2024 Session includes big wins for the People’s Budget and some missed opportunities

Investments in employment-related daycare, homelessness prevention, and restorative justice in the 2024 legislative session will result in a stronger, healthier community and economy. We applaud the legislature for taking action. These wins mean that more Oregonians will have a better shot at success in very tangible and immediate ways. These investments are a major victory for our people and our state. 

At the same time, the legislature underfunded critical programs for immigrant Oregonians. Our communities are stronger and more vibrant thanks to the contributions of immigrants, yet our policies and investments exclude Oregonians based on their immigration status. Without action, this will continue to drive inequality and persistent financial insecurity in immigrant communities. Fairshot remains committed to advancing economic, racial, and gender justice for ALL Oregonians and we will not leave anyone behind.

ECONOMIC JUSTICE WINS:

Employment-Related Day Care (ERDC) - $171.2M 

Caregiving is the work that makes all other work possible. Oregon families and employers rely on the availability and accessibility of high-quality child care in every corner of the state. More than 16,000 Oregon families rely on ERDC in order to work, go to school, and pay their bills. These investments in child care will keep parents working and ensure kids get the early education they deserve. We will continue to fight for full funding for ERDC to protect the stability of the families in the program, and end the waitlist that is holding back 1,900+ families from participating.

Rental Assistance and Homelessness Prevention - $41M

Rent assistance is the single most effective tool at preventing eviction and homelessness– making sure that landlords get paid and tenants stay housed. Rent and other homelessness prevention programs by community-based and culturally-specific organizations are critical to reaching the Oregonians in every county in the state who are most vulnerable. $7M for the Urban League’s homelessness prevention program and $34M in rental assistance including a 30% set aside for culturally responsive organizations means more Oregonians including people who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color will have stable housing. 

Healthy Homes - $15M

When everyone in our community has a healthy home with affordable utility bills, it enhances housing security for our most vulnerable Oregonians. 54% of Oregonians live in housing built before 1978 that is energy-inefficient and in need of repairs and weatherproofing. SB 1530 included $15M for Healthy Homes. As a result, Oregonians on the frontlines of climate disaster, including people of color, low-income families, people with disabilities, and those in rural areas will be safer from extreme weather events, wildfires, and earthquakes. SB 1530 provides funding for heat pumps, heating, and cooling shelters so that low-income Oregonians can save on utility bills and become more resilient against the climate crisis.

Restorative Justice - $4M

Restorative justice is a survivor-centered approach to accountability that focuses on promoting healing for those who have been harmed and on fostering true internal accountability for those who have caused harm. This community-based approach to harm serves as an alternative to prosecution. Restorative justice thereby creates a mechanism for relieving the pressure on Oregon’s overburdened court and public defense systems and reducing the state’s reliance on incarceration, while also making communities safer. Restorative justice programs first received funding less than two years ago. In that short amount of time, six new programs were born and two pre-existing programs were able to significantly expand their services. Early results are incredibly promising. $4M in ongoing funding means this important work will continue continue in order to realize restorative justice’s full potential to deliver a just and safe place for all.

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

Oregon Worker Relief 

We urgently need to invest in immigrant justice to ensure due process to protect the rights of those most vulnerable and to ensure farmworkers are safe and financially stable when they lose work or wages due to extreme heat and wildfire smoke. We must prioritize funding for legal aid, housing and worker resources that empower and protect immigrants. Oregon Worker Relief has been a lifeline for immigrant Oregonians through programs including the Climate Change Fund, the Home Fund, and Universal Representation. The community-led approach has helped over 93,000 immigrant Oregonians through emergency relief for farmworkers who face dangerous working conditions from extreme heat and wildfire smoke, rent assistance to keep families housed, and no-cost immigration legal services.

School-Based Health Centers  

Many young people in Oregon still lack adequate access to the health care they need — and mental health care in particular — due to stigma, a lack of health insurance, an insurance policy with limited coverage, a lack of understanding about how to access care, poor access to transportation (especially in rural areas), and a lack of medical providers providing care under the Oregon Health Plan. SBHCs address each of these barriers by providing all school-aged youth with the care they need, whether they have private insurance, public assistance, or no insurance.

