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To contact me, please click here: Sen.JaneenSollman@oregonlegislature.gov
Friends and Neighbors,
Upcoming Events
I am excited to have so many upcoming opportunities to connect. Please visit me at an upcoming Community Conversation or Town Hall. Bring your thoughts and questions and meet fellow members of the community. I look forward to seeing you soon!
Virtual Community Conversation
Join me online, for a virtual Community Conversation, Monday, July 28th from 6:30PM - 7:30PM. Pre-registration is required. Register Here.
Save the Dates
Save the dates for my upcoming Joint Town Hall in August and Community Conversations in September.
- Joint Town Hall with Reps Susan McLain and Nathan Sosa. Monday, August 18th. 6:00PM - 8:00PM at the Hillsboro Civic Center Auditorium
- Community Conversation #150!! at Orenco New Seasons/Farmers Market. Sunday, September 7th. 10:00AM-11:00AM. We will meet on the outside patio at the Orenco New Seasons.
- Community Conversation at Rogers Park in Forest Grove. Wednesday, September 24th. 6:30PM - 7:30PM. Meet at the tables under the shelter.
Legislative Updates
Recycling Modernization Act
Shared from Waste-Free Advocates
After 3 years of hard work, the Recycling Modernization Act went into effect on July 1st. We are the first state in the U.S. to implement a packaging and paper extended producer responsibility law.
Changes from the program will be seen as more of a dial than a switch, with gradual implementation across the state over time. Tell everyone you know that the act is in effect! Over the next few years Oregon residents and businesses can expect to see the following improvements:
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Expanded recycling collection in many communities, especially in rural areas. Producer funding will cover the cost of new equipment, facilities, and transporting recyclables long distances.
- A consistent list of recyclable materials.
- New collection opportunities for recyclables that can be hard to sort at recycling facilities.
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Additional information and resources to let communities know how and when they can access this improved recycling system.
- The RMA also directs producer funding toward improvements at the facilities that sort recycling, including paying workers a living wage and supportive benefits.
- They will also report where they market the sorted recyclables and send materials to places that can meet a new standard for responsible end markets.
- A portion of the collected funds will go towards the MIRROR program, which will fund reuse initiatives or other programs to reduce the environmental impacts of products.
The City of Portland does a great job of describing the changes that will come with RMA and detailing what belongs in our recycling bins. For the most part, the accepted list in Portland Metro will stay the same. Here's a list of the changes:
Intern Corner
Senate Bill 894 (2025 Session)
STEM skills are essential for many of the fast-growing industries and are quickly becoming a prerequisite for most career fields. Apart from regular coursework, more students are now actively spending time in STEM related activities outside school. Oregon’s Senate Bill 894 was introduced in the 2025 session and would have helped create and recognize standards for these technology-based competitive activities, such as robotics, coding contests, math olympiads, and engineering competitions as legitimate educational achievements. This legislation represents a meaningful step towards broadening opportunities for students to earn high-school and/or career-technical credits for their STEM experience alongside a tangible diploma. By urging the Oregon Department of Education, in partnership with the STEM Investment Council, to develop standards for such activity-based credit, the bill empowers schools to assimilate engaging, real-world learning experiences into the more traditional coursework.
During a public hearing on SB 894, I provided testimony to share how my personal experience in the FIRST Robotics program enabled me to develop both technical and soft skills. In partnership with Crescent Valley Robotics, my team Revamped Robotics, showcased our robot during the public hearing, emphasizing the various skills I have gained throughout my time in FIRST robotics. Additionally, our teams demonstrated how incentivizing hands-on, career-focused learning experiences through Career Technical Education (CTE) credits, would attract more students to join programs like FIRST robotics and apply their educational skills beyond the classroom.
The goals of SB 894 would have been a significant step in breaking social, racial, and economic barriers. It would also carve an equal opportunity path for underserved communities to be co-creators by tapping into Oregon’s robust network of STEM Hubs and CTE programs.
~Maanya Singh
Out and About in Senate District 15
OASC Summer Camp
This week I visited the OASC Summer Camp and had a fun day talking to fabulous OASC (Oregon Association of Student Councils) student leaders. We talked about effective advocacy, and I was thrilled to meet young lady leaders from Senate District 15, Forest Grove High School students!
Learn more about OASC here.
City Club of Forest Grove Pride Event
Last weekend, I celebrated Pride in Forest Grove at the City Club of Forest Grove Pride Event. The heat couldn't keep us in! It was a welcoming and inclusive event for all that brought community together.
Community Conversation #147
On Saturday, we had a fabulous turnout for Community Conversation #147! Thank you to Zesti Carts in Forest Grove for the meeting space. Many of us stayed to grab lunch afterwards too. It's always a good day to gather around a table and build community.
Community Outreach
Cooling Centers and Beating the Heat
 Summer weather can go from beautiful to life-threatening when conditions shift. Local services can give some relief to people struggling with the heat, and verified guidance can help anyone prepare for a heat wave.
Extreme heat is a safety threat to some of the most vulnerable people in our community: elderly adults living alone, people who are houseless, and low-income people without access to air conditioning.
Cooling centers open or expand access in severe conditions. Dates and times vary at each location, but centers are listed by county at 211info.org.
Visit 211info.org to find a center near you or share this information on how to find one:
- Online: 211info.org or https://bit.ly/211-cooling-centers
- Call: 211 or 1-866-698-6155, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Text: Text your zip code to 898211, Mon–Fri, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- TTY: 711 and call 1-866-698-6155, Mon–Fri, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Whether you need to get away from the heat at a cooling center, or you are OK at home, take some extra precautions to stay safe in the summer heat. Oregon State University’s Extension Service has these tips:
- Check on family, friends and animals often. Make sure animals have a cool place and plenty of water.
- Limit outdoor activities and rest indoors during the hottest parts of the day.
- Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water, start now. Limit caffeinated or alcoholic drinks.
- Prepare for power outages. Keep cell phones charged. Fill car with gas. Have insulation to surround freezer. Have a supply of water ready if you have a well.
- Cover any windows that face the sun with aluminum foil-covered cardboard. This is very effective in keeping out heat. Plain cardboard or dark fabrics will also help. Add extra coverings even if you have curtains.
- Have a fan to move air in your home if you don’t have air conditioning. When the temperatures drop at night, open doors and windows to cool off the interior of the home before the sun comes up the next day. Keep as many lights and appliances turned off as possible.
- Have light, ready-to-eat foods ready for regular small meals and snacks.
Read more at https://bit.ly/heat-prep
Follow the Water
Shared by Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District
Have you ever wondered if your favorite stream, lake, river, or swimmin' hole is safe for recreation?
The Swim Guide app is a great way to get up-to-date water quality conditions. The Swim Guide monitors E. coli, a microscopic organism that can contaminate drinking water and indicate fecal contamination from sewage or animal waste. While most E. coli bacteria are harmless, some strains can cause illness.
Water quality teams across Oregon and SW Washington test water samples, allowing you to make informed decisions about when and where you swim.
Follow The Water
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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