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To contact me, please click here: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov
Dear Neighbors and Community Members,
May is Wildfire Awareness Month—a time to consider how we can be proactive to keep our communities safe. Sadly, the majority of Oregon's wildfires are human-caused. After a record-breaking fire season in 2024, it is important that we act now to reduce risks and stay prepared.
The top cause of human-caused fires in our state is escaped debris burning. Before you burn, be sure to check-in with your local fire agency and understand wind and weather conditions. By staying informed and refraining from risky behavior, we can mitigate the impact of wildfires and protect our homes and communities. Learn more about ways to prepare by visiting the Oregon State Fire Marshal website.
In this week's newsletter you'll find:
- Info on what May's revenue forecast means for Oregon
- Big news on the "deepfake" intimate images ban
- A status update on legislative priorities
- My take on proposed federal cuts to Medicaid
- WOU's Wolfy and more visitors at the Capitol
- Upcoming programs and local events
My daughter, Emily, visiting my office earlier this Session.
MAY REVENUE FORCAST RELEASED
On Wednesday, May 14th, we listened to the economic and revenue forecast for the funding we anticipate for the next two years and one thing was clear: Trump’s reckless and out-of-touch economic policies are already damaging Oregon’s economy.
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Oregon Businesses and Families are Directly Impacted By Tariffs: The president’s ill-considered tariffs have damaged Oregon’s trade-heavy economy. Our state’s economy relies more on manufacturing and trade than most states, and is especially impacted by tense trade relationships with countries like China. We know this because Oregon was hit especially hard during the trade war Trump started during his first presidency.
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Growth is Stifled for Local Business: The federal government has no consistent, coherent economic plan, leaving businesses uncertain of what the future holds. Those concerns stifle business growth.
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Working Families are Hit the Hardest: Families afraid of losing long-term care for aging parents, federally funded preschool for their children, or simply watching costs rise at the grocery store are conserving their household finances instead of spending. That’s slowing the economic activity that fuels state revenue in normal circumstances.
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Risk for Recession has Increased: State economists said in no uncertain terms that Trump’s actions have heightened the risk of a recession. It’s bad news when our federal and local economies can be so heavily impacted by a single post on Truth Social.
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Oregon Is Better Off Than Many Other States: Strong leadership for decades in Oregon has put us in a better position than many states across the country. We’ve been preparing for this moment by budgeting with an eye on the future.
So, What Does That Mean?: Oregon Democrats have been making strategic investments to address some of our state's biggest challenges -- housing costs and homelessness, access to mental health and addiction treatment, and supporting our schools. This change in the budget means that Oregon’s projected progress in these areas is now like driving with the brake on.
Even though the economic outlook can change quickly (and it has - even within the last week), this forecast is what the state budget is built on. And because it is our responsibility to have a balanced budget, we can’t count on “maybes.” That means we have to work diligently to protect core services as we wrap up the 2025 session in June.
ENDING WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION
The Oregon Senate passed HB 3187 A this week, which addresses discrimination that older workers face when applying for a job. I was proud to join my friend and colleague Representative Nathan Sosa as a sponsor of this bill, which he introduced on behalf of AARP.
The bill prohibits employers from asking for an applicant’s age, date of birth, or date of graduation until after the initial interview, unless the disclosure of age is a bona fide occupational qualification or otherwise required by law. Currently, many job applications require workers to disclose their age, or when they obtained their degree or certification. This opens the door for discrimination against older workers and prevents them from having the opportunity to interview for the position. HB 3187 A is an important step forward in the fight to end age discrimination and the bill now heads to Governor Kotek's desk.
FAIRNESS FOR RENTERS FORCED TO MOVE
When renters lose their homes through no fault of their own, current law allows a landlord to require the outgoing tenants to stay a full 90 days after getting a vacate notice or face lease-break penalties if they leave before the 90 days are up. House Bill 2134, introduced by Rep. Tawna Sanchez would allow tenants in good standing to give a 30-day notice to vacate instead of having to wait and pay for the full 90 days.
I was proud to join this bill as a regular sponsor because giving renters flexibility is critical in today’s housing market. Rental forecasts in Oregon show that due to a lack of inventory, rents are expected to increase with fewer housing options available in the market. Most renters face stiff competition and have to move quickly to secure a new rental option. Too often this means paying the full 90-days on the rental being vacating and paying on a new lease simultaneously.
