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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We made it to the end of the 2022 Short Session! As a little background, the "Short" Session is constitutionally mandated to be no longer than 35 days, though we finished in 32. This means very little time to introduce bills and then hold public hearings and floor votes in both Chambers! Because of the nature of short sessions, they're often focused on making budget adjustments instead of major policy changes. That said, the 2022 Short Session was incredibly productive and we came together in a bi-partisan way (only 7.5% of votes were party-line) to pass policies that will have a positive impact on the lives of all Oregonians. In the House, we voted on 131 pieces of legislation, ranging from overtime for farmworkers to establishing the Elliott State Research Forest and adopting the historic Private Forest Accords. We expanded Universal Representation to support Due Process, provided $15 million to increase access to Reproductive Services, and funded $150 million for Summer Learning.
As Co-Chair of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education, much of my time during the Short Session was spent analyzing the budgets we passed in 2021 to ensure that funding is working as intended. In addition, as Co-Chair of both the Joint Transportation Committee and the I-5 Bridge Committee, I worked very closely with colleagues across the River in Washington while we were both in Session. The I-5 Bridge replacement project is centered on core values of environment, equity, and economics. Please read the "2022 Short Session Review of Bills" in this newsletter for summaries of my primary and co-sponsored bills.
During the Interim, I will be working with state and local agencies, community organizations, and other elected officials to begin crafting the legislation we want to bring forward in 2022. Much of my focus will be on the I-5 Bridge replacement project, as well as on other infrastructure topics. The next meeting of the Joint Committee on the Interstate 5 Bridge will be on March 23rd at 9:00am and you can follow along here. My other core area of focus will be on the Quality Education Model and the Current Service Level (CSL) as we look at the K-12 system as it relates to budget needs.
Tomorrow begins a 'blackout period' where State Legislators who are running for reelection (which I am!) cannot send newsletters from their government accounts for 60 days prior to an election. As the Primary Election is May 17th, this is my final newsletter until May 18th. I always look forward to communicating with you each week, but I will still post important information, like COVID-19 updates, to my Facebook Page and I encourage you to visit me there! In addition, I have two upcoming Town Halls on April 23rd and April 30th - see the information in the next section of this newsletter. Finally, I want to thank everyone who made it out to the Joint Town Hall with Representative Sosa and Senator Sollman last night. It was a good turnout and we had a great conversation about 2022 Short Session accomplishments. If you did not get a chance to be there and would like to see it, please visit my Facebook page to watch it online.
Last night's Town Hall in Hillsboro had a great turnout!
SAVE THE DATES:
Town Halls on April 23rd and April 30th
With the conclusion of the Oregon Legislature's 2022 Short Session, I will be hosting two upcoming town halls to discuss our significant accomplishments related to education, affordable housing, public safety, and support for our working families. Please join me on the following dates:
Forest Grove Town Hall
April 23rd, 2022 at 10:00 am
Forest Grove Light and Power Building (1818 B Street)
Cornelius Town Hall
April 30th, 2022 at 10:00 am
Cornelius Library (1370 North Adair Street)
2022 Short Session Review of Bills
I had one primary bill this Session and 21 other bills that I signed onto as a co-sponsor. I was Chief Sponsor of HB4109, the goal of which was to provide a transparent and pristine process for the addition of new diseases to our newborn testing protocols. It would have improved the functionality of Oregon's newborn screening process and ensured that newborn testing in Oregon keeps up with scientific advancements. The bill passed the House Health Care Committee on a 9-1 vote, but the Session ended before it could receive a hearing in Ways and Means. I am fully committed to bringing the bill back for the 2023 Session.
Of the other bills I sponsored, 12 were passed successfully. The remaining nine bills were still in their committees when the Session ended, and thus died. There simply wasn't enough time in the Short Session to get through all of the important bills, and I hope that each of these bills will be brought back next Session so we can get them passed! Here are the bills Rep. McLain co-sponsored:
EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATION EXTENDED TO MARCH 21ST
The Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) announced that it will keep the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program (OERAP) portal open until 11:59 p.m. on March 21, 2022. (The OERAP portal had been scheduled to close this week.)
