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Friends and Neighbors,
As Pride Month comes to a close, I want to highlight the success of Hillsboro's first ever Pride Party on June 1st. I volunteered at the Free Mom Hugs booth, spreading the love! There was a real sense of community felt by all who attended. I had one young teenager come up, ask for a hug and tell me that they felt happy, represented and supported by the community. When I told the organizers, they said that meant the event was a success then. A couple of weeks later, I walked alongside Hillsboro School District students, educators and families in the Portland Pride Parade on Father’s Day. I am thankful that we can all come together in support of our LGBTQ community, that they can be comfortable being their true selves and a beautiful part of our diverse communities.
 In the Capitol
These have been strange and frustrating times in our Capitol. Constitutional Sine Die, the last day of session, was June 30th and we completed our session in the evening. Too much was at stake during the Senate Republican shutdown. There were critical state agency budget bills that were at risk for not being funded. Many of the bills that the House passed, sat and waited for action, losing momentum of our work and extremely tested our patience during the shutdown. I would have never guessed that we would experience not just one, but two walkouts from Senate Republicans during this session. Democracy won’t work if you run out of the room every time it gets hard. Oregonians elected us and expect us, to show up and serve. This walkout claimed to be about HB 2020, but so much more was lost, including people’s confidence in government process. Even after the bill was declared dead, the Senate Republicans stayed away for a few more days, delaying our ability to move the work forward in a timely matter. Something has to change to prevent this from happening again, no matter which party is in the minority. Notice our Speaker of the House kept things moving forward through all the tough votes. Speaker Tina Kotek kept all lines of communication open and the minority leader, Carl Wilson responded with bucking the pressure to have his members walkout as well and that should be commended on both sides. The Senate Republicans walked out in protest of HB 2020 and I fully agree this maneuver wasn’t about climate change policy, it was a real attack on democracy. It felt more like they were trying to be negatively destructive to our whole system in Oregon and that’s not constructive for any of us.
 We started this journey together as freshmen legislators and continue to appreciate each other’s strength to move the work forward. Pictured with me, from left to right: Rep Janelle Bynum ( HD51), Rep Karin Power (HD41), Rep Teresa Alonso Leon (HD22), Rep Tawna Sanchez (HD43), Rep Mark Meek (HD40), Rep Sheri Schouten (HD27), Rep Julie Fahey (HD14), Rep Pam Marsh (HD5), (Missing from photo) Diego Hernandez (HD47).
Bill Updates
HB 2020: I voted yes on the Clean Energy Jobs bill. We are already seeing the loss of jobs due to wildfires, warming/acidic coastal waters and erratic weather patterns that hurt people and/or destroy growth. Our climate is changing and we must do something to react to the urgency. We must support our changing economy with job training and investment in new industry, especially in rural areas. Mills are closing for many other reasons too and when that happens, if that mill is the center of a community and all it counts on for jobs, that community is devastated. We already see this now. We need to help those communities diversify their opportunities. We all gain from that kind of investment. Yes, I do wish that we could be having this kind of action on a federal level, our state is not alone and that others are experiencing erratic climate impacts across the US, but sadly we will not see action from the feds and science tells us it is only going to get worse. This concept has been worked on for ten years and compromise absolutely happened. How this bill was killed was a disillusionment to democracy.
HB 2015: Sponsored-Passed both chambers! According to Driver's Licenses For All, "Between 80,000-100,000 Oregon residents could benefit from driver license expansion. The new requirements for Real ID will create barriers for many. Under HB 2015, all drivers who pass a knowledge exam, vision test, driver's test and provide proof of identity and residency will be eligible for a standard driver's license, and can choose it over the more expensive, enhanced Real ID driver's license. The proposed bill will positively impact many Oregonians, particularly the elderly, immigrants without legal status, low income individuals, those born in other states, people who are houseless, victims of domestic violence, and victims of natural disasters." This bill is supported by many agriculture organizations as well because it would allow qualified Oregon residents to obtain a regular Class-C driver license. It will return driver license eligibility to pre-2008 standards by requiring identification, proof of residency and ability to drive, as well as proof of insurance. HB 2015 also puts Oregon in line with Washington State and California, which both have expanded eligibility for non-Real ID driver licenses.
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HB 2563:Chief Sponsored-Governor Ceremonial Signing with Representative Sheri Schouten, Representative Susan McLain, Nikki, Joe, Jackson and Emmett Monaco. |
SB 474: Sponsored-Passed both chambers and Governor Brown has signed. Decisions about who should inherit property if someone dies without a will and decisions about who should financially benefit from a wrongful death claim are made by the legislature because they are public policy decisions. I supported this bill to make it clear, parents who neglect or abandon a child for a year or more will not benefit financially from that child’s death.
SB 870: Sponsored-Passed both chambers (finally) and Governor Brown has signed. Enacts Interstate Compact for Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote. Your voice, your vote! The Compact does not become effective until it is enacted by states that cumulatively possess a majority of all electoral votes. Currently, 14 jurisdictions have adopted the Compact: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Washington and Vermont. These 14 jurisdictions represent 184 electoral votes, or 68 percent of the 270 electoral votes necessary to make the Compact legally binding. Participating states are permitted to withdraw from the Compact.
