By State Senator Suzanne Weber

Last Wednesday, state economists presented the June Economic and Revenue Forecast which showed that, despite reckless spending and management of our state economy over the last decade, the state government is projected to bring in record revenue – a 12% increase from the previous biennium. Overall, we have more money to spend than two years ago, to the tune of $2 billion, but we don’t have as much as was predicted in February.

You can view the video presentation to the Committee on Finance and Revenue here. You can also view the full slide presentation and the forecast summary at this link.

I often appreciate the Capital Chatter by Dick Hughes and you might as well. You can catch his latest opinion on the forecast here.

Bills on the move

Mandating other options for entry HB 3378

As many know in recent years, there has been an uptick in use of digital technology for many aspects of our lives. I often need to share my contact info and instead of handing someone a paper card, I simply hold my digital card to the persons smart phone and it automatically loads my info into their contacts. It’s like magic! But when this digital magic becomes the only way to make entry into your rental home problems arise. Once I was made aware of this problem by constituents, we found out that it was an issue in other districts as well. I chose to add my name to co-sponsor a bill that Rep Gomberg had drafted. House Bill 3378 requires that the landlord also offers the tenant at least one alternative means of access, those options include an access code or a fob, key card or other tangible key.

You can read the whole bill at this link. It has passed both the House and Senate and is now moving to the Governors office.

State Mandating Cell Phone Ban in Schools HB 2251

Thank you for sharing your interest and thoughts on HB 2251 regarding state mandated bell to bell cell phone ban in schools.

There has been a ton of debate on this bill around the building and in committee.

In addition to hearing from individual constituents, I and my staff have been reaching out to our school districts to better understand what policies they have in place and what hurdles they have encountered to those policies.

Throughout our district the majority of schools have a policy to curb the distraction of cell phone use, while also providing ability for access as needed. They vary from district to district and school to school in the type of restriction and the type of student consequence if the policy is violated.

It seems the general consensus is that there needs to be a policy on cell phones in the school environment. However, there is no one size fits all type of policy that would work for every school in the State. With that said, I support a bill that would require a policy, but I don’t support forcing a specific policy on a school.

I have never been in favor of unfunded mandates, but I also see the reason behind this legislation. Not only is this about distractions in the classroom, but it is about the mental health of our children. Often teachers and administrators hear from students who have discovered video or pictures of themselves on social media, unaware that a photo or video was ever taken.

This is a difficult issue to navigate but I still believe that school districts are a reflection of the community and they need to have the autonomy to make the best choice in what policy they adopt regarding personal devices in their schools.

While we debate this as a statewide initiative, if you want your school to adjust its policy regarding cell phones, you should reach out to your school administrators and school board members to start that conversation locally.

I’ve linked an informative article from the Seaside Signal here and in the picture above.

Lane Filtering House Bill 3542

This week I’d like to hear from you on what is known as Lane Filtering. HB 3542 is in the Joint Committee on Transportation. This legislation has passed in previous years but was vetoed by then Governor Kate Brown.

Currently there are no laws addressing lane filtering specifically in Oregon other than to be cited for unlawful passing on a motorcycle or moped is a Class B traffic violation and up to $1000 fine . This bill would allow motorcycle riders to lane filter in conditions of low speed or stopped traffic on roads with speed limits of 50 miles per hour or less. They would be allowed to do this at 10 miles per hour or less. It would also make the penalty for unlawful filtering a Class A traffic violation and make it double the unlawful passing penalty bringing it up to a maximum of $2000.

Opportunities!

The Oregon State Capital has many internship opportunities. Fortunately I have a wonderful intern working in my office this legislative session. When he is not in my office, he is attending class at Oregon State University. Through his network and extra participation in class I received a special invitation to be a guest speaker to discuss civics. In addition to that invite to speak in class, I was also welcomed as a guest at a meet and greet with the Women in Public Policy Club.

It was a wonderful opportunity to get back into the classroom and share a little about my story in life and politics, as well as educate our leaders of tomorrow about the importance of participation. They enjoyed hearing about the day to day activities as well as the various processes of bill creation and implementation

I encourage anyone with interest in a career in the political arena to look at internship opportunities. Internships are one of the primary gateways to careers in the Capitol.

