Mid-Session Update
Hello Friends,
The 2025 Legislative Long Session is in full swing! We have reached the midway point during this Legislative Session and the First Chamber deadline.
First and foremost, thank you for the incredible honor to work for you as the State Senator for Senate District 1, which includes Curry, Coos and Douglas Counties.
I also have the privilege to serve as a Senate Republican Deputy Leader, on a number of Legislative Committees, as well as on other appointed and elected boards and delegate positions, to better serve my residents of Douglas, Coos & Curry Counties, Oregonians across the state, and the Western United States.
My current committee assignments are:
Senate Committee On Energy and Environment - Vice Chair
Senate Committee On Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs
Joint Committee On Legislative Policy and Research
Joint Committee On Ways and Means Subcommittee On Public Safety
Joint Committee On Ways and Means
I also have the honor to serve on various other appointed and/or elected boards and commissions. They are:
Co Chair - CSG West Wildfires and Disaster Preparedness Committee
Co Chair - Oregon Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Senate Republican Delegate - PNWER (Pacific North West Economic Region)
Senate Republican Delegate - Oregon Climate Action Commission
Senate Board Member - Oregon Infrastructure Finance Authority
Senate Co Chair - Oregon Legislative Wine Caucus
Scenes From January
2025 Senate Republican Caucus
2025 Senate Members
My friend and colleague, Senator Woods was not able to be included in the photo above.
It continues to be a privilege and honor to take the Oath of Office to serve you as your State Senator.
Crabbing begins in Port Orford, and supporting our Umpqua Fishery
Presidential Inaguration Trip with Representative Osborne, my Mother Bonnie, Commissioner Freeman and others.
Scenes From February
Supporting our Umpqua Valley Vineyards and our Foresters
Recognizing the importance of our Credit Unions. Supporting our Cattlemen and women of Oregon. Donna Torres as a guest at my Senate Floor Desk.
Supporting our Child Advocacy Centers. Meeting with Canadian Lawmakers with PNWER. Working with some of our Douglas County Elected Officials for our residents.
Working with colleagues and residents to repeal provisions of SB 762 and the State Fire Map
Representative Osborne and I had the pleasure to visit with Douglas County Undersheriff Brad O'Dell.
Scenes From March
Ways & Means Meetings have begun, and we travel to different communities around the state for meetings on Friday's and Saturday's. Here we are in Gresham and Astoria.
Our Community Colleges are incredibly important. I am grateful for Southwestern Oregon Community College President Patty Scott and the leadership of her Board. SWOCC Culinary students cook all the food for the Community College Reception in Salem and do an excellent job. It was great to see Natasha Atkinson, CEO/ Executive Director of UHI in Douglas County in the Capitol, and I appreciate her great work for our residents. Douglas County Clerk Dan Loomis stopped by for a visit while working in Salem. Thank you for all of your advocacy for our residents during these long days in Salem.
I always enjoy students coming to visit their Capitol. This is a group of great young men and women from Pacific High School, and Rep. Boice and I were able to take them down to the House and Senate Floors with Rep. Boice.
From having the honor to speak to our Oregon Small Woodland owners, to testifying on legislation, to finally passing legislation to support our incubation nursery programs for salmonid abundance in Coos County. Thank you to Josh Bettesworth and the Oregon Anglers Alliance, John Ogan and the Coquille Indian Tribe, Heath Hampel and the Coquille River Salmon and Trout Enhancement Program (STEP), and so many others for your incredible work in helping get this done. I know Leonard is smiling down on all of you.
Our rural hospitals are critically important and I appreciate the leadership of Raymond Hino, CEO of Southern Coos Hospital & Health Center and his team for all of their work for our residents.
Our youth voices are important to us in the legislature. Top row above, we have youth testifying in our Senate Energy & Environment Committee. My colleague Chair Sollman, has an opportunity every committee meeting to have “Youth Voices” and I so appreciate it. Bottom row, I want to thank Sharolyn Smith with ORLT for bringing some amazing young people to their Capitol to advocate for life. I had the opportunity to speak with them and take them to the Senate Floor.
Remembering our friend and incredible fishing advocate, Leonard Krug
I am forever grateful to have known Leonard and to call him a friend. He was a force for fishing advocacy for all of Oregon and the founder and President of the Oregon Anglers Alliance. He is dearly missed and it was truly and honor to have the highest honor bestowed upon him with drafting Senate Concurrent Resolution 19 as a memorial to him and his work for Oregon. Thank you to his beloved wife Anna and his family. Click Here for the memorial.
Last but certainly not least...
It is Tax Day!
How many of you believe that you pay too much in taxes? Well, you are right and the data is there to prove it! Oregon now has the second-worst corporate tax climate in the nation! Forty-ninth out of fifty! While we are ranked 40th for individual income taxes! Since 2019, Oregon's effective business tax burden has increased by a third, with Portland now having the highest combined local income tax rate in the nation!
Yet the Democrat Supermajority want to double down and tax you more! This current tax, tax, tax climate impacts every single Oregonian in higher costs and fees. Mainstreet and every mom-and-pop shop that continues to struggle, as they and their employees try to pull out of Bidenflation, cannot afford to pay more.
Businesses are leaving Oregon and taking their jobs with them, which continues to negatively impact our schools, communities and families across the state.
The Oregonian Editorial Board gets it right again!
But, the Democrat Supermajority wants more...
Many Oregonians in our southwest Oregon district cannot afford basic essentials such as gas and groceries, which already cost more because of our isolated location. Enough is enough!
More to come soon, however until then, I hope you and your family have a safe and Blessed Easter.
Yours Truly,
Senator David Brock Smith
Together, We Will Build a Better Oregon
Senate District 1
Curry, Coos, and Douglas Counties
Southwest Oregon’s Fish, Farm, and Forestry District.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1701
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, S-316, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Sen.DavidBrockSmith@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/smithd
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