- Anyone who has not applied for OERAP in the past and has fallen behind on rent is encouraged to apply for emergency rental assistance before 11:59 p.m. on March 21, 2022, at www.oregonrentalassistance.org. New applications will not be accepted afterwards.
- Applicants can continue to log on to the OERAP portal to complete their application or check the status of their finished application. They will be alerted by email as their application advances.
- If a tenant has an incomplete application in the portal, they now have until March 28, 2022, to complete it. This extension only applies to applications that are incomplete at the time of closure.
- Tenants who submit new applications can access protections from eviction for nonpayment of rent while their application is being reviewed and processed.
- Tenants must show proof to their landlord that they applied for the program to receive the protections.
- OHCS will begin processing and paying out applications submitted in 2022 as early as this week.
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SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is not only a political crisis, but a humanitarian one, having already displaced 2 million Ukrainians fleeing violence. As a mother, grandmother, and former teacher, it breaks my heart to see families flee their homes and torn apart. There are many organizations that are doing good work to support Ukrainian refugees, and I would like to bring attention to Frontier Horizon, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. They are trying to find buses and are asking for donations to buy food for kids separated from their families, fuel, and rent the buses to help get children to Poland. You can donate at their website, linked here.
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SCHOOL UPDATES
As we head into the Spring and there are shifting health and safety rules, it is important to keep up with updates from our schools, so please take some time to read the letters from both the Forest Grove and Hillsboro School Districts below.
Oregon School Board Association Legislative Recap:
The 2022 Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA)/Coalition of Oregon School Administrators (COSA) Legislative Report outlines bills enacted during Oregon's 2022 legislative session that affect public education. The report was prepared jointly by the staff of OSBA and COSA. Collaboration between OSBA and COSA ensures that the interests of board members and administrators of school districts, education service districts, and community colleges are considered when legislators and policymakers consider state laws impacting public education in Oregon.
You can find a link to the extended report at the link here.
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Optional Mask Wearing FAQ:
Effective March 14, FGSD is no longer requiring masks at school, in district facilities or on school buses. It is important to reiterate that as we move into this next phase of the pandemic, there will be many who will choose to continue wearing masks at school. Every individual has the right to make that decision and the district supports the continued use of face coverings by individuals who feel most comfortable doing so. The district will continue to strongly encourage mask wearing indoors, as well as vaccination and booster shots for all eligible persons. The district will continue to implement our layered safety protocols of increased ventilation, portable air filtration systems in all classrooms, cleaning and sanitizing. While it is not always possible, we will strive to keep physical distancing at the recommended three feet.
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Hillsboro School District Update:
The Hillsboro School District has received a new supply of rapid tests, and we can now offer district families the ability for students who have a household close contact to “test to stay” at school.
In short, this means:
Students and staff that have a household close contact are eligible to return to school and be tested each morning at the school for the duration of the infectious period (as determined by the district nurse).
Parents/guardians would be responsible for driving their student in for testing, and waiting for results before leaving school grounds. Students who are testing to stay would not be allowed to ride the bus to school.
Students would need to wear a mask during this time and the following ten days after exposure.
The district understands that these policies may be difficult for families to interpret and retain, and we encourage parents/guardians to continue to contact district nurse Toni Wallace for health guidance and questions relating to COVID-19.
The Hillsboro School District will also be following the CDC’s latest guidance to cease universal contact tracing when COVID-19 prevalence is low, and will suspend the districtwide emailing of the COVID-19 Update during these times.
COVID-19 prevalence can be viewed using our attendance metric, and a low prevalence would be indicated by both buildings remaining in a Green Learning Status.
We want to remind families that the information found in the COVID-19 Update will remain current and available on our website, which you can access by clicking the COVID-19 Tracker, and that the district remains committed to remaining responsive to the needs of our students, staff, families and community.
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FROM OUR OFFICE:
Lake Abert and Paisley Tour
A photo looking out on the dry bed of Lake Abert near Paisley, OR during the tour.