I encourage you to first reach out to your respective Senator or House Representative to see if they have any opportunities to intern. Many times students are attending college outside of their home town and may want to consider opportunities with local representatives. To find out who represents a specific address click Here. In addition to contacting specific members offices, you can also reach out to the House and Senate leadership offices noted below:

SRO (Senate Republican Office)- Requel.mooregreen@oregonlegislature.gov
SMO (Senate Majority Office, Democrat Majority)- Hunter.Gilbertson@oregonlegislature.gov
HRO (House Republican Office)- Jacob.vandever@oregonlegislature.gov
HMO (House Majority Office, Democrat Majority)- Kellie.Ryan@oregonlegislature.gov

*These contacts are subject to change

Around the District

As of April 30, the Oregon Health Authority has approved the operating license for Tillamook Kidney Center, operated by Dialysis Clinic, Inc — paving the way for patient care to resume. The final step is certification by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Once certified, scheduling will begin, prioritizing patients already on the waiting list.

A public open house event will be announced once CMS certification is complete — stay tuned!

I was proud to have a small hand in helping get this critical service restored. I’d like to extend special thanks to my colleagues that worked diligently to assist in getting the clinic back up and running; Oregon State Representative Cyrus Javadi, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, and Governor Tina Kotek.

On May 23, the North Coast Express bus will provide seasonal transit between Beaverton and Astoria, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Rockaway Beach and the Tillamook Creamery.

I am excited for this option to work. I’ve copied the press release below.

Just in time for summer adventures, a new seasonal transit option will connect Portland with some of the Oregon Coast’s most iconic destinations. The North Coast Express launches Friday, May 23, providing scenic and flexible service to Astoria, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Rockaway Beach, and the Tillamook Creamery. Service will operate Fridays through Sundays through the end of August.

Expanding Car-Free Access to the Coast

Building on the region’s growing network of car-free travel options, the North Coast Express offers a new, stress-free way to experience the North Coast—no keys required. Riders can enjoy a full day of coastal exploration or plan a longer stay with flexible return-day ticketing.

Morning Departures and Coastal Connections

Each morning, two express routes will depart from the Sunset Transit Center in Beaverton:

Northbound Express: Seaside → Cannon Beach → Astoria
Southbound Express: Rockaway Beach → Tillamook Creamery

A midday connector service allows for hop-on, hop-off travel between coastal towns. Both express routes return to Beaverton in the evening, giving passengers ample time to enjoy local attractions, food, and the coastline.

Designed with Comfort in Mind

All buses are equipped with:

Free WiFi and charging ports
Onboard restrooms
Panoramic windows and reclining seats
Wheelchair lifts for accessible boarding

Limited storage is available for bikes, surfboards, coolers, and other large items.

A New Way to Experience the People’s Coast

Whether you’re planning a spontaneous day trip or a weekend on the beach, the North Coast Express offers a relaxed, comfortable, and sustainable way to explore the Oregon Coast—at your own pace.

Tickets, schedules, and full route details are available at www.visittheoregoncoast.com/express

Around the State

Are you looking for the perfect chance to recognize the value and creativity of manufacturers in your district? Well, you’re in luck!

Oregon Business & Industry, in partnership with Here is Oregon, is excited to announce the third annual Coolest Thing Made in Oregon contest, a search for the coolest thing manufactured in the Beaver State.

The contest begins with nominations. Anyone, from consumers to legislators, can nominate a product manufactured in Oregon. To do this, visit Here is Oregon’s Coolest Thing Made in Oregon page and enter a few pieces of information.

After the nomination period closes in July, 16 products will be chosen to participate in a bracket-style competition. Through four rounds of online voting, Oregonians will narrow the list of finalists, and on Oct. 22 the winner will be revealed at OBI’s Vision Oregon Event.

To learn more about the contest, visit OBI’s Coolest Thing Made in Oregon web page, which will feature all updates.

To qualify for the contest, products must be manufactured substantially within Oregon and be legal to buy in all 50 states.

You can learn about 2024’s Coolest Thing Made in Oregon by clicking on the picture above.

Please join me for this weeks update of the 83rd Oregon Legislative Session. You can listen in on SoundCloud by clicking the link to the left or watch on Youtube by clicking the link below.

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/