Coronavirus/COVID-19 Update: March 31st

You can read our previous newsletters here.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I want to thank you for continuing to stay home, save lives, and for practicing social distancing while working or doing essential errands. It can be hard some days to keep doing our part: we miss our friends and family, and a sense of normalcy. We are all still feeling disoriented and shocked. Let’s keep our social distance, stay virtually connected, and keep our heads up. I know we will get through this together. Before I update you on new developments, I wanted to explain an important detail about the economic impact payments going out to most American households.

Cornelius and Student Speak

A year ago I was out in public, opening the Cornelius Library, and having a Town Hall for Hillsboro Students. Today, I’m working from home. What a difference a year makes!


How to Access CARE Act Payments If You Don’t Usually File Taxes

Most Americans will qualify to receive the Federal payments appropriated from the CARE Act. The IRS will begin to distribute these economic impact payments within the next three weeks, and they are tied to the income reported on Federal tax returns. If you don’t typically file a tax return, you will need to file a simple tax return. Low-income taxpayers, senior citizens, Social Security recipients, some veterans and individuals with disabilities who don’t otherwise file a tax return will still not owe any taxes. You must complete and submit the simple tax return before the IRS distributes the payments. Find an FAQ from the IRS here, and the IRS’s Coronavirus relief page here. Please do not call the IRS; their phone lines are backed up and they will not be able to assist you quickly.


New Developments

Oregon now has 690 confirmed cases of Coronavirus, with 186 confirmed cases in Washington County.   Click on the graphic below for more up-to-date information from Oregon Health Authority.

SitStat 3 31

Click on image to go to OHA's updated website

  • To respond to the outbreak of the Coronavirus in Oregon, the Oregon Legislature will convene for a special session. A specific date has not been set, but I am eager to continue to work to ensure the health and economic well-being of my constituents. I will keep you updated as the process moves forward. We will be navigating social distance practices in Salem, and voting on statutory and budgetary measures to swiftly address the economic and health care crisis brought on by the Coronavirus. You can explore the materials for the Committee on Coronavirus Response here, including the letter of policy recommendations from the Co-Chairs.
  • The Oregon Department of Education is shifting to a Distance Learning for All program for Oregon schools. As our social distancing measures are showing signs of “flattening the curve”, it is imperative that we follow the science and stay the course. Staying home and saving lives means there is a real chance that our students will not be going back to school in-person for the rest of the school year. Read ODE’s document on Oregon’s Extended School Closure Guidance here. For our students to be successful in this program, our schools have a critical responsibility to:
    • Continue to focus on student belonging, care, connection, well-being and mental and social-emotional health.
    • Actively engage and nurture relationships with students, families, and community. 
    •  Center equity in all outreach and communication efforts with parents and caregivers.
    • Encourage, support and provide opportunities for active collaboration and communication between school leaders, teachers and all school staff.
  • The Governor clarified the guidelines in the Stay Home, Save Lives Executive Order to address how the order impacts Oregonians experiencing homelessness. People in that situation will not be arrested or cited for not being in a home, and organizations providing services to those communities that can not operate under strict social distancing guidelines will not be closed. However, they are encouraged to make their best effort to provide distance between people, and clean as best they can. The Governor’s page has the updated guidance, along with many resources now translated into multiple languages.  
  • The Oregon Health Authority has updated their resources for Oregonians who need help getting health insurance. Go to oregonhealthcare.gov/gethelp.
Health Coverage and COVID-19
  • Hillsboro School District Meal Distribution Update:
    • The Hillsboro School District has updated their meal delivery plan and expanded service to include 22 bus routes.  Beginning tomorrow, April 1st, meals will be available for pick up at the following schools from 10am to 12:30pm: 
      • R.A. Brown Middle School 
      • Century High School 
      • South Meadows MS 
      • Lincoln Street ES
      • Evergreen Middle School
      • Poynter Middle School
      • Liberty High School
    • Meal Delivery along bus routes will also begin tomorrow, April 1st, with delivery times ranging from 9:30-11am depending on the route and stop.  See the full list of routes, stops, pick up locations, and times here.
    • Haga clic aquí para obtener información sobre los lugares de recogida de alimentos.
  • Click on the image below to see a video update from Superintendent Mike Scott, and to see more Hillsboro School District updates.
HSD Superintendant Mike Scott

Forest Grove School Meals

Best Practices for Avoiding Price-Gouging

  • Use price trackers to make sure prices aren’t flagrantly higher than usual (keepa.com and camelcamelcamel.com are good resources).
  • Compare price per unit to other similar products
  • Be careful of buying products that are being sold individually
  • Check cleaning ingredients: soap and water is the best way to fight against coronavirus, and sanitizer works effectively if it has an alcohol percentage of 70% or more.
  • Check the Amazon “buy box.” If that is missing from a product, that usually means Amazon has caught price-gouging activity.
  • If you see something, say something! Alert the Oregon Attorney General by calling the hotline at 503-378-8442 or filing an online complaint

Business Compliance with Social Distancing Executive Orders

  • Find the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s guidance for workplaces here.
  • Oregon OSHA will be the state agency addressing issues and concerns around businesses complying with the Governor’s Executive Orders. Read their FAQ and resource list here.
  • OSHA will handle employee inquiries and complaints, and provide advice to employers related to any potential violation involving potential workplace exposure of COVID-19. They will not be enforcing social distancing among the community, like crowding at beaches or parties.
  • Construction businesses have unique challenges in operating under social distancing guidelines, so OSHA has provided a specific FAQ for construction operations.
  • A business will be closed by OSHA only if that business flagrantly refuses to comply.
  • If you would like to file a complaint with OSHA, you can do so online here.


Additional Resources

Employers and Employees

The following list of resources is from Oregon’s Secretary of State’s Office. The fastest way to get in touch with the SOS team is by emailing business.sos@oregon.gov, using the “Need Help?” button found on most state agency websites or visiting www.oregon.gov/smallbusiness.

Education Links

Local Government

Utilities Assistance

Food and Housing Assistance


Governor's COVID page

ECC Button

OHA button

CDC button

Susan and others at Cornelius Library

Another great memory from the Cornelius Library Opening

Yours truly,

Representative Susan McLain

Representative Susan McLain
House District 29

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