January updates: Ready. Set. Legislate!

Updates from Salem and the great city of Gresham!

Greetings!

We are off to a roaring start in the 2019 legislative session. We’ve been sworn in by the Chief Justice, heard first readings on the House floor, gaveled in our committees, and rolled up our sleeves for the months ahead.

We also held our first constituent coffee of the 2019 session. Thanks to all who came out on a Saturday morning to hear from Senator Monnes Anderson and me. We had a great crowd and a great discussion of education funding, paid family leave, auto theft, and many other topics that will be coming up in the months ahead.

Our next constituent coffee will be Saturday, March 9. We hope to see you there!

My priorities for this session

I am proud to join my House Democratic colleagues in pledging to serve every Oregonian this session. My priorities in the month ahead focus on giving everyone a fair chance to succeed and thrive, no matter their age, income level, or immigration status.

A fair opportunity economy: I’ll be introducing a bill to protect older workers from age discrimination, which is one of the most pervasive forms of bias Oregonians experience at work (HB 2818). I’ll also be supporting bills that ensure Oregonians have a safe, affordable place to call home, like a ban on no-cause evictions and an end to extreme rent increases.

A public safety system that works for all: I’m partnering with Sen. Kim Thatcher (R-Keizer) and the Oregon Innocence Project on a common-sense, bipartisan fix to Oregon’s DNA testing statute (SB 321), which will ensure that the wrongly convicted have the tools to prove their innocence.  In addition, I’ll be supporting the Safe Gun Storage bill (SB 275), which will incentivize gun owners to store their guns safely—putting a stop to many tragic, preventable firearm deaths. 

A welcoming Oregon: When we invest in immigrants and refugees, we’re investing in our neighbors and in Oregon’s future. I’m introducing two bills to support refugees in 2019. HB 2508 will provide funding to support refugee resettlement agencies, who do important work helping refugee Oregonians get on the path to stability. SB 263 will extend in-state tuition and scholarships to refugees, special immigrant visa holders, and COFA migrants, to make education more accessible and help these groups succeed.

A sustainable future: Oregon should be leading the way towards a more sustainable future. I have introduced HB 2509, a sustainable shopping policy to end the use of single-use plastic bags statewide. Plastic bags pollute our air and waterways, and a statewide law will make compliance easier on businesses than the current patchwork of municipal policies. I’ll also be tracking the progress of the Clean Energy Jobs Bill, which will reduce greenhouse emissions and prepare Oregon for a future with less carbon.

You can track any of these bills on OLIS, the Oregon Legislative Information System. Or you can follow along on my legislative website.