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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I have had the best of both worlds these past two weeks with family time in Black Butte and at the Oregon Coast, but never far from Legislative work thanks to technology. I know that August will bring a more intense Interim schedule so it was important for me to have a good visit with my family now and even have a little time for relaxation.
As Co-Chair of the I-5 Bridge Committee, this week marks the official start of Interim Committee work with the Bi-State Bridge Committee meeting on Friday morning. This will be an important meeting between Oregon and Washington and I recommend reading more about it in the "I-5 Bridge Replacement Updates" section of this newsletter.
I gave an update on our efforts to replace the I-5 Bridge to the Washington County Chamber of Commerce's Transportation Council on Monday. We had a great conversation on the importance of the I-5 Bridge in relation to commerce and to local businesses in our region. Tuesday, I was back with the Washington County Chamber of Commerce to provide a review of the Legislative Session to their Board of Directors.
Rounding out a week of transportation policy work, I will be attending the launch of Daimler's new electric truck on Sunday! Daimler is in partnership with TITAN Freight Systems, who will be receiving the first battery electric freightliner "eCascadia" in Oregon. I am excited to learn more about this new technology and how it will help improve cleaner freight mobility in our region.
Lastly, if you live in House District 29, make sure to check your mailbox this week for my "2023 Legislative Session Summary". The mailer outlines important policy wins this Session and also has information on my next Town Hall on August 22nd.
I had a wonderful time with family last week at Black Butte!
LEGISLATIVE REVIEW CONTINUED:
As I continue to review accomplishments from the 2023 Session, this week I am focusing on the hard work that the Legislature and advocacy groups like Family Forward did to support Oregon's families and caregivers. The supports we provide as a state to caregivers are critical, since "care work is the work that makes all other work happen." While I am not satisfied that we did enough this Legislative Session, what we did achieve will have real and positive impacts on the lives of Oregonians. Below are the important bills we passed in 2023 to support our families and caregivers:
*Clicking on the blue bill number will take you to our Legislative Information Service where you can read more about the bill.
SB 599 protects child care providers who rent their homes.
SB 999 expands the definition of “family” in Oregon’s family leave law (OFLA) and in Oregon’s sick days law to align with the definition that we passed within our historic Paid Family and Medical Leave law in 2019–making our leave laws more inclusive for whoever we call family.
HB 2683 expands eligibility for child care assistance, regardless of income, to children in the child welfare system, facing homelessness, or experiencing violence in their home.
HB 2991 supports workforce development by removing unnecessary barriers to professional credentials for child care workers.
HB 2504 removes barriers to accessible, equitable workforce pathways for child care providers.
HB 2727 expands child care infrastructure by reviewing and addressing zoning practices to support expansion of early learning and care facilities.
HB 3005 expands child care infrastructure through an Early Learning & Care Facilities Fund.
Bi-State Bridge Meeting This Friday!
As mentioned in my introduction, Friday at 9:00am is the first Bi-State Bridge Committee meeting between Oregon and Washington since both Legislatures finished their Sessions. It's an opportunity for members from both delegations to provide updates relating to their respective work on replacing the I-5 Bridge. For Oregon, that means highlighting the $1 billion allocation that we made to match Washington State's previous contribution of $1 billion. Both states needed to show a strong commitment to replacing the I-5 Bridge in order to be competitive for over $2.5 billion in federal infrastructure grants.
The Interstate Bridge Replacement Program team will also provide updates on recent activities including: the newly released conceptual bridge visualizations; consideration of estimated funding sources; and overview of cost estimates and funding; current and future program work; an overview of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement process and next steps; and a timeline of upcoming work.
There will also be a "Public Comment" period and you can sign up to give testimony here.
You may view the meeting live or recorded here.
SPOTLIGHT ON AMAZING ACHIEVEMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY!
Adelante Mujeres Celebrates Chicas Members Who Graduated
Congratulations to Adelante Mujeres and the over 30 seniors who participated in their Chicas program and graduated this year!
Chicas is the first youth development program of its kind in Oregon. It provides a comprehensive and proactive approach to empowering Latina/x youth, 3rd through 12th grade, and in college. They build strong family communication by reaching youth when they are young and working with them and their families through college.
The program provides year-round, culturally-specific services at 29 public schools and over seven universities to address educational and racial disparities for over 600 Latina/x youth throughout Washington County. Chicas empowers Latina/x youth to develop their leadership potential, adopt balanced lifestyles, develop cultural identity, achieve academic success with high school graduation and college enrollment, and build community. This work is done through weekly after-school sessions and summer programming.
Thank you to Adelante Mujeres for filling such a vital role in our community and congratulations again to this year's graduates!
Five HSD Students Earn ESS Aspiring Educator Scholarships
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Congratulations to recent Hilhi grad Kimberly Abad-Balderas (shown in picture) as well as Molly Powell (Glencoe), Andrea Hernandez Mendoza (Glencoe), Irene Esquivel Alonso (Liberty) and Galilea Guerrero Gonzalez (Century/HOA), for earning an ESS Aspiring Educator Scholarship. ESS is the Hillsboro School District's substitute services provider and annually offers five $1000 scholarships to high school seniors who are planning to pursue a career in elementary or secondary education.
I loved my 42-years as a teacher and I know that it is a rewarding and fulfilling career choice. Oregon needs new teachers, especially those interested in returning home to teach, and I am so excited to see Kimberly, Molly, Andrea, Irene, and Galilea taking the first steps towards their teaching careers! We'll be lucky to have them in the classroom someday.
