Nearing the New Year!

Oregon State Legislature sent this bulletin at 12/30/2022 08:45 AM PST

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Representative Susan McLain

Hello Friends,

I hope you've all been relaxing with your loved ones during the holiday season, and gearing up for the New Year!

2023

Happy New Year! May the new year bring the world peace, healing, healthy people and families.

2023 COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS

capitol

 

In exciting news, House Speaker Rayfield announced the House Standing Committees for 2023. Committees are important because they bring legislators from both sides of the political aisle together to focus on on a specific issue and vote on measures throughout the Legislative Session. 

Here are my Committee roles for the 2023 Long Session:

House Standing Committees

  • Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water Committee: Member

Joint Committees (House and Senate)

  • Ways and Means Committee: Member
  • Ways and Means-Education Subcommittee: Co-Chair
  • Transportation Committee: Co-Chair 
  • Interstate 5 Bridge Committee: Co-Chair

In addition to my committee responsibilities, I am also working with the following groups:

  • Education Advancement Council
  • Oregon Department of Education
  • Recycling Council with the Department of Environmental Quality (working on a new modernized recycling bill from last Session)
rep mclain and daughter

Looking forward to getting back to an In-Person Session in 2023!

SAVE THE DATE: UPCOMING TOWN HALL

Click the graphic below to register:

town hall

AROUND WASHINGTON COUNTY

Hope for the Holidays Project

The Rotary Club of Forest Grove continued a holiday tradition of making the season a little brighter for those in need in our community, but this year with a new approach.The club conducted its annual Hope for the Holidays service project on Monday in conjunction with the Forest Grove High School Food Pantry.In past years, Hope for the Holidays has provided families the opportunity for a holiday shopping spree at a local retailer, assisted by Rotarians. This year, the club changed the program’s focus to providing holiday food boxes along with other household items normally not provided by the FGHS Food Pantry.The food distribution event served 100 families, more than doubling the impact of the project on the community.
 older people standing and smiling

 

Retiring Rob Drake leaves legacy in Cornelius

2022 marked the end of an era for Cornelius, as city manager Rob Drake retired after more than a decade at City Hall.

Drake took on a police department plagued by allegations of corruption and mismanagement. Ultimately, Cornelius dissolving its police department, replacing it with a force contracted through the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Drake also worked with the Cornelius Public Library to develop and build a new, larger library. He and library director Karen Hill pivoted, after a bond measure failed, to raising the money from public and private grants and other donations. The capital campaign took years but was ultimately a success, and the new library opened in 2019.

Drake leaves Cornelius in the hands of new city manager Peter Brandom, whom the City Council hired away from nearby Hillsboro. Brandom officially took over this fall.

 picture of rob drake

SCHOOL DISTRICT UPDATES

School Resumes: Tuesday- January 3, 2023

bus covered in snow

Links to District Calendars: HILLSBORO and FOREST GROVE 

Surprise at Joseph Gale Elementary

Last week at Joseph Gale, kindergartners got an amazing surprise! A fleet of brand new strider bikes was donated by HDR Foundation/All Kids Bike.

After the winter break, students will learn how to ride a bike in their PE classes. Such a cool opportunity!

 kids on bikes
rep mclain in capitol lobby

Check Construction Information before you visit the Capitol. Some parts of the Capitol will be under renovation. Click this LINK to learn more about Capitol Accessibility, Maintenance and Safety (CAMS).

STUDENT LOAN DEBT RELIEF UPDATE

chalkboard

BUSINESS SUPPORT

 

business oregon logo

 

Business Oregon manages a variety of funding tools to help small businesses grow and Oregon communities prosper. Below are some programs that may work for you.

It's always a good idea to reach out to one of their Regional Development Officers to talk through your needs and how they could help. 

Their program page has a full list of all of Business Oregon's programs. Their Business Finance Programs brochure is also a quick way to find what you need. 

Grant Applications Open to Organizations Advancing Economic Equity

Business Oregon has opened a Request for Grant Applications for the Economic Equity Investment Program—a new program created to promote durable economic advancement among historically marginalized communities.  

More information about this program and the grant requirements can be found on Business Oregon’s website. Applications are due by 11:59 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. 

 equity blocks

BENEFITS

Oregon’s new paid leave program set to begin: Payments in start Jan. 1, benefits come in the fall

paid leave oregon logo

In January, employees and employers will begin paying into the program. Workers will be able to apply for benefits in September.

