Emceeing Tigard’s First-Ever Civics Bee!
Oregon State Legislature sent this bulletin at 03/21/2025 12:19 PM PDT
Dear friends and neighbors,
I hope you’re enjoying March! We’ll get to policy and civic business in this newsletter – but this is one of my favorite times of year because of something non-political. I love March Madness. My dad and I have been going to the OSAA State Championships since I was a kid and they were held at Mac Court in Eugene. High school and college basketball playoffs are magical.
This year, there were two stories from the State Championship tournaments that made me happy:
- First, the girl’s basketball team from my alma mater, the Tualatin Timberwolves, won an improbable victory in the championship game, erasing a 19-point deficit in the third quarter. Check out the awesome cover picture from local journalism legend Dan Brood in Sports Illustrated.
- Second, a feel-good story in the boys championship. Tom Johnson has been coaching the Barlow Bruins for 39-years (I remember him from when I played in the Barlow Tournament when I was a freshman in high school). He won his first-ever championship this year. He’s got a reputation as a person of integrity who does things the right way – no cutting corners, no recruiting, etc. – and his team won with zero transfers.
A big congratulations to all the coaches and athletes. And now back to our regularly scheduled programming with some updates from the State Legislature.
Strengthening Oregon’s Corporate Practice of Medicine Doctrine
Unless you’re a new subscriber to my newsletter, you know one of my top legislative priorities has been strengthening Oregon’s Corporate Practice of Medicine (CPOM) doctrine to ensure doctors—not corporations—are in charge of medical decisions.
Here’s the quick recap: For nearly 80 years, Oregon has had a simple but important policy which governs our healthcare landscape–medical decisions should be made by licensed physicians who take an oath to prioritize patient care. This is Oregon’s CPOM doctrine. But over the past decade, large corporations and private equity firms have found legal loopholes to purchase medical practices. If you’re familiar at all with what happened with the Oregon Medical Group in Eugene, this loophole will not sound surprising.
My bill, SB 951, brings our law up to speed by closing the loopholes that private equity and big corporations use to circumvent the CPOM doctrine. This bill is the result of years of work and engagement with stakeholders, including doctors, nurses, patient advocates, and health care leaders.
Testifying in support of physician-directed healthcare
We recently had a public hearing in the Senate, where I testified alongside several legislative colleagues and many of the healthcare professionals most impacted by the erosion of CPOM protections. The stories they shared were powerful reminders of why this issue matters. Patients deserve care decisions made by medical professionals, not corporate executives.
In my testimony, I cited a striking remark from Dr. Phil Capp, Executive Director of Optum Oregon, at the Citywide Health Care Forum in Eugene—an event held in response to the exodus of physicians from the Oregon Medical Group. He stated: “The experiment of having physician-directed healthcare in this country over the last 70 years didn’t work. It didn’t work.”
His words underscore exactly what’s at stake in this debate. As I said in my testimony:
“The choice before us is simple: do we believe in physician-led health care that puts patients first, or do we hand the reins of Oregon’s health care system to private equity firms and multinational corporations?”
The bill is now up for a vote in committee on Tuesday, March 25. I’m optimistic we’ll take a major step forward in protecting the integrity of Oregon’s health care system.
Watch my testimony here.
Protecting Independent Health Care in Oregon
Last week I also testified in support of HB 3554, another bill I introduced this session. This bill started with a fact I learned while investigating the corporate practice of medicine problem. According to a 2021 study in the New England Journal of Medicine, corporate capture of primary care has risen 100,000% in the last 10 years.
We don’t have enough providers, outdated systems are making it harder for clinics to stay afloat, and independent practices are being swallowed up by big corporations, private equity, and hospital systems that aren’t as responsive to local communities. Queue SB 951.
We have to address the root causes that force clinics to sell in the first place. In the interim, Dr. Tony Germann, a primary care doc in Woodburn, surveyed dozens of small- and medium-sized practices across the state with a simple question: What do you need to keep your practice afloat?
Their answers became this bill:
- Loan repayment assistance so doctors can reinvest in their practice instead of drowning in student debt.
- A Medicare/Medicaid incentive program offering low-interest loans to clinics serving underserved areas.
- Support for Electronic Health Record (EHR) upgrades so small practices can keep up with large health systems.
- A centralized portal for value-based care reporting, streamlining administrative work and reducing the burden on providers.
- A study on centralized credentialing, a critical next step toward cutting red tape and making the system work better for everyone.
Last week I testified alongside Dr. Germann and made our case to the committee about why this legislation is so important. As with all bills, it will be a challenge getting this over the finish line, and there’s still a lot of work to do to get it right, but I’m really grateful to Dr. Germann and the other physicians who have lended their time to develop this legislation.
Testifying alongside Dr. Tony Germann in support of HB 3554
Celebrating Young Civic Leaders at the Tigard Civics Bee
Last week, I had the honor of emceeing the first-ever Tigard Civics Bee, hosted by the Tigard Chamber of Commerce at Twality Middle School. It was an incredible event, bringing together some of the brightest young minds in our community to test their knowledge of civics, government, and democracy.
