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Hello Friends,

We're finally approaching the New Year, which gives us the opportunity to reflect on the past year we've had. We got a lot done in the Short Session, successfully making major investments that will support small businesses, working families, and low-wage Oregonians across every corner of the state for years to come. The work we accomplished will help us rebuild an economy that works for all Oregonians. We also had a busy Election Cycle and Oregon voted to recognize the everyday challenges that working families face, offered real solutions to the state’s problems, and stayed true to our shared values. There will be 11 new Members in the House in 2023, and we’ll have one of the most diverse Caucuses in Oregon history! The new House Members come from a wide diversity of backgrounds and experiences that will help shape the upcoming Session. 

During the 2023 Session, we’ll stay laser-focused on tackling some of the state’s most pressing issues. Some of these include: 

• Taking steps to address the homelessness and affordable housing crisis
• Supporting working families and small businesses
• Driving down the cost of living
• Taking on the mental and behavioral health crisis
• Investing in community safety 
• Championing stronger schools

Last week, I got to be back in person with my friends at our Capitol Building in Salem! I attended and chaired Committee Hearings on Education, Agriculture and Land Use and Transportation. It was a busy set of days but I enjoyed being in person and planning for our upcoming Session! 

I hope all of you have a restful Winter Break, a Happy Holiday and a celebratory New Year! I look forward to spending time with family and preparing for another big year. 

Fun to enjoy Winter and the Holiday Times with my daughters!

This Year's Accomplishments

• We focused our efforts around five top priorities:
• Addressing the homelessness and the affordable housing crises;
• Supporting working families and small businesses; 
• Driving down the cost of living; 
• Investing in community safety and violence prevention; and
• Supporting stronger schools.

• We are focused on building an economy that works for everyone. That’s why this year, the Legislature supported over $200 million in investments in career pathways and programs to retain and attract workers in critical sectors, including healthcare, behavioral health, education, manufacturing, technology, and construction. 
• And in a bipartisan effort, Democrats championed a $100 million investment to help rebuild critical infrastructure in rural Oregon to support local economies and create jobs.
• We also laid the groundwork for expanded broadband access by passing legislation to take advantage of a $250 million investment from American Rescue Plan dollars and President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law. 
• This is creating  a framework for future investments, strengthening state oversight, and helping develop broadband access at libraries across the state, which will help families and small businesses stay connected.
• In a historic moment, we approved House Bill 4002, giving farmworkers overtime pay after 80 years of racist and discriminatory exclusion. This will ensure farmworkers are fairly compensated for their work and put hard earned money back into their pockets to help cover expenses like rent, healthcare, and other essential needs. 
• We also passed House Bill 4015 to increase access to loans for small businesses from $100,000 to $1 million, allowing for greater investments in small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs across the state. 

• Our kids learn best when they are in safe, healthy classrooms five days a week. 
• To help ensure students and schools had the tools they needed to thrive, we approved a $300 million investment.
• This investment has gone towards summer learning programs and activities for K-12 students to keep them engaged and learning; addressing the workforce shortage to retain educators, school counselors, substitute teachers, mental health professionals and nurses; and supporting school districts impacted by the wildfires.
• School employees have been moving mountains to support our students through the pandemic and ever since, and we know this is the beginning of a longer conversation about how we can be responsive to the needs of our education system.

SCHOOL DISTRICT UPDATES

Winter Break: December 19, 2022 - January 2, 2023

Glencoe's Jazz Band Congratulations are in order for Glencoe’s Jazz Band! They took 3rd Place at the Skyview Jazz Festival and two soloists received awards for their achievements: Gerry Daniels and Andres Perez-Lete. This is the first time in more than 20 years that Glencoe Jazz has placed in the top three at an Oregon/Washington Jazz Festival. Way to go, students - you make us Proud to be HSD!

SEL Family Engagement Night All HSD families are invited to join us from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m, on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023 at Poynter Middle School (1535 NE Grant St., Hillsboro) for another evening of engaging and understanding more about Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and how it impacts the learning experiences of all students. You can expect fun activities, insightful discussions, and opportunities to collaborate with other families and staff. Free childcare and food will be provided. Learn more in this flyer: https://bit.ly/3uIQPJ1.

AROUND WASHINGTON COUNTY

Elder Safe Community Card Project While the winter season is a time of joy and celebration, many older people living alone find these days particularly difficult. Seclusion negatively impacts the mental health and wellness of many in our community, including older adults. Please help bring joy to some of our neighbors by sending a bit of cheer this winter. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office Elder Safe Program and Washington County Cooperative Library Services invite community members to decorate a card, add a note of goodwill, and send it to the below address for distribution to isolated older adults in our community.

