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To contact me, please click here: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
With bill deadlines rapidly approaching, my staff and I have been working hard to ensure that my personal bills, and the ones I have sponsored from other colleagues, are in the position to be voted out of committee. This entails requests to committee chairs for hearings and work sessions (committee votes), and getting important information out to committee members before they vote. Right now, I am testifying in hearings roughly twice a week on bills I have chief-sponsored, which is in addition to my normal committee meetings, Floor sessions, and meetings. I have been working with the Governor's Office on Summer Learning so that we can build on the success from last year's program funding, and on a technical fix to my foster youth student support plan from last session as well. I continue to meet as often as possible with my Transportation Committee co-chair and vice-chairs, and the whole committee will begin in-depth conversations on a proposed package soon.
Last Saturday night, I attended the Forest Grove-Cornelius Chamber of Commerce gala and enjoyed seeing the strong community support that exists for our small businesses. The Chamber, under the leadership of Claudia Yakos, is working hard to create new and innovative programming that uplifts and supports our businesses. I will continue to partner with them whenever I can because I believe our small businesses are the backbone of our community.
In this week's newsletter you can read about:
- The Latino Health Network bill
- The 2025 Summer Learning bill
- How to visit the I-5 Bridge Replacement Program office hours
- Highlights from my meetings and outreach
- Spotlight on nonprofits in Western Washington County
- Immigration resources and information
ABOVE: I enjoy working with my colleagues, Rep. Ricki Ruiz and Rep. Leslie Muñoz on Education policies and much much more!
LATINO HEALTH NETWORK BILL HEARING
I am the second chief sponsor of Representative Lesly Muñoz's bill, HB 3650, that would create the Latino Health System Task Force to develop proposals for a Latino Health System that meets the particular health needs of Latino communities across the Oregon. The bill had a hearing in the House Behavioral Health and Health Care Committee this week, which can be viewed here.
I support HB 3650 because it provides us a path forward in improving the quality of health care and reducing health disparities for Oregon’s Latino communities. Efforts to improve health care experiences, increase the frequency of visits, and enhance overall health outcomes for Latinos must address both language barriers and the current scarcity of culturally appropriate providers. Currently, only 7% of all physicians and surgeons are Hispanic, and just 9% of all health care practitioners and technicians are Hispanic, so growing the Latino provider workforce is essential to improving access to culturally and linguistically appropriate health care services.
Virginia Garcia Medical Center’s success in Western Washington County demonstrates the efficacy of meeting patients where they are at, whether it be in terms of culture, language, or geography, and is an excellent example of the type of patient care that this bill is calling for. Virginia Garcia has approached health care from a systems perspective. It supports access to basic health services and provides assistance with transportation, insurance eligibility and enrollment, home visits, mobile clinics, and health education programs for patients and community members. It offers comprehensive wrap-around services, including mental health care, dental care, primary care, and an in-house pharmacy, all in one place. It is an integrated approach that addresses the complex needs of our community and contributes to the improved overall health and well-being of its patients. Virginia Garcia has achieved a Tier 4 rating as a Patient Centered Primary Care Home and recognition as “a statewide model for providing authentic team-based care” by the Oregon Health Authority. In its Centering Pregnancy program, the rate of babies born at low birth weight was 4.4 percent, almost half the national average of 8 percent.
The Latino community in our district is fortunate to have Virginia Garcia as a health care option. The reason I am supporting HB 3650 is because I want to see Oregon replicate this model of care in as many communities as possible across the state.
Read the press release from Rep. Muñoz's office here.
UPCOMING BILLS TO WATCH
With almost 3,000 bills this Session, it's hard to keep track of where they are all at in the process. As a reminder, you can track bills and subscribe to bill updates on OLIS. Here are some key bills to watch in the next few weeks:
Ongoing Advocacy for Summer Learning Investments
My primary bill in the 2024 Legislative Short Session was House Bill 4082 (2024) to fund Summer Learning programming across the state in 2024. As a former educator of over 42 years, I have long advocated for increasing outcomes in Oregon's schools, and I recognize how critical summer and afterschool learning are to creating extra learning opportunities for our students. This is why I have been working with the Governor's Office since 2023 on creating a longterm program.
