The 2021 legislative session has officially begun.

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Friends and Neighbors,

The 2021 Legislative Session has officially begun. With so many inspiring new colleagues sworn into the state legislature, a new presidential administration taking the reins of our federal government, and an ever-increasing number of Oregonians receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, I’m feeling optimistic about the future of our state. With the help of my colleagues, the organizations that work to promote policy change, and of course constituents like you, I’m looking forward to developing and passing legislation that tackles some of our communities’ pressing problems.

In order to limit indoor gathering and prevent the transmission of COVID-19, entry to the Oregon State Capitol is for authorized personnel only until further notice. The public will still have the opportunity to have their voices heard by testifying in committees or subcommittees in the following ways:
* Submit written testimony through the Testimony Portal onolis.oregonlegislature.gov ([link removed]) or by mail (900 Court St. NE, Salem, OR 97301). Written testimony is accepted up to 24 hours after the scheduled start time of the committee meeting for which you wish to testify.
* Register in advance to provide verbal testimony remotely (by phone or video) during the committee meeting on the bill you wish to speak on. Registration closes at the start of the meeting. For steps on how to register, please follow this link:[link removed] ([link removed][0]=AT2UpzyPJNLmaawtXPfiNJEVey4TzCBxPHNidXMyCOJTB57j62XwCr9TJT3gQdTGmdjg85KZ-Xzhofx63i9YTlfXi2mpP1nxSdXJtDC3osV9OR6R0XeDD3D3kbGBowwU_2Hs4DVsj4xLX3HepuofwNPqpx7ijl_it1GnvvVhtgwEc7I)
* For more detailed information on how to submit testimony, please go to:[link removed] ([link removed][0]=AT2UpzyPJNLmaawtXPfiNJEVey4TzCBxPHNidXMyCOJTB57j62XwCr9TJT3gQdTGmdjg85KZ-Xzhofx63i9YTlfXi2mpP1nxSdXJtDC3osV9OR6R0XeDD3D3kbGBowwU_2Hs4DVsj4xLX3HepuofwNPqpx7ijl_it1GnvvVhtgwEc7I)


It’s true that the site isn’t the very intuitive to use, but we are here to help you. To start using OLIS, you can visit this help site ([link removed]) , where the menu on the left (with “Session Day,” “Bills,” “Committees,” “Committee Agenda Item,” and “Floor Letters”) will give you instructions on how to interact with the site. If you’re looking for something a bit more upbeat, check out Rep. Dacia Grayber’s 58-second intro to using OLIS here ([link removed]) . I’ll offer some more in-depth tutorials on the huge amounts of information you can find on OLIS in future newsletters.

For now, please reach out to my office if you have any questions. And keep up the good work to protect each other from the spread of the coronavirus. Together, we will slowly reopen and rebuild. In fact, daily coronavirus cases have declined for the second week in a row (read a KATU article here ([link removed]) ).

Leading on Policies for Healthcare and HD 37 in 2021 Session

This session, I am proud to share the policies that I am introducing for improving healthcare access, equity, and decreasing cost, while continuing to work for policies important to our district. Early yesterday morning, to kick off the first House Committee On Economic Recovery and Prosperity ([link removed]) meeting, I received an update on Covid recovery from Business Oregon.

Yesterday, I chaired the first House Committee on Healthcare. Find meeting materials and the link to watch here ([link removed]) . If you are interested in watching our next meeting, it is January 28th at 3:15pm, and will include an informational hearing on healthcare now and moving forward. Find the meeting materials and link to watch live here ([link removed]) . I

f you would like to watch hearings about vaccine distribution, find the meeting materials and link to live stream the House Subcommittee on COVID-19, meeting today at 3:15, here ([link removed]) . Find the materials and live stream for the Senate Healthcare Committee here ([link removed]) .

