HB 3231 received a public hearing in the House Committee on Transportation Policy on April 5th.  I introduced this bipartisan bill to address the overwhelming number of constituent concerns I have received about traffic congestion.  HB 3231 would allow city and county governments to form special districts to plan, design, finance, construct, and operate limited-access highways if they and the communities they represent wish to do so.  During the hearing, I explained my constituents’ frustrations with traffic congestion and the success that another state has had building roads using this concept.  KOIN 6 provided coverage of the hearing, which you can view here.  Last Friday, I was informed by the committee chair that HB 3231 would not receive a work session by the April 18th first chamber deadline, which prevents the bill from moving forward this session.  Looking ahead, I hope to work with Chair McKeown and the rest of the Joint Committee on Transportation Preservation and Modernization to pass a statewide transportation package to ensure that we are taking proactive steps to address Oregon’s long-term transportation challenges.

HB 2004, which would lift the state’s ban on rent control, passed the House on April 4th and moves to the Senate for further consideration.  Although there is no question that Oregon faces significant housing challenges, I voted “No” on this bill because I am concerned that it will not have the positive effect that some believe it will.  Economists generally agree that rent control affects tenants negatively by reducing the amount of available housing.  I believe that our state’s housing issues will be best resolved by increasing the housing supply through market-based incentives and similar ideas.  That is why I introduced HB 2210, which directs the Department of Housing and Community Services to provide grants to owners of multifamily rental units so they can provide housing at affordable rates.  HB 2210 passed unanimously out of the House Committee on Human Services and Housing and has been referred to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means for further consideration.

HB 3267, relating to transient students, has passed unanimously out of the House Committee on Education and will now move to the House floor for a vote.  The bill directs school districts and public charter schools to waive extra graduation requirements for students who are in foster care, homeless, or runaways, helping to remove barriers to earning their high school diplomas.  As a foster and adoptive parent, I have seen first-hand the challenges that at-risk youth face as they work to achieve academic success.  I am proud to serve as a Co-Chief Sponsor of this bill alongside fellow freshman Representative Janelle Bynum.

HB 3430 , of which I am a Co-Chief Sponsor with Representatives Janeen Sollman and David Brock Smith, relates to proceeds from the sale of unclaimed property.  Currently, Oregon is safekeeping approximately $595 million dollars in unclaimed assets—savings bonds, stocks dividends, tax refunds and uncashed checks.  State law requires businesses and organizations to send all unclaimed funds to the Department of State Lands (DSL) if the owner cannot be contacted after a certain amount of time, usually three years.  Each year, about $50 million is remitted to DSL and about half of that amount is returned to rightful owners, usually around 20,000 people or entities.  All unclaimed funds are held in Oregon’s Common School Fund until claimed.  Interest earnings from the fund are then sent to Oregon schools twice a year.  HB 3430 would allow DSL to distribute certain moneys that have been in the Common School Fund Account for 25 years or more, allowing us to open another stream of annual revenue to support our schools.  It is innovative thinking like this that will help us balance our state’s budget and ensure that K-12 education receives the funding it needs.  This bill is currently in the House Committee on Revenue and is awaiting a public hearing.

Do you have unclaimed money?  You can check to see if the state is holding money or property that belongs to you, a family member, or your business here.

On Friday, I had lunch with members of the Wilsonville Citizens Academy during their visit to the Capitol.  This program is organized by the City of Wilsonville for residents who are looking to take a more active role in their community.  It seeks to prepare participants for positions of leadership by teaching them how the city government operates and interacts with local and state government.  A special thanks to those who participated!