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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Yesterday, the Oregon Legislature learned that an individual who was present at the Capitol has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Potential exposure may have occurred on the floor of the Oregon House of Representatives on April 15.  The House adjourned yesterday morning until Monday, April 26 at 11am. Committee work, which is being done remotely, will continue as planned.  The priority for the session continues to be to keep people safe and do the people’s work.

week at the capitol

The House was in Session on Monday and Rep. Meek opened with a beautiful song!

 

2021 Session Committee Assignments 

Joint Committee On Ways and Means

Joint Committee On Transportation - Co-Chair

House Committee On Agriculture and Natural Resources - Vice Chair

Joint Committee On the Interstate 5 Bridge - Co-Chair

Joint Committee On Ways and Means Subcommittee On Education - Co-Chair

2019-2020 Joint Emergency Board 


How to Participate

Watch all Oregon State Legislature Live-Streams and Meetings HERE

 

Track all 2021 Session Bills HERE

 


Cartoon of a bill  

Instructions for how to testify:

 

English instructions here

Aquí están las instrucciones


Remembering Congresswoman Elizabeth Furse

Elizabeth Furse

Furse's political career committed to social justice, service

Read the full tribute here.

Tributes are being paid to former Congresswoman Elizabeth Furse, who championed the rights of women, migrant farmworkers and indigenous tribes even before she was elected to three terms in the U.S. House from Northwest Oregon.

Furse died Monday, April 19. She was 84.

U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, who was elected to the 1st District seat in 2012, offered a tribute to her predecessor.

"As an immigrant and the third Oregon woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, she was a trailblazer and an inspiration to many — including me," the Democrat from Beaverton said in a statement.

"It was an honor to know Congresswoman Furse and to call her a friend and mentor. She was committed to tribal sovereignty, social justice, and peace, and she led and legislated with these noble values always in her heart and on her mind. Elizabeth Furse made the world a better place, and she will be missed."

Furse, a Democrat from Hillsboro, followed in the steps of Nan Wood Honeyman and Edith Green, both from Portland.

"Furse lived the Jewish concept of tikkun olam with every fiber of her being, repairing the world to help tribal communities, strengthen women's health care and support vulnerable Americans everywhere," U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said. "I'll miss her tremendously."

Furse was elected in 1992 after Democrat Les AuCoin vacated the seat in a losing bid against Sen. Bob Packwood. She was re-elected twice before declining to run again in 1998.

She was the first naturalized U.S. citizen born in Africa to be elected to Congress.

In one of her final public utterances last year, Furse paid tribute to John Lewis, the young civil rights leader who was elected to the U.S. House from Georgia six years before her. Lewis died in July 2020.

"Whenever John Lewis spoke, and he did so sparingly, everyone listened," Furse recalled as part of tributes paid by Oregon's congressional delegation. "John's sincerity and his values came on so clearly and simply. He was the embodiment of what we all should have been.

"John earned his namesake, 'the conscience of the Congress.' He never forgot his values: his dedication to justice, kindness, and honesty. John could speak of those values because John had lived them and suffered for them. The scars on his head were a permanent medal of honor."

After she left Congress, Furse was director of tribal programs for the Institute of Tribal Government at Portland State University.

"The legacy of her work on tribal governance, restoration legislation and self-determination has been profound and will continue to be realized by generations of Native Americans and Oregonians to come," Direlle Calica, the current institute director, said in a statement. "Her vision for the institute has supported the vital efforts of tribal governments and expanded collaboration with federal, state and industry partners."

While in Congress, Furse pressed successfully, along with others, to extend TriMet's MAX westside light-rail from its planned terminus at the west end of Beaverton to its current end in downtown Hillsboro. The plaza at Sunset Transit Center is named in her honor.


Elizabeth Furse

 

Elizabeth Furse was a friend and a mentor to me.  I have wonderful memories of hosting a national Speech and Debate event at their Winery several years ago (see pictures above). They put together the most amazing traditional Salmon bake and were, as always, the most gracious of hosts. Elizabeth leaves a powerful legacy and she will be missed dearly. - Susan McLain 


Updates from Salem

Governor Kate Brown Issues Statement on Derek Chauvin Verdict

(Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown issued the following statement today:

“George Floyd’s life mattered. His death, at the hands of Derek Chauvin, shook our nation to its core. My thoughts are with his family today.

