REDISTRICTING:
Representative Boshart Davis
Appointed Co-Chair
From the start, my appointment to the House Special Redistricting Committee to help guide the process of redrawing Oregon’s congressional and legislative lines has been many things, but easy is not one of them. It is a complicated process and I hope I have helped many gain more understanding about the importance of redistricting.
It is not lost on me that the process itself is monumental and historical, and that my name will forever be tied to the outcome. I was honored to be appointed to the Committee and I take this responsibility seriously.
Last week, some big changes were made to the Committee structure which I believe will provide the much needed equal representation for all areas of Oregon.
I was honored to be re-assigned as Co-Chair to the Committee and added to the Committee was House Minority Leader, Representative Christine Drazan. The Committee is now made up of three Republicans and three Democrats. Undeniably, this is good, fair, and balanced representation for the communities we serve.
The Oregonian had a good editorial, read here.
"A plan developed by equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans has far more legitimacy than one presented by an imbalanced committee."
STATE BUDGET PUBLIC HEARINGS!
The co-chairs of Ways and Means released a budget framework for 2021-23 that relies on ARPA funds to protect current state services from reductions and to provide $780 million for new, urgent investments to revitalize Oregon’s economy and provide workers and families the resources they need to recover from the impacts of the pandemic...
Click here to read the full 2021 American Rescue Plan – Overview of Legislator Concepts
Link to Ways and Means Co-Chair Budget Framework
Find your Congressional District
HB 3389: Employment Tax Relief to Businesses
MUCH needed relief to businesses when their unemployment insurance rate rose to no fault of their own! It is absolutely crazy that businesses, like restaurants, had their UI taxes increase even though truly it was the government that laid off their staff during the shutdowns. I am thankful for my colleagues that worked on this and was quickly responsive to the needs of those hurt specifically by this pandemic.
HB 3139: Suicide Warning Signs
"I’m a mom of three teenage daughters, and I would want to know."
Click here to watch my full floor speech on this bill
Click here read full article from Oregonlive.com
HB 2954 A: Parent School Choice, Voted Down
On April 15, there was an opportunity on the House Floor to expand student success and #parentchoice. HB2954 Minority Report was up for a vote and a colleague, Representative Suzanne Weber, offered what is called a Minority Report. It complimented and strengthened the goal of the base bill by expanding access to virtual public charter schools and raising the cap on enrollment from 3% to 4%, for students who reside outside of the charter school's district.
I voted "yes" on the Minority Report - that would allow more parents to choose what is best for their children. Not the state. Not the school district. The parents. Children have different needs, and we should support and celebrate those differences. I am extremely saddened to report this was voted down.
This conversation can't stop. In the words of my colleague, Rep. Weber: "Finally, I've heard it said that this bill isn't the vehicle for this conversation. That we should have a larger conversation about this issue. This session my colleagues proposed four separate bills trying to have this conversation. Not one of them got so much as a public hearing. Not even a courtesy hearing. I'm willing to have this conversation in any way, in any form, using any vehicle. But make no mistake, I intend to have this conversation. I have no interest in simply standing by while students fail, not because they aren't bright, not because they don't want to learn, but simply because the state insists on forcing them to learn OUR way, not THEIR way."
I would love your thought on this subject as I believe this subject matter will not go away. Please send your ideas and thoughts to: rep.shellyboshartdavis@oregonlegislature.gov
ANNUAL OREGON AG FEST:
Friends! The 34th Annual Oregon Ag Fest is coming – April 23-25 to the Clackamas County Event Center!
I would like to extend special recognition to those working hard on Ag Fest and dealing with the barriers that Covid brought to this year’s event. Not only has it moved location this year to the Clackamas County Event Center, but most of it will be a drive-thru experience. The traffic management logistics, alone, must be an enormous undertaking.
While the format of this year’s Ag Fest is not like it has been in the past - This 34-year tradition is an important educational experience about Oregon’s agriculture.
Did you know that there are more than 250 diverse products, ranging from wheat to salmon, grown and processed in Oregon? Only California and maybe Florida has a higher number of commodities in the entire United States!
So, take a daytrip and drive to the Clackamas County Event Center in Canby Oregon, April 23-25. Learn more. See the variety. And witness the BOUNTY provided to all of us from Oregon’s agriculture.
Click here to watch my full floor courtesy April 13
Click here for more information on how to enter contest
Deadline May 1 - Click here to learn more and apply!