ACTIVITY SPOTLIGHT: Family Fun at the WashCo Fair!
This is the last weekend to check out the Washington County Fair and remember, admission is FREE!
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FAIR HOURS:
Thursday, July 27, 2023: FREE PARKING ON THIS DATE! Open from 5 p.m. to Midnight with NO FIRST ENTRY/RE-ENTRY FROM 9 P.M. ONWARD.
Friday, July 28, 2023: Open from 5 p.m. to Midnight with NO FIRST ENTRY/RE-ENTRY FROM 10 P.M. ONWARD.
Saturday, July 29, 2023: Open from 10 a.m. to Midnight with NO FIRST ENTRY/RE-ENTRY FROM 10 P.M. ONWARD.
Sunday, July 30, 2023: Open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with NO FIRST ENTRY/RE-ENTRY FROM 9 P.M. ONWARD.
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HOW TO GET THERE:
I strongly urge you to ride TriMet's MAX to the Washington County Fair because it's a great way to avoid any traffic back-up into the parking lots! The Hillsboro Airport/Fair Complex Station is located adjacent to Westside Commons, and it is a short walk to the Fair entrance gates from the MAX station!
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Energy Department Launches the OR Rental Home Heat Pump Program
*Information from Oregon Public Broadcasting Article
Oregon has begun providing incentives for heat pumps to accelerate the clean energy transition for a key demographic — renters.
The state Department of Energy recently launched the Oregon Rental Home Heat Pump program. It provides rebates to landlords installing energy efficient heat pumps and electrical upgrades from approved contractors to rental properties. Tenants living in rented rooms, houses, apartment buildings, manufactured homes and recreational vehicles qualify.
The program was created last year under state Senate Bill 1536, after extreme high temperatures from the 2021 heatdome event killed at least 96 Oregonians.
ODOE’s senior incentive program analyst Doug Baer said the intent is to provide renters relief during extreme weather events. It could also help lower energy bills.
Many people who died from heat-related illnesses in the 2021 heat dome were alone in their homes without air cooling units. As the climate crisis worsens and more extreme weather events occur, heat pump programs are essential — especially for renters. Renters are more vulnerable to extreme weather events because they can’t always upgrade their rented spaces, and they are mostly left out of the billions in federal rebates aimed at climate action for homeowners.
Rebates for the program vary. Landlords can get up to $5,000 for installing an energy efficient heat pumps to a home. Additional incentives are available if the tenant is considered low- or moderate-income. For a manufactured dwelling or RV, incentives can go as high as $7,000.
Rebates can also apply to the entire electrical and HVAC system, if needed.
The program works directly with contractors. Landlords must contact approved contractors to begin a project. The rebate will be paid to the contractor who will then pass the savings to the homeowner.
Washington County Fire Danger Level and Restrictions
The current wildfire danger level in Washington County is moderate. This means that activities are permitted until 1:00 p.m. and after 8:00 p.m. during moderate danger times.
I recommend that you keep up with current fire restrictions and danger levels during wildfire season (check Public Fire Restrictions here).
Remember that the following activities are always prohibited during fire season:
- Sky lanterns are prohibited year round throughout Oregon
- Use of exploding targets and tracer ammunition is prohibited
- Backyard debris burning is prohibited
Other Current Restrictions:
- Debris Burn Permit Required
- Smoking in designated locations only
- Campfires in designated locations only
- Appliances using bottled fuels allowed
- No Fireworks
- No exploding targets, tracer ammunition or sky lanterns
- Equip each power saw with a shovel and fire extinguisher or gallon of water
- Provide a 1-hour fire watch after the use of each power saw
- Cutting, welding or grinding must be done in a clear area with a water supply
- No off-road driving, except approved OHV trails
- All vehicles must have a shovel and fire extinguisher or gallon of water. ATV's and motorcycles must be equipped with a fire extinguisher
Stay safe, stay informed and stay connected. Access resources before, during and after wildfires by signing up for Emergency Alerts below:
For more information on wildfire prevention and recovery, view my resource link in the "Important Resources" section below.
My office has compiled a list of resources for our community. You can click on the images below to open a document with the relevant links. If you know of a resource that should be included here, or you need a resource and are having trouble finding the information, please reach out to my office at rep.susanmclain@oregonlegislature.gov.
WILDFIRE-RELATED RESOURCES
Click here, or on the image to the right, for important resources related to wildfire prevention and recovery. This list includes links to current fire restrictions and recreation site status maps, the Oregon Department of Forestry's fire prevention tip page, and important resources for wildfire victims.
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RESOURCES FOR OUR VETERANS
Click here, or on the image to the right, for a list of important resources for Veterans, including links and phone numbers to the various divisions of the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, local Washington County assistance, supportive and community-based groups like the American Legion, and mental health resources.
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EDUCATION RESOURCES
Click here, or on the image to the right, for a list of Education-related resources. This includes links to the Forest Grove and Hillsboro School Districts, the Oregon and US Departments of Education, information on how to pay for college, student lunch programs, and much more!
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STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Click here, or on the image to the right, for links to important local and state government pages, including the Hillsboro, Forest Grove, and Cornelius city government pages. You can also access the Oregon Legislature's page, and other important state agency sites, like the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Unemployment Department, and the Oregon Health Authority.
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Yours truly,
 Representative Susan McLain
House District 29
email: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1429
address: 900 Court St NE, H-493, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mclain
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