Town Hall Recap and Reproductive Health Access Update

Friends and neighbors,

Now that the Primary Election has concluded, I will be sending out regular newsletters about my legislative work and other district news. I am looking forward to my first full term in the 2023 Legislative Session. I will be spending the next few months developing my policy agenda and look forward to learning more about the needs of the district and how to better serve this community.

June 1st through 3rd will be my first Legislative Days. This is a time where committees meet to discuss past and future legislation. I am continuing to serve on the House Behavioral Health Committee and House Human Services Committee which will be having meetings on Thursday, June 2nd.
During the next few months, I plan on visiting different parts of House District 44. I will be sharing those visits with you all in these newsletters.

Town Hall Recap

I want to thank everyone who came out to the Town Hall with Senator Frederick, Representative Sanchez and myself. We had some folks from Portland Parks and Recreation there to table and get feedback on aquatic access in North Portland. If you would like to sign up to get updates on this project, you can sign up here.

We discussed many different topics that are impacting folks in North and Northeast Portland. Such as housing, transportation, aquatic access, gun control, public safety, healthcare for all, superfund cleanup,  and election safety. We did not get to all of the questions asked but I have provided answers to the unanswered questions at the bottom of this newsletter. If you would like to read those questions and answers, please see read below.

• Q&A from the Town Hall

Photo: Senator Frederick joined the Town Hall virtually. Representative Sanchez and Nelson joined in person.

Portsmouth Safe Streets Meeting

Reproductive Health Care Access in Oregon

I believe in protecting every person’s right to make their own reproductive choices, which includes ensuring that everyone has access to contraception and abortion. Like many of you, I am very concerned about the leaked memo from the Supreme Court about the Roe v. Wade decision.

Thankfully, Oregon is the only state in the nation with no legal restrictions on abortion access, and I will continue to advocate to keep these protections. Last week, House Speaker Dan Rayfield announced that he is creating the Reproductive Health and Access to Care Work Group. You can read the full release and some of my comments here. I will be serving on this workgroup, bringing my nearly 20 years of healthcare experience. I look forward to the policy decisions that will come out of this process.

Oregon needs to continue our history of protecting the right to abortion. In 2020, Oregonians voted down Measure 106, which would have also restricted reproductive health care access, with almost twice as many no votes to yes votes. In 2017, the legislature passed the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA), which is helping to make sure all Oregonians have access to the full range of reproductive health services, including abortion. RHEA also gave these rights to folks who are undocumented so that all Oregonians have these same rights.

Many other states do not have these same protections and other legislatures are preparing to be even more restrictive than they are currently.

^{Photo credit: New York Post. Click image for full article}

Our neighboring state to the east, Idaho, has a “trigger law” that will ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned. You can read more about how Idaho will be impacted in this article from the Idaho Statesman. The Oregonian covers how Oregon is preparing for these restrictions here. The Oklahoma Legislature recently passed the strictest abortion ban in the country. These threats are real and will go into effect in many other states.

I am not only concerned about the impacts on abortion and contraception access but how many other rights could be rolled back in the future. From marriage equality to antidiscrimination laws, many of the rights we now enjoy may soon be attacked I am committed to making sure that Oregon moves forward and not backwards. I will be using this to guide my policy decisions in the 2023 legislative session.

Summer Programs at Portland Public Schools

Portland Public Schools has announced their summer enrichment programs for this summer. During the 2022 legislative session, we allocated $150 million in funding for summer education programing. You can read more about that funding in this article from The Oregonian. For more information on what programs are available at Portland Public Schools visit their resource page.

Eviction Assistance

I know that there are still folks struggling with keeping their homes and who still fear eviction. Please call 211 for resources. Through June 30, 2022, Oregonians who submit rental assistance applications to local programs can receive Senate Bill 891 protections from eviction for nonpayment of rent while their application is processed until September 2022.

Individuals who have received an eviction notice should:

1. Apply for local rental assistance immediately
2. Provide their landlord with proof of application
3. Contact the Eviction Defense Project for further legal support

Q&A from the Town Hall

Below are the unanswered questions from the Town Hall. I have answered them to the best of my ability. My staff has transcribed the cards the best that she could, but some may be slightly edited for grammar. Some of the topics might need more research but I will include what additional information that I gain in future newsletters. If you asked one of these questions and I did not fully answer or you have more context, please respond to this email.

Medicaid/ Medicare liens issues on family homes?

Although I am unsure which issue you are having with Medicaid liens on family homes, I know that you can get some information by calling Estate Administration Unit staff at 1-800-826-5675 or 503-378-2884. You can also find more information about this topic with their Frequently Asked Questions page found here. My office can work with Oregon Department of Human Services to answer specific questions about your case if you reach out with more details. 

During the pandemic, some parents of disabled children have received an exemption form the state so that they can be paid for providing additional care their children need. The state is now threatening to stop these payments, even though the experiment has been very successful and addressed many serious inequities. What can be done to keep these payments?

Thank you for bringing this issue to my attention. I will be meeting with parents to hear more about this program and to learn how my office can help with keeping this resource.

The charge for bags. How to get rid of this charge?

The charge for using single-use checkout bags was put into place by House Bill 2509 from the 2019 legislative session before I became a State Representative. You can read more about this policy here. The Department of Environmental Quality will be reporting to the legislature about the use of these bags by consumers in 2025. At that time, we can look at how effective this policy has been and if there is a need to remove the fees.

Since the pandemic it has been difficult getting funding and services to underserved and poor oversight of those served. The local governments are disconnected and poor staffing. What do you suggest? There is little community engagement.