“Thousands of people last year, including here in Oregon, took to the streets to raise their voices in a clarion call for racial justice and police reform. A call for an America where Black Lives Matter.

“Today’s verdict is one step towards that goal. But it is only a single step toward police accountability. It is also a reminder of how much work we have left to do. We will dismantle the structures of racism and inequality in this country just as they were built, brick by brick.

“As a nation, we grieve for the life of George Floyd. And we will honor his memory by continuing to do the hard work to increase police accountability in this country. As we have seen in the last year, that process is not easy and change will not come overnight.

“The path to a more just and equitable Oregon begins with understanding. Understanding our state and our nation’s deeply racist history, and resolving to work together to build a better future for this generation and those to come.”

 

House Democrats Pass Bill to Protect Voters from Being Removed from Rolls Due to Inactive Status 

HB 2681 prohibits using failure to vote as a valid reason for moving a voter to inactive status 

SALEM, OR— The Oregon House of Representatives passed legislation to prohibit using failure to vote as a valid reason for moving a voter to inactive status. HB 2681, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, would also require notices to go to all electors who are inactive for signature or name change issues prior to each primary and general outlining how they can reactivate their registration.

There were over half a million voters in Oregon on the inactive list prior to the 2020 November Election. There are many reasons an elector can become inactive, but it is most often due to a challenge signature issue or relating to a recent name change. The electors are notified twice, within a few weeks of the most recent election, and never notified again.

“Over half a million inactive voters in this state is simply too many,” said Representative Dan Rayfield (D- Corvallis). “We worked closely with the County Clerks to develop a solution that will prohibit voters from becoming inactivated for failing to vote and also provide better notice when they are inactivated for valid reasons.”

The bill also requires the activation of electors who were inactive for not voting for any period of time.

HB 2681 passed the House floor 52 to 2 and now heads to the Senate.


Vaccine Updates

All Oregonians age 16 and older eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine starting April 19

On April 6, Governor Kate Brown announced that all Oregonians over age 16 and older could begin getting vaccinated against COVID-19 starting April 19. Pfizer's vaccine is authorized for people 16 and older, while the Moderna vaccine is authorized for those 18 and older. It's not yet known how long immunity from a coronavirus vaccine lasts and whether it needs to be administered on a regular basis like a flu shot.

 

Governor Brown, OHA provide update on vaccinations in vulnerable communities and spread of COVID-19

Governor Brown and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) held a news conference to give updates about COVID-19 in Oregon. Below are some of the main topics covered. You can watch a recording of the conference in English or Spanish

Access to vaccination: OHA Director Patrick Allen acknowledged that, while OHA has worked to create equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccines, we have not succeeded.

“The numbers are stark and clear,” said Director Allen. “For too many people, race and income are predictors of whether you can access a COVID-19 vaccine – or not. Yesterday, I heard the leaders of organizations who serve the Latino/Latina community voice their legitimate frustration at the inequitable disparity in vaccination rates for the Latino community. I share their frustration. As a state, we can and need to do better.” 

Despite state efforts to prioritize vaccination of Latino community members, vaccination of Latinos/Latinas in Oregon remains low. As the state opens eligibility to everyone who is 16 and older on Monday, April 19, OHA pledges to focus efforts on those who have been most vulnerable to COVID-19 by working with community leaders. 

Johnson & Johnson pause: Oregon vaccine providers were asked to immediately pause administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine following an announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

Six women between the ages of 18 and 48 showed symptoms of a rare and severe type of blood clot beginning six to 13 days after vaccination with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

State Health Officer and State Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger emphasized that, despite the pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the COVID-19 vaccines remain safe and effective. Of the pause, he said, “This action shows that our safety monitoring works – picking up a potential issue early.”

