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To contact me, please click here: Sen.JaneenSollman@oregonlegislature.gov
Friends and Neighbors,
Upcoming Events
March Community Conversations
Join me for a Community Conversation. There are several opportunities to connect this month:
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Friday, March 20th from 10:00-11:00 at BJs Coffee in Forest Grove
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Wednesday, March 25th from 11:00-12:00 at the Cafe inside Hillsboro Barnes and Noble
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Monday, March 30th from 6:00-7:00 for a Joint Town Hall at the Hillsboro Civic Center
I look forward to seeing you soon!
Joint Town Hall in Hillsboro - Monday, March 30th
Join me for a Joint Town Hall with Metro Councilor Juan Carlos Gonzalez and Hillsboro Mayor Beach Pace. Monday, March 30th from 6:00-7:00PM at the Hillsboro Civic Center. We look forward to sharing legislative highlights and hearing directly from you.
Register here or by using the QR code below.
Spring Virtual Community Conversations
There are two upcoming virtual Community Conversation on our calendar as well. Join me online at one, or both, of these events. Registration is required and a link to join the meeting is in the registration form.
Legislative Updates
There are so many policy achievements to be proud of coming out of the 2026 Legislative Session, from bills that will help with affordability, to pushing back against federal overreach, and to growing Oregon's economy. Please see highlights below.
Bills passed that will help with affordability:
- Expanded the Earned Income Tax Credit for 200,000 Oregon families and created a new tax credit for businesses that bring jobs to Oregon (SB 1507)
- Preserved state budgets for health care, education, public safety, and economic development
- Closed loopholes that had allowed lenders to charge as much as 100 percent interest on consumer loans (HB 4116)
- Put Oregonians ahead of huge corporate investors in homebuying (HB 4128)
- Cracked down on ticket scams and rip-offs (HB 4024)
- Strengthened support for veterans (HB 4132)
- Mandated that state-subsidized housing developments meet accessibility standards (SB 1576)
- Removed financial barriers to preventive health care and cervical cancer testing (SB 1598, SB 1527)
- Improved information for families seeking affordable day care (HB 4057)
- Protected renters’ ability to pay their bills using the method they choose, not just online portals that can trigger huge fees (SB 1523)
- Extended the Oregon Imagination Library program (HB 4022)
- Prohibited homeowners’ associations from stopping people who want to make fire-safe improvements to their homes (SB 1551)
- Invested to $100 million to create and preserve affordable housing (SB 5702, HB 4036)
Bills passed that stand up for Oregon values and against federal overreach
- Gave Oregonians the right to sue federal agents or agents from another state operating in Oregon (HB 4114)
- Required law enforcement to be identifiable and unmasked in most situations (HB 4138)
- Banned landlords from disclosing immigration status and other personal information (HB 4123)
- Directed school districts to make plans for what to do when ICE comes on school property (HB 4079)
- Prohibited discrimination in education related to immigration or citizenship status (SB 1538)
- Defended privacy in health care treatments (SB 4088)
- Defended hospitals as places for healing (SB 1570)
- Maintained access to reproductive health care, including abortion (HB 4127)
- Stopped data brokers from sharing, selling, or providing data for the purposes of immigration enforcement (SB 1587)
- Brought participation from immigrant and refugee Oregonians into the implementation of Oregon’s Sanctuary Promise law (SB 1594)
- Prohibited state and local governments from cooperating with the federal government on the sale of public lands (SB 1590)
- Ensured Oregon immigrant communities can work, access the courts, and interact with law enforcement representatives without fear (HB 4111)
- Invested in legal services for immigrant and refugee Oregonians facing frequent disruptions to federal rules for immigration processes (HB 5204)
Bills passed to revitalize Oregon’s economy:
- Set up $25 million in tax credits to bring and keep jobs in Oregon (SB 1507)
- Outlined a partnership to secure the future of the Moda Center and keep the Trailblazers in Portland (SB 1501)
- Eased permitting demands for economic development (HB 4084)
- Updated law on recreational liability waivers to make recreation businesses insurable (SB 1517)
- Invested $42.5 million in OSU Cascades (SB 5701)
- Directed $11.5 million to Williams & Russell Community Development Corporation for affordable office and retail space for small businesses (SB 5701)
- Put $10 million toward regional infrastructure for cities with populations under 25,000 (HB 5204)
- Dedicated $10 million to industrial sites (HB 5204)
- Reduced red tape around developing housing (HB 4037, HB 4082, SB 1521)
- Established low-interest loans for mixed income housing production (SB 1567)
- Bolstered the Prosperity 10,000 workforce program, by directing regional workforce boards to focus on labor shortages and targeted industries (SB 1512)
- Established the Blue Economy Task Force to support the growth of sustainable businesses while maintaining the health of Oregon's coastal ecosystems (SB 1525)
- Dedicated a steady stream of funding to protect Oregon’s natural resources and wildlife (HB 4134)
Bills I Championed and Chief Sponsored this Session
 Last Day of Session Floor Carries and Speeches
Listen. Learn. Act.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
During Women's History Month, we honor the work and legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Born in 1933 and raised in New York City, Ginsburg excelled academically during her time at Columbia Law School. Even early on, she faced immense gender discrimination as one of the few women admitted to a prestigious law institution. Later, she co-founded the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project, where she argued Supreme Court cases that dismantled gender-discriminatory laws. 1993 marked her appointment to the Supreme Court as the second woman in history to serve on the court. There, Ginsburg’s opinions advanced gender equality and voting rights, setting a precedent for future generations. Her commitment to equality in the face of hardships and discrimination serves as a model of courage.
