|
We are entering the second half of the 2022 legislative session. I have been listening to constituents, meeting with advocates, and learning about many issues in committee. I am settling into the rhythm of the session and have been asking important questions in committee about how our state is addressing equity issues. I will continue to ask these questions and keep these issues at the forefront of our discussions.
Today is the deadline for bills to be scheduled for a Work Session in the second chamber. If bills are not posted to have a Work Session scheduled by the end of the day today, they will not be moving forward this session. This does not apply to bills in the following committees: House Rules, Senate Rules, House Revenue, Senate Finance and Revenue, or Joint Committees including Ways and Means. Many of the bills that I am supporting are either in the second chamber or one of the committees that have different deadlines. You can read about each of these bills below. My committees will be hearing Senate bills shortly.
We are at the point in session where budget decisions are being made. I am working on getting support for my funding priorities. You can read more about my work on funding a new aquatic center in North Portland below.
This week, I was honored to be featured in Portland Business Journal's article Rose City's Finest: Celebrating 100 Black Leaders In Portland (The First 50) along with other amazing Black leaders in our city. During Black History Month we should be highlighting Black greatness and lifting up the folks who are doing the hard work in our city.
Please follow my new Facebook page to get regular updates on what I am working on in Salem. I post regularly and would like to engage on the issues facing House District 44.
 Video: Testifying in the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Capital Construction in favor of funding a North Portland Aquatic Center
Last Friday, February 11th, I testified in the Joint Ways and Means subcommittee on Capital Construction on my request for $33.3 million in state funding for an aquatic center in North Portland to replace the gap left by Columbia Pool closing. I joined Commissioner Carman Rubio who oversees Portland Parks and Recreation in asking for the state to invest in aquatic access for this community. You can read my full testimony here.
If you would like to share your support for this funding request, please fill out this form. We need to let the committee know how important Columbia Pool was to the community and that an aquatic center is a priority for all of us in North Portland. I am glad to hear that this proposal has support from so many different groups and individual. I will continue to work with my colleagues this session to build on this support. North Portland deserves aquatic access like other parts of Portland.
You can read more about this proposal in this article from Willamette Week.
 Video: Speaking on the House Floor about my concerns with HB 4105
Earlier this week I made remarks on the floor about House Bill 4105 which authorizes traffic enforcement agents to review and issue citations based on photographs taken by photo red light cameras or photographs taken by photo radar cameras . I wanted to share my concerns for the record. One of my duties as a legislator is to insure that bills we pass do not have unintended consequences. I will be following up with the City of Portland about my concerns. You can read my full remarks below:
“I believe the goal of making streets safer by getting people to slow down and not run red lights is a good one. I do have concerns that expansion of photo radar and traffic cameras resulting in an increase in the amount of people in poverty who will end up in the vicious cycle of collections. Especially as cities become dependent on the revenue. I have asked the City of Portland to provide the percentage of citations that end up in collections. I have been assured that the information is coming. Commissioner Hardesty and Portland Bureau of Transportation have also assured me that they will work with me to address my concerns. I will be a yes with some reservations.”
 Photo: Click on this photo to see the full Black, Indigenous, People of Color Caucus 2022 Policy Agenda
Some of the bills in the below list appeared in my last newsletter and I am now providing a status update; others are bills I have since signed onto as a sponsor. As always, I am eager to hear from you about your priorities. Please do not hesitate to reach out.
House Bills I am tracking:
HB 4002: Farmworker Overtime Pay
- Passed out of its first committee on 2/14/22 and now located in the House Committee on Revenue
HB 4045: Community Violence Prevention
- Passed out of its first committee on 2/14/22 and now located in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means
HB 4052: Racism as a Public Health Crisis
- Passed in the House of Representatives on 2/14/22 and now working through the Senate
HB 4067: Urban Flood Safety and Water Quality District
- Passed in the House of Representatives on 2/16/22 and now working through the Senate
Senate Bills I am tracking:
SB 1510: Transforming Justice
- Passed out of its first committee on 2/8/22 and now located in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means
SB 1567: Fuel Storage Seismic Vulnerability
- Passed out of its first committee on 2/14/22 and now located in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means
Bills I am Supporting:
HB 4003: Nursing Workforce
- This bill will immediately help nurses and nursing students by developing a working nursing student program with licensure requirements. It will help ensure nurses are covered by the Oregon Wellness Program to support their mental health needs.
- Passed out of its first committee on 2/11/22 and currently scheduled for a vote in the Joint Ways and Means Committee later this month
HB 4122: Grants for DACA Application Renewals
- Establishes grants for DACA recipients for specified purposes related to DACA application and renewal
- Passed out of its first committee on 2/8/22 and now located in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means
HB 4147: Restoring the Right to Vote
- Restores the constitutional right to vote to people convicted of felonies, allows them to register and vote while incarcerated
- Located in the House Committee on Rules
HB 4112: Ethnic Studies Training for Teachers
- Provides funding for professional development opportunities in ethnic studies for educators, allows Department of Education to use funds for training on new ethnic studies standards implemented by the department
- Passed out of its first committee on 2/10/22 and now located in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means
HB 4098: Expansion of Statewide Comprehensive Addiction Treatment Plan
- Adds several state agencies to the list that reports to the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission, requires quarterly reports on these agencies' process and outcome measures
- Passed out of its first committee on 2/10/22 and now located in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means
 Photo: This image shows the steps that bills need to take in order to become laws. At this point in session, bills must have passed out of the FIRST CHAMBER. There are a few exceptions to these rules but most bills must have made it to this point to continue in the legislative process.
In addition to the hundreds of legislative bills up for consideration, in the short session we are also considering certain special budget requests. I wrote previously about the request I am championing for state support for a new aquatic center in North Portland to replace the Columbia Pool; there is also a proposal from the Governor's office for $400 million in affordable housing investments. The legislature is still grappling with the details and I am not yet sure about the final outcome, but I can tell you there is a strong commitment amongst my colleagues and I to do much more to address the housing and homelessness crises. Some highlights of the Governor's proposal are as follows:
- $170 million to preserve current affordable housing, including some possible funding for cooling systems to handle future heat waves.
- $65 million for construction costs of affordable housing.
- $35 million for the Individual Development Account program, which assists low-income Oregonians with various ways to build savings and is often used by first-time homebuyers when purchasing their first house.
I have enjoyed engaging with my constituents and hearing your stories. Please continue to engage with my office to share you thoughts about legislation this session. Additionally, please reach out if you need any assistance with state agencies or connections to resources. My office is available to help. I look forward to the final weeks of session and learning more about House District 44 post session.
Kindly,
 Travis Nelson
State Representative
House District 44
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1444
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-275, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.TravisNelson@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/nelson
| 
