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To contact me, please click here: Sen.JaneenSollman@oregonlegislature.gov
Friends and Neighbors,
Upcoming Events
Come share your thoughts, questions, and meet fellow community members at my upcoming Community Conversations. I look forward to seeing you there!
Join me at the Hillsboro AVA Roasteria, tomorrow, May 31st from 9:30-10:30AM, for an in-person Community Conversation.
*We will meet on the plaza outside of the coffee shop. There are limited chairs available, if you want to bring your fold-up chair, grab a coffee or tea, and meet us outside- we look forward to seeing you!
Policy Spotlight
Policy Spotlight: Advancing Common Sense Gun Safety
Yesterday, I was proud to vote yes on Senate Bill 243, also known as the Community Safety Firearms Act. This bill takes important steps to reduce gun violence and give our communities greater control over public safety.
“We deserve the freedom to move about our lives in safety and free from fear. As a legislator, mom and grandma, I am dedicated to addressing public safety by using my voice and supporting common sense gun violence prevention.”
This bill does two key things:
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Bans rapid-fire conversion devices that turn legal firearms into weapons capable of firing like machine guns. These devices have no place in our neighborhoods.
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Restores local authority by allowing cities and counties to decide whether to permit guns in government buildings and meeting spaces. Oregonians deserve to feel safe when attending a city council meeting, visiting a local official, or simply going about daily life. SB 243 is a step forward in protecting that basic freedom.
The bill passed the Senate on a 17–12 vote and now heads to the House for consideration. I’ll continue advocating for thoughtful, effective measures that keep our communities safe.
 
Legislative Updates
Legislative Action Alert
This Week's Testimonies and Floor Speeches
Week 19 Committee Snaps
Senate Committee on Energy and Environment
Informational Meetings were held on:
Senate Committee on Education
Informational Meetings were held on:
Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education
Work Sessions were held on
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SB 789 - Relating to the Oregon Board of Psychology
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SB 141 - Relating to education
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HB 2140 - Relating to funding of the State School Fund
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SB 5516 - Relating to the state financial administration of the Department of Education
Joint Committee on Information Management and Technology
Work Sessions were held on:
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SB 1090 - Relating to Information Technology
Informational Meetings were held on:
- Security Operations Centers (Mutual Aid for Cybersecurity)
Joint Committee on Ways and Means
Work Sessions were held on various bills and agency reports. See agenda here.
Week 19 - Oregon State Capitol Visits in the halls and in #S207 (Your Senate District 15 Capitol office)
In The News
Republicans intensify opposition to capping bills per session in Oregon
Oregon Capital Chronicle, Shaanth Nanguneri, May 30, 2025
Despite bipartisan support for an Oregon bill limiting the amount of legislation a lawmaker can introduce every session, the measure has angered some prominent Republican lawmakers, who called it a partisan power grab during its first committee hearing.
Three of the bill’s leading supporters — Sen. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, former Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp, and House Speaker Julie Fahey — argued in front of the House Committee on Rules on Thursday that the number of bills the Legislature has had to consider in the past session has been overwhelming. They described the onslaught of reviews staff and legislative analysts must conduct to draft legislation as swamping the public with excessive bureaucracy that impedes good governance.
Oregon Senate passes hotly contested gun bill
Oregon Public Broadcasting, Bryce Dole, May 29, 2025
“These are tools of mass destruction,” said state Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, who added: “The only purpose of those weapons and those accessories are to kill people.” In addition, Democrats said local government officials should be allowed to pass policies around where concealed handguns can be carried. Sen. Anthony Broadman, D-Bend, argued that ensuring public safety in public facilities should fall to police, not ordinary people with a concealed handgun license. “This bill stands on the principle that local communities know best how to keep our communities safe, where we govern, where our children learn and grow,” said Broadman.
Largest K-12 budget in Oregon history advances in state legislature
KOIN News, Aimee Plante, Joelle Jones, May 29, 2025
An Oregon legislative committee has approved a massive education bill that, if passed, could mark the largest K-12 school budget in state history.
“It is our responsibility to make sure our schools are preparing Oregon’s young people for their career and college pathway,” Sen. Janeen Sollman (D-Hillsboro) said. “Increasing funding while providing clear expectations and ongoing oversight will help ensure our students and educators are getting the support they need.”
Oregon legislature passes bipartisan bill to eliminate bags made of plastic film at checkout
Environment Oregon Press Release, May 27, 2025
“Wasteful disposable plastics like thick plastic checkout bags aren’t just annoying for consumers, they add unnecessary costs to our Oregon businesses, and are contributing to an ever increasing pile of plastic trash that is harming the environment and public health,” said Sen. Sollman (SD-15). “Senate Bill 551 is an important step in addressing this large source of plastic pollution, and I’m proud to send it to the governor’s desk.”
Intern Corner
Narmeen Rashid
SD 15 Intern, Narmeen Rashid, had her last day in our office this week. She is headed to Brown University for a Masters in Public Affairs and will be graduating in a few short weeks from Oregon State University with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Economics.
