My happiest moment of the session (so far)

Hello Friends,

Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter. Here is my weekly update from Salem:

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A very promising revenue forecast

The May revenue forecast came out last Wednesday with a more optimistic number than many were expecting. The result is a projected additional 1.8 billion dollars in revenue. The building has been abuzz with people advocating with renewed vigor for their funding asks, and while there will not be enough funding to pay for every priority–I am feeling optimistic about the investments this revenue will enable, particularly in public education, behavioral health, and housing and homelessness. 

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Oregon Saves

Oregon’s “Oregon Saves” program just came out with its 2022 annual report. OregonSaves is the state of Oregon’s retirement savings program that provides Oregonians with an easy and automatic way to save for the future. It is available to all Oregon workers whose employers do not offer a workplace retirement plan. 

At the end of December 2022, OregonSaves had $168.7 million in Assets Under Management invested for almost 116,000 savers. The average funded account balance ($1,456) also rose by 9% over the previous year, helping to grow the retirement savings of Oregonians, many of whom are first-time savers.

If you’re self-employed, or your employer does not offer a retirement plan, you may be eligible for an Oregon Saves Individual Retirement Account (IRA). For more information, please visit the Oregon Saves website here.

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Hall Passes onto Ways and Means

This picture captures my favorite moment of the session so far: the moment I found out that our Hall Boulevard bill had passed out of committee. Now we are waiting for the bill to be funded in Ways and Means before we vote on it on the floor. Thank you again to everyone who submitted testimony in support of HB 2756, this would not have happened without all your support! 

There is still a long way to go–this bill (and hundreds of others) will die if the Senate does not return to work–but it's important to celebrate victories along the way. 

The moment I heard that my bill to fix Hall Boulevard had passed the Joint Committee on Transportation. Rep. Annessa Hartman and I were counting the votes needed to pass while listening on my phone.

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Mark your Calendars!

This Saturday, May 27th, I’ll be hosting a town hall with Tigard Mayor Heidi Lueb. I’ll be talking about what is happening with the current legislative session including legislation and the senate walkouts. Mayor Lueb will debrief us on what is happening in Tigard, then we will take your questions. We hope to see you there!

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Healthcare Workforce Package

This week I collected signatures from nearly two dozen of my colleagues on a letter urging the co-chairs of Ways and Means to invest in our healthcare workforce. The letter was bipartisan and bicameral–and it is supported by both labor and management. 

Our state is facing frightening workforce shortages in our healthcare system. For certified, degreed, and licensed professionals like RNs, CNAs, and other technical workers, our proposal addresses two of the biggest barriers in the development pathway: 1) the clinical education capacity of Oregon’s hospitals and healthcare facilities, and 2) the significant pay differential between bedside nursing and nurse educators. This recommendation comes from the joint work of hospitals and labor unions to find a solution that will improve the lives of our healthcare workers and keep our hospitals afloat.

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Honorary Page Program

I was excited to have Tigard resident Jamie Hartman join me on the floor of the House last week as an honorary page. The Honorary Page program is a one-day experience where high school students get first-hand experience seeing how our legislature operates. If a young person you know is interested in politics and wants to spend a day at the Capitol, please check out the Chief Clerk’s page here.

My guest page Jamie Hartman standing before the House

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Tigard Art Weekend

Shout out to the Tigard Downtown Alliance for organizing a successful Tigard Art Weekend. I was impressed by the local artists, musicians, photographers, and poets displaying their talent throughout downtown. Pictured above, local writer (and Tigard High grad!) Oscar shares some of his recent poetry at Symposium Coffee.

 

Thanks for reading,

 

 

Ben Bowman
Oregon State Representative

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