Open Restaurants & Fitness Centers
Submit Your Testimony Today
Read Below to Find Out How
Friends,
On Tuesday, February 9th, I introduced HB 3177, The Covid Business Equity Act. My appreciation to all of you that reached out to lawmakers across the state asking for HB 3177 to be heard. Now the work begins and your time, effort and support is needed by submitting your testimony to the House Committee on Economic Recovery and Prosperity by this Thursday, February 25th. I want to thank my colleagues for their support, Speaker Kotek for her referral and Committee Chair, Representative Lively for his expedience in scheduling a hearing for this important legislation that will bring needed paychecks to tens of thousands Oregon working families across our state.
The Covid Business Equity Act - CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE BILL
As I have stated previously, for nearly a year of a rollercoaster of business closures, tens of thousands of Oregonians have been unemployed from the hospitality sector across our state. Many of these entrepreneurs in the hospitality sector are being forced to close their doors forever. These business owners, their hardworking employees and their families have faced extreme hardships with devastating delays in business relief, unemployment insurance payments, little to no income and no relief in sight.
The majority of these impacted Oregonians are the most vulnerable working families across our state, as those employed within the hospitality industry are the most racially diverse and second most ethnically diverse in Oregon.
We are not only losing our hospitality businesses across the state and the jobs associated with them forever, we are losing our unique, locally family owned, independent small eateries. These businesses do not have the ability to weather the income deficits from closures, unlike their corporate chain competitors
There must be equity across all business sectors regarding Covid-19 mandates and closures. The hospitality industry takes great measures assuring safety and provides an extremely sanitary environment for dining. Big box stores and other essential open businesses are less sanitary and require far more individual self-regulation than conditions within eateries.
How to submit your testimony:
CLICK HERE for the link that will take you to the House Committee on Economic Recovery and Prosperity.
Scroll to the bottom of the webpage and click on the link that says, "Click to Submit Testimony" or Click Here to go directly to that page.
Once there, Click on the circle next to HB 3177 under Choose the bill for your testimony:
Then proceed to fill out the necessary information, whether you SUPPORT or oppose the bill and you will have the opportunity to either upload a PDF or you can click the TEXT bubble and either draft your testimony or cut and paste it in the space provided.
After you are finished with your testimony, make sure you hit the SUBMIT TESTIMONY button at the bottom of the page.
I encourage you to testify by sharing your personal stories on how these restaurant and fitness center closures have impacted you, your family or your neighbors.
I also encourage you to share this information with everyone that has been impacted by the closures of our hospitality industry businesses so that they may follow these steps and submit their own testimony as well.
Please CLICK HERE for a website that will help you Find Your Legislator. Once there, you will be able to enter your information and your State Representative and State Senator will appear with links for you to email their office.
Please use this tool to reach out to your legislator and share your personal testimony with them or tell them: ‘I support HB 3177, the Covid Business Equity Act! Please support the diverse working families of the hospitality industry, the small business owners across the state and provide the needed business equity that is severely lacking and pass HB 3177.’
i want to again thank you for taking the time to submit your testimony in favor of HB 3177, the Covid Business Equity Act. Millions of Oregonians have been impacted by these inequitable closures. Thousands more are still out of work and unable to support their families. It's past time to safely open our eateries and fitness centers.
It is not only an honor and privilege to serve the residents of HD 01 in Southwest Oregon, but all Oregonians. Thank you for your assistance, stay safe and God Bless.
Respectfully,
Representative David Brock Smith
Together, We Will Build a Better Oregon
 House District 1
Curry, Coos, Douglas and Josephine Counties
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1401
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-379, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.DavidBrockSmith@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/smithd
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