Student Emergency Needs 

College and university students in Oregon are reporting increased rates of food insecurity, housing instability, and challenges affording and accessing textbooks, transportation, childcare, and other basic needs. In 2021, the Oregon State Legislature took a critical step in addressing student basic needs insecurities by passing HB 2835, the Benefits Navigator Bill. This legislation was designed to close opportunity gaps and facilitate economic mobility by increasing access to federal, state, and local benefits for low income students at community colleges and public universities.Funding has not kept up with student demand. Funding basic needs and affordable textbooks is an essential component of a comprehensive statewide affordability strategy for college students.

Fair Shot for All Celebrates Passage of Priority Policies, Power of Coalition at Session Close

SALEM, Ore.—At the close of the 2023 Oregon Legislative Session today, Fair Shot for All, the state’s economic justice coalition, celebrated the passage of its priority policy agenda: 

• $2.5M for Indigenous Language Justice - SB 5506

• Reproductive Health and Access to Gender Affirming Care—HB 2002

• Stable Homes Homelessness Prevention Package—SB 611, HB 2001, and HB 5511

• In Defense of Humanity—SB 337

Fair Shot for All Coalition Director Heather Stuart issued the following statement:

“The Fair Shot Coalition set out to do big things in the 2023 Legislative Session and we were successful in advancing all four of our policy priorities and securing the funding for many of the priorities in the People’s Budget. Addressing the public defense crisis, protecting renters from skyrocketing rents that contribute to homelessness, securing funding for indigenous language interpretation, and protecting reproductive rights and life-saving gender-affirming care are major victories for Oregonians. The Fair Shot coalition is proud of those results and the intersectional and collaborative work it took to get there.

“At the same time, in a session marred by a 42-day Republican-led walkout that upended our democracy, many important policies to advance equity and shared prosperity in our state were left behind due to the lost time and chaos caused by the walkouts. We’re holding space for those losses and calling on legislators to make destructive walkouts a thing of the past. 

“There is more work to do to ensure every Oregonian has access to food, housing, child care, health care, and justice, and to strengthen our workforce through fair wages, benefits, and protections. We will continue to work together to advance community-led solutions to address Oregon’s biggest challenges and increase community resilience in every corner of the state. We will keep fighting for racial, gender, and economic justice to be centered in all our institutions, governments, and laws in the state. We will not stop until every Oregonian has a fair shot.”

About Fair Shot for All

Since our launch in 2014, Fair Shot for All has been committed to taking on discrimination and inequality through policy, organizing, and action. Our coalition’s work is centered on ideas and input from those who bear the burden of Oregon’s broken systems, especially those who are Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC); women; immigrants; and/or LGBTQ+ people.

Fair Shot for All includes ACLU of Oregon, Adelante Mujeres, AFT Oregon, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon, Cannabis Workers Coalition, Children's Institute, Coalition of Communities of Color, Community Alliance of Tenants (CAT), Family Forward Oregon, Health Care for All Oregon, Innovation Law Lab, Latino Network, Pro-Choice Oregon, NAYA Action Fund, Next Up Action Fund, Northwest Workers' Justice Project, OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon, Oregon AFL-CIO, Oregon AFSCME, Oregon Center for Public Policy, Oregon Consumer Justice, Oregon Education Association, Oregon Just Transition Alliance, Oregon League of Conservation Voters, Oregon Student Association, Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, Partnership for Safety and Justice, PCUN, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, Portland Jobs with Justice, Rogue Action Center, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Unite Oregon, Urban League of Portland, and the YWCA. 

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Civil rights, racial justice advocates and public defense providers celebrate passage of SB 337

Reforms to align Oregon with national best practices, improve transparency

SALEM, Ore. — Senate Bill 337 was sent to Governor Tina Kotek’s desk today, after the Oregon House of Representatives approved the public defense reform bill. Together with a combined $96 million in systemic investments, these legislative actions will set the stage for a more just and equitable criminal legal system in Oregon.

SB 337 will improve access to legal representation, help produce just outcomes and better serve victims and survivors by:

• Providing the Office of Public Defense Services clear direction, oversight and timelines needed to align Oregon’s public defense services with national best practices and inform data-driven monitoring and decision making regarding public defense resources. 

