Thank you to the more than 20 legislators who joined DD advocates from across the state at our Legislative Reception Thursday evening to discuss DSP Wages, DD Case Management, Regional Family Networks and Healthier Oregon! Your time and support were deeply appreciated!

DD Coalition Legislative Funding Priorities

• Direct Support Professional Wages (POP 132)
• DD Case Management (Full Funding)
• Regional Family to Family Networks ($1.5M) 
• Healthier Oregon - Access to Services (POP 105)

State Budget Road Show Final Hearing

The Ways and Means Committee has one more Town Hall Meeting at the Capitol to hear from Oregonians about the 2023-25 state budget. Register to testify in support of DD Services by using the event link: Wednesday, May 3 (5-7pm)

Arrive early prepared to introduce yourself, give a minute of testimony about the importance of DD Services in your life and/or community, and end with an ask for investments in DD Services funding. Even if you are not called to give testimony, your presence at these events wearing something yellow will show unified support of the DD Community.

Email the Ways & Means Committee

Your voice matters! It is important that legislators hear why DD Services funding matters. Ask that they protect people with I/DD through essential investments in the Human Services budget bill HB 5026. More specifically, ask the legislature to support full funding for Direct Support Professional (DSP) Wages, DD Case Management, Regional Family Networks, and Healthier Oregon which allow any Oregonians to access DD services if they qualify on the basis of their disability. Include a few sentences about what DD Services means in your life.

Email the Members of the Ways & Means Committee at: Sen.ElizabethSteiner@oregonlegislature.gov; Rep.TawnaSanchez@oregonlegislature.gov; Sen.FredGirod@oregonlegislature.gov; Rep.DavidGomberg@oregonlegislature.gov; Rep.GregSmith@oregonlegislature.gov; Sen.SaraGelser@oregonlegislature.gov; Sen.DickAnderson@oregonlegislature.gov; Sen.WlnsveyCampos@oregonlegislature.gov; Sen.TimKnopp@oregonlegislature.gov; Sen.JaneenSollman@oregonlegislature.gov; Rep.JamiCate@oregonlegislature.gov; rep.AndreaValderrama@oregonlegislature.gov; Sen.MichaelDembrow@oregonlegislature.gov; Sen.LynnFindley@oregonlegislature.gov; Sen.LewFrederick@oregonlegislature.gov; Sen.BillHansell@oregonlegislature.gov; Rep.PaulEvans@oregonlegislature.gov; Rep.PaulHovey@oregonlegislature.gov; Rep.RickLewis@oregonlegislature.gov; Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov; Rep.KhanhPham@oregonlegislature.gov; Rep.EWernerReschke@oregonlegislature.gov; rep.vikkibreeseiverson@oregonlegislature.gov

If your State Senator and State Representative are not on this committee, include them on your email. To find out who your two state legislators are, visit the home page of the Oregon Legislature website at Oregon State Legislature (oregonlegislature.gov)

2023 DD Advocacy Event

Thursday, May 25th

DD Advocacy Online Workshop 10A-12P

Register at https://creatingops.typeform.com/2023DDadvocacy

Staying Informed This Session

More policy bill deadlines are approaching this session. In order for a bill to be heard in committee by second chamber deadline (May 19), it has to be posted on an agenda for work session by May 5. However, this does not apply to Rules, Revenue, or Joint Committees

For information on bills that we our monitoring, look for our weekly bill tracking report on our website as well as Facebook where we are also posting Spotlights on policy issues of interest to the DD Community.

If you are interested in specific legislative topics, this video goes through each step to help you find where bills are in the legislative process and how to sign up for email alerts to get updates directly.

Visit the GO Project's You Tube Channel legislative advocacy videos created by our GO! Advocacy Team.