You can read our previous newsletters here.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As Co-Chair of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education, I am proud to announce that we are advancing a $9.3 billion State School Fund budget!  Our committee has worked very hard to ensure that we pass a budget that can represent the challenges that our K-12 schools face.  I’m proud of this education budget plan because it allows us to support our schools while recognizing the need to invest in other urgently needed services as well.  Please read more about the budget in the 'Updates from Salem' section below.

After a year of isolation and time lost with family, this Mother's Day was very special to me.  My immediate family are almost all vaccinated and we were able to spend a lovely day together outside in the sun.  It is a relief to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I am thankful for the science that made the vaccines possible.  The faster we can vaccinate Oregonians, the slower the COVID virus spreads and the sooner we can loosen restrictions, including mask-wearing.  Governor Brown has just announced her plan to reopen but to get there, we need to reach a 70% vaccination rate - this is necessary for our health and our economy.  If you still need help finding a vaccine appointment, you can visit getvaccinated.oregon.gov and schedule one or review the local information for Washington County in the section on 'Vaccine Updates' below.

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

Instructions for how to testify:   English instructions here Aquí están las instrucciones

May is Mental Health Awareness Month!

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year’s theme is “You are not alone.” The goal of the national campaign is to promote a shared vision of a nation where anyone affected by mental illness can get the appropriate support and quality of care to live a healthy, fulfilling life - a nation where no one feels alone in their struggle. Please click on the image below to go to the National Alliance on Mental Health or call one of these numbers if you need to talk with someone or be connected with services. Alcohol and Drug Help Line 1-800-923-4357 Mental Health Crisis/Suicide 1-800-273-8255 Problem Gambling 1-877-695-4648 Military Helpline 1-888-457-4838 Youthline 1-877-968-8491

It's Oregon STEM Week!

It is the 7th annual STEM Week Oregon, a state-wide movement to raise awareness, celebrate, and engage in activities involving Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math.  Click on the image below for more information about STEM efforts in our state and for STEM Week activities.

Bill Updates and Highlights

Senate Bill 563 - Youth Suicide Prevention

Today I was proud to vote for Senate Bill 563 because we need to provide behavioral health support to our youth struggling with suicidal ideation. Oregon has a Youth Suicide Intervention and Prevention Coordinator, informed by a Youth Suicide Intervention and Prevention Advisory Committee, within the Oregon Health Authority.  They develop and maintain strategies to address youth access to mental health interventions, best practices for intervention, increasing outreach to at-risk youth, improving intervention opportunities via social media and the internet, and involving coordination and communications between educational institutions, local mental health authorities, and organizations that serve youth. 

However, provisions governing youth suicide prevention and interventions are currently applicable to youth age 10 to 24.  Senate Bill 563 changes the age range to include children starting at age 5.

Senate Bill 563 passed 52-0 and now heads to the Governor's desk.

House Bill 2323 A - Voter Protections Against Misinformation

Today the Oregon House passed House Bill 2323 A, a crucial bill that prohibits knowingly communicating materially false statements about date of election, deadline for delivering ballot, voter registration deadline, method of registering to vote, locations at which elector may deposit ballot, qualifications of electors or voter registration status within 30 days of primary election or special election or within 60 days of general election.

The bill aims to protect voters, especially among our most vulnerable populations, who may not have the resources or time to crosscheck and verify information.

The bill looks to compliment current statute, ORS 260.532, which prohibits a person from knowingly communicating false information about a candidate, political committee, or measure. HB 2323 A will add circulation by electronic or telephonic statements to ORS 260.532, and requires voters’ pamphlets printed or circulated, including by electronic means, to be clearly marked as not official.

The bill also requires imitation voters’ pamphlets printed or circulated, including by electronic means, to be clearly marked as not official and establishes civil penalty of $10,000 for each violation.

House Bill 3110 A passed 54-3 and now moves onto the Senate for consideration.

