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It’s hard to believe the 2015 legislative session has ended!
Sine Die ended up being just after 6 PM on Monday, July 6th. We
passed a lot of important legislation this session, and it was an honor to be
here in Salem working for the people of Hillsboro, Forest Grove, Cornelius, and
North Plains. For more details on laws we passed this session, please see the
“Session Accomplishments” section below. Now that we have adjourned I have scheduled
another Constituent Coffee. I hope you can join me for a community discussion on
July 25th at Prime Time.
Constituent Coffee
Please join your neighbors and me for a discussion about
issues that matter to our community. I will be at Prime Time next Saturday, July 25th
from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at their location on Pacific Avenue (4450
Pacific Avenue, Forest Grove, OR 97113). I look forward seeing you there!
Session
Accomplishments
I am really proud of the many important bills my colleagues
and I worked to pass this session. Our Comprehensive Session Accomplishments
Binder is not quite ready yet, but you can see a few session highlights by
clicking here.
In the last few weeks of session we passed some very
important legislation, including the following:
HB 3099
was one of my priority bills this session. This law moves the state’s Chief
Information Officer out of the Department of Administrative Services and gives
the CIO authority to supervise state IT projects. HB 3099 creates real
oversight and accountability for the State of Oregon’s IT projects so that we
can prevent another debacle like Cover Oregon. I consider this one of the (if
not the) most important bills passed this session, and I am so grateful to
everyone who worked with me this session to ensure its passage.
Another important bill that we passed was SB 454,
which establishes sick leave for Oregon workers. SB 454 requires that all
employers with 10 or more employees provide 40 hours of paid sick leave per
year for full-time workers. Workers will accrue sick leave at the rate of 1
hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked, with employees being able to earn
and use 40 hours of sick leave per year. Some employers are worried about the
system being abused, and SB 454 allows them to request medical verification for
suspected abuses. We also wanted to make sure we were considering the needs of
small businesses, which is why businesses with fewer than 10 employees only
have to offer unpaid sick leave for their employees. Additionally, new
employees are limited from using accrued sick leave for the first 90 days of
employment, even though they start earning sick leave from the first day of
employment. This carefully crafted bill grants hard-working Oregonians time off
of work to recover while they are sick; it protects consumers and fellow co-workers;
and it was constructed to limit impact
on employers.
Finally, I was proud to vote “yes” on the “ban the box” bill
(HB
3025). Having a criminal record
shouldn’t prevent someone from getting a legitimate job. HB 3025 does not
prevent employers from asking candidates about convictions during an interview.
Rather, it prevents employers from asking about past convictions on an initial
job application so that a good candidate isn’t tossed out without being fully
considered. In some ways I don’t think this bill goes far enough, but it is certainly
a good step in the right direction.
Community Announcements
Please be advised that as of July 1st all smoking
and vaping is prohibited on City of Hillsboro property. This includes Civic
Center Plaza in downtown Hillsboro and city-owned parking lots. The Hillsboro
City Council passed this ordinance in April with a goal of supporting a healthy
environment for city employees and the public.
Also, on July 1st, Measure 91 went into effect
allowing adults aged 21 and older to legally possess and use marijuana in Oregon.
Wondering what's legal now? Click here
to find out.
Governor Brown has proclaimed July, 2015 to be Water
Awareness Month. With 20 counties under drought declarations, and
approximately 98% of Oregon experiencing drought, the Governor has directed all
state agencies to assist the Oregon Water Resources Department to increase
awareness about Oregon’s water resources challenges. Learn more about water
awareness: at
home, at work, and at play!
If you’re looking for a fun, free event to attend this
summer, consider going to the Showtime at Shute
concert series. They have shows scheduled from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM on
Thursdays starting today through August 20th!
Don’t miss the Oregon
International Air Show! This weekend (July 17-19) at the Hillsboro Airport
see the U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform, a huge static aircraft display, and a
fireworks display Friday night!
On Sunday, July 19th, the City of Cornelius will
be hosting a free community concert! Johnny
Limbo & the Lugnuts will be performing at 6:00 PM at Harleman Park.
Residents are encouraged to bring a picnic to enjoy during the evening event.
If you live in North Plains, be sure to check the city’s calendar of events this summer. You’ll see
lots of great events, including the 18th
Annual Elephant Garlic festival set for August 7th, 8th,
and 9th at Jessie Mays Community Park. This free event will be
filled with music, food, and fun for the entire family!
The 11th
annual Celebrate Hillsboro is scheduled for August 8, 2015! Be entertained
with live music, arts and crafts, free health screenings, eco-friendly
activities, Saturday Farmers’ Market, and community information booths that
promote Hillsboro’s 2035 Vision. You still have time to vote for the “Best of Hillsboro”
– finalists will be honored at Celebrate Hillsboro, and winners will be
announced August 11th.
If you’re getting a bit too hot consider cooling down at the
Forest Grove Aquatics Center this summer. Be sure to check out their pool
schedule before you go!
Snapshots
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Thank you to the Davis family for meeting with me during
your tour of the capitol. I really enjoy meeting with my constituents – please
let me know if you will be traveling down to Salem! |
I was honored to have the Forest Grove High School
Equestrian team join me at the Capitol. Congratulations to the whole team for
qualifying to go to the State championships! |
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June 15th was Elk’s Day at the Capitol. Thank you
to local member Rick Shipley for stopping by and meeting with me while in
Salem! |
Here’s a shot of me walking in Hillsboro’s 4th of
July Parade! |
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My Chief of Staff and I seated at my desk on the Senate
Floor mere moments before Sine Die. |
Stay in Touch!
Please be advised that my capitol office will be operating
with reduced hours during the interim. My staff will be available during normal
business hours Tuesday through Friday, and we can be reached at the same email
(sen.chuckriley@state.or.us),
phone number (503-986-1715), and mailing address (900 Court St NE, S-303,
Salem, OR 97301 as before.
If you are not already subscribed, please
visit my legislative website and enter your email address into the
“e-Subscribe” box at the right so that you never miss a newsletter. Or simply email my office and we can sign you up! You will also find me on Facebook, or you can follow me on Twitter to stay up to date with what my office is up
to. Or, you can always check the events calendar on my legislative website!
As always, I am here to serve you.
If there is something I can do to assist you, please don’t hesitate to
reach out to my office.
Sincerely,
 Senator Chuck Riley
Senate District 15
email: Sen.ChuckRiley@state.or.us I phone: 503-986-1715
address: 900 Court St NE, S-303, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/riley
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