|
Friends and Neighbors,
Silver Alert Community Conversation
Happening TONIGHT - Registration Still Open
As our Silent Generation and Baby Boomers age in society around us, we will see a greater need for care, resources and tools to help address their needs as they seek a well-deserved opportunity to live as independently and safe as possible. This requires us to work together and look at our policies that are put in place to protect them from harm. This past Spring, beloved community leader and former Mayor of Cornelius, Ralph Brown, went missing after driving away from his home. Mr. Brown suffers from dementia. His search has prompted a lot of questions regarding the current Oregon Silver Alert law. Oregon’s law, passed in 2014 requires every law enforcement agency in Oregon to produce and have in place, a Silver Alert plan. The questions that were brought to light prompted me to seek legislative change and I began to have conversations. The Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Transportation began working this year to update their rules to the law so that alerts can be more widespread and synchronized across the state. This is an exciting change that can potentially take place without a legislative fix and that is a win for time and money, our communities and certainly our vulnerable seniors. I applaud these agencies and their effort. I am thrilled to facilitate this discussion. To join: Register Here.
  |
Legislative Updates
2021 2nd Special Session
On Monday, the legislature convened for an Emergency Special Session. We came together, in a bipartisan effort, to help Oregonians still suffering from the economic hardships of the pandemic and Oregon's drought, extreme heat and wildfire events. I am proud that we were able to make great investments for every corner of the state. I enjoyed seeing my colleagues and the Capitol beautifully decorated for the holidays.
-
Housing Protections: Senate Bill 891 extends safe harbor protections to prevent evictions of Oregonians who have rental assistance on the way. Senate Bill 5561 includes a $215 million package to provide additional rental assistance, speed up the process of applications, and ensure landlords are fully paid.
-
Drought Relief: In response to the impact the recent heat dome, wildfire smoke and record drought have had on farming communities, Senate Bill 5561 includes a $100 million drought relief package to support farmers and irrigators across the state who have been impacted by drought, heat, or fire. Senate Bill 892 establishes a forgivable loan program to provide financial assistance for Oregon farmers and ranchers who lost gross income in 2021 due to a qualifying natural disaster.
-
Illegal Cannabis Enforcement: Senate Bill 5561 approves $25 million to prevent illegal operations and address the humanitarian crisis impacting workers at these sites. Senate Bill 893 expands the scope of the Illegal Marijuana Market Enforcement Grant program at the Criminal Justice Commission to include funding for community-based organizations to address the humanitarian crisis that workers are forced into with unlawful cultivation or distribution operations.
-
Afghan Refugee Support: Senate Bill 5561 includes $18 million to help Afghan refugees arriving in Oregon find housing, education, language and job training, and legal assistance.
-
Affordable Housing and Homeless Support: Senate Bill 5561 approved $1 million to each of the following cities: Albany, Ashland, Beaverton, Bend, Corvallis, Eugene, Grants Pass, Gresham, Hillsboro, Medford, Portland, Redmond, Salem, and Springfield. The $14 million total will address housing insecurity, lack of affordable housing, or homelessness over the next few months. The City of Portland will use its $1 million to work with local partners to establish RV parking sites.
-
Oregon Mass Timber Modular Housing Prototype: Senate Bill 5561 includes $5 million for the Port of Portland to help fund the Oregon Mass Timber Modular Housing Prototype project, which will develop a prototype of modular housing units made from mass timber AND assess the economic, environmental, and efficiency of creating these housing units to address the housing crisis in Oregon.
-
Gun Violence Prevention: Senate Bill 5561 invests $2 million to assist the City of Gresham and local community partners in creating and implementing the East Metro Outreach, Prevention, and Intervention (OPI) program. The program will address rising youth violence and improve public safety outcomes in East Multnomah County by building community and investing in mentoring and culturally responsive youth programming.
 Bottom row: With Rep Rachel Prusak, Rep Fahey speaking to SB 891, with newly appointed Rep Chris Hoy
 Pictured with Rep Lisa Reynolds and Rep Susan McLain speaking on the House floor
Recycling Updates
NCEL Zero-Waste Bootcamp
Last week, I was excited to be invited by NCEL (National Caucus of Environmental Legislators), to travel to Washington D.C. and learn alongside 11 other legislators and advocates from across the US about important environmental issues and policies we are currently facing. Day One was focused on Extended Producer Responsibility, a concept I lead on and we passed in Oregon with Senate Bill 582. SB 582 was an important first step for Oregon, to hold producers accountable for their packaging, yet there is more work to be done to eliminate single-use plastics for good. Later that day, I was thrilled to meet White House Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy. The Build Back Better Act is the largest effort to combat climate change in American history and will make substantial state investments to fund projects across the country. After all that I learned in two short days, I am more focused than ever to continue to work on these issues.