I sponsored the Summer Learning Bill because the evidence is clear that summer and afterschool learning opportunities foster success by improving readiness to learn, promoting academic achievement, and supporting social and emotional health. Through passage of HB 4082, we invested $30 million in school districts this past Summer to provide high-quality and culturally relevant summer learning programs in partnership with community-based organizations and tribal nations. These funds immediately expanded access to school and community-based programs for our students,
In addition to investing $30 million into programming for 2024, HB 4082 also required us to identify barriers, elevate promising practices and lessons learned, review research, and develop recommendations for a sustainable funding approach to summer and after school learning. Extensive work took place in the interim between the Governor's Office, Legislators, and partners school districts to ensure that we have a long-term funding plan going forward. We also took a deep-dive into lessons learned from 2024 Summer Learning programming, which you can read about in these documents:
 State Summer Learning Grant 2024 Implementation Analysis Report
2024 Summer SEED Student Perception Survey Report
HB 4082 Final Study: Summer and Afterschool Programs for Student Success
Now, in the 2025 Legislative Session, Summer Learning is in the spotlight once again with HB 3039 (2025), a bill that moves us further towards a long-term plan for Summer and Afterschool Learning in Oregon. I'll be testifying in support of the bill and our goals for Summer Learning on March 19th at 3:00 pm in the House Committee on Education. Watch the hearing on OLIS here.
Ensuring Continued Support for Students in Foster Care
My other top priority from the 2024 Short Session, HB 4084(2024), also has a companion bill back this Session. HB 4084 created a pilot program to support Foster Youth in educational spaces and provide needed wrap-around services. The bill proposed a 2-year pilot program designed to improve educational outcomes for foster youth and produce data to help develop best practices for a future Statewide Education Plan for foster children. That pilot program has been implemented this school year at one school each in Portland, Albany, and Medford. This is an incredible first step to ensure that foster youth get the support they need to succeed, but now is the time to evaluate how the pilot is working and to determine future legislative and agency action.
I have been meeting with both the Department of Education to ensure we are being proactive in supporting the pilot program and a few technical changes are being made via HB 3449 (2025) to ensure the school districts can use the money allocated in the original bill. HB 3449 has a hearing on March 19th at 3:00 pm in the House Committee on Education. Watch the hearing on OLIS here.
Keeping Oregonians Safe
You may have heard the news yesterday that Oregon's voter approved Measure 114 has been deemed constitutional by the Oregon Court of Appeals. The measure was passed in 2022, but has been held up in the court systems since then.
Oregon adults and children, in cities and in rural areas, will be safer from gun tragedies when Measure 114 goes into effect, but we also need the Legislature to act to strengthen the state's laws on licensing, safe storage, and dealer regulation.
I'm dedicated to these policy goals because I know how important they are for Oregonians. Everyone wants to see lower crime, fewer suicides, and children feeling safe at school. I hear widespread support for things like secure storage, gun shop employee training, and background checks.
The hard truth is that there has been a 140% increase in gun deaths in Oregon over the past decade, and there are more illegal guns in Portland than Seattle or Oakland. Successful prevention laws in other states have demonstrated change is possible: outcome data shows that gun dealers who abide by strict background check guidelines do not become the source of guns used in crimes, and waiting periods can reduce suicides by up to 20%.
That's why I'm proud to support SB 429 and SB 696 in the Legislature this session. SB 429 requires gun dealers to wait 72 hours from the time of asking for a background check, and to have the approval number from the check, before giving a firearm or certain unfinished firearm parts to a buyer. SB 696 creates the crime of unlawful transport, manufacture or transfer of a rapid fire activator. Both bills are currently in the Senate Committee on Judiciary where I hope they will receive a hearing so we have an opportunity to vote on them and generate concrete progress toward a safer future in all Oregon communities.
