The session finished its fourth week on Friday. The week was busy with SB 608 moving on in the process as a priority for affordable housing. SB 608 would limit no-cause eviction after 12 months of residency. This bill was heard in House Human Services and Housing and passed in a six to nine vote. In addition, House Bill 2020, which is the highly discussed “Cap and Invest” bil, began hearings. This bill would put a cap on greenhouse gas emissions, and then reinvest fines collected into job opportunities in Oregon. The legislature began on the road hearings for this bill this week which is highly controversial.
The Ways & Means Committee also announced a schedule for ‘road show’ hearings – budget hearings around the state. Please check out below for dates and times.
This week, the Department of Human Services will continues their presentations on programs and services in the Joint Subcommittee of Human Services in Ways & Means. This is an opportunity for the Department to provide an overview of programs, services and talk about priorities, issues and challenges.
On Monday and Tuesday, the Committee will hear DHS regarding Central Services. On Tuesday, public testimony will be taken on Child Welfare, Self Sufficiency and Central Services programs. On Wednesday, the Department will offer their Agency Summary.
HB 2587 - this bill makes exception for certain homesteads to prohibition on reverse mortgages for participation in homestead property tax deferral program for seniors and people with disabilities. House Human Services.
HB 2151 - This bill extends the current sunset for the property tax deferral program for seniors and people with disabilities. House Human Services.
SB 727 - Requires Department of Human Services to adopt by rule program that provides financial assistance to recipients of SNAP benefits for purchasing locally grown fruits and vegetables from participating farmers' markets, farm share sites or retail outlets. Senate Human Services.
SB 31 - This bill permits the Oregon Public Guardian and Conservator to establish county, regional and statewide high-risk teams to determine options available for addressing safety risks facing highly vulnerable adults. Senate Human Services.
SB 19 - Requires Oregon Health Authority and Department of Human Services to adopt rules for licensing of each type of adult foster home, including those providing residential care to older adults, persons with physical disabilities, persons with intellectual disabilities and persons with mental illness. Senate Human Services.
2. We ask that the Legislature consider policy option packages put forward by DHS that were not included that address critical issues, in particular case management staffing, Community abuse prevention via the Gatekeeper program and caregiver support.
3. As the Legislature continues their work in the Ways and Means process, looking to smart investments in our long term system of services and supports for older adults and people with disabilities will allow Oregon to benefit in positive consumer outcomes, efficient use of agency resources and efficiency and effectiveness in state budgets.
We will also consider other proposals as they become available and we are asked for support!
You can follow this committee and hearing at the committee webpage. The materials for presentations are posted on the Committee website and are updated.
You can learn more about Legislative Committees HERE.
You can find current membership of Legislative Committees HERE.
And you can follow current agendas for Committees HERE.
*Please note, bills can be added or removed to hearing schedules at any time. Please consult the latest agenda/schedule for the bill (available via the bill's link above) to learn the latest information.
You can access O4AD's bill tracking report, latest bill calendar and the Committee Schedule via our website HERE.
Legislative Conference Calls - O4AD is hosting Legislative Conference calls every FRIDAY, at 10:30 am during session (there may be some dates that will be canceled and we will send out notice ahead of time.) Join us for a quick update on the week in the Capitol, upcoming events or opportunities for advocacy and issues for engagement.
We hope you can join us this Friday!
Legislative Emails - O4AD will be publishing weekly email updates during the 2019 Session. If you are not on our list, go to http://www.o4ad.org and enter your information on the front page. It's that easy!
The meeting is scheduled from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Topic area sign-up sheets to testify in front of the committee will be available onsite prior to the hearing.
The meeting is scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The meeting is scheduled from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
The Oregon Legislative process is a process that allows for citizen involvement. Get involved and make your voice heard!
As the Session completed their third week, the conversation around affordable housing began it's movement in the Session. SB 608, which looks at no-cause evictions and rent control, had its first hearing and was voted out to the Senate Floor. It will be heard on the Senate Floor this week and carried by Senator Shemia Fagan who is an outspoken advocate for affordable housing solutions. Hundreds testified as to the issues around the state with affordable housing and what is has meant to their family. The Housing Alliance is a great resource for the many bills around affordable housing this session. You can read about their work HERE.
The Commission on the Blind will have their presentation on Monday and Vocational Rehab programs will be heard on Tuesday. Also on Tuesday, HB 2010, the proposed funding package to fill part of the gap for the Medicaid expansion population under the Oregon Health Plan will be heard.
Oregon's Legislature continues Committee meetings this week.
