HB 2548 Farm Worker Standards Act. Farmworkers have been excluded from national labor protections. This bill commissions a study conducted by the Center for Public Service at Portland State University, in consultation with Oregon State University, on the experiences of agricultural workers and labor standards in the agricultural industry. The study focuses on the health and safety risks, compensation and benefits, and working conditions of farm workers.
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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HB 3194 Humanitarian Crisis at Illegal Cannabis Operations. Workers are often unknowingly recruited into the illegal marijuana industry, where they face forced labor, violence, unpaid wages, and unsafe living conditions. This bill holds property owners accountable for unregistered, unsafe labor camp housing, removes the barrier requiring workers to seek injunctive relief, and revises the remedies section to incentivize compliance from camp operators and property owners.
To see my floor speech, watch the video below!
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.
.png) 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.
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.
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.
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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 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
HB 3589 Housing Stability for Seniors and People with Disabilities. Below are some of the budget allocations that support my legislative priorities! - $11,000,000 for eviction and homelessness prevention services.
A strong economy depends on successful businesses that create good-paying jobs and support working families. This session, we focused on:
HB 2322 State Grants for CHIPS Act Recipients. Unfortunately, HB 2322 failed to move forward. I voted in favor of the bill in the House, which would have authorized state CHIPS Fund grants and loans to businesses that are eligible for federal semiconductor financial assistance under the CHIPS Act but have not applied for it.
.png) HB 5031 Addressing Oregon’s Public Defense Crisis. Passed a $707 million budget to address the public defense crisis.
HB 2025 Transportation Funding Package. Throughout the process of creating this year’s transportation package, I expressed serious concerns about the lack of sufficient funding for local governments, public transit, and major infrastructure projects. I was prepared to support HB 2025 because I know how much House District 47 relies on reliable and safe public transit, as well as sustained investments in infrastructure. I’m disappointed that there was no path forward for the legislation.
I’ve lived in Hazelwood for 15 years, a neighborhood that continues to experience some of the highest rates of high-crash corridors and traffic fatalities in the state. Additionally, my district has a disproportionate number of residents who rely on public transit to get to work, the doctor, and the store.
I’ve listened carefully to the concerns raised by local governments, advocates, and members of our community. The final amended version of HB 2025 differed substantially from the initial intent. Although I considered the bill to be one that would underinvest in our transportation services and infrastructure, I was prepared to vote yes for the amended version, as I believe the failure to pass the bill would further exacerbate the funding gap we are already experiencing.
We cannot afford to give up on investing in safe, equitable, and sustainable transportation solutions for our communities.
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We cannot continue to let our family members die from preventable and treatable behavioral and mental health needs. This session we’re invested in a diverse behavioral health workforce, addiction treatment facilities and services, and cracked down on drug dealers. We also invested in substance use disorder prevention, especially for youth, and crime prevention to decrease reliance on our criminal justice system and increase community safety. Investments in affordable & recovery housing projects and infrastructure will remain a top legislative priority.
See some legislative accomplishments from this session below!
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This session we prioritized increased access to addiction treatment and behavioral health services, invested in our state’s mobile crisis response, diversified our behavioral health workforce, and improved community safety.
HB 4002A Responding to Oregon’s Addiction Crisis. As a member of the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety, I heard from public safety officials, treatment providers, people in recovery, doctors, researchers, and business owners about the impacts of our addiction crisis. The legislature responded to the state's addiction crisis because the status quo wasn’t working.
HB 4002 (2024) invests in addiction treatment and behavioral healthcare services, increases criminal penalties for drug dealing by schools, parks, treatment facilities and shelters, and institutes a new misdemeanor for possession of drugs.
The Criminal Justice Commission, per their Racial & Ethnic Impact Statement on HB 4002 -24, predicts that a racial disparity for Black/African American individuals will be present for the new convictions resulting from legislation regarding “Boyd deliveries” and possession of controlled substances, while Latinx individuals will comprise the highest number of arrests. Given that convictions of possession of controlled substances will only occur when deflection is not completed, this prediction means that Black/African American individuals disproportionately won’t complete deflection as a result of this policy.
The Commission also predicted a racial disparity for both Black/African American and Latinx individuals as prison-bound individuals and a disproportionate longer prison sentence for Latinx indviduals. Given the data on fatal overdoses and difficulties finding jobs and housing post-incarceration, this prediction means that Latinx individuals may experience disproportionate job loss, housing instability, and overdoses as a result of this policy.
