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Friends and neighbors,
It's been a crazy week in Salem. HB 2002 and HB 2005 took a combined 14 hours to debate on the House floor, all the while the Secretary of State Shemia Fagan scandal unfolded.
In the last week, I received thousands of emails regarding HB 3501 and SB 603. These bills would have the effect of making homelessness a permanent crisis in Oregon. HB 3501 would allow tent cities nearly everywhere, and SB 603 would give homeless individuals $1,000 per month. BOTH of these bills are dead because we have already passed the deadline for bills to be passed out of their first committee.
However, HB 3501 was briefly scheduled for a public hearing in the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness. As vice-chair of this committee, I strongly oppose both of these measures. I am glad Chair Dexter canceled the public hearing.
There is much partisan maneuvering from both parties as the end of the session draws closer. I am proud of the bipartisan work we have done on homelessness, semiconductors, and other issues, and I hope we can complete some of that remaining work amid the tension.
I always welcome your feedback, questions, and comments. Please send me a note at Rep.JeffHelfrich@oregonlegislature.gov or at 503-986-1452.
Talk soon,
|  | Representative Jeff Helfrich | |
Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming Community Conversations | |
Earlier today, I held a bipartisan, virtual community conversation with Representative Ricki Ruiz (D-Gresham). Thank you to those who joined us during their lunch break. I look forward to connecting with more constituents at these upcoming events.
Corbett
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Welches/Mt. Hood Communities | |
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This week, the House passed two of the most controversial measures of the session. I have talked at length about the damaging impact of these bills before, so I will focus on what happened this week.
On Monday, we debated HB 2002 for nearly 10 hours. It ultimately passed 36-23. One of the primary reasons I voted 'no' was because it removes parents from the decision-making process for their children when getting life and body-altering procedures. Other states have found ways to involve parents by default, but this bill bypasses all of that for something that I believe is quite extreme.
On Tuesday, we debated HB 2005 for nearly 4 hours. I voted no on this bill because it directly affronts the Oregon and federal constitutions. To that end, I joined my House Republican Caucus members in presenting a $25,000 check to pay to challenge this bill in court.
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Interstate 5 Bridge Replacement Funding Package Becomes Partisan
As I outlined in the last newsletter, everyone agrees we need a bridge because of basic safety concerns. It’s been said the bridge is "standing with toothpicks in pudding." But some progressive activists don't want the bridge to solve any traffic or congestion problems.
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They think that if they can make driving more inconvenient by increasing the time people have to wait in traffic, more people will take public transit, bike, or walk.
They also want the Legislature to mandate that only unionized construction companies can work on the project. This will quash job opportunities for those not belonging to a union. The Transportation Committee has twice heard from African American and Latino contractors how this union mandate would hurt their communities by taking away opportunities to compete on the biggest project Oregon has ever seen. Minority contractors penned an op-ed in the Portland Tribune this week that explains the impact of this concept on their livelihoods. It’s definitely worth the read.
On the other hand, everyday Oregonians just want the bridge to work, speed up traffic, and be safe. The west coast economy depends on this corridor running smoothly. I believe in an open, free, and competitive project that allows for union and non-union, including minority contractors, to work on constructing the new I-5 Bridge. Whichever contractor will do the best work at the most affordable price should get the job, regardless of union membership. Beyond just being what’s right, this is also in line with current law, which requires impartial and open competition for public contracting (like the Bridge Project) under ORS 279A.015(5).
House District 52 has many minority laborers and many small transportation companies, and I believe the bipartisan amendment that has been introduced is in their best interest. Much of the district runs along I-84, an essential transportation route that will only become more congested if we do not build a bridge that will serve our region's future needs.
The funding: Everyone agrees that $1 billion is a lot of money. But this $1 billion investment will help secure once-in-a-generation federal money from the transportation package Congress passed in 2021. Two very important points here: 1) every year we don’t build this bridge increases the cost by hundreds of millions of dollars; and 2) we must maximize federal dollars to the tune of billions of dollars.
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A Pause on Tolling - An Exercise in Political Leverage
This week, the House Speaker and Senate President announced a new subcommittee of the Joint Transportation Committee: The Special Subcommittee on Transportation Planning as Part of the Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight of the Modernization of Oregon’s Transportation Infrastructure.
