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To contact me, please click here: Rep.KevinMannix@oregonlegislature.gov
Hello Friends,
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and are enjoying the start to this new year. I am looking forward to another year serving as your State Representative. With the 2026 legislative Session just two weeks ahead, and having concluded another round of legislative days, the work of the coming Session is already well underway. See below for an update on my legislative priorities for the upcoming Session, as well as other recent developments around the Capitol.
 Transportation Package Recall
After the passage of the new transportation package, followed by a successful referral petition, Governor Kotek has now called for a repeal of the package that was to be implemented on January 1.
 This means the removal of additional taxes that would have been repealed by the pending ballot initiative, scheduled for November, would no longer be necessary. However, it would also halt several important provisions, including the restriction of tolling authority, long‑needed corrections to weight‑mile issues affecting the trucking industry, and enhanced accountability measures for ODOT oversight.
We must work to have a comprehensive discussion about the effects of this proposed repeal and what transportation needs must be met for our state to function. My hope is that we can continue building on transportation reform while keeping affordability at the forefront for the people we serve.
 Short Session Legislation
I have the opportunity to introduce two legislative priority bills for the February session. See below for information as to these bills.
Kristil's Law
In 2024, we made major progress strengthening Oregon’s anti‑stalking laws with the passage of HB 4156, adding long‑overdue technology‑focused protections. I’m proud to continue this work in the upcoming 2026 session with the introduction of Kristil’s Law.
This bill would require communications companies doing business in Oregon to respond to search warrants within 48 hours when the underlying crime involves stalking or domestic violence.
Stalking and domestic violence were prioritized because of their strong correlation with serious injury and homicide:
- 80% of stalking victims report being stalked through technology
- Stalking increases the risk of intimate partner homicide threefold
- 85% of attempted and 76% of completed femicides by an intimate partner involved stalking in the prior 12 months
- 74% of individuals stalked by a former intimate partner report prior violence or coercive control
- 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men experience stalking in their lifetimes
- 40% of stalkers are current or former intimate partners
Kristil’s Law arose following the murder of Kristil Krug on December 14, 2023. Kristil was stalked over a two-month period by her husband, who used digital tools both to terrorize her and to frame an innocent man. Law enforcement issued multiple search warrants during the investigation, but responses from communications companies were not received until weeks after her death—despite the fact that the same information was provided within hours when exigent requests were later made.
 Click here to watch my most recent interview on KATU
Kristil did everything right: she documented the stalking, sought help from law enforcement, and appropriate warrants were issued. The system functioned as designed, yet it failed to protect her. Kristil’s Law seeks to correct this systemic gap. Her family firmly believes that had this law been in place, Kristil would still be alive today. This legislation is fundamentally about homicide prevention.
Kristil’s cousin, Becky Ivanoff, is a former Deputy District Attorney out of Lane County and the primary champion behind this bill. Her hope is to get something passed in Oregon and have other states follow. I look forward helping make that possible.
Salem Area Mass Transit Accountability
In addition to Kristil's Law, I am happy to introduce legislation addressing the Salem Area Mass Transit District (Cherriots). As you may know, beginning January 1, 2026, the unelected Cherriots Board will have the authority to impose a payroll tax or other significant financing mechanisms on businesses within the district without voter approval.
This bill would require voter approval before the Board could implement any payroll tax or new funding mechanism. Local polling shows overwhelming opposition to a transit payroll tax, and there is growing concern that, absent legislative action, this issue will continue to go unchecked.
 Businesses in our region are already carrying heavy financial burdens simply to remain viable. In addition, the City of Salem’s own polling indicates that transit is not currently among residents’ top priorities; issues such as homelessness and public safety rank significantly higher (transit does not even make the top 10 on the city’s priority list). Despite this, the Cherriots Board could raise approximately $40 million per year toward transit without meaningful input from the community or the taxpayers funding it.
Transit is important to our region, and we should continue to pursue thoughtful and sustainable transit solutions. However, decisions of this magnitude should be approved by the voters who will ultimately pay for them, rather than made solely by an unelected board whose mission is focused on transit rather than broader community needs.
New Bills Into Effect
With the passage of the new year, a number of bills from the 2025 session went into effect, including three which I was proud to champion.
For years there have been concerns about the Oregon Court of Appeals and their process in which a judge decides whether a person who is alleged to be mentally ill should be required to go to a psychiatric hospital or accept other mental health treatment. Because of past guidelines it unfortunately was almost impossible for someone to be admitted into a psychiatric facility, like the State Hospital, before something tragic happened.
