In a legislative session unlike any other, 2023 has already been a year to remember. The statehouse is undergoing renovations that will make it more accessible and seismically resilient. However, in the short term, having only a third of the Capitol building open to the public and all the inconveniences that go along with a large-scale renovation such as the noise, fumes, parking challenges, limited meeting spaces and spotty Wi-Fi have been an adventure.
hero_image_alt_text===Oregon State Capitol
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thumbnail_alt_text===Oregon State Capitol
The first chamber deadline was Tuesday April 4th and was particularly brutal this year. When lawmakers returned to the Capitol the morning of April 5, less than 2,000 bills remained — a third of what had officially existed the day before. I am excited to report however, that all AHA priority bills are still alive, either headed to the second chamber, or safely in a joint committee awaiting further deliberation.
Although it is exciting to make it past this important deadline, our work has just begun. So far this session, only 24 bills have made it to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law. So, there is still much to be done to secure funding for SNAP incentives, improving access to school meals, protecting youth from tobacco by restricting the sale of flavored tobacco, securing the future of PE in schools in Oregon and investments in health equity.
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