The severe drought in Southern Oregon, and across all of the West, has continued this year, leaving Lake Abert and the surrounding farmlands in distress. The catastrophic wildfires, made worse by our climate crisis, have also made recovery more challenging, so now more than ever we must take action to protect our natural and archeological resources. On Wednesday, March 16th, in an effort to learn more about the drought and wildfires from the landowners and wildlife experts familiar with the area, Maggie Thompson from our office attended a tour hosted by the Chewaucan Watershed Collaborative. Lake Abert and the surrounding farmland is a unique and complex ecological system that, without drought, would usually provide food (in the form of lake-dwelling insects) for nearly 200,000 birds that refuel on their migratory path yearly. Additionally, cows graze on the nearby marshland, but with the current drought, landowners are struggling to maintain their herds. Lake Abert is also an incredibly important archeological heritage site for Native American artifacts and remains, which would otherwise be protected by the water.
 Top image: The dry bed of Lake Abert. Bottom left: Wildfires burned away sagebrush, which will take at least 75 years to fully grow back. Bottom right: The marshland near Lake Abert acts as a sponge, soaking up water, but with the current drought, the land is dry and barely able to feed the cow herds.
COVID-19 UPDATES
As the COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to decline, Governor Kate Brown has announced the COVID-19 Emergency Order will be lifted by April 1st, 2022. Additionally, the indoor mask mandate has been lifted, though the mask mandate on public transit is still in effect. Since the emergency orders are being rescinded, I will no longer be publishing the weekly COVID-19 numbers, but will still provide important updates as we learn about them from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). If you would still like to follow daily or weekly case numbers, please visit OHA's tracking page here.
Now that mask requirements across Oregon have lifted for most indoor public settings, it’s important to continue wearing a mask when visiting a health care setting. This includes all pharmacies including chains and independent pharmacies, whether you’re standing in line or at the counter. For more information, check out Oregon’s current mask guidelines. And to learn why it’s so important to mask up in health care settings, visit OHA's blog.
VACCINE INFORMATION
Washington County Vaccination Sites:
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.
Paisanos Plaza: This clinic operates every Sunday from 1-5 p.m. It is organized by Oregon Health Authority and Vive NW and offers all vaccines and boosters. It is located at 966 SE Oak Street in Hillsboro. No appointments, ID or health insurance required. Questions? Call the Vive NW hotline at 844-291-4970.
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.
OREGON DMV: Update your License Soon!
Don’t miss your flight! Federal identification requirements for domestic air travel will change on May 3, 2023. That is when the Transportation Security Administration will no longer accept a standard Oregon driver license or ID card to pass through airport security checkpoints.
If there is any chance you might travel by air in the future, get ready now. Consider getting the Real ID option next time you renew your Oregon driver license, permit or ID card.
How to get the Oregon Real ID option: Make an appointment at DMV2U.Oregon.gov or drop by your local DMV office. You cannot change to Real ID online – you must apply in person and bring the federally required documents to qualify for Real ID.
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WILDFIRE RESOURCES
OEM has put together this list of contacts to help speed up the process of replacing these documents:
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Green cards: Phone (800)-375-5283; Website: www.uscis.gov
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Medicare cards: Phone: (800)-772-1213; (TTY) (800)-325-0778 Website: www.medicare.gov
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Military records Phone: 866-272-6272 Website: www.archives.gov/contact/
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Passport Phone: 877-487-2778; (TTY) 888-874-7793 Website: travel.state.gov
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Social Security card Phone: 800-772-1213; (TTY) 800-325-0778 Website: www.ssa.gov
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U.S. Savings Bonds Phone: 844-284-2676 Website: www.treasurydirect.gov
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U.S. tax returns Phone: 800-829-1040 Website: www.irs.gov
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Birth, death, marriage, domestic partnership, divorce certificates Phone: 888-896-4988 Website: www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/Birthdeathcertificates
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Driver’s license, auto titles and registration, ID cards Phone: 503-945-5000 Website: www.oregon.gov/odot
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SNAP (Oregon Trail Card) Website: www.oregon.gov/DHS/Assistance/Food-Benefits
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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
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Real estate and property - Contact your county government.
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Credit cards - Contact your credit card company directly.
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Credit reports from Equifax, Experian, TransUnion Phone: 877-322-8228 Website: www.annualcreditreport.com
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Insurance documents - Check with your insurance agent.
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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.
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 INFORMATION
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.
Education Links
Local Government
Utilities Assistance
Food and Housing Assistance
Spring is almost here!
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
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