You can read our previous newsletters here.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I hope you all have a safe and healthy Memorial Day, remembering our fallen veterans and honoring those who continue to protect our country. My father served in WWII and my late husband served in the Vietnam War. I remember all who lost their lives and families left behind.

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

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 on How to Testify: English instructions here Aquí están las instrucciones

The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs will honor the nation’s fallen service members this Memorial Day during a virtual Statewide Memorial Day Ceremony, in line with continuing gathering limits in place in many areas due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

 ODVA Director Kelly Fitzpatrick will serve as emcee and one of the event’s keynote speakers, delivering remarks on the theme of unity. The event will also feature remarks by other honored veterans and distinguished guests, as well as pre-recorded ceremonial elements filmed on location (with no audience) at the Oregon Korean War Memorial in Wilsonville. These elements include a color guard ceremony, the national anthem, a wreath-laying ceremony and Taps.

 The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is grateful to the Oregon Military Department, Oregon National Guard, City of Wilsonville and Korean War Veterans Association for their support of this unique event.

 The ceremony will premiere virtually at 10 a.m. Monday, May 31 on ODVA’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/odvavet) and YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAQVavs9KmvDeJ42ySFtY8A).

2021 Session: Bill Highlights

• House Bill 2165: Governor Brown signed this bill this past Wednesday. The legislation was introduced by the Governor’s Office to expand access to electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, particularly to people with low incomes and people of color. HB 2165 addresses equity by expanding the benefits of vehicle electrification to communities of color, rural, and low-income communities across Oregon. It also helps Oregon achieve its ambitious electric vehicle goals through an extension of the state’s successful EV rebate program and the collection of a new utility charge for utilities to expand EV infrastructure.

• House Bill 2001: This bill was passed out of the House this past Tuesday and it would require a school district that is making reductions in educator staff positions to retain teachers with less seniority if the teachers have more merit and if retention of teachers is necessary to maintain the school district's diversity ratio. It is important for our educator body to properly reflect our diverse student and general population here in Oregon.

• SB 79 A: This bill was passed yesterday, and expands uses of the Home Ownership Assistance Account to include funding grants and technical assistance for organizations working to increase access to homeownership for low-income individuals and people of color. Housing affordability, accessibility and homeownership are central to the BIPOC Caucus’ priorities for this Session.

Updates from Salem

Governor Kate Brown Orders Flags Lowered to Half-Staff to Honor the Victims of the Tragedy in San Jose, California

• Governor Kate Brown ordered all flags at Oregon public institutions to be flown at half-staff until sunset, May 30, 2021 to honor and remember the victims of the shooting in San Jose, California.

The full Presidential Proclamation is available at the White House website.

Interstate Bridge Replacement Update

Bi-State Legislative Committee holds May meeting The Bi-State Legislative Committee is made up of eight legislators from each state that provide oversight and guidance to the program (formed as the Joint Oregon-Washington Legislative Action Committee in Washington and the Joint Committee on the Interstate Bridge in Oregon). On May 25, members received an update on IBR program progress and community engagement activities that have occurred since their last meeting in December 2020, prior to the start of their respective legislative sessions. The committee provided feedback to the program on the approach and next steps to identify an IBR solution, and discussed drafting a letter from the committee to the federal delegation. Review the meeting and materials from the May 25 Bi-State Legislative Committee.   Upcoming Listening Sessions Tell us about your experience, registration is required to participate.   Downtown Vancouver Listening Session: Tuesday, June 1, 5:30 – 7 p.m. Active Transportation Listening Session: Tuesday, June 8, 5:30 – 7 p.m. Sustainability and Climate Listening Session: Thursday, June 17, 5:30 – 7 p.m.

Myth versus Fact!

Vaccine Updates

Washington Co. Vaccine Information: Every Oregonian age 12 and up is eligible for a vaccine. Twelve to 14 year-olds must be accompanied by either a parent, guardian or someone designated by the parent. If someone other than a parent or guardian accompanies the 12 to 14-year-old, they will need to provide proof of parental/guardian consent.  Proof of consent is either: A signed consent form (available in English and Spanish on the All4OR.org site)  A written or typed note that includes the parent/guardians name, relationship to the young adult, their date of birth, a statement saying they consent to young adult being vaccinated and the parent/guardian signature. Fifteen-year-olds do not need to be accompanied, and do not require parental consent in the state of Oregon. 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.  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 open to public:  Appointments are preferred at our clinics, but you can walk in up to an hour before the clinic closes. Further details for the following clinics are available at the scheduling link.  5/29 Johnson & Johnson @ St. Anthony's Church in Tigard 6/1 Johnson & Johnson @ St. Anthony's Church in Tigard 6/5 Johnson & Johnson @ Hillsboro Senior Center  Columbia Sportswear drive-through clinic in Beaverton: June 6-7. Pfizer vaccine for ages 12+. Make your appointment here! Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Centers: All vaccination events are open to the community, do not require an appointment, and do not require you to be a Virginia Garcia patient. You do not have to have insurance in order to receive a vaccine. If you have insurance, please bring your card with you. Remember, vaccines are free! 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

Commemorate Memorial Day Weekend in the safest way!