SB 287: Sponsored-Passed both chambers and Governor Brown has signed. This bill was brought to my attention by two local Helvetia farmers in my district. It establishes standards for establishment of farm breweries on lands zoned for exclusive farm use or mixed farm and forest use for breweries that annually produce under 150,000 barrels of malt beverages total with under 15,000 barrels produced on farm brewery site. I can appreciate that our small, family farms are doing what they can to support their viability of their business. I was proud to support their efforts and talk with my colleagues about this bill.
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HB 2910: Chief Sponsored-This bill was a priority for me this session. It passed both chambers! It is about bringing a beacon of hope for both adults and youth in custody and their ability to access Oregon Promise opportunity. HB 2910 passed in the House unanimously and will expand the Oregon Promise Grant so that those incarcerated could invest in their future with expanded education. Currently, to be eligible for the Oregon Promise, you must enroll in a community college within 6 months of graduation or receiving a GED. Those in custody may still have longer than 6 months remaining on their sentence. This bill freezes that period of time for them and starts the 6 month clock upon their release. I appreciate the countless hours spent around my table with Portland Community College, the HECC (Higher Education Coordinating Commission), Department of Corrections and Oregon Youth Authority. Watch my floor speech.
HB 2579: Sponsored-Passed both Chambers. The Farm to School Program provides healthy food options for our students who may not have direct access to fresh, local fruits and vegetables. Hillsboro School District has been one of the proud partners in this effort. They have been a participant in the Farm to School Program and they were awarded a grant in 2017 that exceeded their previous appropriation, which speaks to the program’s success. A great example of a Hillsboro success story in my district is a program at McKinney Elementary. They received a grant in the sum of $46,678 in 2018 and they used this money to hire a school garden activities coordinator. The school is now able to incorporate real world agricultural practices into their classroom science curriculum. Moving children from indoors to the outdoors, McKinney created and offer a school gardening class. Students can have an opportunity to reap the rewards of their hard work and planning, all while applying STEM learning skills. This is a WIN, WIN, WIN – for farmers, kids and our communities.
Chief Clerk's Office
As our session comes to a close, I would like to highlight the fact that we don’t stand alone in the work we do in the Capitol. There are so many that are a part of the action. We have an AMAZING and hard-working staff that make up the Chief Clerk's office. Led by Chief Clerk Tim Sekarek, they are a non-partisan group that keeps our House floor running smoothly. From processing all of our bills, making sure floor protocols are followed, making sure we follow the rules of order and sometimes even reading bills in their entirety. We are very fortunate to have the professional and fantastic staff of the Chief Clerk’s office to help us move the work of the Oregon House forward.
Leaders in House District 30
This is a new addition to our monthly newsletter. We will be hearing from local leaders in House District 30 and what they are doing to build community. My legislative assistant, Nickole Vargas serves on the Hillsboro Parks and Rec Commission. I asked her to share her experience serving on the Commission.
I love being a Hillsboro Parks and Rec Commissioner. About a year and a half ago, I was lucky enough to participate in the Hillsboro Civic Leadership Academy. Upon completion, we were encouraged to apply to serve on a Hillsboro Board or Commission and Parks and Rec was my first choice. My husband and I have lived in Hillsboro with our 3 children since 2001. Parks and Rec has always been a huge part of our lives, from enjoying our many beautiful parks, to participating in adult and youth sports leagues and taking part in programming and camps for the kids. I have always been and continue to be impressed with the level of care and maintenance that our parks and facilities display and with the wide variety of programs that Parks and Rec offers. Serving on this Commission is a privilege and I welcome the opportunity to be a small part in its process. So many exciting things are happening right now in Parks and Rec, including the groundbreaking of the 53rd Ave. Community Center and the opening of new parks in South Hillsboro, two of which opened just this month. I encourage you to check out the beautiful natural surroundings and trails at Century Oaks Park and the fun playground and spray ground at Butternut Creek Park. Thank you for the opportunity to share about our wonderful Hillsboro Parks and Rec.
Out and About-working hard for House District 30
- 6/1 Pride Party in Hillsboro
- 6/1 PlanetCon at Century High School
- 6/2 (#11) Town Hall with Rep Tiffiny Mitchell
- 6/7 Liberty High School Graduation
- 6/8 2019 Oregon Truck Driving Championships
- 6/8 Moms Wear Orange-National Gun Violence Awareness Day
- 6/9 (#12) Listening Session in North Plains
- 6/11 Attended Hillsboro School Board Meeting
- 6/16 PDX Pride Parade
- 6/22 Hillsboro Saturday Farmers Market
- 6/22 Pollinator Palooza at Jackson Bottom Wetlands
- 6/26 Washington County Democrats Meeting
- 6/28 Tour of Davis Tool, Inc. (HD 30 business)
- 6/28 Hillsboro Hops game (Final Score 6-2 Hops for the WIN!)
Upcoming Events
Inquiring minds want to know? I love the monthly meetings where I have the chance to have good conversations with constituents. But…it needs a snazzy name to grab your eyes and ears. So what gets your attention? Listening Session? Coffee Chat? Constituent Coffee? OR??? Please submit your ideas via email.
Thank you all for your emails, phone calls and visits to the Capitol this session. I am always eager to hear from you and more than willing to listen. We may not always see eye to eye on every issue, but I hear your concerns and appreciate the conversation. Nickole and I look forward to seeing more of you as we enter into the interim and get to hang out in House District 30 more. It is going to be a busy summer and the newsletters will keep you in the loop of what I am working on. Thank you.
Onward and 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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