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Legislative Priorities

2024 Legislative Priorities

We continue to protect democracy and our representative government. Our priorities reflect the short legislative session reality, which is prioritizing housing, behavioral health and addiction. Our Advocacy team strives to address issues for the full legislative cycle, from legislative concepts to amendments, to post-session agency rules, policies, and budget expenditures.

SUPPORT HOUSING STRATEGIES THAT INCREASE INVESTMENTS in rental assistance, new affordable rentals, and home ownership; permanent supportive housing; preserve existing affordable housing; add homeless shelters and staffing navigation centers; and provide state support for water, sewer, and transportation infrastructure and pre-development expenses for affordable housing projects.

 

PROTECT DEMOCRACY by supporting IP 9 for campaign finance reform and IP 14 for an independent citizen redistricting commission. Protect elections against artificial intelligence mis-, dis- and malinformation.

 

SUPPORT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH/ADDICTION and COMMUNITY SAFETY. Expand accessibility to behavioral health services focused on addiction and mental health treatment. Support effective strategies that achieve a fair and equitable criminal justice system.

 

SUPPORT ADEQUATE AND EQUITABLE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION. Include early childhood/day care, summer learning, and early intervention/special education. Advocate for transparency in funding.

 

ASSURE ADEQUATE REVENUE for essential services while promoting equitable and progressive tax policy. Access federal funds for infrastructure and other Oregonians’ needs.

 

ADDRESS THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY by supporting 2017-2021 Carbon/Climate Executive Orders, net zero greenhouse gas emissions before 2050 while ensuring environmental justice with a just transition for workers and impacted communities.

 

SUPPORT FUNDING for implementing community wildfire risk reduction programs designed to build neighborhood resilience.

Find our 2023 Issues for Action here!

Jean Pierce, LWVOR Legislative Action Chair, along with our team of volunteers listed below, are available to provide clarifications on League positions. Contact us at lwvor@lwvor.org.
 
Call our office at (503) 581-5722 or directly contact portfolio chairs in specific areas listed below. LWVOR Action team members are experienced, unpaid volunteers. Our advocates focus on the broad areas of Climate Emergency, Governance and Protecting Democracy, Human Services, Public Safety, Health Care, Housing, Natural Resources, Education, and Revenue.

Advocacy Sub-Categories

Advocacy Leadership
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Our volunteers continue to monitor and work on all these issues. We mentor and add new volunteers with more issues, too. We encourage you to contact our office at 503-581-5722 or lwvor@lwvor.org and to reach out directly to us:

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Advocacy Chair & LWVOR 2nd Vice President: Jean Pierce

Access Coordinator: Paula Krane

Climate Emergency Coordinator: Claudia Keith

Governance Coordinator: Norman Turrill

Natural Resources Coordinator: Peggy Lynch

Social Policy Coordinator: Jean Pierce

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Climate Emergency
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Using the best available climate science to ensure future generations’ stable climate systems (return to < 350 C02 PPM and < 1.5 Degree Celsius warming by 2100). LWVOR supports Our Children’s Trust/Crag Environmental Law Center federal lawsuits. We oppose fossil fuel infrastructure expansion.

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  • Clean Energy , GHG Emission Mitigation : Greg Martin & Arlene Sherrett

  • Climate Change Curriculum: Anne Nesse

  • Efficient and Resilient Buildings: Arlene Sherrett 

  • Natural Climate Solution - Forestry: Josie Koehne

  • OHA and Environmental Justice : Nancy Rosenberger

  • W&M Budget, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith

 
Governance
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Support ethics, efficiency, citizen participation and access, public records law, and contemporary privacy and technology issues. Our focus on election policies includes laws and administrative rules, campaign finance, redistricting, and alternative voting methods.

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  • Campaign Finance Reform, Redistricting: Norman Turrill

  • Cyber, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone

  • Election Systems: Barbara Klein

  • Gun Initiative: Marge Easley

  • Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey

  • Access: Paula Krane

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Natural Resources
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Improve air quality, combat climate change, coastal management, clean energy, proper disposal of hazardous materials and solid waste, conservation, land use, parks, clean and abundant water supply for all, wetlands protection and other resource preservation, and Oregon’s 14 natural resource agency budgets.

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  • Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch

  • Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor

  • Forestry: Josie Koehne

  • Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch

  • Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian

  • OHA Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop

  • Water: Peggy Lynch

  • Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers

  • W&Ms Budgets/Revenue, DLCD & Housing, DOGAMI, DSL: Peggy Lynch

 
Social Policy
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Support housing, adult corrections, judiciary, juvenile justice, public safety, gun safety, violence prevention, health care, mental health, immigration and refugees, foster care, social services, and women’s issues. LWVOR actively lobbies for anti-poverty programs to help low income and those at-risk move toward financial stability.

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  • Education: After-School Care and Children’s Services, Katie Riley; ED funding, Jean Pierce

  • K-12 Issues: Anne Nesse

  • Behavioral Health & M110 Public Safety, Justice Issues: Karen Nibler

  • Gun Safety and Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley

  • Hate and Bias Crimes: Elizabeth Kirby, Claudia Keith

  • Immigration/Refugee/Asylum/Climate Migration: Claudia Keith

  • Health Care: Christa Danielsen; School-Based Health Centers: Chloe Acosta

  • Housing: Debbie Aiona, Nancy Donovan, Beth Jacobi

  • Women’s Issues/Reproductive Health: Trish Garner

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