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Dear friends,
I get asked all the time about when we’re going to re-open the economy. It’s a question that is weighing heavily on everyone right now, especially those facing joblessness, reduced hours, or reduced pay. We’ve sacrificed a lot in the last few weeks to slow the spread of COVID-19, and to preserve the progress we’ve made we need to be thoughtful and deliberate about how Oregon re-opens.
Governor Brown, in consultation with experts from the Oregon Health Authority, has released a framework for re-opening the state based on the best information we have.
 We do need to get the economy moving again, to get people back to work and businesses restarted. Poverty can be just as lethal as a virus, and for many people the financial impact of the pandemic has been devastating.
Many Oregonians who have lost their jobs have struggled to get the support that they need. In the first few weeks of the pandemic, more people filed unemployment claims than in the previous 66 weeks combined. The rickety old computers crashed, the system was overwhelmed, and many people’s claims went unprocessed. Since then, we have worked to ensure that the Employment Department could increase its staff and open more communication channels. Our efforts are working, and claims are being processed, although there are still kinks in the system to work out.
In the meantime, I am doing my best to help people navigate those computers of yester-year. I am also looking into why those computers were still in place, given the fact that federal money was sent ten years ago to upgrade the system. Stay tuned.
To help address the financial strain our state is under, the legislature’s emergency board met this week. The emergency board is a group of Senate and House members with the authority to assign legislative funds before the full legislature meets. The committee approved $32 million in emergency funding. Here’s how those funds were allocated:
- $12 million to the Housing and Community Services Department for safe shelter and rental assistance.
- $5 million to Oregon Business Development Department for COVID-19 emergency business assistance.
- $2 million to the Department of Justice to fund emergency housing for victims of domestic and sexual violence.
- $10 million to the Department of Administrative Services for the Oregon Worker Relief Fund.
- $3.35 million to the Department of Human Services for Long Term Care Worker COVID-19 Testing and Training.
More details on the funding and an archive of the meeting can be viewed here.
A special session of the legislature will likely be held in late May or early June, after the formal revenue forecast on May 20. It will be bleak, likely showing shortfalls of more than $1 billion for the 2019-21 two-year budget. Once we receive the forecast, we can start to think more long-term about filling the gaps in the budget and the difficult task of re-prioritizing state programs.
Oregon collects most of its revenue through income tax, and when people aren’t working, they’re not paying income taxes. For many of us, the next couple years will be a return to those tough years of 2010 and 2011. We will need to set funding goals and make decisions about priorities with the slow recovery process in mind. It will be years before state revenues recover to pre-COVID-19 levels. However, we have one thing today that we didn’t have in previous recessions: reserve funds that will cushion the blow. The combination of the Rainy Day Fund, the Education Stability Fund, and the General Fund total more than $3 billion. That won’t be enough to cover the shortfalls in the coming years, but it will help minimize the cuts to education and other vital programs.
Another long week is over. I sincerely hope you are hanging in there. This is a truly challenging time, and I am glad to be here in Oregon to weather it. I’m proud of Oregonians, their patience, and their concern for others.
Please don’t hesitate to call if I can help.
Sincerely,
Mark
 Senator Mark Hass
Senate District 14
email: Sen.MarkHass@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1714
address: 900 Court St NE, S-207, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/hass
 COVID-19 Numbers
- Positive Cases: 2,177
- Total Tests: 45,492
- Currently Hospitalized: 258
- Deaths: 86
Governor Brown Announces When Non-Urgent Medical Procedures May Proceed
Yesterday, Governor Kate Brown announced that she will be lifting her order delaying non-urgent procedures for health care providers, as long as they can demonstrate they have met new requirements for COVID-19 safety and preparedness. Hospitals, surgical centers, medical offices, and dental offices that meet those requirements will be able to resume non-urgent procedures on May 1.
Medical providers will need to demonstrate they have the ability to:
- Minimize the risk of coronavirus transmission to patients and healthcare workers
- Maintain adequate hospital capacity in the event of a surge in COVID-19 cases, and
- Demonstrate that they have an adequate amount of personal protective equipment (PPE) available for health care workers, following CDC guidance for the extended use or reuse of PPE
Hospitals must continue to report PPE supply levels daily to the Oregon Health Authority and demonstrate adequate COVID-19 testing capacity when needed, including the ability to screen patients before non-urgent procedures, and follow strict infection control protocols.
Facilities that are ready to resume non-urgent procedures will be required to do so gradually, in order to preserve capacity to treat COVID-19 patients. Criteria will be reassessed biweekly.
Business Oregon Resources
Business Oregon has established a Small Business Resource Navigator to assist with business questions and provide help accessing existing resources. They have staff available to respond to emails and calls Monday through Friday from 8 am – 5 pm via the resource hotline at 833-604-0880 or biz.covid19@oregon.gov.
Shelter Space in Washington County
Washington County has worked hard to ensure that there are adequate shelters throughout Washington County. I appreciate the hard work of the Mayors, HHS, and nonprofit partners in working through these issues to ensure we can provide the necessary congregate shelter opportunities.
Community Action received $250,000 in state funds to operate shelters and hotel vouchers in response to COVID-19 and reports that they have been able to secure hotel rooms for individuals that are not able to shelter in congregate settings. There is currently capacity for 30 households to be sheltered in scattered site hotel/motel units across the County. In addition, there are 90 congregate beds at 3 sites available through May 31st.
If a homeless person needs sheltering anyone can call the Central Shelter Intake number at (503) 726-0850.
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