One Month Down, Four and a Half Months To GO!
There have been 2,114 bills introduced so far this legislative session, with more likely to come. The DD Coalition is watching about 20% of those bills that could have an impact or be of interest to individuals with developmental disabilities, and it’s tracking 54 bills as higher priority bills for the DD Coalition. Please see our DD Coalition Priority Bills Tracking Report for more information.
While the 2021 legislative session felt like it started off slow, the pace has been picking up around the “virtual” Capitol. Despite having to figure out how to navigate a virtual session while the Capitol building is closed due to the COVID pandemic, DD advocates have been busy making connections with legislators via Zoom to discuss priority issues.
Things will be moving even faster around the Capitol in the coming weeks as committees work hard to move bills through the legislative process before the first upcoming bill deadline. Bills have to be scheduled for work sessions in their chamber of origin by March 19th or they will die. There will also be opportunities to advocate for the DD budget in late March and early April. Stay tuned in upcoming issues of the GO! Bulletin for more information on how you can get involved and make your voice heard.
POLICY BILLS AND HEARINGS
Winter Storms Result in Legislative Hearing Schedule Changes
Recent winter storms have left thousands of people without power making it difficult to conduct legislative business, so the legislature has cancelled committee meetings this Monday and Tuesday. It is up to the discretion of the committee chair if and when the bills that were up for hearing Monday and Tuesday will be rescheduled.
HB 2964 which proposes to start direct support professional wages at 150 percent of state minimum wage was one the bills that had been scheduled for a hearing this Monday. The DD Coalition supports this bill and we look forward to when the hearing will be rescheduled.
WEDNESDAY — February 17, 2021
8:00 am / Remote A: Senate Committee on Judiciary and Ballot Measure 110 Implementation will be holding a public hearing on SB 418, a bill that prohibits a peace officer from using deceit, trickery or artifice during interview of youth concerning act that, if committed by adult, would constitute crime.
8:00 am / Remote C: House Committee on Behavioral Health will be holding public hearings on the following bills:
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HB 2469: Requires state medical assistance program to provide for up to six behavioral health check-ups every year.
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HB 2585: Imposes requirements upon mental health treatment professionals and programs to ensure culturally and linguistically affirmative mental health services for individuals who are deaf, deaf-blind or hard of hearing.
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HB 2980: Provides funding to peer-run organizations in Portland metropolitan area, southern Oregon region and eastern and central Oregon region to operate peer respite centers to provide peer respite services to individuals with mental illness who experience acute distress, anxiety or emotional pain. Requires Oregon Health Authority to adopt criteria for peer respite centers that receive funding and to monitor compliance.
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HB 3046: Specifies behavioral health treatment that must be provided by coordinated care organizations and covered by group health insurance and individual health plans and restricts utilization review criteria for behavioral health treatment.
1:00 pm / Remote B: Senate Committee on Health Care will hold the following public hearings:
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SB 355: Delays sunset of requirement that health insurance reimburse cost of applied behavior analysis for autism spectrum disorder.
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SB 358: Relating to applied behavior analysis; creating new provisions.
1:00 pm / Remote E: Joint Subcommittee on Education---Informational Meeting on “Education System Budget Overview” with invited testimony only.
1:00 pm / Remote C: House Committee on Early Childhood will be holding an public hearing on HB 2719, a bill that directs the Department of Human Services to establish and administer a program to provide moneys for third-party child care for child in foster home.
3:15 pm / Remote F: House Committee on Human Services will be holding a public hearing on HB 2505, a bill relating to the Governor’s Child Foster Care Advisory Commission and creating new provisions.
3:15 pm / Remote B: Senate Committee on Education will be holding work sessions on the following bills it had public hearings on last week:
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SB 53: Updates terminology and funding provisions related to special education programs provided on local, county or regional basis.
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SB 55: Directs Office of School Facilities to administer statewide facilities assessment program.
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SB 222: Directs Department of Education to provide reimbursements for vision screenings of students to persons that provide vision screenings.
The committee will also be holding public hearings the following bills:
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SB 736: Establishes a Task Force on Restorative Justice.
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SB 328: Prescribes requirements for annual school district and school performance reports, including requirement for inclusion of data related to suspensions and expulsions.
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SB 236: Directs Early Learning Division to conduct study on use of suspension and expulsion in early childhood care and education programs and to report results of study to interim committee of Legislative Assembly related to education.
3:15 pm / Remote 174: House Committee on Judiciary, Subcommittee on Civil Law will be holding an informational hearing on “Overview of Guardianship in Oregon,” with invited testimony from Hon. Lauren Holland, Judge, Lane County Circuit Court; Chris Rosin, Oregon Public Guardian & Conservator; Leslie Sutton, Executive Director, Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities; and additional presenters to be determined.
3:15 pm / Remote E: House Committee on Business and Labor will hold a work session on HB 2442, a bill that extends the sunset for the additional personal exemption credit for a taxpayer with a severe disability. Note: HB 2442 is being scheduled solely for the purpose of referral without recommendation to the House Human Services Committee.
5:30 pm / Remote B: Joint meeting of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire Recovery and the House Special Committee on Wildfire Recovery. The committees will be continuing to take public testimony on “Wildfire Recovery,” focusing on testimony from the Southern Region of Oregon.
THURSDAY — February 18, 2021
8:00 am / Remote D: House Committee on Housing will be holding a public hearing on HB 2336, a bill that directs the Department of Consumer and Business Services to establish by rule appendix in Oregon residential specialty code based upon visitability standards for Type C Units provided by American National Standards Institute.
1:00 pm / Remote E: House Committee on Education will be holding a public hearing on HB 2051, a bill that broadens the eligibility of youths who may participate in the statewide youth reengagement system.
1:00 pm / Remote A: House Committee on Revenue will be holding an informational hearing on “Tax Policy Through a Racial Equity Lens.”
3:15 pm / Remote B: Senate Committee Human Services, Mental Health and Recovery will be holding public hearings on the following bills:
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SB 279: Directs Department of Human Services, to extent practicable, to avoid scheduling meetings and appointments involving child in foster care during school day.
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SB 517: Directs Department of Human Services to provide person having legal custody of child with explanation for child's removal and description of expected remedial steps person must take for child's return.
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SB 663: Prohibits Department of Human Services from disclosing records and reports related to child abuse investigations to certain entities unless court finds report of abuse is founded.
3:15 pm / Remote 170: House Committee on Veterans and Emergency Management will be holding a work session on HB 2426, a bill that directs the Oregon Homeland Security Council to develop an updated list of equipment for purposes of the emergency preparedness equipment grant program.
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.
