Friends and neighbors, here are some highlights from last month and helpful community information for you! Last week, the 2024 Session began and I will be sending out weekly updates on what is happening at the Capitol for all the latest.

The Capitol is still undergoing major renovations and constructions, but if you want experience the Capitol you still can - virtually with new Visitor Experience interactive website, here.

During the short session, if you want to look up proposed legislation, register to testify in a committee, or subscribe to follow bills you can go here for more information and instructions on how to do so. Stay tuned!

 - Shelly

First day of the 2024 Session - Gifted flowers and living plants courtesy of Oregon Association of Nurseries

Majority Party’s “Grand Plan” to Fix M110 Falls Flat

Democrats have unvieled HB 4002 - their grand plan to “fix” Measure 110. But, as written, it won’t change much and won’t get people into treatment.

Right now, under Measure 110, if you’re caught doing hard drugs – like meth and heroin –  on the street, the only option law enforcement has is to issue you a $100 ticket with a hotline number to call, and hope you get help for yourself. The drug user can avoid paying the ticket by calling the hotline (the one that only 53 people have ever completed a call on and has cost $7,000 per caller). But if they don’t call the hotline, there is nothing anyone can do about it because there is no accountability. Essentially, there is no follow-up at all. How is this helping people?

Under the Democrat’s proposal, a person using hard drugs may avoid being charged with a Class C Misdemeanor (up to 30 days in jail, and/or a $1,250 fine) by participating in a “deflection program.” What’s a deflection program? It’s just a fancier word for the hotline. There is no mandatory treatment, no accountability that money will go to any effective treatment methods, nor does the proposal make it a goal of getting people sober. If we are going to make progress on the drug crisis, our goal must be getting people off of drugs completely. I cannot emphasize enough that this is a major problem with current legislative thinking… becoming clean and sober is not the goal any longer. This must change.

The groups representing the Oregon Association of District Attorneys, League of Oregon Cities, Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police, and Oregon State Sheriffs' Association criticized the idea that a Class C Misdemeanor with a “deflection program” will do any good. “Unnecessarily complicating a C-Misdemeanor on the front end and back end threatens to strip all benefits of any recriminalization,” said Umatilla County District Attorney Dan Primus. 

There is little to suggest that a mere Class C misdemeanor will encourage people to get into treatment, and with overdoses still rising, we are going to need more than just nibbling around the edges of Measure 110.

This week, the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety held a public hearing on three bills that address Measure 110: House Bill 4002 (the Democrat bill), House Bill 4036 (the House Republican bill), and Senate Bill 1555 (the Senate Republican bill). I don’t believe HB 4002, and it’s Class C Misdemeanor charge with so many exemptions, will do anything to solve our drug crisis. Albany Mayor Alex Johnson II came to testify to this as well. Watch his compelling and emotional testimony here.

I cannot and will not support a bill that is not strong enough to make any meaningful impact on our drug crisis. The problem is too big for a small change in the law.

Truckers Sue Kotek & Co. over Overpaid Taxed

Last week, the Oregon Trucking Association and three trucking companies in Southern Oregon sued Governor Tina Kotek, Senate President Rob Wagner, and Speaker of the House Dan Rayfield for their failure to follow the Constitution regarding levying taxes on freight trucks.

The lawsuit alleges that the overpayments violate Article IX, Section 3(a)(3) of the Oregon Constitution, which requires transportation taxes to be “fair and proportionate.”

I have written extensively about how our transportation system gets funded. It's complicated to say the least, but regardless of how complicated it is, the Legislature is still required to follow the Constitution. The Majority Party in charge has had multiple opportunities to address this issue but have failed.

As an owner of a family-operated trucking company, I understand the frustrations of thousands of truck drivers and trucking companies that the state has taken advantage of. I fully support the Oregon Trucking Association’s lawsuit.

I’ve drafted legislation for this session to adjust the tax rates and to stop this illegal collection of taxes against Oregon truckers, but without my Democratic colleague's support, I won’t be able to do anything on my own. If you'd like to support this, or send comments, please email me.

Read my whole statement here:

Session Has Started

Many big issues are being considered in this session. I want to highlight a few of them for you to keep an eye on.

