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Friends-
The 2021 Legislative Session is underway. The House gaveled in on Thursday morning, the 21st of January to listen to the reading of first bills and advance the calendar. This routine will be repeated once a week through early April. It may extend beyond April, but at the moment this is the plan. Our constitution calls for the House to assemble to advance first readings so that each measure is referred to a committee by Speaker of the House or the Senate President depending on the chamber of origin.
Here is a brief look at some bills being considered in a couple of the committees in which I serve: One measure brought forward in the Behavioral Health Committee deals with the state’s overall delivery of services to the estimated 300,000 Oregonians suffering from addiction and in many cases present with mental health issues as well (HB 2313).
The Energy and Environment Committee has several bills dealing with recycling. Oregon’s recycling program is nearing 40 years old. It is more than timely for the state to take another look at how we recycle to develop a more cohesive system that considers not only how, but what and where.
Hopefully you are aware of how to best interact with all the committees currently underway in the House and the Senate during our continued COVID related closure. Written testimony can be submitted up to 24 hours after the scheduled start time of the committee meeting at which a bill is listed on the agenda for a public hearing. It can be done via the Testimony Portal at https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1 or regular mail at 900 Court Street NE, Salem, OR 97301. Remember you can always write, email, or call your legislator and voice your support and/or concerns on any piece of legislation.
Along with committee meetings and work directly associated with the various bills before the committees on which I serve I continue to work towards our schools safely reopening to in-person learning for students; economic recovery from the continued shutdown of thousands of our small businesses, wildfire recovery and restoration for the Santiam Canyon; and access to vaccinations for all Oregonians who choose to do so.
One of the activities that I miss the most is the active in-person meetings and town halls. My goal is to host virtual town halls on a regular basis addressing topics and issues that you the constituents of HD19 find of importance. Please let me know what times work best with your schedules; i.e. do you prefer mornings, afternoons, evenings?
Once we establish a desired timeframe, we will kick off our first town hall with a rather simple but important topic – how to interface with your Legislative Branch in this COVID culture. This virtual town hall will help you walk through the process of submitting testimony, monitoring legislation and communicating with your elected officials.
As legislators we are often asked about "priority bills." Here is a quick update:
HB2260: Oregon Cleanup and Beautification Program - Assigned to House Committee on Judiciary
Establishes Oregon Cleanup and Beautification pilot program within Oregon Corrections Enterprises. Requires Oregon Corrections Enterprises to report on pilot program to interim committee of Legislative Assembly no later than September 15, 2022.
This pilot program speaks to the heart of a variety of issues that can be resolved and in the course of doing so provide valuable training skills to AIC’s, recycles metals, and removes wreckage from our communities to name a few. Along the way this prison work on-job-the training program will help develop work force skills that will enable those participating to have an avenue to gainful employment in their local communities upon release.
HB2421: Establishes Oregon Kidney Disease Prevention and Education Task Force - Assigned to House Committee on Health Care.
Establishes Oregon Kidney Disease Prevention and Education Task Force. Specifies membership and duties.
The onset of COVID19 has magnified the importance of understanding the impact that preexisting health conditions play in our overall health. This timely piece of legislation will establish a task force in concert with the National Kidney Foundation to develop a plan to raise awareness about early detection of kidney disease, promote health equity and reduce the burden of kidney disease statewide. It is important that Oregonians have the knowledge to individually manage their health outcomes and education is the first step in that direction.
HCR3: Relating to fiscal and revenue impact statements - Assigned to House Committee on Rules.
Establishes rule of proceeding of Senate and House of Representatives of Eighty-first Legislative Assembly that prohibits committee from reporting measure out of committee if fiscal impact statement or revenue impact statement prepared for measure states that fiscal impact or revenue impact is indeterminate or unknown.
This concurrent resolution will enable legislators to have all the details relating to legislation prior to taking a floor vote. We are moving into an extended duration of diminished revenues and increased need for public assistance. It is incumbent upon the Legislature to know the full impact of anticipated revenue, or expense to the state. We have a fiduciary responsibility to all Oregonians.
These are all important issues that I will work hard to get over the finish line. Knowing all the while that it is imperative we help all our local businesses, schools, and fire ravaged communities recover and set them on a course to once again thrive.
In closing I would like to leave you with just a few of the words from my colleague Rep. Ron Noble, HD24 as said when we opened session on January 21st:
“…To guide us, we need to embrace our different values, opinions and solutions. Note – we don’t need to agree, but we do need to try to understand. It’s the thought that no one person or group has all the answers, and that by engaging and sharing our differences through debate, persuasion, and compromise, we can be creative, innovative and collaborative in seeking the best for the State of Oregon.”
I hope you will be encouraged and inspired by his compassionate and reasoned approach to the work ahead of us.
In the interim if we can be of help to you as you navigate your state government please call or email. My door is always open and my staff, Pam McClain, Lena Prine, and I welcome your participation. As your state representative, I am here to listen, respond, and lead.
Yours truly,
 Raquel Moore-Green
Representative House District 19, South Salem, Turner and Aumsville
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1419
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-385, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.RaquelMooreGreen@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/moore-green
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