Someone asked what became of the bill that would have clarified the role of DAs in municipal court criminal cases.
Despite heated opposition from the entire Astoria City Council, and support from three other DAs' offices, MADD, and the Governor's DUII Committee
the House Judiciary Committee passed it 8 to 1 with several member expressing incedulity at the City of Astoria's position. Then it passed the floor of the House 34-26.
It then went to the Senate Judiciary Committee where given strong Democratic support it should have had a speedy hearing and vote.
But that did not happen. State Senator Floyd Prozanski, who is a part-time municipal prosecutor in Florence, used the power of the chairmanship and simply refused to allow the bill ANY hearing so the bill died without anyone getting the chance to discuss or vote on it.
Prozanski had no reason for not allowing a hearing which was viewed dimply by House Judiciary leaders.
We therefore default back to ORS 8.660 and the legal opinions authored by the Oregon Attorney General's Office.
