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To contact me, please click here: Sen.DebPatterson@oregonlegislature.gov
2026 Legislative Session in Review
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The legislative session of 2026 is now in the books, and I’m proud of what we have been able to accomplish together. I’m grateful that my bill to protect patients in hospice care passed with strong support in both chambers. Working with the Cancer Action Network and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, we also passed a bill to eliminate cost-sharing for follow-up diagnostic testing for cervical cancer. Oregon is the first state in the nation to take this step. Finally, we moved legislation to increase accessible housing for people with disabilities. You can read more about these bills below.
I was also proud to work with my colleagues to support other bills moving forward, such as protecting funding for critical services. This includes support for hospitals, affordable housing renovation and affordability development, behavioral health care, and the full spectrum of education from early childhood to higher ed. We secured funding for a much-needed building repair at Western Oregon University, protected access to Abiqua Falls for future generations, and codified the Dolly Parton Imagination Library that will help young kids across Oregon access free books. We also worked together to pass bills that will hold federal agents accountable and help our communities remain safe places for all.
The work doesn’t end today, however. I am pleased to have been appointed to a Primary Care Strategy Committee to explore ways to support primary care providers and encourage others to consider training for this work. I am also serving on the Palliative Care Advisory Committee of the National Academy of State Health Policy. And I will be convening a work group to continue the work of SB 1529, which aims to ensure health care access for patients when talks between insurers and hospitals break down, as recently happened in Salem and elsewhere.
Of course, none of this could happen without the skilled and dedicated assistance of our office’s team: Megan Wai, Chief of Staff, and Antonio Martinez, Legislative Aide. I am grateful for their work in coordinating the details of so many issues, and keeping the work moving forward, especially the work groups we have led for months.
There are also many other hardworking staff who us in this work. The Office of Legislative Counsel provided expert legal support in writing bills. The Legislative Policy and Research Office provided a great deal of expert research and analysis of all the bills in each of our communities. The Visitors’ Service Office provided support to the many visitors to the Capitol, and the Capitol Security Team ensured everyone could visit safely. I am also grateful to the many legislative staff in the Senate President’s Office, Clerk of the Senate’s office, and the Senate Majority Office.
I look forward to resuming my meetings out in the community and look forward to visiting with you. Thank you for everyone who engaged with the legislative process this session. Please stay in touch as we look to the future. I’m grateful to be an Oregonian, and I’m grateful to serve as we work together to make this an Oregon that works for everyone.
Sincerely yours,
Deb
Bills Led by Senator Deb Patterson Passed with Bipartisan Support
We delivered meaningful progress for Oregonians this legislative session. I am thrilled that three of my priority bills passed this month--all of them with bipartisan support.
My bill to eliminate cost barriers for cervical cancer screenings (SB 1527) was one of the first bills to pass in the Legislature this year! This bill will help to prevent cancer and save people's lives.
I also passed the Accessible Housing Act (SB 1576), which requires Oregon to build more wheelchair-accessible housing. Accessibility features are key for the health, safety, and dignity of people with disabilities, and I am committed to ongoing work on this issue.
This session, I also authored and passed the Protecting the Dying Act (SB 1575), which stops bad actors from taking advantage of hospice patients. This bill reinforces standards for the high-quality and compassionate care that patients deserve.
Visit from the Willamette University Chamber Choir
On February 24, the Senate opened with a wonderful performance from the Willamette University Chamber Choir. They sang "Make Peace" by David Lang and were conducted by Dr. Anna Song, the Director of Choral Music at Willamette University. We're grateful to them for blessing us with their beautiful music.
Community Forms on High Prescription Drug Prices
Do you think your prescription drugs cost too much? The Oregon Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) will host in-person and online community forums in April and May about the high cost of prescription drugs. The forums are free and Spanish interpretation will be available. American Sign Language will be available at the May 20 board meeting.
Come to a forum and learn why prescription drug costs are so high. Share your story with board staff about how prescription drug prices and medication costs have affected you.
In-person meetings will be held in Salem, Portland, Redmond, and Beaverton with online meetings hosted on Zoom. Also, the May 20 online board meeting will be devoted to hearing from Oregonians about high drug costs.
See the flyer below for more information. If you have questions, send an email to pdab@dcbs.oregon.gov.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1710
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, S-411, Salem, OR, 97301
Email: Sen.DebPatterson@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/patterson
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