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Hello Friends and Neighbors,
We are only 5 days into the new year and it's already off to a busy start! Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending the annual Educator Advancement Council (EAC) meeting with many educators, staff and administrators. The Educator Advancement Council is an organization that advocates for high-quality education in our state, and supports legislative efforts such as investing in educator preparation and educator retention. At this meeting, education providers from across our state participated in a discussion that centered around empowering, supporting and diversifying Oregon's educator workforce. As a teacher of over forty years, it's exciting to hear new ideas on how to improve the quality of education for students and educators across our state.
As the Co-Chair of the Transportation Committee and the Bi-State Committee for the I-5 Bridge, I attended The Portland Freight Advisory Committee (PFC) Conference. The PFC serves as an advisory group to the Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and City Council on issues related to freight mobility. The PFC was formed in February 2003 and includes both community member volunteers and public agency representatives at the local, state, and federal level. At the conference, we heard from Metro, who provided a briefing on findings related to how COVID-19 economic impacts have affected freight truck travel, e-commerce, and delivery service. I provided an update on the 2017 transportation package. We then heard concerns and questions from the public, and I found our conversation to be very productive and positive.
I am looking forward to another year of important conversations with leaders, advocates and community members in our district and throughout our state. Here's to learning, improving and creating change!
I always learn from our youth!
Jurisdiction partners and citizens also energize me!
CONTACT OUR OFFICE
As we approach the 2023 Session, I want you to know that my staff and I would love to hear from you! Please never hesitate to contact us through phone and email with questions, concerns and comments!
Jan 9th: Legislature and Governor will be sworn in.
BILL HIGHLIGHTS
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HB 2617: Improvements to Newborn Screening
- HB 2563 (2019) established the Northwest Regional Newborn Bloodspot Advisory Board to evaluate diseases for addition to Oregon's Newborn Screening list.
- HB 2617 requires that Oregon must provide a transparent and pristine process for adding new diseases to the Newborn Screening list so that families, the public, and Legislators can be confident in the protocols used for evaluation.
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HB 2611: Expanding and Improving Part-Time Faculty Healthcare
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SB 551 was passed in 2021 to ensure that part-time faculty at public universities receive the same healthcare coverage as colleagues who work full- time. The language was interpreted to exclude both dental and vision coverage
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HB 2611 will expand coverage for part-time faculty to include dental and vision coverage
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HB 2615: Oregon Promise Grant Eligibility for Veterans
- Oregon Promise Grant requires recent Oregon high school graduates to enroll at an Oregon Community College by six months after graduation. Therefore, veterans who enter the service directly after graduation lose eligibility for this grant.
- HB 2615 will increase access to Community College for veterans separating to Oregon upon discharge from the military. Specifically, it expands eligibility for the Oregon Promise Grant (OPG) to allow veterans who were Oregon High School graduates to apply for the grant within 12 months of their discharge from military service and enrollment at an Oregon community college.
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LC 3772: Increase Funding to the Great Streets Program
- Great Streets was created because the Oregon Transportation Commission understands the need to fund projects that improve safety for all road corridor users on arterials that act as main streets in urban or rural areas
- This project would increase the funding source for improvements to pedestrian crossings, transit stops, lighting, signals, pavement, and other infrastructure
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HB 2612: Increasing Representation on University Governance Boards
- SB 270 (2013) created an individualized governing system and established a board of trustees for each of Oregon’s seven public universities.
- HB 2612 changes the selection process for all student, faculty, and non-faculty staff board members to direct internal election processes on each campus.
KEEPING UP WITH SESSION
Each Session, we analyze and vote on a plethora of different bills, and it can be challenging to locate the exact bill you're searching for given the large quantity. OLIS is a helpful tool that makes it easier to navigate the long list of bills we are looking at, in current Session and from previous Sessions. It allows us to track legislation as it moves through the process of becoming a law. Below you will find a How-To Guide on finding bills through this program.
If you want to exercise your legislative engagement and share your input on a bill, Submitting Written Testimony on a Bill or Testifying in a Committee Hearing are two effective routes you can take as a citizen.
    
SAVE THE DATE: UPCOMING TOWN HALL
Please join me for my first Town Hall of 2023, which will also be the last before the start of the 2023 Legislative Session! Come hear about the new Session and the impactful issues we'll take up. I also want to hear your priorities for the Legislature and to share an update about my bills and committee work. I'll talk about the challenges we face with the state budget and major topics we will be working hard to address, like Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and support for our teachers and students, homelessness, and water resources.
