Friends and Neighbors,

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

 - Shelly

Lend your voice to the needs impacting our community. The Joint Committee On Ways and Means is conducting a series of 'Roadshows.' This is an opportunity to stay informed about state funding, and your opportunity to get involved in the conversation. The 'Roadshow' meeting closest to HD-15 will be in Salem at the Capitol.

WHEN: April 16, at 5-7 PM

WHERE: Oregon State Capitol, Hearing Room F

HOW: Sign up to give in-person or remote testimony by clicking here, and finding the "Register to Testify" button under the 'Public Hearing' section. If you can't spare a few minutes to give live testimony, you can submit written testimony here. For more detailed instructions, go here. Written comment may be submitted online up to 48 hours after the meeting start time.

RECKONING IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS

By the end of today, Friday, March 21, most of the pool of over 3,400 bills (a new record) will die. While some good ideas will make the cut, it will also kill a lot of good ideas. On the flip side, it will kill a lot of bad ideas and keep many bad ideas alive. With some exceptions for select committees, the internal legislative calendar dictates that a bill must be scheduled for a committee vote by the end of today. If it's not, it is dead. While there are still ways for the Majority Party to resurrect bills from the dead, it will provide a good indication of what they want to truly prioritize. 

A want to highlight a few of the bills I have introduced that look like they will survive this deadline: 

• HB 2234: No tax on overtime pay. (This bill sits in the House Revenue Committee, which is one of those select committees that is not subject to the deadline. I have been told that it is on the list for a public hearing.)
• HB 2235: Creates a tax credit for small businesses that want to install a new or upgrade an old security system. (This also sits in the Revenue committee.)
• HB 3826: Creates a grant program to help more Oregonians start a career in driving truck. 
• HB 3798: Dedicates funding to the office of the Oregon State Fire Marshal and the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training to equip local fire departments on how to handle lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles.

Side note: I saw this week that Governor Kotek was proud of the fact that Oregon now has over 100,000 EVs on the road. What she didn't mention was the significant downsides of her policy to push EVs on Oregonians:

• New emerging threat of battery fires that leach toxic chemicals and fumes.
• These cars don't pay fair share for the use of the roads.
• The rare earth minerals that go into these batteries often come from forced child labor in the Congo.
• Tears up the roads up to 40% faster than gas-powered cars because they are so heavy.
• Tire wear pollution from EVs may be significantly higher than tailpipe pollution from gasoline vehicles.

GUN BILL UPDATE

This week, Democrats held hearings on House Bills 3075 and 3076, two more attacks on Oregonian's 2^nd Amendment rights. I alerted you last week to take action on these two bills, and you can still submit testimony on HB 3076, which would crack down on law-abiding gun shops with new rules, regulations, and reporting requirements. It's an attack on the lawful supply of firearms. If you haven't yet, go submit written testimony now.

I submitted testimony against both of these bills. Read it here: 

More gun bills are on the way!

The Senate Judiciary Committee has posted FIVE new gun bills that they are expecting to vote on. 

Thursday, March 27 - SB 243

Right now, it's unclear what the Democrat's intentions are with this bill. The bill in its' current form is what is known as a "placeholder." That means it's an empty vessel that can be used any way the Democrats want to. Watch for an amendment to be posted soon that will tell you what the Democrat's want to do. 

Keep an eye on this bill by clicking this link and watching what gets posted under the "Amendments" section in the coming days.

TAKE ACTION: Sign up to give in-person or remote testimony by clicking here, and finding the "Register to Testify" button under the 'Public Hearing' section. If you can't spare a few minutes to give live testimony, you can submit written testimony here. For more detailed instructions, go here.

Monday, April 7 - SB 429 (placeholder), SB 696 (rapid fire activator ban), SB 697 (raising purchase age to 21), and SB 698 (CHL crackdown).

TAKE ACTION: Sign up to give in-person or remote testimony by clicking the bill number above, and finding the "Register to Testify" button. If you can't spare a few minutes to give live testimony, you can submit written testimony by clicking on the bill number above and finding the "Submit Testimony" button. For more detailed instructions, go here.

