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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The 2023 legislative session has come to an end. Over the past 6 months, my colleagues and I accomplished historic things in Salem. Here are a few of the highlights:
 Photo courtesy of Oregon Capital Chronicle
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AFFORADABLE HOUSING/HOMELESSNESS:
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Housing Supply and Stability Budget (SB 5511, SB 5505, HB 3395): nearly $2 billion in investments, building on prior emergency investments. Funds construction of new affordable housing units.
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Affordable Housing & Emergency Homelessness Response Package (HB 2001*, HB5019): $200 million investment helps shelter Oregonians living on the street, prevent more homelessness, and ramp up affordable housing production across the state.
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HB 2984: allows local governments to convert commercial buildings to residential housing.
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HB 3395: streamlines affordable housing production and increases homeownership opportunities, especially for BIPOC communities.
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SB 611: rent stabilization for working families, keeping Oregonians housed.
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HB 3215*: establishes the Disaster Housing Recovery Fund to provide assistance to rebuild housing destroyed by a disaster.
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HB 2982*: allows Oregonians to recover 70% of value of lost property after a disaster.
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HB 3395: reduces barriers to siting emergency shelters.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & FAIRNESS:
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Early Childhood Investment: a $172 million investment that addresses the cost-of-living crisis, helps reduce child poverty and supports systemic investments in happy, healthy families. Another $1.2 billion was invested in the Department of Early Learning and Childcare (DELC) to give the newly independent agency a stable foundation for its vital work.
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Oregon Kids’ Credit (HB 3235)* - helps struggling parents make ends meet and lifts families out of poverty with a child tax credit that will provide $1,000 a month, per child.
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Oregon CHIPS Act (SB 4)* - invests $260 million to secure Oregon as a global leader in the semiconductor industry, create good paying jobs, and boost our economy for generations to come.
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Economic Incentives Modernization Package (HB 2009) - aligns Oregon’s tax incentive structure with Oregon values and bolsters our economy by creating a Research and Development tax credit, extending the Enterprise Zone Program, and updating the Strategic Investment Program.
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Rural Infrastructure and Economic Development Package (HB3410)- revitalizes rural communities by investing $32.2 million in building critical infrastructure, bolstering key rural industries and sectors, and addressing workforce housing shortage.
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STRONGER SCHOOLS:
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Record K-12 Education Investment (HB 5015): Invests a historic $10.2 billion in the State School Fund, supporting Oregon’s K-12 students and educators.
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Early Literacy Success Initiative (HB 3198) – invests $144.3 million to support evidence-based, culturally responsive literacy strategies in and outside of the classroom, setting up Oregon students for future academic success.
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SB 283: addresses the shortage of educators in Oregon’s K-12 schools by strengthening workforces.
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HB 3005*: increases the availability of childcare by creating a grant program to provide financial assistance to help build and open new childcare facilities.
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HB 3144: invests $2.1 million in the Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (NH/PI) Student Success Plan, providing targeted interventions to improve access to educational opportunities and support for NH/PI students.
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Higher Ed Opportunity Package (HB 5025) - invests $3.7 billion to ensure Oregonians seeking postsecondary education obtain high quality education. Includes $1 billion for the Public University Support Fund, $800 million for the Community College Support Fund, $308.4 million to the Oregon Opportunity Grant, and $24.2 million to the Tribal Student Grant program.
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CLIMATE & ENVIORNMENT:
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Climate Resilience Package Investment (HB 3409, HB 3630)*: invests $90 million in community-focused and forward-looking solutions to increase our energy efficiency, keep Oregonians safe from extreme weather, maximizing federal funding opportunities, and build a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable energy system.
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Drought & Water Investment (HB 2010): invests $100 million in new and existing resources to ensure families, farms, and wildlife across Oregon have clean, safe water-- now and into the future.
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CONSUMER PROTECTIONS:
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Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (SB 619) - empowers Oregonians to protect their privacy online, especially children under 15.
HB 2759*: strengthens anti-robocall law to hold telemarketing companies liable for illegal robocalls.
AND MORE!!
*bill numbers in bold are policies I sponsored this session.
Here are a few of our favorite moments from the session
 Photo courtesy of the Oregon Health Authority
With hot temperatures in the forecast, it’s important to stay cool, stay hydrated, and stay informed! Sign up for emergency alerts to receive heat advisories and warnings at oralert.gov.
Watch for signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Please check on your neighbors, especially older adults and anyone who might have a health condition that could put them at higher risk for heat-related illness. If you are worried about a friend, family member or neighbor you can't get in touch with, you can call non-emergency dispatch at 503-629-0111 to request a welfare check.
More information, including cooling center information can be found at oregon.gov/heat.
 Photo courtesy of millionsoffriends.org
As Koin 6 News reminds us, "the Fourth of July is around the corner and while the holiday might be all fun and celebration for humans, it can be a nightmare for pets".
Local pet shelters are reminding folks to take special precautions during the holiday, including the following:
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Keep all pets indoors, especially during neighborhood fireworks displays-Distressed pets should be kept in a room with closed windows and a secure door.
- The Oregon Humane Society advises to not bring your dog to watch a large commercial firework display. This creates a greater risk of them running away and becoming lost in an unfamiliar area.
- All pets, even indoor-only cats, should wear a collar with an identification tag on it on the Fourth of July.
- Tags should be labeled with the owner’s name and telephone number. Pets should also be microchipped.
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Owners should walk their dogs in the early evening, long before it gets dark and the fireworks start.
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For dogs that have strong reactions to fireworks, the Oregon Humane Society recommends owners speak to their veterinarian about the possibility of using sedatives.
The Bonnie Hays Animal Shelter of Hillsboro recommends that anyone who finds a lost pet around the time of the Fourth of July holiday should call the shelter first at 503-846-7039 before bringing the animal to the shelter. Shelter staff may have information about a reported lost pet and could help with a quick reunion. The shelter will be open on Tuesday, July 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for limited services, including stray dog intake and reunions between lost animals and their owners.
Oregon Humane Society tips on keeping pets safe this Fourth of July (koin.com)
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 during next year's short session when staff will be returning to the building. I look forward to hearing from you!
Take care!
 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
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