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Friends and Neighbors,
Upcoming Events
Community Conversation - Happening this Morning!
Join me at BJ's Coffee in Forest Grove for my 89th Community Conversation. This is a great opportunity to gather informally and share your questions and concerns. Hope to see you there. Let's support a local Senate District 15 small business!
Town Hall for Gun Violence Prevention
Join me and local students for a Students Demand Action Town Hall discussing gun violence prevention.
Legislative Updates
Missing and Endangered Person Alert (MEPA) Update
 Read the full media release here.
I am so thankful this story had a positive outcome and that the child is safely home with his family. It was also recently featured on KOIN 6 news. Read here.
In this last year, because of Ralph Brown, I have sought to make change to the Silver Alert system here in Oregon with possible legislation. The goal is to better alert law enforcement, and the public, of missing or endangered persons. Together, with the Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Transportation, the work began to update our policies regarding Missing and Endangered Person Alert (MEPA). As a result, a new tool is available to any law enforcement agency in the State of Oregon for ODOT’s state highway variable message boards. This updated policy information, which has now been shared with law enforcement across the state, helps to share resources and have broader communications between agencies and jurisdictions.
Legislative Days
Legislative Days were last week and full of good work being done for Oregon. In addition to committees meeting to hear about important and ongoing issues in the state, the Senate convened on Friday for the confirmation of executive appointments to Oregon's State Boards and Commissions. I was proud to vote yes on the confirmations that included 5 constituents from Senate Distrct 15. I offer them my congratulations and gratitude for their service to Oregon. They are:
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Gregory Kautz – Board of Optometry
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Emily Gothard – Public Records Advisory Council
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Maria Caballero Rubio – Board of Public Safety, Standards and Training
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Charles Hopewell – Workforce Talent and Development Board
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Venkat (KS) Venkatraman – Workforce Talent and Development Board
You can watch the Senate Floor session and all committee meetings that occurred, on OLIS here. If you change the calendar view to June 1st, 2nd or 3rd, you can look at "Meetings Today" and see all the committees that met that day.
The Joint Emergency Board also met to make appropriations and give approvals to many current needs. You can watch the Joint Emergency Board committee meeting here and see a list of all that was passed.
Out and About in Senate District 15
Visit to Glencoe High School's Clothing Closet
The Civics I and Civics II classes at Glencoe High School are doing some amazing things! This group of students, led by teacher Lisa Pearson, have created a Clothing Closet within their school for students to come get clothes for free. Set up like a store, with items organized by type and size, students can come in and "shop" for a variety of clothes and other products that may be difficult to obtain otherwise. The Clothing Closet contains clothes of all sizes, for family members, shoes, bags and backpacks, a food pantry, and even a formal wear room where students can borrow dresses, shoes and accessories for fancy events. They even recognized the need for an equity focus to support students for milestone cultural celebrations like their Quinceañeras. These students are good human beings, turning a project into a generous program to help their fellow students in need, all while learning valuable marketing, customer service and social service skills. If you are interested in donating, please email them at ghscrimsoncloset@gmail.com for more information.
In the News
On Friday, June 3rd, we remembered the victims of gun violence by wearing orange. As a legislator, mom and grandma, I am committed to doing all I can to end gun violence by using my voice and supporting common sense gun legislation focused on gun violence prevention and recognizing the public health crisis it is. I am encouraged by stories I hear from the community supporting these goals and I applaud constituent Ben Beers for his commitment to making our community safer and his family safer. Ben received national recognition for his courageous and bold decision. Please read his story:
Hillsboro dad goes viral for surrendering guns; here’s how to get rid of yours, The Oregonian.
Community Outreach
Celebrate Pride Month
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June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. A month for us to celebrate and recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals have had on our history, both locally and globally.
Here are some ways you can be a positive ally and celebrate our LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors:
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Hillsboro Pride Party: 6/11/22 from 12:00pm-7:00pm at Jerry Willey Plaza in Hillsboro. Visit here for details.
Pride 5K at Hidden Creek: 6/24/22 from 6:00pm-7:00pm at Hidden Creek Community Center in Hillsboro. Visit here for details.
Take and Make: Pride Bracelets: All day, Thursday, June 23rd at the Forest Grove City Library
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Make a rainbow bracelet for yourself and a friend.
Optional Zoom hangout @2pm, link will be provided with the craft. Discuss representation and learn about LGBTQ+ history.
Visit here for details.
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A Local's Guide to Pride in Oregon: How to Celebrate Pride Month in Portland and Beyond: From Travel Oregon. Visit here to find events happening in the Portland area and across the state.
June is LGBT Pride Month From Youth.Gov.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (LGBT Pride Month) is celebrated annually in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots, and works to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) Americans. In June of 1969, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City staged an uprising to resist the police harassment and persecution to which LGBT Americans were commonly subjected. This uprising marks the beginning of a movement to outlaw discriminatory laws and practices against LGBT Americans.
Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBT Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that LGBTQ individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.
Federal and local policies and practices are increasingly acknowledging and focusing on LGBTQ youth and numerous national advocacy and other organizations are also giving greater attention to LGBTQ youth in their work. Encouraging greater acceptance and support for all youth, including those who are or are perceived to be LGBTQ, will make communities, schools, and other settings safer, better places for all youth.
Visit here to read the full article and find information and resources to support LGBTQ+ youth.
Additional Resources
Senate District 15 Links
Federal Delegation Links
Education Links
Food and Housing Assistance
 Onward & Upward,
 Senate District 15 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: 503-986-1715
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, S-207, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Sen.JaneenSollman@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/sollman
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