SB 492- Proclaims state policy to provide aids, benefits and services to persons with disabilities who are parents or guardians. 3 pm. Senate Human Services.
Oregon's legislature began the normal flow of work this week with bills moving through committees and budget hearings beginning. The Department of Human Services began their informational hearings on divisions within the agency beginning with the Aging and People with Disabilities division. You can read their presentations HERE.
This week, the Department of Human Services will continue their presentations on programs and services in the Joint Subcommittee of Human Services in Ways & Means. This is an opportunity for the Department to provide an overview of programs, services and talk about priorities, issues and challenges.
Oregon's Legislature continues Committee meetings this week. With a large number of committees and many new members serving on committees with new subject matter for them, this session will require important education and advocacy by advocates.
O4AD advocates for the independence, dignity, choice and safety of Oregon’s seniors and people with disabilities. http://www.o4ad.org edit.
As Oregon's Legislative Session began their work last week, we saw more bills being introduced and committees begin the process of informational hearings and vetting concepts for consideration.
This week, the Department of Human Services will begin their presentations on programs and services in the Joint Subcommittee of Human Services in Ways & Means. This is an opportunity for the Department to provide an overview of programs, services and talk about priorities, issues and challenges.
You can follow this committee and hearing at the committee webpage. The materials for Tuesday's presentation are now posted and further presentations will be updated.
O4AD will update on these hearings in our next Legislative update!
SB 526 - This bill directs OHA to study home visiting by licensed health care providers.
SB 31 - This bill permits the Oregon Public Guardian and Conservator to establish county, regional and statewide high risk teams to determine safety risks facing highly vulnerable individuals.
SB 30 - This bill permits the guardian to change abode or placement of adult person without a 15 day notice under certain conditions.
HB 2302 - This bill appropriates money to the General Assistance project.
SB 175 - This bill requires DHS and OHA to convene a stakeholder group to develop recommendations to ensure that individuals being served by other agencies have access to mental health and substance abuse programs as well as long term care services.
SB 167 - This bill aligns definitions in mental health services bill of rights with definitions applicable to reporting of abuse of persons with mental illness.
Legislative Conference Calls - O4AD will begin our Legislative Conference calls, which will be held every FRIDAY, at 10:30 am during session (there may be some dates that will be canceled and we will send out notice ahead of time.) Join us for a quick update on the week in the Capitol, upcoming events or opportunities for advocacy and issues for engagement.
Oregon's 80th Legislative Session will begin their work today in Salem. Legislators convened last week to swear in Members, undergo mandatory trainings and ready for the work which begins this week. Today, Legislative Committees begin meeting with full schedules as they dive into the long session.
With an ambitious agenda, this "long" session stands to be one that is interesting at a minimum. Raising revenue, carbon emissions, education funding and health care funding remain at the top of the list for priorities from the Majority Democrat Caucuses, now holding a super majority in both chambers.
Oregon's Legislature will begin Committee meetings this week. With a large number of committees and many new members serving on committees with new subject matter for them, this session will require important education and advocacy by advocates.
February 5 marks the official opening of the 2018 Legislative Session. This session, limited to 35 days by law, will feature a number of issues, budget decisions and policy discussions. The first round of pre-session filed bills were released today and are available on the Oregon Legislative Website (check them out HERE then go to: Bills and you will see drop down menus).
O4AD will be tracking bills during the session and you can follow our reports HERE.
Bills will continue to be released throughout this week and during the session so stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact O4AD with any questions we may answer for you. Email us HERE.
O4AD will be offering different opportunities to engage in the Legislative session.
Legislative Emails - O4AD will be publishing regular email updates during the session. If you are not on our list, go to http://www.o4ad.org and enter your information on the front page. It's that easy!
Legislative Day Lite - For the first time, O4AD will host a Legislative Advocacy Day during the short session. Mark February 14 on your calendar to join O4AD at the Capitol. This is an opportunity for you to meet with legislators and staff (be sure to schedule your appointments ahead of time), observe hearings and floor session. O4AD will host breakfast and lunches for those participating. This will be a 'slimmed down' version of our long session Advocacy Day. To register, please complete this online form HERE.
Tomorrow is the deadline for ballots to be returned in Oregon's special election. This is a critical election on Measure 101. Please be sure to return your ballot by 5 pm at your local drop off.
O4AD advocates for the independence, dignity, choice and safety of Oregon’s seniors and people with disabilities. http://www.o4ad.org.
