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To contact me, please click here: Rep.Farrah.Chaichi@oregonlegislature.gov
Session is really picking up here in Salem. We’ve begun daily floor, which means the House convenes to read and vote on bills, deliver remonstrances, and host special guests daily. Since our last newsletter, my office has dropped new bills, hosted an opening ceremony for Nowruz Day, delivered lots of testimony, and had dozens of constituent meetings.
On March 13th, I hosted an Opening Ceremony in honor of the Persian New Year, or Nowruz (March 21st, 2025). I was honored to be joined on the floor by three remarkable Persian musicians who gave a beautifully moving performance to honor Nowruz.
I would like to thank: Maestro Hossein Salehi, founder of ArtMax Academy and Master Artist who has spent his life preserving and teaching classical Persian Music, Bobak Salehi, who played the shouranghiz and the tombak and is also a recognized Master Artist, and finally, Daniel Shaheen Moltke, Rep. Hartman’s Chief of Staff who grew up listening to Persian music with his Iranian father. You can watch the video of the ceremony here.
 Left to right: Bobak Salehi, Maestro Hossein Salehi, Daniel Shaheen Moltke
On March 11th, I delivered testimony in front of the House Committee on Behavioral Health and Healthcare on behalf of HB 3214. In my testimony, I spoke about the importance of access to all forms of palliative and end-of-life care, including cannabis. Cannabis can be an addition or alternative to opioids in hospice care that is less sedative and can allow a patient to remain comfortable while still alert enough to spend meaningful time with loved ones.
This bill was brought to me by Jim Bartell, the father of a man named Ryan Bartell. Ryan was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer just weeks before it took his life. During his hospital stay, Ryan’s severe pain was treated with opioids, which resulted in him being asleep and unable to spend time with his wife, child, parents, and other family. When he asked to explore alternative pain management options that would allow him to be comfortable and conscious, Ryan and his family were informed that the hospital had a policy prohibiting cannabis. Ryan was transferred to another hospital with a different policy, where he was able to use a cannabis-based pain management medication that gave him the ability to comfortably spend his final weeks awake and with his loved ones.
 Rep Farrah Chaichi testifying on behalf of HB 3214
HB 3919 would ensure current and ongoing genocides and forms of discrimination are covered under ORS 329.045. This bill will expand the list of individuals whose histories, contributions, and perspectives are required to be included in social studies academic content standards, related textbooks, and instructional materials that were created through 2023 Session’s HB 2905 which added Jewish peoples and the Holocaust to the required curriculum, an addition that I unequivocally supported. Stay tuned for public hearing and committee updates on this bill.
On Saturday, March 15th, I attended the Democratic Socialists of America “Tax the Rich, Fund the People” Rally, where I was a speaker along with Portland City Councilors Angelita Morillo, Sameer Kanal, and Mitch Green, among others. We heard from adjunct professors, recently laid-off federal employees, student support staff, and community members. All of whom had a similar message: it is possible to fund education, climate action, affordable housing, and public services if billionaires and corporations pay their fair share and elected officials prioritize budgets that support the marginalized, vulnerable, and working class.
 Rep. Farrah Chaichi giving a speech at the DSA Rally in Portland
Please reach out to my office at any time for legislative or constituent matters. My staff and I are committed to serving the constituents of HD 35 and you can reach us at: Rep.FarrahChaichi@oregonlegislature.gov, or 503.986.1435. To keep up with my office, consider following me on Facebook or Instagram.
Thank you for taking the time to subscribe to and read my newsletter. I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to work with and represent HD 35 in the Oregon State Legislature.
In Solidarity,
 Capitol Phone: 503-986-1435
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-478, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.Farrah.Chaichi@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/chaichi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RepresentativeFarrahChaichi/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FarrahChaichi
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