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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
On Monday, I returned to Salem for the second special session of the year to address the budget and a few other items. While I advocated for the special session to include more of Rep. Bynum and Senator Manning’s police reform bills, along with a comprehensive effort to tackle the urgent water crisis in Warm Springs, I am glad we addressed at least one police reform policy and bills to help those waiting on unemployment checks.
As I said in my newsletter last week, it is no simple task to rebalance a state budget, especially during a pandemic. Oregon’s workers and small businesses are in crisis, and the pandemic continues to expose and exacerbate racial inequities. Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities have a much higher rate of COVID-19 infection than white people, and long standing healthcare and economic disparities mean that BIPOC Oregonians are more likely to face serious illness and death.
Given these realities, the Legislature’s work must be driven by a core set of values that seeks to address the needs of the individuals and businesses most affected by the pandemic while ensuring that we do not exacerbate the recession. That means prioritizing the needs of those left behind in previous recovery efforts and ensuring that we protect the critical services that Oregon families need most. As a member of the BIPOC Caucus, I advocated for programs and budget items that our communities of color rely on, and I appreciate the Ways and Means Tri-Chairs for their responsiveness to our concerns. On Monday, we voted on difficult cuts, but in doing so, we simultaneously also voted to preserve critical investments in education, healthcare, child welfare, and civil rights work.
Last week, I received hundreds of emails from Oregonians exceptionally concerned about the budget cuts affecting the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA) and Contraceptive Care (C Care). When I first saw the budget in July, I wrote to the Speaker and the House’s Ways & Means Co-Chair to advocate for preserving these investments. Reproductive health care is primary care, and we need to ensure these programs have the funding they need to serve vulnerable populations. So, I am grateful that the Tri-Chairs committed to reserving $100 million in a special purpose appropriation so that if there is an increase in program utilization, the necessary funding can be provided quickly through the Emergency Board. Thanks to this commitment, we can continue to expand access to reproductive health care in Oregon.
Overall, it was a fast-paced day of work in Salem. Having heard from constituents about a variety of policy bills they hoped could be included, I know this session did not address all of your concerns, nor mine. I will continue to advocate for additional policy reforms, but the federal government must also get to work and provide additional financial support to Oregonians and to the state and local governments who provide the critical service that desperate families need most.
In solidarity,
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 Andrea Salinas, State Representative
Special Session Recap
Budget
As I mentioned above, for the past several months, legislators worked diligently to identify a budget reduction plan that preserved the critical programs and services Oregonians rely on every single day. If you want to take a deeper dive into the budget, here are some materials that explain the rationale and the final decisions:
Oregon Employment Department
Two of the policy bills that passed during the second special session focus on fixes to expedite the claims process for the Oregon Employment Department and to help Oregonians access their benefits. The first bill, SB 1701, increases the amount an unemployed individual may earn from working part-time to $300 (or one-third of their weekly benefit, whichever is greater) before losing their unemployment benefits. This change will go into effect upon passage and will expire on December 31, 2021.
The second bill, SB 1703, changes state law to give the Governor authority to authorize the Department of Revenue to share the information necessary to verify a person’s identity or income level with another agency for the purposes of administration of federal or state laws during an emergency. This gives the Oregon Employment Department greater access to Department of Revenue information on income levels for the administration of unemployment insurance. SB 1703 will make it easier for the Oregon Employment Department to administer the PUA program and goes into effect on passage.
Though these changes will help Oregonians, small businesses, and the Employment Department expedite claims in the interim, we still need to enact long term structural changes to the unemployment insurance program so it can more effectively serve Oregonians moving forward. As I said in my last town hall, we need to figure out how to effectively manage and complete IT systems projects in this state, and this is something I am committed to figuring out.
The third bill that addressed unemployment, SB 1702, died in committee after failing to receive the votes of enough Senators. Current statute (ORS 657.221) prohibits school employees who do anything other than teaching, administrative work, and research from receiving UI benefits after breaks between terms or school years when they are believed to have “reasonable assurance” of returning to work. These provisions result in a backlog of claims in the adjudication process for school staff and employees ranging from bus drivers, to janitors, to food service workers. SB 1702 would have waived the school recess laws for benefits and claims from May 1, 2020 through December 1, 2020. By helping clear the backlog, this change would have also sped up the adjudication process for everyone else.
The failure of SB 1702 is particularly difficult because there are constituents I am helping who need this change. Every legislator, including me, has been calling for creative solutions at OED for months, and then when an opportunity presented itself, a few key members decide to toss it aside. I’m deeply frustrated and disappointed that we did not have a chance to vote for this bill on the floor because I think the outcome would have been different than its failure in committee.
Policing
Building off of the police accountability work that began during the first special session, the legislature passed HB 4301, which prohibits the use of chokeholds and other physical force by police or corrections officers that would impede the normal breathing or circulation of the blood of another person by applying pressure on someone’s throat or neck. An exception is given for instances of self-defense, already defined under current state law. This strengthens earlier legislation that the legislature passed during the first special session.
It also brings Oregon’s use of force statute in closer alignment to the requirements spelled out by the U.S. Supreme Court in Tennessee v. Garner. Additionally, it adds a requirement that a peace officer consider alternatives to deadly force if a reasonable opportunity to do so exists.