House Bill 2564 - Willamette Falls Locks Authority

The Oregon House voted in support of House Bill 2564, a bill that creates the Willamette Falls Locks authority, a public corporation that will establish ownership, oversight and management of the Willamette Falls Locks project. That would include repairing, maintaining, upgrading and operating the Willamette Falls Locks project and associated properties and facilities for commercial, transportation, recreational, cultural, historic, heritage and tourism purposes. This legislation is the most recent step to re-operationalize the Locks since they were declared non-operational in 2011.

This legislative concept was previously brought forth during the 2020 session as House Bill 4150. The bill passed unanimously in the House but died in the Senate after Senate Republicans walked out, effectively ending the session.

HB 2564, which passed 54 to 3, will now move to the Senate for consideration.

Senate Bill 282 - Renters Backpay Extension

Today, the Oregon legislature voted to pass Senate Bill 282, a bill that extends the repayment period for residential rent owed during the COVID state of emergency to February 28, 2022. The bill looks to protect Oregonians, especially the state’s most vulnerable populations, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, who are more likely to be renters and have been disproportionately impacted by COVID. The legislation also ensure that Oregon tenants and landlords can get the full benefit of the hundreds of millions of dollars in federal rent assistance coming to our state.

In addition to the repayment period extension, this legislation also temporarily allows families to share housing that would be in violation of landlord-imposed occupancy limits and protects against the use of COVID-era rental and credit records when tenants apply to rent in the future.

SB 282 passed 39-17, and now heads to the Governor’s desk.

Hearing Update This week the Senate Education Committee heard my testimony on House Bill 3254, which I am proud to sponsor.  This bill provides important funding for two residential treatment programs in my community that provide an invaluable service. Specifically, these residential treatment sites serve students with co-occurring mental health and developmental disabilities. Not only are these programs designed to deal with academic and behavioral issues, but they provide high-quality mental health services to students in need. They offer a safe environment to students who may be unsafe in typical school environments. And the programs serve students locally in their own communities and have transitioned many students back to their old neighborhood schools successfully. Please click on the image in the above right corner to watch the hearing testimony.

Updates from Salem

House and Senate Democrats Prioritize Education Funding, Advance $9.3 Billion School Funding Plan

State School Fund will stabilize neighborhood school budgets as communities emerge from COVID pandemic

As communities across Oregon make plans for reemerging from the COVID-19 crisis, Democrats in the State Legislature will advance a $9.3 billion funding plan for K-12 schools tomorrow.

Passing this $9.3 billion State School Fund budget will help Oregon’s nearly 200 school districts move forward with plans to support students, families, and teachers after a year in which COVID-19 and historic wildfires exacerbated disparities in education.

“We know that the past year has been hard for many, many students across Oregon,” said Sen. Lew Frederick, co-chair of the Education Subcommittee of Ways and Means. “While some students have thrived under remote learning environments, others have had a tougher time. No matter what the public health situation looks like in the fall, it’s obvious that we need to adequately fund our schools so that they can meet the diverse needs of their entire student body and make a targeted effort at supporting their BIPOC students and families.” 

This plan hinges on the utilization of $200 million in funding from the Education Stability Fund, a rainy day fund for schools in times of crisis. The Legislature’s attorneys have confirmed that the trigger for accessing these funds has been met. Oregon will still have over a billion dollars in reserves after this transfer of funds, keeping the state in a strong financial position.

The Legislature’s $9.3 billion school funding proposal is in addition to the $250 million for summer learning and enrichment programs allocated to school districts and community organizations earlier this year. That funding will allow many students to catch up and prepare for the next school year. Additionally, schools will continue receiving funding from the landmark Student Success Act, which directs corporate tax revenue to classrooms and school programs with an emphasis on meeting the needs of Oregon’s BIPOC students.

“This moment demands investments to meet the most vital needs of Oregonians: stable housing, affordable health care, economic recovery, workforce development, and removing systemic and institutional barriers that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities face in Oregon,” said Rep. Susan McLain, co-chair of the Education Subcommittee on Ways and Means. “I’m proud of this education budget plan because it allows us to support our schools while recognizing the need to invest in other urgently needed services as well.”