Paid leave of up to 12 weeks a year will be available in three situations. The first is family leave, so people can take care of a family member, or newborn or adopted child. The second is medical leave for someone's own health. And the third is safe leave for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, harassment or stalking.

Workers will pay in 60% of the contribution rate and employers with 25 or more employees will pay 40%. So for a worker making $50,000 a year, they will contribute $300 annually and their employer will contribute $200.

 

Oregon to issue $71M in emergency SNAP benefits

groceries

Most Oregonians who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will receive emergency allotments in January.

A release from the Oregon Department of Human Services said the federal government has approved emergency allotments every month since March 2020. This gives SNAP recipients additional support during the COVID-19 pandemic. The emergency benefits are a temporary support that Oregon can provide because of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency.

In January, approximately 421,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $71 million in extra food benefits in addition to their regular SNAP benefits.

Current SNAP households will receive emergency allotments on Jan. 11. Emergency allotments will be issued on Jan. 31 or Feb. 2 for households who did not receive benefits in the first monthly issuance.

SNAP recipients do not have to take any action to receive these benefits as they will be issued directly on their EBT cards.

Since the federal government approved these emergency benefits for January, Oregon will also be able to issue them in February 2023. However, the emergency benefits are expected to end when the federal public health emergency ends.

PUBLIC HEALTH

Updated COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Now Recommended for Children and Adults

Search for "newly authorized bivalent" options for children or adults to find a location near you. If you do not find a convenient location, check back later or contact your health care provider or local health department. Learn more about COVID-19 booster recommendations.

 

 vaccination card

Search for Flu Vaccine Locations

The first and most important step to protect yourself against flu viruses is to get a flu vaccine. You can get a flu vaccine at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine. Find your flu vaccine.

 

 

 smiling girl who got immunized
holiday safety cartoon

Reduce risk of getting, transmitting flu during holiday weekends

Cases of respiratory viruses – particularly influenza – continue to put strain on hospitals, so Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is reminding people to take steps that protect themselves and loved ones from infection as holiday weekends loom.

While the percentage of positive RSV tests and resulting hospitalizations declined since peaking in early December, percent positivity and hospitalizations for influenza rapidly increased in the last several weeks. That, along with a rise in COVID-19 cases, pushed hospitalizations – including patients waiting in emergency departments because no bed is available – well above 300 per day and kept bed capacity at or near 100%.

Like RSV, influenza is particularly dangerous for children who have not gotten a flu shot this year, or who can’t yet receive the vaccine because they are younger than 6 months old.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu causes only mild illness in most people, and medical care and antiviral medications are not needed. They should stay home if they are sick and avoid contact with others except to get medical care. However, those with flu symptoms and in a high-risk group, or very sick and worried about their illness, should seek care right away.

For children, warning signs needing medical attention include:

  • Fast breathing or trouble breathing – flaring nostrils, wheezing or grunting.
  • Bluish lips or face.
  • Ribs pulling in with each breath.
  • Chest pain.
  • Severe muscle pain (child refuses to walk).
  • Dehydration (no urine for eight hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying).
  • Not alert or interacting when awake.
  • Seizures.
  • Fever above 104°F.
  • Any fever in children younger than 12 weeks old.
  • Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen.
  • Worsening of chronic medical conditions.
  • In infants and toddlers, very ill or drowsy, poor feeding or high-pitched cry.

For adults, warning signs needing medical attention include:

  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen.
  • Persistent dizziness, confusion, inability to arouse.
  • Seizures.
  • Not urinating.
  • Severe muscle pain.
  • Severe weakness or unsteadiness.
  • Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen.
  • Worsening of chronic medical conditions.

WILDFIRE-RELATED RESOURCES

OEM has put together this list of contacts to help speed up the process of replacing these documents:

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.

RESOURCES FOR OUR VETERANS

picture of 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.

Education Links

Local Government

Utilities Assistance

Food and Housing Assistance

Emergency
Oregon Health Authority
rep mclain and daughter

Looking forward to seeing my peers. (Rep Fahey, Senator Gelser-Blouin and Rep Marsh)

Yours truly,

Representative Susan McLain

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