Plus: check out ODOT's I-205 project open house

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Friends and Neighbors,

I am so pleased that vaccines are now available to every Oregonian. More than 40% of all Oregonians have received at least one shot, and more than 1 million Oregonians are fully vaccinated. As of Tuesday, the 7-day running average is now 34,529 doses per day.
Sign up w/OHA to get a vaccine appointment here ([link removed])

These numbers are hopeful. They finally allow us to see the end of this crisis; imagine a future close at hand where we can hug our family and see our loved ones without fear. If we dedicate ourselves to getting vaccinated, and stick just a little longer to public safety measures, the Governor is hoping to lift the risk level restrictions by the summer.

But unfortunately, we are currently losing in our race of vaccine distribution vs. variants spreading, and the numbers of COVID-19 cases and severe illness reflect that.

The percentage of positive tests is increasing at a troubling rate, climbing from a seven-day moving average of 3.9% in early March to an average of 5.7% as of Friday. We are also seeing a sharp rise in hospitalizations: a 109% increase since March 1.

This week, we have reached the Governor’s 300 person hospitalization trigger to reinstate Extreme Risk levels. 15 counties will move to the Extreme Risk level on Friday, April 30 through Thursday, May 6 (read the Governor’s press release here ([link removed]) ), and the outdoor capacity limit for bars, restaurants, and other sectors in those counties will be raised from 50 to 100 people. Washington County remains at the High Risk level, but Clackamas County has been moved to Extreme Risk. County COVID-19 data will be evaluated every week for the next three weeks, so counties that improve their metrics have weekly opportunities to move to lower risk levels.

The short-term restrictions ([link removed]) associated with the extreme risk level will give our vaccination efforts a chance to get ahead of the increasing spread of the variant, and Governor Brown has committed to limiting this stopgap measure to three weeks at most.

This announcement is discouraging, but I remain hopeful. We are so close to the end, and we have to do everything we can to stop this devastating virus and rebuild our economy. We must not let the virus gain an upper hand.

I will work with the Governor to ensure we send a $20 million emergency relief package to immediately aid businesses in Extreme Risk counties, and please reach out to my office if you, your family, or your business need help accessing help.
Oregon’s Small Business Relief Navigator ([link removed])
Please encourage your family members and friends to get vaccinated, continue to socially distance, wear masks, and wash hands. Let’s win the race between vaccines and variants. Let’s build our immunity so we can fully engage in our communities. Let’s get vaccinated!
[link removed]

More Vaccine Resources and Info
* Vaccines are free for everyone
* Insurance is not required
* Social security numbers are not required
* You may sign up through a pharmacy
+ Bi-Mart ([link removed])
+ Costco ([link removed])
+ Fred Meyer ([link removed])
+ Health Mart Pharmacy ([link removed])
+ Rite Aid ([link removed])
+ Safeway/Albertsons/Sav-On ([link removed])
+ Walgreens ([link removed])
+ Walmart ([link removed])


** Mid-session Legislative Update
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This session, we have had deliberate slowdowns and multiple COVID-19 cases that forced us to delay floor sessions for weeks at a time. Despite these setbacks, we have passed bipartisan policies that will make a difference in Oregonians’ lives. Here are a few:
* HB 2009 ([link removed]) protects Oregonians from foreclosure during the COVID-19 pandemic.
* HB 3218 ([link removed]) helps manufactured housing residents rebuild from last year’s wildfires.
* HB 2341 ([link removed]) and HB 2607 ([link removed]) provide tax relief for Oregonians whose homes were destroyed in the fires.
* HB 2966 ([link removed]) extends the grace period for repayment of commercial back rent, as businesses continue to recover from the COVID recession.
* HB 3389 ([link removed]) provides unemployment insurance tax relief for the small businesses who have been impacted the most by the COVID recession.
* HB 3178 ([link removed]) provides more support for part-time workers receiving unemployment benefits at a time when they need it most.
* HB 3361 ([link removed]) protects restaurants from unscrupulous practices by requiring third-party delivery platforms to get their permission before taking orders.
* HB 2623 ([link removed]) caps the price of insulin to consumers to limit the impacts of price hikes on Oregonians.

We also passed a slate of meaningful police accountability bills with bipartisan support:
* HB 3164 A aims to prevent unjustifiable arrests for all Oregonians, but especially BIPOC communities and people experiencing homelessness who are disproportionately impacted.
* HB 3273 A & HB 3047 A: protects people’s privacy and dignity, centering people’s humanity by banning doxing and mugshots in some cases.
* HB 2986 supports training police to investigate, identify and report crimes motivated by prejudice based on gender, which disproportionately affect BIPOC and gender non-conforming folks.
* HB 2513 A equips our officers with the knowledge and tools they need to save lives by requiring police officers to be trained in airway and circulatory anatomy and physiology and certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
* HB 3059 A keeps police from abusing powers by providing more clarity in how to manage “unlawful assemblies.”
* HB 3355 A holds police accountable by requiring a law enforcement officer's uniform and gear have visible identification during crowd management situations, such as protests.
* HB 2929 A strengthens police misconduct reporting requirements for police.
* HB 2936 A affirms anti-racist values for law enforcement, adds social media policies and standardizes background checks.


Policy Highlight: Telehealth

I am proud to also announce HB 2508A, a bill I introduced, passed the House almost unanimously. HB 2508A will codify the expanded COVID-19 telehealth guidance, and increase access to physical and behavioral health services for thousands of Oregonians; especially rural, and historically marginalized communities. The broad coalition in support of telehealth access has fought tirelessly to get us to this point, and I’m proud to have worked alongside them.
[link removed]
My floor speech to carry HB 2508A on the House Floor.



** I-205 Improvements Project Open House
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ODOT is hosting an online open house for the I-205 Improvements, from April 12 through April 30, available inEnglish ([link removed]) andSpanish ([link removed]) .

Participate this week in their online open house and share your thoughts with the project team.

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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