May 27, 2024, Update from SD 23 (2024)

May 27, 2024

Happy Memorial Day! I hope that you and your loved ones have been able to take advantage of this lovely weather to enjoy a bit of rest and relaxation. And on this special day, please join me in taking a moment to recognize and remember those who’ve sacrificed in many ways to serve and protect the rest of us. Let those memories be blessings.

Tonight’s newsletter is mainly a preview of this week’s edition of the Legislature’s quarterly interim “Legislative Days.” I’ve put together a comprehensive guide to all the committees that will be meeting this week, with summaries of their agendas and links to each committee’s website. It should give you a sense of what is on legislators’ minds right now, as well as taking you where you need to go to find more information. I hope you find it useful.

June brings us another constituent coffee, and you’ll find more info about that just below. It also marks the beginning of a 12-stop “Transportation Road Show,” which will give Oregonians all over the state the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings about transportation in Oregon, as we prepare for a major revision of transportation funding and policy in the 2025 session.

You’ll also find a brief update on the troubled rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is a topic that will be covered in this week’s meetings of the Senate Education Committee and the House Higher Education Committee.

And finally, a few links to articles of interest, including an update on COVID.

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, concerns, or problems that you may be experiencing as you navigate the rocky shoals of interactions with state agencies.

This coming Saturday, June 1, the first Saturday in June, and that means time for another constituent coffee.

This being an even-numbered month, we’ll be back (with coffee and cookies) at the Hollywood Senior Center, 1820 NE 40^thAvenue (from 9 am to 10:30 am).

We’ll also have a zoom option for the meeting to accommodate those who cannot be there in person. (Register for Zoom access here)

This will be an opportunity for me to share some insights from this week’s Legislative Days (lots more on that below) and what we will have learned from Wednesday’s Revenue Forecast. I’ll bring you up to speed on the work groups and task forces (state and national) that I’m involved with. And I’ll also be happy to share thoughts about the results of last week’s primary election.

And of course I look forward to hearing your priorities and concerns, as well as your thoughts about what I should be focusing on during my final months in office.

Hope to see you there!

This Wednesday marks the beginning of “May Leg Days,” when legislators return to Salem for a few days of intensive meetings. Here's the schedule for the week.

These interim committee meetings are a very useful way for legislators (and the public) to get updates on implementation of new initiatives created by recent legislation, along with ongoing challenges, reports from task forces, and a preview of what is likely coming in the 2025 session. Take a quick look at the agendas below, and you’ll see what I mean.

On Wednesday morning, May 29, we’ll receive the June Revenue Forecast at a joint meeting of Senate Finance and Revenue and House Revenue. We receive these forecasts each quarter. This next one will be Forecast #2 for 2024. The first one for 2024 was early in February. The third will be on August 28, and the fourth will be on November 20.

You can find everything you want to know about revenue forecastshere.

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

8:30-11:30 a.m.

Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue(meeting jointly with the House Committee on Revenue)

Joint Economic and Revenue Forecast

Senate Committee on Human Services

Update on the Culture of Yes Implementation, Senate Bill 1557 (2024)
Office of Developmental Disability Services (ODDS) Update
The Role of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Safety, Rights and Regulatory Oversight of Assisted Living And Memory Care Facilities

House Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection

Role of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Division of Financial Regulation

House Committee on Revenue

Joint Economic and Revenue Forecast (jointly with Senate Finance and Revenue)
Preview of the 2025 Income Tax Credit Report
Preview of the 2025 Property Tax Exemption Report

Emergency Board: Joint Subcommittee on Public Safety

11:30 a.m.-2:00 pm

Senate Committee on Health Care

Health Care Price Transparency in Oregon
Facility Fees
Governor’s Initiative Updates (Behavioral Health and Housing and Homelessness)
Public Health Modernization

Senate Committee on Rules and Executive Appointments

Consideration of Executive Appointments

House Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment

Renewable Energy Needs for the Clean Energy Transition
Energy Facility Siting 101 Role of State Agencies in the Energy Facility Siting Proces
Avoiding Duplication: A Look at Federal and State Energy Facility Siting Processes on Federal Lands
Update on the Oregon State University Clean Fuels Project

House Committee on Emergency Management,, General Government, and Veterans

2024 Winter Storm After Action
Update on Roseburg Veterans Home
2024 Wildfire Forecast

2:30-5:00 p.m.

Senate Committee on Labor and Business

Status of Oregon Noncompetition Agreement Laws
Bureau of Labor and Industries’ Wage and Hour Division Caseload
Oregon Employment Department: Frances Online, Unemployment Insurance, Paid Leave Oregon

Senate Committee on Veterans, Emergency, Federal and World Affairs

Preventing Veteran Suicide in Rural Oregon
Update from Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Update from Oregon Military Department
Update from Oregon Department of Emergency Management

House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services

Thursday, May 30, 2024

8:30-11:00 a.m.