Several Democratic members are putting pressure on legislative leadership and the Governor to take action on stopping tolling. The Governor reacted this week when she issued a two-year pause on tolling in the Metro area.
Here are some thoughts on the politics of what is happening:
The Speaker and Senate President have been getting a lot of pressure from progressive activists to kill the bipartisan HB 2098 plan and replace it with a partisan bill.
Aware of this dynamic, certain Democratic caucus members are holding hostage their ‘yes’ votes on the I-5 Bridge Replacement funding plan for some kind of action on tolling. If leadership caves to the pressures of progressive activists, Republicans are unlikely to support the bill. These members know they have leverage over the Speaker and President because they need every Democratic vote to pass a partisan bill.
That seems to be where this subcommittee is coming from. Coupled with the Governor’s delay of tolling, it gives these Democratic caucus members what they want – action on tolling. Thus, I suspect the Democrats will gut and stuff the bipartisan I-5 Bridge proposal with one that limits the opportunity of minority contractors and mandates the project only to work with contractors who belong to a union (big Democratic campaign donors).
This is unfortunate because transportation policy in Oregon has a long history of bipartisan collaboration. If this bridge funding bill gets rammed through on a partisan basis, it will permanently damage that history.
| EARTH DAY: Votes for Common Sense Energy Policies | |
In recognition of Earth Day, House Republicans attempted to withdraw five pieces of legislation that would have protected Oregon from future environmental hazards, boosted clean energy, and helped us further understand the long-term impacts of renewable energy infrastructure on our environment. Every bill with Republican chief sponsors died in committee and was voted down. | |
Secretary of State Shemia Fagan Resigns | |
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On Tuesday, Secretary of State Shemia Fagan resigned from her office effective May 9.
Late last week, it came to light through media reports that Fagan had a side hustle (making $10,000 per month) for a marijuana company, named La Mota, that had millions in unpaid taxes and was alleged to have been given favoritism in licensing by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC). The owners of the troubled cannabis shop also had given Fagan $45,000 in campaign contributions. Part of Fagan's contract with La Mota: she was to get a $30,000 bonus for each business license that she helped secure outside of Oregon. This raises serious ethical concerns that she was using her position as Oregon's Secretary of State for personal gain by essentially acting as a lobbyist for La Mota.
The Secretary of State holds a unique position in Oregon. They have the power to audit nearly every government agency in the state. These agencies have power over a wide range of Oregonian's life, including the marijuana industry. Her audits division was in the midst of an audit of the OLCC, which oversees the licensing of marijuana shops, after previous reports of misconduct. She was overseeing the audit of the agency tasked with regulating her side hustle employer. New reporting is out that suggests she even allowed the owners of La Mota to provide direct input over the scope of that OLCC audit.
This story is a good summary of Fagan and the unfolding scandal.
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Accountability Measures Are Needed - PASS HJR 16
Fagan's story reminds us us that our political system can always use more balance and oversight. That's why I sponsored HJR 16 in the Oregon House of Representatives which would establish some of that oversight by establishing a process for the Legislature to impeach statewide elected officials. Oregon is THE ONLY state in the nation without any process of impeachment.
The same bill has passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support twice before, once in 2015 and once in 2017. Both times it was left to die in the Senate. It has bipartisan support again this year, and with a new House Speaker and Senate President, I think we have an opportunity this session to get it across the finish line. This shouldn't be a partisan issue. It's establishing accountability and a balance of power in our state.
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I was able to honor Norma Ferrer of The Dalles on the House Floor recently. Norma passed away recently at the age of 100. I hope we all have the opportunity to live a life as long and as fulfilling as Norma did. | |
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In Oregon, May is designated as Wildfire Awareness Month. The Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and its partners are engaged in a month-long campaign to encourage, empower, and inform Oregonians to help prevent and prepare for wildfires.
There are many things Oregonians can do to be prepared for wildfire. One of which is creating defensible space. The OSFM has several resources to help Oregonians create and maintain defensible space. These simple actions could make all the difference in the event of a wildfire.
Learn more here.
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Working with the District | |
I may not always agree with Governor Kotek, but I respect her position and title. I appreciate that she came out to The Dalles to discuss housing issues. | |
This week, I got to speak at the Oregon Aviation Industries Summit. As a member of the Transportation Committee, and someone who has a pilot’s license myself, I enjoy talking about the issues impacting our pilots! | | | | |
