COVID-19 Updates 1/12/2021

Rep. Sollman

Friends and Neighbors,

Legislative Updates

2021 Legislative Session

Yesterday, was the swearing-in ceremony for all legislators of Oregon’s 81st Legislative Assembly. I felt proud and humbled to take the oath of office and I am honored to serve House District 30 for a third term. We have a wonderful group of new legislators to serve Oregonians. They have diverse backgrounds as first responders, doctors, housing advocates, agriculture, community organizers, public safety background, local elected experience and more. The Oregon House has also hit a milestone of having thirty men and thirty women equally representing all of Oregon. In addition, we voted on rules for the upcoming session that begins next Tuesday, January 19th, and voted to re-elect Representative Tina Kotek as House Speaker, Representative Paul Holvey as Speaker Pro-Tempore and Timothy G. Sekerak as our Chief Clerk. You can watch yesterday's floor session at this link here

Floor pics

Emergency Board Updates

On Friday, the Joint Emergency Board met and approved additional COVID-19 and wildfire relief funding. This was their 13th meeting since March 2020 and will bring further and much needed relief to Oregonians. A break down of the funds approved are below. You can read more information on the agenda here and watch Friday's meeting here.

Pandemic Relief

  • $324 million in federal funds for grants to school districts and for staff to meet the education needs of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • $116 million in federal funds for emergency rental and utility assistance to Oregonians from the December 2020 Congressional stimulus package. 
  • $100 million to fund a commercial rent relief program.
  • $46 million to the Oregon Community Foundation to provide continued support to the Worker Relief Fund and the Quarantined Worker Fund, and the creation of a Small Enterprise Fund for small business assistance.
  • $19 million to the Oregon Health Authority for the public health response to COVID-19.
  • $15 million to assist residential and day camps that provide school-age child care and other services.
  • $12 million for community behavioral health providers.
  • $9 million for grants of $1 million each to Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes for needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated economic hardships.
  • $7 million to fund a temporary rate increase for Aging and People with Disabilities nursing facilities; $3.4 million to fund a temporary rate increase for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities programs; and $1 million to the Runaway and Homeless Youth program to help providers facing service delivery challenges due to COVID-19.
  • $932,112 for response to the COVID-19 pandemic public health emergency for emergency student financial aid and for the Student Daycare program child care grants.
  • $250,000 for an ombudsman program to address COVID-19 related investigations and complaint mitigation in the state’s prison system.
  • $135,000 for grants to two community organizations that will educate renters about Oregon’s eviction moratorium.

Wildfire Relief

  • $36.75 million for wildfire debris removal.
  • $31.5 million to provide shelter, food, and wraparound services to Oregonians impacted by wildfires.
  • $25 million for a grant to the Housing Authority of Jackson County to acquire and develop property to replace a portion of lost workforce housing destroyed during the Labor Day wildfires.
  • $14.28 million for the state’s wildfire recovery, prevention, and preparedness activities to fund the state’s remaining estimated net cost for the 2020 fire season. 
  • $13 million for the state’s wildfire recovery, prevention and preparedness activities to the Oregon Department of Forestry to supplement the wildfire aviation program, increase fire program staffing, and expand the partnership and planning program, including federal forest health programs.
  • $4 million for the state’s wildfire recovery, prevention and preparedness activities to the Department of State Police, Office of the State Fire Marshal for wildfire response and preparedness.
  • $2 million for the establishment of a municipal wildfire financial assistance program

Vaccine Updates

From the Oregon Health Authority

The Oregon Health Authority has shared answers to some frequently asked questions related to the COVID-19 vaccine and a list of important resource links for further information.

I am in a Phase 1a group, where do I go?

At this time, there is no central telephone number to contact or website registry. OHA is working with local public health, health care partners and 211 to determine the best contacts in each community. OHA will post the community contacts on our COVID-19 website as soon as we have them. Check your local public health website to see if they have additional information.