HB 2467 expanded the criteria of involuntary civil commitment of individuals with mental illness. It defines key terms like "dangerous to self," "dangerous to others," and "serious physical harm" to provide clarity in legal proceedings so that parents and guardians of individuals who need help to care for their loved ones can access it before someone gets hurt, or in some cases killed. I was happy to testify in support of HB 2467 back in April and voted in favor of its passage on the floor. I am happy this new guideline is now law in our state.
Past Oregon law allowed for 17-year-olds to be married as long as they received approval from a guardian. During the last legislative session, I met with advocates and survivors of child marriage who raised serious concerns about this policy. They explained that the law effectively allowed parents to sign a child into marriage without the child’s meaningful consent. Because minors lack full legal standing in many areas, those married at 17 often found it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to leave abusive relationships, especially when the spouse was significantly older.
With these concerns in mind, I was proud to serve as a co‑chief sponsor of SB 548. This legislation raises the minimum marriage age to 18 and closes the loophole that put young people at risk.
According to estimates from the national advocacy organization Unchained At Last, more than 3,600 minors were married in Oregon between 2000 and 2021. As of January 1, SB 548 is now in effect, ensuring these protections are in place moving forward.
As highlighted in my last newsletter, I am happy that HB 2299 has now been put into effect. Any individual who is now affected by the harm of AI‑generated intimate images has new strengthened protections against their perpetrators, and we know our courts now have clear, direct guidelines they can follow when handling these types of cases. This is an important step toward ensuring that people have meaningful recourse when their privacy is violated through emerging technologies, and it reinforces our commitment to safeguarding Oregonians in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
 House Honorary Page Program is Back!
 The 2026 House Honorary Page Program application is now open for scheduling! The program is a unique opportunity for young minds to engage directly with the legislative process and gain invaluable experience at the Oregon State Capitol. The program is a one-day program, from 9:00am – 3:00pm. Transportation and lunch is not provided. The program is open to students aged 13-17 and runs Monday – Thursday from February 9 – February 26.
Interested students may fill out an application here: https://forms.office.com/g/H6zVQBHS50
For any questions, please email Civics.Education@oregonlegislature.gov or call the Chief Clerk’s Office at 503-986-1870.
Legislative Website
In case you missed it in last month's letter, a new version of my legislative website has been launched and includes some exciting new information and involvement opportunities. See below to view the new available pages and find connections to assistance like, government resources, legislative updates, past legislative successes and more!
Postmark Changes to United States Mail
 The U.S. Postal Service is warning that mail in Oregon and nationwide may no longer receive a postmark on the day it’s dropped off, which could affect time‑sensitive items like Election Day ballots, tax returns, and merchandise returns; customers who need a same‑day postmark are urged to request one at a post office counter. Because of the decrease in postmarking facilities, mail from elsewhere in the state may travel long distances before being stamped, a change tied to broader USPS cost‑cutting efforts amid declining mail volume. The agency is not identifying which post offices may experience delays, saying it doesn’t want customers to overinterpret the information, and it notes that a delayed postmark doesn’t necessarily mean slower delivery, as some items may still arrive sooner or later than before.
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Recently, I had the privilege of joining fellow community members at the grand opening of Hunter Communications. I am delighted to see the expansion of business here in Oregon. It represents meaningful economic growth in our communities and, in this case, the possibility for greater high-speed connectivity for Salem. |
I was invited to speak at the Salem City Club meeting on January 8, where I shared my upcoming legislative plans and listened to their questions about the community and the upcoming session. It is always a wonderful opportunity to connect and hear from constituents in Salem. |
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A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of joining the Capitol Foundation Board in honoring Margie Courtney for her extraordinary contributions to the Oregon Legislature and the Capitol Foundation. Since the Foundation’s beginning in 1997, her support and partnership have been invaluable, and we are deeply grateful for her lasting impact.
Margie is seated above alongside myself and the Capitol Foundation’s Chair and Vice Chair.
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On Jan 6 Pho Keizer celebrated the grand opening of its second location with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in Keizer. It is exciting to see the continued growth of our local small businesses. I encourage everyone to visit Pho Keizer and support our local businesses—strong local businesses are what make our community thrive! |
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It is always an honor to represent you in the Oregon Legislature. If there are things my office can assist you with, do not hesitate to reach out via the information below.
Yours truly,
 Representative Kevin Mannix
House District 21
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1421
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-384, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.KevinMannix@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mannix
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