Berger Wants to Revive Oregon Meth Registry Bill

The bill would require the state to alert residents -- whether through an internet registry or other means -- when a convicted meth maker is released from prison into their neighborhood.

Vicki Berger

(SALEM) - If you are convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine in Oregon, you may be required to register in Oregon with state, or local police if a bill passes the state legislature next session.

The bill, which drew some support last session, will be re-submitted by Republican Rep. Vicki Berger of Salem, and would require people who are convicted for meth manufacturing to register with state police or a local police agency like convicted sex offenders.

Berger said the bill is in response to a letter written by a local physician last year to the Governor who is fed-up with Oregon's meth problem.

Beger says that there are two roadblocks in getting the bill passed

First, Berger said her colleagues in the Legislature may frown on the bill, since fighting meth was such a hot topic in the last session.

Second, the cost.

The Oregon State Police says that it costs $14 million annually to keep track of the over 14,500 registered sex offenders.

The cost of keeping track of those convicted of manufacturing meth could be the same or more, but because statewide numbers on the sex offender program are not completely in, it's not clear what it will cost the state Berger said.

She says the bill is a practical solution to Oregon's growing problem dealing with meth.

"People want to know when a convicted sex offender moves into the neighborhood, and this would also warn them if a 'meth cooker' was living next door as well," Berger said. "The hope is that with notifying people about convicted meth cookers living next door, residents will keep an eye on the home, and if they see anything out of the ordinary, they would call police."

Berger added that her colleagues in the Legislature may also frown on the bill, since fighting meth was such a hot topic in the last session, and that most of the money for public safety this session will be going to getting more troopers on Oregon’s highways.

It is a first line of defense in battling the state's meth problem by stopping a problem before it happens she said.

Berger, is being challenged by Democrat Connie Garcia of Independence in the 2006 November General Election.

Garcia could not be reached for comment on this story.

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I THINK ALL METH COOKS SHOULD BE HUNG, SO MANY LIVES ARE RUINED AND ALL PROBLEMS OF THEFT, AND MEDICAL EXPENS,

This is in regards to the sex offender and meth cooker registries. Why are they picking on sex offenders and meth cookers? Hell, make ALL criminal records public information. I'm sure EVERYONE would like to know if a murderer, drug user/dealer, gang member, drunk, bank robber, burglar, etc lives in their neighborhood. Why are we singling out sex offenders and meth cooks? If you do it for 1 or 2 groups, that is discrimination. To be fair, make ALL criminal records public info. This is all political, all for votes!!!!!!! Stop the hate people, before I get God on your ass!!! :) Next will be concentration camps to throw all the evil doers into. "The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation. " -Mein Kampf, Adolf Hitler, Publ. Houghton Miflin, 1943, Page 403

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