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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
On June 30th, with hours left to spare, the 80th Oregon Legislative Assembly adjourned the 2019 Legislative Session. It’s incredible to see all that has transpired over the last six months, for better or for worse, and I know those closely connected to the process have learned a lot about what it means to participate in our democracy. Overall, the end result of an incredibly contentious session is a long list of new laws that focus on bettering the lives of Oregonians. However, not all bills made it through the process (approximately ⅔ of the bills introduced fail to cross the finish line each session), and there are several I look forward to bringing back in future sessions.
Many of you have reached out expressing your frustration with the Senate Republican walkouts. I share this frustration with you. Twice this session the Senate Republicans walked out and brought the Senate to a standstill. The first time ended with Governor Brown bargaining away a bill regarding vaccines bill and another regarding firearm safety in order to gain a quorum to pass the Student Success Act. While it was disappointing to see these two public health and safety bills thrown out, I appreciate the value of passing the Student Success Act and what this new funding can do to improve the lives of students and families across the state. The second Republican walk out was in opposition to HB 2020 (Cap and Trade), but in doing so, approximately 125 bills were also jeopardized at the end of session. The Republicans returned to the Capitol the final Saturday of session, giving the Legislature two long days over the weekend to move as many bills as possible before the Constitutional Sine Die on June 30th. Around 34 of the bills jeopardized were budget related, including crucial budgets for the Oregon Department of Forestry in preparation for fire season, the Oregon Health Authority, and the Oregon Department of Corrections.
Late last year, I was appointed as one of the two Senate Ways and Means co-chairs. I had the opportunity to work closely with Senator Betsy Johnson and Representative Dan Rayfield as we built the state budget; in my first session in this position, it is not a role I took lightly. In order to serve ethically and to the best of my ability, I refrained from sponsoring bills brought to me by my colleagues that contained significant fiscals. Instead, I focused on balancing the budget while considering the nuanced needs of all Oregonians.
While this session was notable for many reasons, one that will not be forgotten is the loss of our colleague and good friend, Senator Jackie Winters. She was an incredible stateswoman, and in her final session, successfully carried a bill to reform juvenile justice in our state. Senator Winters brought a great wealth of knowledge to the Senate, along with the ability to remain true to her values while working across the aisle to accomplish shared goals. Her memorial service at the Capitol brought stories from around the building of the joy and dignity that she carried throughout the building and was a strong display of how deeply her absence will be felt for many years to come.
Bills of Import that Passed
SB 526 - Universally Offered Home Visiting (Chief Sponsor)
This bill will institute the program Family Connects®, an evidence-based, universally offered, nurse home visiting model. In collaboration with hospitals and birth attendants, the Family Connects program offers home visits to parents of a newborn shortly after birth. If the new parent agrees, a brief home visit will be conducted by a Public Health Nurse (PHN) in the first weeks of life to address time-sensitive family needs. Participation is voluntary. Beyond the first home visit, participants in the Family Connects program may then request up to two additional visits from their nurse. It is critical to highlight that the initial home visit - and any additional visits/contact with a nurse - will be completely optional. New parents are not required to participate in the program.
HB 3427 - Student Success Act
This bill will filter $2 billion per biennium in new funding to early childhood and K-12 education statewide. The new tax affects only the largest businesses in our state. Of the 460,000 businesses in Oregon, only 40,000 – 8.7 percent – would be affected. Small businesses with gross revenue of $1 million or less pay nothing. Those with revenue over $1 million, pay $250 for the first million, plus a .57-percent tax on income in excess of $1 million. It also lowers taxes for low- and middle-income Oregonians. This money is specifically dedicated to things like ensuring smaller class sizes, that kids are fed and ready to learn, having counselors and behavioral support professionals in schools, and restoring programs such as PE and art.
SB 420 - Expungement
This bill makes it easier and more cost effective for folks with outdated cannabis misdemeanor convictions to have their record expunged. A similar bill in 2015 made it possible for people to have their records expunged of convictions and arrests that would not be illegal under current state cannabis law. Given how lengthy and expensive the process may be, and the effect it may have on an individual's ability to be hired for a job, SB420 relieves some of this process.
