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To contact me, please click here: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov 

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Wishing you all a belated Happy Labor Day! Thank you to the Labor Movement for giving us the right to shorter work weeks, days off, fair compensation, and safer working conditions. Unions fight every day to improve the lives of workers here in Oregon, and I am proud to have partnered with many on legislation that strengthens the rights of all workers across the state.

I also send my congratulations to the United Food and Commercial Workers 555 members in the Portland area who negotiated a fair contract this week!

ABOVE: Union members celebrating at the Labor Day picnic!

I just returned from a great trip to Eastern Oregon for the statewide Transportation Tour and I am off to Bend and The Dalles next week for the next Tour stops. You can read about both in the "Interim Work" section of this newsletter. I also look forward to announcing details about the Hillsboro stop of the Transportation Tour very soon and hope to see many of you at the public hearing to share you perspectives. 

As a reminder, this is my LAST newsletter from this email address before the "blackout period" begins tomorrow (September 6th). This is because Legislators running for office are prohibited from using state resources or official social media accounts for mass communications with their constituents 60 days prior to an election. From 9/6-11/6, you will not receive newsletters from this email address.I will also not be on Facebook or Instagram. I will continue to send newsletters periodically via Mailchimp since I am allowed to use my own resources to communicate with you. Always reach out  to my office via email or phone.  We are not currently working from the Capitol and are unable to answer our phone directly so email is the best way to reach us:

rep.susanmclain@oregonlegislature.gov

REFLECTIONS FROM EASTERN OREGON TOUR STOPS

Last week, I was in Ontario and Hermiston for the seventh and eighth transportation tour stops. In Ontario, we toured the port of entry near the Idaho border, heard about the benefits of expanding passenger rail, and learned about the unique safety and maintenance challenges facing the largest ODOT region by area.

In Hermiston, where agricultural lands reach up to the edges of county and state pavement, I saw the impact of climate change on roads and bridges and learned about local transit options available to people with disabilities.

We had 24 members of the public testify at both stops and the committee received an additional 2 pieces of written testimony. To date, the committee has received 605 pieces of written and in-person testimony, which will be invaluable as we prioritize transportation funding options in the 2025 Legislative Session.

ABOVE: Highlights from Ontario and Hermiston

TRANSPORTATION TOUR ANNOUNCES NEXT STOPS

My Joint Committee on Transportation co-chair, Senator Chris Gorsek, and I just announced the venues and agendas for the ninth and tenth stops on the Transportation Safety and Sustainability Outreach Tour in The Dalles and Bend. 

The committee will hold public hearings to listen to members of the community about local transportation needs and how the Legislature should support the long-term safety and maintenance of Oregon's transportation systems.

Oregon must have a safe, efficient, equitable transportation system that gets our people and goods to where they need to go. Transportation has local, regional, and even national importance. I’m grateful that each stop we’ve made provides an opportunity to hear from community leaders and from the public, both about their communities’ transportation needs, and, importantly, what funding solutions they would support to meet those needs.

The Dalles and Bend Public Hearings details:

• Bend Public Hearing - September 12, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the OSU Cascades Campus, Ray Hall, 1500 SW Chandler Avenue

• The Dalles Public Hearing - September 13, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The Dalles Middle School Commons, 1100 East 12th Street

Both hearings will be available via livestream on olis.oregonlegislature.gov.

Members of the public interested in testifying can register in person starting 30 minutes before the meeting begins. The committee will also hear remote testimony if time permits, which the public can register for on the committee's webpage at olis.oregonlegislature.gov. Additionally, written testimony can be submitted to the committee via email to JCT.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov. 

Preceding both public hearings, members of the committee will take guided trips of transportation facilities in the region and hold a roundtable discussion to better understand the transportation needs in Central Oregon through the expertise and lived experience of local partners and officials.

Perspectives and information gathered by the committee during its 12-stop tour will inform legislators as they develop a plan in the 2025 session to maintain critical infrastructure, complete work on major projects, and guarantee the safety and diversity of transportation systems across the state.

OREGON EDUCATOR EQUITY REPORT RELEASED

As the former co-chair of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education, the co-chair of the Public Education Appropriations Committee, and in particular as a board member of the Educator Advancement Council, I have been working on the issue of diversifying our educator workforce for several years. I am proud to share the results of the newly released Oregon Educator Equity Report:

Overview:

• The Educator Advancement Council, in collaboration with the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), Teachers Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC), and Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), has released the 2024 Educator Equity Report. This ninth edition highlights Oregon's ongoing efforts to diversify its educator workforce.

