  
Signing Off for the Spring!
The outcome of the 2026 Short Session by the numbers.
With the conclusion of session now almost two weeks behind us, Rep. Cate and I have been busy wrapping up our final end of session mass communications into the district before a mandated "blackout" period in the 60-day leadup to the May primary election. During this time, we cannot send out legislative mailers like the one below you may have received in your mailbox this week—and sadly—these digital newsletters. The blackout period is obviously not ideal to keep you as informed on happenings throughout House District 11 as we'd like, but we also appreciate the importance of not influencing the outcomes of our elections.
As such, we have done our best to cover as many upcoming events as we could in the section below, and we look forward to resuming our monthly interim newsletters after May 19th! One thing not affected by the blackout is our office being a resource to you. Please continue to reach out to us if you have any questions, comments, or concerns and we will do our best to assist!
We'd be remiss not to give a quick update on SB 1599 before signing off. You may have heard that last week, a Marion County Circuit Court judge upheld this bill and allowed the gas tax referendum to be accelerated to the May 2026 ballot. Now, opponents of the bill have taken a new case up with a federal court. Rather than re-litigating only whether the Legislature can move the election date, the newest lawsuit targets how that decision was implemented—arguing that the compressed timeline unfairly restricts participation in the voter pamphlet process by making it difficult to gather signatures or forcing payment for inclusion.
With the timing of an outcome still uncertain and with ballots mailed out to voters in about six weeks, the Secretary of State is still moving forward assuming the May date for the ballot initiative will stick, but there is always the possibility of more twists and turns, so be sure to stay informed as we all continue to learn more.
We want to extend a huge congratulations to all students in House District 11 receiving their FFA State Degrees at the state convention tomorrow in Redmond! Earning a state degree is a prestigious honor in the FFA program, and shows that these students have demonstrated exceptional prowess in our agriculture sector during their time in the program. See below for a full list of degree recipients from the district!
Jayne Neal - Central Linn
Greyson Tenbusch - Central Linn
Brooklyn Winningham - Central Linn
Angus Smith - East Linn Christian Academy
Audrey Smith - East Linn Christian Academy
James Johnson - Harrisburg
Henry Scheffel - Harrisburg
Brianne Dabel - Jefferson
Maclara Mulkey - Jefferson
Maddalin Howard- Lebanon
Aubree Rankin - Lebanon
Troy Bochsler - Scio
Nolan Buganski - Scio
Jake Donner - Scio
Kaylie Cooley - Sweet Home
Caden Foley - Sweet Home
Do you know of anyone in House District 11 who deserves to be acknowledged? Send us your nominations at Rep.JamiCate@oregonlegislature.gov
Concert and Raffle for a Cause in Jefferson Saturday
Join Up to Something as they play the hits at Jefferson's United Methodist Church this Saturday at 7:00 p.m.! There will also be a dessert and raffle, with all proceeds benefitting the Lion's Club chapter in Jefferson. Tickets are sold at the door!
 Help Send Off the Lebanon Explosion Dance Team
Come support the Lebanon Explosion Dance Team as they head to the State Dance Competition! Because they are leaving early on Saturday morning, they won't get the traditional send-off with the student body, and it would be great to see the community come together to fill that gap.
Please consider joining community members cheering them on just after 7:00 a.m. this Saturday as they depart from Lebanon High School's parking lot!
 Halsey Easter Egg Hunts
Aspiring Easter egg hunters in the Halsey area will have two opportunities to race for prizes this year! Prefer an evening hunt? Central Valley Church will have free dinner and an egg hunt at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 3rd. If mornings are more your thing, there will be a hunt at Halsey Park at 10:00 a.m. the following morning, so don't miss out!
 Sweet Home Easter Egg Hunt
Wiley Creek Senior Living is opening its doors on Saturday, April 11th at 2:00 p.m. for an Easter egg hunt extravaganza! Groups are segregated by age, with each having a shot at a golden egg prize, so come on out!
