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Legislative Update |
June 2014 |
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New Oregon.Gov
www.oregon.gov-The main portal which links Oregonians to all sorts of information about state agencies and programs has been totally revamped. Designed to be user friendly with links to all things about licensing, payments for services, and even fun things to do this summer.
Health Insurance
Get Cover Oregon information at:
www.CoverOregon.com
or call their Customer Service staff at 855-CoverOR (855-268-3767)
Questions about the Federal Affordable Care Act log in to www.healthcare.gov or call
1-877-696-6775
Consumer Tips
The Oregon Department of Justice helps consumers through their special website:
www.oregonconsumer.gov
Click here for Top Ten Consumer Tips to Protect You and Your Family". To file a consumer complaint call their hotline at 877-877-9392 or click here for more.
The State Insurance Division offers help with auto, health, and other insurance. Call the Consumer Advocacy Unit at 888-877-4894 or visit: www.insurance.oregon.gov
November Election Updates
Keep track of possible ballot measures by clicking here for the State Elections Division website. |
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IN THE NEWS |
Oregon Transparency Website
www.oregon.gov/transparency
The OSPIRG Foundation's new report ranks Oregon among the top states for budget information transparency. Click here to read more on the annual report card.
Oregon's received an "A-", which is a significant improvement from the "D" grade in 2009 when Rep Thatcher helped spearhead creation of the transparency website.
OSPIRG's Revealing Tax Subsidies 2014 report contains information about economic development subsidies online. Click here for more.
Rep Thatcher was featured in OSPIRG's annual report talking about transparency initiatives. Click here to read the article.
Chemeketa Leader Leaving
After 7 years at Chemekta Community College, President Cheryl Roberts is moving to a new job at Shoreline Community College in the Seattle area. Thank you Cheryl and best wishes for the future.
Oregon Ranks #1 for Seatbelts
New national report shows Oregonians top the list for drivers using safety belts. Click here to read more.
Safe Routes to School
The 3rd Annual Oregon Safe Routes to School Conference is coming up in Newberg sponsored by the Walk+Bike Network. Click here to get involved.
Top Score in Senior Services
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This is a time for prayer for the Reynolds High School community. I want to express my deepest condolences to all the families impacted by the recent shooting incident in Troutdale and share my gratitude to the school staff and law enforcement personnel who demonstrated courage and compassion.
I also want to convey heartfelt sympathies to my former colleague, Linda Flores and her family. She lost her granddaughter in a car crash earlier this month.
It is always tragic when young people die, especially when it's a result of other people's poor choices.
Now is not the time to debate what, if anything, should be done about Oregon's laws pertaining to firearms, or motor vehicles, for that matter. There will be plenty of opportunity to do that in the months ahead as we seek to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Now is the time for mourning and reflection.
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Meanwhile, ongoing problems with our state's health care reforms continue to make headlines.
The Dakota Indians have an old saying - "When you discover you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount." Unfortunately, leadership at Cover Oregon appears to be putting on a scaled down saddle. News stories continue to discuss the disastrous failure of the Cover Oregon website which prompted the state to hire 400 workers to process applications by hand.
A few weeks ago the agency announced it was pretty much giving up on the state based health insurance exchange. The project was supposed to provide a one-stop shopping place for Oregonians to find affordable policies under the new federal "Affordable Care" act, nicknamed Obamacare.
The plan now is for Oregon to join 24 other states
that have turned to the federal exchange (www.healthcare.gov). Oregon families will now go there to determine eligibility for tax credits and sign up for coverage in the next open enrollment period starting November 15th. Many questions remain unanswered about the future of state and federal responsibilities. More on that in a minute.
There are really two segments of the population impacted by Obamacare; people who are eligible for government-run, taxpayer-subsidized medical care through Medicaid, called the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), and those paying for coverage through private health insurance. The latter includes individuals eligible for financial help such as tax credits on premiums.
Since the Cover Oregon website launched October 1st around 80,000 people have enrolled in private pay medical insurance plans.
Last year the state legislature planned to expand the Oregon Health Plan by roughly 200,000 clients. These beneficiaries were to enroll in OHP using Cover Oregon or be "fast-tracked" through the food-stamp program run by another agency.