Key findings include:

• Growth in Diversity of Early Career Educators: Over the past decade, Oregon has doubled the proportion of first-year teachers identifying as people of color reaching 20.6% in 2023. The number of racially and ethnically diverse teachers with five or fewer years of experience has tripled over the past decade. Half of Oregon’s racially and ethnically diverse teachers had less than five years of experience in 2023-24. However, new teachers, Special Education teachers, and teachers of color still face high turnover rates.

• Rising Diversity, Falling Completion Rates in Education Preparation Programs: Racial and ethnic diversity in education majors is gradually increasing at community colleges, but the completion rates of educator preparation programs in Oregon for these groups are declining.

• K-12 and State Agencies See Diversity Growth, but More Progress Needed: The number of diverse candidates receiving preliminary teaching and administrator licenses is rising. Higher proportion of emergency or restricted license holders are racially and ethnically diverse compared to preliminary license holders in Oregon in 2023. Licensed K-12 teachers, the largest educator group, are the least diverse, while non-licensed staff are more diverse and growing faster. Hispanic/Latino educators are notably underrepresented relative to Hispanic/Latino students. Despite diversity in both rural and urban student populations, educator diversity lags behind.

The report also provides recommendations across four priority areas to further support and sustain a diverse educator workforce in Oregon. The full report is available on the EAC website.

FIRE WEATHER WATCH & EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS

The weather service issued a fire weather watch in effect from Thursday morning through Thursday evening in our area, due to forecasted winds and low relative humidity. Expect winds 5-10 mph with gusts to 20 mph and 20-30% relative humidity. An excessive heat warning remains in effect from noon Thursday to 10 p.m. Friday.

A ridge setting up across the Pacific Northwest will support hot and dry conditions through Friday. Temperatures are expected to reach the upper 90s and possibly the triple digits on Thursday and Friday across the interior valley.

Nearly all of Washington County is at Major HeatRisk Thursday, with slight improvement on Friday. This level of heat affects anyone without effective cooling and adequate hydration. The region lowers to Moderate Heatrisk on Saturday. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Be sure to do everything you can to stay cool during the upcoming heatwave. Check on your neighbors and loved ones from time to time. If you must work outdoors avoid doing so during the peak heating timeframe (12-5 PM). Never leave pets or people inside a hot car, and ensure your pets stay cool.

• See staycoolwashingtoncounty.com for guidance on how to recognize signs of heat illness and exhaustion and for tips for staying safe in the heat.

• On staycoolwashingtoncounty.com, we’ll also maintain a map on cooling locations, including hours of operation. Community members who are sensitive to heat or who don’t have adequate air conditioning at home should plan now for how they’ll access an air conditioned space when it gets hot.

• OR-OSHA rules require employers to provide shade, hydration, breaks, and other accommodations to workers when the heat index is at or above 90°F (the heat index is typically very close to the temperature). See https://osha.oregon.gov/pages/topics/heat-stress.aspx for details.

• See the Portland NWS HeatRisk Map for updates on heat risk.

NEW COVID, FLU, & RSV VACCINES AVAILABLE NOW

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine. The shots are now available in Oregon.

Oregon, like the United States, is experiencing a late summer wave of COVID-19 activity, which follows a similar pattern from previous summers since the pandemic began.

Everyone ages 6 months and older should receive a 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine dose. It is an updated version that will provide strong protection against the COVID-19 virus strains currently circulating.

Vaccination remains the best way to protect against serious COVID-19 illness, and it also reduces the chance of suffering the effects of Long COVID.

When should I receive the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine? Most people ages 6 months and older should get the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. If you have recently been sick with COVID-19 this summer, you may want to wait a bit because being infected with currently circulating strains will protect you much like the vaccine would, for about 90 days. But if it’s been more than 90 days since you last had a COVID-19 infection, we recommend getting the new vaccine as soon as you can.

RSV and Flu Vaccines: Don’t forget – it’s also time for your annual flu vaccine, and vaccines for RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) are also available for older people, pregnant people and babies.