 Lebanon Chamber of Commerce Business Exposition
The Lebanon Chamber of Commerce will be having its next business expo on April 16th! Whether you own a business yourself or just want to see what the local community has to offer, this is a great opportunity to connect with those influential to Lebanon's economy.
 Sweet Home Blooms & Brews Festival April 25th
The City of Sweet Home's Park & Tree Committee is hosting a Blooms and Brews spring festival Saturday, April 25th at Sankey Park, and you're invited! Shop with nature-based vendors, listen to live music, enjoy local beer and wine in what promises to be a great day in the park.
 Boys & Girls Club Night of Stars May 2nd
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Santiam is celebrating 50 years of their amazing work! Join them at the Lebanon Clubhouse Saturday, May 2nd for an evening complete with a dinner and auction to benefit the organization.
 Halsey Library 5K Fundraiser May 9th
Lace up and support the Halsey Public Library! The annual Halsey Library "Book-It" 5K Run/Walk will take place on May 9th at 10:00a.m., so mark your calendars! All proceeds go towards library programs and events.
Click here to register or to learn more! You may also register in-person at the Library or City Hall. The cost is just $35 and includes a t-shirt. Discounts are also available for seniors, kids, and teams!
 Lamb & Wool Fair Car Show May 15th
The famous Linn County Lamb & Wool Fair in Scio is just around the corner, and we especially want to highlight the 25th anniversary of the annual car show! Registration is still open, so sign your vehicle up to have a shot at bringing home awards on May 15th!
 
Celebrate Cherry Blossom Day at the Capitol
The cherry blossom trees are in full bloom on the Capitol Mall! Celebrate with folks from around the state--both inside and outside the Capitol--from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and learn about Japanese history while taking in the sights. The weather is looking promising this year, so don't miss out on this opportunity!
 Design the Linn County Fair's T-Shirt!
Linn County 4-H's County Fair t-shirt design contest is now open! It's just like it sounds: Linn County 4-H members have the exciting opportunity to create a design that may be chosen for this year's county fair t-shirts. Designs must be submitted by May 15th to this link!
 
Gas tax opponents file federal suit over voters pamphlet deadlines
Statesman Journal
The new lawsuit, filed on March 17, has a different focus from the first one and more closely resembles a different federal case where the judge granted some of the requests. The new suit was filed against Read on behalf of the Right to Vote on the Gas Tax PAC, four individuals and an unspecified number of unidentified people.
Price tag to replace Interstate 5 Bridge could cost billions more than expected
The Oregonian
Washington and Oregon officials now say it could cost more than $15 billion to replace the Interstate 5 Bridge between Portland and Vancouver and upgrade a five-mile segment of the freeway, a huge increase from the most recent estimate released in 2022.
New committee tasked with ensuring ODOT audit findings are corrected
Statesman Journal
A new Audit Accountability Committee will hold the Oregon Department of Transportation responsible for following through on audit corrections. The Oregon Transportation Commission, ODOT's governing body, approved the committee's creation at a March 12 meeting. Recent internal audits have found issues spotted in audits completed years before — and plans to fix them — remained unaddressed, sometimes more than a decade later.
All Oregon school districts have now implemented Gov. Kotek's order banning cellphone use during school hours
KTVZ
Governor Tina Kotek visited Estacada High School Wednesday to see how Executive Order 25-09 is working, now that 100 percent of Oregon school districts have implemented her executive order banning cell phone use by students during school hours.
US House committee raises concerns over Oregon Health Plan amid Trump’s 'war on fraud'
KOIN
Amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on fraud within Medicaid, a congressional committee is setting its sights on Oregon — demanding information about the Oregon Health Plan and cases of waste, fraud and abuse.
Sine Die on 2026's Legislative Session
One Week To Go: Sine Die is Imminent!
Big Deadlines Mean Bills Are Living and Dying
Week Two of Session Recap
Session is Underway: 5 days down, 30 to go!
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