HB 2541 Expression of Milk Protections. Expression of Milk Protections passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. This bill protects breaks for breastmilk expression for breastfeeding farmworkers by closing an unintentional loophole that excluded breastfeeding farmworkers from milk expression protections passed in 2019. Those with these accommodations were 2.3 times more likely to breastfeed exclusively at six months and 1.5 times more likely to continue each month than those without access. Breastfed babies tend to have stronger immune systems, experience fewer illnesses, and incur lower healthcare costs. Additionally, mothers who can express milk at work are less likely to experience complications such as clogged milk ducts or mastitis, which can negatively affect their health.

To read my written testimony, please follow the link below!

HB 2541 Expression of Milk | Written Testimony

SB 426 Ending Wage Theft. This bill addresses wage theft in the construction industry, a widespread issue in which low-wage workers, especially those employed by subcontractors, are not paid their earned wages and benefits. It establishes joint liability between an owner and a direct contractor for unpaid wages and requires subcontractors to provide payroll records. 

To see my testimony in committee, please watch the video below!

SB 426 - Ending Wage Theft: Committee Testimony 

Investments

Below are some of the budget allocations that support my legislative priorities!

• $144 million total funds to increase Medicaid provider rates, with a focus on supporting higher wages for direct care staff. 
• $200,000 for the AgriStress Helpline, a free, 24/7 hotline for Oregon's agricultural and forestry communities, including farmers, ranchers, fishermen, foresters, and their families. Helpline operators are trained to understand the unique stressors and situations of agriculture, forestry, and fishing. All calls are answered within 30 seconds.
• $2,000,000 toward farmworker disaster relief to ensure that agricultural workers who lose wages to extreme weather events are supported financially.

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To see my floor speech, watch the video below!

HB 3194 - Protecting Workers Facing Unsafe and Illegal Housing Conditions 

Investments

Below are some of the budget allocations that support my legislative priorities!

• $15,000,000 for Universal Representation. When Oregonians have representation in immigration proceedings, families and communities are more stable and secure. Universal Representation provides free legal representation to immigrants and asylees, helps immigrants and refugees receive work authorizations and permits, and educates immigrants about their rights through skill-building workshops. 
• $750,000 for Language Interpretation for Indigenous Languages. Over 50,000 Oregonians speak an Indigenous language from regions in present-day Mexico, Central America, or South America as their primary language. Pueblo Unido PDX was awarded $750,000 to support the development of language proficiency exams for additional commonly spoken Indigenous languages and/or variants in Oregon and the recruitment, retention, and coordination of an Indigenous interpreter workforce.
• $2,000,000 to the Department of Human Services for refugee resettlement and case management services.
• $8,091,785 for Gresham Fire Station 74 replacement. While not in HD 47, Fire Station 74 is right on the border and will serve both Gresham and the community in House District 47.
• East Multnomah Outreach Prevention Intervention (EMOPI) $5.8 million for the Youth Development Division to administer a grant for gang prevention and intervention.

SB 5526 Essential Services for Elders, Low-Income, and People with Disabilities. Oregon Department of Human Services invests in long-term care, adult foster homes, the in-home care workforce, and workers who support our elders and people with disabilities. 

• ODHS supports children, families, seniors, people with disabilities, and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing services through over 11,000 staff members, 170 field offices, and many community partners. 
• The agency’s mission is to help Oregonians in their communities achieve safety, well-being, and independence through services that protect, empower, respect choice, and preserve dignity. 
• As we navigate potential federal cuts to SNAP, TANF, and other essential services, I am proud of the investments made in Oregon through this budget bill. 
• We must end the practice of sending children, predominantly kids of color, kids with disabilities, and kids with severe mental and behavioral health needs, to hotels without access to essential behavioral health services. $10 million ongoing to support efforts to reduce agency reliance on hotel lodging when foster youth are temporarily displaced. 
• $7 million in Family First Prevention Funding will support the continued implementation of evidence-based programs aimed at preventing child welfare involvement. 
• Increasing provider rates was a top priority this session, so:
• ​The recommended CSL budget includes a 6% increase for behavioral rehabilitation services and an 11.3% increase for nursing facility services, aimed at maintaining quality care and ensuring access to services for vulnerable individuals.
• We also invested $75 million in the CSL budget to increase Medicaid provider reimbursement rates for long-term services and supports, as well as those funded by the Aging and People with Disabilities and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities programs. 
• As Oregon is experiencing a housing development and homelessness crisis, a lack of stable, long-term housing for youth impacts their ability to thrive. We invested $2.4 million in the Foster Care Youth Path to Housing Stability program to increase provider payments for the Independent Living Program. 
• ​We invested $22.4 million in increasing adult foster home rates.
• We invested $33.2 million GF ($90.9 million total funds) for IDD provider rate increases. 
• Ongoing funds for facility improvements ($1 million) and security and outreach contracts ($4 million) to ensure the safety and security of customers and staff at DHS offices. We heard directly from workers at the DHS office in our district, located at NE Glisan and 122nd, and this investment will directly address the safety concerns they brought forward to us. 