Related Coverage: 

Thousands of Oregonians submit testimony on proposed changes to gun measure

Statesman Journal

State Rep. Alek Skarlatos, R-Roseburg, also testified in opposition to the bill, saying every firearm he owns has a 30-round magazine and said magazines holding more than 10 rounds are "standard magazines. "Skarlatos served in the Army National Guard and made national headlines after stopping a gunman on a train en route to Paris. "I survived a terrorist attack in a gun-free continent. The terrorist got a fully automatic AK 47 and a handgun," he said. "If you're going to commit mass murder, you're not going to worry about committing a Class A misdemeanor along the way."

A TROUBLING TRAJECTORY: OREGON'S ECONOMIC CHALLENGES AND THE EDUCATION DISCONNECT

Oregon’s economic challenges are mounting, and at some point, the economy will reach a breaking point. It’s time for decisive action to restore our state’s competitiveness and prosperity. Recent reports highlight troubling trends: Oregon continues to shed factory jobs at an alarming rate, with the state now in a “manufacturing sector recession.” This is deeply concerning, given that manufacturing jobs historically pay higher wages and support families across all educational levels. Meanwhile, Oregon ranks a dismal 48th in CNBC’s business-friendly rankings, underscoring the urgent need for reforms to make our state more attractive to businesses and workers alike.

The Oregon Business & Industry (OBI) Oregon Competitiveness Report report paints a sobering picture of our state’s economic landscape. Oregon has the 18th highest local tax burden per capita and the 16th highest tax burden per $1,000 of personal income. Combined with high housing costs—where homeownership ranks 46th nationally—this excessive tax burden is driving people and businesses out of the state. The median home price in Oregon exceeds the national average by $60,000, further exacerbating affordability issues.

Education, a cornerstone of economic growth, also lags behind despite increased spending. Oregon ranks 48th in fourth-grade math and 46th in reading, raising serious concerns about preparing our future workforce. These systemic issues are compounded by declining population growth in key areas like Portland, which is losing both jobs and residents to neighboring states.

I am committed to championing policies that reduce taxes, streamline regulations, and invest in education reform. We must create an environment where businesses can thrive and families can afford to live. By prioritizing economic competitiveness and fiscal responsibility, we can reverse these troubling trends and build a stronger future for all Oregonians.

ANOTHER BAD WEEK FOR OREGON EDUCATION

It seems like every week, more comes out about the failures of Oregon's schools. The Democrats have only one solution: more money. Here are a few of the stories from this week that have me frustrated about our education system:

• This week, we saw a video of a transgender athlete running in a girl's track meet and beating his female competitors by over 7 seconds. I have long opposed the idea that boys should participate in girls' sports and have repeatedly spoken out against it.
• In the wake of the pandemic, the Legislature invested in summer learning programs to help kids catch up from devastating school lockdowns. It turns out that the Department of Education directed the money to school districts based on their racial makeup, not according to the students who needed the most help. The approach clearly failed as Oregon still remains one of the last in the nation in terms of post-pandemic learning recovery. Now, Kotek is backing away from her failed approach. 
• A new investigation revealed that 60 teachers in the last 6 years have gotten their licenses suspended for sexual misconduct against students. In addition to the 60 sexual conduct revocations, 21 teachers had their licenses revoked for other sexual transgressions that were classified differently by the TSPC, according to KGW's review of revocation orders. Most revocations were connected to "boundaries" cases, often related to grooming allegations.
• The Democrat Co-Chairs of Ways & Means released their budget framework for the new budget the Legislature will be voting on in a few short months. Included in the framework was an increase in education spending after new reports revealed that spending increases have not resulted in better-educated students.

Speaking of inappropriate behavior in schools, this week, Oregon House Republicans protested Senate Bill 1098, which passed out of the Senate this week. The bill would crack down on school districts and parents coming together to decide which books are inappropriate for school libraries. Rep. Dwayne Yunker (R, Grants Pass) read aloud on the House floor an obscene and explicit section from the book "The Haters" which is found in school libraries. I will not repeat the words here because they are so graphic and offensive, but you can watch his reading here. Democrat's ultimately stopped Rep. Yunker from speaking after they spent nearly half an hour trying to figure out what to do.  

Once you listen, you will understand why they shouldn't be allowed on the House Floor and, even more so, not allowed in school libraries. That was the point of his demonstration. If those words can't be allowed on the House Floor, they shouldn't  be allowed in our kid's libraries. 

