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Friends & Neighbors,
I was told by seasoned legislators that the short session moves
fast - they were not kidding! This session was very busy and I have learned so
much along the way. I am proud of the work we have accomplished in this short
time and feel good that so many of the bills we moved this session will help
move Oregon forward in a positive direction. They are bills that would add a
funding boost to our K-12 schools, a data collection bill that will shine light
on our higher education credit transfer system for dual-credit and accelerated
classes taken in high school, and a bill that will ultimately save lives and
keep guns out of the hands of those with a history of domestic violence or
stalking.
HB 4053: The
Accelerated Learning bill requires the Higher Education Coordinating Commission
to report the number of high school students attempting to transfer accelerated
learning credits to our Oregon public colleges and universities and to analyze
how those credits are being accepted. We want our high school students to know
that the rigorous classes they take in high school, with the intention they
will receive college credit, will do just that, but we first need to collect
some data to see how much of an issue it is. I’m looking forward to using the
report from the Accelerated Learning bill as a spring board for future
legislation in 2019 to help students properly plan for their higher education
pathway.
 I was joined by President Sandra Fowler-Hill, PCC Board Member Mohamed Alyajouri, and students from PCC. Portland Community College does great work and always brings such motivated students down to advocate for their education.
HB 4074:
My Fully Matured Bonds bill passed in both chambers with 36, bipartisan
sponsors. This bill is a very simple move to escheat the
fully matured bonds into the common school fund and allow for the fund to
benefit from the interest gained. This year over $900,000 will be moved into the common school fund and the following year, an additional $1.2 million. The common school fund benefits all 197
school districts across our state.
HB 4145: This session, we passed legislation to protect survivors of domestic violence. In previous laws preventing domestic abusers from possessing firearms, there was a loophole allowing those who were not married to their partners, had children with them, or lived with them, but were violent aggressors, to still own firearms. Statistics show that a woman is five times more likely to be killed in a domestic violence incident, if there is a gun present. This bill closed that loophole. I gave an extremely emotional and personal floor speech on the topic that you can watch here.
 It was an emotional, but great experience to share with my mother as we watched Governor Kate Brown sign HB 4145 into law on Monday, March 5th.
I look forward to being involved with some very important work
ahead; the Governor’s task force for disruptive learning, a work group relating to workforce development for people with
disabilities, joining the Joint Committee on Student Success on their
education visits across the state and keeping up with activities and visits in
my district.
 Left to Right: Drew Cummins Legislative Assistant, Jordan Martin Legislative Intern, Jessica Turner Legislative Intern, Kelly Xu District Intern, Nanette La Du Volunteer Coordinator
Drew: Drew has
been with me from the very beginning and is my full-time legislative assistant.
He helps keep everything in our office moving forward. We work closely on
policy, constituent outreach, and just about anything that comes in and out of
our office and through the district. He graduated from Western Oregon
University in 2014 with a Bachelors of Science in Political Science, and has
been working in politics ever since. His positive attitude and personality will
always give you a friendly voice on the end of the phone line or face to see
when we are out and about in district.
Jordan: Jordan is
a legislative intern who helps us with constituent outreach and bill research.
She is currently a senior at Willamette University studying Politics and
Spanish. In her free time, when she’s not studying, she works at her
university’s library, hikes, climbs, and volunteers for Planned Parenthood.
When she graduates she hopes to pursue a career in activism and advocacy.
Jessica: Jessica is
a legislative intern and a sophomore at Portland State University, pursuing a
degree in Urban and Public Affairs, with concentrations in law and autism
studies. She is the mother of two wonderful boys, one of whom is on the
spectrum. Jessica hopes to shape policy and advocate for children and families
experiencing special needs.
Kelly: Kelly is
our in-district intern who helps with district outreach. She has been an
invaluable part of our team over the past couple of months, and really does a
great job helping us reach our younger-aged constituents, elevating their voice
on issues that they care about. She is a junior at Liberty High School, serves
on the City of Hillsboro’s sustainability task-force as the youth
representative, and Hillsboro’s Youth Advisory Council. When she graduates she
hopes to work in robotics and develop assistive medical robots.
Nanette: Nanette is our volunteer coordinator who
helps plan and coordinate the events we hold in-district. She has a
Bachelors in Social Science from Portland State University and works at Vernier Software & Technology.
Nanette has been one of the strongest team members since we started on this
journey and I am so thankful that she continues to be a member of our team!
- February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness
Month (TDVAM) - Nearly 1.5 million high school students in the
US experience physical abuse in a year and one-in-three girls will experience
abuse from a dating partner. It is important to increase awareness on this
issue and can recognize the warning signs of abuse.
-
Legislative Debrief - sponsored by Incline
Commercial Construction, Inc. - March 13 11:45am-1pm - Walters
Cultural Arts Center 527 East Main St. Hillsboro, OR 97124
- Hillsboro Senior Center - Volunteer to serve lunch in the dining
room. This is one of my favorite opportunities in the area!
Thank
you for following along with me on this journey. I have successfully finished
two sessions and look forward to continuing to serve the needs of my district
to the best of my abilities in the months to follow.
Onward & Upward,
 Capitol Phone: 503-986-1430
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-487, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.JaneenSollman@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/sollman
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