Healthcare Legislation
* Expand Telehealth ([link removed]) services to remove barriers to accessing healthcare and improving the continuity of care for all Oregonians.
* Remove barriers to comprehensive primary care by addressing patient affordability, accessibility, and the current challenges faced by the same-day or same-facility delivery of behavioral health services with primary care services.
* Reduce barriers to care and administrative burden by ensuring that commercial payers employ prior authorization programs ([link removed]) , and the process is transparent, efficient, and fair.
* Prevent the social isolation of Oregonians living in residential care during public emergencies by requiring long term care facilities to have isolation prevention plans ([link removed]) that allow residents to continue to engage with family and friends.
* Increase equitable access to birthing options in community-based ([link removed]) , culturally appropriate settings.
* Address the price of prescription drugs by establishing a board to review prices for prescription drugs.
* Reduce Oregon’s suicide and gun violence rates by requiring safe storage of all firearms ([link removed]) when not in the owner’s control.
* Ensure that treatment for PANS/PANDAS ([link removed]) , a debilitating brain inflammatory disease, is covered by insurance, and authorize healthcare professionals to prescribe and treat PANS/PANDAS patients.
* Protect vulnerable infants and their mothers by expanding access to pre- and postpartum services to incarcerated mothers.
Policies for HD 37
* Modify the definition of ‘recycled paper checkout bag ([link removed]) ’ to include nonwood renewable fiber to support the local business, Willamette Falls Paper Company, to allow for use of their natural kraft paper bags using agricultural waste wheat straw, a product that would otherwise be burned or thrown away.
* Prioritize the 205/Abernathy bridge project to improve the safety of roads and support local business and prevent our community from being unfairly tolled.
* Establish the Willamette Falls Public Corporation to govern the Willamette Falls, so the Army Corps of Engineers can transfer ownership.

Vaccines By the Numbers

As of 12am this morning, this region has administered a cumulative total of 340,359 first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines. All vaccinations were administered by Oregon hospitals, long-term care facilities, emergency medical service agencies, urgent care facilities and Local Public Health Authorities.

There are three new ways Oregonians can get COVID-19 vaccine information. The best way to get information about the COVID-19 vaccine in Oregon is still to visit the COVID-19 vaccine website,covidvaccine.oregon.gov ([link removed]) . It is updated regularly with the latest information on things like who can get a vaccine, when and where.

In addition to the website:
1. Text ORCOVID to 898211 to get text/SMS updates (English and Spanish only)
2. Email [email protected] (All languages)

If you can not get your question answered on the website, by text or by email:
* Call the Call Center at 211 or 1-866-698-6155 open 6 a.m.-7 p.m. daily, including holidays. Please be aware that wait times may be long due to high call volumes. There is an option to get a call back rather than wait on hold. (Languages spoken: English and Spanish. Free interpretation available for all other languages.)
+ TTY: Dial 711 and call 1-866-698-6155

OHA's dashboards ([link removed]) provide regularly updated vaccination data. The OHA has also created an interactive website to stay up to date on vaccine information like who is eligible, and who to contact about receiving a vaccine if you are eligible: [link removed]

Vaccine Clinics

Four health systems plan to join forces to open a vaccination clinic for eligible people: Kaiser Permanente, Providence, Legacy Health and Oregon Health & Science University are pooling their COVID-19 vaccine doses and staff to launch what they are calling a mega clinic at the Oregon Convention Center in Northeast Portland.

Kaiser will also be partnering with Salem Health to support the vaccination clinic at the Oregon Fairgrounds, and is working with health systems in Clark County, Washington, to plan for a mass vaccination clinic site there. Coordinating more efficient mass vaccination clinics allows health systems to receive a larger, more consistent supply of the vaccine from the federal government and vaccine manufacturers.


Vaccine Eligibility

Phase 1a eligibility includes ALL Oregonians 16 years of age and older that have a disability or medical condition that requires services to be provided in the home. This includes aging parents or disabled/chronically ill Oregonians who live with unpaid caregivers and require their daily support in order to remain in the community, rather than a long term care facility or adult foster care. In addition to these individuals, all of their paid and unpaid caregivers are also covered.