• Directing the Office of Public Defense Services to establish training, certification, and continuing education standards to ensure each provider receives the same training.

• Creating a division of state trial public defense attorneys who will help bridge staffing shortages and allow the state to collect more accurate and reliable compensation standards for nonprofit, contract attorneys. 

SB 337 is the result of collaboration from community advocates, public defense workforce, legislators, prosecutors, judges and more.

The In Defense of Humanity Coalition, which includes the ACLU of Oregon, Oregon AFSCME, the Urban League of Portland and the Fair Shot for All Coalition, provided organizing and educational support, uplifting the voices of those most impacted by the public defense system and the criminal legal system overall. 

Jessica Maravilla, Policy Director at the ACLU of Oregon said:

“For too long, our public defense system has been under-resourced and over-burdened, leaving hundreds of Oregonians in legal jeopardy and without legal representation. Not only does this situation violate the constitutional rights of those awaiting trial, it disproportionately harms Black, Indigenous and other people of color who are overrepresented in our criminal legal system — both as the accused and as victims and survivors. We’re grateful that our legislators took action to build a more sustainable system that will produce more just outcomes for everyone.”

Lamar Wise, Political Equity Manager at Oregon AFSCME said:

“This marks a significant step towards improving access to legal representation and achieving just outcomes for individuals involved in the criminal justice system. However, while SB 337 is an important milestone, we must recognize that long-term investments are still needed to fully support and sustain our public defense system. We must continue to advocate for adequate funding, resources, and staffing to ensure that public defense workers have the necessary tools and support to provide quality representation to all individuals who need it. We remain committed to working with legislators, community advocates, and stakeholders to achieve an equitable system that better serves both public defense workers and those they represent."

Nkenge Harmon Johnson, President and CEO of the Urban League of Portland said:

“As we speak, far too many Oregonians are waiting for the state to make good on the constitutional obligation to provide legal representation to people who cannot otherwise afford to defend themselves. Due to the leadership of the Urban League, and our partners in civil rights advocacy, our state took a step forward to address the public defender crisis Oregon faces. We applaud the passage of SB 337 to invest in the attorneys and support staff who take on indigent clients. Yet after years of neglect, we know the scale of the crisis — and the Constitution — demands much more. The Urban League will continue to advocate for all Oregonians waiting for equal justice under the law.”

Heather Stuart, Coalition Director at Fair Shot for All said:

“This a major step forward toward economic justice and repairing our broken system. Most of us don’t have thousands of dollars lying around to hire a private lawyer. Working families, young people, single parents, retirees, people making student loan payments, and so many of us in between would need a public defender if accused of a crime. People’s lives can forever be changed by an unjust ruling — leading to excessive prison and jail sentences, separation from family, fines and debt, restricted job and housing opportunities, and isolation and trauma. Ensuring adequate legal defense will go a long way to making sure all Oregonians accused of a crime get a fair shot, not just the wealthy. “

SB 337 was among the hundreds of bills obstructed by Senate Republicans who refused to come to work for over a month. The same tactics halted efforts to reform the public defense system twice before, in the 2019 and 2020 sessions.

Although the In Defense of Humanity Coalition celebrated the passage of SB 337, they acknowledged that significant additional work is needed to create a healthy, sustainable public defense workforce.

A key contributing factor to the public defense crisis is an unstable workforce fueled by low pay, high caseloads, few professional development opportunities, burnout and high turnover. A recent analysis found that 60% of lawyers at nonprofit public defense firms in Oregon left their jobs between January 2020 to September 2022. Many leave the workforce to take private sector or state positions that pay better.

The Coalition committed to advocating for workforce support in future sessions, including loan repayment programs and grants to support the professional development of public defense attorneys.

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Oregon's Historic Revenue Levels Create Opportunity to Strengthen Communities Statewide

SALEM, Ore.–Oregon’s revenue forecast this morning showed historic revenues. State budget writers have nearly $2 billion in additional revenues to address Oregon’s toughest challenges and alleviate suffering statewide.