SCHEDULE AN IBR OFFICE HOURS VISIT
Do you have questions and want to speak to a real person? The Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) program team answer questions on a range of topics, including design, equity, Disadvantaged and Small Business Enterprise opportunities, community engagement, financial plans, and much more! Schedule a 30-minute one-on-one with a member of IBR team during their office hours!
Please make a 30-minute reservation at least 24 hours in advance. There are three ways to sign up:
1️⃣ Sign online: https://bit.ly/41wVLBT
2️⃣ Email: info@interstatebridge.org
3️⃣ Call: 888-503-6735
Read more about IBR office hours here.
LEADERS AND ADVOCATES IN SALEM
This week, I was glad to connect with our community on how the legislature can support outdoor recreation, education equity, and economic development.
I spoke with constituents from the Oregon Trails Coalition about preserving our local trails and ensuring community access to outdoor spaces. We discussed how safety for walkers, runners, and bikers must be a priority in our transportation work this session.
COSA and OSBA Leaders of Color joined me to share how legislators can support our education system by funding critical services and engaging with school leadership. I always appreciate hearing valuable insights from the educators who serve our students and communities each day.
I heard from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, who shared perspectives on transportation legislation and opportunities to support workforce development. We discussed the need for rider and operator safety in our transit systems.
On Thursday, the Washington County Chamber of Commerce visited the Capitol to advocate for policies that foster a vibrant regional economy, economic health, and business growth. I was proud to introduce them on the House Floor, and share about their leadership in our region. The Chamber represents 825 businesses and over 75,000 jobs across Washington County—our community is lucky to have their support and engagement!
HIGHLIGHTING COMMUNITY NONPROFITS
Nonprofits in Washington County are doing remarkable work to unite and empower our community. Here are a few organizations that help make our cities and neighborhoods great places to live:
Centro Cultural
Founded by migrant farmworkers in 1972, Centro has built systems to improve the health and economic mobility of underserved communities in Washington County. They provide multigenerational and culturally-specific services through the following core program areas: K-12 STEAM education, workforce development, small business technical assistance, public engagement, civic advocacy, community health and wellness, transitional housing, and community-wide arts and cultural events.
I was honored to attend Centro's 2025 Gala de Cultura a few weeks ago, which showcased the talent and resilience of our community with inspiring speakers and performing artists.
If you are interested in supporting this work, consider volunteering with Centro. Click here to learn more about opportunities to engage with food distribution programs.
The Family Justice Center
The Family Justice Center offers survivors of abuse access to advocacy, counseling, restraining orders, safety planning, legal aid, food assistance and much more provided by a committed group of agencies. By coordinating services, survivors seeking support can access resources with greater clarity and accessibility. Since opening in 2018 the Family Justice Center has served over 21,700 survivors.
Family Justice Center is open to volunteers to support their outreach, events, and legal work. Click here to read about how you can sign-up to volunteer or donate essentials.
To learn more about an upcoming fundraiser that supports the Family Justice Center's work, keep reading this newsletter!
Virginia Garcia Memorial Heath Center and Foundation
Virginia Garcia provides healthcare services to 52,000 patients a year in Washington and Yamhill counties at five primary care clinics and pharmacies, six dental clinics, a Women’s Clinic, and five school-based health centers. They also provide outreach to schools, community health fairs, and underserved communities through a mobile clinic.
Students in our community recently visited my office to share about the critical work of Virginia Garcia and advocate for continued support for School-Based Health Centers.
On April 24th, Virginia Garcia will host their 2025 Health Care Symposium, exploring mobile health programs and the importance of bringing care directly to people where they live and work. You can mark your calendars and RSVP to join the free webinar.
West Tuality Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity works in western Washington County to help build and improve homes to keep community members safely housed. They advocate for decent, affordable housing for all, and support the global community’s commitment to housing as a basic human right.
A few weeks ago, members of West Tuality Habitat for Humanity came to Salem to promote opportunities for the legislature to support housing affordability and access in our community.
