

Jeff Reardon (D), Vice-Chair 503-986-1448 Rep.JeffReardon@state.or.us

Sherrie Sprenger (R), Vice-Chair 503-986-1417 Rep.SherrieSprenger@state.or.us

Shemia Fagan (D) 503-986-1451 Rep.ShemiaFagan@state.or.us

David Gomberg (D) 503-986-1410 Rep.DavidGomberg@state.or.us

Chris Gorsek (D) 503-986-1449 Rep.ChrisGorsek@state.or.us

John Huffman (R) 503-986-1459 Rep.JohnHuffman@state.or.us

Julie Parrish (R) 503-986-1437 Rep.JulieParrish@state.or.us

Gene Whisnant (R) 503-986-1453 Rep.GeneWhisnant@state.or.us

SB 809

The Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee does not meet on Thursdays, but still needs to hear from you that you would like them to hold a hearing on SB 809 soon. Here’s the contact information for the Senate committee:

Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee:

Mark Hass (D), Chair 503-986-1714 Sen.MarkHass@state.or.us

Tim Knopp (R), Vice-Chair 503-986-1727 Sen.TimKnopp@state.or.us

Lee Beyer (D) 503-986-1706 Sen.LeeBeyer@state.or.us

Jeff Kruse (R) 503-986-1701 Sen.JeffKruse@state.or.us

Arnie Roblan (D) 503-986-1705 Sen.ArnieRoblan@state.or.us

You do not need to defend these bills. That "conversation" will happen at the hearings. You are only asking that they give the bills a hearing.

The bills can be read at: http://www.leg.state.or.us/13reg/measpdf/hb3400.dir/hb3446.intro.pdf and http://www.leg.state.or.us/13reg/measpdf/sb0800.dir/sb0809.intro.pdf .