The proposed bill that would require Oregon’s public universities to receive approval from the state Legislature if they wish to change conference affiliation for college sports is making its way through committee.
A public hearing of House Bill 3427 was held by the House Committee On Higher Education Tuesday afternoon. The committee, chaired by John Lively, D-Springfield, did not vote on HB 3427 and it was among measures that were carried over for a work session on Thursday.
Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, is sponsoring the bill, which he called “one of the most interesting bills to introduce in terms of its response” and said he’s lost friends, supporters and a family member over criticism of it “because they presume that somehow I’m trying to put my foot on the scale here because I want to support OSU or because I want to support everybody but U of O or because I have something against U of O or Phil Knight or Nike or I don’t know, the Easter bunny.”