If you received the vaccine less than three weeks ago, and you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, please seek medical care: 

  • New severe headache 
  • Severe abdominal pain 
  • Shortness of breath 
  • Leg swelling 

COVID-19 spread increasing: According to Dr. Sidelinger, Oregon has seen cases rise rapidly over the past few weeks. Here is some of what he shared: 

  • Daily cases of COVID-19 have more than doubled in just over a month. 
  • Over the past two days, OHA has reported 1,576 new cases, the highest two-day total since early February. 
  • The largest increased illnesses in Oregon are in people in their twenties.  
  • The second biggest increase is in people in their thirties. 
  • According to the CDC, hospitals around the U.S. are seeing more people in their 30’s and 40’s who have been admitted with severe cases as the virus continues to mutate.

“Today, we find ourselves at another inflection point,” said Dr. Sidelinger. “Our actions over the next few weeks will determine when and whether we are able escape the pandemic. We have worked diligently since March to protect ourselves, loved ones and communities. We have stayed home – moved celebrations online, missed mourning with our families, some have lost jobs – and all have made tremendous sacrifices.” 

 

Washington County Logo

Washington Co. Vaccine Information:

 There is still less vaccine supply than necessary to meet   the needs of everyone who is eligible and wants the   vaccine. We ask for your continued patience until we get   more vaccine (coming soon!).

 Please do not double-book or no-show for your   appointment.

Oregon Convention CenterSign up here and you will be sent an invitation when a vaccine is available to you. Names are selected at random from eligible pool.

OHSU drive-thru clinics at Hillsboro Stadium and PDX Airport Red Economy Lot: Schedule online via OHSU's tool. New appointments are released at 9 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays at the very least. Other days are often added at the last minute, so you might want to visit OHSU's page weekdays at 9 a.m. if you are looking for an appointment. 

Washington County-Sponsored Community Clinics: April 23-24: Drive-thru clinic at Nike campus in Beaverton. In partnership with Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Nike and City of Beaverton. Pfizer vaccine. Schedule appointment here.

Local pharmacies:

Washington County is following advice from the FDA and CDC to pause the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine while the agencies investigate rare cases of blood clots. Nearly 7 million doses of the J & J vaccine have been given in the U.S., and 6 women developed this rare, but serious blood clot disorder within 13 days of receiving the vaccine. If you received the J&J vaccine and develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination contact your health care provider. Read the FDA's statement.

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vaccine info

vaccine info

vaccine info

COVID-19 Updates

National Numbers: 

  • Confirmed Cases: 31,484,148
  • Deaths: 564,292
  • These national numbers come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  You can view their national and state by state data here.
covid data
covid data

 

Oregon Status Report: 

  • Oregon now has 175,592 total cases (confirmed and presumptive) of COVID-19. 
  • Today we have 1,966 new confirmed and presumptive cases, and 3 new deaths. 
  • A total of 2,460 Oregonians have died from COVID-19 (previous daily case updates from OHA here)
  • Washington County has 23,492 confirmed cases, including 229 deaths.  
  • The Oregon Health Authority recently provided a Public Health Indicators Dashboard to enable communities across Oregon to monitor COVID-19 in the state. The dashboard, which will be updated weekly on Thursdays, provides a transparent report that presents complex epidemiological data in an interactive, easy-to-understand way on a state and county level
Oregon covid data

Oregon covid hotspots

Governor Kate Brown Announces Updates to County Risk Levels

Updated risk levels take effect Friday, April 23

(Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown today announced updates to county risk levels under the state's public health framework to reduce transmission and protect Oregonians from COVID-19. The framework uses four different risk levels for counties based on COVID-19 spread—Extreme Risk, High Risk, Moderate Risk, and Lower Risk—and assigns health and safety measures for each level.

Effective April 23 through May 6, there will be 23 counties in the High Risk level, three at Moderate Risk, and 10 at Lower Risk. As case counts and hospitalizations increase and counties qualify for higher risk levels, increased safety measures for businesses and activities will resume. A complete list of counties and their associated risk levels is available here.

“As we face more contagious variants and increased spread of COVID-19 in our communities, the best way to protect yourself and others is to get vaccinated," said Governor Brown. "Until you, your family, your friends, and your neighbors are fully vaccinated, it's also critical that we all continue to wear masks, maintain physical distance, and stay home when sick.”