Currently, the eligibility dates for qualifying by age are:
* Week of February 7th: Seniors 80 and over eligible
* Week of February 14th: Seniors 75 and over eligible
* Week of February 21st: Seniors 75 and over eligible
* Week of February 28th: Seniors 70 and over eligible
* Week of March 7th: Seniors 65 and over eligible



As our health system prepares for wider vaccine distribution we must listen to each other and work together. This is how we will overcome the fear many feel right now. We must also think outside the box to reach every Oregonian in every corner of our state. [link removed]… ([link removed][0]=AT31cG1LqTYa_0R90pFjtpAoq1BE9scsJN8oC1sr8G_U9hNgo7FmsT4NE9WSZbev8kpmPysBzijKvZ9VZpDyHuZbVpu0Vf5Qq8sT-mt7b52q8jyKfNc11Qe7pUioe2uFfR7l0WIgIr_aHcc_GLSPrYbTbJv1-coCckKoAido5cFmuPpVvly9vgsn0ZUcI43ulbTvDLak)

Update from Governor Brown and OHA: ‘Tough Calls’ on Vaccination Sequencing

Governor Kate Brown held a news conference to update Oregonians on the status of COVID-19 vaccinations in Oregon, particularly as they relate to seniors and educators. The Governor was joined by Oregon Health Authority Public Health Director Rachael Banks. If you would like to watch the Governor’s January 15th Press Briefing here ([link removed]) .

Director Banks spoke of Oregon’s plan to vaccinate people who work in childcare, early learning or K-12 school settings starting Jan. 25. “As long as supplies are scarce, we’ll face really tough calls on who to immunize next. There are good reasons to prioritize educators and good reasons to prioritize seniors.”

Director Banks emphasized the decision to start vaccinating educators now is to give schools a chance at reopening this school year with a vaccinated staff -- if Oregon starts vaccinating seniors first, there may not be enough supply for educators this school year.

The press conference included testimony supporting the vaccination of educators from 2021 Oregon Teacher of the Year Nicole Butler-Hooton, Regional Teacher of the Year Mayra Pelayo, and South Medford High School Student—and member of the Governor's Healthy Schools Reopening Council— Yosalin Arenas Alvarez. They spoke of the hardship students, teachers, and families face during this time, especially for students experiencing houselessness and losing loved ones.

The details of the vaccine sequencing plan are available on the OHA COVID-19 webpage ([link removed]) .

My Thoughts on Vaccine Rollout

I am relieved by the promise from the new administration to follow the science on COVID and to increase accountability and transparency in our pandemic response nationwide. Even with a more robust federal response, we know it will take some time before every Oregonian who wants to get the vaccine can get their two shots.

It has been a scary, challenging time, especially for communities who face a higher risk of serious symptoms of COVID.

As a nurse practitioner who cares for vulnerable homebound seniors, I share the frustrations I've heard from older Oregonians and their families. I am anxious for vaccine distribution to speed up and reach our elderly population. We still have many people who we must reach in 1A category as soon as possible, and I will not stop advocating for our most frail, vulnerable and marginalized community members.

I meet weekly with representatives from the Governor’s office and from OHA to work on vaccination plans and report the concerns and issues you send me, so we can protect all Oregonians as fast as we can. The goal is to create a process where everyone is able to easily get a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as large enough quantities of vaccine are available.

In the meantime, we can all do our part to protect the at-risk populations in our communities who do not yet have the vaccine by wearing masks in public, limiting gatherings, and keeping our distance.

Unemployment Update

The Oregon Employment Department has the following updates on benefits connected to the Continued Assistance Act (CAA) that was passed by Congress last month:

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) - If you’re eligible for PEUC, you will receive up to an additional 11 weeks of benefits. The department hopes to be able to start paying these benefits by January 29, 2021. Read the updated FAQs ([link removed]) to learn more and find which scenario best fits your claim.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) - If you have or are about to exhaust (zero balance) your benefits or file a new PUA claim, the department doesn’t have an estimate yet for when you’ll start to receive benefits again. However, your benefits will be paid retroactively so continue filing weekly. I will share that information as soon as we know more.