To say that Narmeen will be missed, is an understatement. Her focus and collaboration as part of Team SD 15 has been an outstanding addition. Her work on policy and outreach has been thoughtful and incredibly thorough. Our district has been so fortunate to have Narmeen’s enthusiastic contributions.
I wish her the best as she heads off to Rhode Island, knowing that she will only continue to shine as she blazes a path forward in life.
Read more about Narmeen in the below article from Oregon State University.
 From Portland to Pakistan: Narmeen Rashid’s journey of identity, leadership, and purpose
By Taylor Pedersen, CLA Student Writer - May 14, 2025
Rashid, a senior in political science, will be attending Brown University to continue her journey in human rights work
By the time Narmeen Rashid reached college, she had already lived in four countries across three continents. Born in Portland to Pakistani parents, Rashid spent her formative years following her father’s assignments with Intel Corporation to New Mexico, Israel, China, and Pakistan. That global upbringing, she says, shaped her, not only as a traveler, but as a person—curious, compassionate, and determined to make an impact.
“It made me more open-minded,” she said. “You see so many different communities and so many different ways of living. I think that’s what inspired me to want to do hands-on work—helping the people I’ve seen who don’t have as much as I do, especially in Pakistan, to give back to where I came from and my family.”
It’s a throughline that has guided her path at Oregon State University, where she transferred to from the University of Oregon, after initially being a biology major with dreams of becoming a doctor. After taking an international politics class with Dr. Michael Trevathan at the School of Public Policy, Rashid pivoted , to becoming a political science major (with an economics minor). Dr. Trevathan’s class felt less like a requirement and more like a revelation.
“It literally took me two classes,” she laughed. “It was like a switch flipped in my brain. I just thought—this is so fun. This is what I want to do forever.”
Rashid became lab manager for Trevathan’s Global Political Research Lab, helping lead a project examining representation in environmental non-governmental organizations (NGO). The findings were frustrating but not surprising: “Even in Southeast Asia or Africa, the advisory boards of these NGOs were mostly made up of men. There just weren’t enough women represented.”
That experience cemented her desire to pursue advocacy, but it wasn’t just academic. Rashid also saw gaps in the community on campus, especially for Muslim and Pakistani students. She grew up surrounded by a tight-knit Muslim community in Portland, but in college, the same environment was harder to find. Instead, throughout her four years at OSU, Rashid created those same inclusive spaces, fostering equitable communities and organizations that will continue long after she graduates.
“I didn’t realize how much that mattered to me until it was gone,” she said. “My parents made sure I had people around me who shared my culture. So in college, I’ve tried to create those spaces for others too.”
As President of the Muslim Student Association, Rashid did exactly that—building a community where students could share their thoughts, celebrate their faith, or just feel at ease. She also served as an ASOSU senator and now leads as the Diversity and Inclusion Director, programming events and supporting marginalized student communities across campus. Her initiatives often center student voices—whether by advocating for international student fee reform or pushing back on administrative decisions that could hinder diversity work.
When modesty concerns kept some women from using the pool at Dixon Rec Center, Rashid started a Hijabi swim night. She also co-founded the now-popular International Communi-Tea Hour, a weekly event that draws dozens of students for snacks, games, and low-key conversations.
“By week four or five, students were running it themselves—playing games, talking, laughing,” she said. “It was just really beautiful to watch a community grow.”
At the same time, Rashid serves on both the President’s Council on Leadership and Excellence and the Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom Council—spaces where she acknowledges the challenge of representing diverse perspectives as just one person.
“But even if I can bring a little bit of what students are going through, that helps,” she said. “It’s about showing up and making sure someone is in the room.”
This fall, Rashid will take the next step in her journey at Brown University. The graduate program, she said, offers the kind of hands-on learning that excites her most, especially the opportunity to design and implement real policy in collaboration with community partners.
Eventually, Rashid hopes to return to Pakistan and work in human rights, supporting underserved populations and continuing the kind of advocacy that’s become second nature to her.
“I think impact isn’t always big and flashy,” she said. “If I can help even one person live a better life, that’s enough. That’s the legacy I want—to make my parents proud, to give back, and to leave the world just a little bit better than I found it.”
“I’ve learned that building spaces—where people feel safe, where they feel seen—that’s real leadership,” Rashid said. “And it’s what I’ll keep doing, wherever I go.”
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Listening remains the foundation of my work as a legislator. I completed my 145th Community Conversation! I’m grateful to everyone who made time to be there.
Additional Resources
Senate District 15 – Event Calendars
Federal Delegation Links
Education Links
Food and Housing Assistance
Immigration Resources
Be good to yourself and each other. ❤
Onward & Upward,
 Senate District 15 lies on Kalapuya land. The Atfalati were the northernmost band of the Kalapuya that lived along the Tualatin River in present day Washington County. Many of the Atfalati descendants are members of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon today. The Indigenous Peoples of this land experienced a painful history of colonial violence, sickness and removal from their land. The Atfalati are the foundation of Oregon's past and we must honor them well into our future.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1715
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, S-207, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Sen.JaneenSollman@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/sollman
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