Battle intensifies over Oregon ag workforce standards board 

Farmers who oppose the legislation counter that it poses an existential threat to family operators who already strive to do well by their workers in an overly regulated environment.  “You shouldn’t need a degree in public policy, a compliance team and multiple lawyers to run a business,” said Rep. Vikki Breese Iverson, R-Prineville, whose family raises livestock...

...Farmers who testified against the bill said Oregon already has strict labor regulations, so lawmakers concerned about worker mistreatment should invest in enforcement rather than add another layer of bureaucracy.  “Go after the bad guys. Don’t hurt the good guys,” said Shelly Boshart Davis, R-Albany, whose family grows grass seed and ships straw.

Farmer lawmaker fights bureaucratic Ag takeover

Representative Shelly Boshart Davis (R, Albany) participated in a press conference before the hearing and testified before the committee opposing the bill. She released the following statement: “Farming isn’t just my job—I’ve been a farmworker my entire growing-up life. Since I was 12, I have only missed working one harvest. My employees are the heart of our operation. They are skilled, hardworking people who take pride in what they do, and I make sure they are treated with the fairness, respect, and care they deserve.”

Oregon Republican lawmaker reads sexually explicit passage on House floor to call out bill that would ban book bans

Rep. Dwayne Yunker, a Republican from Grants Pass, sparked a small frenzy in the Oregon House Monday morning when he read aloud a book passage detailing an explicit sex scene to protest a bill that would ban book bans in schools. His on-camera literary recitation from a young adult novel was a response to a Democratic-sponsored bill up for consideration in the Senate that would prevent schools from removing textbooks or library books due to themes of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or disability. To protest the bill, which was not up for a vote in the House, Yunker read a passage from the young adult novel The Haters by Jesse Andrew, which some reviewers have described as “raunchy.” Yunker said the Three Rivers School District in his district decided to keep the book in a school library after a parent complained it was inappropriate for teens...

...Yunker read more than a half minute of the consensual sex scene before a member of his own party, Rep. Kevin Mannix of Salem, objected, calling what Yunker was saying “lascivious and obscene.” But that wasn’t the end of it. Rep. David Gomberg, a Democrat from Otis who was presiding over Monday’s floor proceedings, allowed Yunker to continue speaking, reminding him that “language being used here on the floor is not simply heard here on the floor, but it’s also heard by everyone listening of all ages and of a variety of sensitivities.” (Gomberg later said that he could not clearly hear what Yunker was saying)...

House Republican Leader Christine Drazan agreed with him. “What we heard today was, in fact, indecent. It was not appropriate for the House floor. And it’s important to recognize that it should not have been confusing,” she said. “What is on the shelves in our schools today does not meet the standards for this chamber. Our families, our students, deserve ... to go to school and have libraries that are appropriate to their age.”

House Speaker Julie Fahey, a Democrat from Eugene, later denounced the Republicans’ protest, likening their tactics to those seen from bombastic members of Congress including Marjorie Taylor Greene or used by President Donald Trump. “Until now, I think we’ve held ourselves to a higher standard in Oregon, so to me it was really a shame to see House Republicans bring those theatrics to our chamber.” Fahey told reporters Monday afternoon. “I think reasonable people can have conversations about what is the best policy for our children, what is the best policy for our education system, without these kind of Trump-style gimmicks.”

Oregon bill proposes property tax exemption for qualifying seniors

A new bill introduced by Rep. Christine Drazan (R-Canby) seeks to offer financial relief to Oregon’s senior homeowners by providing a property tax exemption. House Bill 3755 creates a five percent property tax exemption for homeowners who meet certain qualifications, with the exemption increasing annually. The bill targets seniors who are at least 65 years old, have lived in their homes for at least 10 years, and have a household income of no more than $150,000 per year. Under the proposed legislation, the exemption would increase by five percent each year, ultimately allowing seniors to be exempt from property taxes once they reach an older age.

Drazan shared in a news release, seniors now outnumber children in Oregon for the first time since 2023, making up 19.6 percent of the state’s population. The rising costs of healthcare, utilities, and property taxes are among the fastest-growing expenses for older Oregonians. In 2022, Oregon’s healthcare costs surged by 49 percent, while Medicare expenses increased by 57.5 percent. “Our seniors need help,” Rep. Drazan said. “Legislative spending needs to reflect the needs of our communities. HB 3755 makes new investment strategies that support our aging population.”

