Oregon's Legislative Session Week 8

Things are definitely getting busier at the Capitol as we move close to some important session deadlines. The first deadline in front of us is Friday, March 17^th which will be the last day that a bill can have an agenda posted for a work session. The work session does NOT have to be HELD by this date, but it must be scheduled in a committee (Exceptions are Rules, Revenue, or Joint Committees). 

This will be a very busy week as quite a few of the bills we are monitoring are being considered. Seven bills we are following will have a hearing, five bills will have a work session, and two are expected to move through the Senate Chamber. These bills address a variety of important topics including direct support professional wage standards, regional family networks, adult foster home rates, out-of-state educational placements, emergency behavioral health services, and crisis hotline funding.

Another critical deadline coming up is Tuesday, April 4th which is the last day for policy bills to move out of committee in the chamber that they originated from. If a bill does not move out of the originating committee by this date, it will be considered “dead”. It is important to note that this deadline does not apply to Ways and Means, Revenue, Rules, or Joint Committees.

Regional Family Networks

This is an important week for the Regional Family Networks as a bill to officially add the networks into the DD Services system has its first hearing in the Senate Human Services Committee. SB 1016 has a hearing 3PM Wednesday 3/15. The DD Coalition plans to submit testimony in favor of this bill that recognizes the importance of peer-delivered supports. To share your statement of support for the Regional Family Networks, use this link to submit your testimony.

Banning Quality Adjusted Life Years Scores

We believe that all human lives should be valued equally. Everyone deserves equal access to life-improving and sustaining medical opportunities and resources. It may surprise you to learn that Oregon has been using Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY) scores for over 30 years to prioritize treatment for people without disabilities or chronic health conditions. SB 492 is an important bill that would prohibit the Oregon Health Plan from using discriminatory data that devalues the lives of people with disabilities as it decides what treatments will be covered. It’s time for Oregon to stop using QALYs and value all lives equally.

Please contact Senator Patterson to request that a public hearing and work session for SB 492 be scheduled before the deadline Friday.

Agency with Choice Services

In the 2022 Legislative Session, the legislature passed SB 1548, a bill that introduced the definition and development of Agency with Choice services to Oregon’s DD service array. The Office of Developmental Disabilities has been working on developing and implementing these services since this bill was signed into law nearly one year ago.

Two bills relating to Agency with Choice services in the DD service system have been introduced this session and we are monitoring these bills that could result in changes to the DD services system.

SB 104: The current language of this bill directs the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) to evaluate the implementation of the certification of Agency with Choice services, and report their findings to the legislature by September 15, 2024, with any recommendations for legislative changes. SB 104 is not currently scheduled for a hearing.

SB 792: This bill is similar as it directs ODHS to report to the legislature on the implementation of the Agency with Choice model of services by September 15, 2024. The Senate Human Services Committee hearing for this bill will be at 3PM on March15th.

DD Advocacy Day & Legislator Reception

Join us THIS THURSDAY on March 16, 2023. We will hold our DD advocacy training online in Spanish from 10AM-12PM, then an in-person advocacy event focused the priorities of the DD Community from 3-5PM in preparation for our Legislator Reception from 5-7PM. Several key legislators are planning to GO! Space is limited, please use this link to RSVP.

Establish DSP Wage Standards

Finally resolve the DSP wage inequities by setting the average wage for Direct Support Professionals to 150% of the Portland Metro minimum wage and cover the cost of Paid Family Leave to stabilize this essential workforce and reduce turnover that places people with I/DD at higher risk. Long-term solution to a long-term issue. Link

Fully Fund DD Case Management

DD Case Management funding has not kept pace with increased workload and complexity of the work over the past several years. Full funding of the DD Workload Model and periodic administrative reviews are needed to ensure case managers who are a vital lifeline to Oregonians with I/DD are adequately compensated for their work. Link 

Support Regional Family to Family Networks

Regional Family Networks support more than 13,500 families experiencing disability, many who have barriers accessing the formal developmental disability service system. Regional Family Networks work in partnership with thousands of other community-based organizations to reduce inequities for marginalized families.

Support Healthier Oregon

Provides access to DD Services for everyone who meets disability criteria for DD Services and Medicaid regardless of their immigration status.

TRACK BILLS WITH US!

The GO! Bulletin focuses on updates, bills and topics of importance to the DD Community. Then at the start of each week we will post an updated bill tracking report that outlines upcoming hearings and work sessions for the week on our website and Facebook. Bills are still being introduced and we are updating our list of priority bills as we GO!

If you are interested in specific bills or legislative topics, this video goes through each step to help you find where bills are in the legislative process and how to sign up for email alerts to get updates directly.

Visit the GO Project's You Tube Channel legislative advocacy videos created by our GO! Advocacy Team.