Hey People!

Oregon organizers are so excited that HB 2215, the Oregon Right to Rest Act is moving this year. We are gearing up for our first hearing in the Judiciary committee but we need your help!

Oregon state legislators Piluso, Dembrow, Greenlick, Nosse, Power, Hernandez and Frederick will be championing HB 2215 - The Oregon Right2Rest Act - for the second year. The Right2Rest Act is stronger, clearer, and more powerful! If HB 2215 passes this year - it will force the state of Oregon to abandon its practices of criminalizing homeless people for engaging in basic life-sustaining activities like sitting, lying, sleeping, resting and eating in public. The criminalization of rest must end if we are ever to turn the tide on our homelessness crisis.

You can read the full bill language here and you can read the main talking points here.

Follow These 2 Easy Steps to TAKE ACTION!

1) Send a letter of organizational support!
• Click here for a sample letter.
• Please send your letter by Friday, March 10th on organizational letterhead, to: coral@wraphome.org and oregonhbr@gmail.com

2) Email and call the members of the House Judiciary Committee by Friday, March 10th and urge them to support HB 2215, the Oregon Right2Rest Act

• Committee Chair, Jeff Barker: (503) 986-1428 rep.jeffbarker@state.or.us

• Committee Vice-Chair, Jenniffer Williamson: (503) 986-1436
rep.jenniferwilliamson@oregonlegislature.gov

• Mitch Greenlick: (503) 986-1433 rep.mitchgreenlick@state.or.us

• Ann Lininger: (503) 986-1438 rep.annlininger@state.or.us

• Andy Olson: (503) 986-1415 rep.andyolson@state.or.us

• Bill Post: (503) 986-1425 rep.billpost@state.or.us

• Sherrie Sprenger: (503) 986-1417 rep.sherriesprenger@state.or.us

• Chris Gorsek: (503) 986-1449 rep.chrisgorsek@state.or.us

• Tawna Sanchez: (503) 986-1443 rep.tawnasanchez@oregonlegislature.gov

• Duane Stark: (503) 986-1404 rep.duanestark@state.or.us

• Rich Vial: (503) 986-1426 rep.richvial@oregonlegislature.gov

Sample Script:

My name is ________ and I am calling to urge you to vote YES on the Right To Rest Act. You will be hearing HB 2215: Oregon Right To Rest Act in the Assembly Judiciary Committee. This bill provides critical civil rights protections to ALL Oregonians to ensure that every Oregonians is able to meet the biological need of rest. The practice of criminalizing poor and homeless people for engaging in basic life-sustaining activities like eating, sleeping, resting, lying and sleeping is unjust, cruel and entrenches people in homelessness. HB 2215 will allow homeless people more time and energy to access services, search for employment and apply for housing that would otherwise be spent responding to police harassment, tickets, courts and jail time. Please vote YES on Hb 2215: the Oregon Right To Rest Act!

We ask you to stand us in ensuring that we can all have our right to rest!

Join us on Friday, March 3rd from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM:
Justice 4 Unhoused! Kickoff Forum for the Right 2 Rest Act

The forum will be held at Sisters of the Road Café on 133 NW 6th Avenue in Portland, Oregon.

This is a key meeting for leaders in this movement to protect the human
rights of our unhoused community members. We’d love to have you there
(with your friends!) to learn more about the Right 2 Rest ACT (HB 2215),
ask questions, and join us in mobilizing for action in this historic moment!
We will also be debuting a film made about the Right to Rest made by the kickass
youth of Outside the Frame!

There are many opportunities for leveraging your good work, engaging your
community, and bringing your organization on-board with this historic movement.
Just let me (Karissa@sistersoftheroad.org) know how you're most interested and
able to participate.

Snacks provided and all are welcome!