We cannot continue to let our family members die from preventable and treatable behavioral and mental health needs. This bill will get people off the street and into housing, recovery housing, or treatment services in counties that have opted in. HB 5204 Addiction and Community Safety Investments. HB 5204 passed with bipartisan support in both chambers. I spoke in strong support of this bill two weeks ago on the House Floor because it makes critical investments to: - Expand access to behavioral health treatment
- Increase apprenticeships and training for behavioral health workers
- Make Medicated Assisted Treatment (MAT) available in jails
- Build out addiction prevention programs and education
- Support drug courts and the work that they do
See my speech here! $85 million from this bill will go towards projects that are shovel-ready and provide the tailored services their communities need—whether that’s culturally responsive services for young people in the Portland metro area, family-oriented support teams in southern Oregon, and anywhere in between. HB 5204 allocates $1.5 million to BestCare Treatment Services in Jefferson County to create new culturally specific substance use disorder residential facilities in Madras focused on care for Latine communities. It also commits $4 million to Prism Health allowing the Cascade Aids Project to continue serving more than 1,500 patients in the Portland Metro area through LGBTQ+ culturally specific care. HB 4129 Homecare Modernization Act. Gives aging individuals and individuals with disabilities who receive at-home care the option to choose who their provider is and specifies that all agency-of-choice providers are mandatory reporters and must report any suspected neglect or abuse to the proper authorities. HB 4129 also provides the Oregon Health Authority resources to support agencies with choice. .png)
Safer schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods are deserved by all Oregonians. We workers towards this goal by cutting the red tape that comes with background checks and establishing task forces composed of key stakeholders to improve our specialty court system and response to gun violence.
HB 4001 Taskforce for Specialty Courts. This bill will establish a task force to ensure the long-term stability of specialty courts which are essential to providing an alternative to incarceration to eligible individuals. SB 1503 Taskforce to Stop Gun Violence and Suicide. SB 1503 will study how gun deaths are prevented in our state, the intersection of domestic violence and suicide in Oregon, and identify which resources are needed to help people in crisis and reduce gun deaths across Oregon. HB 4122 Rap Back Background Checks. HB 4122 allows state and local government agencies to enroll in the FBI’s rap back fingerprinting program to ease background check processes for those seeking employment in agencies or districts.
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As we continue to see housing prices skyrocket and working families struggle to pay rent, we are working towards meeting Governor Kotek’s housing supply goals,by investing in recovery and affordable housing, and working with our environmental justice partners to meet our housing supply goals and preserve farmland at the same time.
SB 1537 Establishes the Housing Accountability and Production Office (HAPO). This bill will establish the Housing Accountability and Production Office which will aid local governments in complying with housing laws, reduce permitting and land use barriers to housing production, and mediate disputes.
SB 1530 HCSD, OHA, DHS, Energy, & DAS Agency Bill. SB 1530 passed with bipartisan support. It brought with it more than 82 million dollars in investment in Multnomah County, including: . - $65,000,000 to Project Turnkey for operations, services, and administration of emergency shelters, Project Turnkey sites, and navigation centers.
- $7 million to the Urban League of Portland for homelessness prevention services.
- $3 million to Unite Oregon to purchase a property on E Burnside Street in Portland for affordable housing development.
- $1.25 million to the Center for African Immigrants and Refugees Organization to purchase a property on SE Stark Street for affordable housing development. (HD 47)
- $1 million to Community Warehouse to support the furnishing of reused household goods to low-income residents.
- $700,000 to 4D Recovery, Inc. for the development of recovery housing that is responsive to the needs of young adults in Multnomah County.
- $700,000 to 4D Recovery, Inc. for the development of recovery housing that is culturally responsive to the needs of LGBTQ+ individuals in Multnomah County.
- $1,555,274 to Bridges to Change, Inc. for down payment and operational support for Multnomah County scattered housing sites.
- $750,000 to the Iron Tribe Network for a self-pay home purchase in Multnomah County.
- $500,000 to Juntos NW, Inc. for transitional housing that is culturally responsive to the needs of Latino men in Multnomah County.
- $211,000 to The Lasko Refuge, LLC for the housing expansion in Multnomah County.
- $500,000 to the Miracles Club MLK Limited Partnership for the purchase of Sober Housing that is culturally responsive to the needs of LGBTQ2 African Americans in Multnomah County.
- $700,000 to Painted Horse Recovery, Inc. for the purchase of recovery housing that is culturally responsive to the needs of Native Americans in Multnomah County.
