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To contact me, please click here: Rep.Farrah.Chaichi@oregonlegislature.gov
Prior to the President of the United States illegally and dangerously deploying the National Guard to our beautiful state, I wanted to make sure that I was keeping my constituents safe and informed about the severity of the situation we are currently facing in this country. However, in light of recent events, information is not enough, we need preparation.
With reports each day about the harm and abuse that Federal agents are perpetrating on our fellow Americans, including here in Oregon, I could not be more grateful that Innovation Law Lab and the Oregon Justice Resource Center have agreed to come to House District 35 to provide a “Know Your Rights” training to our community.
If this is something you, your family, your neighbors, or your community are interested in, please register using the QR code in the flyer above or using this link. The training will be held on October 27th at 6:00pm. The address will be provided after registration in order to ensure safety for the attendees, the presenters, and the elected officials. We hope to see you there.
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 Representative Chaichi at the Governor's bill-signing of the affordable energy package
On August 25th, I attended a bill signing ceremony with the Governor and dozens of advocates, legislators, and community members to celebrate the passage of four key pieces of legislation during the 2025 Legislative Session.
House Bills 3546, 3179, 3792, and Senate Bill 688 are consumer protection laws that will directly reduce energy costs faced by everyday Oregonians. Together, these laws stop utility rate increases during winter months when people need to keep the heat on, prevent massive data centers from shifting the cost of infrastructure to residential energy users, require more accountability for utilities that have poor performance, and add an additional $20M to Oregon’s low-income energy assistance program.
To quote a life-long advocate for the working class of Oregon, Bob Jenks, the Executive Director of Oregon’s Citizens’ Utility Board, "This year, lawmakers took big steps to addressing Oregon's energy affordability crisis. Help is on the way to stop utilities from charging luxury prices for a basic, essential service."
In the 2025 session, I was proud to Co-Sponsor Oregon’s historic Freedom to Read Act (SB 1098) that will protect our libraries, schools, and communities from censorship and maintain intellectual freedom for all. This bill was signed into law and went into effect July 17, 2025.
The timing could not have been more important for this crucial piece of legislation. We heard reports during the committee hearings that the Oregon Department of Education received more requests to remove books than at any other point in the 40 years since the Oregon State Library began tracking these challenges.
The pattern that Oregon's Intellectual Freedom Clearinghouse (OIFC) found in these requests was startling: 87% of the materials requested for removal were those that told the stories of one or more underrepresented groups. 66% of challenged materials focused on 2SLGBTQIA+ people, while 22% centered Black, Indigenous, or people of color.
Our country was founded on fundamental, intrinsic, and unalienable freedoms - one of the most important being the ability to read, think, write, and speak for ourselves. Thanks to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), teachers, librarians, students, and many other organizations across the state, Oregon Democrats successfully safeguarded this foundational freedom for our future generations. And the best part is, we got to celebrate at the world-famous Powell’s Bookstore!
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Representative Chaichi in her office before sending out letters to her constituents
For folks who follow me on social media (Instagram or Facebook), you might have already seen my post about the Oregon State Treasury Unclaimed Property Program that holds Oregonians unclaimed assets such as uncashed checks, forgotten security deposits, and tax refunds. A few years ago, when I first learned about this program, I discovered I had a check waiting for me from a medical overpayment!
We received a list from the Oregon State Treasury of people who live in my district (HD 35) that might have unclaimed property waiting for them to be claimed. Many of the personal details were redacted in the file that came to my office from the Oregon State Treasury, so I encourage you to visit the Oregon Treasury Website to look for yourself. You might have a check from an insurance company for an overpayment, or a family military insignia, or an heirloom left to you by a distant family member.
If you didn’t see my post, and you live in House District 35, check your mail! Our office already received a message from an HD 35 constituent in Aloha saying that he had three unclaimed checks waiting for him!
On September 26th, I had the honor of attending the Affordable Housing Preservation Project celebration at the recently renovated Holly Tree Apartments alongside local leaders and housing advocates. This effort was led by the Housing Authority of Washington County, Oregon Housing and Community Services, and local partners restoring nearly 600 low-income rental units across Aloha, Beaverton, Cornelius, Forest Grove, Hillsboro, and Tigard, including the Aloha Park apartments in Beaverton.
Regardless of how much money you make, your immigration status, or your zip code, everyone deserves a safe and accessible place to call home. Housing is a human right and these restorations and renovations will improve the lives of countless low-income renters throughout Washington County.
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 Photo Credit: City of Beaverton
I know and feel the pain and stress of the current situation we are living in here in Oregon and in America. I watch the stories in the local news about ICE invasions on our streets, I get updates from my friends and family who are worried about their safety, and I feel the anxiety over every extra dollar I have to spend on the things I need. However, this is a moment that offers us, as a community, a chance to join our community members and make our voices heard.
In Beaverton, we have 13 boards and commissions, ranging in topics from the arts to climate action, traffic, libraries, city budgeting, and more. I served for seven years on Beaverton’s Human Rights Advisory Council!
Beaverton’s Boards and Commissions are a great way to get involved in your community, make a difference where you live, and share your ideas and feedback on what matters to you. This is an opportunity that gives passionate local volunteers, who are dedicated to the betterment of Beaverton, a voice in local government. Whether it's advising the City Council and the Mayor on important policy issues, creating city-wide events and programs that contribute to the vibrancy of our community, developing plans that aid in realizing the city’s vision, or making critical budgetary and land use planning decisions, the contributions of these volunteers are significant.
Most advisory boards meet once a month for two hours. Members are appointed by Beaverton City Council and serve for 1-3 years. If this is something you are interested in, the application deadline is October 16, 2025. The application is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Korean and takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Feel free to learn more about the application process and I encourage you to apply to a Board or Commission that you feel passionate about.
Please reach out to my office at any time for legislative or constituent matters. My staff and I are committed to serving the constituents of HD 35 and you can reach us at: Rep.FarrahChaichi@oregonlegislature.gov or 503.986.1435. To keep up with my office, consider following me on Facebook or Instagram.
Thank you again for subscribing to my newsletter and for reading the news and updates from our office. Please encourage your neighbors and friends in our district to subscribe to this newsletter if they seem interested. I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to represent you in the Oregon State Legislature.
In solidarity,
 Representative Farrah Chaichi
House District 35
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1435
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-478, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.Farrah.Chaichi@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/chaichi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RepresentativeFarrahChaichi/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FarrahChaichi
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