Changes made to counties  in Lower Risk 

*This article comes from the Oregon Health Authority Press Release. Click the link above to read more. 

• For counties in Lower Risk, vaccinated sections at businesses, venues and faith institutions will provide the following opportunities:  
• Fully vaccinated individuals ages 16 and older who have proof that they are fully vaccinated will not have to worry about capacity limits or physically distance in vaccinated sections.  
• Businesses, venues and faith institutions have the option to require additional safety protocols within their vaccinated sections.  
• All children up to age 15 wearing a face covering will be permitted in vaccinated sections if they are accompanied by a fully vaccinated parent of guardian.  
• Unvaccinated sections must continue to use masks, physically distance and abide by capacity limits. 
• Unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or individuals whose vaccination status has not been confirmed will continue to count towards the capacity limits identified in the guidance. 
• Fully vaccinated individuals in areas designated only for fully vaccinated individuals do not count toward capacity limits. To be eligible for this allowance, establishments must confirm the vaccination status of fully vaccinated individuals.  
• You can see more on Risk Levels on the updated chart. Read more about this in the Oregon Vaccine News blog. 

Oregon surpasses 200,000 COVID-19 cases

*This article comes from the Oregon Health Authority Press Release. Click the link above to read more. 

National Numbers: 

• Confirmed Cases: 33,018,965
• Deaths: 589,547
• 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 200,000 total cases (confirmed and presumptive) of COVID-19.

• Today we have 433 new confirmed and presumptive cases, and 21 new deaths. 

• A total of 2,679 Oregonians have died from COVID-19 (previous daily case updates from OHA here)

• Washington County has 26,215 confirmed cases, including 237 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

Around the Region

Ralph Brown's family holds press conference seeking help

*This article comes from Hillsboro NewsTimes. Click the link above to read more. 

Wildfire Recovery 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

Employment Department Updates

Economic Update

• This past Monday, we released the April jobs numbers and unemployment rates for all of Oregon’s counties and metropolitan areas.
• County unemployment rates show much the same picture as statewide: in rural and urban areas alike, unemployment rates are far below the peak levels we saw just one year ago, and are actually much closer to their record lows.

It’s encouraging to see more counties moving into the lower COVID risk category, which allows local economies in Benton, Deschutes, Hood River, Lincoln, Washington, and soon Multnomah counties to more fully open.

• Whatever the challenges facing employers in these – and all – counties as economic recovery continues and hiring picks up again, we’re committed to helping businesses get the qualified workers they need and to helping workers find jobs.

Return to Work reminders

• We are reminding people that work search requirements are turning back on in phases, starting with registration in iMatchSkills® .
• Since about 220,000 people need to register, we are notifying claimants in waves to make sure they can get the help they need and connect with a WorkSource Oregon employee, if needed. If people do not register in iMatchSkills® by their deadline, their benefits will stop.
• Who do iMatchSkills requirements apply to?
• Right now, the iMatchSkills® work search requirements are for people receiving Regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC)
•  iMatchSkills® registration requirements also apply to new and restarted claims.
• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) requirements are being finalized and will be announced soon, however, PUA claimants are welcome to register now if they would like help finding employment.
• ●     Our Unemployment.Oregon.gov/ReturnToWork landing page has more information, including an iMatchSkills step-by-step guide and registration for an upcoming claimant-focused webinar.

Benefit Increase Starts Next Week for Part-Time and Lower-Wage Workers

• House Bill 3178 allows more part-time workers to earn up to $300 AND continue receiving unemployment benefits until January 2022.
•  It also helps provide incentives for people, particularly lower-wage workers, to return to work, especially if they’re unable to work full-time.
• To benefit from HB 3178, claimants just need to continue to claim weekly like normal. We anticipate people who are now able to receive benefits under this law will be able to start getting those benefits in early June – when the law allows us to make those payments.
• Some people have not been eligible for benefits until HB 3178 passed. To benefit from HB 3178, claimants do NOT need to call, they just need file a claim or continue claiming each week.

School Employees and School Recess update

• We’ve begun mailing questionnaires to school employees asking for their job title and work functions. Because benefit eligibility for school workers depends on a person’s job duties, this information will help us figure out if they qualify for benefits and will help reduce adjudication wait times.
• Senate Bill 496 provides exemption to food production workers, school employees who provide early intervention services and support for early interventions services, and school employees who provide prekindergarten services and support for prekindergarten services for reasonable assurance requirements. If SB 496 passes, it will go into effect Wednesday, Sept. 1, so it will NOT be in effect for the 2021 summer recess period.