Click the graphic below to register:
ADVOCATE SPOTLIGHT
This past week, I've gotten the chance to speak directly with some fantastic leaders from organizations tackling critical work in our state. Here are some shoutouts!
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Next Up Action Fund is an organization led by young people who advocate for a more equitable Oregon through legislative action. I spoke to Isabela Villarreal, the Policy and Communications Director who has been with Next Up since 2018. She received a BA in Community Development from PSU and currently serves on the Board of Directors and steering committee for Participatory Budgeting Oregon. Her experience organizing in high school and subsequent work with culturally specific community organizations instilled in her the power of youth and community work to bring about social and political transformation to marginalized communities.
Isabela and I discussed the The Restoration of Voting Rights Act (LC 831), which will be reintroduced in the 2023 legislative session. I believe that voting is a right that cannot and should not be taken away from any citizen of the U.S, and I am looking forward to working with this organization to do my part in protecting this right, as I have in the past.
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Foundations for a Better Oregon is an organization of advocates who fight against the ongoing injustices facing children and their families within our public system. I spoke with members of their staff who clearly demonstrate a deep love and commitment to all of Oregon’s children.
We discussed their efforts to increase transparency in Oregon's State School Fund, which will ultimately improve student outcomes and rebuild public trust in our school systems. As an educator and a mother, I know how crucial it is for families to feel safe and confident in the education they provide for their children.
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AROUND WASHINGTON COUNTY
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden has announced in-person town hall meetings for 11 counties, including Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas and Yamhill counties.
They will add to the 1,027 meetings the Oregon Democrat has sponsored since he was elected to the Senate 27 years ago. He was reelected to another six-year term on Nov. 8.
Town Hall for Washington County: 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, Conestoga Recreation Center, 9985 S.W. 125th Ave., Beaverton.
For information on this month's list of exciting events at the Forest Grove Library, please refer to our online calendar:
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SCHOOL DISTRICT UPDATES
HSD students wishing to continue a current in-district transfer or request a new in-district transfer for the 2023-24 school year can apply beginning January 1 by using our online transfer request application at hsdtransfer.hsd.k12.or.us.
Students who are currently on a one-year only transfer and plan to return to their home school in the 2023-24 school year do not need to take any action, as they will automatically be returned to their home school in the student information system at the end of the 2022-23 school year.
Students who wish to request an out-of-district transfer must wait until the Board takes action in March to determine the number of students who can be released for such transfers. Those requests can be made from April through mid-May.
For additional information about student transfers, please see our Boundaries and Transfers webpage (https://bit.ly/3vAuAp3) or contact Communications Specialists Katie Russell-Willis and Marleen Zytniowski at transfers@hsd.k12.or.us or 503-844-1771.
In the November 8, 2022 general election, 2001 Hilhi graduate Christina Stephenson won the statewide vote to become Oregon’s next Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries. This nonpartisan position is tasked with protecting the rights of workers, encouraging and enforcing compliance with state laws, and promoting the development of a highly skilled, competitive workforce. She chose as the backdrop for her swearing-in ceremony on Friday, December 16, an engineering classroom at her alma mater. The class is taught by former Intel Engineer Wayne Clift, in a true nod to what it means to prepare students for the real jobs they will be entering upon graduation. We are proud to see our alumni going on to do amazing things!
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Although the 2022 calendar year has ended, cold and flu season has not. COVID-19, the flu, RSV, and other respiratory viruses are circulating broadly in our community. While there is no single preventive measure that can guarantee you or your child(ren) or other family members will not get sick, there are many things you can do to stay healthier and to limit the spread of diseases.
- Get vaccinated against COVID-19 (https://bit.ly/3WJOb2f) and the Flu (https://bit.ly/3QfFaeW)
- Wash and sanitize your hands often
- Cover your coughs and sneezes
- Avoid close contact with people who are ill
- Stay home if you are sick
- Get plenty of rest and stay hydrated
- Consider wearing a face covering indoors
If you have any questions about whether or not your child is too sick to attend school, please reference this flyer: www.hsd.k12.or.us/toosickforschool. If you are unsure if your child meets the guidelines for missing school due to illness, feel free to reach out to the district nurse assigned to your child’s school (https://bit.ly/3CjSbOM) or contact the COVID Resource Team at 503-844-1784.
So far this school year, we have been extremely fortunate to have not been put in a position where we needed to close a classroom or a school because of excessive illness and absenteeism. With all of us working together in observing good health hygiene habits, we hope that will continue to be the case.
