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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I was back at the Capitol again this week for the third meeting of the Joint Committee on Public Education Appropriation this Fall. You may have been following the recent conversations around funding for Education in Oregon and the Quality Education Model's role in determining how those funds are spent. It is an important and timely conversation and I found this week's Committee discussions on the topic to be thoughtful and insightful. I recommend reading more about the Committee's work on the Quality Education Model in the "Legislative Updates" section of this newsletter.
I am looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday this week and the opportunity it presents to gather with loved ones and to consider the ways in which we are blessed. November is also a month when I think about our Native American ancestors and remember that we are on Native lands and that we are truly blessed with having the nine tribes and other diverse communities as part of our Oregon story and landscape. Whether you are with family or friends, or supporting others in our community, I hope you have a great long weekend.
TRANSGENDER AWARENESS WEEK & DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
Each year between November 13 – 19, people and organizations around the country participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help increase understanding about transgender people and the issues members of the community face.
Trans Awareness Week takes place the week before Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), is an annual observance that honors the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence that year.
What can I do to become a better ally?
Learn about trans people by educating yourself with credible resources about community, language, issues, stories, and actions.
The GLAAD Media Reference Guide: Focus on Transgender People
JOINT PUBLIC EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE MEETINGS
As mentioned in the introduction of this newsletter, the Joint Committee on Public Education Appropriation (JPEA) has met three times this Fall to acknowledge the Legislature's receipt of the 2022 Quality Education Commission report on Education funding in Oregon.
The Oregon Legislature established the Quality Education Commission to identify the best practices for delivering a quality K‐12 education to all students and calculating its associated costs, as defined by the goals in the Education Act for the 21st Century. The QEC report then guides state policymakers in determining education policy and budgets. To carry out this responsibility, the Commission continuously reviews and enhances the Quality Education Model as a research‐based tool for educators and policymakers to understand the level of investment needed to achieve those ends.
In acknowledging receipt of the this report, the Joint Committee on Public Education Appropriation, of which I am a Co-Chair with Senator Lew Frederick, has had robust conversations around how best to reach our Educational goals and support all students in Oregon. I highly recommend viewing the Committee meetings in order to hear the diverse set of voices that are all working together to improve outcomes for our students. You can view a recording of each hearing by clicking on the corresponding date listed below:
LEGISLATIVE SCORECARDS RELEASED
OLCV’s Environmental Scorecard for the Oregon Legislature was recently released for the 2023 Legislative Session. It provides the objective facts about how your elected State Senators and Representatives vote on key environmental bills, like the comprehensive Climate Resiliency Package, which provides $90 million in funding for more than a dozen climate bills. I was proud to receive a score of 94% for my strong support for environmental policies that benefit all community members.
As a union member during my time as a teacher, and as a State Legislator, I have always been an advocate for supporting workers across Oregon. It is because of this strong support that I received the score of GOLD Member for my voting record in the 2023 Legislative Session.
Legislators earned their score based on their voting records and advocacy for Oregon workers across a wide range of priorities set by Oregon AFL-CIO’s affiliates including bills around safety and health reforms, procurement policy and labor standards, healthcare, organizing and collective bargaining, education, worker recruitment and retention, and creating the Oregon that workers need.
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REPLACING THE INTERSTATE 5 BRIDGE: MYTH VERSUS FACT
As a Co-Chair of both the Joint Transportation Committee and the Interstate 5 Bridge Committee, one of my most important responsibilities is to relay the critical information that I learn from the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program Team and other experts to my peers in the Legislature, to jurisdictional and agency partners, to stakeholders in the community, and to my constituents. That is why I often include updates on the replacement process in my newsletter, and sometimes like to focus in on the differences between reality and perception out there on a given topic. This week I would like to address a common misconception regarding the potential height of a new bridge:
MYTH: A new bridge that meets height requirements for river users would be overly steep and contain sharp turns.
FACT: The program will ensure that any design accounts for the safety of all modes of travel and will meet or exceed all local, federal, and state safety and design standards. A 116-foot fixed span height was proposed because this was the option selected for the previous project that best balanced the needs of air, land and water travel while minimizing environmental impacts.
While the previous planning effort identified a grade of just under 4%, the replacement bridge has not been designed and a final road grade has not been identified. It is not unusual to have highway grades at 4% or steeper. In both Oregon and Washington there are stretches of interstate highway that feature grades steeper than 5%. The program will consider all users when making decisions, including those who walk, bike and roll using various modes of active transportation.
INSIDE OLYMPIA TELEVISION PROGRAM ON THE I-5 BRIDGE
On November 14th, I traveled with the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program Administrator, Greg Johnson, to Olympia for a taping of "Inside Olympia". The in-depth public television program dedicated an hour to discussing the importance of replacing the I-5 Bridge. I was on a panel with Representative Paul Harris from Washington State, and we each provided our perspectives as members of the Bi-State Legislative Committee for why it is so critical that we act now to replace the aging bridge. Whether you are just learning about the issue, or are somebody who has been following our committee meetings, I recoimmend watching the program, which can be found here, or by clicking on the image directly below:
BELOW: Rep. Paul Harris (WA), Interstate Bridge Replacement Program Administrator Greg Johnson, Rep. Susan McLain (OR), and Austin Jenkins.
ABOVE: Rep. Paul Harris, Rep. Susan McLain, and Austin Jenkins
HOLIDAY SEASON EVENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY
Forest Grove Tree Lighting Ceremony:
November 24, 6:00-7:30 PM at the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center. Activities include caroling and a visit from Santa!
