NEWS UPDATE FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAVID GOMBERG: Another Day in the Capitol

By Representative David Gomberg, House District 10

3/10/2025

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I want to begin today with an apology.

Last Sunday, I sat down to write my weekly report, which I called “Saturday Was a Good Day.” I had no way of knowing it was not a good day for everyone.

Dane Paulsen, a 2½-year-old boy, has been missing since Saturday, March 1, from his parents’ property along the Siletz River. A massive search is underway, with boats and 13 divers from Lincoln, Clackamas, Multnomah, Lane and Tillamook counties combing two miles of the river as professional and community-led volunteers examine more than 680 acres of land surrounding his parents’ property. Hundreds of searchers on foot and horseback, dog teams, and drones with thermal imaging have been unable to find the boy.

I have been in touch with Sheriff Shanks and offered whatever assistance our office may be able to provide.

Let’s all have a hopeful thought for Dane as this difficult situation unfolds.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office just released an update today, March 11th that a special dive team was brought in and Dane’s body was recovered today. Our condolences to the family and the community during this tragic situation. Here is a link to the press release – https://www.tillamookcountypioneer.net/lincoln-county-sheriffs-office-missing-child-dane-paulsen-found-deceased/)

We are well into March! This week, the Legislature had what is called our “Measure Intro Deadline,” meaning that every bill we have been working on had to be officially introduced. After this date, every Representative is only allowed five “priority bills” from now until the end of session. By our count, there have been 2018 House Bills and 1299 Senate Bills introduced as of today. That is a LOT of bills. And in fact, it is a new record. But it is not an unusual number of bills. Recent sessions have typically seen more than 2500 proposals brought forward.

Our next deadline will come at the end of the month when committees must schedule hearings or work sessions. With the exception of a few special or joint committees, bills not scheduled to be “worked” by the deadline will die. And while the number of proposals that have been introduced is increasing, the number passed and delivered to the Governor has been declining. Only about one bill in ten makes it to the finish line.

All of this is to say that this is a crazy-busy time in Salem. Legislators are working to get attention for their priority measures, committees are struggling to get measures heard, and staff are working overtime to provide analysis and amendments.

Wednesday morning, I had four different bills being heard in three different committees during the first hour of the morning.

Wednesday morning, I was scheduled to testify on eelgrass preservation, supporting county fairs, nearshore rocky habitat management, and honoring Specialist Paul Cochran of Philomath (1947-1968) for his service to his country.

My office is busy working on your behalf in Salem – from introducing common sense legislation to pushing back on bills we believe will make it more expensive for you and your families.

This week, I spoke to 500 people gathered at our state capitol. Photo by Timothy J. Gonzalez.

Have you ever wondered what a typical day looks like for me as your legislator? Here’s a quick snapshot:

5:00 AM – I’m up and off to Salem by 6:30. I make the daily drive (unless weather is really bad). I arrive at the Capitol, dive into emails, and have early morning conversations with colleagues and staff.

7:30 AM – Begin meetings with staff, stakeholders, and fellow legislators—squeezing in two or three before committees start.

8:00 – 9:30 AM – First committee of the day is General Government. This is a budget committee that reviews agencies including the Department of Revenue, Administrative Services, the Governor’s Office, and Secretary of State.

9:30 – 10:00 AM – I have time for two brief meetings in my office with advocates or visitors.

10:00 – 11:00 AM – Caucus meeting. Republicans go to one room and Democrats to another to discuss current issues and pending votes.

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM – House floor session: debating and voting on bills. If we wrap up early, I grab a quick bite. This week, I went outside to address a gathering on the Capitol grounds.

1:00 – 2:30 PM – Second committee of the day – Commerce and Consumer Protection.

2:30 – 3:00 PM – More meetings with legislators, stakeholders, and visiting constituents.

3:00 – 4:30 PM – Third committee of the day. I co-chair Transportation and Economic Development. This is another budget committee that reviews agencies including ODOT, the Employment Department, Veterans Affairs, Housing, Business Oregon, and Labor and Industries.

