REVENUE FORECAST
Last Wednesday, legislators heard the latest revenue forecast from the Office of Economic Analysis (view the slides). This forecast is really important because it determines how much money the Oregon Legislature can spend in the next two-year budget cycle.
Now that the Legislature has the revenue forecast information, legislators can start to finalize the Legislatively Approved Budget that will fund our state agencies like Oregon Department of Education and Department of Human Services (including DD Services).
The revenue forecast showed that overall, the revenue picture is better than it was a year ago. There is more money coming in through personal and corporate taxes plus lottery revenue. But, this forecast was missing some key information because the tax filing deadline for 2020 taxes was just before the revenue forecast. So, the revenue forecast did not include a complete picture of the all the revenue the state may bring in.
Another thing to remember is that Oregon’s constitution requires that taxes be “kicked back” to taxpayers if the actual state revenues are more than 2% higher than forecasted in the previous two-year budget cycle. The amount over 2%, including the 2% trigger amount, is returned to taxpayers as a credit on their next year’s tax return. The Office of Economic Analysis is forecasting a kicker on or before October 1, 2021. Taxpayers would be able to claim the credit claimed on the 2021 taxes filed in 2022. Please remember, this is just forecasted at this point. The kicker has not happened yet.
Read more with OPB coverage of the Revenue forecast.
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Contact Your State Senator & Representative This Week to Request Support for DD Services Funding Priorities
The legislators involved in developing the state budget are going to be busy as they make final decisions about how to allocate state funds. It is a perfect time to reach out and remind legislators about our funding priorities for the Developmental Disabilities system in Oregon, which are:
- Reinstate Regional Family to Family Networks ($1.3 million GF)
- Set DSP Wage at 150% of minimum wage
- Fully Fund Case Management Entities
- Develop Statewide Data System
Simply introduce yourself and ask your State Senator and State Representative to support Oregonians with Developmental Disabilities and their families by reinstating Regional Family Networks funding, setting the Direct Support Professional Wage to 150% of minimum wage, fully funding case management and investing in the development of a statewide database system. To make the request more compelling, add a brief personal story about the importance of these services. End with thanks, your full name and the city where you live.
For more helpful hints on how to advocate via email, watch our video
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Bills, Hearings and Deadlines
This is the last week before most policy committees finish their business and close for the 2021 legislative session. Bills that are still in these committees have to have a work session and be voted out of committee before May 28th or they will die in committee. * Note: As mentioned before, this bill deadline does not apply to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, other joint committees, the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue, the House Committee on Revenue, the Senate Committee on Rules, and the House Committee on Rules.
MONDAY — May 24, 2021
1:00 pm / Remote B: Senate Committee on Health Care will be holding an informational meeting on “COVID-19 and Long Term Care” with Invited testimony only from the following:
o Mike McCormick, APD Director (Interim), Oregon Department of Human Services
o Rachel Currans-Henry, Systems Integration and Policy Director, COVID-19 Response and Recovery Unit
o Libby Batlan, Senior Vice President of Government Relations, Oregon Health Care Association
o Fred Steele, State Long-Term Care Ombudsman and Agency Director, Office of Long-term Care Ombudsman
8:30 am / Remote A: Senate Committee on Judiciary and Ballot Measure 110 Implementation will be holding work sessions on the following bills:
o HB 2936A: States legislative findings about racism and public safety.
o HB 2929A: Modifies police officer's duty to report misconduct.
1:00 pm / Remote C: House Committee on Early Childhood will be holding an informational meeting on SB 236A, a bill that directs the Early Learning Division to conduct a study on the use of suspension and expulsion in early childhood care and education programs and on efforts to reduce and prevent use of suspension and expulsion, following by a work session.
5:30 pm / Remote F: House Committee on Judiciary will be holding work sessions on the following bills:
o SB 578A: Requires court, under certain circumstances, to appoint legal counsel for respondent or protected person in protective proceeding.
o SB 190A: Modifies permissible methods of providing notice of appointment of guardian to protected person.
