Friends and Neighbors,

Here are some highlights from the past week and helpful community information for you! 

 - Shelly

Stop the Assault on Oregon Farms: STOP SB 747

This week, the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildlife held a public hearing on Senate Bill 747, a costly mandate on Oregon family farms. The bill would authorize state government to issue heavy fines and penalties against farmers who they deem to be "overapplying" fertilizers.  

SB 747 makes family farmers out to be “boogeymen,” relying on assumptions instead of engaging producers and experts in a dialogue about the agricultural practices in question. The bill assumes that farm and ranch families haphazardly apply inputs to their land with no understanding of agronomics. In actuality, production-scale agriculture is sophisticated; it has to be because margins in this industry are so thin. Fertilizer application is a science, guided by research, soil testing, consultation with agronomists, and careful management. All of these steps are taken to maximize yields and minimize inputs, ensuring the sustainability of the farm and landscape for the next generation.  

As someone who had grown up on a family farm my whole life, I was offended by the premise of this bill and strongly testified against it. You can watch that testimony here: 

Related Coverage: 

Large crowd opposes bill that would require farmers to report fertilizer use to protect water

Senate Bill 747 would require farms larger than 200 acres to report their annual fertilizer use — including the quantity applied, the type of fertilizer and the crop grown on the fertilized land — to the department. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Khanh Pham, D-Portland, said she wants the state agriculture department to track fertilizer applications to help identify where and how large concentrations of nutrients found in fertilizers, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are getting into and contaminating ground and surface water...

State Rep. Bobby Levy, R-Echo, who applies nitrate-rich wastewater from the Port of Morrow as fertilizer on her farmland in Boardman, testified against the bill. “Requiring producers to report raw fertilizer use data ignores the complexity and creates a misleading narrative that application rates alone can determine overuse or environmental impact,” she said.

Oregon lawmakers weigh fertilizer reporting requirement

“The fiscal impact should be fairly interesting to read,” said Rep. Anna Scharf, R-Amity, referring to the bill’s estimated financial effect on ODA.  The agency would “need to hire an army” of agronomists and other experts to analyze the data collected under SB 747, she said.  Meanwhile, the requirement would be “another nail in the coffin of Oregon agriculture” while still permitting excessive fertilizer use by homeowners and others, Scharf said.  “It’s time for us to stop pointing the finger at farmers at every chance we get,” she said.

Oregon Nonprofits Get A Lot Of YOUR Money. You Deserve To Know How It's Being Spent.

Last week, I told you about SB 644, a bill to audit the Oregon Food Bank. This week, I testified in support of that bill alongside Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham.

While this bill names the Oregon Food Bank, the issue of making sure tax dollars are spent wisely and legally should apply to every single organization that receives tax dollars. Every year, Oregon Democrats stuff the budget with funding to nonprofits. We have little oversight on what happens to that money next.

As the legislative branch, we need to rediscover our oversight responsibilities to ensure trust in government. SB 644 is a good step forward in that mission.

These are just a few of the positions the Oregon Food Bank has taken in the last couple years: 

1. Opposing Israel's self-defense in Gaza
2. Criticizing Republicans for delaying votes on harmful bills that would increase the cost of food
3. Lobbying for a bill that would go on to cap farm worker's hours and hurt family farms struggling to pay the bills 

Let me be clear: the Oregon Food Bank does do some good work. If their focus was strictly on feeding Oregonians, I wouldn't be supporting this audit. But I cannot support the tens of millions of tax dollars that have been given to the Oregon Food Bank in the last 10 years without first ensuring that the money is not going to engage in partisan political activity.

The IRS is clear: 501(c)3 organizations are strictly prohibited from engaging in political activity. Most nonprofits stay far away from the appearance of political activity to ensure the trust of their donors and to avoid legal jeopardy. The Oregon Food Bank has gotten dangerously close to that line. The audit outlined in this bill will ensure Oregonian's tax dollars are not going toward political activism.