Deadline May 14 - Click here to learn more and apply!
FROM OREGON FARM BUREAU:
The Think F.A.S.T. (Farm & Ag Safety Training) program is an initiative from Farm Bureau designed to proactively address on-farm safety concerns for youth. The program materials are free to members and non-members and are tailored for audiences 14- to 17-years old and focus on general safety, leadership, and critical thinking skills applied to technical and agriculture-specific contexts.
Click here for more information about Think F.A.S.T. and other youth safety programs
FROM LINN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE:
As we continue to help raise awareness for Child Abuse Prevention Month we wanted to showcase some of our great detectives that work every day to help keep our children safe.
Det. Tracy White has been with the Sheriff’s Office for over 16 years. After spending 12 years as a Patrol Deputy, she was assigned to Sex Crimes Detective.
Tracy says, “I wanted to be a Sex Crimes Detective to help those most vulnerable in our society, children. I love working with children and being their messenger. It still always amazes me how strong these kids are who have gone through something so traumatic. I also enjoy investigating cases and learning about suspect behavior.
The most rewarding part of my job is keeping children safe from their abusers.”
Thank you Tracy for all the hard work you do to keep our children safe!
FAMILY TREE RELIEF NURSERY - ANNUAL DIAPER DRIVE
In recognition of National Child Abuse Awareness month, I gave a courtesy on the House Floor on April 12, spotlighting the Family Tree Relief Nursery of Albany.
Family Tree Relief Nursery is a community based non-profit organization that has been working to prevent child abuse and neglect by offering early intervention services at no cost to local families in Albany since 2004.
Every month, parents with 1-2 children spend a lot of money on diapers and wipes. Some families have to make the difficult decision between food and diapers. At Family Tree Relief Nursery, the families don’t have to decide. To every family they serve, they offer food boxes, hygiene supplies, diapers, wipes, and more.
To help ease the burden and help our local families in need, Family Tree Relief Nursery holds an annual ‘Diaper Drive – Fill the Crib’ event. With multiple drop-off events in and around Linn and Benton Counties, making it convenient for people to donate. I was on-hand the weekend of April 3-4 at Selco Credit Union in Albany.
The last drop-off event is April 24-25, at the Albany AmeriTitle office and Caliber Home Loans. Their bus will be parked at these locations.
Every donation, big or small, makes a huge difference to their families in crisis.
Click here to watch my full floor courtesy April 12
Click here for more information how you can help Family Tree Relief Nursery
FROM THE HISTORICAL CAROUSEL AND MUSEUM, ALBANY OR:
Volunteer Appreciation Week is this week!
Our amazing volunteers are the heart and soul of our carousel! They serve food in our cafe, greet you at the door with a smile, guide our tours, carve and paint our animals, help you find the perfect gift in our gift shop, and of course they operate our carousel!!!!
We would love to share some thank you messages, stories, drawings, and cards with our amazing volunteers. Drop a comment below and we'll share that or mail a note to 503 W 1st Ave, Albany, OR 97321
We would love to cover our break room with sweet messages from all of you!
Click here for more information about the Virtual Live Auction
SPECIAL BOYS & GIRLS CLUB RECOGNITION THIS WEEK:
On April 14, I recognized a remarkable young constituent in District 15 Doing Great Things.
Since 1947, Youth of the Year has been Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s premier recognition program. Each year, one exceptional young person from a Boys & Girls Club becomes an exemplary ambassador that stands up to represent all of our nation’s young people.
Up for this year’s Youth of the Year, is Mia Rowe from Albany - She is one of nine in the state!
Mia is a freshman at South Albany High School and has been a Boys & Girls Member for the last seven years. Mia has been a leader at The Club since the day she started coming. She has always been a staff favorite and brings a smile to everyone that she comes in contact. Mia cares deeply about equality for women and giving back to her community.
Through the Youth of the Year program, young people showcase their talents and achievements, share their hopes and dreams, and work toward a bright and positive future. Youth of the Year honorees at any level – local, state, regional and national – are shining examples and living proof that GREAT FUTURES START HERE – at Boys & Girls Clubs.
Congratulations, Mia!
Click here to watch my full floor courtesy April 14
As always, my office is here for you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office if you have any community event announcements, legislative questions, or concerns.
Stay tuned and stay involved!
Talk soon,
 Capitol Phone: 503-986-1415
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-389, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/boshartdavis
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