4:30 – 5:00 PM – Additional meetings, emails, and preparation for the next day. I usually try to huddle with my staff to review the day and plan for the next one.

5:00 – 6:30 PM – Third committee of the day. I serve on the Joint Audits Committee one evening each week. Most evenings, there is also some kind of social or advocacy reception near the Capitol. Dairy Farmers, the Newspaper Association, and Community Colleges were on the calendar this week. If the group is involved with legislative issues I’m working on or if they have a connection to our district, I attend. Often, I do not.

6:30 – 8:00 PM – I usually get home. The drive helps me collect my thoughts. I often joke that I write my best speeches on the way home – after I have already given them in Salem. I’ll wind down with Susan either over a late supper or glass of wine by the fire.

The daily schedule can vary. I meet with House leadership several times a week and with Ways and Means leadership to discuss budgets. Coastal Caucus gathers at 7 am each Thursday. And on Fridays, I only have one committee.

I try to jealously guard weekend time at home, and I’m not very good at it.

Saturday, I left at 7 am to Corvallis for breakfast with Benton County Commissioners and leadership. That was followed by a Town Hall hosted by the League of Women Voters. I then drove over Highway 20 and spoke at the International Women’s Day March in Newport. Then I finished the day and was honored to make a few remarks at the memorial/celebration service of a dear friend, Sonia Graham.

A Benton County Town Hall with myself, Senator Gelser Blouin and Representative Finger McDonald.

Over the next few weekends, the Ways and Means budget committee has scheduled their bi-annual “road show” with public hearings in Astoria, Warm Springs, Gresham, LaGrande, Klamath Falls, and Salem. More about that in a future report.

It’s a demanding 160 days, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent you. If you have questions about legislation or need assistance with state-related matters, please reach out.

Friday, Stand Up for Science rallies were held across Oregon and the nation. I was in Salem for committee and couldn’t get to Newport for their large gathering. So instead, I spoke to the 500 people who gathered across the street from our Capitol.

“Stand Up for Science 2025” was part of a grassroots, nationwide effort advocating for the federal government to support scientific research. Organizers say marches and demonstrations were held in nearly every state Friday, with a main rally in Washington D.C.

The event is a direct response to the flurry of executive orders, directives, and funding freezes put in place in the first weeks of the Trump administration. Here in our district, the effects have been felt at Hatfield, NOAA, Fish and Wildlife, the US Weather Service, and Forestry.

Federal employees – there are about 29,700 in Oregon – comprise about 1.5% of all 2,000,000 workers statewide. The state has a smaller federal workforce than most, but they’re well paid, and they live in a lot of counties where high-wage jobs are rare.

More than 70% of federal employees in Oregon are employed by five agencies. The biggest, rain or shine, is the U.S. Postal Service, which accounts for nearly one in four federal jobs. The Veterans Administration accounts for more than 20%, followed by the Department of Agriculture (think Forest Service employees) and the Department of Defense, which includes dam operators and dredgers working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. There are some lonely outposts too, including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Securities & Exchange Commission, and the Inspector General on Integrity, each with one employee.

Starting May 7, anyone 18 years and older must present a REAL ID or an acceptable alternative – like a passport or military ID – to board a flight within the U.S. or access certain federal facilities.

So far, about one-third of Oregon’s 3.7 million residents with a driver’s license, instruction permit or identification card have chosen to upgrade to REAL ID, which became available in July 2020. About half of Oregonians have a U.S. passport.

As the deadline comes closer, DMV offices are seeing greater demand and longer lines. If you plan on flying within the U.S. anytime in the future and you don’t have a passport or other acceptable ID, consider upgrading to the REAL ID option. It takes about three weeks to get your REAL ID card in the mail, so build that into your timeline before booking any flights.

While DMV offers many services online, you must get a REAL ID at a DMV office. You can make an appointment online or visit a DMV office near you without an appointment. You need to bring original documents that prove your identity, date of birth, home address (two different documents) and lawful status in the U.S. DMV offers a document guide to help you determine what to bring. You also have to provide your Social Security number or proof you are not eligible for one. Your current legal name must be on file with the Social Security Administration.

