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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
From downtown Portland, to Multnomah Village, to Lake Oswego, the people of House District 38 are making their voices heard and saying, Black Lives Matter. Over the past week, I received countless emails calling for reform and immediate action. Like so many of you, I am feeling a wide range of emotions. I have not stopped thinking about George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jason Washington, Quanice Hayes and all the names we know, and the many we never will. The more recent Black Lives Matter movement may have started in Minnesota, but we have work we need to do right here in Oregon. Work that we must all personally engage in, not simply to avoid racism or racist behavior, but to be an active participant in defeating racism--work to dismantle systems of oppression and structural racism in our communities, workplaces, and in our Legislature. In this historic moment, our words are simply not enough.
All of us have work to do, and our contributions to this movement will look different. For my colleagues and I in the Oregon Legislature People of Color Caucus (POC), this means development of legislative policy solutions both for the immediate and the long-term. Last week, we announced the initial actions we need to address in any upcoming special session to improve police accountability.
First, we are requesting that a previously introduced bill regarding law enforcement disciplinary actions that go to arbitration be included in any proposed policy bills the legislature considers. The concept has been approved twice unanimously by the Senate, as Senate Bill 383 (2019) and Senate Bill 1567 (2020). The new law would prohibit an arbitrator from lessening disciplinary action against a law enforcement officer if the arbitrator and the law enforcement agency determine that the officer has committed misconduct.
Second, we are requesting the consideration of a new legislative concept that would authorize and require the Attorney General to investigate and, if the evidence dictates, prosecute, any death or serious physical injury resulting from the use of force by a law enforcement officer. The POC Caucus believes that independent investigations are necessary for all cases where law enforcement kills or seriously injures civilians, and that the Oregon Department of Justice is the appropriate agency to be assigned this task.
Third, we are requesting that the House Interim Committee on Judiciary immediately convene a bipartisan work group to recommend changes to the state’s laws regarding use of physical force or deadly physical force in making an arrest or in preventing an escape (ORS 161.235 and 161.239). This work will lead to a bill for the 2021 legislative session.
This week, I was thrilled to see a broad, bipartisan coalition join our call for a special session so that we can make these meaningful public safety reforms this year. You can read our press release announcing the call for action here, and our statement announcing the bipartisan coalition here.
In the meantime, the POC Caucus will continue to develop policy proposals to address racism in our law enforcement and criminal justice systems and I welcome your thoughts and feedback.
In solidarity,
 Andrea Salinas, State Representative
With thousands of Oregonians protesting across our state, I want to share some public health resources and guidance all protestors should be aware of, because the coronavirus is still out in our communities. First, Multnomah County developed a list of recommendations for protesting during the time of coronavirus.
They recommend:
- Wearing a face covering throughout the event.
- Wherever possible, maintain physical distance from other people.
- Bring hand sanitizer and use it frequently.
- Once you return home, wash your hands, cloth face covering and clothing well.
- Wipe down faucets and other high-touch surfaces you share with others.
If, after participating in a protest, you begin to develop symptoms associated with COVID-19, contact your primary care provider to inquire about a COVID-19 test. If you do not have a primary care provider, there are multiple options available:
- Call 211 for a list of clinics near you.
- Visit one of OHSU’s drive up testing sites from 12-6:00pm M-Sat. Appointment is not necessary.
- Fill out this form to see if you are eligible for free COVID-19 testing at Walgreens’ drive thru testing facility in Hillsboro.
- American Family Urgent Care has started to offer coronavirus testing, visit their website to learn if you are eligible and to find the clinic closest to you.
- Multnomah County is offering testing at the East County Health Center. You do not need to be a clinic or Multnomah County patient to be tested. Call (503) 988-8939 to make an appointment.
Finally, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) established a website about contact tracing to answer frequently asked questions and to help you identify potential scams. It explains what to expect if you get a call from a contact tracer, either because you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or have been near someone with it. The website also describes what you will be asked during a contact tracing call – plus what you will not be asked – and how to isolate or quarantine yourself if necessary. You can find the contact tracing website below:
- English: healthoregon.org/contacttracing
- Español: healthoregon.org/rastreodecontacto
The Legislature’s Emergency Board approved a relief package of nearly $250 million that will support Oregonians and small businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Among the investments made are:
- $75 million to support rental assistance, affordable housing and mortgage payment assistance.
- $10 million in additional support to the Oregon Worker Relief Fund which support Oregonians who are not otherwise eligible for unemployment insurance like farmworkers.
- $18.5 million to support individuals having difficulty paying their utility and internet bills.
- $4 million to support survivors of domestic violence.
- $25 million to enhance behavioral health services for Oregonians impacted by COVID-19, with a focus on communities of color, Oregon’s federally recognized tribes, and vulnerable populations.