I was happy to vote yes on HB 4301, and I hope there will be an opportunity soon to vote on the larger package of bills the Joint Committee on Transparent Policing and Use of Force Reform developed.
$500 Emergency Checks Update
A few weeks ago, I shared that the Emergency Board set aside $35 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds to provide one-time $500 payments to Oregonians who are experiencing financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Details have now been finalized, and the program is expected to launch soon. In order to be eligible for the direct payment, the following requirements must be met:
- Be a current resident of Oregon and 18 years or older.
- Be able to prove identity and in-state residency.
- Attest to experiencing severe financial hardship due to the Governor’s executive orders 20-07 and/or 20-12 or indirectly due to these orders.
- These are the “Stay Home, Save Lives” orders that closed many restaurants and personal services to slow the spread of COVID-19. Many sectors – like personal transportation services – were indirectly affected by the orders and may have resulted in a significant loss of income.
- Have earned $4,000/month or less pre-tax prior to income loss due to COVID-19.
- NOT be current on unemployment payments:
- Current simply means the claimant has received all payments for all weeks claimed except for the current claim week. Applicants should count base payments for traditional Unemployment Insurance and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program – not the $600 enhanced payment that ended July 31, 2020.
- You may be eligible if you never applied for or were denied unemployment or are stuck in adjudication.
- You may be eligible if you are not current on unemployment benefits and have since returned to work.
Once the state approves contracts with participating financial institutions, more information will be unveiled on how to apply, but generally, eligible Oregonians will be able to apply through a participating financial institution, prove identity (to avoid fraud and duplication), show proof of in-state residence, and then leave with cash or a check if funds are available and eligibility is verified.
If you have been working with my office about your unemployment claim, you will receive a notice of the program details before it goes live so you can prepare the necessary materials, familiarize yourself with the application, and identify the nearest participating financial institution.
As soon as more updates on this program become available, I will be sure to share them, but in the meantime, you may read more about the program in this Portland Tribune article.
Oregon Employment Department (OED)
Another program that will come online shortly is OED’s “Benefits While You Wait,” which will allow OED to pay benefits to tens of thousands of Oregonians who are waiting for their claim to be reviewed by an adjudicator. You can find more information here. OED will be proactively contacting eligible Oregonians via email and robocalls this week, so be sure to check your inbox and voicemail. You do not need to call OED in order to find out your eligibility.
During this week’s webinar, the OED team will share new information about "gross earnings" for self-employed PUA claims, how to report your "gross earnings" going forward, and how to update past weeks. Register here for the webinar on Thursday at 1:00pm: bit.ly/PUAGrossEarningsWebinar
Lastly, my office is available and ready to assist you if you are having difficulties with your claim. Please email us the following information and we will get back to you as soon as possible:
- Your full name.
- The date you first applied.
- The type of UI you applied for (PUA or regular).
- A confirmation number, customer ID, or the last four digits of your social security number.
- A phone number.
- A mailing address.
- Any notices/messages you have received from OED, including when you received them.
- Any additional information about your claim.
Reminder: Town Hall Next Week
I want to remind you that I will be holding a virtual, back-to-school town hall on August 19 from 7-8:30pm with Lake Oswego School District Superintendent Dr. Lora de la Cruz, students, teachers, and parents to look ahead at the upcoming school year. I hope that you are able to join us for this important conversation.
Space is limited to 100 participants, so please register in advance here. Please email any questions in advance to rep.andreasalinas@oregonlegislature.gov
 AARP: Watch Dog Wednesdays
Every other Wednesday at 10am, AARP hosts “Watch Dog Wednesday.” This bi-weekly series connects you with experts that can help you learn about best-practices to avoid scams. This Wednesday, August 12th, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum will talk about government imposter scams. These scammers hit communities at every opportunity from tax day to disasters. Learn how you can fight back.
No registration is required. Join the livestream via your phone, tablet or computer on the AARP Oregon Facebook page, www.facebook.com/AARPOregon If you are unable to make it, the video will be posted after the event.
Census moved up to September 30th
Last week, the United States Census Bureau announced that the census count will end on September 30th, instead of October 31st like they previously planned. I’m not going to lie, this was and continues to be exceptionally difficult news. For over a year as Co-Chair of the Oregon Complete Count Committee (OCCC), I have worked alongside dedicated, passionate community organizations and partners who enthusiastically committed their time and energy to ensuring Oregon achieves an accurate and complete count. During last week’s OCCC meeting, the group did not allow me to remain despondent. They asked how we can capitalize on these remaining weeks to turn out the count. They held the group accountable to ensuring hard to count populations and communities of color are property represented in this year’s count, and they reminded me why we committed to this work in the first place.
So, I’m energized and ready to keep pushing until we count every person in this state. But, I need your help. Each day, commit to asking friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors whether they have filled out their census. If they haven’t, help walk them through the process. It only takes 10 minutes, but the impact will last for the next 10 years.
You can complete the census online, by phone, or by mail. More information can also be found at Oregon2020Census.gov or 2020Census.gov.
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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