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To contact me, please click here: Rep.KevinMannix@oregonlegislature.gov
Hello Friends,
Happy first week of Spring! Saturday afternoon the annual Capitol Cherry Blossom Festival took place, and the rest of the Willamette Valley is coming to life with greenery, daffodils, and dogwood blossoms. Legislative session is still moving along quickly, but I am grateful for the opportunity to work and live in the beautiful City of Salem and take in these budding new signs of life in the midst of the busy schedule.
 Last week we began meeting daily for floor session and this Friday marks the passage of the first work session deadline for House and Senate committees. As we see a decrease in public hearings and an increase in third readings, I will begin spending less time in committee meetings and more time on the House Floor.
 Bad Bill Alert! HB 2548 Agricultural Workforce Labor Standards Board: On March 12, the House Committee on Labor held a three hour long public hearing on HB 2548, which establishes the Agricultural Workforce Labor Standards Board, to control farm labor across the entire state. House Republicans and farmers came together, speaking out about the dangers this bill will have on the future of farming in Oregon. This bill proposes a sweeping, one-size-fits-all mandate that would transfer critical decisions about staffing, wages, benefits, and training to an unelected, unaccountable, bureaucratic body, and disregards the significant protections already in place for farmworkers.
 Even though I do not have a single farm or ranch in my district, I know that 97% of the farms in Oregon are family owned. As a representative of the people, I recognize this dangerous piece of legislation, if passed, will have a terrible impact on our family farms. It will reduce production of food, undermine job stability, and will add to the already increasing cost of living for Oregonians.
Click on the video above to view the remonstrance I delivered to our House members on March 13.
HCR 9 Honoring Secretary Dennis Richardson: Oregon House of Representatives unanimously passed HCR 9 on February 25 honoring the late Secretary of State Dennis Richardson for his dedicated service to the state and its citizens. The resolution recognized his legacy and the positive impact he had on public service. I am honored to be a co-sponsor of HCR 9 and to join my fellow legislators in passing this resolution.
 HB 2299 Intimate Deepfakes Bill: As Chief Sponsor of HB 2299, I am proud to report this legislation had a public hearing in front of the House Judiciary Committee on February 27. This bill recognizes the significance of addressing the serious and growing threat posed by intimate deepfake images. This is a crucial step toward protecting individuals from exploitation and harm, as it strengthens penalties for the unlawful dissemination of intimate images and expands the definition to include digitally manipulated depictions.
See below for a copy of the press release which I sent out in partnership with Representative Annessa Hartman.
Recent Testimony:
HB 2972: I testified in support of this bill, on March 3 before the House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards. HB 2972 allocates funding to the Employment Department to staff workforce reentry programs for adults in custody. Almost everyone who is incarcerated will be released at some point, and by promoting job training programs and partnerships with local businesses, individuals leaving our prisons can become working members of society, contributing positively to our economy. This kind of workforce training program is crucial to the success of those incarcerated as it opens the door for them to put their life on a new path. HB 2972 has a work session scheduled for March 19 where it would pass from committee and be referred to Ways and Means.
HB 5012: On February 27, HB 5012 was reviewed during the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Public Safety. This bill addresses critical funding deficits in Oregon’s judicial system, particularly the need for increased funding for judicial compensation, courthouse security, and additional judges. By supporting these options, we ensure that our judicial system remains efficient, accessible, and fair for all Oregonians. Increasing judicial compensation is essential for recruiting and retaining experienced judges. Properly funding courthouse security is fundamental to ensuring the safety of individuals attending court proceedings. Additionally, the bill addresses the pressing need for more judges to reduce delays and improve the efficiency of our court system, which is vital for delivering timely justice.
HB 2304: The Fairground Revitalization act, which I filed back in December, had a public hearing before the House Committee on Economic Development, Small Business and Trade the first week of March. This bill allows the state to fully fund 1% of lottery funds to fairs with 90% of the funds going to county fairgrounds and 10% of funds going to the state fairgrounds. The bill also supports an additional $20 million for the state fairgrounds in infrastructure improvements and funds a study to ensure fairgrounds can continue as resilience/disaster response centers and economic, social, cultural, and educational hubs in our communities.
