By State Senator Suzanne Weber

Dear Neighbors and Friends,

Another week of the 82nd General Assembly means more Capitol updates. With nearly 30 bills on each agenda, committees keep me busy. We’re almost halfway through the session, and there’s still a lot of work to be done. I encourage all of my constituents to follow the legislature and stay up to date on daily events as the topics covered become more important and diverse.

Oregon Legislative Information System

Both committee hearings and floor proceedings are available to watch online. You can track bills and be notified when a hearing is scheduled. I recommend spending some time learning about it by visiting Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS).

Links to the instructional videos for each of the “How To” lines below are included in the attachments.

Floor Sessions – Remonstrances

SB 348 -1 amendment in effect, enacts ballot measure 114. Instead of putting forth solutions that would decrease violent crime, Senate Bill 348 with the -1 amendment ties more rope around the hands of law abiding and responsible gun owners. I strongly encourage this body to not make attempts such as this to undermine the judicial process and usurp its authority. You can watch or listen to my full remonstrance here: State Senator Suzanne Weber on Senate Bill 348

My thoughts on HB 2002 – the majority’s extreme, anti-parent priority bill: “There is no world that is grounded in the smallest amount of reality that abortion access is threatened in Oregon. None. However, we walk around outside and we DO see major mental health issues. We DO see drug abuse… HB 2002 does nothing measurable for Oregonians while simultaneously stripping rights away from parents. Let’s set this unnecessary, ineffective bill aside and get back to fixing the real problems facing our constituents.” You can watch or listen to my full remonstrance here: State Senator Suzanne Weber on HB 2002

Constituent Meetings

Silver Cloud Adult Family Homes
This week, I had the pleasure of meeting with Silver Cloud Adult Family Homes representatives to discuss some of their legislative concerns for the current session. Silver Cloud is dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality care. They provide a wide range of services, including but not limited to vital sign monitoring, mobility assistance, and rehabilitative therapies.

Bills of Note

There has been a lot of talk about making changes to state law in order to ensure the state is able to capture hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for semiconductor manufacturing. While there’s much to be excited about there, SB 4 does a lot that is concerning as well. I’ll also say that this bill is sponsored by both the Senate Majority Leader and the Senate Minority Leader, so its chances of passing are nearly 100%. However, I voted no. The power given to the governor is too sweeping and it avoids the larger perennial issue of dealing with our antiquated and draconian land use system. I encourage you to read the testimony around this bill, which has passed the Senate and is now being considered in the House.

While there seems to be a steady stream of news reports of teachers that are put on leave after they were accused of becoming sexually involved with students, it is odd that we would consider a bill that would allow those who are convicted of crimes to be considered for teaching licenses. SB 517 would make it so that those with convictions that are unrelated to the license they are applying for can be considered for a teaching license. What can be considered “unrelated”? That’s not clear. I encourage you to read the bill and the testimony around it and to contact members of the Senate and ask them to reject it.

As a former mayor and city councilor, I’m a strong advocate for local control, and that includes our school districts. Certainly, we need a level of certainty and uniformity in some areas of education, but SB 1045 wrests a lot of the decisions currently made by local school boards away from them. The Oregon School Board Association said it quite well in their testimony: “It would shift control of management and operations to the State Board of Education, would create a new bureaucracy to classify schools as standard, non-standard, or conditionally standard, and it would give ODE the ability to directly take over school management in certain circumstances.” The bill is shocking and needs to be scrapped. Please consider reaching out to other legislators and letting them know that you oppose it.

From the District

In the week’s episode of From the District we chat about deadlines, dead bills, alive bills, and talks with the Governor.

Please listen here on SoundCloud or view the episode here on YouTube.

Local Matters

Girls Build Summer Camps

As many of you know I am a big fan of outdoor school. I am so happy to see that Hampton is sponsoring three Girls Build summer camps again this year in Tillamook, OR, Warrenton, OR and Willamina, OR! Camps for girls ages 8-15 take place in August! Register today! https://girlsbuild.org/camps

Girls 8 – 15 years old attended camp for one week, Monday – Friday, from 8:30am – 4:30pm. Included in their days, and their camp fees, are both breakfast and lunch. Campers attend two workshops in the morning, as well as in the afternoon. Interspersed throughout the day are icebreakers and team bonding games, so girls can get to know each other, and build together better.

Campers are split into crews of 10. Each crew is led by two instructors at any given time, and girls are given their own safety glasses and ear protection to take home.

If girls are 16 – 24, we encourage them to apply to become Girls Build™ interns through WorkSystems SummerWorks program

Spring Whale Watch Week

One of the best opportunities to observe one of nature’s most spectacular animals up close is during Spring Whale Watching Week on the Oregon Coast. Gray whales migrate twice a year, once southward to the Baja in the winter and once northward to Alaska in the spring. According to Peter McBride, a ranger with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, the whales are typically easier to observe in the spring in addition to the weather being good. You can learn more the spring whale watch week here.

Magnitude 4.0 Strikes Off the Oregon Coast

According to the United States Geological Survey, a 4.0-magnitude earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday night. At a depth of around 6 miles, the earthquake struck just before 10 p.m., 124 miles west of Bandon and 132 miles west of Coos Bay. No injuries or property damage have been reported, and no tsunami warning has been given. Only two people have completed the USGS’ “Felt Report” survey thus far. Minor earthquakes commonly occur off the coast of Oregon. Wednesday the week before, in the same general area of the ocean, a quake with a magnitude of 3.3 occurred. Two days prior to that occurrence, there was an earthquake of magnitude 2.8, then on March 17 there was an earthquake of magnitude 4.3. You can read more about the quakes here.