HB 2134 passed in the Senate this week and now heads to the Governor's desk for her signature.
EXPANDING ROLE OF CASA VOLUNTEERS
I strongly support the use of Court appointed special advocates (CASA), who are appointed by courts to advocate for children’s interests during court proceedings. CASA volunteers serve a critically important role in protecting children, which is why I voted for SB 135 to include their expertise and perspectives on certain multidisciplinary and review teams.
Multidisciplinary teams are collaborative groups of professionals from various disciplines working together to address a specific issue or problem, often involving multiple agencies or systems. These teams are commonly found in child abuse investigation, mental health care, and other areas where comprehensive solutions are needed.
SB 135 specifically requires the inclusion of a representative of a local CASA Volunteer Program, if available, to serve on the following teams:
- multidisciplinary domestic violence fatality review teams established by local domestic violence coordinating councils
- county child abuse multidisciplinary teams developed by each county’s district attorney
- critical Incident Review Teams assigned by the Department of Human Services.
The House passed SB 135 this week and the bill now awaits Governor Kotek's signature.
CLARIFYING INSURANCE FOR NAT'L GUARD
The House passed SB 803 this week, which is a technical fix bill to allow the Oregon National Guard (ONG) Adjutant General to take steps to make the state-sponsored life insurance program offered through the Oregon National Guard Association available to all ONG members. It also provides opportunities for ONG members to purchase state-sponsored life insurance products, and allows representatives from the state-sponsored life insurance program to provide information to ONG members.
This technical fix aligns state and federal policies and clarifies benefits and options for Oregon National Guard members. It removes ambiguity and provides greater understanding and communication materials to service members about the benefits available to them.
The bill has passed both Chambers and awaits Governor Kotek's signature.
HB 2299 PASSES SENATE UNANIMOUSLY
This week, the Senate followed the House in unanimously passing HB 2299 to include digital forgeries, or “deepfakes,” in criminal statutes on revenge pornography. In doing so, the Legislature takes the next step in closing a loophole in Oregon’s statute against nonconsensual dissemination of intimate photos and videos, which currently does not apply to realistic, digitally created or altered images.
In passing HB 2299, the Legislature is giving law enforcement and prosecutors the tools necessary to address the proliferating problem of deepfake intimate images being created and disseminated as a form of harassment. New research shows that one in eight 13 to 20-year-olds knows someone who has been targeted and negatively impacted by the use of AI-generated intimate images.
I was proud to join Reps. Mannix and Hartman as the Chief Sponsors of this bill. The argument for HB 2299 is simple: if it's difficult to discern a deepfake image from a real one, the damage done is essentially the same and the act should be treated as such in Oregon statute.
I would like to say a special thank you to the constituent in Forest Grove who contacted me about this issue last spring. Her advocacy was the starting point for this bill, and is an example of just how important citizens are in legislative process.
TWO OF MY PRIORITY BILLS AWAIT ACTION
Two of my priority bills this session, HB 3192 and HB 3449, are still alive after the recent Second Chamber Deadline.
♦HB 3192 - FUNDING NEWBORN SCREENING
HB 3192 on funding newborn screening in Oregon is in the Ways and Means Committee. If the co-chairs of that committee determine it should receive the requested budget allocation of $4 million, then the bill will move to the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Services.
My co-chief sponsor, Rep. Mark Owens, and I are continuing to advocate for funding the bill because we know that newborn screening is a critical program that saves lives and gives families hope for treatment options and even possible cures. Without newborn screening, treatable conditions present at birth may go undiagnosed, resulting in missed opportunities to access life-changing care and leading to adverse health outcomes for affected children, including premature death.
HB 3192 allocates $4 million to improve and expand our testing protocols, which is significantly less than the state spends on treating even one child with a devastating disease that was not detected and treated through newborn screening. Funding this bill is not only the right thing to do, but it is the fiscally responsible approach to treating patients with rare diseases.
♦HB 3449 - SUPPORTING STUDENTS IN FOSTER CARE
HB 3449 is a small. technical fix bill for my foster youth student support pilot that passed in 2024. It will likely have a vote on the Senate Floor on Monday.