Lifting the Ban on Bonuses

In addition to the transportation tax legislation mentioned above, I am introducing legislation to pay workers more by lifting an effective ban on bonuses.

A few years ago, the Legislature passed a “pay equity” law in an attempt to equalize what men and women get paid in the workforce. Setting aside any objection to the premise of that legislation, it effectively banned businesses from giving their workers bonuses (for example, hiring and retention bonuses).

With the labor market the way it is right now, businesses are desperate to give workers a reason to stay with them, and bonuses are perhaps the biggest tool for retention. This bill is simple: it would allow businesses to offer bonuses to their employees. Other states with pay equity laws, including New York, Vermont, and California, have done this and notably, they have a narrower pay gap than Oregon.

It’s time to give Oregon businesses more tools to attract and keep talent in Oregon.

This bill is up for a public hearing on Monday at 8 AM. If you would like to submit written testimony, do that here. To sign up to testify in-person or online, do that here.

Oregon Students are Getting Left Behind by Their National Peers

Last week, the Department of Education boasted that the class of 2023 had the second-highest graduation rate ever. Considering what the Department of Education and the Legislature has done to the Oregon diploma, that’s not really something to be proud of. By suspending graduation standards and increasingly adopting grading practices that have little to do with a student's performance in the classroom, a diploma nowadays seems more like a participation trophy than a sign that a student is prepared for the real world.

We can’t rely on the graduation rate to tell us how well our students do in the classroom. That’s why comparing ourselves to the rest of the nation is useful. The New York Times recently released a report that showed the reality of Oregon’s less-than-ideal school system. It highlights that Oregon is still headed backward while other states are rebounding from COVID-era learning loss. Here is a small snippet from the story:

Where Students Are and Are Not Recovering

Another factor in recovery: where students live.

Take Massachusetts, which has some of the nation’s best math and reading scores, but wide inequality. The recovery there was led by wealthier districts. Test scores for students in poor districts have shown little improvement, and in some cases, kept falling, leaving Massachusetts with one of the largest increases in the achievement gap. (Officials in Massachusetts hope that an increase in state funding for K-12 schools last year, as part of a plan to direct more money to poor districts, will help close gaps.)

In states like Kentucky and Tennessee that have traditionally had more middling test scores, but with less inequality, poor students have recovered remarkably well.

In just one of the states included in the analysis, Oregon, test scores in both math and reading have continued to decline.

House Republicans introduce bill to end Measure 110

House Republicans want to make possession of small amounts of fentanyl, heroin and meth a class A misdemeanor, which carries up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $6,250, or both. Under the bill, users could avoid jail time with mandatory addiction treatment. The bill also would impose a similar misdemeanor penalty for public drug use.

Treasurer readies plan to get state pension fund to ‘net-zero’ greenhouse gas emissions 

Read previewed his “net-zero plan” Thursday at a meeting of the Legislature’s Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans committee, the day after environmental groups visited the Capitol to promote another bill that would divest the state’s Public Employees Retirement System, or PERS, of its coal investments.

The State’s Leading Psychiatrist Says Oregon’s Approach to Mental Health Is Wrong

Keepers, 73, speaks softly and with a grandfatherly twinkle in his eye. But in an interview about his views on Oregon’s system of delivering mental health services last week, he dropped a bomb on Oregon in the form of one simple comparison.

Keepers noted that Oregon spends more per capita on mental health care than most states but our results are among the nation’s worst. Specifically, Keepers noted, Oregon spends $234.87 per person, compared to $113.27 in Massachusetts. Yet, Keepers says, our results—as measured by access to care and positive outcomes—rank 46th in the nation, while Massachusetts’ rank in the top five.

Opinion: Oregon must fully repeal Measure 110

OregonLive, By: Christine Drazan

Oregon is facing a five-alarm fire of drug abuse, addiction and death. Instead of dousing the flames, politicians continue to pour gasoline on the fire by refusing to confront this crisis head-on. Every day our elected officials waste on inaction and political excuses, more people will die.

Approved by voters in 2020, Measure 110 decriminalized the possession of small amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other hard drugs and directed existing cannabis tax revenue to fund addiction services. Ever since, we have seen overdose deaths skyrocket and drug use take root in in public spaces. By removing consequences for drug use, Measure 110 removed essential tools to connect those struggling with addiction to treatment. I’ll say what the politicians in power in Salem won’t: Measure 110 must be repealed. Full stop.

