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Friends and neighbors,
We are almost a month into the 2023 legislative session. I have been working hard to understand the ins-and-outs of the policy that we are considering this session. For every bill, there are years of history and background.
Make sure to follow me on Facebook. Also, look out for my monthly column in the Tillamook Headlight Herald. I want to thank Joe Warren and the Herald for allowing me use their pages to keep you up to date with what is going on.
Best,
 Representative Cyrus Javadi
House District 32
 This last weekend I had the opportunity to talk to the Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Commerce at their annual meeting and banquet. This year is the Chamber's 150th year. I look forward to being a voice in Salem for our coastal small businesses and economy!
 I have recieved a lot of emails from constituents in the last week about several bills that I want you to keep an eye on.
HB 2667 has the potention to devestate the North Coast's agriculture economy. It aims to restrict current livestock operations by limiting or banning the expansion or creation of additional responsible and ethical livestock operations throughout Oregon. These are the family owned farms and feedlots that produce beef, dairy, chicken, eggs, and pork for Oregonians and beyond.
HB 2667 would:
• Magnify the strain on our food supply chain and further driving up costs for milk, chicken, eggs, beef and pork.
• Accelerate the loss of Oregon family farms and local food production.
• Cease the replacement of existing facilities with more efficient, sustainable systems.
• Expand our reliance on out-of-state production, resulting in a net increase in carbon emissions for food production.
It has yet to be scheduled for a public hearing. But when it does, I will make sure to let you know.
HB 2279 repeals Oregon's requirement that one be a resident of Oregon to participate in our assisted suicide program. This has the potential to make Oregon an assisted suicide tourist destination. I want to be clear: I value life, no matter the stage. The Behavioral Health and Health Care Committee heard public testimony on HB 2279 last week and it has yet to be scheduled for a vote.
HB 3032 is a creative policy to help ease the housing crisis in Oregon. This "homeshare" program would allow Oregonians with spare bedrooms to rent them out without claiming the collected rent on their income taxes. I have signed on as a co-sponsor because it would be a tax break for those already renting out a room, and encourage more to offer spare bedrooms to those in need of housing.
 This week, the Governor released her proposed budget. In the coming months, the Legislature will begin considering her budget priorities and attempt to blend them with the Legislature's priorities. As the House Republican Caucus, we responded to her budget with cautious optimism: "Our Caucus is optimistic the Governor’s budget does not call for tax increases, but we remain concerned Governor Kotek and her agencies will raise fees on hardworking Oregonians. While the Governor’s budget does not take the Kicker, we are committed to returning these hard-earned dollars back to Oregon taxpayers." Read our whole response here.
The Governor has prioritized housing in her budget. As a member of the Housing and Homelessness committee, housing affordability in Oregon is definitely a problem. But Oregon has spent nearly a BILLION dollars on housing since 2020 and homelessness and affordability seemingly have gotten worse. I think there are more fundemental regulatory challenges to our housing issues than how many taxdollars we spend on the issue.
As your Representative, I want to showcase our district at the Capitol. There are several unique opportunities for your engagement.
Perform Opening Ceremonies
At the beginning of each floor session, guests of the Legislature can present an opening ceremony. These are non-political performances of prayer, invocation, cultural ceremony, poetry reading, or a musical piece. Please email my office if you are interested in presenting an opening ceremony.
Display Your Photos/Art In Our Office
Do you have a beautiful photo of a sunrise on the beach? Is your kid a crayon Picasso? Send it to me! I want to show off the beauty and talents of our district, and you can be part of it. Email in 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 milestone birthday or anniversary? Did you win an award? 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 are full of intense policy conversations; I also want to recognize our district's upbeat, positive moments.
Please send your ideas and submissions to Rep.CyrusJavadi@oregonlegislature.gov or call at 503-986-1432.
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Last week was National School Choice Week. As a father of nine kids in a blended family, I want every Oregon child to get the best education possible. The pandemic revealed a lot about our education system and many families are looking for alternatives.
There are several bills this session that would expand educational opportunities for Oregon families, including ideas like allowing kids to go to any school, regardless of what school district they live in, establishing education savings accounts, and uncapping the limit of enrollment in virtual charter schools.
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Recent polling has shown that 55% of Oregonians feel that our K-12 system is on the wrong track. 72% support school choice, and nearly 70% support open enrollment.
Since COVID, nearly 36,000 students have unenrolled from public schools, according to figures presented last week to the Senate's Education Committee. Families want school choice, but unfortunately, under our current system, it's often only wealthy families with the luxury of choice.
Unfortunately, choice is too often a luxury for only wealthy families. These options and opportunities should be open to all students, particularly low-income Oregon families.
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 January 27th was 78th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. As someone who had releatives killed in the Holocaust, may we always remember the evil that humanity is capable of and vow to always stand against oppression and antisemitism.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1432
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-373, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.CyrusJavadi@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/javadi
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