- $915,177 to Transcending Hope Next Steps Rapid Rehousing Expansion in Multnomah County.
- $98,000 West Coast Sober Housing, Inc. for support of operational costs of housing that is responsive to the needs of women in Multnomah County.
.png) Fair pay and safe working conditions are essential for every worker, especially for Black and Brown communities and women. We worked to close workforce shortage gaps and provide good-paying jobs, childcare, quality education, and retirement benefits for working Oregonians.
SB 1595 Financial Family Protection Act of Oregon. SB 1595 was passed by both chambers with bipartisan support. This bill increases the amount that is protected from debt collectors and modifies some provisions regarding unfair debt collection.
HB 4158 Child Care Infrastructure: Expanding Rural & Culturally Responsive Care. Unfortunately, HB 4158 failed to move forward this session. However, a component of the bill that was included in SB 5701 will contribute to the expansion and stability of our childcare infrastructure, namely an allocation of $1.43 million to the Child Care Licensing Division to help manage workload.
Investing in IDAs and curbing racial disparities in homeownership $5 million was invested in Individual Development Accounts to help individual build wealth and achieve financial independnece, helping to curb racial disparities in homeownership.
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It is imperative that we strengthen our democracy by ensuring that populations of all backgrounds, languages, and in every corner of our state can participate fully in our democracy. Several bills passed the legislature this session aimed at strengthening our democracy. It will continue to be a top priority of mine.
SB 1533 Voters Pamphlet Translation 10 languages. SB 1533 passed both chambers with broad bipartisan support, passing the House with a 45-9 vote and the Senate with 21-9. This bill will require the Secretary of State to include translations of voter pamphlets for the top 10 most spoken languages in a county.
HB 4024 Campaign Finance Reform. HB 4024 passed both chambers with broad bipartisan support. Getting big money out of politics and ensuring fair elections are an essential part of our democracy. This is the first bill related to campaign finance passed in Oregon since spending limits were removed fifty years ago.
.png) Our kids deserve safe and strong schools with quality education where they can learn, grow, and thrive. The following bills, I believe, work towards that goal and strengthening Oregon's schools.
HB 4082 Summer Learning Grant Program. HB 4082 passed both chambers with broad bipartisan support. It passed the House 53-4 and the Senate 26-4. This bill allocates $30 million for summer learning programs in 2024 and requires the Department of Education to study the establishment of Summer Learning as a permanent part of Oregon’s K-12 system.
HB 4084 Foster Youth Pilot Program. HB 4084 passed both chambers with broad bipartisan support. The bill passed the House unanimously and the Senate 26-3. This bill will provide academic and wrap-around services to foster youth and seeks to increase graduation rates.
HB 4137 International Baccalaureate High School Requirements. HB 4137 passed the House and Senate unanimously. I am excited to see bipartisan support for a bill that will give students credit for the hard work that they have done. The bill was signed into law on March 7th. This bill will allow students who have completed an international baccalaureate program to satisfy certain requirements for completing a high school diploma.
SB 1583 Ban on Book Bans. Unfortunately, SB 1583 did not move forward in the 2024 Short Session, but I am hopeful this is an issue we can tackle in future legislative sessions.
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Climate change disproportionately impacts Black and Brown communities, and in the past two years, Oregon has seen increasing incidences of wildfires, drought, winter storms, and heat events. Oregon Democrats are committed to prioritizing climate resilience in new utilities and transportation infrastructure. We saw the passage of bills that will strengthen our environmental protections and establish a more robust framework for addressing the pressing needs of our planet and vulnerable populations and consumers alike.
HB 4083 - COAL Act. The COAL Act passed both chambers with party-line votes. This bill directs the Oregon State Treasury to end new investments in thermal coal and to divest from current holdings totaling an estimated 1 billion dollars. This divestment and change to investment plans reflects Oregon’s commitment to environmentally conscious economic planning and will protect retirement funds for Oregonians. SB 1596 – Right to Repair. SB 1596 will grant Oregonians the “right to repair.” On fair and reasonable terms, this bill would require the original equipment manufacturers to make available any documentation, part, or tool necessary for independent repair providers to repair consumer products. SB 1596 passed the legislature and was signed into law by Governor Kotek. Oregon is now the state with one of the strongest Right to Repair laws in the US.
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The 2024 Short Session saw significant investments in Housing and Behavioral Health, with large sums of money being invested directly into House District 47 to help us address these important issues. In addition, several large investments in the districts surrounding us and Multnomah County will provide resources that residents of HD 47 and the broader community can utilize.