TUESDAY — May 25, 2021
1:00 pm / Remote 170: House Committee on Rules will be holding a work session on HB 2337, a bill that requires state agencies and third party contractors that collect demographic data on behalf of state agencies to comply with rules adopted by Oregon Health Authority for collection of data on race, ethnicity, preferred spoken and written languages and disability status.
1:00 pm / Remote E: House Committee on Education will be holding the following hearings:
o Public hearing on:
SB 732A: Requires school districts to establish educational equity advisory committee.
SB 744A: Directs Department of Education to review state requirements for high school diploma and to make recommendations related to requirements.
o Possible work sessions on:
SB 232A: Modifies requirements of report on Educators Equity Act that is prepared by state agencies.
SB 602: Removes sunset on requirement that students must receive certain information related to statewide summative assessments.
o Work session on SB 242A, a bill that modifies the definitions of "sexual conduct" for purposes of requirements for education providers related to abuse of and sexual conduct toward students.
1:00 pm / Remote A: House Committee on Revenue will be holding work sessions on the following:
o HB 2630: Provides that, for five school years, calculations of weighted average daily membership made for purposes of distributions of state moneys to school districts may not be decreased for school districts impacted by wildfires in 2020.
o HB 3069A: Establishes statewide coordinated crisis services system including 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline.
3:15 pm / Remote F: House Committee on Health Care will be holding a work session on SB 219A, a bill that directs the Advance Directive Adoption Committee to submit a report to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to judiciary and health with recommendations for development, adoption and administration of statewide advance directive registry for collection and dissemination of advance directives.
WEDNESDAY — May 26, 2021
3:15 pm / Remote B: Senate Committee on Education will be holding a work session on HB 2954, a bill that allows a public charter school to implement a weighted lottery that favors historically underserved students when the number of applications for enrollment exceeds capacity of program, class, grade level or building.
THURSDAY — May 27, 2021
1:00 pm / Remote E: House Committee on Education will be holding work sessions on the following bills:
o SB 732A: Requires school districts to establish educational equity advisory committee.
o SB 744A: Directs Department of Education to review state requirements for high school diploma and to make recommendations related to requirements.
3:15 pm / Remote F: House Committee on Health Care will be holding a work session on SB 560A, a bill that requires insurer and health care service contractor to count payments made on behalf of enrollee for costs of care toward enrollee's out-of-pocket maximum or cost-sharing.
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INTERESTED IN GIVING TESTIMONY AT A COMMITTEE HEARING?
In order to prevent COVID-19 from spreading, entry to the Oregon State Capitol is for authorized personnel only until further notice. The Oregon Legislative Assembly has established a process to accept remote verbal public testimony on bills by video or phone during this time, in addition to written public testimony. For more information, see the helpful information posted online.
INTERESTED IN TRACKING BILLS OR HEARINGS?
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Use the Oregon Legislature's Capitol e-Subscribe service to receive bill alerts for individual bills as they move through the legislative process, receive committee agendas, news from members of the legislative body and more.
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You can also watch or listen to live or archived video and audio of Senate and House chamber sessions and Committee hearings.
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GO! ONLINE for DD Advocacy Videos
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We created a series of training videos to support your preparation for remote legislative advocacy. Visit our You Tube Channel or Facebook Page to view them.
- Introduction to the GO! Project
- 2021 Legislative Advocacy
- Why Is Advocacy Important?
- How To Develop Your Message
- Making a Legislative Appointment
- Preparing For a Virtual Visit
- Expecting the Unexpected
- What to Do After a Legislative Visit
- Advocacy Via Email
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GO! ONLINE for DD Advocacy Days
Wednesday, June 9th
Join the Oregon DD Coalition’s GO! Project Advocacy Team online On Wednesday, June 9 from 10AM to Noon to learn about:
- Legislative Budget Priorities
- Advocacy Strategies
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About the Oregon DD Coalition |
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The Oregon DD Coalition advocates for DD services on behalf of and with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and support organizations in Oregon.
We influence DD service and community support systems and legislation by communicating with a common, consistent voice – creating better opportunities for Oregonians with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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Interested in signing up for the GO! Bulletin or
becoming a member of the Oregon DD Coalition?
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1775 32nd Place, Suite F, Salem OR 97301
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