Much more work is needed to support students who have been historically underserved and face achievement disparities. Governor Kate Brown is leading an effort to make foundational reforms through the establishment and ongoing work of the Racial Justice Council. Legislative leadership looks forward to ongoing work on policy and budget priorities that will meet equity goals across early learning, K-12 and higher education.

Governor Kate Brown Sets Vaccination Targets for Oregon to Begin to More Fully Reopen Economy

(Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown today announced vaccination targets to more fully reopen Oregon's economy, setting a 70% statewide goal to reach Oregonians 16 and older with a first dose to lift most Risk Level restrictions. Additionally, beginning on May 21, counties will have the option of moving to the Lower Risk level once 65% of county residents 16 and older have received at least one vaccine dose, and counties have submitted a complete plan to close equity gaps in vaccination.

“Thanks to you, Oregon, it looks like we’ve crossed the tipping point of the fourth surge,” said Governor Brown. "Our hospitalization rates have stabilized. Our infection rates are on a downward trajectory. And in the race between vaccines and variants, our efforts to vaccinate Oregonians are taking the lead.

"We still have some work to do to reach our 70% goal, but I am confident we can get there in June and return Oregon to a sense of normalcy.

“So Oregon, this is our goal. We each play a part. If you have already been vaccinated, thank you. Now help a friend, family member or neighbor make an appointment. Spread the word that folks can call 2-1-1 or visit covidvaccine.oregon.gov for more information.”

Statewide lifting of Risk Level framework

Statewide, the Governor announced her goal that Oregon reach 70% of the population 16 and older with a first vaccine dose in order to more fully reopen Oregon’s economy by lifting most of the health and safety restrictions imposed by the Risk Level framework.

• After achieving 70%, Oregon may continue requiring some use of masks and physical distancing and will continue to evaluate the use of these tools as we learn more from the CDC and evaluate Oregon’s COVID-19 conditions and experience.
• All other health and safety requirements for counties under the Risk Level framework will be lifted, and counties will no longer be assigned risk levels. (Oregon public schools will still be required to follow Ready Schools, Safe Learners health and safety requirements, with the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Education updating that guidance for the 2021-22 school year to lift most restrictions based on CDC guidance.)
• Statewide, Oregon must continue to work towards closing equity gaps for communities of color.

Counties eligible for option to move to Lower Risk, beginning May 21

Beginning May 21, the Governor announced, counties will have the option to move weekly to the Lower Risk health and safety restrictions in Oregon’s Risk Level Framework. County movements will be announced on May 18. To move to Lower Risk, counties must:

• Reach 65% of the county population 16 or older with a first vaccine dose.
• Submit a complete plan to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) which details how the county will close the equity gaps in their vaccination efforts.
• Counties will be eligible for state resources to help achieve these goals, and will be eligible for additional funding as they demonstrate making progress towards closing their equity gaps.

County Risk Level movements, effective May 14

Governor Brown today also announced updates to county risk levels under the state's public health framework to reduce transmission and protect Oregonians from COVID-19. This week, Grant, Lincoln, and Wasco counties will move to the Moderate Risk level, down from High Risk. Effective Friday, May 14, 21 counties will remain in High Risk, 7 counties will be in Moderate Risk, and 8 counties will be in Lower Risk.

A complete list of counties and their risk levels is available here.

With Oregon no longer meeting the statewide hospitalization metrics for Extreme Risk, following this week, Oregon will return to a two-week cycle for risk level changes for counties that have not vaccinated at least 65% of their population. Following the announcement of county movements to Lower Risk based on reaching vaccination goals on May 18, the next risk level changes will be announced on Tuesday, May 25, to take effect on Friday, May 28.

Additional Materials

• A copy of the Governor's prepared remarks from today's press conference is available here.
• More information on vaccines is available at covidvaccine.oregon.gov.

