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Rep.SarahFingerMcDonald@oregonlegislature.gov

Fighting For Oregon & The Nation

Hello Friends,

Most of this newsletter will be about the 2026 short legislative session. But before we get to that, I must address the unhinged, uncontrolled, and unethical actions of federal immigration agents in Minneapolis and Oregon.

Trampling on Constitutional rights and killing people exercising their essential rights is unacceptable. Terrorizing our communities is unacceptable. Racial profiling, targeting sensitive spaces, ignoring due process, all also unacceptable. I share with you the grief and horror you feel as you watch people attacked and killed and members of the Trump administration victim blame. I join you in calling for immediate change.

I was asked at the LWV townhall on Saturday about my response to people who say, “This is not our country.” I was also asked where to find hope at a time that feels so dark and hopeless.

Here’s the thing. This is our country. You may or may not have voted for this administration, but either way, our country did. When we say this isn’t our country, it is too easy to turn away and not work to make things better. It is too easy to hunker down and wait for change to come. But that change won’t come unless we take responsibility and bring it.

The people who are working to bring the change are where I find hope. We know about the observers documenting the horrendous, militarized immigration actions and the risks they are facing. There is also a network of volunteers and donors in Minneapolis supporting the community with groceries, rent payments, childcare, and even a tow truck company that is picking up cars abandoned when people are grabbed and is keeping them safe. The frontline observers and the behind-the-scenes helpers are the hope. And they are here in Oregon too where we are still facing aggressive immigration actions including shootings and detention of young children. We have observers (training opportunity), legal assistance, and help with everyday needs too. Donate and get involved if you can and don’t forget, there are mid-term elections right around the corner.

What am I doing? Well, the 2026 legislative session is kicking off and I'm more than ready to go - I'm eager. While the current administration embraces authoritarianism, my colleagues and I are ready to stand up for Oregon.

This session is a sprint - 35 days! We have been working hard ahead of time and so we can hit the ground running. We're talking 12hr days - 15 meetings per day, committee hearings, floor session, caucus, and pushing back on special interests. If your bills aren't scheduled to move in the first 10 days. So all the learning, crafting, and amending has to be done ahead of time or bills die without every getting off the starting line.

Students Can't Learn if They Don't Feel Safe

House Bill 4079 - Safeguarding Students and Families Bill

Once upon a time immigration agents would not go into sensitive places like schools, churches, and hospitals. Sadly, that is no longer the case and students and families are staying away from school because they are afraid of being targeted by ICE and the alphabet soup of agents carrying out thuggery and detaining people. Students at school are afraid their parents won’t be there when they go home. And we know this isn’t just impacting convicted felons as we were told. It is families of people who have committed the civil violation of being undocumented, students who are here legally as refugees and green card holders, and citizens who are racially profiled. Everyday students and families are making calculations about whether it is safe for them to come to school.

Schools are where we take our nervous 5-year-old babies to take their first steps in education. They are where we send our teenagers to flex their wings and begin a path to independence. They are where we pursue our dreams and train for careers. They should be trusted places where we celebrate milestones like science fairs and concerts and game winning goals.

The “Safeguarding students and families” bill provides information from a trusted source to help our families. It requires that Oregon’s public schools, k-12 and higher education institutions, notify families, students, and staff when the presence of immigration agents is verified on school grounds or campuses. We will provide information so students and families feel safe doing what so many of us took for granted this morning – pack up backpacks and lunchboxes, and rush out the door to school where they are secure and welcome.

My bill is part of a package of bills to protect immigrants and push back on federal overreach. I am proud to be part of a team of legislators standing up for Oregon. We are strengthening existing laws and putting new policies in place because this is our country and our state.

Contact legislative leadership and let them know you support notifications when ICE comes on campus:

Rep.JulieFahey@oregonlegislature.gov

Rep.BenBowman@oregonlegislature.gov

Sen.RobWagner@oregonlegislature.gov

Sen.KayseJama@oregonlegislature.gov

In addition, please join me in the House Committee on Education on February 4th for a Public Hearing on this bill!