- $30 million in childcare support.
I recognize that the amount of funding we can provide at the state level is wholly insufficient for the need in Oregon. Congress must step-up and provide more targeted, direct support to the people and small businesses that need it most.
Last week, some counties entered Phase 2 of reopening. Counties can be approved to enter Phase 2 only if they have been in Phase 1 for at least 21 days, are succeeding in controlling the spread of the virus, and are continuing to meet Phase 1 metrics, including:
- Declining disease prevalence.
- Having an adequate number of contact tracers, including people reflective of the communities they serve.
- Establishing adequate testing, isolation and quarantine facilities, sufficient hospital surge capacity, and sufficient personal protective equipment supply.
Counties must also meet additional prerequisites, including:
- Demonstrating that they are able to trace a minimum of 95% of new cases within 24 hours.
- Tracing a minimum of 70% of new COVID-19 positive cases to a positive case over the previous 7 day and 14 day time period.
- No increase in incident cases or positivity:
- 1) There cannot be a 5% or greater increase in new cases in the county over the past 7 days.
- 2) There cannot be a significant increase in the percentage of positive cases out of total tests taken in the county over the past 7 days.
The Governor approved 29 counties to move to Phase 2 of reopening on June, 5, 6, and 8. You can find the full list of approved counties in the Governor’s COVID-19 website.
Clackamas County is not one of the counties ready to move into Phase 2. Dr. Sarah Present, Clackamas County Public Health Officer, told the Board of Commissioners, last week and again on Thursday. The county experienced an uptrend in positive tests, and coronavirus cases have increased by 191%. The board will reconsider applying for Phase II reopening when the Oregon Health Authority releases the COVID-19 Public Health Indicators for Clackamas County next week. You can read more about the county’s decision here
 The Governor’s COVID-19 website now lists initial guidance for Phase 2 of reopening, including guidance on:
The Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff created a video explaining how Oregon counties move to Phase 2 and the changes this new phase includes. You can watch it here.
OHA announced new guidelines for some indoor and outdoor facilities, which will come as welcomed news for Oregon’s many college sports fans. These apply to all counties, including those in Phase 1 (Clackamas County) or still on baseline status (Multnomah County). Under the new guidance:
- Professional and collegiate sports teams can return to training in their facilities with physical distancing and health and safety measures in place.
- Zoos, gardens, and museums can reopen in a limited fashion.
You can find more information here.
Starting on June 8th, Multnomah County Libraries began no-contact “sidewalk service” at four locations and almost all library book drops will reopen. Additional locations will open on June 15th. More information and updates on the services available at your neighborhood library can be found at: multcolib.org/covid19.
You can read more about the services available at the Lake Oswego Public Library here.
If you need help paying your utility bill, there are a number of resources available. I have compiled a list of the different options below:
Your Local Utility:
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PGE is offering flexible payment plans, has suspended service disconnections, medical baseline removals, and is offering financial relief programs for qualifying residential and business customers. If you are a PGE customer, read more about their COVID-19 response and assistance options here.
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Pacific Power has suspended late payment fees, disconnections for non-payment, and is offering flexible payment plans. If you are a Pacific Power customer, read more about their COVID-19 response and assistance options here.
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NW Natural has suspended all disconnects and late fees, is offering payment plans for customers, and will be issuing a $17 million bill credit in July. To view bill payment options or find numbers to call for more information about bill assistance options, NW Natural customers can go here.
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Portland Water Bureau has suspended water shutoffs for nonpayment and is financial assistance in the form of payment arrangements, bill discounts, crisis vouchers, fixture repair services, and the Utility Safety Net program. In response to COVID-19, financial assistance program qualifications have been expanded. You can learn more about these programs here.
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Lake Oswego residents can learn more information about the city’s Temporary Utility Assistance Program here.
Other ways to find energy assistance supports:
- The Oregon Energy Fund provides dollars to 30+ agencies and nonprofits throughout the state for energy assistance, including ones in Multnomah and Clackamas County. Use this link to find more information on the different community groups offering energy assistance in your county or zip code.
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LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) and OEAP (Oregon Energy Assistance Program) are government funded programs that provide energy assistance to low-income households. For a list of local offices, including in Multnomah and Clackamas County, use the website here.
- The Weatherization Assistance Program is another government program which helps lower your electric bill by fixing drafts and leaks and improving the energy efficiency of your home. You can view the agencies that offer weatherization in Multnomah and Clackamas Counties here.
- Use Oregon’s 211 statewide hotline to connected to energy assistance resources, but also rental assistance, employment, shelter, food, health care, and more. You can call the hotline directly by dialing 2-1-1 or by visiting www.211info.org/energy.
If you have any questions, or need any help accessing any of these resources, 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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