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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
From protests throughout our state, thousands of calls and emails, to extensive public testimony, Oregonians have stood up to demand change. The status quo, where Black Oregonians feel unsafe in their own communities, will no longer be tolerated. The People of Color Caucus heard your voices, and last week, the Oregon Legislature passed six police accountability measures.
These bills bring transparency to police disciplinary records, limit the use of munitions against demonstrators, restrict the use of chokeholds, bring independence to police investigations, create accountability amongst officers, and make it easier to uphold discipline against police officers. I was honored to carry two of these bills, HB 4201 and SB 1604, on the House floor.
 But to fully address the pandemic of racism, brought to the forefront by the murder of George Floyd, we must also topple the other institutional inequities that cause and perpetuate racial health disparities, social injustice, and economic inequality. The urgency for these structural changes has been heightened by the coronavirus, and in the special session we took additional action to mitigate the economic and health impacts on those who have already been affected by an inequitable system.
Despite this progress, our work is far from finished. We must remain steadfast in our commitment to change, but on the anniversary of the first of a series of “Black Exclusion Laws” passed in the Oregon Territory, we took steps to reconcile and confront that history, and chart a new way forward that centers on justice and equity for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.
Thank you to everyone who wrote, called, and testified. I am grateful to represent such an engaged constituency.
I will be hosting a Post-Session Town Hall with Majority Leader Wagner and Rep. Prusak on Tuesday, July 7th. More information is included below, and I hope you can join us.
Sincerely,
 Andrea Salinas, State Representative
Special Session Recap
This is an unprecedented moment in modern American history. People have risen up to demand racial justice and police reform, and at the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a historic toll on Oregon’s economy and public health. In response to the urgent calls for action, Governor Kate Brown convened a special session of the legislature to address police accountability and the COVID-19 pandemic. I was honored and humbled to be appointed by Speaker Kotek to serve on the Joint Committee on The First Special Session of 2020 with my colleagues in the House and the Senate. Our work began last Monday and concluded late Thursday evening. We heard testimony from Oregonians who are struggling to afford rent, afraid of losing their home, or about to lose the small business they spent their life building. In total, we moved 18 bills to the House or Senate floor for a final vote.
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I worked closely with the Speaker and the Oregon Health Authority to require health providers to collect data on race, ethnicity, preferred spoken and written languages, English proficiency, and disability status (REALD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of data has hindered the state’s ability to properly address health inequities and to meet the needs of BIPOC communities who are the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The inclusion of this language in HB 4212 will help public health officials adopt strategies to mitigate the health disparities we have seen in our communities of color during the pandemic.
I also worked with stakeholders on a separate amendment to HB 4212 which allows physician assistants to practice at the top of their scope by eliminating burdensome paperwork.
Another important bill that successfully moved through both chambers was HB 4210, which ends the practice of suspending driver’s licenses for failure to pay fines or fees. During the coronavirus pandemic, it’s especially important for individuals to have a safe and reliable way to access healthcare services, go to work, and tend to family members. This is an economic justice bill, but it’s also a racial justice bill. The Oregon Criminal Justice Commission’s report revealed that license suspensions disproportionately impact low-income and BIPOC communities. This is one important step towards reducing the cycle of debt and punishment that entraps too many Oregonians. I sponsored this legislation in the 2020 short session and I was proud to sponsor it once more in the special session.
Six of the bills that passed were police accountability proposals, led by the POC Caucus:
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HB 4201A: Establishes a Joint Committee on Transparent Policing and Use of Force Reform to improve transparency in investigations and police protocols, and to examine use of force policies. The committee must also examine the disparate impact of these policies and protocols on communities of color. The committee will make recommendations by December 31, 2020.
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HB 4203: Bans chokeholds and holds that restrict blood flow, except in situations where deadly force is allowed under Oregon law.
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HB 4208: Bans law enforcement agencies from using tear gas or long range sound devices for crowd control except in a state defined riot.
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HB 4205: Requires police officer to intervene to prevent or stop another officer in certain misconduct, unless the intervening officer cannot do so safely.
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HB 4207: Creates a public statewide database of police officer discipline records.
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SB 1604: Makes it more difficult for labor arbitrators to overturn police discipline.
You can read about all of the pieces of legislation passed in the Speaker’s press release.
