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To contact me, please click here: Rep.EmersonLevy@oregonlegislature.gov
Happy Tuesday,
It’s hard to believe we are almost halfway through the short session. On Thursday (2/15), the Transportation Committee heard our bill on e-bike modernization and Rep Nguyen’s e-bike task force to look at e-micro mobility in Oregon.
I will remember this hearing for the rest of my career. We had the privilege of hearing from Dave and Cori Burger, the parents of Trenton Burger, who passed away in an e-bike accident in Bend this summer. I admire their bravery, in putting their story out to the world in hopes another family doesn’t experience the same thing.
Real lives and real stories shape our laws and policy, I feel honored to be trusted with these stories.
As always please reach out if you have any questions, I can be reached at rep.emersonlevy@oregonlegislature.gov.
Yours truly,
 Representative Emerson Levy
House District 53
Kids Ruled the Week
It was a big week for young people in the Capitol last week. During Student Lobby Days, Rep. Levy was happy to engage with young organizers and took the opportunity to express support for some fantastic projects by and for Oregon youth. One such project the Representative is excited about is the proposed Central Oregon Children’s Museum. If they get the state lottery funds they’re seeking, this world-class children’s science museum will offer new early childhood education opportunities through immersive, STEAM-based, hands-on learning. It will also be a tourism draw for families with young kids and help boost the Central Oregon economy.
Rep. Levy also signed a letter supporting HB 4162, the 2024 Student Emergency Needs Package. This bill is a bipartisan effort to support institutions of higher education in improving students’ ability to meet their basic needs such as housing, food, clothing, technology, textbooks, transportation, and other student needs. Last Thursday, she met with OSU Cascades students to discuss their efforts to advocate for a student health and recreation center to meet the needs of their growing student population.
She rounded out the week making the case in a public hearing for HB 4103, an e-bike safety bill for kids under 16, named Trenton’s Law in memory of Trenton Burger, a Bend teenager who tragically lost his life in an e-bike accident last summer. Trenton’s parents, Dave and Cori Burger, were in the public hearing Thursday (2/15) in support of the bill, as were ODOT, the City of Bend, Bend PD, and the Ironworkers Local 29.
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Finally, this homemade Valentine and 165th birthday card for the State of Oregon from some of District 53’s youngest constituents deserves a special shoutout in a week full of creative projects by and for awesome Oregon kids. |
Prescription Cost-Share Fairness in Primetime!
KTVZ News invited Representative Levy to come on the air to talk about the details of her Prescription Cost-Share Fairness Bill, HB 4113. You can check out the story and the video here. This bill improves access to costly prescription drugs and bans co-pay limiter programs in Oregon. HB 4113 passed unanimously in the House of Representatives today (2/20) and will now be referred to the Senate for consideration. Learn more about Rep. Levy’s bill, and other bills lawmakers are advancing this session to try to address the high cost of prescription drugs here.
And speaking of kids…
Oregon Kids Credit
With tax season just around the corner, you may be eligible for the Oregon Kids Credit. During the 2023 legislative session, Oregon Democrats championed the effort to create Oregon’s first-ever state-based child tax credit through HB 3235, which is a fully refundable $1,000 tax credit per child between the ages of 0 and 5 for families earning $30,000 or less.
Who Qualifies
The amount of credit is based on age and number of dependent children, and modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), but even people who don’t owe any tax can claim the refundable credits. For those with a MAGI of $25,000 or less, the full credit is $1,000 per child for up to five dependent children ages 0 to 5 at the end of the tax year. The credit is reduced when MAGI is more than $25,000 and is eliminated at $30,000. ITIN filers and individuals with qualifying dependents with ITINs may claim the Oregon Kids Credit. All filing statuses are eligible for the credit except for Married Filing Separate.
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How to Get Credit
Oregon families can apply for this credit when they file their tax returns in 2024. Since the credit is refundable, the portion of credit that is more than what a person owes will be refunded to them. 55,000 children across Oregon are expected to benefit from this credit, with higher representation in rural communities and communities of color. More information about the Oregon Kids Credit and other tax benefits can be found on the Department of Revenue’s Tax Benefit for Families webpage. Free tax preparation assistance can be found on the Department of Revenue’s Free Tax Help webpage.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1453
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-486, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.EmersonLevy@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/levye
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