I don’t know if I’m in Phase 1a, how do I check?

Please check the Oregon COVID-19 Vaccine Sequencing Plan. For additional questions: COVID19.vaccine@dshoha.state.or.us.

Do I need to show any proof I’m in Phase 1a?

The Oregon Health Authority is not requiring verification and has no plans to request verification from vaccinating providers. Vaccine providers may require an individual to self-attest they are in a Phase1a group.

I’ve been turned away from getting a vaccine by a COVID-19 vaccine provider. What do I do now?

If you believe you do fall under Phase 1a, please contact your local public health authority to be connected to a vaccine provider.

Resources:

Vaccine comes to Virginia Garcia Staff!

Many of the staff at Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center received their first COVID-19 vaccine this past Friday, 1/8/21. Below are House District 30 residents Juan Ugarte-Clinic Manager, Bettyna Rosales-Psychologist, and Lyn Jacobs, M.D., after receiving their vaccines.

HD 30 constituents

Fellow House District 30 constituent Jincy Pace, a Hillsboro Police Department Lieutenant, also received her first COVID-19 vaccination. 

HD 30

Unemployment Insurance Updates

From the Oregon Employment Department

Continued Assistance Act

We‌ ‌have‌ ‌updates‌ ‌about‌ ‌the recently enacted Continued Assistance Act (CAA) and how it applies to you.‌ ‌

We are still waiting to receive a lot of information from the U.S. Department of Labor, but here are the latest updates:

  • We started paying the additional $300 weekly Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) benefit this week. This was the first eligible week people were able to receive this benefit.
  • We also started paying benefits to people with several weeks of benefits remaining on their PUA or PEUC claims.
  • If you are about to exhaust ($0 balance) your benefits or file a new PUA claim, we don’t have an estimate yet for when you’ll start to receive benefits again. However, your benefits will be paid retroactively so continue to file weekly. We will share that information as soon as we know more.
  • Those eligible for PEUC will receive an additional 11 weeks of benefits. Read our updated FAQs to learn more and find which scenario best fits your claim. 
  • We have the governor’s support to continue to waive the waiting week until March 13, 2021. Read the Governor’s letter to Acting Director Gerstenfeld.
UI Benefits graphic

We are still receiving pieces of guidance from the U.S. Dept. of Labor and will update you as we learn more. 

In the meantime:

  1. Continue to file your weekly claim, no matter which program you are in.
  2. Watch a recording of our most recent webinar, where we shared updates about the CAA, including details on PEUC, EB, and PUA.
  3. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for timely updates. You don’t need to call with questions about the federal legislation -- we’ll keep you informed on details of the new Continued Assistance Act and what it means for your claim.

Step-by-step guides - Did you know we post step-by-step guides on how to file different kinds of claims? Search through our catalog of step-by-step guides to find PowerPoint presentations and videos that will walk you through how to apply for unemployment benefits and answer common FAQs here

Step-by-step guides are also available in Spanish, Korean, Lao, Arabic, Farsi, Somali, Vietnamese, Romanian, Simplified Chinese, Russian, Khmer, Hmong, Mien, Marshallese, and Chuukese.

To prevent identity theft, Reliacards may be frozen if suspected of fraud. If your Reliacard was frozen and you believe it to be inaccurate, you can request reactivation by contacting U.S bank. 

We continue to work towards preventing and informing claimants of possible fraud and identity theft. If you believe you are a victim of UI fraud or hear information about potential UI fraud please report it on our website.

Need to reach us? The best way to get in touch with a claims specialist is to submit a message through our Contact Us form

We are responding to messages in a timely manner; which means you don’t need to call and wait on hold for information or to have your issues fixed. 

Small Business Updates

Paycheck Protection Program Resumes 

From the U.S. Small Business Administration

SBA, in consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department, will open the Paycheck Protection Program loan portal on Monday, January 11, 2021 at 9 am ET. When the PPP loan portal system opens, it will initially accept First Draw PPP loan applications from participating CFIs, which include Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), Certified Development Companies (CDCs), and Microloan Intermediaries.