Cornelius Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony:
The City of Cornelius will hold its Eleventh Annual Holiday Tree Lighting event on Friday, December 1, at Veterans Memorial Park beginning at 6:00 PM. Veterans Memorial Park is located at 1251 Baseline Street between 12th and 13th Street.
Santa Claus and Mayor Jef Dalin will kick off the holiday season by lighting the Holiday Tree at 6:05 PM. They will lead everyone to Cornelius Elementary School for singing performed by the local school Choirs. Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies!
AGRICULTURE EMPLOYER OVERTIME TAX CREDIT DEADLINE
The Oregon Department of Revenue reminds taxpayers who plan to apply for the new Agriculture Employer Overtime Tax Credit that they need to set up a Revenue Online account soon.
Taxpayers who want to apply for the tax credit need to have a Revenue Online account prior to filling out an application. Applications must be filed electronically and will be available by January 1, 2024. No paper applications will be accepted. The application window closes January 31, 2024.
The Oregon Legislature approved House Bill (HB) 4002 in 2022. The measure requires agricultural employers to pay certain workers for overtime hours worked and creates a refundable personal or corporate income tax credit for employers for a percentage of wages paid as overtime pay, starting with the 2023 tax year.
The department provides a YouTube video about how to set up and log in to your Revenue Online account. Details about the tax credit program are available at this website. For general questions about the employer tax credit for agricultural worker overtime, email: Ag.Overtime@dor.oregon.gov
HEALTH INSURANCE OPEN ENROLLMENT TOOLKIT NOW AVAILABLE
Oregonians can get 2024 health coverage through Jan. 16, 2024 If you don’t qualify for the Oregon Health Plan and don’t get health insurance through your job, now through Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, is an important time. It’s the only time of year most people can sign up for an individual or family plan to have coverage in 2024.
Get started by visiting the the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace Window Shopping tool at OregonHealthCare.gov/WindowShop. The tool will allow you to preview programs, plans, and savings available to you; what plans will cover your current doctor; and how much your anticipated costs will be, including refilling your prescriptions.
The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace helps connect Oregonians to health coverage and financial help through its federal partners at HealthCare.gov. It’s the only place where you can get financial help on monthly premiums and other out-of-pocket costs. Nearly 80 percent of Oregonians enrolled through the Marketplace in 2023 qualified for financial help – that could be you, too!
Health insurance sold through the Marketplace is coverage offered by trusted insurance companies: Bridgespan, Kaiser Permanente, Moda, PacificSource, Providence, and Regence. Not every company is available in every part the state, but at least five insurance companies and at least 37 plan choices are available everywhere in Oregon.
If you are not currently enrolled through the Marketplace, you must sign up by Dec. 15, 2023 for coverage starting Jan. 1, 2024. Want help? A health insurance expert can help you, at no cost, apply for financial help and enroll in coverage. You can find an expert near you at OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp.
For more information, visit OregonHealthCare.gov or call 855-268-3767 (toll-free).
OREGON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES AWARDS OVER 456 MILLION TO SMALLER DEVELOPMENTS AND VETERAN HOUSING.
The Oregon Housing Stability Council approved $56.7 million in Small Projects and Veterans funding to 11 affordable housing developments across the state. These investments from Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) will provide 261 homes in smaller developments for veterans, seniors, agricultural workers, people experiencing homelessness, and wildfire survivors.
OHCS defines smaller developments as those having 40 homes or fewer in one complex. Five developments selected for funding awards are in rural areas (42% of total homes) and six are in urban areas (58% of total homes).
Brookings CORE Response, a non-profit that serves veterans experiencing homelessness, was awarded funding for the creation of the Veterans Housing Project which will provide 18 much needed homes in Gold Beach.
Eleven projects were approved for funding at the November Housing Stability Council meeting:
Baker City Senior Village
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Talent 2 Senior Apartments
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Town Center Courtyards Phase II
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This was a competitive application process. OHCS received a total of 17 applications, amounting to over $94 million in funding requests. OHCS is grateful to the internal and external scoring committees for their diligent evaluation of the applications.
For more detailed information about each recommended project, please refer to the November Housing Stability Council packet.
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PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES
Respiratory virus season is here. Help protect yourself and your loved ones from respiratory illnesses, like the flu, COVID-19 and RSV. Take the steps necessary to help keep yourself and those you love healthy. You can get the COVID-19 and flu vaccine by contacting your health plan, health care provider, county public health clinic or federally qualified health center (FQHC). You can also search for a clinic by ZIP code by visiting http://vaccines.gov or by calling 211 or visiting 211info.org.
WANABANA FRUIT PUREES LEAD TO ELEVATED BLOOD LEAD LEVELS
State and local health officials have found a total of six cases of elevated blood lead levels in children who ate WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Purée in Oregon. The children live in Lake, Lincoln, Multnomah and Washington counties.
Lead exposure can negatively affect children. There is no safe level of lead in the blood for children, and even low levels can have lifelong health impacts, including damage to the nervous system and learning, hearing and speech problems.
Parents and caregivers of toddlers and young children who may have consumed WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches should contact their child’s healthcare provider about getting a blood test. Families should check their homes and throw away any pouches they find.
For more information, visit https://ow.ly/vW0f50Q8zRb
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 you need, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office at rep.susanmclain@oregonlegislature.gov.
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!
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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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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My home in Autumn finery! I am looking forward to hosting Thanksgiving for loved ones.
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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