The REAL ID option costs an additional $30 above regular issuance fees every time you apply for an original, renewal or replacement driver’s license, permit or ID card. Learn more about REAL ID at Oregon.gov/REALID.

A threatened immigration crackdown under the returning Trump administration could force family separations and have detrimental effects on Oregon’s workforce, particularly in the agricultural, fish processing, and construction industries.

Oregon is home to an estimated 120,000 undocumented immigrants, or 2.9% of the state’s population. The state’s undocumented workforce is estimated at 90,000, accounting for 4.4% of the labor market. Both metrics put Oregon in the top 21 of states nationally.

Advocates say Oregon could be at higher risk of deportations for two reasons: Oregon has a higher share of undocumented immigrants from countries that have historically been more receptive to taking citizens back; and the state’s sanctuary law prohibiting police from cooperating with federal officials on immigration enforcement could draw extra attention

Oregon’s sanctuary laws promise safety, human rights, and dignity for all.

Since 1987, Oregon has officially been a sanctuary state that supports immigrant and refugee communities by prioritizing human rights, dignity, and safety. Said another way, local and state law enforcement need to focus on law enforcement rather than act as agents for the federal government.

The Sanctuary Promise Act, signed into law on July 19, 2021, strengthened the existing state sanctuary laws. It restricts the collection and prohibits sharing of information related to a person’s national origin, immigration or citizenship status. Oregon state and local public resources and personnel, including state and local government offices and law enforcement agencies, are prohibited from being used for immigration enforcement.

On the Oregon Department of Justice’s Sanctuary Promise hotline, you can report a suspected violation, receive support, and be connected to resources. The Oregon Department of Justice may open an investigation into the violation. If you or someone you know was targeted in violation of Oregon’s Sanctuary Promise laws, please call 1-844-924-STAY/1-844-6-AMPARO or report online at SanctuaryPromise.Oregon.gov or PromesaSantuario.Oregon.gov.

Examples of violations of Oregon Sanctuary Promise Laws include:

Investigation or interrogation by police for immigration enforcement purposes;
Storing or sharing of information about national origin, immigration, or citizenship status by police or state or local government;
Civil arrest without a judicial warrant/order from a court facility;
Arrests of a person on their way to or from court or while at court without a judicial warrant or judicial order;
Police collaboration with federal authorities for immigration enforcement purposes;
Police establishing coordinated traffic stops or traffic perimeters to enforce federal immigration laws; or
State or local government or police failing to document or report requests from a federal immigration agency relating to immigration enforcement;

Volunteers from the Oregon Department of Revenue will travel to libraries in 18 different communities in February, March, and April to assist taxpayers filing their own returns in using the free combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon.

The one stop in our district will be at the Toledo Public Library, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 11.

If you attend, bring:

Social Security card or individual tax identification number for everyone on your tax return
Government picture ID for taxpayer and spouse if filing jointly (driver’s license or passport)
Forms W-2 (wages from a job)
Forms 1099-G, 1099-R, 1099 INT (other income)
Form SSA-1099 (Social Security benefits)
Canceled check or bank routing and account number for direct deposit
Last year’s tax return

See more about these sessions and check for other locations on the DOR website.

For more information about your legislature and the times we live in, please take a few minutes to watch my recent interview with Kiera Morgan.

Accountability is a central focus of this year’s legislature and we’re looking hard at how to reduce funding of many state agencies.

I often speak about the role of federal dollars in state budgets and the loss of jobs in federal budgets that I think make a difference in our daily lives and local economy. Let me be clear. There is waste and duplication. We want to remove it as we are able. And we need to do so responsibly.

Whatever people’s views of our current times are, everyone who works with federal agencies agrees that things are very tumultuous and we all are scrambling. And most of us agree that whatever the goals are, they could be achieved in a much more organized and respectful way.

Our hearts go out to the people whose lives have been upended. The vast majority of them are good people just trying to do their jobs and make a living.

Thanks, as always, for reading and engaging.