Senate Committee on Housing and Development

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) Affordable Housing Preservation Strategy Framework
Air Conditioners and Air Filtration Program
Senate Bill 893 (2023) Report on Homelessness and Racial Disparities
Modular Housing Grant Fund Updates
Land Donation for Affordable Housing

Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire

Updates from the DCBS Division of Financial Regulation – Wildfire and Insurance
Water Policy: Call to Action
Update on Wildfire Funding Work Group Process and Emergency Board Request
Wildfire Program Update

House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care

Hospital Finance Update
Oregon Health Authority Updates (Redeterminations, 1115 Waiver, Basic Health Plan)
Oregon Health Plan Dental Rates
System of Care Advisory Council Updates
HB 5506 (2023) Aid and Assist Budget Note Report

House Committee on Education (K-12)

Summer Learning Funding Distribution Update
Literacy Update
Cell Phones in Schools
Student Highlight: Robotics Teams

Joint Committee on Information Technology Management and Technology

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Public Sector Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program – Update
State Chief Information Officer Oregon Administrative Rules to implement HB 3127 (2023) - Relating to the security of state assets

11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Senate Committee on Energy and Environment

Overview of the PUC Rate Process
Consumer Experience of Engaging in Rate Process and Effects of Rate Increases
Overview of the Oregon Extended Producer Responsibility Program Plan
Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative 2023 Annual Report and Network Expansion Report
Ground Score's People’s Depot (“Canners” Cooperative)

Senate and HouseCommittees on Judiciary

Oregon Public Defense Commission (OPDC) Public Defense Progress Report (SB 337(2023)
Criminal Justice Commission (CJC) SB 337 Report on Public Defense Update
Guardianships, Conservatorships and Other Protective Arrangements (ORS Ch. 125) Workgroup Update
Non-Compete Agreements: Current Law and Recent Developments

House Committee on Housing and Homelessness

Governor Kotek Policy Updates: Homelessness Response and Housing Production Frameworks
Housing Production
Modular Housing
Rural Housing Production
Housing Stabilization
Climate and Health Resilience in Housing
- Healthy Homes Program
- Senate Bill 1529 (2023) air conditioner/filtration device program
Manufactured Housing Committee
Member Areas of Interest

Emergency Board: Joint Committee on General Government

2:30-5:00 p.m.

Senate Committee on Education

Update on Implementation of SB 3 (2023) - Future Planning & Financial Literacy
Update on Transfer Council
Update On Summer Learning
Impact Of Better FAFSA On State Financial Aid Programs
Update on Implementation of SB 819 (2023) – Minimizing abbreviated school days for students in Special Education

Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue

School Finance: Formula Revenue and Local Option Levies
Oregon Tax and Economic Rankings

House Committee on Economic Development, Small Business, and Trade

State Economic Development Update
Portland and Oregon Tourism
- Update on Portland Downtown Task Force
- Business perspective
- Perspectives from Travel Oregon
- Perspectives from Travel Portland
- Perspective of Oregon Business and Industry (OB&I): Oregon's Economic Competitiveness 2024 plan
Public Testimony on Economic Development and Small Business

Joint Committee on Addictions and Community Safety Response

Criminal Justice Commission: Nuts & Bolts of Deflection Grant Process & Data Collection
HB 4002: Implementation & Training Symposium Review
OHSU HB 4002 Implementation Support Proposal
HB 4002 Criminal Justice Advisory Committee (CJAC) Pre-trial Release Guidelines Update

5:30- p.m.

Joint Committee on Legislative Counsel

Work Session: Authorization for Legislative Counsel to appear in court proceeding

Friday, May 31, 2024

8:30-11:00 a.m.

House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards

Committee Scope and Intention
S. Department of Labor: Good Jobs Initiative
Oregon Employment Department: Agency Updates
Department Technology: Frances Online
Paid Leave Oregon
Unemployment Insurance

Joint Emergency Board

11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

House Committee on Higher Education

Impact of FAFSA Delays
Postsecondary Research in Oregon
Tuition Equity for Students Seeking Asylum

2:30-5:00 p.m.

House Committee on Rules

Legislative Oversight with the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy

Joint Committee on Transportation

Setting the Stage for 2025 Transportation
Work on Programming and Funding Port of Portland Terminal 6 Container Shipping – Presentation and Q&A
Rail Transportation Funding Options
Drones and Advanced Air Mobility

"Perspectives and information gathered by the committee during its 12-stop tour will inform legislators as they develop a plan in the 2025 session to maintain critical infrastructure, complete work on major projects, and guarantee the safety and diversity of transportation systems across the state.”

