 | | Join me today for our latest episode of From the District where we discuss recent and upcoming Senate Concurrent Resolutions along with many other important bills. You can click the SoundCloud picture to the left to listen in or the picture below to watch on YouTube. |
  The full Joint Committee on Ways and Means made its way out to Astoria for the first time in many years. I was very pleased to see so many community members testify on behalf of the needs in our district.  This week, in Senate Education Committee, we had the pleasure of hearing from these students on SB 749.  On March 26th I met with Family Forward, an organization that supports mothers and caregivers, Regarding the Child Care Connection Crisis. This has been and continues to be an issue for families that rely on child care. We specifically went over issues regarding the lack of resources available to both Child Care providers and Parents looking for Child Care, we also talked about what can be done to help this crisis moving forward through the following Bills: - Access and Affordability
- Child Care Workforce
- HB 2452- Child Care Resource and Referral Enhanced Referrals
- HB 2450- Child Care Impact Statement
- HB 3008- Child Care Workforce Package
As a Mother, Grandmother, and a former educator, I understand the need and importance of trustworthy, affordable, and effective Child Care and I am committed to ensuring that our children receive the care they deserve. While there are certainly many more bills than what I present here, these few are just a variety selection of what is being worked on. HB 3103 Requires the creation of a sustainable harvest level on state lands. Instead of determining harvest levels based on the political opinion of the day, this would require determining a sustainable harvest based on science. It is currently in the House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water SB 458 is coming to a vote! This is our bill on Hwy 30 that would require investigation on the safety issues on Hwy 30. Senate Bill 1201, a proposal to direct the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to conduct a feasibility study on the potential construction of a new Columbia River bridge west of the Interstate 5 bridges. This critical first step will assess whether this major infrastructure investment would alleviate congestion in the Portland metro area. My Republican colleagues in the Senate have introduced a package of bills aimed at addressing the root causes of homelessness. These bills focus on accountability, mental health, addiction treatment, and tougher policies on crime: - SB 645: Restores local control over public property use policies.
- SB 670: Toughens penalties for drug possession to help curb drug addiction.
- SB 920: Promotes better mental health and addiction services in Oregon.
- SB 1040: Limits pretrial release for people charged with serious drug crimes.
- SB 1041: Requires police to notify immigration authorities for fentanyl-related arrests and limits pretrial release until notification occurs.
- SB 359: Allows anyone to report homeless camps that are polluting state waters so the Department of Environmental Quality can clean them up.
Guests in Oregon hotels and short-term vacation rentals will have authority to sue innkeepers, landlords, and reservation services under a Senate bill passed today if these rental providers record still photos, videos, or audio of the guests in private spaces. “This bill was prompted by real-life experiences of guests being videorecorded when they expected privacy,” said Senator Anthony Broadman, who carried the bill on the Senate floor. “But nothing in the bill prohibits a hotel or short-term host from recording common areas such as lobbies, stairwells, or exterior exits. It would not be appropriate to position or direct cameras inside the private space someone rents, like a hotel room or a vacation condo.” The legislation, SB 470, specifies that victims can claim compensatory damages and attorney’s fees when they file suit over photos or recordings. In current law, photos and videos taken or shared without consent are an invasion of privacy if nudity is involved. The bill passed today widens the definition to any images taken when a person reasonably expects privacy in their vacation rental or hotel room. The vote on the Oregon Senate floor was 28 to 0. The measure goes next to the Oregon House of Representatives for consideration. As you can see below, we are participating in Purple Up! For Military Kids on April 10th! Please join us in showing these kids we recognize and support them. I would also like to invite any children and families of service members to come to the Capitol on April 10th to share in being recognized by the Senate and House of Representatives. Please contact my office to let us know if you are coming.  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/
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