You can read our previous newsletters here.

Dear Friends and Neighbors, In this final newsletter of 2021, I want to take an opportunity to reflect on the year that has just passed and look towards what we can accomplish in 2022.   I am proud of all that the Legislature achieved this past year in the Long Session and the two Special Sessions.  Much of the work that we did happened in a Bi-Partisan fashion, and that is something to be proud of and that I hope continues in the Short Session starting in February.  I was particularly proud of what we could do with Education funding by passing the largest State School Fund Budget we've ever had at $9.1 billion.  We also had record investments in Higher Education by investing $702 million in Oregon's Community Colleges and $900 million in our Public Universities.  My personal highlight of the Session was the passage of my bill, SB 551, which gives part-time faculty members at our public colleges and universities health care coverage.  The Legislature faced the pandemic housing crisis by providing Renter and Landlord Relief, and we also addressed Wildfire Prevention and support.  I enjoyed my work on the Transportation Committee and on the I-5 Bridge Committee immensely, and I look forward to seeing many projects come to fruition because of the work of both the Oregon State Legislature and Federal support from the Bi-Partisan Infrastructure package.  This coming year, I am excited to work on Infrastructure Systems by balancing Bike, Pedestrian, Public Transit, and Public Safety needs.  The Short Session begins in February, and I will be bringing back another bill on Newborn Testing as I continue to fight to ensure that as many families as possible get the genetic testing necessary for the prevention and treatment of detectable diseases.  I will continue to Co-Chair the Joint Committee on Transportation, the I-5 Bridge Committee, and the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education during the Interim and Short Session.  I will also be Vice-Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture and Land Use.  I wish you and yours a very Happy and Healthy Holidays and all the best in the New Year.  I will be back in touch in early 2022!

FROM SALEM 

Governor Kate Brown Extends COVID-19 Emergency Declaration 

From Governor Brown's Office 

Governor Kate Brown extended her declaration of a state of emergency as Oregon continues to implement its plan to prepare for and respond to the impending Omicron variant surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

“As Oregon prepares for what could be our worst surge in hospitalizations during this pandemic, I know that this is not the beginning of the new year any of us had hoped for,” said Governor Brown. “Time and again over the last two years, Oregonians have proven that we will stand with each other in our most difficult times. Your actions have saved lives, and it is because we have worked together to keep each other safe that Oregon still has some of the lowest infection and mortality rates in the nation. Please, do your part again––get vaccinated, get your booster shot, and wear a mask.”

The emergency declaration continues to be necessary to provide flexibility and resources for the state’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, including allowing for the use of SERV-OR volunteer medical providers in hospitals, providing flexibility around professional health licensing, and ensuring Oregon can continue to access all available federal disaster relief funds available, such as enhanced SNAP benefits. Executive Order 21-36 will remain in effect until June 30, 2022, unless earlier rescinded or extended.

Most of the Governor’s executive orders regarding COVID-19 were rescinded on June 30, 2021. In responding to the subsequent Delta surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, the Governor for the most part did not use her executive authority to issue new emergency orders. She did take other steps, such as activating the Oregon National Guard to help support hospital workers, and coordinating with the Oregon Health Authority to bring skilled healthcare workers to Oregon to support hospital and long-term care facility staff.

Oregon’s safety requirements in place today regarding masks, vaccinations for K-12 educators and staff, and vaccinations for healthcare workers do not rely on the state of emergency declaration––instead, they are covered by agency administrative rules issued under existing state authority.

COVID-19 UPDATES

Oregon Hospitals Ask For Your Help:

Current projections predict a significant spike in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations driven by the omicron variant beginning mid-January and likely peaking in February.  

Although omicron may cause a less severe illness, it is significantly more transmissible: The spike in hospitalizations is projected to two to three times the September peak driven by the delta variant – from a high of 1,200 patients in hospitals in September to 2,000 to 3,000 hospitalizations from omicron.

It is not too late to take action. Please do what you can to keep yourself, your family, your co-workers and your community safe. We are asking everyone to please get fully vaccinated, including a booster if eligible, wear masks, and avoid large indoor gatherings this holiday season.

Kaiser Permanente, Legacy Health, OHSU, PeaceHealth and Providence continue to do our part to address this public health crisis. We know our dedicated teams will once again do all they can to care for patients. 

But, after nearly two years of fighting this pandemic our nurses and doctors are exhausted. Clinical staff and hospital beds are in short supply in all of our hospitals. A significant increase in COVID-19 infection and hospitalizations in Oregon and Southwest Washington will create delays in emergency department care for some patients and additional delays for surgeries, due to the lack of an available staffed bed.

The omicron variant has been infecting some people who are already vaccinated. But the good news is people who are fully vaccinated and received a booster shot are less likely to be infected and much less likely to have a severe illness and hospitalization.

Again, if you haven’t been vaccinated and/or boosted, please do so now. Go to getvaccinated.oregon.gov for information.

