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Senate Democratic Caucus

Oregon State Legislature coronavirus

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Coronavirus/COVID-19

Stay home. Save lives.

The Governor and the Oregon Health Authority are maintaining pages of resources:

 


​The Governor has announced plans for a slow, gradual and safe plan for Reopening Oregon. You can view an explanation of the plan below.

 


 

Social distancing is critically important to slow the spread of coronavirus. By following the Governor’s regulations to limit contact with others you are helping to save lives, flatten the curve and preserve resources at our limited medical supplues and overburdened facilities.


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Stay home and save lives. To ensure Oregonians help to slow the spread the Governor has closed a a variety of non-essential businessed. Please, do not leave unless absolutely necessary. Grocery shop when you need​ to. Do not hoard items. If you go outside, only do so if you are able to stay 6 feet away from others. Cancel social gatherings for the forseeable future. This is serious. We need everyone working together.

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By following these crucial steps, we have a chance to manage our ability to care for those who contract coronavirus/COVID-19. These steps will make a meaningful difference.

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The Governor has issued Executive Orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic:

 

 

 
 
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Resources: Insurance and Utilities​
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Health Insurance
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If you're on the Oregon Health Plan and you've lost employment or income, visit www.one.oregon.gov.

​Unemployment Insurance
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​The Oregon Employment Department has issued new regulations to make Unemployment Insurance more accessible.
OED also has additional resources for employers and employees.

​Utilities Support
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Utility and internet providers have made a great deal of resources available including no-cost installation, 
no-shut off agreements, and disallowing late fees. Find details here.​


 
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Resources: Food and Necessities

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​​Pantries and Food Sites

 
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Oregon Food Bank has a "Food Finder" page, follow this link​ and add your zip code to find options near you.

SNAP and WIC
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If you have recently been laid off or had work hours cut, you may be eligible for SNAP. You can apply for SNAP even if your last 30-days of income are not representative of what your income will be moving forward. DHS takes recent changes in your situation into account right away when determining benefits. Apply online here.

WIC is available and working on ways to provide services without visits to their offices including that WIC clients no longer need to show up in-person for appointments. Some other requirements have been altered or waived, including signatures and between visit information collection.

The Department of Human Services also has information on cash assistance, help with child care costs, and more.

Meals for Students

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Many schools are offering grab and go meals for students and youth. Visit this list​ to find information on your school district.

 
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Legislative ​​Response:

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On Thursday, April 23rd the Joint Emergency Board met in a remote session in order to allocate over $30 million to support Oregon's greatest needs and fill gaps federal assistance has yet to meet. The Emergency Board focused on those who have been left out of federal relief funds or other public benefits. I am grateful for their work and the relief this will provide to Oregonians and small businesses. ​

​Below is a break down of the approved funds:

    • Safe Shelter and Rent Assistance - $12 million
      • $3.5 million for safe shelter/social distancing alternatives for vulnerable populations.
      • $8.5 million for rent assistance for individuals who have lost income due to the pandemic.
    • Small Business Assistance - $10 million
      • Grants or loans through community lenders for small businesses with no more than 25 employees that are impacted by the pandemic restrictions and have not received support from the federal CARES Act.
        • Note: The $10 million is made up of $5 million from the Emergency Fund matched with $5 million from existing funds in the Oregon Business Development Department.
    • Oregon Worker Relief Fund - $10 million
      • Community-based wage assistance program for laid off workers who do not qualify for unemployment benefits due to immigration status or other factors.
    • Domestic Violence Housing Support - $2 million
      • Emergency housing for victims of domestic and sexual violence.
    • Long-Term Care Worker Training and Testing - $3.35 million
      • Coronavirus training and testing resources for workers serving very vulnerable Oregonians. This allocation may be replaced by federal response dollars.


In March the Legislature created the Joint Special Committee on Coronavirus Response in order to gather information from public health experts as well as economic analysts to provide the Oregon Legislature with a plan to respond and intervene into the current crisis with solutions that will protect the health of Oregonians and the state's economy. 

Please visit the Committee's page on the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS) by clicking here. 

This chart reflect the policies the committee is considering, view by clicking here.

Watch past meetings:​ 3/18/20, 3/20/20, 3/23/20, 3/24/20

Upcoming meeting(s): TBD​