Oregon lawmakers reveal plan to pay for urgent wildfire costs

State Reps. John Lively and Bobby Levy have introduced a bipartisan proposal to fund wildfire prevention and suppression in Oregon that largely mirrors a set of recommendations that emerged from a task force that met on the topic over the last year. House Bill 3940 would create a 5-cent surcharge on bottles and cans to raise money for the Department of the State Fire Marshal, dedicate money raised by an insurance tax to pay for wildfire prevention and set aside money from the state’s reserves...

...The work group was tasked with finding at least $280 million a biennium to spend on wildfire mitigation and suppression, in the face of increasingly expensive wildfires. The 2024 wildfire season burned a record 1.9 million acres and fighting the blazes cost upwards of $350 million.

The group estimated that in the 2025-2027 budget cycle:

• A 5-cent bottle fee would raise $200 million
• The insurance tax will raise $140 million
• A set-aside from the ending fund balance equal to .5% of general fund appropriations would raise $164 million
• Setting aside half of the expected 2025-27 transfer to the state rainy day fund would raise $299 million

The bill also proposes to raise forest harvest taxes that pay for wildfire and lower the fee grazing land owners pay for fire protection from the Oregon Department of Forestry.

Oregon Republican lawmakers introduce bill to repeal ‘flawed’ Wildfire Hazard Map

In February 2025, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek paused referrals for wildfire hazard map appeals amid calls from state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to repeal the maps altogether. Now, Republicans are taking steps towards repeal. “It’s unfair to penalize property owners while our state and federal governments fail to manage our forests and public lands,” said House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby), who voted for the initial bill creating the maps. Drazan added that repealing the maps will empower rural Oregonians “by allowing them to make decisions on how to manage their properties.”

Lawmakers introduce bill to repeal Oregon Wildfire Hazard Map

Republicans in the Oregon House and Senate introduced a bill Tuesday to repeal the state’s wildfire hazard map. A repeal is something members of both parties have called for, including two Bend Democrats. HB 3944 would repeal the map and regulations on property owners, the House Republican Caucus announced in release Tuesday. “It’s unfair to penalize property owners while our state and federal governments fail to manage our forests and public lands,” said House Republican Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby said. “This bill empowers rural Oregonians by allowing them to make decisions on how to manage their properties.” Republicans said the bill would require state agencies to focus wildfire efforts in areas that are most cost-effective and protect as many resources as possible.

Oregon Republican Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Repeal State’s Wildfire Hazard Map

Similarly, House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby) contended that the state should not impose additional mandates on property owners while failing to adequately manage public lands. Representative Christine Drazan criticized the current approach, arguing that property owners should not be penalized while state and federal governments struggle to manage forests and public lands effectively. She believes the proposed legislation would give rural Oregonians more control over how they manage their properties, rather than imposing restrictive mandates.

‘I really don’t like doing this,’ but you have 90 seconds to testify: 3,400 bills clog legislative session

...“This,” Golden continued, “is the result of a legislative session with way too many bills that people are really interested in, than we can handle well.” Many insiders say Golden is right. The Oregon Legislature began its 2025 session with a record number of bills filed before the session opened, at least in the 25 years that the Legislature’s Office of Legislative Counsel has been counting. The record-breaking continued this week, with 3,391 bills filed as of Wednesday. That’s nearly 100 more than the previous modern-day record set in 2001.

Economist: Portland region voters not seeing successes of homeless spending

Metro, the elected regional government, wants the Portland business community to support extending its 10-year voter-approved Supportive Housing Services tax that helps fund homeless program. It is scheduled to expire in 2031. But, as negotiations continue, recently released documents show Multnomah County, the largest recipient of the Metro tax dollars, has violated its own policies about spending them, creating a potential $104 million shortfall that also threatens Portland’s homeless shelter program...

“...People can ask, we’ve spent around one billion dollars on homelessness, why are there still so many tents around Union Station (in Old Town Portland)?” The answer is complicated. The homeless population in the Portland area is still growing because housing has become even more unaffordable since the tax first passed. That is because not enough new housing is being built in the region, Tapona argued. Production collapsed during the pandemic that began in 2020 and has still not recovered. “Homelessness is a housing problem,” said Tapogna, who said housing construction has slowed so much that not a single multifamily construction permit was fully approved in the city of Portland in 2024.

