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Friends and Neighbors,
February was a month of celebration. Oregon celebrated its 164th birthday, and we completed our first month of the legislative session in Salem. Now the priorities are beginning to come into focus.
As vice chair of the Housing and Homelessness Committee, I have been involved in the bipartisan negotiation over the session's housing package. Earlier this year, Governor Kotek declared a homelessness state of emergency and asked the legislature to take action. These bills represent an effort to make it easier and more affordable to build housing in the long term and ease homelessness. Some more specifics on the package are in this newsletter.
On the Semiconductor Committee, we are discussing options for incentivizing semiconductor manufacturing businesses in Oregon. A recent study showed how a $200 million investment from the state could add 35,000 jobs and nearly $3 billion in new revenue over the next 20 years. We are looking around the state at the available land stock to build a large-scale manufacturing facility. We must ensure Oregon is open for business to compete in the global economy.
Here is a rundown of recent notable news happening in Salem and in the district:
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The director of the Oregon Liquor & Cannabis Commission (OLCC) has resigned because of recent corruption allegations that he and top officials were improperly diverting rare liquor to themselves and legislators over the last few years. The Attorney General has opened an investigation. I have not requested or received alcohol from the OLCC.
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If you've followed the news about the recently passed gun control initiative, Measure 114, you know there have been legal challenges to the measure's constitutionality. Earlier in February, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled that the measure can NOT go into effect until the court issues a final decision on the suits. I am glad our judicial branch is taking the time to vet these issues thoroughly. The Department of Justice has spent nearly a quarter million dollars to defend Measure 114 thus far.
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I have heard concerns recently about the continued mask mandate in healthcare settings. Last week, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) signaled that they may reverse that policy "in the coming months."
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A pilot program requiring drivers to buy a timed permit to visit a stretch of the Columbia River Gorge last year won't return this summer. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) said the program in its current form is too expensive to maintain.
As always, you can reach my office at Rep.JeffHelfrich@oregonlegislature.gov and at 503-986-1452. I am honored to serve you.
Talk soon,
|  | Representative Jeff Helfrich | Community Conversation in Corbett | |
I am holding a community conversation this Friday in Corbett at the Columbia Grange 267.
Hope to see you there!
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This week's revenue forecast projects that Oregon taxpayers will get a $3.938 billion kicker credit on their 2023 taxes. Our economy is fragile, and this tax kicker depends on the economic outlook, so a lot can change between now and then, but this is good news for taxpayers!
I recently sponsored legislation that would return the kicker back to taxpayers in the form of a check, not a tax credit.
| Housing and Homelessness Package | |
The House Committee on Housing and Homelessness is expected to vote to advance the housing package in the coming days. We have been working hard on two large bills – House Bill 2001 and House Bill 2889 – and they have now been combined into one bill (HB 2001), which will cover many topics.
This bill is a step toward fulfilling the Governor's request for $130 million that accompanied her homelessness state of emergency declaration. I have been involved in these bipartisan negotiations as vice chair of the Housing and Homelessness Committee.
With any bill this large and complex (there are more than 104 sections!), it’s not perfect. There’s a lot of good, but there’s also bad. Here are some of the provisions in HB 2001 –
- Extend the homelessness state of emergency statewide (currently, under Kotek's executive order the only counties included were Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Marion, Polk, Lane, Jackson, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson.)
- This is good news for the Hood River and Wasco Counties.
- Expand Youth Homelessness Services.
- Require landlords to give 10-day notice of eviction to tenants who don't pay rent and give the courts the right to vacate the eviction if the landlord fails to give this notice.
- Provide $20 million in grant funding for the construction of Modular Housing.
- Provide a $3 million subsidy of predevelopment costs for moderate-income rental projects.
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Measure 110 needs serious reforms. The emphasis on treatment within Measure 110 was well intentioned, but it isn’t necessary to legalize drugs in order to get individuals to treatment. State bureaucracy has failed to get money out the door to fund these treatment programs. We are now learning that Measure 110 has hurt local governments' budgets. Cities and county officials are supporting HB 2089, which would rework the formula for how money from state cannabis taxes is spent. If passed, this would return money to local governments and state police that were diverted under Measure 110. There have been two public hearings on this bill already, and I am watching it closely.
I was proud to co-chief sponsor HB 2645, which passed the House this week. Fentanyl often comes in counterfeit pill form now, but Oregon classifies fentanyl crimes only by weight. This bill would allow dealers to be charged for the distribution of fentanyl in pill form. HB 2645 fills a gap in Oregon law for low-level fentanyl possession by making it a misdemeanor to possess between 1 and 5 grams.
We have more work to do regarding Oregon's drug laws, but this is a step in the right direction.
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Senate Bill 779 would require police officers in departments over 50 officers to have a four-year bachelor's degree. For departments with less than 50 officers, the requirement would be a two-year degree. It's hard enough to recruit and retain good officers in Oregon, and this would make it even harder.
House Bill 2426 allows customers to choose between self-service and full-service gas in areas where self-service is banned today, which includes Clackamas and Multnomah counties. A gas station may open up to 50% of its pumps for self-service, while the rest will remain full-service. Self-serve in Oregon can be contentious, but this bill balances between those who like full-service and those who want to pump their own gas. Recent polling has shown that nearly 2/3rds of Oregonians support this approach.
The graphic below explains how this consumer choice law would work across the state:
|  | Huge shoutout to OneGorge Advocacy Group for throwing the best reception of the session! The Gorge-ous Night in Salem is always a hit. Senator Daniel Bonham and I were thrilled to show lobbyists, staffers, and other legislators that we represent the best part of the state! | |
This week is National FFA Week, and I was honored to recognize on the House Floor some Hood River Valley students who will be receiving their FFA State Degrees.
Congratulations, Abagail Kahler & Kirie Nesbitt!
| Thank you, Clackamas County Chair, Tootie Smith, for visiting me at the Capitol. | I recently attended the Clackamas County Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner. Great attendance and a top-notch program. Got to connect with local leaders like State Party Chair Justin Hwang, Clackamas County Commissioner Ben West, and others! | Last week, I joined President Skari for a Mount Hood Community College tour. February is National Career Technical Education (CTE) Month so it was the perfect time to learn about their mechatronics and robotics classes. These classes, in particular, will set students up for careers in the semiconductor industry. | |
Does the government have your property? | |
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Oregon's Unclaimed Property Program has been helping Oregonians access their unclaimed funds for more than 60 years. The Dept. of Treasury began managing the program in 2021, with the goal of connecting more Oregonians with money the state is protecting on their behalf. Over the last 25 years, the Unclaimed Property Program has returned more than $500 million back to individuals. Nearly 1 in 7 people have unclaimed property.
Unclaimed property is any asset — such as uncashed checks, forgotten security deposits, tax refunds, and more — being held by a business, nonprofit, or government entity for which the owner cannot be found. When an organization is unable to contact or return unclaimed property to an owner after some time, usually 1-3 years, they must report the property to Treasury to be held until claimed by its rightful owner.
Go to Unclaimed.Oregon.gov to search for any unclaimed property under your name. Searching is free and easy, and you never know how much unclaimed funds Treasury might be holding for you.
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From Crater Lake, to Mount Hood, to the beautiful Willamette Valley - we are blessed to call Oregon home. Oregon turned 164 on Valentine's Day - Happy Birthday! | | | | |