Watch my whole testimony here: 

Related Coverage: 

Senate Republican leader pitches increased state scrutiny of Oregon Food Bank

Sen. Daniel Bonham’s Senate Bill 644, which would create a legislative committee to audit the food bank, had a skeptical reception in the Senate Human Services Committee. Democrats who make up the majority on that committee and in the Legislature questioned the need for that bill, as the food bank already publishes annual financial audits and it would cost the state to conduct the audit. 

Bonham’s proposal reflects growing tensions between the food bank and Republicans, most of whom voted against sending $7.5 million to the food bank in 2023 when the federal government ended its pandemic-era temporary increase to food benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Republicans objected to a food bank statement opposing the war in Gaza and support for hot-button bills on agricultural overtime and climate change. And most personally for Bonham, the food bank strongly opposed recent legislative walkouts — including one in 2023 that led to Bonham and other Republicans being barred from running for reelection.

It's Time For Oregon to Protect Women's Sports

Note: picture showing when two of my daughters, a family friend, and I were able to meet Riley Gaines and heard her personal (horrific) story and how she advocated for women. RILEY: Congrats to you and thank you for being bold enough to stand up for women across the US even in the midst of what may have felt like the world against you.

On Wednesday, National Girls and Women in Sports Day, President Trump signed an executive order protecting women's sports by keeping biological men out of women's sports.

As a former athlete myself, mom of three female athletes, and former coach, I am proud of the President's move to protect women and girls. Allowing biological males to compete in female categories undermines these hard-won rights and puts female athletes at an unfair disadvantage.

This isn't about exclusion—it's about preserving opportunities for women and girls to excel on a level playing field. I urge Oregon and the OSAA to follow this commonsense approach and will continue to advocate for that.

A recent statewide poll commissioned by House Republicans revealed that 69% of Oregonians oppose OSAA's current policy of allowing biological males to compete in women's sports.

Republicans have introduced several pieces of legislation to protect women’s sports and are united in protecting women’s sports.

• House Bill 2037 ensures that only biological women can enter women’s intimate spaces and participate in women’s sports in school.
• LC 3895 seeks to restore safety and fairness in women’s sports by prohibiting biological males, in Oregon's K-12 schools, from competing in extracurricular sports designed for biological females. 
• SB 618 is similar to LC 3895 and focuses prohibiting biological males, in Oregon's K-12 schools, from competing in extracurricular sports designed for biological females. 

Read my whole statement: 

EV Trucks Are NOT The Future

This week in the Transportation Committee, we heard a presentation from the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) about opportunities to expand rail infrastructure in Oregon. During the presentation, one of the presenters mentioned hydrogen fuel as being the future of the transportation sector. In Oregon, we are acting like the future of transportation is electric vehicles, so his statement piqued my interest.

I asked him to clarify why he thinks EVs are not the future. His answer was a great articulation of the limits of EVs, particularly in the trucking sector: they cost too much, weigh too much, haul too little, and cannot travel as far as vehicles fueled by diesel and even some newer fuels like hydrogen and renewable diesel.

Watch the whole exchange here:

Related coverage: 

Nearly 200 people submit testimony to delay Advanced Clean Trucks Rule in Oregon

The state’s Advanced Clean Trucks Rule went into effect on Jan. 1, directing 7% to 11% of vehicles sold in Oregon this year to be electric, depending on the vehicle class, and ramping up until 2035. “I have been trying to sound the alarm about Oregon’s adoption of California’s Advanced Clean Trucks Rules for several months,” said Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis, R-Albany...

...Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Stayton, said he has heard from a local towing and tow truck sales company owner who would be harmed by the rules, and from a county concerned with their ability to maintain their public works fleet. “Implementing the Advanced Clean Truck Rule at this time will hurt businesses and cost jobs,” Diehl said.

Is Oregon bill to delay Advanced Clean Trucks a ‘layup’ or ‘red herring’?