In the 2024 Session, HB 4084 (2024), created a pilot program to support foster youth in educational spaces and provide needed wrap-around services. The bill proposed a 2-year pilot program designed to improve educational outcomes for foster youth and produce data to help develop best practices for a future Statewide Education Plan for foster children. The pilot program was implemented this school year at one school each in Portland, Albany, and Medford. This is an incredible first step to ensure that foster youth get the support they need to succeed. This Session, HB 3449 makes a small change to the law that will guarantee that the school districts in the pilot program can use the money allocated in the original bill.
I am also requesting that the Legislature allocate $200,000 to complete the second year of the foster youth student support pilot. This is necessary because HB 4084 was passed in the second year of the biennium so the Legislature could only allocate one year of funding in the 2024 session.
Photo by Team McLain intern, Keenan Yoshizawa
WHAT CAUSED OUR REVENUE CRISIS?
In my work on the transportation plan, I have spoken to thousands of members of the public, traveled the entire state, met with stakeholders from jurisdictional partners to environmental groups, spent over 50 hours in workgroups, and even taken the stage at the Moda Center to talk about how we address our current challenges. Without a doubt, the most common question I get is "How did we get here?" Most people understand that we have a crisis and they also recognize that if we don't understand what created it, we can't truly fix it. With that in mind, I'm taking time in this week's newsletter to briefly highlight the structural problems that we are working to address in the plan.
ODOT's critical revenue issues stem primarily from structural funding challenges that will continue to grow unless action is taken. As a starting point, Oregon has consistently underfunded transportation. In a recent comparison of seven western states, Oregon residents paid the lowest amount of yearly transportation-related taxes of any of the states, an average of $293 a year. For comparison, Nevada residents paid $885, Washington $1,068, and California was highest at $1,120. In addition to chronic underfunding, we have an overreliance on the gas tax as our primary revenue source. There has been a decline in gas tax revenue, largely caused by the steady increase in vehicle electrification and improvements in fuel efficiency. Simultaneously, there is added pressure on ODOT’s budget due to increasing maintenance and construction costs caused by inflation. Just like everything else, infrastructure, whether transit, bike pathways, or maintaining highways and freeways, is more expensive than ever. To learn more about the current transportation funding crisis, I recommend the following:
 
TRUMP THREATENS TO SLASH MEDICAID
I am deeply concerned by the recent federal proposal to cut Medicaid funding by up to $880 billion over the next decade to absorb the cost of tax breaks for wealthiest Americans. This drastic change threatens health coverage for millions, including many here in Oregon. We know that Medicaid and the Oregon Health Plan provide essential care to over 25% of Washington County residents, and large funding reductions at the national level would impact us here in Hillsboro, Cornelius, and Forest Grove. I stand firm in opposing cuts to critical services and will continue to fight for healthcare coverage for all Oregonians.
Governor Kotek spoke out against the proposal this week:
“I am outraged by the proposed Medicaid cuts. It’s a reckless plan that will hurt people and Oregon’s health care system. One in three Oregonians rely on Medicaid – the Oregon Health Plan – for their health insurance. That’s 1.4 million neighbors and loved ones. Their proposal is not just shortsighted – it’s morally indefensible.”
I-5 BRIDGE SURVEY NOW OPEN TO ALL
You can have the chance to win a $100 e-gift card when you respond to this anonymous survey offered jointly by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Washington State Department Transportation (WSDOT).
ODOT and WSDOT are working together to better understand how people travel between Vancouver and Portland, as well as how that might change when a toll is implemented to fund a replacement bridge. Qualified respondents will be entered into a drawing for one of two $100 e-gift cards if you respond to the survey by Wednesday, May 21.
What is this survey for?
Data from this survey, alongside other information, will inform traffic and revenue analysis. That analysis ensures there is adequate funding to deliver the investments proposed by the IBR Program to improve safety, earthquake resilience and congestion.
How will the I-5 Bridge Replacement be funded?
The IBR Program will be paid for by a mix of federal grant dollars, state funds from Oregon and Washington and tolling. Tolls are an important part of the funding plan to help cover construction costs, keeping the bridge running and making sure it stays in good shape over time. Toll rates and rules will be decided jointly by the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) and the Washington State Transportation Commission (WSTC).
VISITORS AT THE CAPITOL
Our office enjoyed connecting with Cornelius City Manager Peter Brandom, who visited the Capitol to advocate for funding to build a Community Center in Cornelius. This proposed project has been championed by the city's Youth Advisory Council (YAC), in hopes that a new community space will promote active programming, inclusivity, and connection.
