|
Replies to this message are sent to an unmonitored mailbox.
To contact me, please click here: Rep.AnnaScharf@oregonlegislature.gov
Dear Friends,
My colleagues and I are celebrating a win this week with the decision by Oregon’s Department Of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to delay enforcement of the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) rules for medium and heavy-duty trucks for model years 2025 and 2026.
In other words, diesel trucks will remain available for Oregon’s hardworking businesses without the burden of zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandates.
Adopted in 2021 by the Environmental Quality Commission (EQC), the ACT rules required manufacturers of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to sell an increasing percentage of zero-emission vehicles, with penalties for noncompliance.
I’d like to thank my colleague, Representative Shelly Boshart Davis (R-Albany), who has worked tirelessly on this issue for years! Without her persistence and passion around this topic and non-stop pressure on DEQ and the Governor, this delay would never have happened. She is an advocate for the trucking industry and for all Oregonians and I am honored to also call her my friend.
This outcome is a win for Oregon businesses and workers whose livelihoods have been threatened by these unfair mandates.
However, the celebration is short lived as we prepare for next week and the final week before the second chamber deadline, bringing us one step closer to adjournment of the 2025 Legislative Session.
There are several contentious bills up next week for work sessions , including SB 916. This bill opens the door for public and private employer union workers to receive unemployment benefits while striking. You can read more about this bill from my previous newsletter here.
This bill covers everyone from teachers to public workers who keep the water flowing to our homes and the toilets flushing, as well as private employers like Kroger (Fred Meyer), Voodoo Donuts, Burgerville, Kaiser, etc. Bottom line, this is not a good bill, even the Portland Public School District has publicly come out in opposition to this bill. If you recall, they had a month-long strike in 2024 which finally resulted in a three year contract settlement. However, that contract was retroactive and new negotiations are set to begin in January of 2026 for another new contract. The bill has no emergency clause, but it would go into effect January 1, 2026, just in time to provide strike pay to those negotiations.
The other bill in the House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards, which I serve on, is SB 426 which will affect every home owner and property owner in the state. For any homeowner or property owner who decides to do a remodel or building project and hires a contractor, would themselves also become the general contractor. Meaning that they would be financially responsible for any and all payments to the subs hired by the contractor and the workers that work for that sub.
Proponents that introduced the bill say the intent is to stop human trafficking and subs not paying those trafficked workers. However, this bill does nothing to solve that illegal operation. Most of the people acting as construction contract labor brokers in the state are not registered with the state. There is a total of two who are registered yet hundreds in operation.
Rather, the bill puts the homeowner or the property owner in a position where they are mandated to pay workers they do not know, where they have no verification if that individual did the work, and now the homeowner/property owner is issuing payroll to people who they do not know if they are legal to work in the US which is illegal under federal law. It is another flawed bill brought forward by the unions that does not solve the real problem. Rather it says if you hire union workers you won’t have this problem because they are exempt in the bill.
Stay tuned for an update on what legislation makes to through next Friday's deadline. As always, my office is always open to help with any questions or concerns. I appreciate your support and input.
 Anna Scharf
State Representative - HD 23
State Economic Forecast Shows 12% Growth
On Wednesday, state economists presented the June Economic and Revenue Forecast, projecting that state government will see a 12% increase in revenue from the previous biennium. In other words, we have 12% more revenue for 2025-27 than we had for 2023-25
However, this is $755 million less than their March prediction so the narrative is the “sky is falling”. The reality is that the increase could have been even greater if Oregon wasn’t in the top of the nation for corporate taxes, top for aggressive environmental regulations, and never ending legislative policy choices that harm the economy rather than stimulate it.
If we want to see our state budgets grow, we shouldn’t raise taxes, we should cut them. We shouldn’t add regulations, we should reduce them. We shouldn’t grow government, we should shrink it. We should focus on building up the private sector and specifically the natural resource sector, because as I have said from the beginning of session, investing in vertical integration of our natural resource sector is investing in jobs that stay in our state. You can’t pick up farmland, timber, and fishing, and move it to the next low cost state like semiconductors. Farming, timber and fishing all have vertical value added opportunities that we could invest in IF we chose to. Just like the state budget and where we spend those dollars, however, it is all about choices.