O4AD will hold our weekly Legislative conference call on Friday, June 16th at 11 am. Please join us for this update on the Session and current progress as negotiations continue to move the session to a conclusion.
O4AD will conclude weekly Legislative Calls on June 30.
O4AD will post our updated bill lists with all "dead bills" removed. We are currently awaiting the movement of the Department of Human Services budget bill which is moved close to the end of the session. Negotiations around budget and revenue continue with various proposals being attempted. The uncertainty that is an inherent part of the end of session will continue as we move to sine die. Advocates remain engaged to help insure that services and supports for older adults and people with disabilities are adequately funded for the 2017-19 biennium.
Checking on agendas online is the most effective and efficient way to track bills being heard at this time. For more information or with questions, please contact O4AD - info@o4ad.org or 503.463.8692.
As the Legislature heads to Sine Die, O4AD continues to work closely on protecting funding for Oregon Project Independence. We sincerely appreciate all of the hard work of advocates throughout the session to help achieve this goal of protecting this funding and the independence for the seniors and people with disabilities served.
It is important to remember that while our advocacy has focused on Ways & Means, all Legislators have a vote in the end of the Budgets that passed. Be sure that YOUR legislators are aware of the importance of this program, the impact it has on older adults and people with disabilities in your local community and the cost effectiveness and efficiency of OPI - along with program effectiveness.
Share the cost effectiveness of OPI with this one pager HERE.
You can talk about the comparison of OPI versus other programs as well as demographic information via this one pager HERE.
Remember, please do not hesitate to contact O4AD with any questions or for more information.
Policy Committees Conclude Their WorkOn Friday, June 2, the Policy Committees concluded the majority of their work as the second deadline hit. Bills that had moved through the first Chamber and were in the second Chamber policy Committee had to have a work session occur and action taken by Friday in order for the bill to remain alive. This does NOT apply to bills in Ways & Means, Rules or Revenue. From here, a Policy Committee may hold an informational hearing, may hear other items if they wish, but their action on bills has concluded in a formal capacity. Therefore, you will see a dramatic decrease in hearings from now until the end of the session.
During the past week, the Department of Human Services released their Spring Rebalance report and Caseload forecast. Both reports are tools used by the Legislature in their overall view of the budget and resources available.
DHS reported overall that they have no current General Fund request - no additional funds needed at this time to balance their budget - and an overall $51 million in potential excess General Fund available.
The Department also shared their most current Caseload forecast. The forecast is also a key budget tool that shows changes in numbers of individuals DHS is serving. Overall, there is an expected continued increase in the DHS caseload for Aging & People with Disabilities and in-home care continuing to gain in consumers (this relates to Medicaid). The Committee discussed the factors which includes demographics, more individuals without family to help provide care, geographic separation from family and other factors).
You can read the most recent Caseload Forecast presentation here: https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/CommitteeMeetingDocument/131170.
This week there will continue to be further discussions in the Legislature on PERS, cost containment and revenue/transportation packages as the Legislature grapples with how to move towards the budget work to be done that will bring the Session to a close. O4AD will continue to stay closely engaged in this process in order to update advocates and other stakeholders. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or for more information.
Hearings This WeekWith the second deadline having now occurred for policy bills, there will be a dramatic decrease in the number of bills up for hearing. However, you will see more action in Ways & Means. This does not apply to bills that are currently in Ways & Means, Rules or Revenue. The Senate has announced that they are now on a one hour notice for Committee hearings - a Senate Committee that is going to hear a bill or 'work' a bill need only give a one hour notice before holding the hearing. This can make it challenging to follow the hearing schedule - we recommend staying in close contact with the Oregon Legislative website which is updated to reflect new hearings. Please visit the Committee Agendas Online page to stay up to date - https://olis.leg.state.or.us/LIZ/Committees/Meeting/List.
Establishes Advance Directive Adoption Committee for purpose of adopting form of advance directive to be used in this state.
Relating to health care decisions; prescribing an effective date.
Relating to state finance; prescribing an effective date; providing for revenue raising that requires approval by a three-fifths majority.
Directs Department of Human Services to convene work group to develop common client confidentiality release form to be used by public bodies and community organizations to enable and facilitate appropriate sharing of confidential information.
Relating to the sharing of information between social services providers; declaring an emergency.
Directs Oregon Health Authority to establish grant program through which individual who is homeless may obtain certified copy of individual's record of live birth at reduced cost or free of charge.
Relating to individuals who are homeless; prescribing an effective date.
Requires State Parks and Recreation Department to set aside certain number of campsites to be available for reservation only by disabled veterans during first 30 days of any applicable reservation period.