Oregon FFA state convention kicks off in Redmond

Future Farmers of America students from across Oregon gathered in Redmond on Thursday for the start of the state FFA convention. Held at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds, the event features contests, workshops, and networking opportunities with industry experts.

Roadwork Update: 

Plan ahead for 24 hour single lane closures for two weeks to start March 24 on the Santiam River Bridge in Jefferson.

Our crews have been working the Santiam River Bridge to improve safety and provide a smoother ride.​​ We've been working under the bridge and will return to the driving surface and east end starting March 24. The work we're doing to the driving surface will require 24 hour single lane closures for two weeks. Please use caution when driving through the area.

You can expect:

• 24 hour single lane closures for two weeks starting March 24.
• Flaggers helping direct traffic.
• Work vehicles entering the road. 
• Construction noise and delays.

Check out what we're building in and around your community! See what else is being constructed on the roads around your community by visiting our webpage. Explore our interactive map to see what we're working on.

New Red Light & Speed Detection Camera:

Guess what happens on Monday? This red light and speed detection camera goes live on North Albany Rd/West Thornton Lake Dr. 

• Yes, we are going to have a 30-day education period and only be issuing warnings until April 14th.
• Yes, it adjusts to the school schedule, so remember to go 20 MPH on school days between 7am-5pm.

If you have questions about the cameras, check out this FAQ here! 

P.S. The fastest car we clocked in this intersection last year was going more than 120 MPH.

Check Your Refund Status:

After you file your taxes, please wait for two weeks before checking your refund status. Refund processing timelines:

• 95 percent of taxpayers receive their refunds within two weeks (automated processing).
• 5 percent of taxpayer receive their refund within 20 weeks (manual processing) 

Check your refund status now at our website! 

Hazelnut Record! 

Hazelnut farmers set another record in 2024! Growers in Oregon and Washington produced 96,159 tons of hazelnuts. This surpasses the 2023 record of 93,000 tons. Production has nearly doubled in just a few years. Prior to 2020, the record yield was 51,000 tons in 2018.

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

Today is National Agriculture Day! Agriculture is a huge part of our local economy. As many of us know, at least if you drive on I-5 and see the sign, Linn County is the grass seed capital of the world!

We also have many other types of agriculture throughout our county, and it is a major part of the fabric of our community! Not only do we want to thank our local agriculture workers, but your Linn County Sheriff's Office wants to thank all the farmers around the country that help provide us with so much of what we eat, wear, and use everyday!

Thank you for all your hard work!

From our friends at the Family Tree Relief Nursery: 

Our annual Diaper Drive is just around the corner and we are looking for businesses wanting to participate. We will be holding a box decorating contest based on this year's theme, "Baby Shower," and the best-decorated box will win a fun prize! Contact Family Tree Relief Nursery to participate. Our Diaper Drives starts April 1st and lasts all of April!

From our friends at the Jackson Street Youth Services:

RSVP link for Youth Rising is live! Please share widely and interact on our Facebook event so people get the message. Thank you!

Youth Rising is our annual fundraising event, taking place on April 24th at 5pm at the Mid-Willamette YMCA. Learn more at this link!

From our friends at VFW Post 584: 

Having our committee meeting for our Vietnam Veterans Day dinner and this might be the best dinner yet!

Oregon Realtor Day at the Capitol!

I had a great time meeting with realtors from HD-15 this week for Realtor Day at the Capitol! Always a pleasure to connect and discuss the important issues impacting our community and the real estate industry. Thank you for your dedication and advocacy – Oregon Realtors!

TRUCKERS Are My People!

It was great to participate in Oregon Trucking Association's Trucking Day this week. In between meetings in the Capitol, I ran over to the convention center to talk to the large group about the harmful impacts of Oregon's Advanced Clean Truck rules on the industry and our effort to delay these rules to protect Oregon businesses and local jobs.

Thank you to all those who make the trucking industry work, including the manufacturers, upfitters, fuel suppliers, dealerships and truck drivers!

Trucking moves the economy!

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

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To contact me, please click here: Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@oregonlegislature.gov