If your child is healthy, it is very important that they attend school so they are able to fully access their instruction. Regular, on-time attendance is a key measure of academic success.
The Community Curriculum Advisory Committee (CCAC) will meet on Monday, Jan. 9 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Zoom:
https://bit.ly/3GcHzCq
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The Black Village Family Advisory Committee will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, Jan. 9 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84227146005). All families with students who identify in whole or in part as Black/African American/African are welcome to learn, grow, and unite as we come together to build a better community for our children.
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BENEFITS
A new Oregon program offering dental insurance for veterans launches this month — and state officials say they have funding to serve about 10 times more veterans than have enrolled so far.
They are encouraging veterans to contact their county or tribal Veterans Service Office to submit an application.
The program, known as the Oregon Veteran Dental Program, covers the same basic dental care that the state provides to Medicaid recipients through the Oregon Health Plan.
Annual teeth cleanings, fillings, extractions, dentures and emergency care are among the services available for free under the state’s Veteran Dental Plan. However, it does not cover more complex treatments like bridges.
The program is intended for veterans who earn too much to qualify for full Medicaid benefits, but who still struggle to afford the out-of-pocket costs of dental care.
Veterans are eligible if they live in Oregon and have income at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, compared to a cap of just 138% of the federal poverty level for individual adults to qualify for Medicaid.
A veteran can make up to about $54,000 a year for an individual or up to $111,000 for a veteran in a family of four and qualify for the new plan.
The Oregon Health Authority says it is accepting applications and there’s no wait list for approval.
Sunday, Jan. 15 is the last day of open enrollment for private health insurance in Oregon’s health insurance marketplace. Open enrollment is the only time when anyone who are not offered insurance from a job or a public program like the Oregon Health Plan or Medicare can enroll in health coverage through OregonHealthCare.gov, often with financial help.
Sorting through health insurance options can be confusing, but there are tools to make the process easier:
Bottom line: we encourage all Oregonians who do not currently have health insurance available to start at OregonHealthCare.gov. There they can see if health insurance offered from a job is considered affordable, preview plans and savings, and find an expert to guide them through the process.
The federal government has reinstated its program to provide U.S. households with free COVID-19 tests. By completing the form at special.usps.com/testkits, each residential address can request four individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests. Visit covid.gov/tests for additional information.
PUBLIC HEALTH
Get to know the risks associated with fentanyl and other opioids, and talk to your kids about the dangers of taking or even touching pills that were not prescribed for them.
What is fentanyl? Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that comes in two forms: Pharmaceutical fentanyl is prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain, especially after surgery and for advanced-stage cancer. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) is distributed through illegal drug markets. IMF is often added to other drugs, especially opioids, because of its extreme potency, which makes drugs cheaper, more addictive, and more dangerous.
What is the danger? Each week, approximately 20 Oregonians die of drug overdose. Over half of these deaths involve synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Right now, fake opioid pills with fentanyl added to them are all over Oregon. These fake pills are extremely dangerous and are deceptively being sold as legitimate prescriptions. A single pill can cause overdose
What is naloxone? Naloxone (also known as Narcan) is a medication that can be delivered by a nasal spray or injection to quickly restore normal breathing for a person whose breathing has slowed down or stopped because of an overdose of fentanyl, prescription opioids, or heroin. Naloxone onset occurs within 2-3 minutes and can last for 30-90 minutes. Sometimes, a second dose of naloxone is necessary if symptoms of overdose return. If someone you know is using opioids, please think about getting Narcan to carry and have available in your home.
You can learn more about how to get Narcan and how to use it here: Narcan Rescue for Opioid Overdose (https://bit.ly/3QaXeXj).
What can we do? Learn more about fentanyl in the Fentanyl and Opioid Response Toolkit (https://bit.ly/3Cluy8x) then talk to your kids and others you care about.
We know these conversations can be hard. If you have questions or need assistance, please reach out to your school counselor or to the district nurse assigned to your child’s school (https://bit.ly/3GdLE9n).
Masks are not required for most indoor settings, but you still need to wear a mask in health care settings to keep everyone safe. Some businesses and schools may still choose to require masks. People may also choose to continue to wear well-fitting masks to protect themselves and others. Oregon’s full rule on masking, including a list of health care settings where masks are still required, is located here.
WILDFIRE-RELATED 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.
RESOURCES FOR OUR VETERANS
Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs:
Washington County Veterans Resources:
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
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
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