YAC leaders visited the Capitol earlier this session to share their perspectives and highlight the development. Here is what Myeli Saenz Juan, Vice Chair of YAC and Freshman at Forest Grove High School, had to say about the Cornelius Community Center:
“This space will be beneficial for the youth in our community, giving us a safe place to stay active, and connect with friends, and participate in programs that support our growth and future.”
Eviana Zavala Gallardo, YAC Member and Freshman at Forest Grove High School, also shared her hopes for the new development:
“I can’t play tennis with my dad at the park because of the cold weather. Having an indoor place to play sports in, like pickleball, would really be nice. It would be a place that is always available and where everyone is welcome.”
Last Friday, Cornelius Mayor Jeff Dalin and YAC Co-Chair Paola testified before the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Capitol Construction on the need for a new Cornelius Community Center. They shared about the unique opportunity to purchase an unused school gymnasium and develop the space for educational programs, recreational events, and community gatherings. All eight YAC members came to the Capitol in support of this program. Thank you to all Cornelius leaders for your advocacy and commitment to our community!
Team McLain (Carolyn and Grace) with City Manager Peter Brandom
I was glad to catch Wolfy, the mascot of Western Oregon University, for a photo after connecting with students, staff, and faculty from the university. As a proud WOU alumna, I always appreciate the chance to hear from my alma mater about issues impacting the campus community. We discussed critical funding for higher education and opportunities to support students on their academic journey. I will keep fighting for adequate resources for all Oregon students, from pre-K to post-secondary.
This week, I also appreciated the opportunity to speak with Mobilizing Climate Action about our climate resilience in transportation. Safety, accountability, and sustainability are top priorities as we explore funding tools to improve our multimodal system across the state.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN WESTERN WASHCO
Don't miss on on these upcoming events and opportunities in Western Washington County.
Oregon International Air Show
The 2025 Oregon International Air Show at Hillsboro will feature a variety of attractions, including performances and ground displays. Click here to learn more.
WHEN: May 16-18th 2025
WHERE: Hillsboro Airport
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Forest Grove Civics Academy
The City of Forest Grove is launching its first Civics Academy in partnership with the Library. They are seeking feedback on the new program: What do YOU want to learn about your local government? Click here to take the survey!
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Washington County K9 Trials
This event brings together police K9 teams from around the state to compete in a series of events. Doors open at 10am, kicking off the start of the safety fair and vendor displays. Please leave pets at home. Click here to learn more.
WHEN: May 17th from 10 am-1 pm
WHERE: Hillsboro Stadium
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Adelante Mujeres - Fiesta of Hope
Tickets are on sale for Adelante Mujeres' annual gala - Fiesta of Hope. Join in celebrating hope, deepening connection, & advocating for racial justice! Click here to learn more.
WHEN: June 6th at 5 pm
WHERE: Castaway Portland
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My office has compiled a list of resources for our community. You can click on the images below to open a document with the relevant links. If you know of a resource that should be included here, or you need a resource and are having trouble finding the information you need, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office at rep.susanmclain@oregonlegislature.gov.
EDUCATION RESOURCES
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Click here, or on the image to the right for a list of Education-related resources. This includes links to the Forest Grove and Hillsboro School Districts, the Oregon and US Departments of Education, information on how to pay for college, student lunch programs, and much more!
WILDFIRE-RELATED RESOURCES
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Click here, or on the image to the right for important resources related to wildfire prevention and recovery. This list includes links to current fire restrictions and recreation site status maps, the Oregon Department of Forestry's fire prevention tip page, and important resources for wildfire victims.
RESOURCES FOR OUR VETERANS
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Click here, or on the image to the right for a list of important resources for Veterans, including links and phone numbers to the various divisions of the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, local Washington County assistance, supportive and community-based groups like the American Legion, and mental health resources.
STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
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Click here, or on the image to the right for links to important local and state government pages, including the Hillsboro, Forest Grove, and Cornelius city government pages. You can also access the Oregon Legislature's page, and other important state agency sites, like the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Unemployment Department, and the Oregon Health Authority.
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Photos from Family Night for Max's Senior Night
Yours truly,
 Representative Susan McLain
House District 29
email: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1429
address: 900 Court St NE, H-493, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mclain
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