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To contact me, please click here: Rep.Farrah.Chaichi@oregonlegislature.gov
In our last newsletter, we talked about which bills cleared the first hurdle on the path toward becoming a law, getting a Hearing or Work Session. Some of those bills are Ryan’s Law, Anti-Cyberflashing, and Nowruz Day. Now, let’s talk about the common threads that inform the policies I put forward and signed onto. This Session, I am signed onto over 100 pieces of Legislation. 16 of these are Chief Sponsored bills, meaning I am either Co-Chiefing with another Member, or they are bills my office submitted. The rest are bills I have signed onto as a regular sponsor.
Of those many bills, the common topics are healthcare (17), consumer protection (12), and housing (11).
Did you know that the Oregon State Treasury is in charge of holding unclaimed checks, repayments, estate assets, and military medals? You might have a check from an insurance company for an overpayment, or a family military insignia, or an heirloom left to you by a distant family member. You can visit the Oregon Treasury Website to check for unclaimed property. When I first learned about this program, I discovered I had a check waiting for me from a medical overpayment!
As the Vice-Chair of the House Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, passing legislation that protects folks from predatory business practices, data privacy infringement, and being taken advantage of by bad faith actors is a top priority for me. Recently, in this Committee, we heard testimony regarding HB 3899, a bill that would prevent tech companies who collect precise geo-location data from selling that data without express user permission, as well as create additional protections for minors (the main provisions from this bill, including protections for data from persons under 16 have been moved to HB 2008). Among those testifying were lobbyists representing Google, Apple, and Amazon. Myself and other Members of the Committee questioned these lobbyists and advocated for the rights and protections of everyday Oregonians who are having their data sold without their express consent or understanding.
Housing is one of the most ubiquitous and impactful issues facing folks today. In the Portland Metro area, the Fair Market Housing Rate set by the US Department of Housing & Urban Development for a two bedroom has risen by 27% since 2019. In Oregon’s least populous county, Wheeler County, it has risen by 30%. As a fellow renter, I feel the impacts of the ever-increasing cost of housing that far exceeds the average person’s wage increase. As we spend more and more of our monthly income on rent, we have less and less to save, spend in our communities, and for the things we need. Housing costs impact more than just renters or home buyers, they impact business owners, schools, and the community at large. That’s why, this Session, I introduced two bills that aimed to deeply impact the rental market in Oregon. HB 3767, which would allow local jurisdictions to set their own rent control measures, and HB 3769, which would establish a registry to track data for housing availability and include a fee per unit for all apartments owned by corporate landlords, which will be put towards low-income housing subsidies.
Although neither of these bills were given a Work Session or Public Hearing before the deadline meaning they will not move forward this session, I remain committed to addressing the core issues of ever rising housing costs. The good news though is that we did receive a date for an Informational Hearing on April 21st. Informational Hearings are Hearings assigned to bills that won’t be moving forward this Session, but Committee Leadership is still interested in hearing about. The purpose of an Informational Hearing is to start the conversation on a topic that is likely to come up across multiple Sessions. Some Informational Hearings are open to the public to testify at, but this Hearing will have a set list of subject matter experts that will speak. We encourage folks who want to make their voices heard on this extremely important issue to reach out to their Legislators, particularly if your local Representative is a member of the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness. I plan to continue this conversation, but we cannot get legislation across the finish line without help from all of you.
This Session, I am signed on to 17 healthcare related bills, many of which have significant overlap with consumer protections, like HB 3225. HB 3225 would require that licensed physicians make up the majority of voting members of professional corporations organized for the purpose of practicing medicine. This bill is as much about protecting consumers as it is about ensuring safe and equitable access to healthcare. In this country, the healthcare industry is a multi-billion dollar, for-profit industry, which makes anyone who accesses healthcare a consumer. I also introduced HB 3214, or Ryan’s Law which would require hospice facilities to allow cannabis as a treatment for debilitating conditions. Another healthcare bill I’ve signed on to is HB 2940, which establishes the Task Force on Hemoglobinopathies and Sickle Cell Disease.
 Photo of the vote count showing unanimous passage of Nowruz Day
Nowruz Day (HB 3768) passed unanimously through the House! On to the Senate next.
 Pilocy Director, Zack with folks from the American Cancer Society in Rep. Chaichi's office
The American Cancer Society came to visit!
Photo of an iced matcha latte next to a name plate that reads "Sabbath Rain, Communications Director, and a sticker that reads "I love Street Roots
Team HD35 loves Matcha and Street Roots.
Photo of a small black dog with his toungue out
It was my dog, Ash’s birthday!
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,
 Representative Farrah Chaichi, HD 35
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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