SOLVE Cleanup Registration Now Open for Earth Day on Oregon Coast

The volunteer organization SOLVE has long billed the spring beach cleaning or fall cleanup on the Oregon coast as a great Oregon cleanup, coinciding with dozens of garbage and litter pick-up events around the state. It’s called the Oregon Spring Cleanup this time, and is kicking off on April 22. They are now accepting registration for volunteers from the Oregon coast to the outskirts of eastern Oregon. This event, which is held on Earth Day, is being organized by SOLVE (formerly known as SOLV). You can find more information about the project here.

FEMA will accept public input in Tillamook Bay this April.

FEMA will provide an overview of the Proposed Action and the environmental issues that FEMA should consider in the Environmental Impact Statement on April 5th at 5:30 PM at the Port of Tillamook Bay Officers Mess Hall. The general public will be able to submit public comments.

The project page contains information about the National Flood Insurance Program – Endangered Species Act Integration in Oregon.

Disability access is available in the meeting space. If you require an accommodation (such as Braille, CART, or captioning), please send your request to FEMA-R10-ESAcomments@fema.dhs.gov by March 30. Last-minute requests will be accepted, but they might not be able to be fulfilled.

Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) Multi-Hazard Risk Report for Tillamook County

Tillamook County’s Multi-Hazard Risk report was recently released by the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI). The report’s goal is to raise public awareness of natural disaster risk, support public outreach efforts, and assist local decision-makers in developing comprehensive plans and natural disaster mitigation plans. This study can help emergency managers identify vulnerable critical facilities and create contingency plans for their response plans. The study’s findings are intended to help communities identify and prioritize mitigation actions that will improve community resilience. You can read more about the report here.

Other Matters

A Fight Over Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers and Chain Saws Pits Portland Against Oregon

SB 525, which would phase out the use of gasoline and diesel to power leaf blowers and other power tools, is a bill that neatly captures Oregon’s urban-rural divide. Willamette Valley organizations such as Quiet Clean PDX (with chapters in Salem and Eugene) and Electrify Now are pitted against landscapers and loggers in a Patagonia vs. Carhartt “civil war”.

According to the Audubon Society, dozens of cities have restricted or prohibited gas-powered leaf blowers. California went even further in 2021, outlawing new gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn mowers statewide that goes into effect next year. Oregon is now attempting to follow California’s lead in environmental regulation, as is often the case.

Resources for Food Startups

As reported by KATU, there are many well-known tools available to assist you launch a new food business in Oregon, but Hannah Kullberg, connector & catalyst at PNW Packaged Food & Beverage Group, says there are also some lesser-known initiatives that are quite beneficial. A few initiatives, including the Getting Your Recipe to Market program and the Food Innovation Center, have supported the introduction of food products made in Oregon for decades.

Here are few resources that you might not be aware of:

A route map for starting a food business was just released by the Oregon Department of Agriculture.
The PNW Packaged Food & Beverage Group, or PNW F&B for short, is a resource-sharing network for pioneers and executives in the Northwest’s packaged food industry.
BUILT OREGON‘s more recent Bridges Program is designed exclusively for BIPOC food enterprises to pitch to local retailers and receive assistance with their wholesale journey.
The Matt Choi Farmer Market Vendor Grant – The grant is in honor of Matt Choi the co-founder of Choi’s Kimchi.
Meaningful Marketplace Podcast – A podcast hosted by Sarah Masoni and Sarah Marshall features interviews with women-owned food enterprises based in Oregon.

Lanes close on Court Street in downtown Salem as two-way conversion nears completion

Lane restrictions on Court Street began last Tuesday for drivers traveling through downtown Salem. The month-long process of converting a portion of the road into a two-way street is nearing completion, according to city crews. The final lane adjustments will include lane and parking stall striping, sign adjustments, and the activation of new traffic signals.

Court Street will run east and west from Commercial Street to High Street once the construction is completed. The change, according to city officials, will address mobility and usability issues in the city’s core and is part of the Central Salem Mobility Study recommendations. You can read more about the project here.

Stay Connected!

Don’t forget to follow me on my social media pages! That is one of the best ways to keep up with what I am up to. I post regular updates and commentary about local and statewide issues. Below you will find several links. Feel free to follow me on whichever platform you prefer.

Facebook
Twitter
Youtube
Instagram

We are here for YOU!

As per usual our floor schedule is beyond our control. But we will make time for you. Please email or call and my staff will get you on my calendar. My staff and I are here to help you! If you have a problem, question or comment, please feel free to email me at sen.suzanneweber@oregonlegislature.gov or suzanne@weberfororegon.com.

I do ask you to PLEASE include your phone number and your address. This allows me to call you to follow up or ask any questions I might have. Your address lets me know that you’re a constituent. I get thousands of emails every week, but I always make sure that constituents get top priority. If you’d prefer, you can also call us at 503.300.4493.

If you’d like to visit me in Salem, you’re always welcome to come by! If you drop by without an appointment, I’ll do my best to meet with you, but to ensure that I don’t have any other commitments, please call or email first for an appointment. That way I can make sure to give you my undivided attention.

Thank you so much for this opportunity to be your State Senator. It truly is the honor of my life, and I look forward to being your voice in the Senate for the next four years!

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1716 District Phone: 503-300-4493
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, S-405, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Sen.SuzanneWeber@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/weber/