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To contact me, please click here: Rep.KevinMannix@oregonlegislature.gov
Hello Friends,
Welcome to the first week of April. It is hard to believe, but we are now halfway through the legislative session. The first work session posting deadline passed on March 21 narrowing down the number of bills which are able to move through committee and giving us a better sense of what legislation we will see put into law in the coming months.
 I am pleased to announce that I have been appointed Co-Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety. This new appointment allows me to be more heavily engaged as we address the treatment and public safety issues relating to the addiction crisis.
Bad Bill Alert! HB 3075 and HB 3076: The House Judiciary Committee is considering legislation which would restrict the rights of Oregonians in regard to gun ownership. Some of this legislation violates the United States Constitution and the Oregon Constitution. Beyond that, what we need is solid law enforcement action against those who commit crimes with firearms. We should not restrict the rights of law-abiding Oregonians in our efforts to reduce gun violence.
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HB 2307, which gives Oregon schools a five-year exemption from the requirement that their lighting be updated to LED, officially passed the House Floor on March 24.
 HB 2307 allows school districts to phase in the change to LED long tube lights, until 2030. School districts can now incorporate the lighting changes into other remodeling projects over the next five years. This bill is important to our schools as it immediately saves them millions of dollars. For example, the Salem-Keizer School District estimates a savings of $42 million. HB 2307 has now been referred to the Senate Committee on Education.
 I am happy to report that ten of my legislative proposals, which were introduced in the first half of session, are continuing to move through committee. Please see below for a comprehensive list of each bill and their updated status.
Bills in House Judiciary
HB 2306: Allows the Marion County Justice of the Peace District to include Salem.
HB 2311: Allows the Oregon Health Authority to appoint a specialized Administrative Law Judge to oversee contested case hearings within the Oregon State Hospital.
HB 2299: Addresses the serious and growing threat posed by intimate deepfake images by strengthening penalties for unlawful dissemination of intimate images and expanding the definition to include digitally manipulated depictions.
Other House Committees
HB 2304: The "Fairground Revitalization Act" provides funding for our state and county fairgrounds.
- Location: House Committee on Economic Development and Small Business Trade
- Public Hearing: March 5
- Work Session: April 2, 8am Hearing Room E
HB 2316: Allows vacant state-owned land to be utilized as a means for housing production, including apartment buildings and residential homes.
- Location: House Committee on Housing and Homelessness
- Public Hearing: March 26
- Work Session: April 2, 1pm Hearing Room F
HB 3563: Requires the Department of Education to conduct a study on abuse and sexual conduct in public schools to identify potential grooming behaviors used on students and prevent those actions in the future.
- Location: House Committee on Education
- Public Hearing: March 31, 3pm Hearing Room B
- Work Session: April 7, 3pm Hearing Room B
HB 3630: Provides details to clarify existing natural resource exemption from the Estate Tax (Death Tax) for estates involving family-owned farms, ranches, or woodlands.
- Location: House Committee on Revenue
- Public Hearing: April 3, 3pm Hearing Room A
Senate Committees
HB 2307: Delay of LED lightbulb implementation (highlighted above)
HB 2300 (now SB 180): Protects sexual assault victims from defamation lawsuits often aimed at victims to deter them from bringing a credible sexual assault complaint forward.
Joint Committees
HB 3453: Creates a public corporation, the Westside Express Service Authority, to begin work to expand the Westside Commuter Rail Line and allow services to Salem, and eventually Eugene.
 Local Updates
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Salem Parks Improvement Projects: The Salem City Council approved development plans for Fairview Park and Fisher Road Park on March 10th. Click here to view the parks page for more information and to view a number of other park projects which are currently underway.
Community Resources
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Chemeketa Small Business Development Center: Last week my office met with Matt Geiger, Executive Director of the Chemeketa Small Business Development Center (SBDC). SBDC serves the communities of Marion, Polk, and Yamhill County, providing classes, connections, and training for small businesses. If you are interested in developing a small business, or looking for ways to improve your current business, SBDC has numerous resources to help. Click here to learn more about the program.
Get involved at the Capitol!
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Travel Salem Annual Cherry Blossom Photo Contest! If you have traveled to the Capitol Mall to view the cherry blossoms and happened to photograph yourself, a pet, the scenery, or any snap that includes the blooms, feel free to enter them to Travel Salem’s Cherry Blossom Photo Contest! The deadline for submissions is April 30.
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House Honorary Page Program: 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.
 
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I was happy to host a St. Patrick's Day Open House Celebration on March 17th. It was a wonderful event and a great opportunity to celebrate my Irish heritage, with many legislators, lobbyists, and Capitol staff in attendance.
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On March 19 I joined legislators and staff at the Willamette Heritage Center Legislative Reception. The reception included a tour of the Mission Mill building and the Southern Pacific Rail Caboose #507 which is over 100 years old, representing the rail line which was established in 1865.
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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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