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We are halfway through this legislative session, and we’ve been busy!
Resilient Efficient Buildings Package
Residential and commercial buildings are now the second largest and growing source of climate pollution in Oregon, right behind transportation. Many of those same inefficient, outdated homes and buildings that pollute our air also fail to keep our communities safe when we are at our most vulnerable.
That is why I was excited to participate in the Resilient Efficient Buildings Task Force last summer and am proud to be championing four bills that make up the Resilient Efficient Buildings Package (SB 868, SB 869, SB 870, and SB 871). This package of bills will:
- Make it easier for builders and homeowners to leverage rebates and incentives to purchase and install high-efficiency heat pumps, prioritizing low-income and climate-vulnerable households and setting a heat pump deployment target for the state.
- Ensure future buildings are constructed efficiently to save Oregonians' money on energy bills, improve indoor air quality, and reduce climate pollution — including beginning to examine the carbon footprint of building materials.
- Drive energy efficiency improvements and pollution reduction for our largest commercial buildings through flexible requirements and financial incentives.
- Ensure our government leads by example by improving the energy efficiency of state government buildings.
During the Public Hearing for these bills, 30 people testified in support of these bills and over 150 people submitted written testimony in support. I’m so proud to have such robust support for these bills. After being voted out of the Senate Committee on Energy & Environment on April 4th, these bills are now headed to the Joint Committee on Ways & Means for consideration.
The Oregon CHIPS Fund
This month, the both the Senate and the House passed a historic, bipartisan bill – SB 4: Oregon CHIPS – which will create thousands of Oregon jobs, keep our state competitive in the 21st Century, and protect our national security. My colleagues on the Joint Committee on Semiconductors and I worked with urgency to pass this bill early in the legislative session to ensure businesses will be able access once-in-a-generation funding from the federal government to build semiconductors in Oregon. Investing in Oregon’s semiconductor industry will create good-paying jobs in every corner of the state that will lift thousands of Oregon families from poverty to prosperity, keep Oregon’s economy stable and competitive in the 21st Century, and protect America’s supply chain for everything from credit cards to cars.
Responding to Oregon’s Housing and Homelessness Crisis
I'm excited to share the Affordable Housing and Emergency Homelessness Response package (House Bill 2001 and House Bill 5019), which aims to tackle the homelessness crisis in our state and quickly build more affordable housing, passed through the House and the Senate with bipartisan support and have been signed into law by Governor Kotek.
This package includes a $130 million investment to fund the Governor's Homelessness State of Emergency, allowing for a coordinated response to address homelessness. The plan also invests $27 million in the Rural Oregon Continuum of Care to provide customized support for rural and coastal communities. In addition, it prevents evictions that can lead to homelessness by providing renters with more time to access rental assistance and other services. The plan also invests $25 million in critical support for homeless youth and families, connecting them with rental assistance, shelter facilities, culturally-specific services, and more.
Last month, I had the pleasure of joining Representative Grayber for a town hall at the Southwest Community Center. I appreciated hearing from the community about some of the top issues impacting them: the environment, gun safety, public school funding, and healthcare.
If you weren’t able to make it last time, you can join me and Representative Grayber for our Walking Town Hall later this month! We will be meeting at Gabriel Park (SW 37th & Vermont) at 1pm on Saturday, April 29th. Grab your walking shoes and a water bottle and let us know what issues are important to you this legislative session!
Please stay engaged with me and what I’m working on by contacting my office about the issues you care about, and continue reading my newsletters.
Sincerely,
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1714
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, S-223, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Sen.KateLieber@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/lieber
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