In the coming weeks, work will continue on racial and social justice issues, and I expect we will return to Salem to address budget adjustments.
Mask/Face Covering Requirement Extended Statewide
The percent of coronavrius infection cases has been increasing, relative to the number of tests performed in Oregon, in both urban and rural counties. Modeling from the Oregon Health Authority shows that if we don’t take further action to reduce the spread of the disease, our hospitals could be overwhelmed by new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations within weeks.
The facemask requirement has already been in effect in seven Oregon counties since June 24, but on July 1st, face coverings will be required in businesses and indoor public places in ALL Oregon counties. Face coverings that cover your nose and mouth play a critical role in reducing the spread of this disease because droplets from our breath can carry the virus to others. Any of us can be infected with coronavirus and not know it. If we all wear face coverings, practice six feet of physical distancing in public, wash our hands regularly, and stay home when we are sick, then we can avoid the worst-case scenarios that are now playing out in other states.
You can read more about the new executive order here.
I agree with Governor Brown who said, “I do not want to have to close down businesses again like other states are now doing. If you want your local shops and restaurants to stay open, then wear a face covering when out in public.”
It’s also important that we keep our July 4th celebrations small and local. Following the Memorial Day holiday we saw a spike in COVID-19 cases and a similar spike after the upcoming weekend could put Oregon in a dangerous position.
An acceptable face covering can be cloth, paper, or disposable, including bandanas and homemade masks. Multnomah County created a website with instructions on how to properly use a face covering and how to make your own. Clackamas County also compiled some helpful resources and videos, located here.
Insurance Update: Telehealth
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many Oregonians have relied on telehealth appointments to continue to receive essential health care services. With COVID-19 still in our communities, it’s important that telehealth services remain available to Oregonians at an affordable rate. I have worked with my colleagues, providers, and stakeholders to ensure these critical services remain available to Oregonians, and recently, the State of Oregon announced that several health insurance companies came to an agreement. Now through the end of this year, these health insurance companies will continue to provide coverage for expanded telehealth services for Oregonians and pay for these services at the rates they established during the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can find out which insurers are offering these expanded services and learn more about the agreement here.
Rental and Energy Assistance
During June’s Emergency Board meeting, the legislature unanimously allocated millions of coronavirus relief funds to Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) for housing stabilization, rent assistance, and energy assistance. OHCS distributed $55 million of that money in rental relief funds and $15 million in energy assistance to local organizations statewide.
Eligible tenants must have their ability to pay rent impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and live at or below 80% of the area median income in the county in which they reside.
These funds were distributed to Community Action Agencies (CAAs) across the State of Oregon. CAAs and other key partners have started to take applications for assistance from residents in their service area. To find out how to access these resources, visit 211info.org or dial 2-1-1.
Events
July 7: Town Hall with Senator Wagner and Representative Prusak
Next Tuesday, Senator Wagner, Representative Prusak, and I will be holding a joint town hall on Zoom. We will be discussing the Special Session, answering your questions, and discussing what lies ahead. Space is limited to 100 participants so please register quickly to reserve your spot. After you register you will receive a link to join the event.
Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqfuGhrTItHNynamO50tg7iQLy19kJi7jT
If you have a question you would like to ask the three of us, please email it in advance to: Sen.RobWagner@oregonlegislature.gov.
Please let my office know if you have any questions about accessing Tuesday’s town hall.
Lake Oswego Farmer's Market
Some of the community events that define summer are reopening. The Lake Oswego Farmer's Market is back and occurs every Saturday from 8:30am-1:30pm until October 3rd at Millennium Plaza Park Plaza (200 1st St, Lake Oswego, OR 97034). Please note that 8:30 am to 9:30 am is reserved for vulnerable populations. For the Farmer's Market, as well as all other events, the City of Lake Oswego is asking that participants wear a face covering and maintain six feet from others at all times. Please be considerate of these rules for everyone's health and safety.
Plastic Free EcoChallenge: July 1-31
A coalition of North American Zoos and Aquariums recently established an online way to participate in sustainability efforts from home this upcoming month. They created the Plastic Free Eco Challenge, an online way to change and track your habits to reduce your environmental impact. Changing your habits to reduce plastic usage can benefit your community and the environment in substantial ways. Lakeridge's Green Team is participating in this initiative and you can join them by going here. Follow along online and if you can, try to use less plastic this month!
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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