Four of my bills are one step closer to becoming law

Hello Friends,

Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter. Here’s an update from Salem:

---

Come say hi when you’re in Salem!

Do you have plans to visit Salem? Let my office know! We always try to prioritize meeting constituents when they make the trip down. I would love to meet you while you’re in the Capitol.

Meeting with a constituent after a committee meeting

---

Join us at our next town hall

Representative Neron, Senator Woods, and I will be hosting a town hall on April 22nd from 11:00am-12:00pm at the Oregon Institute of Technology located at 27500 SW Parkway Ave, Wilsonville. We will be taking your questions and speaking a bit about how this legislative session is shaping up. We look forward to seeing you there!

Representative Neron, Senator Woods and I at a constituent Town hall

---

Ways and Means Roadshow

On April 8th, the Ways and Means Committee (the state’s budget writing committee) is holding a community listening session. They want to hear from folks about what they believe the state should invest in. This is an excellent chance for Tigard and Metzger residents to ask for the state to prioritize funding to make Hall Boulevard safe for all (or to share any other funding priorities you support). 

The event will be this Saturday, April 8 from 10:00am - 12:00pm at Portland Community College in the PAC Auditorium, Sylvania Campus (12000 SW 49th Ave, Portland, OR 97219). You can register to testify at this link:

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Committees/JWM/2023-04-08-10-00/Agenda

Historically, these listening sessions are packed with people, and there is no guarantee you will get to speak. Because of this, we highly suggest that you submit your written testimony in addition to attending. You can click this link to submit written testimony. As a member of the Ways and Means subcommittee covering health and human services issues, I’ll be there to listen–I hope to see you there.

---

Key Bills are Moving Forward

Last week I helped pass several key bills off the House floor, and these are a handful of bills that I have either introduced or sponsored.

Cybersecurity passed the House (sometimes called “the TikTok bill”) - HB 3127

My data privacy bill passed the House and has moved to the Senate! HB 3127 passed overwhelmingly with bipartisan support. The bill takes an important step in strengthening Oregon’s cybersecurity system and empowers the Chief Information Officer with the tools to protect state devices and sensitive information.

Representative Emerson Levy and I celebrating the passage of HB 3127 from the House floor

School Board Stipends passed the House - HB 2753

According to a 2022 report from School Board Partners called “Empty Seats at Powerful Tables”, nearly ¾ of school board members nationally do not plan to run for reelection. We need to make it easier for folks to serve in these important roles. This bill allows school districts to authorize stipends of up to $500 per month for school board members, just like stipends that city councilors can receive. This is a critical step forward that will make school board service more accessible for more people, and will help make school boards more representative of the communities they serve.

Parental Notification for Safety Threats passed the House - HB 3584

HB 3584 passed unanimously out of committee and on the House floor last week. The bill would require parents and guardians of students to be notified electronically in the event of a school safety threat. This means that in the event of any non-planned lockdown or lock out event, parents and guardians would be required to be notified of the event.

Dolly Parton Imagination Library passed committee - HB 2872

I am incredibly excited that the House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services passed this bill unanimously. Through the power of philanthropy and local partners, the bill would allow all Oregon children to be eligible to receive one free book in the mail per month from birth until their 5th birthday. The bill now makes its way to the Ways and Means Committee where its cost will be evaluated.

I am grateful to have had the support of my colleagues in moving these bills forward and I look forward to them ultimately becoming law.

Thanks for reading,