Statewide hospitalization metrics for determining Extreme Risk
For counties to move to (or remain in) Extreme Risk, they must meet the county metrics for case rates and percent positivity, plus statewide hospitalization metrics: COVID-19 positive patients occupying 300 hospital beds or more, and a 15% increase in the seven-day hospitalization average over the past week. This week there are 11 counties that qualify for Extreme Risk based on their county metrics, but are assigned High Risk because the statewide hospitalization triggers have not been met: Baker, Clackamas, Columbia, Crook, Deschutes, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Linn, Marion, and Polk.

Three counties enter two-week caution period
The two-week caution period applies to counties facing backward movement. Counties that reduced their COVID-19 spread enough to move down in risk level in the previous two-week period, but see their numbers go back up in the next two-week period, are given a two-week caution period to re-focus efforts to drive back down creeping case numbers and give local businesses additional certainty on their plans for operating. This week, the caution period applies to three counties:

  • Grant County qualifies for High Risk but is given a two-week caution period at Lower Risk because it moved down from Moderate Risk in the last movement period.

  • Malheur County qualifies for Moderate Risk but is given a two-week caution period at Lower Risk because it moved down from Moderate Risk in the last movement period.

  • Umatilla County qualifies for High Risk but is given a two-week caution period at Moderate Risk because it moved down from High Risk in the last movement period.

The Oregon Health Authority will examine and publish county data weekly. County risk levels will be reassigned every two weeks. The first week's data will provide a "warning week" to prepare counties for potential risk level changes. The next assignment of risk levels will be announced May 4 and take effect May 7.

Updates to Warning Week data and county risk levels will be posted to coronavirus.oregon.gov.

 

The US is vaccinating millions of Americans daily. But here's why Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are up

Access the full article here.

Experts say Covid-19 vaccinations in the US are continuing at an impressive pace, and now all Americans 16 and up can get a shot. But a leading health official said that the country remains in a "complicated stage" of the pandemic.

"More people in the United States are being vaccinated every single day at an accelerated pace," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a White House Covid-19 briefing on Monday.

"On the other hand, cases and hospitalizations are increasing in some areas of the country and cases among younger people who have not yet been vaccinated are also increasing."

In the past seven days, the US reported an average of more than 67,100 new Covid-19 infections daily, according to Johns Hopkins University data. That's slightly below where the average was a week prior, but it's still 25% above where it was nearly a month ago.

And about 44,000 Covid-19 patients were in US hospitals as of Sunday, the most recent day that data was available, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. That number has generally been inching up since late March, when it dipped to around 37,900.

Experts say there are several reasons for the rise in these numbers, including dangerous coronavirus variants -- such as the more contagious B.1.1.7 strain that has helped fuel another surge in Michigan. Pandemic fatigue and more Americans moving around have also likely contributed to the rise.

"People are tired," Matthew Budd, the director of Personal & Preventative Health Services in Jackson County, Michigan, told CNN over the weekend. "We've been through all these lockdowns, we've been cooped up and ... now that it's getting warmer out people are saying 'You know, we're just tired, we want to be outside, we want to be around other people.'"

John Fox, the CEO of Beaumont Health -- Michigan's largest health care system -- also recently told CNN it didn't help that states including Michigan recently eased Covid-19 restrictions.

In addition, Fox said, some people have strayed from safety measures that help curb the spread of the virus.

"I think people have dropped their infection control issues, they're not wearing their masks as much as they should, (or) social distancing, hand hygiene," Fox said

how to avoid spreading COVID

Around Washington County

OSAA Logo

Good Luck to Glencoe at the OSAA State Speech and Debate Championships!

Coaching Speech and Debate is one of my most important jobs and I am so proud of the students at Glencoe for competing during a tough year and making it all the way to the OSAA State Championships.  This year marks the first-ever fully online State Tournament.  Tune in to support our students here.

Glencoe Speech and Debate

Last year's Speech and Debate Team!

 

earth day celebrations at Centro

 

Celebrate Dia de los Niños with Centro on April 30!