To date more than 300,000 new patients have signed up for OHP, roughly 210,000 through Cover Oregon. That brings the total number on the Oregon Health plan to around 935,000. Some clinics started turning away new OHP clients because there were so many.
If you add the number of OHP recipients (935,000) to those who are seniors on Medicare (estimated 812,000) plus veterans accessing VA health care (96,000), and local and state government workers including legislators (130,000 in the Public Employees Benefits Board system), you realize there are 1,973,000 Oregon residents getting medical care through the government. Many also buy health insurance from the private sector.
That means nearly half of Oregon's population uses taxpayer subsidized health care. I'm not saying they don't deserve this coverage, just making a point about the total number. Taxpayers may find it difficult to sustain the size of this group.
It's interesting to note that there's no way to track how many of these folks had some other type of medical coverage before all these changes from Obamacare. If the original goal was to help thousands of Oregonians who were going without access to health care, you'd expect some kind of system to tell if these new programs are working. Counting total enrollees does not equate to counting how many fewer people are uninsured.
I serve on the Joint Committee on Legislative Audits, Information Management and Technology (JLCAIMT) which is charged with keeping tabs on the roll-out of Obamacare. The committee recently held hearings on Cover Oregon and discovered several outstanding issues.
The most important in my mind is why does Cover Oregon need to continue after the transition to the feds is done at the end of 2014? No one has given me a satisfactory answer. Maybe Cover Oregon could hand off some of its remaining duties to the State Insurance Division or the Oregon Health Authority? The Cover Oregon board will report back to the legislature on those questions this fall.
So far Cover Oregon has spent around $250 million of the more than $300 million sent to Oregon in federal grant funds and with less than $2 million anticipated to be left by the end of the year. Will federal officials require Oregon to refund that money?
Will the state still have to pay Oracle, the lead IT contractor for, millions of dollars the company claims is owed for work on the project? Or will a lawsuit against Oracle announced by Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber be successful?
Why do private health plan participants still have to pay Cover Oregon a nearly $10 monthly surcharge on their premiums even though the federal system will do most of the work? And I feel bad for the 80,000 Oregonians that went through Cover Oregon to get private coverage who now have to re-enroll in the federal exchange in November.
The Governor is now offering retroactive tax credits to people who are eligible but were not able to get health insurance through Cover Oregon. To apply for these credits contact Cover Oregon before June 27th. Click here or call 855-CoverOR.
One has to wonder how many needy Oregon families could have actually received medical services with the $250 million spent so far on Cover Oregon. How can we move in a positive direction? I was not happy with Obamacare from the beginning, but tried to ensure accountability measures were taken when our state implemented this new law.
I'm glad we're moving away from the failed state-run program and hope we can help those who need health care. Perhaps we can reduce burdensome state regulations to create more affordable health insurance in the private sector? I'm open to suggestions.
There is some good news to report as Oregon's economy continues to recover from the recession, revenue for schools, public safety and other programs important to Oregonians is also picking up. The June 2014 quarterly revenue forecast indicates the amount of income tax and lottery fund money is up by $168 million since the legislature drafted the 2013-15 state budget a year ago. While we see growth in some pockets of the metropolitan areas, many rural areas still struggle. Hopefully the recovery will spread to the rest of the state soon.
Sincerely,
P.S. My monthly newsletter includes information about a variety of government programs funded with your taxpayer dollars which you might find interesting. |
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Salute our Soldiers 
Oregon National Guard Deployments
Hundreds of active duty members of the Oregon Army National Guard recently shipped out for missions overseas.
234th Engineer Company, 1249th Engineer Battalion, headquartered at Camp Rilea in Warrenton, deployed around 180 soldiers to Kuwait to conduct carpentry, plumbing and electrical construction missions on United States military facilities in the region. Photo above, courtesy of the Oregon Military Department, shows tactical movements during pre-training at Camp Rilea.
41st Infantry Brigade, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, headquartered in Springfield with companies in Corvallis, Gresham and Hillsboro sent 400 soldiers to Afghanistan to provide security and support for military operations there.
41st Infantry Brigade, 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry, headquartered in Ashland with companies in Coos Bay, Grants Pass, Medford, Roseburg and St. Helens
is mobilizing 275 soldiers next month to join the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry in Afghanistan.
41st Infantry Brigade, 1st Squadron, 82nd Cavalry, headquartered in Bend with companies in Klamath Falls, Lebanon, and Redmond is also dispatching 190 soldiers to perform security and support for military installations in Afghanistan.