Measure 110 and Oregon's drug policy failures at the core of three potential bills

In the past few years, Oregon has seen drug use and overdoses skyrocket, and many people have pointed the finger at Measure 110, which decriminalized user amounts of drugs. Lawmakers plan to take the issue up during a short session beginning in early February — but what, precisely, they'll propose is not entirely clear.

There is no shortage of ideas. Former state legislator and Republican gubernatorial candidate Christine Drazan wrote in an op-ed for The Oregonian on Wednesday that "Measure 110 must be repealed. Full stop." She proposed her own solutions to the growing drug crisis, including efforts to discourage drug use, prioritizing sobriety, going after drug dealers and expanding prevention programs for kids.

Most policymakers don't align with Drazan's uncompromising view, but it's difficult to find a proposal that doesn't involve some tweaks to Measure 110. 

Oregon lawmakers float proposal to recriminalize minor drug possession to ‘fix’ Measure 110

Oregon lawmakers are discussing a proposal to recriminalize minor drug possession, a move that would gut the most controversial part of Oregon’s voter-approved drug law.

Multiple people briefed on the proposal say Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber and Rep. Jason Kropf, co-chairs of a special committee tasked with addressing shortcomings of Measure 110 and the state’s behavioral health system, have held meetings in the past two weeks to unveil a slate of policy proposals.

One possibility stands out: reinstituting criminal penalties for possession of a controlled substance by making the offense a class C misdemeanor, the state’s least serious crime classification.

Behavioral health providers see nearly 300% increase in service after a year of Measure 110, OHA says

Oregon health officials said behavioral health providers funded by Measure 110 have reported a nearly 300% increase in clients served in the first full year of the controversial measure’s implementation.

According to the Oregon Health Authority, Behavioral Health Resource Network providers across the state have reported a nearly 300% increase in clients using their services and encounters with those clients in the first full year of Measure 110’s implementation. Providers reported 159,000 encounters with people seeking substance use treatment and more than 149,000 encounters with people seeking harm reduction services between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023. 

Oregon agriculture: by the numbers

The 2023 statistics, which reflect data collected in 2021, would tell you that there are 37,100 farms in Oregon and combined that amount to 15,700,000 acres. The average acres per farm and farmers get an average of $3,310 per acre from their crops. The vast majority of farms are small, between 1 and 49 acres, a group which accounts for 67.1% of Oregon farms. Farms ranging between 50 and 179 acres account for 16.1% of the state’s total. Only 4% are 2,000 acres or larger.

Oregon mails thousands of residents’ tax info to the wrong people. Again.

Oregon mailed thousands of tax forms with personal information to the wrong people last week, the second such mistake in as many years. The state Department of Administrative Services said nearly 33,000 mailings last week were affected by a contractor’s error, which put some 1099-G tax forms from the Oregon Employment Department into envelopes that already contained another person’s form. Then both forms went to a single address.

LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES AND MEAL SITES

Albany has several food pantries and meal sites that accept donations and provide emergency food boxes and warm meals. If you are in need of food or would you like help others, visit the website to learn more about the network of non-profit partners such as food pantries, meal sites, gleaning groups, and other partner agencies who provide millions of pounds of food every year to our local community.

ANIMAL ADOPTION MONTH 

From our friends at the Linn County Sheriff's Office:

Animal Control Adoption Special Announced!

Our Animal Control Division will be offering adoption specials all February long to show some love to all the dogs!

Through February 29th, adoptions will be half price at only $60! Each adoption includes spay/neuter, microchip, toys, leash, collar and food.

Show some love and take a look at our adoptable dogs, HERE.

IF I WERE MAYOR STUDENT CONTEST

From our friends at City of Albany:

Does your 4th, 5th, middle, or high schooler have some thoughts about what would be their priorities as mayor of Albany? There are just six more weeks from today to submit an entry in our third annual local contest as part of the Oregon Mayor’s Association’s If I Were Mayor contest. Albany has had our local winners place in the top three the last two years and we don’t want to break that streak! Details on how to enter, prizes, and more are available, HERE.

