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Dear Neighbor,
Happy Holidays! I am currently working to prepare for the 2025 Legislative Session. I’m honored to return to serve our district in Salem for another biennium. This fall has been a whirlwind of activity—my team and I have been hard at work drafting bills to introduce, settling into my new role as a committee chair, assisting constituents with pressing concerns, and engaging with many of you at events throughout our community.
During this month’s legislative days, from December 10th to 12th, I was in Salem meeting with constituents, fellow lawmakers, lobbyists, jurisdictional partners, and state agencies. These sessions are an important opportunity to discuss key issues, build partnerships, and prepare for the work ahead. My team and I always welcome constituents to visit my office and share your concerns or ideas. To schedule a meeting, please feel free to reach out at Rep.ThuyTran@oregonlegislature.gov.
I’m proud to chair the House Interim Committee On Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans
The other committees I proudly serve on are:
- House Interim Committee On Behavioral Health and Health Care
- House Interim Committee On Judiciary
- House Committee On Conduct
I also proudly serve as the House Co-Chair of the Oregon Veterans Caucus.
Power to the People & Upcoming Constituent Events:
Every first Friday of the month I host our Power to the People event at my in-district office. I would love to see you in person on
January 3rd, 2025 at 5:30pm
in my district office, located at
4526 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97213
(Rose City Vision Care)
We invite you to share your concerns and policy ideas alongside friendly neighbors.
December Legislative Days Report:
On December 10th, as Chair of the House Interim Committee On Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans (H-EMGGV),, I oversaw discussions on key issues affecting Oregonians, including a wildfire season report, the role of non-governmental organizations in disaster recovery, winter weather preparedness, and updates on critical energy infrastructure. Invited speakers included state officials, emergency management experts, and community leaders who provided insights and updates. The committee also introduced legislative concepts for consideration in the upcoming session. For more details, including access to meeting materials and recordings, visit the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS).
During the H-EMGGV hearing, I proposed several committee bills aimed at enhancing public safety and supporting our veterans:
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LC 2469: Proposes expanding the Seismic Risk Mitigation Fund to support state and local agencies, businesses, and individuals in earthquake preparedness activities, including grants for fire planning due to potential oil or fuel spills, and funding for emergency response and evacuation route planning.
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LC 2822: Directs the State Department of Energy, in collaboration with other agencies, to develop a Statewide Geographic Diversity of Fueling Stations for Disaster Reserves Priority Action Plan. This plan aims to increase the regional diversity of liquid fuel storage across Oregon, considering environmental health impacts and the transition away from fossil fuels.
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LC 3227: Mandates that the Oregon Medical Board require physicians and physician associates to complete at least two hours of continuing education every six years on suicide risk assessment, treatment, and management, including lethal means counseling.
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LC 3585: Establishes the Veterans Waiver Program within the Oregon Health Authority to provide medical assistance to veterans residing in Oregon with incomes at or below 400% of the federal poverty guidelines. If passed, Applications are expected to open by November 1, 2025, with benefits commencing January 1, 2026.
The committee voted to move all four forward as committee bills, demonstrating bipartisan support for these important topics.
I also attended meetings of the House Interim Committee On Behavioral Health and Health Care (H-BHH) and the House Interim Committee On Judiciary (H-Jud) on December 11th.
The House Interim Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care convenedth, to address critical health care and behavioral health issues. The meeting featured reports from various task forces, including the Joint Task Force on Hospital Discharge Challenges, the Task Force on Alcohol Pricing and Addiction Services, and the Joint Task Force on Improving the Safety of Behavioral Health Workers. Updates were also provided by the Universal Health Plan Governance Board, the Oregon Health Authority on behavioral health workforce development, and the Oregon Center for Nursing regarding the nurse workforce shortage. The committee concluded with a work session to introduce legislative concepts.
For more, please visit OLIS.
The House and Senate Committees on Judiciary held a joint meeting, to discuss significant justice-related topics. Invited speakers presented updates on the status of SAFE kit testing by the Oregon State Police, the Oregon Public Defense Commission’s final report, and findings from the Task Force on Specialty Courts. The meeting also covered initiatives by the Oregon State Bar to expand legal access, crime statistics from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, and updates on new Federal Communications Commission rules for prison telecommunications. Key speakers included state officials, legal experts, and policy advisors. Among the many legislative concepts we voted to take up as committee bills, one was based on the expungement bill I came close to passing in the last session. This bill will require the courts to waive outstanding fines and fees of more than ten years when someone applies to have their criminal convictions expunged.
For more, please visit OLIS.
OUT IN THE COMMUNITY
September Bike Town Hall:
In September, I had the privilege of co-hosting our Joint Legislative Bike Town Hall with Sen.-elect Khanh Pham and Sen. Michael Dembrow. Despite a rainy start, it was an inspiring and educational ride through our district. I was honored to kick off this year's event through the heart of House District 45, which is the northern part of Senate District 23, alongside Senator Dembrow, who started this wonderful tradition 15 years ago. This was his last Bike Town Hall as a state legislator, as he is retiring this year. We were joined by inspiring speakers from Vestal Elementary's PTA and Green Team, Safe Routes to School, Rahab's Sisters, the Montavilla Neighborhood Association, the Joint Office on Homeless Services, Straightway Services, PBOT, Verde NW, APANO, the 82nd Avenue Business Association, Neighbors for Clean Air, People's Courts, and Dharma Rain Zen Center. It was wonderful to hear them share about their latest projects that are enhancing the quality of life for our district. For example, 82nd Avenue Business Association is supporting our local business in staying open and attracting customers as PBOT completes long delayed improvements along 82nd Ave, while the People's Courts is an exciting addition to our neighborhood, providing not only fun physical activity, but also a community space
Other News:
New Bills Going into Effect in 2025:
I was proud to sponsor the two bills below, which go into effect on January 1, 2025. For more information, you can check out this KGW article.