Hillsboro Public Library December Events The Hillsboro Public Libraries have fun and free events and activities available in the month of December: - Leapin’ Louie Comedy Juggling: The History of Flight on Earth - Friday, Dec. 16, 4 p.m. at the Shute Park Library. Leapin’ Louie uses circus, cowboy tricks, puppetry, and comedy to explore the history of flight. - DIY Snow Globes - Friday, Dec. 16, 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Brookwood Library. Create your own wintery scene in a waterless DIY snow globe! Winter decorations are provided. - Mini Gingerbread House Kits - Available beginning Monday, Dec. 19 at the Brookwood and Shute Park Libraries. Pick up a gingerbread house kit to design and decorate at the library or at home. - Boxing Day - Monday, Dec. 26, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Brookwood and Shute Park Libraries. Calling all architects, engineers, and dreamers! Bring your ideas to life with a bit of cardboard, tape, and lots of creativity. - Noon Year’s Eve Party - Saturday, Dec. 31, 11 a.m. to noon at the Brookwood and Shute Park Libraries. Enjoy the New Year with none of the late-evening meltdowns from staying up until midnight! Celebrate at the library’s toddler-friendly NYE hour. They’ll have dancing, snacks, crafts, and a countdown to noon.

PAID FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE UPDATE

Back in 2019 we passed paid family medical leave, now officially known as Paid Leave Oregon. Starting in 2023, the program will launch. Here’s some messaging you can use to talk about the program and its benefits. 

About Paid Family Medical Leave

• Paid Leave Oregon is a new program that ensures individuals, employers, and families — of every kind — have the time and support they need to care for themselves and their loved ones when life's important moments affect their health and safety. In total, workers are guaranteed up to 12 weeks off. 
• For Oregon Democrats, passing paid leave back in 2019 (House Bill 2005) was a top priority. We all deserve to take time to welcome a child, recover from a serious illness, or care for a loved one, among other curve balls and milestones that life can throw at us.
• No one should have to choose between their jobs and their loved ones or go into debt during critical life events. 
• The paid family and medical leave insurance program offers a definition of family member that better captures the nature of today's family structures and relationships and requires employment protections, so that workers cannot be retaliated against for taking this type of leave. 

When does Paid Leave Oregon start? 

• On Jan. 1, 2023, employees and employers will begin paying into the new program.
• On Sept. 3, 2023, employees can start applying for benefits.
• Check for updates by visiting paidleave.oregon.gov.  

STUDENT LOAN RELIEF UPDATE

The Biden-Harris student debt relief plan is a crucial way we can uplift tens of millions of  low-income and middle class families and individuals. Recently, lawsuits have kept the program at bay. Because the Administration is confident that they have the legal authority to carry out the program, the Department of Education will extend the pause on student loan payments.

About the Student Loan Pause Extension

• The Biden-Harris Administration’s student debt relief plan will provide 40 million working and middle-class Americans a little extra breathing room as they recover from the pandemic and prepare to resume loan payments.
• It will help borrowers most at risk of delinquency or default get back on their feet when the payment pause ends – and will let them start businesses, pursue homeownership, or save for retirement.

About Student Loan Forgiveness in Oregon

• A post-high school education should be a ticket to the middle class. But the cost of college has skyrocketed and too many borrowers can’t afford to buy a home, start a business, or save for retirement.
• To address this, the Biden-Harris Administration announced it will:
• Provide up to $20,000 in debt cancellation to Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 in debt cancellation to non-Pell Grant recipients. Borrowers who earn less than $125,000 per year or households earning less than $250,000 are eligible for debt cancellation.
• Make the student loan system more manageable for current and future borrowers by cutting monthly payments in half for undergraduate loans and holding schools accountable when they hike up prices.
• This is good news for Oregon, where we have nearly half a million borrowers eligible for student debt relief and over 300,000 eligible Pell borrowers. Across the entire country, more than 40 million Americans stand to benefit from this relief that will help drive down the cost of living and give working people a chance to thrive.

HOW TO APPLY?

• Applying is easy and takes less than five minutes. To get started, fill out the online application at StudentAid.gov. This is available in English and Spanish, as well as desktop and mobile.  Already, nearly 22 million people – more than half of qualifying borrowers – have signed up.

ASSISTANCE

Winter Shelter Information   From November 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023 Washington County funded four winter shelter sites throughout the County for youth, individuals, and families. Locations include the Hillsboro Cloverleaf building, the Beaverton Community Center, and motel vouchers for families and medically fragile individuals.  To access shelter and housing resources, contact Community Connect (our coordinated entry system to receive services) at 503-640-3263 or email communityconnect​​@caowash.org.  If someone outside is unsheltered and whose life appears to be in danger, call 9-1-1. Otherwise, if you see someone about whom you are concerned during cold weather call the police non-emergency number at 503-629-0111 and request a welfare check.