Help prevent fraud - Look out for ‘Return to Work’ scams

• We know from the 2007 Great Recession that criminals try to take advantage of people during economic downturns and disasters. We have seen people use previously stolen identities to try to commit fraud, hijack people’s claims, and pose as state workforce agencies to try to get people’s personal information.
• There are likely to be attempts to scam people during this recovery phase, too. These scams are a national issue, but we want to keep people informed and warned.
•  Here are some examples to look out for:
• People applying for jobs are asked to send money for application fees, uniforms or other items
•  People pose as employers to try to get personal information
• We remain committed to protecting people’s benefits and safeguarding our trust fund. To report potentially fraudulent activity, visit our ID Theft and Fraud page at unemployment.oregon.gov

DMV Information

Helpful Links

• Renew your License or ID Card: HERE
• Title and Register your Vehicle HERE
• Renew/Replace/Transfer Vehicle Registration HERE
• Change Your Address HERE

Contact Links

Drivers/IDs - Licenses, permits and ID cards *Due to high volume, response time is 10 - 14 days.

Vehicles - Registration, title, plates, renewal notices, forms and permits. *Due to high volume, response time is 10 - 14 days.

Online Services - All online forms and transactions.

Records - All records, privacy and protected information.

DMV Phone Service - Issues contacting DMV by phone.

Local DMV Office Experiences - Quality of service received at a local DMV office.

Business Regulation - Dealers and other businesses.

DMV Fraud Prevention Unit - Report allegations of DMV fraud including but not limited to Vehicle Title and/or Registration, Driver License or Identification Card transactions.

--> Click the screenshot below to make an appointment with the DMV <--

Other Assistance Updates

Grants for Businesses: Operational Cost Assistance

Business Oregon's operational cost assistance grants offer funding for businesses with 100 of fewer employees that

1. offer the consumption of food and or drink on premise;
2. provide specified indoor physical exercise, recreational or family entertainment; OR
3. provide specified personal services; and that experienced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon.

Restaurants, bars, gyms, brewpubs, theaters, bowling centers, and salons are some of the more common examples of eligible businesses.

Applications for the Operational Cost Assistance Grant will be accepted beginning May 26 and closes on June 6. Awards will be selected after a random lottery process of all complete and eligible applications received. Full details of the program, including eligible industries, is on available our website. 

Businesses that received assistance grants through the state of Oregon Commercial Rent Relief Program for the same location are eligible to receive the grant, as long as the award amount through the Commercial Rent Relief Program was less than $100,000.

APPLY HERE.

Thriving Entrepreneurs Grant Program

The Oregon Community Foundation is now offering a new grant program specifically for nonprofit organizations that support entrepreneurs in Oregon.  Please check out the Thriving Entrepreneurs Grant Program.  Entrepreneurs have big ideas and creative ways to solve problems, but they often need help developing their business plans, go-to-market strategies, recruiting talented teams or board members, and raising money.

The Thriving Entrepreneurs Grant offers organizations flexible funding, with prioritized support for those organizations that serve entrepreneurs who are women, people of color, living in rural communities, or working in under-resourced sectors such as consumer products. Priority will also be given to organizations that work with entrepreneurs who are aspiring to develop traded sector companies. Funding is not available for individuals; OCF makes grants to nonprofits only.

Applications are due June 25, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. 

PPP Loans

IRS guidance on first round PPP loans

WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued Revenue Procedure 2021-20 PDF for certain businesses that received first-round Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans but did not deduct any of the original eligible expenses on their tax return because they relied on guidance issued before the enactment of tax relief legislation in December of 2020.

Under prior guidance, businesses that received PPP loans to cover payroll costs, interest on covered mortgage obligations, covered rent obligation payments, and covered utility payments could not deduct corresponding expenses when reporting business expense deductions.

With the Dec. 27, 2020, enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, businesses now may claim these deductions even though they received PPP loans to cover original eligible expenses. These businesses can use the safe harbor provided by this guidance to deduct those expenses on the return for the immediately subsequent year.

More information is available here.

Additional Resources

Employers and Employees

• Unemployment options at https://unemployment.oregon.gov/

• Apply Online: https://secure.emp.state.or.us/ocs4/index.cfm

• FAQs: https://unemployment.oregon.gov/frequently-asked-questions

• Contact Form: https://unemployment.oregon.gov/contact-us

• 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 (Personal que habla español disponible en este número: (503) 992-3221)

Washington County

Utilities Assistance

Portland General Electric (en inglés y español) 

NW Natural

City of Hillsboro Utility Billing 

Comcast 

CenturyLink

AT&T 

City of Forest Grove

Food and Housing Assistance

Community Action.org

Oregon Food Bank

Meals on Wheels

Wish I could go to the beach this week-end! Budget comes first! Soon! Hopefully by the end of June!

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