Video Links

• A recording of today's live-streamed press conference is available on YouTube. Please note the video starts at the 18:09 mark.
• A recording of a Spanish language translation is available on OHA's Facebook page.

Vaccine Updates

Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine receives Emergency Use Authorization for 12 to 15 year olds

Washington Co. Vaccine Information: NEW! You can now WALK IN to the Oregon Convention Center for a vaccination, or you can schedule your own first-dose COVID-19 vaccination appointment there via this new website. It works best using Chrome, Edge or Safari. The Pfizer vaccine is given at this location, so it's a great option for those ages 16 and up. Get Vaccinated Oregon Sign up here and you will be sent an invitation when a vaccine appointment is available to you. Appointments are for the Oregon Convention Center as well as other locations, including some in Washington County. Children ages 12-15 should be authorized and eligible SOON for the Pfizer vaccine. You can sign them up on Get Vaccinated Oregon's website NOW. 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.  Local pharmacies: As of April 27, 2021, pharmacies are required to offer second/boost doses to people who received their first dose somewhere else. Safeway and Albertsons Costco Walgreens (or 1-800-WALGREENS)  Walmart Bi-Mart Rite Aid CVS Fred Meyer How much does the vaccine cost?  Vaccines are provided free of charge to the recipient. If you have health insurance, you may be asked to provide that information so the vaccinator can bill your insurance an administration fee.  Johnson & Johnson Update: On April 23, the Food and Drug Administration lifted the pause on the use of the J&J vaccine, with a warning about the potential for rare blood clots for women under age 50. The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup also found that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is “generally safe and effective and that the resumption of its use is warranted once culturally and linguistically appropriate patient and provider educational materials in plain language that support informed decision-making are available.” The FDA has provided an updated Q&A about the J&J vaccine. The Oregon Health Authority says that Oregon health care providers and pharmacies may resume administering the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine if they can ensure patients or their caregivers are informed about the benefits and risks of the vaccine in their primary language.

COVID-19 Updates

National Numbers: 

• Confirmed Cases: 32,571,814
• Deaths: 579,366
• These national numbers come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  You can view their national and state by state data here.

Oregon Status Report: 

• Oregon now has 191,774 total cases (confirmed and presumptive) of COVID-19.

• Today we have 369 new confirmed and presumptive cases, and 6 new deaths. 

• A total of 2,549 Oregonians have died from COVID-19 (previous daily case updates from OHA here)

• Washington County has 25,362 confirmed cases, including 231 deaths.  

• The Oregon Health Authority provides 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

Variants and the rise in COVID-19 cases

You may be wondering why cases have been on the rise recently, especially as we see an increase in vaccination across the state. There are two answers to this question – variants that are more transmissible and increased social gatherings without face coverings. 

Sequencing of COVID-19 variants allows scientists to monitor how the COVID-19 virus changes over time into new variants, and to understand how these changes affect characteristics of the virus such as how easily the virus spreads or how many severe infections it causes. They use this information to predict and to measure how these changes might affect the spread of COVID-19. 

Read more about variants on the OHA blog. 

Q and A on COVID-19 variants: Experts answer your questions

Around Washington County

Forest Grove motel to become 'culturally specific' shelter

This article appeared in the Forest Grove News-Times on 5/7/21

Centro Cultural de Washington County plans to turn a motel in Forest Grove into a respite shelter for people impacted by COVID-19 and other at-risk groups after receiving grant funding for the project.

The Cornelius-based nonprofit, which assists low-income Latino families, received a $2.2 million grant from Project Turnkey to purchase the 20-room Forest Grove Inn at 4433 Pacific Ave., according to a Tuesday, May 4, announcement from the Oregon Community Foundation.

The foundation is administering Project Turnkey, which was created by the Oregon State Legislature last fall using $65 million.

The project seeks to turn hotels across the state into non-congregate shelters for single adults experiencing homelessness and people impacted by the 2020 wildfires and the pandemic.