Relating to reservations for use of state parks; prescribing an effective date.
Directs specified state agencies to file annual report with interim committees of Legislative Assembly on general government affairs describing amount of federal funds received by agencies in preceding fiscal year and describing plan to operate agency if amount of federal funds received by agency in current fiscal year is reduced.
Relating to state financial administration; declaring an emergency.
Requires state agencies, departments and political subdivisions to grant to persons who are blind priority to establish and operate vending facilities in public buildings.
Relating to persons who are blind; prescribing an effective date.
You can review O4AD's most recent bill tracking report HERE.
O4AD's most recent bill calendar is also available HERE.
You may view a complete listing of hearings occurring via the Legislative website - HERE.
Oregon Project Independence - An Essential piece of the budget picture.
As the Legislature moves to intensive budget discussions, it is important that there is a focus on budget needs for older adults and people with disabilities. Both populations are currently provided services through Oregon Project Independence, older adults have statewide access and people with disabilities have services through the Pilot Program in five geographic areas around the state. This cost effective, programmatically efficient program has allowed individuals to stay in their own home and own community and avoid premature or unnecessary entrance into Medicaid or facility based care. The Legislature cannot afford to NOT fund this program for seniors and people with disabilities. Moving individuals from OPI into Medicaid would result in an immediate 50% cost increase to the General Fund at a minimum.
O4AD has released Talking Points on the importance of protecting funding for OPI. You can access these talking points HERE.
You can contact Ways & Means legislators to let them know the importance of this program. You can access their contact information HERE.
Our message is simple - Protect Funding for OPI at Current Funding Levels.
You can also access other talking points and information on OPI via O4AD's website - HERE.
THANK YOU for your continued work on protecting funding for OPI!
O4AD Legislative Conference CallO4AD is pleased to host our weekly Legislative Conference Call on Friday, June 9 at 11 am. We will be joined by n4a, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging & Disabilities, for a Federal Policy update.
Deadline Week for Policy BillsOregon's Legislature continues to move ahead even with no clear direction on a revenue package, consensus on a transportation package or a vote yet on the Provider Tax bills. However, this week, a short week due to the Memorial Day holiday, is the deadline week for Policy Bills. All bills that are not already in Ways & Means, Rules or Revenue must have had a Work Session by Friday, June 2 in order to continue to move through the process. This means the bill would have already had a work session in the originating chamber, been to a vote on that Chamber's floor, then been referred to the 2nd Chamber's appropriate policy committee and must now have a Work Session by June 2 and then head to that Chamber's floor for vote.
O4AD will update our bill tracking once this deadline passes in order to keep up updated on the latest in policy moving ahead.
Now that the Legislature moves forward out of policy work, with some exceptions, the conversation moves very quickly to budget. The Co Chairs of Ways & Means and their Subcommittee Co Chairs are working through different budget scenarios. Due to the uncertainty of potential revenue sources, and other obligations or priorities, the budget writers are presented with unique challenges in crafting budgets that address a number of scenarios - increases in revenue, decreases in revenue, flat revenue, increases in potential revenues forecasts, decreases in potential revenue forecasts, and other contingencies. This leaves advocates for aging and disability programs with significant work over the next month! Please stay updated with O4AD for ways YOU can engage to protect OPI funding.
Hearings This WeekDue to the upcoming deadline, please visit O4AD's website for the most recent bill tracking report. You may access this HERE.
You may also access our most recent bill calendar HERE.
We will issue a full update after the deadlines on Friday.
As O4AD continues to work on protecting funding for Oregon Project Independence for both older adults and people with disabilities, Legislators tell us they are hearing from YOU! They are hearing about the importance of this program from advocates, constituents, OPI consumers and others. THANK YOU for your hard work on this important and critical issue to older adults and people with disabilities. YOUR VOICE matters in this important conversation on how Oregon will fund services and supports during the 2017-19 biennium. It is essential that we do not balance budgets on the backs of our most vulnerable populations.
O4AD has released Talking Points on the importance of protecting funding for OPI. You can access these talking points HERE. Please take a moment to share these points with your Legislator - regardless of the Committees where they serve, their support for OPI with their colleagues is critical.
You can also contact Ways & Means legislators to let them know the importance of this program. You can access their contact information HERE.
O4AD Legislative Conference Call - No call on June 2. Call on June 9 to include Federal Policy Update from DC.
Please note, there will be NO Legislative Conference Call on Friday, June 2 due to Legislative Deadline.