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Veterans Honored
WWII Memorial Dedication
A long overdue honor to the 152,000 Oregonians who served in the military during World War II is finally in place on the west side of the State Capitol grounds in Salem. On June 6th, Representative Thatcher was among nearly a thousand people who turned out for the dedication of the Oregon WWII Memorial at Wilson Park. June 6th commemorated the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day invasion at Normandy.
"This memorial will not only honor that war's veterans, but educate young people so they'll always honor and remember those who fought and died in the war during what was probably our nation's finest hour when we came together in unity," said World War II Memorial Foundation Chair, Lou Jaffe. |
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 The memorial features a 33 foot high obelisk to symbolize Oregon as the 33rd state in the union. Black granite walls bear the names of the more than 3,700 Oregonians who paid the ultimate sacrifice during the war. An estimated 17,000 WWII veterans are still living in Oregon today.
Until now, Oregon was one of a half-dozen states without such a memorial to pay tribute to those who served abroad and at home. Over the past several years, a group of committed volunteers with support from the state legislature and others were able to raise over $1 million to make the project a success. Representative Thatcher owns two small businesses that were both were pleased to contribute to the construction of the memorial. If you would like to make a contribution to help pay for a few finishing touches and ongoing education efforts go to www.historicaloutreach.com or call 503.705.5965.
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One-of-a-Kind Memorial Wall Behind the Walls
A few blocks down State Street from the State Capitol, a special Veterans Memorial Wall was recently unveiled behind the walls of the Oregon State Penitentiary (OSP). It's believed to be the first of its kind in the country for any state or federal correctional institution. The Oregon State Penitentiary Veterans' Association in cooperation with OSP administration built the memorial with funds contributed by inmates and donors from the community.
Oregon Veteran Benefit Magazine
The Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs has put out a new magazine to update Oregonians on the benefits offered by various federal and state agencies. It includes an informational directory for each state and federal benefit available to veterans and their families. Click here for more or to to the ODVA home page www.oregon.gov/odva |
TRANSPORTATION UPDATES
The 2014 legislature created this new group (HB 4047) to look at how to improve operations for customers at the Oregon Department of Driver and Motor Vehicle Services. Concerns have been raised in recent years after the agency reduced hours on weekends and evenings at field offices and cut other services.
The first meeting is June 23rd and you can find out more by clicking here. The taskforce will report back to the legislature in November. If you have ideas about how to improve DMV in Oregon please give us your suggestions in "Thoughts for Thatcher" below.
Fast Lane for Student Driver Tests
Summer is a busy time for driver education and this year students will have even more reason to enroll in one of these programs. A new rule allows students who complete a certified driver education course to take the fast lane through the licensing process. They will no longer have to take a behind-the-wheel driving test at DMV in order to get their driver license. The written, knowledge test will still be required along with proof that the student has at least 50 hours of practice behind the wheel. Click here to learn more about the rules of the road for student drivers. |
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Paving & Other Road Work 
in Yamhill County
The summer road construction season will be a busy one in Yamhill County. Look for paving work along a 5-mile stretch of Highway 99W between Newberg ( Highway 240) and the McDougal Junction west of Dundee (Highway 18).Guardrails and signage improvements will also be made to improve safety in the area. Click here for more on the paving work.
That activity is not related to the Newberg/Dundee Bypass, but at the end of July a new contractor will start work on the west end of the Bypass from Dundee (Highway 99W) to Chehalem Creek. Look for construction of six bridges, three water quality ponds, a new roadway alignment and signage activity. Additional work will continue near Sandoz Road, Highway 201 and Wynookski. For bypass updates go to www.newbergdundee.org
or click here for the latest newsletter. |
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 Summer Construction
If you're headed out across the state for a vacation road trip you might want to check out a new summer construction map put out by the ODOT, showing where all the work zones are happening. Pick one up at DMV offices, truck stops and travel information centers or click here for an online map.
ODOT Audit
A new audit just released by the Secretary of State's Office shows funding sources for projects such as the Bypass is on the decline and the agency's workforce is also facing challenges in the years ahead. Click here to read more.