Land Line Those supporting delaying Advanced Clean Trucks brought up a lack of charging infrastructure, technological infeasibility and costs.

Bill sponsor Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis, R-Albany, pointed out that Oregon has only one public charging station for heavy-duty trucks. She said that the two-year delay for Advanced Clean Trucks is necessary to build out that infrastructure.

“Even if the state would be willing to spend the money needed to install chargers throughout the state, and somehow changed land use laws to park all these trucks somewhere to charge, and changed the federal hours-of-service laws to allow these truck drivers to be able to rest while charging and still complete their normal haul, and had the money to invest in companies upgrading their fleets to EVs that cost twice as much, and started that all today, it would be years before this would happen. And yet the rules are already implemented,” Boshart Davis said.

Boshart Davis told the committee that electric trucks cost twice as much as diesel trucks but haul 25% less while traveling about half the distance. She noted that “the math doesn’t math.”

The Albany representative submitted a chart showing the massive improvements in diesel engine emission standards over the decades. She said the industry has been doing a great job addressing emission without regulatory pressure.

The Myth of Government Spending in Education

For a long time, I have argued that we don't have a spending problem in Oregon, we have a priorities problem. Nowhere is that more true than in our education system. A report from Georgetown University's Edunomics Lab puts the paradox in stark reality. Oregonians are paying 80% more than they were a decade ago for worse results for our students.  

Dr. Marguerite Roza, director of the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown, says that Oregon has prioritized increasing spending, salaries and staff, but has not tracked the outcomes of such decisions. “When we spend this money and we don’t get the results, we need to change the course,” she says.

We need to be more creative than continuing to throw money at the problem. That's why I have long supported school choice and I am glad to stand alongside a Republican caucus that are pressing for real reforms that will better serve families and students.

Related coverage: 

Dramatic Increases in School Spending Have Not Improved Outcomes for Oregon Students

WHY THE GAP?

 Spending more on education does not automatically fix underlying problems, Roza says. Instead, the spending has to be intentional. In Oregon, Roza says, it’s not. Like many other states, Oregon invested heavily in staff with pandemic relief money. But the increase in staff has also corresponded with a decline in outcomes. On the surface, this is puzzling. Good teachers are the “single most important ingredient” in a child receiving a quality education, Roza says. But quality is more important than quantity, Roza says. “It’s really hard to get adults to change the way they teach, and some of them are just not good at it, and some of them are not even sure they want to be teachers anymore.”

Hearing Alert 2/6: Estate tax cut (HB 2301)

On Thursday, Feb 6th, The House Revenue Committee is having a hearing on HB 2301 which aims to reduce the Estate Tax by creating a higher exemption level at $7 million. Right now it is set at $1 million. You can testify in person or online by going to the committee webpage here.

Oregon House Republicans Are Fighting for

Families and Workers

This week, House Republicans held a press conference to outline our priorities to help you and your family live in a safer, more affordable and prosperous Oregon.

We are here to serve the people who are dissatisfied, overburdened, and increasingly frustrated with the direction Oregon is moving, we are the elected officials who will get Oregon BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK by empowering communities and families and focusing on the challenges that impact your day-to-day life: high taxes on gas and earnings, expensive housing, inadequate education options for families, and chronic homelessness which is affecting our ability to live in safe, drug free neighborhoods.

AFFORDABILITY: Oregonians should be able to afford to live here. Taxes are too high. We want you and your family to keep more of what you make by cutting your income taxes and opposing new taxes and regulations that increase the cost of living.

HOUSING: Oregonians need to be able to afford to buy or rent a home that they want in their neighborhood and close to work. While the governor wants to build more expensive, government funded housing with your taxpayer dollar, we want the government to get out of the way, lower property taxes, and eliminate heavy-handed regulations that are keeping you from buying a home.

EDUCATION: Every Oregon child deserves a quality education that fits their and their families’ needs. Education should be centered around what the student needs to learn and be successful. We will work to dramatically reform public education to give more options, and return more control, to the families of students who are not getting the education they deserve.