Day Centers and Other Homeless Resources   Just Compassion of East Washington County Just Compassion is open 10 am to 2 pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Showers and laundry are offered on the first Sunday of the month from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Contact Just Compassion for further information. HomePlate Youth Services - (503) 320-8965 HomePlate is open offers drop-in services and street outreach for young people age 24 years and younger experiencing homelessness. Open Door Counseling Center (ODCC) - (503) 640-6689 ODCC is open 9 am to 3 pm, Monday through Friday, and offers drop-in daytime services for homeless persons including hot meals, showers, laundry, phone and mailbox use. Emergency food boxes and other services are also available. Project Homeless Connect (PHC) PHC offers outreach services and drop-in daytime services for homeless persons Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Center is located at 363 SE 6 Avenue, Hillsboro (near the 8th Street Max Stop). Washington County Family Shelter Network administered by Community Action - (503) 640-3263 Community Action offers a variety of assistance for homeless families and persons at risk of homelessness. Safe Place for Youth - (503) 542-2389 Safe Place serves youth age 12 to 20 years experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless because of instability in their own homes. Safe Place also serves youth who need to spend a period of time away from their home and family to address behavioral issues with the help of our specialized staff. 211 Info - 2-1-1 or (503) 222-5555 211 Info is an Information and Referral services that connects people in Oregon and Southwest Washington with community resources. Campsite and Solid Waste Resources Metro provides resources in partnership with local governments and law enforcement agencies to cleanup and investigate dumped garbage on public properties across the Metro region. These programs include the Regional Illegal Dumping (RID) program and a new Trash Bag Collection pilot project working with homeless campers. To report an illegal dump site call 503-234-3000. Regional Illegal Dumping (RID) Program (PDF 153.39 KB) Encampment Management Program Over the past few years, Washington County has seen an increase in urban camping and people living unsheltered. To address this, the Board of County Commissioners has approved the creation of a pilot Encampment Management Program. It will run through the summer of 2023 to improve homeless camp management coordination across County departments and with our partners.

Local Food Banks 

Seventh Day Adventist Church 367 NE Grant Street Hillsboro, OR - 97124 Phone: (503) 648-3922 Hours: Thursday 6:30pm to 8:00pm Hillsboro SDA Church Community Services is an approved agent of the Oregon Food Bank. We hand out emergency food boxes to eligible families. We also have a clothes closet where needy families can get clothing for all sizes at no cost.

St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry - Forest Grove 1660 Elm Street Forest Grove, OR - 97116 Phone: (503) 357-9647 Food Ordering Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00am to 12:00pm Saturday 9:00am to 11:00pm Food Pick-up Monday - Saturday 12:30pm - until complete Do you live in Forest Grove, Gales Creek or Gaston area?Do you need a food box?Call the St. Vincent DePaul Office. By Appointment only.

Gg's House- Forest Grove 1523 Pacific Ave. Forest Grove, OR - 97116 Phone: (503) 359-3871 Hours: Mondays through Fridays 10am to 3pm. GGs is local non profit organization. We provide basic hygiene, household needs(such as towels,bedding, kitchen items)& new undergarments to those in need, we know socks can save lives.We serve Veterans,Homeless,people recovering from many situations,etc

NW Natural Bill Discount Program The NW Natural Bill Discount Program for income-qualifying customers in Oregon can save you 15% to 40% on your monthly gas bills. The application takes only a few minutes to complete and can be done online, by email, post mail, or over the phone. Learn more at nwnatural.com/BillDiscount, or contact NW Natural at 503-226-4211 or 800-422-4012, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., csst@nwnatural.com. Several steps were taken to ease program access and streamline enrollment, including: Customers who have received energy assistance and weatherization services in the past two years will be automatically enrolled in the program. The application is simple. Financial documents will not be required; self-reported figures on household size and annual income will verify eligibility. No enrollment deadlines or enrollment windows. Customers can apply over the phone, online, or by U.S. mail. The discount is offered in addition to other energy assistance customers may be receiving. Once enrolled, the monthly discount will last for two years at which time customers will need to re-enroll (customers will be notified in advance of this deadline) Learn more in this brochure: https://bit.ly/3HsLT2H.

PUBLIC HEALTH

Protect Your Child From RSV This Holiday Season

WILDFIRE-RELATED 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

RESOURCES FOR OUR VETERANS

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.

• Unemployment options 
• Information about employer obligations and responsibilities from Oregon Labor and Industries
• Business Oregon's list of financial resources (including non-bank lenders) 
• Information about US Small Business Administration disaster assistance loans 
• The latest COVID-19/Coronavirus information on resources for workers and business owners  

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

Ruthie enjoying family time with everyone!

Yours truly,

Representative Susan McLain
House District 29

email: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1429
address: 900 Court St NE, H-489, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mclain