Measles Vaccine: Additionally, the current measles outbreak in Oregon continues to grow. There are now 30 confirmed cases in Oregon—even more than the 28 cases reported in 2019, the most recent year with a significant number of measles cases in Oregon. (In 1991, there were 98 measles cases reported in Oregon.) OHA recommends every child be vaccinated against measles. This is especially important this year as they prepare to go back to school while measles is spreading in parts of Oregon. Students who are not vaccinated against measles may be excluded from school for three weeks if someone with measles attends their school—and longer if another case arises. Adults should also be vaccinated against the measles if they haven’t been already. Learn more about the measles vaccine here.

SEPTEMBER IS ATTENDANCE AWARENESS MONTH

The most recent federal data show that in the 2020-21 school year, at least 14.7 million students nationwide were chronically absent. This means that chronic absence has almost doubled from the more than 8 million students, pre-Covid-19, who were missing so many days of school that they were academically at risk. Chronic absence — missing 10 percent or more of school days due to absence for any reason—excused, unexcused absences and suspensions—can translate into students having difficulty learning to read by the third-grade, achieving in middle school, and graduating from high school. Read this research summary for more details.

Check out the graphic below to learn more about chronic absenteeism:

KIDS NIGHT OUT AT FG AQUATICS CENTER ON 9/13

Take a well-deserved evening off while the Forest Grove Aquatics Center keeps your kids active and entertained. Drinks and snacks will also be provided. Registration is required and opens August 28.

Pick up and drop off anytime between 5pm & 9 pm. Ages 5-12.

Date: September 13, 2024

Time: 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

FOREST GROVE ANNUAL TOWN MEETING ON 9/28

The Committee for Community Engagement (CCE) invites you to learn about and discuss the future of transportation in and around the City of Forest Grove. In attendance will be City staff from Police and Community Development. Also in attendance are representatives from Grove Link (Ride Connection) and TriMet.

Date: September 28, 2024

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

El GRITO AT HILLSBORO'S SHUTE PARK ON 9/14

Centro Cultural's El Grito in Shute Park is sponsored by the City of Hillsboro. This year's El Grito Community Festival is September 14 from 2 pm to 7 pm. Bring the whole family to enjoy beautifully restored and customized vehicles, along with cultural activities, mariachi performances, ballet folklórico, singing, and an exhibition of local Latino art.

FREE RIDE CONNECTION EXPANDS IN CORNELIUS

FARMERS MARKET SEASON IS CLOSING SOON

We are very lucky to have fantastic farmers markets in our area that provide families of all income levels access to nutritious locally and regionally produced foods. The market season is ending soon, so make sure to plan a visit to stock up on fruits and veggies (and more!) while you have the chance.

Cornelius - last day is September 27 (please note the market is canceled due to heat 9/6)

Downtown Hillsboro - last day is October 26  

Forest Grove - last day is October 30

VOTER EDUCATION NIGHT ON 9/16 IN HILLSBORO

Join community members on Monday, September 16 from 5 PM to 7 PM at the Hillsboro Brookwood Library (2850 NE Brookwood Pkwy) for a Voter Education Night hosted by Virgnia Memorial Health Center in partnership with Washington County's Elections Division.

Whether you need to register, update your voter information, or simply want to learn more about the elections process, this FREE event will equip you with the knowledge to participate confidently in the upcoming General Election in November. This event is open to the public and will also feature a community resources fair.

Spanish translation services will be available at this event.

OREGON'S CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT 

Ahead of the May primary election, Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade released a civic engagement toolkit, aimed at helping organizations do voter registration and voter turnout work in the 2024 elections.

Last week, the Secretary released an updated version of the toolkit that’s ready to use for the November General Election.

The tools included in the 2024 toolkit are official, non-partisan, research-backed, and free to use with or without attribution to the Secretary of State's office.

Download the 2024 Civic Engagement Toolkit here.

What you need to know about the November 2024 General Election:

• The deadline to register to vote or update your registration is October 15, 2024.

• Ballots will be sent out starting October 16, 2024.

• Election Day is November 5, 2024. Ballots must be received by 8 p.m. or postmarked on this day to be counted.

• Return your ballot in the mail, at a county clerk’s office, or at any of the secure, official drop boxes available throughout the state. Your ballot will be routed to the county in which you are registered to vote for processing.

• The postmark law, passed in 2021, allows ballots postmarked on or before Election Day to count as long as they’re received no later than 7 days after the election. For this reason, election results may be delayed because it will take a few days for all the votes to be counted.

• The 2024 elections will be the most secure elections in history. Learn all the ways we protect your vote at OregonVotes.gov/Integrity

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.

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.

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.

The last of the Summer!

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