HB 5025 Investing in Safe Births, Mental Health Services, Behavioral Health Care. With the Oregon Health Authority budget, we invested in maternal care, behavioral health, and core services for Oregonians, as Trump and Congress threaten Medicaid cuts. Through this budget, we made significant investments: 

Protects Medicaid coverage for 1.4 million Oregonians amid federal uncertainty: 

• Extends hospital and insurer provider assessments to preserve Medicaid funding. 
• Shifts funding to protect coverage in response to changes in federal Medicaid match rates. 
• Invests in Tribal health equity and American Indian/Alaska Native coverage through OHP Bridge. 
• A package of funding totaling $56 million in General Fund is included for the State Hospital to continue addressing Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services corrective action plans, patient safety, workload, and staffing issues, and to address compliance with timelines to provide court-ordered restoration services.  
• $21.8 million General Fund and the authorization to establish 76 permanent full-time positions (76.00 FTE) to address identified operational deficiencies at the State Hospital that require corrective actions for the hospital to remain in compliance with CMS requirements. 

Protects and expands access to maternal and reproductive care: 

• $25 million state + $64.3 million federal funds to enhance hospital maternity payment rates and ensure statewide access to hospital maternity services. 
• $10 million in grants to support women’s health care providers as federal funding is threatened. 
• $2.5 million to expand patient navigation and facility upgrades as more out-of-state patients seek care in Oregon. 

Strengthens behavioral health care: 

• $148.3 million to help offset hospital losses for serving Medicaid patients, particularly in behavioral health. 
• $30 million investment to cover increased behavioral health care needs through Coordinated Care Organizations. 
• $10 million increase for Aid and Assist services,
• $13.2 million for Deflection and Diversion programs,
• $7 million for Community Behavioral Health and SUD Treatment,
• $7 million for School and community-based SUD prevention,
• $5.2 million for permanent supportive housing, and
• ​$2.4 million for Behavioral Health Community Navigators and associated services.
• $14.1 million to expand Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics statewide. 
• $10 million for harm reduction programs to prevent overdoses. 
• $10 million to expand behavioral health residential treatment for youth. 
• Additional funding for diversion programs, supportive housing, community mental health services, and behavioral health navigators. 

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HB 2010 - Protecting Healthcare for Oregonians. Thanks to Medicaid, thousands of expecting parents in Oregon receive the critical prenatal services they need to have a healthy pregnancy and a strong start for their babies. Medicaid covers nearly half of all births in our state—57% of children, and approximately 42% of Oregon Health Plan members are people of color.  That means thousands of parents, regardless of their income, have access to vital services, including regular check-ups, ultrasounds, screenings for complications, nutritional counseling, and maternity services, at many of our community hospitals. 

To watch my floor speech, please follow the link below.

HB 2010 - Protecting Healthcare for Oregonians: Floor Speech (2025) 

SB 605 Protecting Oregonians from the Negative Impacts of Medical Debt. Removed medical debt from credit reports.

SB 690 Protecting Renting Medicaid Recipients with Babies. Delays evictions for Medicaid families with babies and prioritizes housing for homeless infants.

Investments

Below are some of the budget allocations that support my legislative priorities!

• $15,000,000 for the Oregon Essential Worker Health Care Program, which provides affordable healthcare for essential, long-term care workers. 
• $500,000 for the OHSU Perinatal Collaborative focusing on maternal and childhood health. The Collaborative coordinates statewide efforts for improvement in maternal and childhood health and develops policy recommendations to further maternal and childhood health.

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SB 5516 Education Funding Package. The House and Senate passed the education funding package, appropriating $11.4 billion for education, an 11% increase from the previous biennium. While funding has increased since the last biennium, operating costs, dwindling one-time pandemic relief funding, declining enrollment, and other issues have resulted in budgetary challenges for districts statewide.  SB 5516 does not solve every financial problem we face in education, but it reaffirms our commitment to investing in education and our children.  

Additionally, changes were made to the distribution of education funds throughout the biennium. For decades, the money allocated was distributed with a 50/50 split (50% of the funds the first year and 50% the second).  Inflation and rising operational costs have effectively resulted in fewer resources being allocated to districts in the second year.  The distribution formula has been altered to be a 49/51 split to account for this.  This will result in a 2% increase in funds distributed to districts in the second year of the biennium, which will help offset some of the increased costs incurred by districts.