Each illness we prevent or reduce frees up health care resources for a loved one, friend or neighbor in need.

VACCINE INFORMATION

The time is now: Get boosted to protect against January Omicron surge

Today, Governor Brown, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) leadership shared information about the latest projection about the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon due to the new Omicron variant.

• Get vaccinated. Ensure your eligible children are vaccinated, as soon as you can.
• Get boosted. If your last vaccine was at least 6 months ago (or two months ago for Johnson & Johnson), get a booster shot right away. With three weeks before the surge begins, and two weeks for the booster shot to become fully effective, so the time to act is now.

You can find first, second, third and booster doses at Oregon’s high-volume vaccination sites. You can also find other vaccine locations near you. Or contact your doctor’s office for a COVID-19 vaccination or booster.

Read the full story to learn more about what Omicron means for Oregon and OHA’s plan to protect against the Omicron surge.

Pfizer and Moderna vaccines now recommended over Johnson & Johnson

The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup has confirmed its support of the recommendation that people 18 and older receive an mRNA (Pfizer or Moderna) COVID-19 vaccine over Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine, given the greater effectiveness and stronger safety profile of mRNA vaccines.

The new guidance also recommends that anyone who had a Johnson & Johnson vaccine as their first dose should get an mRNA vaccine as the booster dose. However, people who are aware of the new guidance can still request a Johnson & Johnson vaccine if they want one.

Read the full story to learn more about the recommendations.

Get your COVID-19 vaccines at a local walk-in or drive-through vaccination site

Are you finding it hard to get a COVID-19 vaccine? Whether it’s your first dose, second dose, third dose or booster dose, be sure to check out the high-volume vaccination sites now operating throughout Oregon. These walk-in and drive-through sites offer all three COVID-19 vaccines at no cost and are open to everyone eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination or booster.

Washington Co. Vaccine Information: 

Washington County's Mobile Vaccination Van: The van is traveling the county to make it easier for people to get the vaccine close to where they live or shop. Find the schedule here.

Tektronix (starting Thursday, November 11): This clinic will offer all three vaccines, including boost and pediatric doses. Located at 14200 SW Karl Braun Drive (inside Building 58) in Beaverton. Hours are Monday through Friday from 12-6 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Walk-in only, no appointments. 

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!

Beaverton Resource Center: This clinic on Fridays takes place inside the Beaverton Resource Center, 13565 SW Walker Road. Visit Project Access Now's website to make an appointment. All three vaccines are available, including boosters and third doses. This site is currently not offering the pediatric Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5-11. NO CLINIC on December 24, December 31 or January 14.

Centro Cultural Clinic: On Saturdays at 1110 N. Adair Street in Cornelius

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.

Mix and Match Approved: The CDC approved a “mix-and-match” strategy that allows anyone qualifying for a booster to receive any of the FDA-authorized vaccines. People may receive either the same or a different COVID-19 vaccine, depending on advice from a health care provider, individual preference, availability or convenience.

MEET OUR FALL INTERNS!

A very special thank you to our Fall Interns and our Graduate Research Fellow, who have all done amazing work, despite the challenging logistics of the pandemic.  We are lucky to have them!  All four of them will definitely be future leaders in their communities and excel in their career pathways.

Casandra Garcia Lopez Casandra is a first-generation Latina college student and hopes to pursue a career in Political Science and Law to be able to help minority communities.  She is a student at Portland Community College.

Darren M. McCormick  Darren M. McCormick is a master’s student in political science at Portland State University, working on a thesis in the field of deliberative democracy. He received a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Oregon and remains a philosopher at heart. When not discussing politics, he dabbles in game design and may visit a ski slope or a rock wall.

Nicholas Juarez  Nick was born and raised in Aloha, Oregon and likes to say that he's just trying to find his place in this world.  Nick is a former Marine Veteran who served 4 years and is now a student at Portland Community College.

Nathan Kim Nathan is a political science major and business minor from Portland State University. In the future, he hopes to work on education and environmental policy. In his free time, he enjoys practicing Brazilian jiu jitsu (when safe), playing video games, and arguing with his two chihuahuas.

