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Hello Friends,
It seems like the 2015 Session is flying by – I can hardly
believe we are already at the end of March. This month I was very excited to
kick off the first meeting of my Small Business Advisory Council on March 18th, and I am very much looking forward to hosting another Constituent Coffee this Saturday in North Plains.
Constituent
Coffee:
Constituent Coffees are an opportunity for me to meet with you in-person and in-district to discuss issues that are important to you. Think of
it as a casual, discussion-oriented town hall. Past Constituent
Coffees have been held in Hillsboro and Forest Grove. This coming Saturday, March 28th, is my first Constituent Coffee in North Plains! Mark your calendar and plan to join me this
Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at “Hits the Spot Café” located at 10355
NW Glencoe Rd, Suite D, North Plains.
Small Business
Advisory Council
I received many applications from business owners representing a wide
cross-section of businesses from all around Senate District 15 – thank you to
everyone who spent the time and energy applying for the Council. I am pleased
to introduce the members of the Small Business Advisory Council:
The Council will meet approximately once a month in-district to discuss roadblocks to their businesses success, and brainstorm legislative solutions to those issues. They will then pass on their recommendations to me to consider changes here in Salem.
Committee
Highlights
Finance
& Revenue – This month in the Senate Finance &
Revenue committee we have heard a number of interesting bills including SB 565 -- The Revitalize Main Street Act -- which would create a tax credit for renovations
of certain historic buildings.
Business
& Transportation – One of the bills we passed out of committee
this month was SB 533 -- the “Dead Red” bill. This bill allows motorcyclists to proceed through a red
light after one full cycle if the sensor does not pick them up. The committee members amended the
bill so that bicyclists may proceed through a red light after a full light
cycle, too.
Joint
Ways & Means Subcommittee on Information Technology – This month the IT Subcommittee has been continuing to hear testimony
about the current state of IT projects in Oregon. We heard from representatives
of various departments across the state, including the Department of Revenue, Department
of Corrections, Department of Transportation, Department of Human Services, Department
of Education, and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission.
Snapshots
 A big “Thank You” to BJ’s Coffee in Forest Grove
for hosting my last Constituent Coffee on February 21st – don’t forget to join me this coming
Saturday (3/28) for my next Constituent Coffee at Hits The Spot Café in North
Plains.
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 On March 3rd,
I had the opportunity and pleasure to speak with about 90 students from the 6th
grade classes at Indian Hills Elementary School during their visit to the State Capitol, and spent time with them to answer their questions about
state government. As always, this is your Capitol and if you’re planning a trip
to Salem be sure to contact my office, or just drop by so we can meet.
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Community Announcements
This has been a good month for businesses in District 15! On March 11th, Laika announced that it was expanding its production facility in Hillsboro by 70%. The larger facility will allow Laika to speed up their production, which means fans will only have to wait one year between films instead of two. And just this morning Genentech announced it was investing $125 million in its Hillsboro site. That money will go towards expanding their facilities and adding up to 100 more jobs. Congratulations to both Laika and Genentech on their upcoming expansions, and thank you for reinvesting in our community!
I also wanted to raise awareness about a Prescription Drug Drop Off Day happening in Hillsboro on April 18th. Safely disposing unused prescription drugs helps protect the environment and human health. You can drive up and drop off unwanted medications at the Hillsboro Police Department from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 18th.
Stay in Touch!
We want to stay in contact with you! If you are not already subscribed, please visit my legislative website and enter your email address into the “e-Subscribe” box at the right so that you never miss a newsletter. You will also find me on Facebook, or you can follow me on Twitter to stay up to date with what I am up to. Or, you can always check the Events Calendar on my legislative website!
As always, I am here to serve you. If there is something I can do to assist you, don’t hesitate to reach out to my office.
Sincerely,
 Senator Chuck Riley
Senate District 15
email: Sen.ChuckRiley@state.or.us I phone: 503-986-1715
address: 900 Court St NE, S-303, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/riley
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