Loan Details

The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.

SBA will forgive loans if all employee retention criteria are met, and the funds are used for eligible expenses.

  • PPP loans have an interest rate of 1%.
  • Loans issued prior to June 5 have a maturity of 2 years. Loans issued after June 5 have a maturity of 5 years.
  • Loan payments will be deferred for borrowers who apply for loan forgiveness until SBA remits the borrower's loan forgiveness amount to the lender. If a borrower does not apply for loan forgiveness, payments are deferred 10 months after the end of the covered period for the borrower’s loan forgiveness (either 8 weeks or 24 weeks).
  • No collateral or personal guarantees are required.
  • Neither the government nor lenders will charge small businesses any fees.

How To Apply

You can apply through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans once they are approved and enrolled in the program. You should consult with your local lender as to whether it is participating in the program. 

If you wish to begin preparing your application, you can download the following PPP borrower application forms to see the information that will be requested from you when you apply with a lender:

Visit their website here for further instructions and information.

House District 30 - 2021 Legislative Session Concepts

In order to provide information and updates on the policies that I am working on for the 2021 Session, this is a continuation of that series.

HB 2831: Radioactive Waste Disposal - Definitions and Enforcement

This bill is also being introduced as a committee bill on the Senate side as SB 246This concept came to light in the 2020 session, when we had an informational hearing in the House Energy and Environment Committee about radioactive waste, from out of state, that illegally made its way into the Northwest landfill near Arlington, Oregon. While investigating this event, the Oregon Department of Energy identified the need to update and clarify the state’s laws around radioactive waste and enhance the agency’s existing enforcement program, corrective action authority, and civil penalty rules. While some of these changes can be accomplished via agency rulemaking, others require legislative action. I am happy to introduce this bill that will strengthen the Oregon Department of Energy's enforcement mechanisms and keep radioactive waste out of Oregon.

Community Outreach

Martin Luther King Day of Service

Shared from Americorps

Martin Luther King Day of Service is just one week away! Join Americans across the country to honor Dr. King by making Monday, January 18, a day on, not a day off.

The MLK Day of Service encourages all Americans to improve our communities through volunteer service. It helps to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, address social problems, and move us closer to Dr. King's vision of a Beloved Community.

Most service opportunities this year will be virtual or socially distanced, in accordance with CDC and local safety protocols. Find a volunteer event near you at this link here.

MLK Day of Service

Additional Resources

*Please note a new link added for Veterans' Resources. The Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs has created a COVID-19 resource page for veterans experiencing hardships from the COVID-19 pandemic. Veterans' resources are sometimes hard to navigate given the differences between federal and state resources. This site aims to help veterans and their families navigate these resources.

 House District 30 Links

Federal Delegation Links

Education Links

Utilities Assistance

Food and Housing Assistance

Capitol

As I left the Capitol late last evening, I could not help but to pull over and capture this snapshot. I continue to be awe-inspired of the work that is done in the building to lift Oregonians and build a better future. Thank you for this opportunity. I realize that these are difficult times and people may be worried about being disconnected from the process. I really do feel this is an opportunity to have MORE access for all Oregonians, all across Oregon. No need to drive 3 hours each way, miss work, get a babysitter or caregiver, only to give 3 minutes of testimony. There will be opportunity to give virtual testimony in committees. Your House District 30 Team are also working on ways for me to be more accessible to constituents, such as an idea I brought forward about weekly virtual coffee/tea chats to stay connected. I will also be holding my more structured, regular Community Conversations too. Please do not hesitate to reach out for any questions, concerns or ideas you may have. My door will always be open, if not virtually for a bit.

Office

Be good to yourself and each other. ❤

Onward & Upward,

Janeen

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1430
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-487, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.JaneenSollman@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/sollman