Balcony (Plug-In) Solar

5 Billion Years of Energy!

House Bill 4080 - Plug-in (Balcony) Solar

I first learned about solar energy when Pres. Carter was installing solar panels at the White House in 1979. It was exotic and expensive technology then and it remains expensive to install in our homes now. Rooftop solar got more expensive on Jan. 1 when the current administration allowed incentives to expire. Renters and owners without access to a roof often don’t have the option installing solar at all. At a time of rising energy costs and atmospheric CO2, we need more options.

Straight from the Beehive State (Utah) - came a piece of legislation that proactively removed barriers for consumers to purchase and use smaller solar panels that can plug directly into their homes. These panels can be placed on balconies, in backyards, on the side of a building, etc. The goal is to allow all consumers to participate in green energy generation, and offset their electricity costs. These systems can also be paired with a battery, allowing for resiliency when the power goes out.

HB 4080 removes permitting barriers and sets up requirements to allow the adoption of plug-in solar ONLY AFTER all the federal and state safety certification and code writing is complete. We don’t want to skip safety steps but we do want to make access to plug-in solar as easy as possible once we know how to make it safe for our homes.

Contact legislative leadership and let them know you support Plug-in Solar:

Rep.JulieFahey@oregonlegislature.gov

Rep.BenBowman@oregonlegislature.gov

Sen.RobWagner@oregonlegislature.gov

Sen.KayseJama@oregonlegislature.gov

In addition, please join me in the House Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment on February 5th for a Public Hearing on this bill!

Participate in the process:

I’ve now invited you to 2 legislative hearings. I understand if you can’t (or don’t want to) attend. There are lots of ways to participate in the legislative process.

1. Just by reading my newsletter and keeping up with what’s going on, you are participating. You already know more than most people.

2. You can email legislators about bills or issues that are important to you.

3. Once session starts and bills are officially scheduled, you can submit written testimony - OLIS Help Testimony.

4. You can testify for or against a bill during a committee hearing. Testimony can be delivered in person or remotely. Be aware that time is short. Each person usually gets 2-3 minutes and we can run out of time. It’s not a bad idea to submit your testimony in writing too - OLIS Help Testimony.

5. Join a lobby day. Many advocacy groups organize days at the capital for their supporters. They will give you training and information and set up appointments for you with legislators and staff. Never be discouraged if you meet with staff. Lawmakers are usually on the run and staff will have more time to talk and they’ll share your information with the lawmaker.

Session Timeline

As the 2026 Legislative Session kicks off next Monday, things can move very quickly. Although each member is limited to two legislative concepts, the deadlines for the bills to move arrive fast. Here's an idea of the timeline we're working with:

February 2nd - First Day of Session

February 8th - Seahawks Win the Superbowl

February 9th - First Chamber Work Session Posting Deadline

February 16 - First Chamber Work Session Deadline

February 20 - Second Chamber Work Session Posting Deadline

February 22nd - Spurs Beat Arsenal

February 26 - Second Chamber Work Session Deadline

March 8 - Sine Die

That means that policy committees will only be meeting a handful of times to hear bills before they move!

Housing, Jobs, & Healthcare

House Democrats are focused on lowering the cost of living by expanding affordable housing, growing good-paying jobs, and protecting workers and consumers. We're also pushing back against federal attacks on basic rights and vulnerable communities.

Since 2023, Oregon has helped build or finance thousands of new homes. While progress is being made, we must move more quickly to ensure every Oregonians can afford a place to call home. Last session we were able to bring back $4M in infrastructure dollars to Adair Village, allowing them to expand housing development and add up to 1000 units of new housing in the Corvallis School District.

We must grow our private sector to help local economies thrive and fight back against the Trump Administration's dismantling of labor protections that sustain fair wages and safe working conditions. It is also essential that we help businesses start and scale in Oregon. At the same time, we will ask our agencies to reexamine our economic development strategies, our permit application processes, and program structures to ensure we have a whole-of-government approach to economic development in Oregon.

Under President Trump's budget bill, 400,000 Oregonians could lose their medical coverage. With more people uninsured, rural hospitals and clinics will close, wait times will increase, and medical costs will rise for all Oregonians. We must preserve Oregon's historically high insurance coverage rate and ensure that all Oregonians, no matter what part of the state they live in, maintain access to high-quality care.

Yours truly,

Representative Sarah McDonald
House District 16

email: Rep.SarahFingerMcDonald@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1416
address: 900 Court St NE, H-477, Salem, OR 97301

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website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mcdonald