The U.S. Department of Labor has informed Oregon that the maximum number of PUA weeks available is 50 weeks. PUA is a weeks-based program so you can only receive up to a maximum of 50 weeks of benefits, even if you have funds remaining on your claim.

New PUA Verification Requirements - The CAA requires that you provide additional information to the department to verify your income:
* If you filed your PUA claim on or before January 3, 2021, you need to show work between January 1, 2019, and the effective date of your claim, which is the first day you became unemployed
* If your claim was filed after January 3, 2021, you would need to show work between January 1, 2020, and the effective date of your claim, which is the first day you became unemployed

Extended Benefits - If you were receiving EB when the CARES Act expired, you will need to use up your EB claim. After that, the department will move you back to PEUC until the PEUC extension ends on March 13, 2021.

The Oregon Employment Department is still receiving rules and instructions (guidance) from the federal government and will update us as they learn more. In the meantime:
* Continue filing your weekly claim ([link removed]) , no matter which program you are in.
* Watch a recording of our most recent webinar ([link removed]) , where we shared updates about the CAA, including details on PEUC, EB, and PUA.

Healing Divides

Politics are adversarial. Currently in America, we are debating some fundamental issues: how to balance individual rights with the need to protect public health and safety; the extent to which a government should support its most vulnerable citizens or leave them to determine their own fates; and whether some traditions should be left behind to make way for an evolving society. Despite these disagreements, it doesn’t need to be combative. We all agree on our responsibilities as officials: meeting people’s basic needs, protecting people’s rights, and giving people the opportunity to thrive.

We have reached a critical, unsustainable point: we no longer agree on facts. To heal the divides in our country, to ensure our politics are adversarial but still productive, we need to find some basic common, factual ground. Some things are true, others are not. The good news is there are plenty of institutions that explain what is true and what is not, based on research and evidence.

With this goal of productive governing and coming together as one community --despite our legitimate disagreements-- I ask you to log onto self-reinforcing social media circles less, and choose to talk to people in your communities instead. I will commit to doing the same.

We have built up walls with assumptions and frustrations between each other. One of the simplest, most powerful ways we can break them down is to talk to our neighbors. Remind yourself that disagreements about politics don’t have to create warring tribes; we are all in this American experiment together. If we pull down the walls that divide us, I know we can start building bridges that unite us.


Rejecting Those Who Seek to Divide Us

Uniting will require trust, understanding, and basic agreements about the humanity of our fellow Oregonians, Americans, and people around the world. It is necessary for our state and country to move forward together, but we can’t move forward until we reject extremism, white supremacy, and dishonesty in our political process.

We must agree that all people were created equal, that each of us has a right to pursue our dreams, and that our differences should be worked out through debates and elections, not through violence or rhetoric that encourages violence.

With that in mind, I am repeating a call I first made 14 days ago ([link removed]) : it is past time for Clackamas County Commissioner Mark Shull to resign. Instead of resigning and making a sincere effort to make amends with Oregon's Muslim community, Black community, and LGBTQ communities, he has reacted as though the dozens of elected officials who have called for his resignation are overly sensitive members of a 'cancel culture.' ([link removed]) .

Please email me (mailto:[email protected]) if you have specific concerns. Our office will do all we can to help and protect all Oregonians.

Covid-19 Resources:
Oregon Information and Resources ([link removed])
Oregon Health Authority Updates ([link removed])
Federal Government Response ([link removed])
Senator Merkley’s Response Page ([link removed])
SEIU Worker Resource Page ([link removed])
Oregon Unemployment ([link removed])

Thank you for reading and stay safe.

Sincerely,
Rachel Prusak

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