THE 2023 OREGON HOUSE REPUBLICANS

On Monday January 9, I was sworn in as State Representative in the 82nd Legislative Assembly. I am proud and humbled to serve my friends and neighbors in District 15 and thank them for the confidence placed in me.

A special nod to my Pa and Nana, Dale and Janice McLain, (maternal grandparents) in wearing my Pa’s Oregon Quarter Horse Association Barrel Racing champion belt buckle from 1979.

Being proud of my roots and where I come from is an understatement. Born and raised in Linn County; this is where I call home, serve my community, run a business, and where my husband and I choose to raise our girls. Making sure opportunity abounds for all that call Oregon home will always be priority for me while in Salem.

To follow along this session, please follow this link to sign up for my newsletter.

Committees

This session, I will serve as the co-vice chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation. There will be many big issues coming through this committee this session, tolling being the most significant. I will also serve on the Joint Committee on the I-5 Bridge. Costs continue to climb on this project as the can gets kicked farther and farther down the road. We are looking at at least a BILLION dollars from the state government to fund it, plus additional money that ODOT wants to collect from tolling. Washington has already committed their money to this project. Finally, I will again serve on the House Committee on Business and Labor, where I will continue to advocate for small businesses against tax-and-regulate strategies that have come out of Salem.

Legislative Priorities

I have introduced and sponsored several pieces of legislation this session that I want you to keep an eye on.

• HB 2141 – You may remember this bill from the last session. This bill would stiffen penalties for people who assault hospital workers. This bill would ensure hospital workers are given the same protections under the law as police officers, firefighters, and emergency department doctors.
• HB 2142 – The Corporate Activities Tax (CAT) weighs on all businesses. It hits agriculture especially hard. This bill would allow the gross receipts of agriculture commodities sold to processors to count against the CAT burden of farmers. Right now, ag commodities (straw, vegetables, etc.) sold to wholesalers and brokers are already included in this carve-out. This bill will help better acknowledge the supply chain in the agriculture community.
• HB 2426 – Have you been waiting too long in a gas line lately? Have you noticed that up to half the gas pumps are closed while you are in that line? Right now, you only have one option: wait in line. The labor shortage is showing everywhere – even at gas stations. That's why I am again introducing legislation that would give Oregonians a choice in how they fill up. HB 2426 would allow you to pump your own gas or, if you would like, have your gas pumped for you.
• HB 2469 – Last session, the majority party rammed through an Agriculture Worker Overtime Mandate that will damage the agriculture industry in Oregon and the ag workers themselves. Republicans spoke about these consequences at the time, but now the results came from California, which recently implemented a similar program. Here are a few headlines: Overtime law was supposed to help these California workers. Many make less money now, Oregon passed a farmworker overtime law. According to California workers, their state's law has cost them. So I am introducing a reform that would help both workers and farmers. I talked with the Capitol Press about this bill last week. Read that here.

An Important Note on Public Comment This Session

JUST IN: The process to sign up to testify before a committee has been changed.

You must register in advance to provide in-person or virtual testimony during a committee. Registration closes one hour prior to the scheduled start time of the meeting.​

There are three ways to register:

• Look up the committee meeting agenda on the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS) website and follow the testimony registration link on the agenda. The system will send you an email with a registration meeting link and instructions for delivering your verbal/video testimony using the Microsoft Teams platform.
• Look up the committee or subcommittee meeting agenda on the OLIS website and call the listed toll-free number. The phone system will provide you with a phone number and access code to call into the meeting and deliver your verbal/audio testimony.
• On the day of the hearing, come to the public access station at the State Capitol building to deliver your testimony via a publicly provided laptop, there will be Committee staff on-hand to assist you. Please note that this option is intended for those who do not have internet access or an available phone.

Bill Alerts - Stay Informed!

Follow the bills you care about and receive an e-mail update when the status of your watched bill(s) change.

Bill Alert Features Include:

• Easily select the Senate and House bills you want to follow
• Receive an e-mail update when your selected bill(s) moves through the legislative process
• Modify your list of watched bills at any time
• Choose the frequency the email updates for your watched bills (emails immediately, daily, or weekly)

Click this link for more information.

Decades after lobbying for Oregon Farm Bureau, Greg Addington returns to lead it Oregon Capital Chronicle … He has served on the commission two times for a total of three years, with a break in 2020 when he worked for Breese-Iverson. Breese-Iverson said she hired Addington because of his experience with water issues and in navigating tough negotiations. “He’s just a person with compassion, and I think it shows in his relationship building abilities,” she said. “That’s the thing that I think people will really resonate with as they get to know Greg around the state.”

Thousands of bills await reading in 2023 Oregon legislative session — and more are expected KOIN6 Oregon House leaders plan to discuss their top priorities for the 2023 legislative session at a press conference Tuesday afternoon. House Speaker Dan Rayfield, House Republican Leader Vikki Breese-Iverson and House Majority Leader Julie Fahey will speak at the event.

Capital notebook: Lawmakers vs. jackhammers Oregon Capital Insider For the first time since the COVID-19 state of emergency declared by former Gov. Kate Brown closed the capitol to the public in March 2020, the Legislature plans to hold do nearly all business - hearings, meetings, floor sessions - in person. On Monday, both the Senate and House revised and largely dropped rules regarding pandemic protocols that included holding most hearings online and limited the number of people in the building and in the larger 60-member House event required shifts of lawmaker coming onto the floor so as not to create a terrarium effect for the virus.