HOMELESSNESS: Oregonians deserve to live in safe, drug-free neighborhoods. Homelessness should be rare and temporary, not chronic and permanent. We want to end the homelessness crisis and restore safe and livable  communities by repealing laws that allow homeless people to camp in our parks and on our sidewalks.

Watch the highlights: 

Related Coverage: 

Oregon Republicans share to-do list: End homelessness, lower housing costs, oppose tax increases

Oregon’s House Republicans shared a gloomy assessment of the state Thursday and laid out their vision for turning things around, saying even though they are the minority party they will do everything they can to push through legislation that will make life better for the state’s 4.2 million residents.

WATCH: Oregon House Republicans lay out their legislative priorities

Rep. Vikki Breese-Iverson, Vice Chair of the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness, said Oregonians cannot afford the status quo in housing. "To solve this housing crisis is going to require three things. Land, more infrastructure, and streamlined regulations," said Rep. Breese-Iverson.

Oregon House GOP calls for tax cuts, housing fix. But Democrats hold the cards

Rep. Darcey Edwards, of Banks, said this problem is personal. “My son is one of the 23,000 Oregonians who are experiencing homelessness, mental health and addiction on our streets,” said Edwards. “In a rare moment of clarity, my son chose to get help he so desperately needed and our family so badly wanted for him.” Edwards said her son couldn’t get into treatment for three weeks. Eventually, she said he fell back into his struggles with addiction “due to the enabling practices of so-called low-barrier shelters,” which often have minimal to no sobriety or curfew requirements. Edwards argues that “the way we currently treat our neighbors suffering from mental health and addiction is not compassionate, lacks accountability and makes the problem worse.”

To address this, Republicans want to bolster addiction recovery services and hold people who deny services accountable. Edwards said the party wants to audit the effectiveness of the state’s homelessness legislation.

Oregon House Republicans lay out priorities for 2025 legislative session

Oregon House republicans are laying out their priorities for the 2025 legislative session Thursday. The Oregon House Republican Caucus says they want to focus on gas and income taxes, housing costs, chronic homelessness, and accessibility to education.

Oregon House Republicans lay out their legislative priorities

"Our current educational systems direction, which has been forced on our public schools, has placed the misguided interest and priorities of bureaucrats and ideologues ahead of learning, ahead of student success, ahead of student upward economic mobility, ahead of expanding opportunities and experiences, ahead of building a foundation of knowledge and skills for our children and build their future," said Wright. Wright said that Republicans have heard from parents and students who want to raise the cap on open enrollment, fully fund summer learning programs, expand career, technical, and educational opportunities, provide greater access and funding to charter schools, and provide greater safety for our students.

Capital Chatter: How to engage the Legislature -- and how the Legislature should engage itself

“Oregonians themselves cannot afford the list of massive tax increases that have been proposed this legislative session, and what we can do is be a voice for those Oregonians,” House Republican Leader Christine Drazan, of Canby, said at the Republicans’ press conference on Thursday. “This process is one that involves compromise and collaboration and really good communication across the aisle. So, we have to hope and believe that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle – [who] absolutely do have the votes to pass taxes if they choose to – would instead pause, work with us and serve those Oregonians who are saying they cannot afford these proposals today. 

Oregon House Republicans slam status quo, share few specific fixes

Deputy Leader Lucetta Elmer, R-McMinnville, said Republicans will address Oregon’s high cost of living with bills to abolish taxes on tips and overtime, repeal the corporate activity tax on some essential goods and oppose highway tolls or gas tax increases.

Anti-Second Amendment Bills to Watch

There are several anti-Second Amendment bills that have been introduced that threaten Oregonians' Constitutional rights. To follow the bill and get notifications when the bill gets scheduled for a hearing or vote, click the link, and click the "e-Subscribe" button on the top right of the screen. 