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Marijuana Movement Update
The 2014 Legislature enacted a new law (SB 1531) which gave local governments until May 1st to decide if they wanted to enact a temporary ban on allowing Medical Marijuana Dispensaries to locate in their area. Bans can stay in place until next May when the legislature may revisit the issue.
Almost all the communities in Representative Thatcher's area including Keizer, Newberg and St. Paul adopted moratoriums on these new storefront operations to sell medical marijuana to patients with cards issued by the state. Most other cities and counties in the vicinity have voted in similar laws, except Salem which has grandfathered in a half-dozen facilities. Many local leaders are also reviewing specific regulations on where dispensaries can locate and other provisions.
There an estimated 60,000 patients who have been authorized cards by the state to use pot under the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) and another 30,000 with caregiver licenses to grow plants.
You may recall in 1998 Oregon voters decided to allow Medical Marijana be allowed for certain patients. Dispensaries began popping up around the state without much government oversight. Last year the legislature passed a law (HB3460) to license and regulate these facilities.
Representative Thatcher understands there are patients who can legitimately use this product for medicinal purposes. However, she is among many legislators are concerned about expanding this program given the lack of accountability and enforcement of the laws already on the books. A new report points to the OMMP as a growing source for black market marijuana trafficking.
There are several initiatives which might now make it to the ballot for a vote in November which would further legalize this drug in Oregon. Representative Thatcher remains hopeful that the state lawmakers will carefully review what has happened in other states like Colorado before making any further decisions. |
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The Oregon Association of Realtors recently presented a dozen state legislators with 2014 American Dream Awards. Representative Thatcher was honored to be one of the recipients.
"It's so fulfilling to work with both sides of the aisle to collaborate on legislative efforts that really strengthen the real estate market for all Oregonians," said Amy Graham, Association President. The awards began ten years ago to recognize state lawmakers who encourage a positive climate for home ownership and protecting private property rights for Oregonians. |
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 Thoughts for Thatcher
What do you think about the way services are currently provided by DMV? Do you have any suggestions about how the agency could improve services for customers in-person, by phone or on-line?
Please send your response to Representative Thatcher's email:
rep.kimthatcher@state.or.us
Feedback from the last newsletter question:
Do you feel the short 35 day sessions held in even-numbered years should be extended by more days, reduced, stay the same or be eliminated all together? Why?
Responses received:
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Think these short sessions in even years should be eliminated. It seems instead of focusing on a few critical items and adjourning, controversial items requiring lots of debate are attempted to get rammed through.
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Eliminate the short session and go back to one session every two years. That session should only be 35 days long and no more than two bills per legislator should be allowed.
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The 35 day session is a monumental waste of time and resources. It appears to be nothing more than a way for the Progressives to attempt to cram their agenda into Oregonians throats.
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There definitely should be enough time for reading, analysis, discussion and hearings about most bills. Otherwise, whichever type of politicians are in the majority could shoot something through in a hurry, using the shortness of the session as yet another excuse for not giving other legislators or citizens the time or courtesy of asking questions and offering input of differing ideas.
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Make it a regular session or go back to emergency ones only. I still like the idea of tweaking the budget when things change annually, and I still like the idea that we can fix flaws in laws in one year rather than two.
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I think that the short sessions are simply a means for legislation that should be handled in the main sessions. I also think that it is costing all of us a lot of money for what gets ccomplished.
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Eliminate even year, 35 days session...little of value accomplished except more party politics posturing.
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Appears a lot of important work was done. Here are a few examples: Help for businesses by increasing loan amount; High school students getting college credit; Closed a tax loophole on cell phones; Helped resolve a major land use issue.
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Several of the bills that were promoted, I believe were simply being pushed for an agenda, rather than common sense, and good law making.
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I think the old saying is true a lot of the time that "haste makes waste". It takes discipline to be a little slower and methodical, but the results are likely going to be better-received and better-understood. If all a short session does is place legislators under more of a "pressure cooker" situation than before, how can they be expected to do their job as well as without the added stress?
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These short sessions are more problematic than not for the reasons you indicated. It is the shortness of the session that is undercutting it. Short "general sessions" are becoming ill-advised.
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If you want to contact Rep Thatcher's office you can send an email to: rep.kimthatcher@state.or.us or call 503.986.1425
Write to Rep Thatcher at:
900 Court Street NE
Salem, OR 97301
www.oregonlegislature.gov/thatcher
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