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Friends and Neighbors,
Things are starting to pick up in the House. Committees are starting to pass bills out of committee, we are beginning to vote on legislation on the House floor, and I am beginning to introduce legislation for our community.
Governor Kotek has released more details about her proposed budget and homelessness plan. I am encouraged by her sense of urgency on homelessness and housing, but I worry that it may disapoint Oregonians. Since 2020, Oregon has spent nearly $1 billion dollars related to housing, yet homelessness and the cost of housing has seemingly gotten worse. The Governor's homelessness plan is only $130 million, yet requires an 80% increase in the rate at which we are building homes. I will be diving into the rest of the Governor's detailed budget plans in the coming weeks.
First, I want to recognize the frustration with the delays and recent developments with the Woodburn Community Center. I share that frustration and want to see the Community Center completed. In January, Woodburn sued the State over $15 million in unreleased funds that were earmarked for the construction of the Community Center. This week, I met with Woodburn Mayor Frank Lonergan and City Administrator Scott Derickson about the status of the lawsuit to explore ways that I can be helpful. As of now, much depends on the outcome of the lawsuit, so I will be watching it closely to determine how to proceed.
I want to thank the Woodburn Independent for allowing me to write a monthly column for them. You can read January's edition here.
As always, you can reach me at Rep.TracyCramer@oregonlegislature.gov or at 503-986-1422.
Yours truly,
 Tracy
A view of a 7:30 AM sunrise from the west side of the Oregon Capitol.
Honoring School Choice Week
 HB 2557Last week was National School Choice Week. I spoke on the House Floor about the need for the state to change policies to give parents and students more choice.
As a mom, I want my children to get the best education that best fits their needs.
HB 2557, one of my priority bills, would
✔️ eliminate the arbitrary caps on charter school enrollment
✔️ ensure that ZIP codes do not determine a child's future by putting education before school district boundaries
✔️ allow parents to use their education tax dollars in the way they determine is best for their children
After all, education is about students' success, not upholding legacy systems that continue to let families down.
I have several bills that I will be introducing in the coming days. Here are some highlights:
HB 3184 - Last week, Oregon announced that graduation rates increased slightly since last school year. Graduation rates used to be a useful metric to gauge how well our schools are going at education our students. Not anymore. In 2021, the Legislature passed SB 744, which suspended reading, writing, and math graduation standards. Schools should be about educating, not merely graduating. LC 3987 restores those graduation standards to ensure that our kids are prepared to life after high school.
I have sponsored other bills:
HB 2477 - This is a common sense parental rights bill. It requires parental consent for medical screening or treatment at school. It bans school districts from adopting policies that would conceal the mental, emotional, physical health of a student from their parents and prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity before the 4th grade, unless a parent gives permission. Parents entrust schools with their child for 8 hours a day. They should have confidence that that the school is caring for their child consistent with their parent's wishes. After all, children belong to parents, first and foremost. This would be a step in the right direction to give parents more control over their student's education.
HB 2628 is an additional education transparency bill. It would give parents online access to the curriculum that their children are learning in school. Oregon law already promises transparency, but because it does not outline a standardized process, parents are often limited in the ways they can access this information.
HB 3175 provides our volunteer firefighters a tax break. While I would like to see a generalized tax break for Oregonians to ease the cost of living, this $1,000 tax credit for volunteer fire fighters is a way to say 'thank you' for those who serve our communities without pay.
I want to showcase our district at the Capitol. There are several unique opportunities for your engagement.
Perform opening ceremonies
As your Representative, I can welcome guests from the district to present an opening ceremony. These are non-political performances of prayer, cultural ceremony, invocation, poetry reading, or music.
If you are interested in presenting an opening ceremony, please email my office the type of performance you'd like to share along with your contact information.
Display your photos/art in our office
Do you have a beautiful photo of a sunset? Is your kid a crayon picaso? Send it to me! I want to show off the beauty and talents of our district, and you can be part of it.
Email me a digital or physical copy, and we'll display them on a rotating digital picture frame in the Capitol.
Let me highlight your milestones
Are you celebrating a quinceañera? A milestone anniversary? Did you win an award? Is there a community member that should be recognized for their volunteer work? Are you opening a new business?
I would love the opportunity to highlight the achievements of our community on the House floor and in my newsletters. My days can be filled with intense, somber policy conversations. But I do not want to forget to recognize the achievements of House District 22.
Send all your ideas, photos, and requests to Rep.TracyCramer@oregonlegislature.gov or call at 503-986-1422.
 This last weekend, I emcee'd Oregon Right to Life's March for Life. Over 3,000 pro-life advocates came to the Capitol to stand up for unborn human life and to remember the over 64 million American lives lost to abortion under Roe v. Wade. We heard powerful stories of those who have gotten abortions themselves and been personally impacted by abortion.
The 2023 Oregon March for Life was the first since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. However, Dobbs did not directly change policy in Oregon where abortion is still legal until the moment of birth. In fact, taxpayer funds cover approximately 60% of abortions in the state, and abortions are available during every stage of pregnancy.
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I had a lot of fun touring Gervais Elementary, Middle, and High School on Tuesday. Thank you, Superintendent Dandy Stevens and her team for the tour.
A high school student in the metal shop class made me the "Tracy" sign - so cool!
I also met with the elementary school chess club.
I was able to talk to them about their recent bond campaign and various improvements they want to make to district facilities.
As a Gervais resident and graduate, I hope to partner with the school district in exploring ways to secure funding to begin these upgrades.
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 Last week was Holocaust Remembrance Day. January 27th was the 78th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp. We stop to remember the atrocities of the Holocaust and pray that this history never repeats itself.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1422
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-476, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.TracyCramer@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/cramer
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