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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Yesterday, Governor Kate Brown made an important announcement about Oregon’s reopening plans, which could see Multnomah and Washington counties moving to low risk next Friday and the state as a whole reopening sometime in June. I’ve included more information about this announcement below, as well as updates on this session’s policy work (including an explainer on SB 554, the gun safety bill) and information about the budget process. Finally, I hope you’ll be able to join me at my upcoming town hall, details of which you can find below.
May Town Hall
My next virtual Town Hall will take place on Tuesday, May 25th, from 5:30-6:30 PT. Town Halls are a chance for me to answer your questions and hear from you about the issues you care about. Registration is required, and you can do so here.
Vaccine Targets Announced
On the 11th, Governor Kate Brown reported some exciting news about the current state of Oregon vaccination rates as well as her vaccine targets for reopening. As of Tuesday, two million Oregonians have received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, nearly 60% of the state’s population 16 and older.
In order to reopen the state fully, Governor Brown has set a target of 70% of adults 16 and older. If vaccination continues at the same rate as it has been, this could see Oregon reopening in mid-June. Additionally, counties that reach a 65% rate can move into the ‘low risk’ categories beginning next Friday, May 21st. Multnomah and Washington counties are both expected to hit this target by the 21st.
This is extremely exciting news, and I am so proud of the extraordinary work the state has done to get this vaccine out. In order for us to meet these goals, and resume life as it was, I urge you to get vaccinated and to encourage your community to do so as well.
All adults age 16 and above are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Oregon. To make an appointment, visit Oregon.gov’s COVID Vaccine Finder. Through this website, you can find open appointments and sign up to receive text or email notifications about vaccine information and vaccine events happening near you. If you are unable to use the online tool, you can also contact 211 for vaccine registration information. Text ORVAX to 898211 (English and Spanish only), email ORCOVID@211info.org or call 211 or 1-866-698-6155. If you’re having difficulty scheduling an appointment, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office by emailing sen.elizabethsteinerhayward@oregonlegislature.gov.
For more details on this announcement, you can find the Governor’s press release here.
Policy Work
My two policy bills, SCR 3 and SJR 12, had hearings in House Rules and House Health respectively, on May 6th. On April 27th, I was able to testify in Senate Rules about another bill I’m co-chief sponsoring, HB 2560 A, which requires a governing entity of public body, to extent reasonably possible, to make all meetings accessible remotely through technological means and provide opportunity for members of general public to remotely submit oral and written testimony. COVID-19 has heightened our awareness of the need for accessibility in our public forums, and I’m excited to be working on legislation that will continue to make government work accessible for all, post-pandemic.
Senate Bill 554: Common Sense Gun Safety
On May 5, the Senate re-passed Senate Bill 554. The bill had previously passed in March before heading to the House where it was amended to include provisions around safe storage. Once the House passed it, the bill returned to the Senate, where it re-passed with 17 aye votes.
As a legislator and as a physician, common sense gun safety legislation is an important issue to me, both as a matter of policy and as a matter of public health, and I was proud to be a co-sponsor of this bill. I believe that SB 554 maintains the rights of gun owners while also addressing important concerns like safe storage. This bill was endorsed by the Democratic Party of Oregon’s Gun Owners Caucus, whose chair, Michael Smith, wrote that this “evidence-based, behavior focused, health care-centered approach to gun safety is a big step in the right direction.”
So what exactly does SB 554 say? You can find the full text here, the House Rules staff summary here, and a summary from OPB here. Below, I’ve laid out some of the main points:
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Safe Storage: Requires that firearms, when not carried by or under the control of the owner, possessor or authorized person, be secured by means of an engaged trigger or cable lock, or in a locked container, or in a gun room.
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Supervision: Requires that a person who delivers or otherwise transfers a firearm to a minor shall directly supervise the minor’s use of the firearm (exceptions are granted for hunting or target practice, with a parent/guardian’s consent)
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Reporting Stolen Firearms: Requires gun owners to report a stolen firearm within 72 hours of noticing it’s gone, in most situations.
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Public Building Concealed Carry: Makes it a class A misdemeanor for concealed handgun licensed carriers to carry a gun in the State Capitol or terminals of PDX. Allows for schools, colleges, and universities to enact similar bans.
Budget Work
My work as a Co-Chair of the Full Ways & Means committee continues to ramp up, and crafting sustainable, balanced budgets for all of our state agencies continues to be the main focus of my work this session. Each long legislative session it is the legislature’s responsibility to pass budget bills to keep the state government moving, and our work revolves around this core task. Right now my fellow Co-Chairs and I are working diligently (oftentimes up to 3-4 hours each day) to answer the most pressing questions around making smart investments in state programs and services. One of the biggest questions we’re facing is how to navigate allocation of federal resources with limited (or no) guidance on an extremely quick timeline: between direct community, agency, and state federal aid, what are the smartest ways to invest to maximize these resources? We are also beginning to dig into the policy bills that have been referred to the Ways & Means committee (generally, any bill with a fiscal cost of $50,000 or more) and how they complement and interact with other agency spending priorities, reductions, and short vs long term investments. As we move closer to the end of session, we will also begin evaluating proposed capital construction (general fund and lottery bond) proposals. This year is unique as we await more clarity around the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) resources and plan for an even more difficult budget cycle expected in the 2023-25 biennium. I have received a lot of feedback from you, my constituents, and Oregonians across the state on how best to spend these funds, and I encourage you to continue providing feedback so we can best address community concerns.
As always, I enjoy and value hearing from you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with comments or questions via email (sen.elizabethsteinerhayward@oregonlegislature.gov).
Warmly,
Elizabeth
 Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward MD
Senate District 17
email: Sen.ElizabethSteinerHayward@oregonlegislature.gov
phone: 503-986-1717
address: 900 Court St NE, S-215, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/steinerhayward
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