• Senate Bill 429 - Mandatory 72-hour waiting period to transfer a firearm
• Senate Bill 697 - Raises legal age of firearm ownership to 21
• Senate Bill 698 - Allows local governments to limit Oregonians' right to carry a firearm with a CHL
• House Bill 3075 - Amends Ballot Measure 114 in the midst of constitutional lawsuits on the measure.

Coming up: REAL ID Deadline is May 7, 2025

From the Oregon Department of Transportation:

This time, it's for real. After a series of delays, the federal REAL ID deadline of May 7, 2025, is just three months away. Starting that day, anyone 18 years and older will be required to present a REAL ID or an acceptable alternative – like a government-issued passport, U.S. passport card or military ID – to board a commercial flight within the U.S. or access certain federal facilities.

As the deadline nears, we are seeing greater demand and longer lines at our DMV offices. If you plan on flying within the U.S. anytime in the future and you don't have a passport or other acceptable ID, you may want to consider upgrading to the REAL ID option sooner than later.

For more information on how to be REAL ID ready, go here.

Protect Yourself and Your Family Online!

You know what can be awesome sometimes, technology. It is what powers the things we are on a lot, computers, phones, tablets, etc. But technology can also be a real bummer, especially when bad guys are the ones using it against us!

Cyber security has become one of the most important things in our day to day lives, though most of us don't even think about it.

It just so happens to be National Data Privacy Week, and while the bad guys are out there trying to do whatever they can to make technology work for them, and against you, we wanted to share some tips to help deter the bad guys. This way in between checking our bank account balances, reading up on the news, and checking the weather, you can keep liking your best friends new baby pictures on Facebook, watching that hilarious reel on Instagram, or watch your favorite influencer, all while knowing your safely doing so. To help keep the good times going, keep these things in mind:

Never use unsecured Wi-Fi - especially for banking, shopping, or other uses where sensitive private information is required. Never give personal information over the phone, email, or text. Stop taking online quizzes or replying to similar social media post questions that ask random things about your childhood, children, tattoos, marriages, pets, favorite food etc.. Each time you take one of these, people trying to access your data gather a little bit more information about you that may allow them to steal your data or identity.

Use strong password phrases. The longer the password, the harder it is to break. Using symbols (! @#$%^&*) in addition to letters and numbers is a great idea.

Be careful buying things online through social media apps. Often these links lead you to a site that is foreign, and before you know it you are charged a foreign transaction fee on top of the cost of the item, and a month later you get a knock off version of whatever it is you bought, when you could have just gone on to a known and trusted online store and got the same thing delivered the next day. Speaking for a friend.... This does really happen.

Protect yourself from tax fraud!

Yup, it's the dreaded tax season again! Don't make it worse by making yourself a victim of fraud and letting someone else get your refund. Unfortunately, the crooks are not looking to pay them for you. So to avoid making the tax filing process worse:

• Beat the fraudsters to the punch. File first!
• Don't share all of your tax info. This means staying off public Wi-Fi where someone can steal your information.
• Yes, they can steal them from your mail, so make sure you are dropping your return in a secured mailbox.
• Find a tax preparer you trust! Be it your favorite aunt who has been doing taxes for 30 years or your local tax business, give them to someone that knows what they are doing.
• Shred the documents you don't need. This goes for other stuff too, not just tax documents!
• The IRS is not going to email, text or call you asking for information and don't ever fall for paying anything, including taxes with gift cards!

If you believe you are the victim of ID theft, other than from Uncle Sam, please call your local police agency.

Keep your kids cyber safe!

Each Holiday season, more and more kids are being gifted smart electronics with online access. It seems too that kids are being given these items at a younger age then ever before. Whether it be a cell phone, tablet, or laptop, these can all be fun and useful items, but they can also lead to danger for our kids. Adult predators are using the same apps your kids use, looking to lure them into being their next victim.