A huge congratulations to this year’s winners:
🏆 First Place: Yervant Wei
🥈 Second Place: Emeryn Tibbs
🥉 Third Place: Athanasia Gatziolis
Rounding out the top five and advancing to the State Civics Bee are Alexis Milla and Avery Neice—good luck to all of them as they compete on a larger stage!
Civic engagement starts young, and events like this help students build the knowledge and confidence they need to be informed, active members of their communities. Seeing these students tackle tough questions about the U.S. Constitution, the three branches of government, and local policy reminded me why this work matters. I would not be surprised to see one of these young leaders on the city council or in the state legislature some day.
Thank you to Megan de Salvo and the Tigard Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Heidi Lueb, our judges, and all the educators and families who made this event possible. I hope to see the Tigard Civics Bee become an annual tradition!
Hitting the Road for Oregon’s Budget Priorities
As I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters, one of my committee assignments this session is the Joint Committee on Ways and Means–a committee of both representatives and senators who make decisions on the state budget.
Over the next two months, I’ll be traveling across the state as part of the Committee’s Community Budget Hearings. These hearings give Oregonians the chance to weigh in on the 2025-2027 state budget and tell us directly what investments matter most to their communities.
This year, we’ll be holding hearings in Gresham, Astoria, Warm Springs, La Grande, Salem (with virtual testimony prioritized), and Klamath Falls. For the first time in at least two decades, a hearing will be held on tribal lands, when we visit Warm Springs on April 4—an important step in ensuring all voices are part of the budget process.
Balancing the state budget means making tough choices. We have limited resources, growing needs, and federal uncertainty that could impact our ability to fund critical services.
I encourage anyone who wants to advocate for a program, service, or investment to sign up and testify at one of these hearings. You can find all the details and registration link for the Salem/virtual testimony here.
Investing in Oregon’s Future with SB 1167
This week I testified in support of SB 1167, alongside Governor John Kitzhaber and Senator Lisa Reynolds. This bill is about investing early to give every child in Oregon the best possible start in life. Here’s an excerpt from my speech:
“The choice we have as policymakers is simple: invest now, or pay more later.
The research is irrefutable. The period from pre-natal care to a child’s fifth birthday is incredibly impactful for the future. Those first 1,000 days of life are when 80% of brain development occurs and when early interventions have the greatest impact.
This bill makes a strategic investment in those first 1,000 days…
We have severe needs right now. Record demand for behavioral health services, a need for additional literacy supports, child welfare needs, and more – those needs are straining our financial capacity to meet them. And we have an obligation to do everything in our power to meet those needs.
But if we don’t simultaneously invest in upstream investments, in early intervention, in prevention – then these problems are only going to get worse. And when all of our successors are sitting in these chairs, they will be dealing with the consequences of a generation of children and young adults growing up without the support they need to be healthy and successful…
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
By ensuring families are connected to healthcare, social support, and early learning resources, we can prevent learning delays, reduce substance use disorders, and keep more children out of the child welfare system.”
Testifying alongside Governor Kitzhaber and Senator Reynolds
Hall Blvd Overpass Update
I have heard from several frustrated constituents about the extended closure of the Hall Blvd overpass. I share your frustration. ODOT recently provided an update explaining the cause of the delay and the path forward.
They shared that during construction, bearing plates—critical components that connect the girders to the bridge foundation—were installed incorrectly. Fixing this required pausing work while ODOT and the contractor determined the best solution, negotiated a plan, and secured the necessary materials. Unfortunately, that process took longer than expected.
The good news: materials for the fix have arrived, and work is now resuming. The repair process will take about six weeks, after which construction can continue. ODOT is reviewing the contractor’s schedule and will provide a new estimated completion date soon.
I know this closure has been disruptive for many of you. I will continue to monitor the issue and push for the quickest possible resolution. Thank you for your patience, and I’ll share more updates as soon as they become available.
A Special Guest in the House
We had the privilege of welcoming Portland Timbers legend Diego Valeri to the Oregon State Capitol. Diego delivered a beautiful poem during the opening ceremony of the House.
For years, Diego has been more than just an exceptional athlete. He has been a role model, a leader, and a unifying figure for Oregon. His deep connection to our state and his commitment to service off the field make me feel grateful that Oregon is his chosen home.
It was an honor to meet him and welcome him to the House chamber.
Oregon Summer Star: A Unique Opportunity for Military Families
Oregon Summer Star (OSS) is the state’s only overnight summer camp specifically for children from military families. Without a major military installation in Oregon, many of these children grow up without a strong local community that fully understands their experiences. OSS provides a place for them to connect, build resilience, and take pride in their family’s service—all while enjoying the classic summer camp experience.
For families looking for a no-cost, supportive, and enriching summer program, OSS is an incredible resource. The camp has served hundreds of children over the years, helping them form friendships and develop confidence in a setting designed just for them. This year’s camp is from July 13-18 at Camp Cedar Ride in Vernonia, OR. Register here.
There is ongoing legislation to expand access to OSS and ensure it remains free for all military-connected youth. I’m following this closely and will continue working to support programs that uplift Oregon’s military families.
Thanks for reading,
Ben Bowman
Oregon State Representative
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