DEFENSIBLE SPACE FROM WILDFIRES

From our friends at Oregon State Fire Marshall's office:

Let’s create a safer Oregon.

Protect your home and property from wildfires with a free defensible space assessment by the Oregon State Fire Marshal and your local fire agency. Our expert team will evaluate your property and provide personalized recommendations to give your home a fighting chance against potential fire hazards.

Sign up now for this complimentary assessment and take the first step towards a more secure future. Click below to schedule your assessment and gain peace of mind knowing you’re taking proactive steps to safeguard what matters most.

More information, HERE.

TAX SEASON RESOURCES

WI

Department of Revenue begins processing 2023 returns

The Oregon Department of Revenue began processing e-filed 2023 state income tax returns on January 29, 2024. Paper filed returns will be processed starting in mid-February.

E-filing is the fastest way for a taxpayer to claim their share of the $5.6 billion kicker and get their refund. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund two weeks sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks.

E-filed returns will be processed in the order they are received. However, as in years past, the department will begin issuing personal income tax refunds after February 15. Be prepared before you file an Oregon income tax return The department reminds taxpayers a few steps can make it easier to fill out a tax return.

• Gather and organize your tax records and wait until you have all tax records ready including:
• Forms W-2 from your employer(s)
• Forms 1099 from banks and other payers including unemployment compensation, dividends, distributions from a pension, annuity, retirement plan, or other non-employee compensation
• Forms 1099-K, 1099-MISC, 1099-NEC, or other income statement if you worked in the gig economy
• Use a bank account to speed tax refunds with direct deposit. File electronically, choose direct deposit and you will get a refund faster.
• Choose a reputable tax return preparer. This is important because taxpayers are responsible for all the information on their return, no matter who prepares it for them. The Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners offers a Licensee Lookup website. The IRS has a website with information.

Free options for e-filing Oregon income tax returns

All Oregon resident taxpayers preparing their own returns in 2024 can file electronically at no cost using one of Oregon’s free file options.

Oregon Free Fillable Forms performs basic calculations and is ideal for taxpayers who don’t need help preparing their returns and want the convenience of filing electronically. The IRS offers a similar option for filing federal taxes electronically.

New this year, the department is also offering Direct File Oregon, which allows taxpayers to file their Form OR-40 through Revenue Online. Direct File Oregon is not currently linked with the IRS Direct File. Taxpayers will need to file a separate federal return with the IRS before filing an Oregon return with Direct File Oregon through Revenue Online.

Federal Earned Income Tax Credit and Oregon Earned Income Credit

Oregon and the Internal Revenue Service offer many tax credits for low- to moderate- income families. These credits are fully or partially refundable, so the portion of the credit, more than what is owed, can be refunded to a person. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a federal credit for people making up to $63,398 in 2023 and a person who qualifies may use the credit to reduce taxes owed and maybe increase their refund.

If a person qualifies for EITC, they can also claim the Oregon Earned Income Credit (EIC) which is up to 12 percent of the federal EITC.  Individuals may qualify for the EITC, Oregon EIC, and other credits, even if they are not required to file. To receive the refundable credits, however, they must file a federal and state tax return.

More information about the federal EITC, the Oregon EIC, the Oregon Kids Credit and other similar credits, go to the Tax Benefits for Families page.

Oregon Kids Credit

New for tax year 2023, Oregon Kids Credit is a refundable credit for low-income people with young dependent children. For those with a modified adjusted gross income of $25,000 or less, the full credit is $1,000, per child for up to five dependent children under the age of six at the end of the tax year.  A partial credit is available for individuals and families with MAGI up to $30,000.

Senior and Disabled Citizen Property Tax Deferral Program

Reminder – A disabled or senior homeowner may qualify for a program to borrow from the State of Oregon to pay county property taxes. If a taxpayer qualifies for the program, the Oregon Department of Revenue will pay county property taxes on November 15 of each year.

To participate, a taxpayer must file an application with the county assessor by April 15, or pay a fee and file late from April 16 to December 1. A lien will be placed on the qualified taxpayer property, and the Department of Revenue will become a security interest holder.

For additional information, and to apply for the program see the deferral application booklet here.

BE ALERT FOR TAX IDENTITY FRAUD!

From our friends at Linn County Sheriff's office:

Tax season is here!