The investments in these sectors come primarily from three bills: SB 1530, HB 5204, SB 5701. All three of these bills were introduced by committees and were passed with strong bipartisan support. See below for a recap of major investments being made in HD 47 and the surrounding area in Housing and Behavioral Health. SB 1530 - $65,000,000 to Project Turnkey for operations, services, and administration of emergency shelters, Project Turnkey sites, and navigation centers.
- $7 million to the Urban League of Portland for homelessness prevention services.
- $3 million to Unite Oregon to purchase a property on E Burnside Street in Portland for affordable housing development.
- $1.25 million to the Center for African Immigrants and Refugees Organization to purchase a property on SE Stark Street for affordable housing development. (HD 47)
- $1 million to Community Warehouse to support the furnishing of reused household goods to low-income residents.
- $700,000 to 4D Recovery, Inc. for the development of recovery housing that is responsive to the needs of young adults in Multnomah County.
- $700,000 to 4D Recovery, Inc. for the development of recovery housing that is culturally responsive to the needs of LGBTQ+ individuals in Multnomah County.
- $1,555,274 to Bridges to Change, Inc. for down payment and operational support for Multnomah County scattered housing sites.
- $750,000 to the Iron Tribe Network for a self-pay home purchase in Multnomah County.
- $500,000 to Juntos NW, Inc for transitional housing that is culturally responsive to the needs of Latino men in Multnomah County.
- $211,000 to The Lasko Refuge, LLC for the housing expansion in Multnomah County.
- $500,000 to the Miracles Club MLK Limited Partnership for the purchase of Sober Housing that is culturally responsive to the needs of LGBTQ2 African Americans in Multnomah County.
- $700,000 to Painted Horse Recovery, Inc. for the purchase of recovery housing that is culturally responsive to the needs of Native Americans in Multnomah County.
- $915,177 to Transcending Hope Next Steps Rapid Rehousing Expansion in Multnomah County.
- $98,000 West Coast Sober Housing, Inc. for support of operational costs of housing that is responsive to the needs of women in Multnomah County.
HB 5204 - $4,000,000 to The 4th Dimension Recovery Center (4D Recovery) to support the acquisition of a facility to provide adolescent substance use disorder residential and outpatient services.
- $3.2 Million to the Oregon Health Authority for Nurse-Family Partnership, a community health program that meets parents and families in their homes to provide care from early pregnancy through a child’s second birthday.
- $2.5 Million to expand the East Multnomah Outreach, Prevention, and Intervention Program operated by the City of Gresham reaching west to 82nd Avenue in SE Portland, and east into Fairview, Troutdale, and Wood Village.
- $1,000,000 to distribute to Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center for a peer-to-peer mentoring outreach program.
HB 5204 & SB 5701 - $25,000,000 to Multnomah County to support the construction of a behavioral health drop-off center (Multnomah County Sobering and Drop-off Center in Downtown Portland)
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The Oregon Legislative session has come to a close. Thank you to the thousands of Oregonians who testified, emailed, and called. Your voices matter.Oregonians asked us to address multiple crises -- housing and homelessness, behavioral and mental health access, access to reproductive and gender affirming care, rising gun violence, and our changing climate. As a mom, I heard loud and clear the need for support for our children, working families, and schools.
I'm proud to say that we made historic progress towards addressing these issues, making a difference in Oregonians' lives, and especially for families in HD 47. I'll continue working hard towards a healthier, more livable Oregon as your State Representative. Check out some of the pieces of legislation we passed this session below!.png) Housing Supply and Stability Investment (SB 5511, SB 5505, HB 3395): Nearly $2 billion in investments, building on prior emergency investments and funding construction of new affordable housing units. HB 3395: Streamlines affordable housing production and increases homeownership opportunities, especially for BIPOC communities.
Affordable Housing & Emergency Homelessness Response Package (HB 2001, HB 5019): $200 million investment helps shelter Oregonians living on the street, prevent more homelessness, and ramp up affordable housing production across the state. With HB 2001, we also increased the time allotted for families to gather resources and prevent more evictions by extending the period of notice landlords must provide from 72 hours to 10 days. HB 2984: Allows local governments to convert commercial buildings to residential housing.
Rent Stabilization (SB 611): Rent stabilization for working families, keeping Oregonians housed. You can watch my SB 611 Floor Speech here.
HB 2697: Ensures safe nurse staffing levels to support the wellbeing of our critical workers and provide quality care for all Oregonians.
HB 2725, SB 192: Creates regulation and transparency for pharmacy benefit managers, the middle person of the pharmaceutical industry, to decrease the cost of medication for Oregonians and protect small pharmacies.
HB 2574: Improves access to life-saving HIV-prevention treatment, PEP.
SB 1089: Creates the Universal Health Plan Governance Board to develop a comprehensive, flexible system for providing every Oregonian with affordable health care.
Reproductive & Gender Affirming Care
HB 2002: Reproductive Health & Access to Care Act restores the abortion rights Oregonians had under Roe v. Wade, expands insurance coverage for gender-affirming care, and protects Oregon medical providers' ability to give the best, most appropriate care to their patients.
Behavioral Health and Human Services
HB 2757: Critical, stable funding for the 9-8-8 Suicide Prevention & Behavioral Health Crisis Line to help Oregonians in need.
HB 2395: Bipartisan Opioid Harm Reduction Package that will address the state’s fentanyl crisis and save lives by increasing access to naloxone.
HB 5026: Oregon Department of Human Services Budget - The budget fully funds the Healthier Oregon Program (which expands healthcare coverage for Oregonians regardless of citizenship status), adjusts for caseload changes, and adds funding to permanently build-in provider rate increases that had been set to expire, as well as increases rates to other providers.
SB 5525: the Oregon Health Authority Budget - where significant investments in Medicaid eligibility redeterminations, funding the implementation of the Healthier Oregon Program providing coverage to Oregonians regardless of citizenship status, as well as behavioral health investments including $9.1 million to address healthcare workforce challenges, and $15 million to expand disorder treatment and residential program bed capacity, were made.
Expanding Voter Rights
HB 2107 Expanded automatic voter registration to those on the Oregon Health Plan.
HB 2004: Establishes a plan for implementing Ranked Choice Voting, which ensures voters have more of a say in who they want to represent them. This bill was referred to the ballot for voters to decide.
Holding Politicians Accountable
HJR 16 is a proposed constitutional amendment that allows the Legislative Assembly to impeach and remove statewide elected officials.
HB 2038: Closes a longstanding loophole that allowed some politicians to shield the sources of their income from public disclosure.
Climate Resilience Package Investment (HB 3409, HB 3630): Invests $90 million in community-focused and forward-looking solutions to increase our energy efficiency, keep Oregonians safe from extreme weather, maximizing federal funding opportunities, and build a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable energy system.
Drought & Water Investment (HB 2010): Invests $100 million in new and existing resources to ensure families, farms, and wildlife across Oregon have clean, safe water -- now and into the future.
SB 337: Addresses Oregon’s public defense crisis by ensuring an accountable, transparent, and efficient system so that Oregonians are afforded their right to representation.
HB 2005: The Gun Violence Prevention Bill makes communities safer, helps law enforcement do their jobs, and respects responsible gun owners.
HB 3443: Further protects victims of bias crimes.
HB 2316: Keeps Oregon’s roads safe by expanding our Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUII) laws.
Investing in Working Families
A $172 million investment that addresses the cost-of-living crisis, helps reduce child poverty and supports systemic investments in happy, healthy families. Another $1.2 billion was invested in the Department of Early Learning and Childcare (DELC) to give the newly independent agency a stable foundation for its vital work.
SB 4: Oregon CHIPS Act - Invests $260 million to secure Oregon as a global leader in the semiconductor industry, create good paying jobs, and boost our economy for generations to come.
HB 3410: Rural Infrastructure and Economic Development Package - Revitalizes rural communities by investing $32.2 million in building critical infrastructure, bolstering key rural industries and sectors, and addressing workforce housing shortage.
HB 3235: Oregon Kids’ Credit - Helps struggling parents make ends meet and lifts families out of poverty with a child tax credit that will provide $1,000 a year, per child.
.png) HB 5015: Invests a historic $10.2 billion in the State School Fund, supporting Oregon’s K-12 students and educators.
HB 3198: Early Literacy Success Initiative – Invests $144.3 million to support evidence-based, culturally responsive literacy strategies in and outside of the classroom, setting up Oregon students for future academic success.
HB 3005: Increases the availability of child care by creating a grant program to provide financial assistance to help build and open new child care programs.
HB 5025: Higher Education Opportunity Package - Invests $3.7 billion to ensure Oregonians seeking postsecondary education obtain high quality education. Includes $1 billion for the Public University Support Fund, $800 million for the Community College Support Fund, $308.4 million to the Oregon Opportunity Grant, and $24.2 million to the Tribal Student Grant program.
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