We know that the 2025 legislative session is going to have many priorities, but among those foremost will be transportation. The transportation funding package that was created in 2017 is up for revision, and there are many, many questions that need to be answered about how we fund needed road maintenance as the gas tax brings in less and less money (thanks to more fuel-efficient cars and trucks), make our roads safer for all (including cyclists and pedestrians), how we move away from business as usual as we seek to reduce emissions and combat climate change. How do we pay for the new I-5 Bridge and what changes are needed to that project? What is the role of tolling to fund needed roadwork? Should tolls be used as a strategy for reducing congestion? Whose responsibility is it to pay for more public transit. Many, many questions.

As a transportation package is being crafted, legislators need to be hearing from as many constituents, experts, and organizations as possible. As part of that effort, the Senate President and Speaker of the House have scheduled a dozen listening sessions around the state between now and the end of September. Here are the dates:

Portland - Tuesday, June 4
Tillamook - Tuesday, June 18
Albany - Tuesday, July 16
Eugene - Wednesday, July 17
Coos Bay - Wednesday, August 7
Medford - Thursday, August 8
Ontario - Wednesday, August 28
Hermiston - Thursday August 29
Bend - Thursday, September 12
The Dalles - Friday, September 13
Happy Valley - Thursday, September 26
Hillsboro - Friday, September 27

Members of the Joint Committee on Transportation, along with other local legislators, will be there to take your testimony (in person and in writing) during those sessions. There will also be a virtual session during September Legislative Days (during the fourth week of September).

The first session will be at Portland Community College – Cascade on Tuesday, June 4^th. Here’s more about that in this Press release announcing Portland tour stop.

And here’s more about the statewide tour as a whole: Press release announcing statewide tour

I’ll let you know more about what we’re hearing as the tour proceeds.

I’ve been periodically reporting on the ongoing challenges with the implementation of the new Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA) form (aka the Better FAFSA), an effort that began during the Trump Administration and was rolled out this year. With a direct connection to the IRS, it will be much easier to fill out and submit for students and their families—BUT that link to the IRS and all the coding that is layered onto existing systems had created ongoing technical hiccups.

I’ve heard that the ongoing rollout problems have pretty much been resolved now. But it’s very late in the college-application process, and there are fears that many students will give up on next year. As I mentioned in an earlier newsletter, some states have seen serious reductions in the number of FAFSAs submitted. Oregon is seeing less of a reduction, but we historically have for some reason have had submission rates below the national average, and any reduction is a problem. Here's a story that Julia Silverman did for the Oregonian. One important message is that many colleges and universities are being flexible with their deadlines for students who faced difficulties in getting their FAFSAs completed. They should not give up, particularly now that the bugs seem to have been worked out. Please help spread the word on that.

Here's a national perspective on the issue from Inside Higher Education. The U.S. Department of Education is making dollars available to nonprofits who are advising and supporting students in getting through this transition.

I should point out that the news is not all bad. FAFSA “simplification” has been accompanied by changes in how awards are calculated that will result in more students becoming eligible for PELL grants. Meanwhile, applications for the Oregon Promise (our state’s version of free community college) are up substantially this year. We’ll be learning more about both the good and the bad in this week’s hearings in Senate Education and House Higher Education (see the schedule above). We’ll be hearing the latest from the Higher Education Coordinating Commission.

Last Tuesday’s election revealed mixed results for local-option tax levies to help fund schools. Portland and Eugene passed theirs, while Bend-LaPine voters rejected theirs (even though the rate for households was half of what Portland was seeking). As districts around the state are demanding more money from the state to help them avoid cuts, the question remains: what responsibility do local taxpayers have in adding funding to support their schools? This will be a question that the 2025 Legislature will be wrestling with. Here's a useful background piece on the subject from OPB’s Natalie Pate.
We’re receiving troubling reports regarding lack of access to timely health care at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, the state’s prison for women. Here's an article about that from the Capital Chronicle. I’ll be part of a meeting on this problem and others related to healthcare in the Department of Corrections later in the week.
Here’s an admirable piece from the Oregonian’s Bill Oram on the controversial subject of
Here’s an item from today’s Washington Post examining what we know about COVID conditions heading into the summer.
And here's a piece from the New York Timeswith the latest, including advice on how to distinguish the new FLiRT variant from spring allergies and other ailments. {Warning: this might not be available to you if you aren't aTimes subscriber.)

Until next time, best wishes,

Senator Michael Dembrow
District 23

email: Sen.MichaelDembrow@oregonlegislature.gov
web: www.senatordembrow.com
mail: 900 Court St NE, S-407, Salem, OR, 97301