The grant is the second provided by Project Turnkey in Washington County. In April, the program awarded a grant to Washington Count to operate a year-round shelter in Hillsboro.

In addition to being a COVID-19 respite shelter for displaced, low-income Latino families, the Forest Grove property will also serve seasonal and migrant farmworkers and others needing shelter, OCF officials said.

People at the shelter will have access to meals, clothing, and essentials such as showers, laundry and hygiene items.

Long-term, Centro plans to offer Latino shelter residents trauma-informed and culturally specific programs to help them attain stability.

Maria Caballero Rubio, director of Centro, said in a statement the pandemic and its disproportionate impact on Latinos have "challenged Centro like no other time in our organization's history."

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Latinos in Washington County and across the state have contracted COVID-19 at a higher rate than other groups. Nearly 40% of positive cases in Washington County are among people who identify as Hispanic while the group accounts for 15% of the population, according to county data.

Research suggests disparities in housing, transportation and employment in jobs such as agriculture and food processing put Latinos at a higher risk of exposure to COVID-19, according to a review led by OHSU and the VA Portland Health Care System published last December.

Caballero Rubio said the pandemic pushed many working people assisted by Centro into homelessness.

"Before the pandemic, many people were renting a garage, basement, or attic and sometimes an extra bedroom for an entire family in a relative's home," she said. "These are who are referred to as 'the working poor' who often work (two) jobs to make ends meet and some may not have work status so if they don't show up for work, they are replaced the same day. They have been on the verge of homelessness for a while."

Caballero Rubio said the grant helps Centro fulfill its mission to assist those working people.

During the pandemic, homeless people have been using the Forest Grove Inn for shelter through a room voucher program by Washington County.

Caballero Rubio said there are 18 people already using the motel as a shelter through the county's program.

People currently using the motel as a shelter will be able to continue through June, Caballero Rubio said, adding that Centro will take ownership of the motel on May 21.

Some people wishing to access Centro's culturally specific programs will continue to stay there between July and September, while others won't, Caballero Rubio said.

"Our goal is to secure funding through September to provide transitional services for them like connecting them with services, getting into treatment if necessary, finding permanent housing so they don't have to go back to the street," she said. "We will help those who want to prepare for a job through our workforce training center."

In September, Centro plans to renovate the motel, adding kitchenettes to the rooms, to operate the nonprofit's culturally specific programs long-term, she said.

Wildfire Recovery

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.

• How to Appeal a FEMA Disaster Assistance Decision
• Oregonians Affected by Wildfires: Flood Risk and Insurance; Fraud Awareness
• FEMA Rental Assistance May Be A Valuable Housing Solution for Oregon Wildfire Survivors
• Citizenship and Immigration Status Requirements for FEMA Disaster Assistance
• What to Expect When Applying with FEMA
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance Available for Oregon Wildfire Survivors
• Look Out for Disaster Fraud, Scams
• Understanding a FEMA Determination Letter, How to Appeal

• FEMA Approves Direct Housing Mission

• Apply with FEMA Even if You Have Insurance

Unemployment Department Updates

Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC)

We are about to launch the sixth new federal pandemic-related benefit program: Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC). We remain on track to start accepting applications for MEUC starting May 11th, and making payments to people about three weeks after they submit their documents.

We will have more information on MEUC, including specific application instructions, on our website soon. In the meantime, visit our MEUC FAQ to learn more about the program.

Finally, our next webinar on Thursday, May 13th will cover the MEUC program. This will be an opportunity to learn more about the program and to get questions answered by our subject matter experts. Anyone can sign up to attend this webinar live, or watch it online any time after we publish the recording.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

As we have mentioned in past briefings, recent federal law changes now require people receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) to submit proof of their employment or self-employment to be eligible for benefits. We are required by federal law to stop paying benefits if people do not submit the appropriate documentation by the deadline.

We received updated guidance from the Department of Labor describing this requirement in January, 2021. Since then, we have publicly shared information about the federal requirements and deadline, including instructions on what claimants need to submit.

