HD 30 Newsletter-- March 3rd, 2023

Oregon State Legislature sent this bulletin at 03/03/2023 03:02 PM PST
Representative Sosa

MARCH 3, 2023 NEWSLETTER

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Thanks so much for taking the time to stay up to date on my 2023 legislative session. Here's what this week held:

This Week's Committee Meetings in Review

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Testimony on HB3242 linked in above image.

  • House Committee on Higher Education: The committee discussed a variety of issues this week – including staffing ratios at colleges, safety at collegiate athletic events, and tax credits for business that hire students through the Oregon Youth Employment Program.
  • House Committee on Business and Labor: On Wednesday, I testified in support of HB 3242. This bill empowers individual people and small businesses to protect themselves if an insurance company wrongs them during the claims handling process and permits Oregon juries to award increased compensation in egregious cases. I also testified on HB 3243, which would prohibit insurance companies from deceiving, lying to, or stealing from their customers and empowers individual people as well as the Attorney General to enforce this law.  View that testimony here.
  • Joint Committee on Semiconductors: We resumed our discussion on SB 4 which would (1) direct the Oregon Business Development Department to develop a $200 million grant and loan program to support semiconductor businesses applying for federal CHIPS Act dollars, (2) provide $10 million for the University Innovation Research Fund, and (3) allow Governor Kotek to designate certain lands to be brought within urban growth boundaries to support the semiconductor industry. We also continued to consider public testimony on this bill on topics such as industrial sites, research and development, incentives, and workforce development. 
  • Joint Commitee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Transportation and Economic Development:We received a multi-day presentation from Oregon Housing and Community Services which included their goals for the upcoming biennium and how they have used funding in the past. The committee heard from cities, both urban and rural, on how important funding from the OHCS is for addressing homelessness in their communities. 

Celebrating Read Across America Day!

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On Thursday, I was invited to celebrate Read Across America Day with Hillsboro Online Academy. I rang in the occasion with a group of kindergartners and first graders by reading "Grace for President", written by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by LeUyen Pham. In "Grace for President", Grace decides she wants to be the first female president the nation has ever had and jumpstarts her political endeavors in her elementary school’s mock election. It was a wonderful book that teaches kids about the electoral process.  

Read Across America Day is in national recognition of the value of literacy to our democracy. We celebrate the books that inspire our youth and challenge them to expand their limits of understanding about the world. We also recognize the folks that foster the opportunities for learning and reading like educators, librarians, authors, mentors, and parents.  

Thank you to the students who joined me for a wonderful live, virtual story time! 

Upcoming Events in and Around HD 30

ODHS & OHA Benefit Change PSA

Oregon Health Plan eligibility renewals will resume April 1: 

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) wants Oregon Health Plan (OHP) members to know that renewals will resume on April 1. While most people will continue to qualify for existing benefits, OHA is required to review eligibility for all 1.47 million OHP members by June 2024 and end coverage for members who are no longer eligible. Between April 2023 and January 2024 OHP members will receive a renewal notice notifying them of their eligibility status. OHP members will then have 90 days to respond to any requests for information. In cases where benefits will change or end, they will receive a closure notice 60 days before the change occurs. For those who no longer qualify for OHP, the Health Insurance Marketplace will contact them to advise of coverage options, enrollment periods, and financial help to cover the cost of health plans. The most important thing OHP members can do now is to keep their contact information up to date, so they can receive renewal forms and requests for information needed to keep their benefits. Options for updating contact information can be found at oregon.gov/or-benefit-changes.  

Important changes to food benefits:

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, SNAP households received two food benefit payments every month. The first payment is the regular SNAP benefit, and the second payment was an emergency food benefit (formally called Emergency Allotments) related to the COVID-19 emergency.

February 2023 was the last month the federal government allowed Oregon to issue Emergency Allotments. Oregonians will continue to receive their regular SNAP benefit. That is not impacted by this change.

Emergency allotment amounts have been different based on the number of people in the household, but most households will have a significant decrease in food benefits when they no longer receive the Emergency Allotments. Oregonians with an Oregon Eligibility (ONE) system Applicant Portal account can find the specific amount of SNAP benefits they will continue to receive on their My Dashboard. Oregonians can also check their EBT Edge account at www.EBTedge.com to review their SNAP benefit amount. This is the amount received between the 1st and the 9th of the month listed in the transaction history section.

Because this is a federal decision, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) will not be able to supplement the decrease in Emergency Allotments. We encourage households to budget accordingly and reach out to their local resources. Visit needfood.oregon.gov to find food resources in your community.

The most important thing SNAP benefit recipients can do to get important information about their food benefits is keep their contact information up to date. Options for updating contact information can be found at oregon.gov/or-benefit-changes.  You can find more information about SNAP Emergency Allotments on the ODHS website.

For more information:

ODHS and OHA want to hear your feedback, respond to requests, and answer questions. You can send or forward feedback to feedback@odhsoha.oregon.gov. We’ll work with your ODHS and OHA Government Relations contacts to get you the information you need

March Constituent Coffee Announcement

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I will be holding my monthly constituent coffee for March at the Insomnia Coffee at Tanasbourne on Saturday, 3/11 from 9am - 10:30am.  The address is 9355 NE Windsor Street Hillsboro, OR 97006.

I look forward to discussing the issues that are on your mind and giving you some updates on the 2023 legislative session.

I hope you will stop by, say hello, and join me for a cup of coffee.

Don't forget to contact my office with any questions or feedback. You can do so via email at Rep.NathanSosa@Oregonlegislature.gov or by phone at (503) 986-1430. Feel free to also stop by in-person at office H-280. I look forward to hearing from you! 

Take care!

Nathan Sosa

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1430

Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-280, Salem, Oregon 97301

Email: Rep.NathanSosa@oregonlegislature.gov

Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/sosa​

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RepresentativeSosa