What I've been up to (and an upcoming Town Hall meeting)
Hi Friends,
I feel like we've just started the legislative session here in Salem, and yet here we are, halfway through.
I'm writing today to offer you some legislative highlights (and low-lights) from my session so far, and give you a preview of what to expect from here.
What's happened so far...
The infamous 07-09 Budget Rebalance
The most significant pieces of legislation we have passed so far were Senate Bills 581 and 5552, which re-balanced the budget for 2009 that we adopted almost two years ago. Due to a steep decline in revenue collection resulting from the nationwide recession, we were forced to make difficult and painful program cuts and spend one-time funds (including federal stimulus dollars). However, almost all school districts were able to keep a full school year as a result.
You can read more about the process from my perspective here .
But it hasn't been all doom and gloom this session - I'm happy to report significant successes with some of my policy proposals.
Highlights from some of the policies I'm working on...
Environmental and Economic Development Policy
Capping Carbon Emissions bill - Now is the time for Oregon to take the lead in greenhouse gas reduction and a clean energy economy
SB 80 is one of my top priorities this legislative session. By granting the state the authority to set a cap on carbon emissions, and to reduce that cap by specified amounts at regular intervals, SB 80 would give businesses and communities the predictability they need to adjust their practices and invest in sustainable technologies. I'm working with Senator Jackie Dingfelder (the chair of the Senate's Environment committee) and Senator Vicki Walker (chair of the budget subcommittee on Natural Resources) to bring a strong version of the bill over to the House.
Read more about this and other energy bills at RePower Oregon.
Green Jobs bill - Developing a plan for Oregonians to prosper in the new green economy (Chief Sponsor)
Almost every day, I open the newspapers to find a story about Green Jobs and the Green Economy in Oregon. While we're fast becoming a national leader in the Green Economy, the developments are happening in fits and starts, with very little statewide coordination. HB 3300 aims to change that, by instructing the State Workforce Investment Board to develop a plan to identify high demand green industries and promote certain workforce development activities to promote growth of green jobs.
I'm working with Washington County Representatives David Edwards and Tobias Read to finalize the details of this bill and bring it up for a vote in the House and the Senate.
Graywater bill - Enabling Oregonians to recycle sink and shower water for use in the garden (Chief Sponsor)
A few weeks ago, the House passed HB 2080, a bill that permits the residential use of "graywater" for watering purposes outside the home. This means that Oregonians can build systems for collecting sink or shower water -- ordinarily treated as wastewater -- and use it to water trees, shrubs, and flowers each summer. This saves water and also lowers costs for Oregon homeowners, and I'm looking forward to working with the Senate to bring the bill to the Governor's desk.
Bottle Bill - Updating Oregon's historic legislation
For the past two years, I've served on the State's Bottle Bill taskforce, charged with reviewing and recommending updates to our State's historic law. Last week, I had the honor of joining my colleagues to vote to send HB 2184 from my Environment and Water Committee to the floor of the House for a vote. The bill contains several important updates to the Bottle Bill, including the addition of cans and bottles of sports drinks, coffee, tea and juice, and conditions under which the deposit amount could increase to 10 cents by 2016.
Health Care Reform
"2009" is the year for Health Care Reform - House Bill 2009 will expand coverage, contain costs, and improve health care for all Oregonians.
In 2008, a citizen-led board of over 150 volunteers came together at the request of the Legislature to produce the most extensive analysis of health care in Oregon in years. Their findings and recommendations, as set forth in this report, were the inspiration for HB 2009.
As a member of the House's Health Care committee, I've spend the last few months pouring through the massive (256+ page!) bill, hearing amendments offered from different stakeholders, and helping my colleagues shape the final outcome that we'll send to the full legislature and the Governor's desk.
Although major and minor details are still being worked out every day, here are the highlights of what the bill sets out to accomplish.
Create an Oregon Health Authority that integrates health care and community services and acts as a smart purchaser
Get all children and a large number of low-income adults enrolled in health care coverage, through sliding scale premium assistance. Funded primarily through federal matching funds and a provider tax on large hospitals and managed care organizations.
Lower costs and improve quality by enhancing reimbursement rates for primary care, preventive care, and integrated health homes.
Paid Family Leave bill - We shouldn't have to choose between providing for and caring for our families (Chief Sponsor)
Currently, Oregonians are able to take up to 12 unpaid weeks off of work to care for a newborn child or a sick family member. However, too many families can't afford to take off so much time without pay. SB966 would use a 2 cent per hour payroll deduction to provide $300/week for 6 weeks to families who pay into the fund. This is a major priority for me, and I look forward to seeing it come out of the Senate.
Stay up to date with the latest news on the bill at this website: Parents for Paid Leave
Election Reform
Online Voter Registration bill - We pay bills, change addresses, and check our bank accounts online - why shouldn't we be able to register to vote online? (Chief Sponsor)
A few weeks ago, my colleagues in the House endorsed HB 2386 with a bipartisan vote, and if approved by the Senate and Governor, Oregon will be the third state in the nation to enable its citizens to register to vote online.
National Popular Vote bill - Every vote should count in our Presidential elections (Chief Sponsor)
In another bipartisan vote, the House passed HB 2588, which would enter Oregon into an interstate compact to award electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote for President. The law won't take effect until enough states join the compact -- 270 electoral votes worth of states, to be exact -- but would give presidential candidates an incentive to visit and speak to the concerns of citizens who don't currently live in traditional "swing states."
For more information about the National Popular Vote effort, click here .
Last but not least
The even more infamous 2009-2011 Budget
I've seen the economic forecasts, and they aren't pretty. According to our most recent revenue projection, Oregon faces a gap of $3.1 billion dollars -- the gap between what we need to maintain current service levels and what we think we'll actually receive in revenue.
The legislature has already asked State agencies to submit preliminary budgets cut by 30%, but we won't solely be relying up budget cuts to make up the shortfall. I expect the legislature to authorize the use of reserve funds, including our rainy day funds, and to pass revenue raising measures as well -- including an increase in the corporate minimum tax and an increase in the vehicle registration fee to fund transportation projects.
Until we have our final revenue projection in May, all major decisions and negotiations are in a holding pattern. I pledge to do my best to work towards a balanced budget deal that fairly shares the burden of cuts while also protecting Oregon's most vulnerable populations.
At the same time, we must adopt policies to try to address the recurring budget shortfalls that Oregon finds itself in, which is why I am a co-sponsor of legislation that would ask voters to modify the kicker.
So that's my mid-session update. Now it's time for me to hear from you. What do you think of these pieces of legislation? What areas should I be focusing upon? What services should I prioritize?
I look forward to hearing from you in person at the Town Hall meeting, or via email (click here or just "reply" to this email), or over the phone.