AROUND WASHINGTON COUNTY 

Y2K New Year's Run for Ralph Brown Ralph Brown is an avid runner and race organizer who started the annual Oregon Road Runners Club “Y2K Run” in 1986.  The race has been going strong every New Years Day since and this year’s run is dedicated to Ralph, with proceeds going to assist in the search for him.  I encourage everyone to come out to run, walk, or show support for runners, honor Ralph, and raise awareness about his missing person’s case and the benefits of a strong Silver Alert program. Ralph and I have crossed paths in many ways over the years.  We were both educators, and when I was a Metro Councilor, Ralph was Mayor of Cornelius, and we often worked together on issues important to the community.  I also got the chance to know Ralph and his lovely wife, Carol, through many community events and activities, and I always loved having the opportunity to visit with them.  Ralph is quite simply a  wonderful man.  He is a role model, was a great educator and mayor, and above all else, I am proud to call him my friend. There are many of us, including people like Representative Janeen Sollman, who have been advocating for improvements to Oregon's Silver Alert program for Seniors, which assists in cases where Seniors like Ralph go missing.  I am very excited that the Oregon State Police, in conjunction with the Oregon Department of Transportation, has begun working this year to update their rules to the law so that alerts can be more widespread and synchronized across the state.  Efforts like these will assist in searching for Ralph and for all Seniors who go missing. Let’s spend New Years Day together, honoring Ralph, raising awareness about his case, and getting the word out about the benefits of the Silver Alert program!  See you on January 1st at 9:00 AM at Tom McCall Upper Elementary School and at breakfast following the race at the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center. REGISTER HERE     Ride Free and Be Safe on TriMet This New Year’s Eve to Ring in 2022     Cornelius joins opioid settlement This article comes from Dillon Mullan at the Forest Grove News Times The Cornelius City Council voted unanimously to join a national lawsuit against opioid producers and distributors at its Monday, Dec. 6, meeting. The vote authorizes city manager Rob Drake to sign a release of claims in the National Opioid Litigation Settlement, which is due to pay Oregon $332 million over the next 18 years. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum signed onto the $26 billion settlement due to states and local governments from the country's three largest pharmaceutical distributors McKesson, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBegen, as well as manufacturer Johnson & Johnson, over the summer. In 2020, Oregon reported 472 unintentional opioid overdose deaths, up from 280 in 2019, according to the Oregon Health Authority. Between January and April 2021, there were 208 unintentional opioid overdose deaths across the state. "One can assume with the kind of activity with people being over-prescribed or taking more or buying illegally there were impacts on the city," Drake said. While the state deadline has passed, local governments have until Jan. 2 to join the settlement. The Forest Grove City Council will vote on the matter at its Monday, Dec. 13, meeting. At least 70% of settlement dollars are earmarked for a wide range of opioid mitigation efforts, which Drake said would most likely locally be contracted out by Washington County.     Lightopia – Tickets Still Available for Late December      Lightopia – An Illuminated Journey, the award-winning drive-through light show at Gordon Faber Recreation Complex, returns this December 9 through 31. Enjoy a leisurely drive through the brilliant display, which expands to a half-mile this year. Reservations for the week of December 9-14 open December 1, and reservation spots for the following week’s dates will be released weekly (on Wednesdays).    Optional: bring an unwrapped toy for the Hillsboro Firefighters Toy & Joy Drive or a non-perishable, unexpired food item for Hillsboro School District's Food Pantry.

DMV UPDATE: GRACE PERIOD ENDS 12/31

If you’ve got an expired Oregon license or vehicle registration, it’s time to consider booking an Oregon Driver & Motor Vehicle appointment — fast. The grace period to renew already-expired licenses and registrations is coming to an end Dec. 31.

RENTAL ASSISTANCE INFORMATION

The Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program is paused to new applicants as of December 1, 2021 at 11:59pm.  Please note that Washington County still has rental assistance available.

While the state has made the difficult decision to pause accepting new applications at midnight on December 1 for the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program (OERAP), Washington County’s local Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program continues to accept applications through existing local pathways. Community Action, the agency administering the local funds for Washington County, maintains a phone line, an online portal and has established partnerships with other agencies, community-based organizations as well as public health contact tracing staff to get the funds out as quickly as possible. These local funds will continue to be available for income-eligible renters over the foreseeable future. Oregon has safe harbor rules in place that mean renters cannot be evicted for 60 days, or 90 days in some parts of Washington County, if they show their landlords proof of having applied for any emergency rental assistance program. These maps show the protections for the different jurisdictions within Washington County (Information in English mapping tool) bit.ly/3aTeFbc or (Information in Spanish mapping tool Protección contra desalojos (arcgis.com). All renters needing assistance and residing in Washington County are encouraged to apply for the Emergency Rental Assistance program. To learn more on how to apply for emergency rental assistance, visit the Community Action webpage at https://caowash.org/programs/housing-stability/renter-support.html. For immediate resources including shelter and food access contact 2-1-1 online at www.211info.org or by calling 2-1-1.

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

VETERANS RESOURCES 

Washington County Veterans Resources 

American Legion Post 104: (503) 642-4907

American Legion Post 006: (503) 648-7191

Washington County Disability, Aging, and Veteran Services: (503) 846- 3060

Hillsboro VA Clinic: (503) 906-5000

Paws Assisting Veterans: info@paveusa.org

Veterans of Foreign Wars: (503) 895- 1342

Hillsboro Elks Lodge: (503) 648- 1862

Rock Creek Veteran Resources | Veteran Resources at PCC : (971) 722-7743 or 7744

Veterans Support | Pacific University

Mental Health Services: 

• Washington County Crisis Line | 503-291-9111
• Crisis Text Line | Text “Connect” to 741741
• Suicide Prevention Lifeline | 1-800-273-8255
• Trevor Lifeline | 1-866-488-7386

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

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