Do you know who your kids are gaming with? Do you know if and what information, photos or other content they are exchanging on Snapchat, Instagram, Fortnite, TikTok, or Roblox?

Parents -

• Limit your kids "screen time"
• Talk to your kids about never sharing passwords, account information, home address or photos (that are not approved by you) with others
• Don' let, especially younger children, have "friends" online that you don't know or haven't vetted
• Make sure you know their passwords and make frequent checks to ensure the content is appropriate and safe
• Make sure your kids have their privacy settings secured down so predators can't find them on public views
• Have the conversation with your kids about the expectations and these safeguards you are putting in place ahead of time to minimize misunderstandings and frustrations. Explain to them it is about their safety, not your lack of trust.

The ABC House, located in Albany, offers free Smart Cyber Choices training that will show adults how to empower children and teens to use technology safely and wisely. We encourage you to sign up for these trainings by visiting: here 

We hope this info will help keep your kids safe online!

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

Are you looking for a Valentine this year? Well, we want to make it easier for you to find your furrever love! We have some amazing dogs right now that would love to snuggle by the fire, enjoy long walks in the moonlight, share a meal with you.... and, hey, they will be more loyal than your ex was!

Through the month of February, we will once again be offering a 50% discount on all adoptions at Linn County Animal Control! That means for only $60 you get your new best tried with a spay/neuter, DHPPV vaccine, flea treatment, and a de-wormer! Your new best friend looks forward to meeting you soon!

Here is a complete list of dogs that we currently have available for adoption!

We would like to congratulate Erin Matthews on her graduation from Basic Telecommunications Class #146 at DPSST in Salem today! Erin spent the past three weeks training with other Dispatchers from around the state, learning much of what she needs to know to help serve the people of Linn County. She now gets to come back to our office where she will continue her training with a Field Training Officer before going solo!

Congrats Erin, and we are proud to have you in the LCSO family!

From our friends at the Albany Fire Department:

The Round Up recipient for the month of February is Albany Firefighters Community Assistance Fund (AFFCAF). Be sure to round your purchase up to the next dollar to help organizations like this continue the great work they do in our community! Albany Fire Department

From our friends at the Albany Oregon Chamber of Commerce: 

Giddy up! It's time to celebrate Albany's Most Wanted at the Distinguished Service Awards! Join us for a night of recognition, inspiration, and community pride! The event is located at the Albany Boys & Girls Club on Saturday, March 8th, 2025.

This year's Legacy Award goes to llynn Winn!

Learn more and save your seat here. 

From our friends at Linn County 4-H:

Ready To Get Movin' & Groovin' This Spring Break?

All 4th-6th graders across Oregon are invited to join us at 4-H Camp Tumbleweed to meet new friends, sing camp songs, and try out "the big swing". Campers will be grouped with trained teen camp counselors who will be groovin'! You do not need to be currently enrolled in 4-H to attend so bring a friend!

Dates, Location, & Cost: March 25th-28th | Camp Tadmor | $250

Click here to register!

From our friends at the ABC House: 

Mark Your Calendars - Celebrate Hope is Coming!

Every child deserves safety, healing, and hope. On Thursday, April 3, 2025, we invite you to be part of the Celebrate Hope Fundraising and Awareness Dinner. This special evening is more than an event-it's a movement. A chance to stand together and make a life-changing difference for the children and families we serve. We are deeply grateful to Connected Real Estate Group, our Presenting Sponsor, and Sybaris Bistro, our Principal Sponsor, for their unwavering support in bringing this night to life!

To register, please visit here. 

CREDIT UNION DAY at the Capitol!

44 North, Central Willamette, OnPoint, Oregon State, Red Canoe, SELCO, and TwinStar credit unions

I always love visiting with the great people representing our local credit unions from District 15! 

During the 2025 legislative session my office will continue to keep you updated and informed - and is always at your service. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any community event announcements, 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

Replies to this message are sent to an unmonitored mailbox.
To contact me, please click here: Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@oregonlegislature.gov