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Friends and Neighbors,
Happy 2017 and happy start to the 79th Oregon Legislative Session! I am honored and humbled to continue to represent House District 45 and serve as your elected voice in state government in Salem.
Amidst the challenges and tragedies across the country and worldwide, it should come as no surprise that the Legislative Assembly here in Oregon also faces its own trials, including a large budget deficit and a pressing need for a comprehensive transportation package. However, I also believe that within those challenges are great potential opportunities to improve the lives of all Oregonians. As your Representative, I will work hard to pass meaningful legislation and collaborate creatively with colleagues, agencies, businesses, and advocacy groups to bring positive, forward-thinking change to Oregon.
Representative Keny-Guyer, Senator Dembrow, and I are hosting a Town Hall Monday, January 30th from 7-8:30pm at the Hollywood Senior Center, 1820 NE 40th. All are welcome and I hope to see many HD 45 residents in attendance now that the snow has melted.
I am honored to be on a large number of committees this year, which are listed below:
My overarching priority will be to pass a revenue proposal that both fills our current budget gap, and makes progress on longer term stability, particularly by increasing Oregon’s corporate tax payments. I am also taking the lead on a few new and ongoing issues, and will be collaborating with my colleagues on countless more during the session. Some of my top priorities include:
Oil Train Safety:
The legislature made progress on this issue in 2015 by passing my bill, HB 3225, which established an office in the State Fire Marshall to coordinate emergency response to oil by rail. In fact, the equipment and training that were the result of this bill were key elements in the state’s response to the Mosier event in June 2016. That frightening derailment and resulting fire and spill demonstrates the need to do even more and move to the higher standards for monitoring and preparation set by California and Washington. I am working closely on this effort with both the Senate President and Speaker of the House.
Child Access Protection:
Rep. Keny-Guyer and I are working to keep firearms out of the hands of children by requiring safe and proper storage of these weapons. In the United States, one minor is killed in accidental gun shootings every other day. In Oregon, eight children have been killed or injured in these tragic accidents since 2014. I am looking forward to working with a wide range of advocates and agencies to protect Oregon’s kids through HB 2130.
Revenue & Transparency:
The state of Oregon is experiencing a budget shortfall of nearly $1.8 billion dollars due to a gap in funding that would have been provided by Measure 97. My top priorities as a Co-Vice Chair of the Revenue Committee are to create mechanisms to increase state revenue as well as work to increase transparency of corporate taxes.
Transportation:
As a member of the Joint Committee on Transportation Preservation and Modernization, I’ll be working to craft a robust transportation package that includes transit and multi-modal options, seismic preparedness, and addresses congestion in metro areas while still preserving our current infrastructure. Support for these elements of transportation echoed across Oregon during my legislative tour last summer and fall to Hermiston, Medford, Newport and other cities across the state to hear about the transportation needs of local communities.
Education:
As the Co-Chair of the Education Sub Committee of Ways and Means, I will focus on allocating education funding across our state. With the looming budget crisis, it is crucial that we implement the most innovative and effective methods to invest in our students and teachers. I am also involved with two specific policy proposals. In 2016, I led a Work Group focused on summer learning opportunities for Oregon’s students, and its report will be published shortly. Studies show that fully two-thirds of the achievement gap is a result of the ‘summer slide.’ Therefore it is critical to continue engaging kids with educational opportunities throughout the summer to keep students, especially those most vulnerable, on track. In addition, I am working with Rep. Gene Whisnant on a bill to encourage National Board Certification for teachers in Oregon. This extensive, powerful program provides teachers with access to professional development as well as the tools they need to be more effective teachers.
I will send out newsletters frequently throughout the session with updates on legislation, events, and my priorities for the session. As always, I encourage you to email or call my office at rep.barbarasmithwarner@oregonlegislature.gov or 503-986-1445 to let me know of any concerns, questions or insights you may have. I also recommend you to ‘like’ my official Facebook page for further updates on my activity in the Capitol. I look forward to hearing from you.
All the best for the New Year,
 Representative Barbara Smith Warner
House District 45
email: Rep.BarbaraSmithWarner@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1445
address: 900 Court St NE, H-275, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/smithwarner
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