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SB 1596: Right to Repair
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The "right to repair" movement has gained momentum in recent years, advocating for consumers' ability to fix their own electronic devices without relying solely on manufacturer-authorized repair centers. This new law requires original equipment manufacturers to provide both device owners and independent repair shops with access to essential tools, manuals, and diagrams. By making repairs more accessible, the law aims to lower repair costs and give consumers more freedom to maintain their devices.
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HB 4083: Divesting from Coal
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HB 4083 sets Oregon on a path to reduce its financial ties to coal. The legislation directs the Oregon Investment Council and the state treasurer to divest from coal companies and funds containing coal-related investments. Importantly, this process must avoid financial losses to the state's investment funds. An exception is made for companies that can demonstrate meaningful progress toward transitioning to clean energy.
Wildfire Season Report and Special Session
As you can see, our wildfire seasons are getting more intense, with fires increasing in number and complexity. This translates to more costs for the state agencies that are on the front lines, keeping our communities safe. Because of this, the legislature had to hold a one day special session on Thursday, December to approve emergency spending to cover bills for this year’s unprecedented wildfire season, which burned almost 2 million acres.
This season cost Oregon over $350 million, making it the most expensive wildfire season in state history. Though over half of the costs will eventually be covered by the federal government, the state needs to pay the bills now while the wait to be reimbursed can take months. While I’m grateful my colleagues approved $218 million in emergency wildfire funds to address this funding gap this year, I am working with our state agencies to identify a more reliable funding source to ensure we don’t find ourselves in this position next year. The data clearly shows that our wildfire seasons will only intensify from year to year and we cannot afford not to address it.
TriMet:
TriMet is introducing a new way to get on board with Hop Card. They’re rolling out new transit card vending machines, starting with five select MAX stations. The machines allow riders to buy and/or reload plastic Hop cards at MAX stations and transit centers, replacing the single-day-use Hop paper tickets dispensed by ticket vending machines today. See how the new machines work in this video
Weather Travel Tips
Be prepared for winter weather before traveling
Winter is upon us. Be sure you and your family are prepared when traveling in winter weather. Check Tripcheck.com for road hazards and closures before departure, and keep an emergency kit in your vehicle, including:
- Phone charger, warm clothes, blankets
- First aid kit, bottled water, and nonperishable food
- Jumper cables, flashlights with batteries, road flares
- Ice scraper, shovel, tire chains
- Keep a A full tank of gas and have a spare tire on hand
Visit: ready.gov/car for more tips.
Oregon Food Bank Food Finder Tool
Find free food resources near you.
Is your family in need of food? The Oregon Food Bank Network supports 21 regional food banks with over 1400 sites that distribute food to families across Oregon. Visit the Oregon Food Bank Finder at foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org to find resources near you.
Mental Health Resources
Don’t suffer in silence - resources are available to help.
The winter months can be hard to navigate. If you’re experiencing stress, grief, or loneliness, you are not alone. While it is normal to struggle this time of year, there are lots of resources out there that can help. Visit https://bit.ly/OHAMentalHealth for a comprehensive list of mental health resources, and keep reading for a highlight of resources available:
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Oregon’s Behavioral Health Support Line offers 24/7 behavioral health screening, counseling services and referrals to available mental health and substance use providers for ongoing care.
Callers do not need to be in a crisis to contact the line. Call 800-923-HELP (4357).
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The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988, or at 988Lifeline.org. Trained crisis counselors can help you or a loved one with any kind of mental health-related distress, thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or substance use crisis. Spanish speakers can call 988 and press 2, or call 888-628-9454 directly to reach la Red Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio, text the word “AYUDA” to 988 or chat online at 988lineadevida.org.
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Oregon YouthLine is a teen-to-teen crisis and help line. Call 877-968-8491 or text teen2teen to 839-863. Trained teens are available to help daily, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. (adults are also available 24/7).
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The Trevor Project offers 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQIA2S+ youth. Call 866-488-7386 or text 678-678. You can also call 988 and press 3 for LGBTQIA2S+ youth and young adults support.
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Veterans Crisis Line provides free and confidential 24/7 support for veterans and their loved ones, regardless of VA benefits enrollment. Call 988 and press 1, or text 838-255.
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The Racial Equity Support Line is staffed by people with lived experience of racism and provides emotional support and resource referrals to those experiencing the impacts of racist violence, microaggressions, racial discrimination and cross-cultural issues. Call 503-575-3764, Mon. to Fri., 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For a comprehensive list of mental health resources, please visit
https://www.211info.org/get-help/mental-behavioral-health/.
211info: Strengthening Community Resource Support211info is a vital service connecting Oregonians to health and social resources 24/7, with live support and translation in over 240 languages. As demand has surpassed pre-COVID levels, 211info continues to address critical needs like housing, utilities, food, and health care. Its 24/7 Contact Center reduces strain on emergency services and provides real-time responses during emergencies like severe weather and natural disasters.
Thank you for your continued support and engagement as we work together for the betterment of our community. This is my last newsletter for 2024, and I look forward to sharing more with you in the New Year about my policy agenda for the 2025 session.
Yours truly,
Representative Thuy Tran
House District 45
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1445
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-285, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.ThuyTran@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/tran
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