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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We are in the final week of the 2020 legislative session. So far, the House has been successful in passing 59 bills, nearly half of which received unanimous votes and almost all of them carried bipartisan support. In order to do so, we collaborated, debated, and amended bills as is expected in our agreed upon system of government. But despite this commitment to collaboration on the part of Democrats, the Republicans in the House and Senate chose to walk out of the building. Without them, we are denied quorum and unable to pass any further legislation.
 Commemorating opening day with my fellow members of the People of Color Caucus. L-R: Rep. Lawrence-Spence, Rep. Bynum, Rep. Sanchez, Rep. Alonso-Leon, Rep. Hernandez, and Rep. Meek.
Despite their absence, I remain busy at the Capitol working on behalf of the district and our state. Each and every day, different constituents from House District 38 have also traveled to their Capitol to advocate on a wide variety of issues, and I have appreciated the perspectives they share with me. For them, the idea of waiting another year to take action on the issues most important to them is unacceptable. They understand that democracy is not a spectator sport and that more is at risk than just climate legislation – they are worried about the hundreds of other bills and budgets hanging in the balance, including the desperately needed funding for child welfare and homelessness. Ultimately, the constituents of HD 38 sent me to Salem to debate and vote on complex pieces of legislation and to actively participate in our democracy, and that’s what I’m committed to doing.
As always, but especially in light of these recent events, I have been thinking a great deal about cost, and how some of it is calculable and some is not. We can calculate how much the Republicans’ vacation is costing the taxpayers in terms of per diem payments ($151 per legislator per day), but we cannot fully calculate the total impact of lost time. Nor can we calculate the impact on our democracy. By being absent, my Republican counterparts have failed to participate in committees, Chair/Vice-Chair planning meetings, and informational hearings—such as the timely House Health Care hearing on the coronavirus outbreak. They will claim that their walkout is about climate change, but really it’s about undermining and damaging our democracy. So, I want to share just a few of the critical bills that will improve the lives of Oregonians and deserve a vote.
In my House Health Care Committee, cost is something we talk about frequently. As you might have seen in the news, people across the United States are rationing or forgoing their insulin, because they cannot afford the exorbitant prices of this necessary drug. Between 2014 and 2017, insulin prices rose by 45%. That is completely unacceptable, and members on both sides of the aisle agree. So, a bipartisan group of legislators introduced HB 4073 this session, which caps the out of pocket expense for insulin at $75 per month to help ensure that Oregonians will no longer have to choose between their own financial well-being and their health. The other week, HB 4073 passed the House by a vote of 47-8. Now this legislation, which will help the more than 435,000 adults in Oregon who have been diagnosed with diabetes and another estimated 100,000 who are undiagnosed but living with the disease, hangs in the balance until Senate Republicans return.
 Co-carrying HJR 202 on the House Floor, which should the voters agree, will make access to affordable health care in Oregon a constitutional right.
Last session, the Legislature had honest and open discussions about the alarming rise of youth suicide in Oregon when we passed SB 52, Adi’s Act. But, looking at the statistics, we know that we still need to do more in order to protect our children. Suicides accounted for 56% of the firearm deaths of children between 1995-2018. In that same time frame, 8,306 Oregonians died by gun suicide. Concerningly, child firearm suicides reached a 23-year high in 2018. So, this session, we are prepared to take further action to protect Oregonians by passing HB 4005, reasonable gun storage legislation. Safe storage is not a new topic in the legislature, and I have heard regularly from constituents that this is their number one priority. This is literally life-saving legislation, and we cannot afford to stall any longer on passing these needed protections. I’m ready to vote yes. Unfortunately, on the scheduled day of the vote, House Republicans failed to show up for work, but Moms Demand Action volunteers were there nonetheless. I cannot describe how grateful I am for their continued, fervent advocacy.
 Earlier this session Senator Wagner and I had the opportunity to speak with Moms Demand Action advocates on the importance of common-sense gun legislation.
Another bill that is of great importance is HB 4109, which will phase-out the use of chlorpyrifos, a dangerous pesticide, in our state. Doctors and scientific studies have made abundantly clear that no level of exposure to chlorpyrifos is healthy or safe, no matter the amount of protective gear used or the mitigation efforts implemented. Speaking to the bill on the House Floor I said,
“I have also heard a great deal about the potential cost of this legislation to farmers, as if workers and their health are not integral to their businesses’ bottom line. So, I too have not stopped thinking about cost. I am thinking about Carmen Gonzales, the woman who miscarried after mixing pesticides and bravely told her story in her Capitol. I am thinking about Honor LaBarge, the little boy who spent months of his childhood getting chemo treatments instead of playing outside. And I am thinking about the many other stories I have heard over the years and how these pesticides have left their mark on our communities. So, Colleagues, trust me when I say that I am thinking about cost, and that I am unwilling to allow some of our most vulnerable community members to continue to pay the price in terms of their health and their future any longer.”
HB 4109 successfully passed the House and then the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. It’s ready for its final vote in the Senate whenever the Republican senators return.
 Thank you to all of the brave voices who spoke out on the dangers of chlorpyrifos.
In addition to the issues and bills covered above, the legislature is poised to fight homelessness on a statewide level with a $45 million investment. This is just one of the many funding requests that is at risk. The issues we are addressing in the legislature can be life-saving, and the opportunity to take legislative action only comes once a year. So, I will not stop thinking about the incredible cost of the Republicans’ walkout. My Republican colleagues will say that the climate bill was what forced their walkout, but last session, their first walkout was actually over school funding. As the Medford Mail Tribune stated, “Republicans in the Oregon Legislature apparently have decided they no longer need to participate in the process of lawmaking when things don’t go their way. They just leave, and block every bill.”
So, to be clear, I have heard the constituents of HD 38 loud and clear over the years: climate legislation is a priority to them, so it will be a priority for me. I am committed to ensuring the voices of HD 38 are heard with a vote on this year’s climate legislation along with all the other issues important to our community.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions or comments. I’m ready to help and ready to vote, because the cost of inaction is too great.
In solidarity,
 Andrea Salinas, State Representative
Please join Senator Wagner and me for a town hall in Lake Oswego as we recap this year’s session and look ahead. I hope to see you there!
Date: Thursday, March 12th, 2020.
Time: 6:30pm-7:30pm.
Location: Lake Oswego City Council Chamber, 380 A Avenue, Lake Oswego, OR 97034
In case you missed my previous update about the coronavirus, you can read it here. I also encourage you to use the Oregon Health Authority’s official website to find the most accurate and up to date information regarding the COVID-19 outbreak in Oregon. You can also subscribe to receive the latest updates.
If you need any help locating resources, gathering information about the coronavirus, or learning more about the state and local response, please reach out to my office:
email: Rep.AndreaSalinas@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1438
address: 900 Court St NE, H-485, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/salinas
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