Oregon allows public schools to hide official use of neo-pronouns 'fae/faer/faers' from parents Fox News The Oregon Department of Education released guidance this month that included starting a process to potentially implement a "gender support plan" immediately after a student shares he or she is gender diverse. "Schools should engage in student-led support planning for name and pronoun changes. Once the school and student have decided on a supportive action plan, the school should immediately take action to implement the plan," the Oregon transgender policy handbook said. If a student discloses they are trans, the school may or may not include the child's parents in the implementation of a "gender support plan" for the students, which includes aspects of a social gender transition.

Tweet about homelessness in Portland goes viral: 'They are loving us to death' KATU If you're on Twitter, there's a good chance you've seen it. A tweet about homelessness in Portland has touched a nerve around the world, viewed nearly 8 million times and with thousands of likes and retweets. It features a woman named Wendy who lives in a tent in Old Town. A man asks her what it's like being homeless in Portland, and she replies, "It's a piece of cake, really. I mean, that's why we've got so many out here. They feed you three meals a day. You don't have to do (expletive) but stay in your tent or party. If you smoke a lot of dope, you can do that."

Gov. Tina Kotek, Oregon lawmakers sworn into office with promises of change, unity Statesman Journal House Republican deputy leader Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis, R-Albany, expressed her desire to solve the problems outlined by Kotek and the importance of bipartisanship. She also called the moment "ironic." "For much of the past decade, Tina Kotek was among the most powerful politicians in the state. She bears as much responsibility for the situation we find our state in today as anyone else," Davis said. "Nevertheless, I’m committed to working with the Kotek administration to solve the challenges we are facing as a state. We must move forward. Together." The House Republican Caucus sent a letter to Kotek following the ceremony congratulating Kotek on her inauguration and expressing its "sincere hope" that the governor’s office and legislative assembly can work together. They also highlighted priorities, including addressing homelessness, fiscal responsibility, community safety and the need to support law enforcement.

Oregon Democrats working without super majority for first time in 4 years KOBI Republican Representative Kim Wallan said, “I don’t know of any republicans today who are interested in raising taxes when people are really feeling the pinch of inflation.” Wallan said she will be focusing on homelessness and bringing jobs to Southern Oregon. She said she’s looking forward to meeting and working with more than 20 new members of the legislature.

Oregon passed a farmworker overtime law. According to California workers, their state's law has cost them KGW A new law took effect in Oregon this month, one that begins a five-year process of mandating that farmworkers receive overtime pay after working a certain amount of hours per week. In this first year of the law, the threshold is 55 hours per week — anything worked above that must be paid time and a half. That threshold is set to gradually drop over the next few years until it's in alignment with other full-time work. In 2025, it goes down to 48 hours. By 2027, it will be 40 hours. This applies to all of the 85,000 or more farm workers across Oregon, who have not been entitled to overtime pay for more than 80 years.

OR House Minority Leader Looks Ahead To 2023 Session KBND The 2023 Legislative session begins with a new Governor and Senate Presiden, and a House Speaker who has been in place less than a year. House Minority Leader Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville) is optimistic about the change, "With the new Governor, we can find some places to work together to try to do things that have real impact for the homeless situation in Oregon, and we can have some real impact with the lack of law enforcement that we’ve seen in just the last couple of years." She adds, "I do believe that we will have conversations as we go, and I maybe hesitantly say ‘better conversations’ than previous Republican leaders and Speakers have had in the more recent past. But even in that, we’re going to find some places where we don’t agree with what’s happening."

OREGON AG FEST ESSAY CONTEST!

Calling Oregon students in grades 3-5 to enter essays for a chance at a special field trip to learn about Oregon agriculture! Go here for more information.

ALBANY COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP:

DOING GREAT THINGS!

I had the opportunity to meet with the Albany Youth Leadership and Albany Chamber of Commerce Leadership groups this week. 

In the midst of all the Capitol construction access limitations, the Albany Chamber Leadership and I had the rare opportunity to tour the House Floor, and get a short history lesson courtesy of the House Sergeant-At-Arms - thanks Brian!

I always love to engage with our future and current leaders from our community!

MEMORIAL FOR LIZ VANLEEUWEN

NEW DISTRICT 15 BOUNDARIES FOR 2023

The 2021 Redistricting process resulted in major boundary changes for District 15. 

I will continue to serve Linn County and surrounding areas, which now extends into Marion County. I look forward to serving all my constituents, far and wide.

Full district map, here.

HILL STREET BAG WARS

JANUARY:

HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS

From our friends at Albany Police Department:

January 11th was Human Trafficking Awareness Day. In fact, it is recognized all of January but January 11th it was recognized to strengthen resistance and raise the alarm against this heinous crime.

Did you know there is an estimated 24.9 million victims worldwide at any given time.

Human trafficking is a hidden crime that can happen to anyone. Learn how to spot the signs and report it, here.

If you believe you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking or may have information about a trafficking situation, please call us or the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888 or visit HumanTraffickingHotline.org. You can also text the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 233733.

"You may choose to look the other way, but you can never again say you didn't know."- William Wilberforce

I encourage you to participate in the legislative process. Please feel free to contact my office, if you have any questions or concerns. 

I look forward to hearing from you! 

Talk soon,

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1415
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-389, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/boshartdavis