HB 3453: Finding its way back through the legislative process after being introduced in 2023, HB 3453 had a public hearing in the Joint Committee on Transportation on Tuesday March 11. Testimony and written submittals were overwhelmingly favorable. This bill creates a public corporation, the Westside Express Service Authority, to begin work to expand the Westside Commuter Rail Line (which currently runs from Beaverton to Wilsonville) to allow services to Salem, and eventually Eugene.
Tax Assistance!
The Department of Revenue is offering free resources that may be helpful to you as April 15 approaches. See below for some helpful links and information:
Where’s My Refund? Tool improved for 2025
Taxpayers who want to check the status of their Oregon state income tax refund will find more information available this year when they use the Department of Revenue’s Where’s My Refund? tool.
For the 2025 tax season, Where’s My Refund? has been upgraded to provide:
- Additional detail about refund status.
- Added functionality to see when the agency is requesting additional information to complete processing a return.
- Website enhancements for improved customer experience.
Which of Oregon’s free electronic tax filing options fits you best?
A variety of free electronic-filing options are available to Oregon taxpayers, including the new combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon.
While the free filing options have some income and other limitations, most Oregon taxpayers are eligible to file electronically at no cost using one of the free file options that can be found on the Department of Revenue website. Or follow the guide in this news release.
Free help filing Oregon tax returns
Taxpayers that don’t have a computer or need one-on-one help also have options for electronic filing. AARP Tax-Aide, the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs, MFS-CASH Oregon, and the United Way’s MyFreeTaxes offer in person and drop off services for tax preparation by trained volunteers. Learn more on Revenue’s Get free help filing your taxes webpage.
Thousands of taxpayers have filed state returns with Direct File Oregon
The newest free electronic filing option is the combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon. Almost 5,000 taxpayers have used Direct File Oregon to file their state income tax returns. Almost 2,000 of those state returns were filed in combination with federal returns filed with IRS Direct File.
More information about Direct File is available on the Revenue website. Videos are also available to show how to use IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon.
Community Engagement Opportunities:
The Salem Police Department hosts a Community Police Academy once a year. The purpose of this program is to enhance understanding and communication between the community and the police through in-person classes about police services, programs, and procedures and policies. Click on the link below for more information on how to sign up. Community Police Academy | Salem, Oregon
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House Honorary Page Program at the Capitol: If you have a student aged 12-17 who is interested in learning about the legislative process, the Chief Clerk's Office provides an opportunity for students to serve as an honorary page for a day, including a class on civics education, serving on the House Floor during a floor session, and more. See the flier below for more information. Click here to sign your child up.
 
My office welcomed a visit from former Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber on February 25. He was here to advocate for support of the Upstream Initiative. This initiative will provide funding for vital health care, resources and supportive social connections, focusing on the first one-thousand days of as child's life.
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I had the opportunity to speak to a group of members from the Oregon State Bar Leadership Institute during the OSB Leadership Day. The Leadership Institute is a highly selective program designed to enhance the personal and leadership skills of lawyers, with a focus on developing bar and civic leaders who can address access-to-justice issues.
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I was pleased to attend the Salem Fire Foundation Sustainer Breakfast with the Chief on March 11. Joining me in the photo are County Commissioner Danielle Bethel, Salem Mayor Julie Hoy, Salem Fire Chief David Gerboth and Salem Police Chief Trevor Womack. I mentioned to Chief David Gerboth that my wife and I are proud that our son Gabriel served as a US Air Force fire fighter and is now employed as a firefighter by the Shoreline Fire District, North of Seattle. |
On February 25 I had the opportunity to meet with the advocates from the Oregon Cattlemen's Association during their annual Oregon Cattleman's Day. OCA advocates for the interests of cattle ranchers in Oregon, promoting and protecting ranching rights. It is always a pleasure to host them in my office, especially with the annual beef jerky samples they deliver during their meetings. |
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It is always an honor to represent you in the Oregon Legislature. If there are things my office can assist you with in the months to come, please do not hesitate to reach out via the information below.
Yours truly,
 Representative Kevin Mannix
House District 21
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1421
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-384, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.KevinMannix@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mannix
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