I know that it can be frustrating to navigate many levels of governments and bureaus  when trying to address so many community concerns. My office can help with some coordination with state and city folks for specific issues. Please feel free to reach out through email. Once source of information that can help you navigate multiple resources is through calling 211. Folks in North Portland, called the North Portland Doers, have put together this guide for resources.

What are you doing about vehicular (car) violence in our communities? (People are dying and killing in speeding events) That doesn’t endanger BIPOC community members? (like traffic stops)

I am very concerned about this issue. I am particularly concerned about street racing that happens in our community. I am committed to working with the City on solutions for safer streets and addressing other community violence that can be addressed with traffic safety improvements. In the short legislative session, I was supportive of photo radar and the expansion of traffic light cameras. I am advocating for the inclusion of North and Northeast Portland in that program.

As mentioned above, I will be joining the Portsmouth Neighborhood Association and Commissioner Hardesty to discuss these solutions on Wednesday, May 25^th at 6pm. You can register here to join this meeting.

Our districts have lots of things to address, mostly “city” issues and problems … How do Representatives and Senators from more rural areas and towns figure in, work with you and you with them, or not? Are there issues that obstruct working together?

One of the ways that I engage with rural legislators is through committee meetings. This is a time for us to all hear about issues impacting our districts. Many concerns we have in urban areas are also shared by those in rural areas (lack of housing, increased cost of living, impact of climate change, access to healthcare, etc.). I commit to hearing out my rural colleagues and will work collaboratively when possible to find solutions.

I grew up in rural Washington state and I look forward to working with Representatives from rural areas to find solutions that help our all of our communities.

I am considering buying an electric car. Is the state (ODOT) doing anything to get charging stations built on the highways in Oregon? It helps reduce range anxiety.

Electric vehicles (EV) are becoming more common and hopefully more affordable. With the increase in folks owning electric vehicles, we need to modernize out infrastructure. The Oregon Department of Transportation has recently committed $100 million in EV infrastructure. According to their press release, “the new charging sites installed on Oregon’s seven EV corridors will be spaced roughly every 50 miles, and each site will have at least four fast-chargers.” You can read the full press release here.

How can we work together to get a pool up and running in North Portland while we wait another 5-7 years to begin the process of getting a new aquatic center?

I am open to suggestions on pool access during the design and construction of the new aquatic center. Portland Parks and Recreation has $1.5 million to help with access to other aquatic resources and are asking for feedback on how to use those funds. You can give feedback on that allocation and find more information about the new center here.

We can continue to look at other options for the use of the current pool but the funds that the city has cannot be used for repairs for the current pool. I am open to looking at ways that the state might be helpful but my focus at this time is to ensure that North Portland has a facility that will last for many generations.

How can we prioritize state and city contracts to offer opportunities for large … mid… and small businesses? To assist with clean up and mental health communication.

I would like to look at this issue more closely. I know that there are some community based organizations that the state does contract with on these issues. I am working to understand this better. If you have information on a business or organization that I should connect with, please let me know.

I’m a public high school teacher and for as long as I’ve been teaching (15 years) I’ve experienced increasing class sizes and reduces FTE. We were told that the student success act was going to adequately fund our schools and from my perspective very little has changed. What’s the plan to fully fund public schools?

I know that class sizes continue to be an issue for many schools. I joined other members of the BIPOC Caucus in writing a letter to PPS sharing concerns when we learned of the potential cuts to teachers. You can read the Oregon Public Broadcast article about that letter here. My office has been attending regular check-ins with PPS on how they will be staffing classrooms in the upcoming school year. COVID-19 has highlighted many issues in our funding of K-12 education. The Student Success Act was passed in the 2019 session and funding was complicated by the pandemic. I believe there will be continuing conversations about funding in the upcoming legislative session. I will be following this issue as we look for solutions and how to make the SSA deliver results.  

I am an active user of Columbia and Dishman pools. Though I’m happy to receive funding for a N. Portland aquatic center, it fees contrary to financial responsibility. We have to consider all aspects of the life of the asset. This is how we got into a situation where our existing assets deteriorate to closure. This feels potentially advantageous  to you without informed impact on us. What solutions can you offer other than asset funding?

North Portland is often an afterthought when it comes to the needs of the community. I want to see that change. None of our public assets deteriorate to closure. It is my hope that the city will invest in all of the structures and public spaces that the people of Portland enjoy.

Portland Parks & Recreation has a Sustainable Future webpage that you can find here that has more information on their plan. The Parks Local Option Levy (Parks Levy) that City Council referred was overwhelmingly passed by Portland voters in November 2020. You can find more information about the levy here.

Fewer reporters doesn’t relinquish your responsibility to communicate [unknown] and progress from our state representatives. What are you doing to ensure transparency?

This question may have been in response to something that was said at the town hall about the decrease in news coverage of local politics. I will do my best to communicate and meet with constituents as I head into the 2023 legislative session. I will be holding a town hall in the fall for another chance to engage with folks. I encourage you to share this newsletter with others so my office can share what we are working on with more people in the district. Also, please feel free to reach out to my office to share your thoughts on future legislation.

I see a lack of sustainability for the underserved and working BIPOC families, we need leadership with lived experience for careers and knowing the demands needed for high wage jobs in Oregon. Where are we with reparations?

I know that there is a group of legislators who are working on workforce development and how to get underserved communities into job training for family wage jobs. This is something that I would like to look into further and will have a future newsletter to address. When it comes to reparations, I am supportive. I look forward to getting up to speed on the various efforts in Oregon to provide reparations.

Once again, thank you for reading my newsletter. Please reach out to my office with any comments, questions, or concerns. You can respond to this email or email me at Rep.TravisNelson@OregonLegislature.gov. I look forward to engaging with you all further.

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​