SB 52 - Suicide Prevention (Sponsor)
This bill requires school districts to adopt policies for a comprehensive plan on suicide prevention by the 2020-21 school year.
SB 608 - Renter Protections
This bill creates more predictability for renters in Oregon by prohibiting landlords from terminating a month-to-month tenancy without cause after 12 months except in limited situations. The bill also prohibits landlords from increasing rent in the first year of tenancy and beyond the first year they may increase rent no more than 7% plus the Consumer Price Index as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
SB 973 - Behavioral Health Justice Reinvestment
This bill enacts the “Improving People’s Access to Community-Based Treatment, Supports and Services Program”, aimed at building a stronger and more comprehensive system of community support for individuals with mental health or substance use disorders who are at risk of involvement with the criminal justice system. The program will award grants to counties and recognized tribes to identify frequent users of jails and institutions and to establish services for them such as mental health court, permanent housing support, and improved access to substance abuse treatment, all aimed at reducing recidivism and decreasing jail time and expensive admissions to the State Hospital.
SB 1008 - Juvenile Justice Reform
This bill is focused on rehabilitating juvenile offenders rather than trapping them in the justice system throughout their adult lives. The bill takes a multi-faceted approach, including removing provisions that require some youth to be tried as adults, and allowing certain youth offenders who are close to the end of their sentence to be released when they age out from the Oregon Youth Authority, rather than being transferred to the Department of Corrections.
SB 638 - Test Animal Adoption (Chief Sponsor)
This bill requires that research facilities in Oregon offer cats and dogs for adoption after they’ve been used as scientific and cosmetic test subjects, rather than being euthanized when the research is complete. This bill was presented to me by 5th graders at Elmonica Elementary School two years ago. The students have stayed involved through the process by coming down to Salem to testify in both the House and the Senate.
SB 870 - National Popular Vote (Sponsor)
This passage of this bill makes Oregon the 16th state to join the National Popular Vote interstate compact. The compact will take effect when states cumulatively possessing a majority of the electoral votes have enacted this agreement. The agreement will award all of the electoral votes from every state in the compact to the candidate who receives the most popular votes across all 50 states, thereby guaranteeing them the Presidency.
SB 1049 - PERS Reform
This bill aims to save public employers costs on payroll by: lengthening the time to pay off the unfunded liability from 20 to 22 years for Tier 1 and Tier 2 beneficiaries; redirecting a portion of employee contribution to the pension account; requiring employers who rehire retirees to pay pension costs; capping final average salaries at $195,000; and appropriating $100 million to the Employer Incentive Fund.
SB 579 - Death with Dignity (Chief Sponsor)
This bill creates an exception to the 15 day waiting period to use the Death with Dignity Act for those who have been determined to have less than 15 days left to live. This bill honors the intention of the Death with Dignity Act by alleviating unnecessary suffering, and affirming patient autonomy.
HB 2005 - Paid Family and Medical Leave
This bill creates an insurance program which provides every Oregon worker 12 weeks of paid leave to welcome a new child, recover from a serious illness, care for loved ones recovering from serious illness or deal with issues related to domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking. A tiered benefit is offered through the program, with 100-percent wage replacement available for low-income Oregonians who make less than 65 percent of Oregon’s average weekly wage. The wage replacement decreases as average weekly income increases.
HB2270 - Tobacco Tax
This bill requires an approval by voters in the next general election to raise taxes on tobacco products. Officials estimate the tax would raise $340 million for the 2021-23 biennium, if it is implemented. Revenue from the bill would be distributed on a 90/10 split, with 90 percent of the revenue going to Oregon’s Medicaid program – the Oregon Health Plan – and 10 percent going to fund tobacco cessation and prevention programs.
Upcoming Town Hall
Please join me for a town hall on July 8th, from 6:00-7:00p at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in the Souther Auditorium (9155 SW Barnes Rd, Portland, OR 97225), located directly inside the East Pavilion lobby. Held in conjunction with Representative Mitch Greenlick.
Yours truly,
 Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward MD
Senate District 17
email: Sen.ElizabethSteinerHayward@oregonlegislature.gov
phone: 503-986-1717
address: 900 Court St NE, S-215, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/steinerhayward
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