 Clockwise from top left: EPR Bootcamp Class, with WA State Senator Mona Das, New Mexico Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury, Senator Michael Dembrow talking about Outdoor School for All
 In learning mode at the conference and pictured with White House Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy
Insurance Updates
There is Still Time to Get Health Coverage for Jan. 1, 2022
From OregonHealthCare.gov
If you are currently uninsured or looking for other health coverage options, now is the time to visit OregonHealthCare.gov. Don’t delay: you must enroll by Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, to have health coverage starting Jan. 1, 2022.
Get started by visiting the the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace Window Shopping tool at OregonHealthCare.gov/WindowShop. The tool will allow you to preview programs, plans, and savings available to you; what plans will cover your current doctor; and how much your anticipated costs will be, including refilling your prescriptions.
The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace helps connect Oregonians to health coverage and financial help through its federal partners at HealthCare.gov. It’s the only place where you can get financial help on monthly premiums and other out-of-pocket costs. More than 75 percent of Oregonians enrolled through the Marketplace in 2021 qualified for financial help – that could be you, too!
Want help? A health insurance expert can help you, at no cost, apply for financial help and enroll in coverage. You can find an expert near you at OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp.
For more information, visit OregonHealthCare.gov or call 855-268-3767 (toll-free).
|
Community Outreach
How to Help Tornado Victims in Kentucky and Beyond
From PBS NewsHour
PBS News Hour has put together a list of ways you can help the victims of the Kentucky and surrounding states after the devastating tornadoes over the weekend. Visit here to read the full article and see their suggestions below:
Here are some ways to help:
- Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear established the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund to assist those affected by the Dec. 11 storms.
- Blood supply is critically low at hospitals in areas affected by the storms, according to the American Red Cross. Those interested in donating blood can make an appointment online or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). The organization is also providing shelter for those displaced by the tornadoes. To financially support Red Cross relief efforts, donate here.
- The Salvation Army has mobilized to provide food, shelter and other emergency care to victims of the tornadoes.
- The Mayfield Community Foundation has set up a GoFundMe to support relief efforts in the hard-hit town.
- The Kentucky branch of Feeding America is distributing ready-to-eat bags of food to people in several affected counties. Donations to the organization’s tornado relief fund offset the cost of the meals.
-
Global Giving and GoFundMe have set up relief funds to help victims across the six states hit by the storms. GoFundMe has also verified dozens more local fundraisers designed to help specific communities or victims.
Constituent Corner
I enjoy being able to connect with constituents in House District 30 and hear about their real life experiences. Ryan Van Domelen is a constituent and retail grocery worker who wrote the piece below and graciously allowed me to share his story and perspective with you. Thank you to all of our essential retail workers that have been at their job, serving the community during the pandemic. You helped get food to a family’s table, were a kind hello on a tough day and in front of the public through it all. Thank you.
 Ryan Van Domelen and co-workers
Hello, my name is Ryan Van Domelen. I am a grocery worker at New Seasons Market in Orenco Station and I write in celebration of our fundraiser and to talk about our grocery store. This year our annual fundraiser for Meals on Wheels occurred over Thanksgiving week and as a company we raised $224,000. I want to honor all of my co-workers, and especially Tina, for their fantastic work during the Meals on Wheels Fundraiser. Tina has always been an outgoing employee and undoubtedly raised a significant portion of our donations. As a whole our store broke a company record by raising $6,000 dollars in one day and came in third for the company at $15,881. This will help so many homebound seniors continue to live independently.
For anyone who has worked in retail we know it can be an unthankful and often unforgiving job requiring both physical labor and emotional labor. I think one of the key aspects of finding fulfillment in a retail job is to find those moments where we can do some good. Whether it is taking groceries out to a car for a senior, taking your company’s fundraiser to heart, or just making one of your customers smile. We must always remember just how much we matter to our community. That we can make the difference for our customers and that we can make our community better off.
-Ryan Van Domelen
Additional Resources
House District 30 Links
Federal Delegation Links
Education Links
Food and Housing Assistance
Reading to Classrooms
I always enjoy visiting classrooms during the holiday season to read Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." It is a tradition I began as a Hillsboro School District Board member and one that I am happy to get back to this year, after last year's pause for the pandemic and distance learning. More than anything, I am always heartened by the conversations I have with students while visiting. Their questions, curiosities and observations are so meaningful to me. I had fun today reading at Mooberry and Quatama Elementary Schools in Hillsboro and look forward to visiting a couple more classrooms through the rest of the week.
  Be good to yourself and each other. ❤
Onward & Upward,
 House District 30 lies on Kalapuya land. The Atfalati were the northernmost band of the Kalapuya that lived along the Tualatin River in present day Washington County. Many of the Atfalati descendants are members of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon today. The Indigenous Peoples of this land experienced a painful history of colonial violence, sickness and removal from their land. The Atfalati are the foundation of Oregon’s past and we must honor them well into our future.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1430
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-487, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.JaneenSollman@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/sollman
|
