Real ID

If you aren’t already aware, the REAL ID travel deadline was May 7th.

Starting May 7th, passengers 18 and older must show a state-issued REAL ID or a federally acceptable alternative, like a passport or military ID, at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoint to board a commercial U.S. flight. TSA reports that people who show up without acceptable ID will be taken aside and put through next-level security checks. These people will be delayed; it’s impossible right now to say whether that means missed flights.

As a result of the influx of customers trying to beat the deadline, DMV is serving more customers than ever and is at maximum capacity. I wanted to share some information and recommendations on how folks can best get their DMV business completed during this influx of high volume.

DMV Actions to Help our Constituents

ODOT has been notifying and reminding Oregonians for more than seven years—since 2018—that REAL ID is coming and now that REAL ID is here, Oregonians are coming to DMV in droves. Some examples of broadly reaching efforts include media events, web pages, pop-up notices every time someone comes to any ODOT web page, news releases, social media campaigns, banners and signs in DMV field offices, and messages to broad email lists. DMV has also included REAL ID messaging on direct customer contact: every vehicle registration renewal notice, every license / ID card renewal notice, every receipt for any transaction at DMV or on-line.

More recently, Oregon DMV has added thousands of REAL ID appointments every week to help people looking to update their credential. Additionally, DMV staff from the Salem headquarters have voluntarily deployed to offices to take photos and perform VIN inspections, giving more time for trained field staff to serve customers. DMV has also been hiring temp workers to do simple tasks and free up more highly trained field staff.

DMV also fully implemented the additional REAL ID resources provided by the legislature last session, including:

• 26 limited duration staff dedicated solely to REAL ID transactions;
• New scanners to speed up transactions; and
• An advertising campaign to inform Oregonians about their options, which has reached 33.7 million impressions and 120,000 conversions. This campaign has played a large role in driving the traffic we’re currently seeing.

To help meet the demands for REAL ID, a rotating set of offices has been open on Saturdays, by appointment and for REAL ID only. This began on April 12 and has been popular—appointment slots fill within hours after opening.

Election Day

Election day is May 20th!  Across the state, a variety of local elections will be held. Your ballot may include positions such as School Board, College Board, Port Commissioner, as well as roles in Health and Transportation Districts.

If you go to the Oregon Secretary of State webpage you can find a drop box location as well as a quick link to each county in Oregon.

At each county you can find the measures and candidates that will appear on ballots within that county.  Keep in mind that your ballot will only include the measures and candidates that pertain to your voting address. Both Tillamook and Clatsop County offers a Elections Live Video Streaming link starting on Election Day.

Below are some important dates to keep in mind as election day approaches.

Around the District

Cloverdale to welcome U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón for an Evening of Poetry and Connection

On May 20, Cloverdale will host a special literary evening as U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón delivers the Spring Keynote for the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology at Nestucca K-8 School. This free, in-person event—open by reservation—offers a rare opportunity to experience Limón’s powerful poetry in an intimate, community-centered setting. Unlike many literary events held in major cities, this gathering brings world-class poetry to a rural audience, emphasizing accessibility and inclusion.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with Limón’s reading beginning at 6:00 p.m. A book signing will follow, giving attendees the chance to meet the poet and purchase her books.

Limón, the nation’s 24th Poet Laureate, is renowned for work that connects deeply with readers through lyrical explorations of nature, identity, and emotion. Her six collections include The Carrying, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, and Bright Dead Things, a finalist for the National Book Award. Her latest book, The Hurting Kind, was shortlisted for the Griffin Poetry Prize. In addition to her literary accolades, Limón is a MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient and was named one of TIME magazine’s Women of the Year. Her signature Laureate project, You Are Here, highlights poetry’s power to deepen our connection to the natural world—perfectly in tune with the Sitka Center’s mission.

This event offers Oregon’s coastal communities a chance to engage directly with one of America’s most celebrated voices. Limón will read selections from her work and share reflections on the relationship between language and the environment. Known for her evocative imagery and emotional resonance, her readings promise to be both stirring and insightful. Afterward, the book signing will provide a personal touchpoint for fans, including the opportunity to get signed copies of her collections and her two children’s books: In Praise of Mystery, illustrated by Peter Sís, and And, Too, The Fox, scheduled for release in 2025.

Peerpocalypse 2025 was held in Seaside May 5th through 8th.  Run through the Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon, Peerpocalypse is a national convergence of leaders, emerging leaders, innovators, and peers who want to become more involved in the peer community.   The Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon started it as a mental health conference in 2013.  In 2017, MHAAO added addiction as a core component of the conference.

I know that we often refer to mental health support and the lack of it as one of our biggest challenges in Oregon. This event is one of the largest for peers by peers conference for mental health and substance abuse.

You can learn more about Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon by checking out their webpage.

During session it is rare that I am able to get back for activities in the district.  However, this weekend I have the good fortune to be able to attend the Tillamook FFA banquet!

From the District

Please join me for this weeks update.  You can listen in on SoundCloud or watch on YouTube

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/​