To get involved with their work, consider attending their upcoming benefit or designate all or part of your tax refund to Habitat via the Oregon Charitable Checkoff. Click here to learn about how to donate during tax season and attend the "Keys to Hope" West Tuality Habitat for Humanity Benefit Dinner & Auction.
FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER SHAMROCK FEAST & FEST
The FJC is a non-profit that hosts a collaboration of 20 agencies in our community in a single center to provide coordinated, holistic services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.
Enjoy Irish food, music, and dancing while supporting an important organization!
WHEN: Saturday, March 15th from 3:00-9:00 pm
WHERE: DAnu Tasting Room & Wine Bar
ADMISSION: FREE. Click here to learn more.
WASHINGTON COUNTY CHAMBER 2025 WOMEN'S CONFERENCE
This empowering celebration of women in business and leadership brings together a diverse forum of seasoned professionals and emerging leaders who are redefining success across every generation. Join for a day filled with inspiring speakers, interactive expo experience, and networking opportunities designed to foster collaboration, mentorship, and the exchange of innovative ideas.
WHEN: Thursday, March 20th from 10:00-2:00 pm
WHERE: Embassy Suites Washington Square
REGISTRATION: Click here to register.
HELP SHAPE NEW PUBLIC ART FOR SHUTE PARK
See your ideas come to life in Cloud Nest, the colorful geodesic art dome coming to Shute Park in fall 2025! Artist Becky Borlan is looking for your insights, hoping to learn more about Hillsboro’s favorite local and native plants which will inspire the design of the sculpture.
Prepare to get hands on for about 15-20 minutes with an art-based activity, and take your creation home! These workshops are free and open to all. Here are the upcoming dates:
Wednesday, March 19
4 to 6 pm
Shute Park Aquatic & Recreation Center
Friday, March 21
1 to 3 pm
Shute Park Library
Saturday, March 22
11 am to 2 pm
Shute Park
Spanish-language interpreters will be available at each event.
IMPORTANT IMMIGRATION RESOURCES
There are members of our community that are facing much uncertainty right now, given changes at the federal level. Below is information that can help immigrants living in Oregon understand their rights and the resources available to them.
Sanctuary State Protections:
Oregon is a sanctuary state. This means that it is against Oregon law for state and local law enforcement or public agencies to participate in immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant. Though changes have been made recently at the federal level, they ultimately do not change the foundation of Oregon’s sanctuary promise.
The Oregon Department of Justice (ODOJ) provides guidance on the state’s sanctuary promise on their website, including:
In addition to state laws, students in Oregon are also protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), as well as various statutes in Oregon state law. FERPA is a federal law governing students’ information, which prohibits schools from releasing education records without prior parental consent, a judicial order, or a proper subpoena. This includes requests for information from immigration authorities such as ICE.
- Review a brief FAQ from the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA) on immigration enforcement and public schools.
Know Your Rights:
The ACLU of Oregon has a Rapid Response Plan for encounters with ICE, which includes instructions for how to interact with law enforcement in different scenarios.
Click on the image below to watch a video (in English) about your rights if ICE agents come to your home. You can also watch or share the video in: Spanish | Urdu | Arabic | Haitian Creole | Russian | Mandarin | French.
More resources to learn about immigration rights include:
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Red Cards help people assert their rights and defend themselves. There is a template you can use to print and distribute these cards, available in 16 languages.
- The National Immigration Law Center operates an online resource directory, including Know Your Rights guides on various topics: information on warrants and subpoenas, healthcare and insurance access, safety in the workplace, and more.
- The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. has guides specifically for students and parents relating to school, as well as rights in the workplace.
- The NW Immigrant Rights Project issued an advisory guide to nonprofits and social services providers, with procedures for how to respond to immigration enforcement.
- The American League of Teachers has provided a guide for educators on protecting the rights of immigrant students.
- The Innovation Law Lab has compiled a Safeguarding Oregon Schools toolkit on behalf of educators, administrators, and school districts.
Legal Services and Resources:
Visit the websites below to learn about free and low-cost services available for immigration-related legal issues:
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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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