Senate Committee on Rules advances three honorary resolutions for floor

PORTLAND — The Senate Committee on Rules on Wednesday advanced three ceremonial measures: Senate Concurrent Resolution 11 honoring the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) on its 50th anniversary; SCR 7 honoring the life of Dr. Philip David Creighton; and SCR 8 honoring Private William Ezra Leon “Billy” Calkins, a World War II service member whose remains were identified and reinterred in 2024.

The measures drew short testimony from sponsors, outside witnesses and military representatives and were moved out of committee by voice and roll-call votes for consideration on the Senate floor.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 11

Senate President Rob Wagner, who testified in support of SCR 11, said NCSL has been a resource for legislators and staff across the country. “NCSL has enriched the lives of many legislators, but also our staff and people that actually advocate around public policy in the state of Oregon for these 50 years,” Wagner said. Senators Janine Solomon and Bruce Starr also described NCSL’s training, nonpartisan research and staff-development work. Sunny Day, identified as associate director for postsecondary education at NCSL and the organization’s state liaison to Oregon, told the committee NCSL tracks more than 1,400 issue areas and offers searchable databases and training for legislators and staff. “NCSL is the bipartisan organization created by state legislators and legislative staff to ensure and further the effectiveness, independence, and integrity of legislatures in The United States,” Day said.

The committee moved SCR 11 to the floor with a recommendation that it be adopted. The motion was made in committee and passed by roll call (see “Votes at a glance” below).

Senate Concurrent Resolution 7 — Dr. Philip D. Creighton

Senator Janine Solomon introduced SCR 7 and a dash-1 amendment that adds family members to the list of survivors. Solomon said Dr. Creighton served as president of Eastern Oregon University and later as president of Pacific University in Forest Grove, where a building was dedicated as Creighton Hall in 2009. Solomon read testimony submitted for the record and quoted a colleague saying Creighton “was known by every student and faculty member on campus” and that “a walk with Phil across the campus took 30 minutes every time because he stopped and he talked to everyone and somehow remembered their name and their interests.”

The committee adopted the dash-1 amendment and moved SCR 7, as amended, to the floor with a recommendation that it be adopted.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 8 — Private William E.L. “Billy” Calkins

Senator Solomon also introduced SCR 8, which honors Private William “Billy” Calkins (1925–1942). Solomon told the committee that Calkins enlisted at age 16, was captured during the fighting in the Philippines and died in captivity on Nov. 1, 1942. Chaplain Colonel Jacob Scott of the Oregon Army National Guard described the military’s pledge to account for missing personnel and said Calkins’ remains were identified on April 7, 2024, and reinterred with full military honors on Sept. 13, 2024, at Furlong Mill Memorial Park in Hillsboro. “I will never leave a fallen comrade,” Colonel Scott said, repeating the Army warrior creed and urging support for the resolution.

Senator Solomon told the committee Calkins’ half-brother, John Calkins, remains in Oregon and is next of kin; committee members asked that the carrier note that family connection on the floor. The committee moved SCR 8 to the floor with a recommendation that it be adopted.

Votes at a glance

- SCR 11 (recognizing the National Conference of State Legislatures’ 50th anniversary): Committee motion to move to the floor with a recommendation of adoption — passed by roll call. - SCR 7 (honoring Dr. Philip David Creighton; dash-1 amendment to add family survivors): Amendment adopted; motion to move SCR 7 as amended to the floor with a recommendation of adoption — passed by roll call. - SCR 8 (honoring Private William E. L. “Billy” Calkins): Motion to move to the floor with a recommendation of adoption — passed by roll call.

What happened next

Committee members closed the work session after the three votes and adjourned. Each resolution will be carried to the full Senate for consideration, with sponsors identified in committee testimony.

Notes on procedure and authority

All three measures were introduced as Senate Concurrent Resolutions; committee staff indicated none of the measures have fiscal or revenue impacts. Testimony and votes shown here occurred during the committee’s public hearing and subsequent work session on Feb. 19, 2025.