I hope my colleagues in the Legislature will use the six weeks left in this session to fix what’s broken and work together to make decisions that get Oregon back on the right track rather than blame federal government for Oregon's "budget crisis" on tariffs. 38 years of one-party rule in Oregon have not been undone by less than 120 days of one person’s decisions in DC which have not even been fully implemented and may never even fully materialize. It’s time to focus on what we can control here in Oregon and stop playing the blame game.
Dignity through Duffels
I am thrilled to announce the Legislature passed SB 1016 (almost) unanimously, and will hopefully soon be signed by Governor Kotek. This bill ensures when youth are placed and moved within the foster system, their personal items are transported in luggage carriers, not trash bags.
I cannot express enough the positive impact this legislation will make in the lives of our foster youth. In case you missed my previous newsletter about this bill, you can read more about it here. Even better, watch my floor carry here.
This issue is very near and dear to my heart. “Trash bags are for garbage, plastic totes are for moving”.
|
Honorary Page Program
 Pictured with Honorary Page Zeb Strange. Zeb is from House District 23 in Newberg. He is finishing up his sophomore year being homeschooled. He is on the Newberg High School track and field team and cross-country team. One of his favorite things to do is to debate and discuss theology and politics. His career interests are law, political science and criminal justice. He had a great experience at the Capitol and getting hands on training.
It's not too late to become a page - sign up here!
Oregon Fire Service Day
 Pictured with Fire District representatives from HD 23 who met with me to talk about the challenges we face throughout Oregon for funding fire and ambulance services. As the daughter of a lifelong volunteer firefighter and being married to a current fire board member, I appreciate the challenges our fire districts face and look forward to seeking ways to solve our problems moving forward.
Western Oregon University Day
 Pictured with staff from WOU, and constituents from Dallas, advocating for higher education funding for our “directional Universities”. Thank you WOU for coming to visit and for bringing the band/choir to the House chamber for our opening ceremonies. They “rocked the House”.
Armed Forces Day
 This weekend, we will celebrate Armed Forces Day - May 17th, a federal holiday that recognizes and celebrates all active and former members of the U.S. Military, thanking them for their service and sacrifice to our country.
President Harry Truman established the first Armed Forces Day in 1950.
On Wednesday, we kicked off the celebration at the Capitol when two F-15s from the Oregon National Guard did a flyover of the Capitol building (pictured above).
Thank you to all who have served! A special shout out to my dad’s brothers Allen Remington (Dallas), Gail Remington (Lebanon) and my dad Gary Remington (Dallas) who all served in the Navy. I am proud and grateful of the service you gave to our country.
Dallas Farmers Market
 The Dallas Farmers Market returns for its second year with more vendors, and specifically more vegetables this year. Most vendors are local from Polk County.
Yamhill Community Care Organization Baby Shower
 Are you a new or expecting parent? Join YCCO May 22nd from 4-7pm at the Chehalem Cultural Center for a free community baby shower.
American Legion Post 20 Dallas, Oregon
 The American Legion started our local Avenue of Flags in 1991. They started with a little over 60 flags. This year they will put out close to 850 flags. They depend on volunteers to put this event together. They are blessed each year with several organizations that help, asking for nothing in return. They also receive help from the community as several individuals give their time to help put up the flags and poles, then take them down, fold and put them away. This event would not be possible without the awesome community.
If you would like to help them this year, you can message them on their Facebook page or show up at the Dallas Cemetery on the following dates and times. Thank you!!!
Wed. 22 May 2025 @ 8:00am: Load flag poles on trailer's and place the poles by the flagpole base holes in preparation for Thursday.
Thurs. 23 May 2025 @ 8:00am: Put flags on the poles and insert in the base holes.
Thurs. 29 May 2025 @ 8:00am: Take down the flags & poles. Fold flags & store in totes.
Poles loaded on trailers and unloaded at the shop. *Subject to change depending on weather. Must be dry to fold flags.
On Memorial Day I will be joining the American Legion Post 20 at the Dallas Cemetery for the Avenue of Flags as their Keynote speaker. I am honored for the invitation and look forward to the opportunity to pay tribute the men and women who served and sacrifices for our nation. If you would like to join us, the schedule for the event is below.
 
Small Business Event
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1423
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-387, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.AnnaScharf@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/scharf
| 
