Kotek declares emergency for Bend schools

Gov. Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency for Bend-La Pine Schools and High Desert Education Service District on Monday. The declaration allows both districts to pause certain state requirements, including minimums for instructional time, while they recover from the attack.

The declaration follows a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend on Oct. 15. Three students and one teacher died in the incident. A 16-year-old attacker entered the school with a shotgun. Reports indicate his mother purchased the firearm.

State agencies are deploying resources to assist residents and staff. The Oregon Department of Employment is sending workers to Bend to help people access the state's paid family leave program. This law allows eligible workers up to 12 weeks of paid time off to treat a health condition or care for a family member.

Employment Department Director Andrew Stolfi stated that paid leave is available to any eligible worker, not just school staff, if they need time off due to the tragedy. The department also created a special email address and phone number to speed up application processing for Bend residents.

The Oregon Department of Education is expediting background checks for substitute teachers and mental health professionals assisting survivors. Director Charlene Williams said her agency is working closely with local schools. She noted that the department is helping the district apply for federal grant funding to cover costs related to the violent act.

Kotek said she will ask state lawmakers to approve emergency funding when they convene in December. This state support will bridge the gap while the district waits for federal money. She did not specify the exact amount she will request. The federal government provided $1.2 million after the 2015 Umpqua Community College shooting in Roseburg, which killed nine people and the shooter.

The governor directed the Department of Education to require schools to inform parents about Oregon's safe-storage law. The law mandates that gun owners keep firearms locked away when not in use to prevent minors from accessing them. Kotek said that having a law is insufficient if people do not understand how to comply with it.

Law enforcement has not yet determined if the attacker's mother violated safe-storage requirements. Kotek said she had no additional information to share on that point at the press conference. She stood alongside Bend-area lawmakers and directors from the Health Authority, Emergency Management, and Employment departments.

State Sen. Anthony Broadman, a Democrat whose district includes Silver Rail Elementary, spoke at the event. He said the Bend delegation is responsible for reviewing state laws from the perspective of the residents they serve. He and state Rep. Jason Kropf described the community's grief and the displays of love for the victims.

Kotek did not outline specific changes to state gun laws resulting from the tragedy. She suggested that proposals would likely emerge when the Legislature meets next year. She said the state must understand what happened in Bend and identify ways to strengthen laws and their implementation.