Are you ready for tax season, Tax identity thieves and IRS imposters are! We want to help you keep yourself and your tax information safe this filing season.

There are two major forms of Tax ID Theft.

One form is when someone uses your Social Security number (SSN) to file a phony tax return and collect your refund. You may not find out it has happened until you try to file your real tax return and the IRS rejects it as a duplicate filing.

The other major form is when an IRS imposter calls you and says they are from the IRS. They claim you owe taxes and demand that you pay right now, usually with a gift card or prepaid debit card. They will often go as far as to threaten that you’ll be arrested if you don’t pay. But it’s all a lie. If you send the money, it’s gone.

How can you protect yourself from tax ID theft?

Here are just a few tips:

• Protect your SSN throughout the year. Don’t give it out unless there’s a good reason and you’re sure who you’re giving it to.
• File your tax return as early in the tax season as you can.
• Use a secure internet connection if you file electronically, or mail your tax return directly from the post office.
• Research a tax preparer thoroughly before you hand over personal information.
• Check your credit report at least once a year for free at annualcreditreport.com. Make sure no one has opened a new account in your name.

Additional resources can be found, HERE.

If you believe you are the victim of ID theft, please call our non-emergency line at 541-967-3950.

🚨 SCAM ALERT🚨

Also from our friends at Linn County Sheriff's office:

We have received several calls today reporting that someone is making calls to people pretending to be someone from our office. The person on the phone is making claims that money is owed to us for missing court or an outstanding warrant and asking for immediate payment over the phone. This is a SCAM.

As a reminder, we do not call the public when they have missed court, have a subpoena or any similar situation. Under no circumstances are we going to call you to collect a fine or fee of any kind for any reason. If you receive one of these calls, DO NOT give out any of your personal information. They are attempting to trick you into giving them money.

REPORT OREGON CHILD ABUSE 

From our friends at ABC House:

The average age of child sex trafficking victims reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is 15. For victims of familial trafficking, exploitation often starts much earlier. Child sex trafficking is child abuse no matter what the age of the child. If exploitation is occurring online, report it HERE - or if you’re located in Oregon and the child is known to you, call the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline at 855-503-SAFE (7233).

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF ALBANY:

SPORT SIGN UPS!

Go to ABGC website for more information on all upcoming sports, HERE.

MID-WILLAMETTE FAMILY YMCA:

SPORT SIGN UPS!

Go to YMCA website for more information on all youth sports,  HERE.

GROUND BALL WORKSHOP

Join former OSU standout & MLB infielder Darwin Barney at the YMCA for a Ground Ball Workshop! Improve your skills on the field! Barney, who won the Rawlings Gold Glove Award and the Fielding Bible Award in recognition of his defensive skills at second base, will share his expertise and knowledge of the game with participants.

Whether you’re a beginner, recreational or an experienced player, this workshop is a rare opportunity to learn from one of the best in the business. Do not miss out on this chance to take your game to the next level!

ALL AGES WELCOME!

Details and registration

YMCA ADULT PROM

Come and dance the night away at our YMCA Adult Prom!

Saturday, Feb 10th 7-pm

Get all dressed up and enjoy, music, refreshments, and lots and lots of FUN!

Register, HERE.

LOCAL SHARING IS CARING

From our friends at Albany Police Department:

These awesome people from @Furniture Share donated space heaters for officers to provide to people in need of an emergency heat source this weekend.   You all deserve and received a Kindness 911 citation!

Thank you so much!

If you know someone who is in need of one, call our non-emergency number at 541-917-7680.

 A POOCH, PERKS, AND FRIENDS

From our friends at ABC House:

ABC House staff were excited to treat our friends at Subaru of Corvallis to goodies from Pacific Perks Coffee & Catering last Friday. Our ABC House Courthouse-Facility Dog, Xander, also tagged along to bring smiles and cuddles to the Subaru crew! Thank you, Subaru of Corvallis, for your support and for a fun day. Thanks, Subaru of Corvallis, for your ongoing support of vulnerable children in our community.

During the short session, my office will continue to keep you updated and informed with a weekly newsletter. My office is always at your service. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any community event announcements you’d like to include in the newsletter, legislative questions, or concerns.

Talk soon, 

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1415
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-389, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/boshartdavis