SB 1098, the Freedom to Read Act, passed the House this week! This bill was brought back after failing in the 2023 session. SB 1098 protects our students' education. Attempts to ban books are on the rise in Oregon, with challenges to 127 titles reported last year alone. This bill establishes clear, fair rules for handling these challenges.

This bill requires that:

• Challenges to books must come from individuals connected to the school community.
• All complaints and decisions must be thoroughly documented to ensure transparency.
• Local committees will make final decisions.
• Books cannot be banned simply because they contain content about race, sex, religion, or other protected groups.

This bill empowers parents and educators while preventing outside groups from imposing censorship. It ensures our schools remain places where students can access diverse perspectives, develop critical thinking, and see their identities reflected by the materials available to them. We must stand up against politically motivated attacks and defend the freedom to read.

SB 141 Education Outcome Accountability. At the request of Governor Kotek, the legislature passed SB 141 to more accurately measure education outcomes in entities that receive money from the State School Fund (SSF). The State Board of Education will develop statewide targets for the following metrics: 

• On-time graduation rate
• Five-year completion rate
• Ninth-grade on-track rate
• Eighth-grade mathematics proficiency rate
• Third-grade reading proficiency rate
• Regular attendance rate
• Regular early-grade attendance rate

The Department of Education shall establish metric targets for similar school districts based on the above statewide metric targets. The metric targets for similar school districts will include: 

• On-time graduation rates, including: 
• ​The overall on-time graduation rate. 
• The overall on-time graduation rate. 
• Gaps in disaggregated on-time graduation rates. 
• Five-year completion rates

The state will intervene if growth goals are not being met; however, this legislation aims to alleviate the administrative burden that educators and administrators currently face in their reporting requirements. This bill will streamline the process, enabling educators to focus on their primary responsibility: enhancing student outcomes.

HB 3054 Rent Stability for Mobile Home Parks. This bill protects homeowners living in parks who are experiencing rent increases and other requirements that far exceed what they can afford with income from pensions, social security, or modest wages.

To read my written committee testimony, please follow the link below:

HB 3054 - Representative Valderrama | Written Testimony

HB 5011 Investments in Housing. As state and local governments continue to work toward solving Oregon's housing crisis, the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Transportation and Economic Development advanced an ambitious plan this week to expand affordable housing, reduce homelessness, and protect vulnerable families. 

Building on a historic investment in the 2023-2025 Housing Affordability and Supply Budget framework, the Oregon Housing and Community Services budget continues the progress made over the past five years by investing in more affordable housing, reducing homelessness, and ensuring more Oregonians have a safe and stable place to live. 

The 2025-27 proposal was shaped through consultation with local governments, service providers, and community stakeholders across Oregon. Informed by public feedback and on-the-ground data, the budget focuses on strategic, high-impact investments: 

• $204.9 million to support homeless and emergency shelters across Oregon
• $50.3 million to help households move from homelessness to permanent, stable, safe housing
• $87.4 million for long-term rental assistance, providing up to 24 months of support to help families stay housed
• $33.6 million to fund eviction prevention services, helping keep Oregonians safely in their homes
• $10 million to support housing initiatives led by Oregon’s nine federally recognized Native American tribes. 

This budget also provides OHCS with the tools to continue helping families rebuild after disasters, complete affordable housing projects already in progress, and bring in new resources to strengthen communities across Oregon.

HB 5011 now moves to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means for final committee approval before consideration on the House and Senate floors.

HB 3546 Protecting Energy Consumers. Large energy consumers pass increased costs to consumers like you. HB 3546 prohibits rate hikes to account for the increasing energy costs of large consumers.

HB 3156 Increasing Access to Consumer Assistance Services at Utilities. This bill requires public utilities to include the phone numbers and website for the PUC's consumer services with each bill they send.

SB 688 Holding Utility Providers Accountable. Allows the Public Utility Commission to adopt a framework for carrying out performance-based regulation of electric companies and use incentives and penalties to induce electric companies to bring their electric utility operations in line with the public interest.

HB 3521 Protecting Renters. Strengthens protections for renters to get deposits back.

HB 3792 & HB 3148 Utility & Broadband Assistance for Low-Income Oregonians. Supports low-income Oregonians struggling to pay their utility and broadband bills.

HB 3589 Housing Stability for Seniors and People with Disabilities. Established a Senior Housing Development Initiative worth $24m for affordable housing for low-income seniors and people with disabilities 

Investments

Below are some of the budget allocations that support my legislative priorities!

• ​$11,000,000 for eviction and homelessness prevention services.