To date, more than 21,000 people have submitted correct proof of employment (POE) information, while approximately 15,000 people have either not provided the correct documentation, or have not responded at all.

Our simple online interactive tool can help people figure out what documentation to submit. PUA claimants who have not yet met the proof of employment requirement can still submit documentation and resume their benefits.

We are reaching out to these PUA claimants to make sure they understand what steps they need to take to continue receiving benefits.

If people receive denial letters but believe they have submitted acceptable information, they can file an appeal. They can go to unemployment.oregon.gov and click “Appeals and Hearings” in the Quick Links section for instructions on how to file an appeal.

New “Contact Us” Form

Last week, we launched our new and improved customer service form. Before we can respond to inquiries and answer questions about claims in our new system, we need to verify claimants’ identity. Every time a person submits a ticket using our new form, they will receive an email with instructions on how to verify their identity. This identity verification process protects claimants’ identities and ensures we safely and securely email people back.

People can choose to respond via email or by logging in to our “Contact Us” portal. If they do NOT respond to the identity verification email, their ticket will be closed.

Response time frames will vary, depending on each question or situation—just as response times varied with the previous iteration of this form. Depending on the topic, some issues can be solved very quickly, while others are more complex and can take more time. We are still responding to inquiries submitted to our previous “Contact Us” form, and anticipate fully working through that backlog in the next four weeks. 

As a reminder: We will never ask for social security numbers. Claimants should never share their social security number over email or text.

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Resources

American Rescue Plan Information

• The Treasury Department launched a new website www.treasury.gov/coronavirus; please check it regularly for updates.  Here is the Treasury’s Small Business Programs page and the Restaurant Relief Fund www.sba.gov/restaurants.
• Please sign up for our IGA email list here to stay updated with our office and for information on our weekly briefings on Thursdays at 4pmET.  Looking forward to working with you.

Additional resources:

American Rescue Plan and Asian American & Pacific Islander Communities

American Rescue Plan and Women

American Rescue Plan and Black Communities

American Rescue Plan and Latino Communities

American Rescue Plan and Native Communities

American Rescue Plan and Small Businesses

American Rescue Plan and Health Care Costs & Disparities

American Rescue Plan and the Marketplace

American Rescue Plan and Rural America

American Rescue Plan and Housing Provisions

American Rescue Plan and Veterans

American Rescue Plan and Indian Affairs Programs

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.

• Unemployment options at https://unemployment.oregon.gov/
• Work Share program at oregonworkshare.com
• The Oregon Labor and Industries Technical Assistance for Employers page at https://www.oregon.gov/BOLI/TA/pages/index.aspx  has information about employer obligations and responsibilities.
• Business Oregon has a robust list of financial resources including non-bank lenders at https://www.oregon4biz.com/Coronavirus-Information/ 
• The US Small Business Administration offers disaster assistance in the form of SBA loans to designated states. Information about these loans is available at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/Information/Index 
• The latest COVID-19/Coronavirus information on resources for workers and business owners is available at https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Pages/coronavirus2020.aspx 
• Oregon Secretary of State’s business resources can be found at www.oregon.gov/smallbusiness or you can email questions to business.sos@oregon.gov. 

Education Links

• Hillsboro School District (en inglés y español)
• Forest Grove School District (en inglés y español) 
• Oregon Department of Education
• COVID-19 Resources for Oregon Higher Education Partners

Local Government

• City of Hillsboro (en inglés, español y más idiomas) 
• City of Cornelius (en inglés, español y más idiomas)
• City of Forest Grove
• Washington County

Utilities Assistance

• Portland General Electric (en inglés y español) 
• NW Natural
• City of Hillsboro Utility Billing 
• Comcast 
• CenturyLink
• AT&T 

Food and Housing Assistance

• Community Action.org
• Oregon Food Bank
• Meals on Wheels

The Meadowlark, Oregon's beautiful state bird. 

Deep into the beautiful Columbia River Gorge.  It is one of my absolute favorite places in Oregon!

Yours truly,

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