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This Week’s Work and What’s Ahead

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As we wrap up another busy week in Salem, we’re heading into one of the few official breaks during our 165-day legislative session—a well-earned three-day weekend. I hope you all have a chance to enjoy some rest, spend time with loved ones, and reflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day.

With just under 40 days left in session, things are moving quickly. One of the major discussions this week centered around the latest state revenue forecast. While the forecast shows lower revenues than expected, the good news is that we have enough to maintain existing programs and services at their current levels.

This raises a fundamental question: Do we have a revenue problem or a spending problem? I believe it’s the latter. We need to ensure our budget reflects true priorities and that our spending is responsible and sustainable. Over the next month, we’ll be diving deep into need-based funding decisions, and I’ll be focused on making sure our communities are represented in those conversations.

In my video update this week, I also cover the latest news on the kicker. There’s been some buzz about changes to the kicker, but keep in mind that any tax-related bill needs 40 votes to pass out of the House, which is no small hurdle.

We also saw movement on Senate Bill 83, the bill to repeal the controversial wildfire risk maps. This bill was sent to the Rules Committee on Thursday—not because it’s dead, but because it's now being used as a bargaining chip in broader negotiations. You can watch the discussion we had on this in the House Energy and Environment Committee.

With Friday’s deadline, all policy committees have now wrapped up their work for the session, except for holding informational hearings. The heavy lifting now moves to Ways and Means, Rules, and Revenue committees.

Thanks for following along and staying engaged. I’ll continue to keep you updated as we head into the final stretch of session.

In the meantime, I wish you a safe and meaningful Memorial Day weekend with your family and friends.

Stay safe,

Moments with Mark - May 22

Honoring Our Heroes This Memorial Day

To the families who have lost loved ones in uniform: we owe you a debt that can never be repaid. Your sacrifice is woven into the fabric of our country, and we carry it with us as we work to build a stronger, more united America.

Virtual Town Hall Replay

If you were unable to join me and Representative Court Boice on Thursday, here is a replay of our town hall. I will be joining Senator McLane and Representative Breese Iverson for another virtual town hall on June 3, mark your calendars, invitations will be sent out soon.

Keep In Touch

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1460
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-475, Salem, OR 97301
Capitol Email: Rep.MarkOwens@oregonlegislature.gov
Capitol Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/owens