They’ll have at-home adventure packets for your whole family to enjoy together. Then join them for a virtual program with music, dancing and art at 6pm! Learn more here.


Happy Earth Day, 2021

McLain on Earth Day

Earth Day Poster

Wildfire Resources and Information

Wildfire Resources:

OEM has put together this list of contacts to help speed up the process of replacing these documents:

  • Green cards: Phone (800)-375-5283; Website: www.uscis.gov
  • Medicare cards: Phone: (800)-772-1213; (TTY) (800)-325-0778 Website: www.medicare.gov
  • Military records Phone: 866-272-6272 Website: www.archives.gov/contact/
  • Passport Phone: 877-487-2778; (TTY) 888-874-7793 Website: travel.state.gov
  • Social Security card Phone: 800-772-1213; (TTY) 800-325-0778 Website: www.ssa.gov
  • U.S. Savings Bonds Phone: 844-284-2676 Website: www.treasurydirect.gov
  • U.S. tax returns Phone: 800-829-1040 Website: www.irs.gov
  • Birth, death, marriage, domestic partnership, divorce certificates Phone: 888-896-4988 Website: www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/Birthdeathcertificates
  • Driver’s license, auto titles and registration, ID cards Phone: 503-945-5000 Website: www.oregon.gov/odot
  • SNAP (Oregon Trail Card) Website: www.oregon.gov/DHS/Assistance/Food-Benefits
  • State taxes (Oregon Dept. of Revenue) Phone: 503-378-4988 or 800-356-4222 TTY: All relay calls are accepted. Website: www.oregon.gov/dor
  • Real estate and property - Contact your county government.
  • Credit cards - Contact your credit card company directly.
  • Credit reports from Equifax, Experian, TransUnion Phone: 877-322-8228 Website: www.annualcreditreport.com
  • Insurance documents - Check with your insurance agent.
  • Medical records - Call your doctor or your medical insurance company; medical and prescription records are tracked electronically.

The Governor’s office has put together a Wildfire Resources page that you can access from the Governor’s home page.  It has links to many of the most important updates about the status of fires and resources for evacuees.  This website will be updated regularly.  

Legal Resources: Oregon State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Program, Oregon lawyers, through the Oregon State Bar, are partnering with FEMA and the American Red Cross to provide legal assistance on FEMA claims, contract claims, insurance claims, landlord-tenant matters and more.

The Department of Forestry’s Wildfire Response and Recovery Overview has ongoing updates about firefighting efforts, damage reports, and more.  

FEMA Updates: FEMA has provided several different Fact Sheets and resources for accessing benefits, determining eligibility and avoiding scams.


DMV Update

Update on the work/progress the DMV is doing to improve their customer service and work through the backlog.

Field Offices & Online Renewal

  • Since last summer, 59 of our 60 field offices have been open by appointment. The last field office still closed (our Heppner office) is scheduled to open in early May, meaning all 60 field offices will be open and operational.
  • Field offices continue to increase the number of customers served, surpassing 36,000 during this reporting week.
  • Knowledge and drive tests remain constant, at ~9,000 and ~2,400 per week respectively.
  • Online renewal is on track to go live May 5th. Though not all credential holders will be eligible, this change will capture most Oregonians, and is expected to free up significant space in field offices.

Titles

  • The vehicle backlog reduction project remains on track, with tens of thousands of title transactions imaged and entered into the system.
  • Processing times continue to improve, with standard title processing times at 16 weeks (down from a high of 20 weeks).

Additional Resources

Employers and Employees

The following list of resources is from Oregon’s Secretary of State’s Office. The fastest way to get in touch with the SOS team is by emailing business.sos@oregon.gov, using the “Need Help?” button found on most state agency websites or visiting www.oregon.gov/smallbusiness.

Education Links

Local Government

Utilities Assistance

Food and Housing Assistance


Governor

Emergency

Oregon Health Authority

CDC

The Capitol

At the Capitol this week! 

Yours truly,

Representative Susan McLain

Representative Susan McLain
House District 29

email: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1429
address: 900 Court St NE, H-376, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mclain