~Athena L.
Photo Source
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Out and About in Senate District 15
Casa Ampara Open House
Earlier today, I was glad to join Centro Cultural, and other community leaders, at Casa Amparo in Forest Grove, for a small open house celebrating recent improvements made possible through $2 million in HOME-ARP funding from Washington County.
We heard about the construction and upgrades the investment supported, and the difference this funding is making for families transitioning out of homelessness. It was also a great opportunity to recognize the continued success of Centro's culturally specific transitional housing model, work that is making a real impact across Western Washington County. I was happy to be there in support.
Forest Grove State of the City
Last night I attended the Forest Grove State of the City address, where the community turned out in force to celebrate the services, programs, and organizations that make Forest Grove such a special place. Thank you to Mayor Malynda Wenzl and the entire Forest Grove team for your hard work and dedication to our community.
Community Outreach
Tax Filing Information
With just over one month left until the April 15 tax filing deadline, the Oregon Department of Revenue is sharing the following information that may be helpful.
Make sure you’re deducting only “qualified” overtime compensation
There are new federal rules related to taxes on overtime compensation that have caused some confusion. “Qualified overtime compensation” is overtime compensation paid to someone that exceeds the regular rate at which they are normally paid, and it does not apply to all overtime.
For example, if a person is paid at “one and one-half times” or “time-and-a-half” their regular rate for an hour of overtime work, it is the “half” portion of the overtime rate that is “qualified overtime compensation.” To determine the new deduction on the federal return and corresponding subtraction on the Oregon return, most people can take the total amount of overtime pay they received and divide it by three to calculate their deduction (one third of their total overtime). You can avoid delays in getting your refund by making sure to only deduct the correct amount of qualifying overtime pay.
This IRS Factsheet provides additional information about the deduction for qualified overtime compensation. DOR may contact taxpayers to ask for additional information about how they calculated their deduction.
Free tax help is available
Oregonians have several free options available to file their tax return electronically. Free tax preparation services are available for low- to moderate-income taxpayers through AARP and CASH Oregon. United Way also offers free tax help through their MyFreeTaxes program. GetYourRefund.org is a new option this year for those with income up to $89,000 and Direct File Oregon is available regardless of income level. Visit the Department of Revenue website to take advantage of the software and free offers and get more information about free tax preparation services.
You must file a return to get your kicker – Use the Kicker Calculator
The kicker is a refundable credit that will either increase a taxpayer's Oregon state income tax refund or decrease the amount of state taxes they owe. It is not sent to taxpayers separately as a check. Taxpayers may use the “What’s My Kicker?” Calculator to determine their credit.
Only taxpayers who filed a tax year 2024 return and file a tax year 2025 return can receive a kicker. The credit is a percentage of Oregon personal income tax liability for the 2024 tax year.
Track your tax refund – Where’s My Refund?
Taxpayers can check the status of their refund on an e-filed return by using the department’s Where’s My Refund? tool. The Department of Revenue recommends that taxpayers wait at least one week after filing an electronic return before using the Where’s My Refund tool. Paper-filed returns won’t show up in the tool until paper-processing begins in late March.
Additional Resources
Senate District 15 – Event Calendars
Federal Delegation Links
Education Links
Food and Housing Assistance
Immigration Resources
Please watch next week's newsletter for an additional list of upcoming Community Conversations scheduled through May. Soon, we will be entering a 60-day blackout period, ahead of the primary election, and will not be sending out legislative newsletters after March 19th through May 20th.
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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