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The following newsletter contains a critical update on American Rescue Plan (ARPA) allocations, a legislation spotlight, OSHA's permanent rule addressing COVID-19, a recap of the first half of the legislative session, COVID-19 vaccine information, and resources to remain engaged in the legislative process.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (503) 986-1409 or at Rep.BoomerWright@oregonlegislature.gov.
Oregon will receive $2.6 billion from the Federal government's American Rescue Plan. Negotiations took place last week among Democratic and Republican leadership over the allocation of this money, and it was agreed upon that $240 million in relief money would be separated out and dispersed to Oregon lawmakers to fund various projects in their respective districts. Each House seat will get $2 million, and each Senate seat will get $4 million.
This is huge for rural Oregon because it means each legislator can do something significant for their district. It means urban cities like Portland don't get all of the money solely for their pet projects.
I will provide updates on my district's project as soon as possible.
Click here OR on the article image below to read the full OPB article.
 
 I was honored to vote YES for HB 3139A, introduced by Rep. Ron Noble, earlier last week. The bill passed in the House with almost unanimous support.
This bill empowers mental health professionals to rely on their experience and expertise to appropriately address the alarming rise in suicidal thoughts and actions among children. This trend has been recently linked with prolonged government-mandated school closures and distanced learning.
I gladly signed on as a sponsor of this common sense legislation because it meets the immediate needs of young and vulnerable Oregonians. If a child is at risk of attempting suicide, their parents deserve to be informed right away.
Click here OR on the image below to watch my interview with KVAL discussing the bill.
KVAL Interview w/ Rep. Boomer Wright on Youth Suicide Prevention Bill
Oregon OSHA has provided notice of proposed rulemaking to address COVID-19 in All Oregon Workplaces. OSHA’s temporary rules that were adopted on November 6, 2020 will expire on May 4, 2021. With the expiration of their temporary rule, OSHA is now pursuing permanent rulemaking which went into effect on April 4th.
In their proposed rule the agency states:
Note: Although the rule must be adopted as a permanent rule, its purpose is to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Oregon OSHA intends to repeal the rule when it is no longer necessary to address that pandemic. Because it is not possible to assign a specific time for that decision, Oregon OSHA will consult with the Oregon OSHA Partnership Committee, the Oregon Health Authority, and other stakeholders as circumstances change to determine when all or part of the rule can be appropriately repealed.
With the seemingly indefinite nature of the Governor’s emergency declaration, many of my constituents have expressed concern with the indefinite nature of OHSA’s new permanent rule. It is important to understand that these permanent rules MUST expire with the Governor's emergency order. Myself, many of my colleagues, and business owners are pressuring OSHA to ensure that these rules DO NOT persist past the end of the Governor's emergency period—which I hope is very soon.
Here is a link to the proposed Rules Addressing the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency in All Oregon Workplaces.
The COVID-19 vaccine is eligible to all Oregonians age 16 and older.
Click here to find a COVID-19 vaccine near you. You can also use the resources below for additional vaccine information.
Wildfire relief, pandemic-related assistance, and youth suicide prevention are just a few issues I have prioritized during the first half of the 2021 Legislative Session, while also pushing back on harmful and misguided legislation. I will continue working hard to meet the immediate needs of my constituents and all Oregonians.
To keep up to date on the bills I am working on this session, and to learn more about agendas, bills, committees, and measure history, explore the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS) by clicking here or on the photo.
Rep. Boomer Wright receives the Liberty Flag.
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