You can read our previous newsletters here. 

Hello friends and neighbors,

It is hard to believe that I am already a month into my third term representing Oregon House District 29.  This is already shaping up to be a very exciting session.  I have received some new committee assignments, introduced several bills and signed onto many others.

Around the District:

At the start of this month I had the opportunity to connect with members of our community at my first Constituent Coffee of 2019.  I was honored to be joined by Hillsboro Mayor Steve Callaway, Hillsboro City Councilor Anthony Martin, Forest Grove City Councilor Val Valfre, newly elected Cornelius City Councilor Luis Hernandez, Hillsboro School Board Chair Lisa Allen, Hillsboro School Board Member Mark Watson, and Forest Grove Education Advocate Jeff Matsumoto.  I was glad to hear so many thoughtful questions and comments from all the attendees.  Thank you to everyone who was able to make it, and I hope to see you and many more of my friends and neighbors at our February Coffee.

We had a great turnout for our first coffee of the year! Thank you Manaia Coffee House for accommodating us and serving great drinks to stimulate even better conversation!

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration: This MLK day I was fortunate enough to attend an MLK Day celebration hosted by the Human Rights Council of Washington County at the Glenn & Viola Cultural Arts Center in Hillsboro. The remarks of the keynote speaker, Oregon Supreme Court Justice Adrienne Nelson, resonated with me greatly. I felt grateful to have been able to attend and reflect on the life and work of Dr. King. One of my former students, Jacob, helped plan the event and invited me! Thank you Jacob!

This Session:

The session got off to a great start! Already, 1,803 bills have been filed and the Joint Committee on Capital Culture is making steps to make the legislature a more just and equitable workplace.

I am so proud to be serving this year in a legislative body so full of amazing and powerful women, representing all of Oregon.

My Bills:

I have an interesting mix of bills this session, covering a wide range of issues, but each one has the potential to move Oregon forward in areas from health, to technology, to efficient and effective use of public funds. So far, I have filed the following bills:

• Newborn Screening "Emmett’s Bill" (HB 2563)
• Autonomous Vehicle Testing (HB 2770)
• Qualification Based Selection (QBS) Contracting Update (HB 2769)
• Household Hazardous Waste Stewardship (HB 2772)
• Educating Judges on International Custody Disputes (HB 2771)
• Increasing TriMet Worker Safety Protections (HB 2667)
• Future Farmers of America (HB 2444)

Coming Soon…

• Creating Statewide Standards for Transportation Network Companies
• Strengthening and Updating Oregon’s Lemon Laws
• Improving Safety in Oregon's Rail Systems
• Increasing Funding for Occupational Therapy Workers in Schools
• Updating and Improving Oregon’s Vision Screening Practices in Schools

To see more about these bills, and the other bills I am cosponsoring and supporting you can go to https://olis.leg.state.or.us, then click bills, then bill sponsors, then click “McLain, Susan.” Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions about the bills I am supporting, or if you would like me to consider supporting other legislation.

Spotlight on: Committees and Meetings

This year I would like to share some changes to my committee assignments. I am now serving on the following committees:

• Joint Committee on Ways and Means: This committee includes both representatives and senators and deals with all state appropriations and budget policy.  While it was difficult to leave my role on the Audits Committee, I am excited for the opportunity to be involved in the comprehensive process of determining Oregon’s budget appropriations and revenue reforms.  
• Joint Subcommittee on Education Budget:  As Co-Chair on the Education budget committee, I will be reviewing the budgets of several state licensing boards, as well as overseeing appropriations for all levels of education in Oregon, from early learning and pre-kindergarten to Oregon Public Universities and Community Colleges.  
• House Committee on Economic Development:  This committee handles how we foster a healthy business community here in Oregon, and touches on issues ranging from land development to marijuana regulation.
• Joint Committee on Transportation: I have served on this committee in the past, looking at all forms of transportation from roads and highways to ports and airports. Last session we created and passed a large infrastructure package to make many improvements to roads all over the state-- if there’s been safe routes to school, major road work or work on public transit in your neighborhood, it has come from that package. 
• House Committee on Agriculture and Land Use: I am proud to be continuing to serve as vice-chair of this committee. Growing up on a farm in rural Canby, this is one of my favorite committees to serve on. I am excited to continue to find ways to support Oregon’s rich agricultural sector, which is an important part of Western Washington County’s cultural and economic fabric.

Oregon Foster Youth: I was incredibly fortunate to meet with some inspiring members of the Oregon Foster Youth Lobby in the Capital.  They came to my office to advocate for their bill, LC 3099. This legislation would increase access to transition services for foster youth to help them ease into independence as a young adult. I was happy to support this legislation and look forward to advocating for it as it continues through the legislature.

Other Information

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) provides information for the public about ongoing and completed construction projects.  This is a great resource for anyone looking to stay up to date on projects that relate to our neighborhoods, our commutes and our tax dollars.  Check out ODOT's projects at the website below.

https://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TAP/Pages/ProjectInformation.aspx

Upcoming Events

• Our next Constituent Coffee will take place in mid to late February, so watch your email and Facebook for more details.  
• Oregon’s 160th anniversary of Statehood is February 16th!  A celebration will be taking place at the capitol from 10am to 2pm.  More information can be found at www.oregoncapitol.com
• Over the last month, educators, legislators and advocates have worked with KGW News on a story about the increase in disruptive incidents in Oregon classrooms.  If you would like to learn more, KGW will be airing the story tonight, Monday 2/4 at 6pm. 

I am so proud to be serving a third term representing the amazing communities of Forest Grove, Cornelius and Hillsboro.  This session has already gotten off to an exciting start and I am looking forward to all the work we have left to do this year. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your comments and concerns.

Yours Truly,

Representative Susan McLain

email: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1429
address: 900 Court St NE, H-376, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mclain