Heather Stuart, coalition director of Fair Shot for All, had the following comment:

“The historic revenues forecasted today show that when we invest in access to food, housing, and health care for our communities, and strengthen our workforce through fair wages, benefits, and protections, we create widespread economic opportunity for all Oregonians. Many of the one-time investments that were part of the pandemic response at the state and federal level—child tax credits, rental assistance, unemployment support, expanded SNAP benefits, health care services—not only helped people weather acute financial hardship, they stabilized the broader economy and laid the groundwork for today’s robust forecast. 

“This means, without a doubt, we have an extraordinary opportunity to rise to meet the challenges of the day by investing in what families need to thrive in every community in the state–wildfire and drought relief, housing, a strong public workforce, K-12 education, child care, health care, and more. 

“It is important to remember that while the overall economy is strong, Oregonians do not experience economic growth equally. Families across the state bear the brunt of rising inflation and many struggle to afford housing, groceries, child care, and utilities. In fact, recent census data shows that more than one out of four Oregon households is still lacking enough income to meet their basic needs. Among those facing economic hardship, significant racial and gender disparities persist across the state. Black households have the highest income inadequacy rate of all racial and ethnic groups in Oregon at 48%, followed closely by Latinx households at 41%. And we know that the combination of being a woman, a single mother, and a person of color leads to the largest income disparities.

“The historic revenues in today’s forecast show we have the means to improve the quality of life of Oregon families in every corner of the state. Fair Shot for All’s People’s Budget lays out a clear plan for legislators to continue to build a healthy economy that includes all of us. Strategic investments now create more resilient and financially stable communities, reduce demand for services in the future, and promote economic prosperity statewide.”

About Fair Shot for All 

Since its launch in 2014, Fair Shot for All has been committed to taking on discrimination and inequality through policy, organizing, and action. The coalition’s work is centered on ideas and input from those who bear the burden of Oregon’s broken systems, especially those who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color; women; immigrants; and/or LGBTQ+. 

Broad Coalition Urges Senate Republicans to Get Back to Work

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 3, 2023

CONTACT: Sarah Armstrong, sarah.armstrong@brinkcomm.com

Broad Coalition Urges Senate Republicans to Get Back to Work

Groups say Senate Republicans have abandoned critical services that Oregon families need:  Child Care, Housing, Health Care, and More

SALEM, Ore.— A broad coalition of community based organizations, unions, and advocacy groups gathered today outside the capitol for the final stop in the Ways and Means Budget Roadshow this evening. The groups called on Senate Republicans who walked off the job to get back to work, and rallied for investments in the critical services that Oregon families rely on. 

Supporters chanted “Oregon can’t wait” “I showed up for work today” and “Invest in the people” before heading into the capitol building to testify in what looked to be a lengthy Ways and Means hearing. The groups say they showed up to tell legislators to prioritize key investments to build a stronger economy statewide and highlighted investments in rental assistance, childcare, fair wages, public defense, and climate resilience. Without action this session — and if Senate Republicans fail to return to work — they warn that Oregon’s deepest challenges will get worse and more expensive to solve. 

Oregon voters have overwhelmingly made clear that they oppose legislators waking off the job. Last November, voters in 34 of 36 counties voted in favor of Measure 113, demonstrating that they do not support lawmaker walkouts. 

Jennifer Parrish Taylor, director of advocacy at Urban League of Portland, said:  

“The timing of these lawmakers not showing up to work couldn’t be more purposeful. This afternoon, we are supposed to have a public hearing on passing an equitable budget that would reduce the impact of inflation and economic uncertainty that so many of our families are facing. Tomorrow, there are important votes that would protect and expand the right to reproductive and gender-affirming health care. Failing to show up is a desperate attempt by a few politicians to deny the vast majority of Oregonians of their freedom and their power.”

Lamar Wise, political equity manager of Oregon AFSCME Council 75, said: 

“Fair Shot for All and our partners wanted to be here today to support critical investments that our communities need, from health care to child care to worker, immigrant, and environmental justice. Instead, we need to once again call for Senate Republicans to return to work and do their job. We can’t afford to wait. We need legislators to fix our failing system now before more damage is done.”

Gloria Ochoa-Sandoval, policy director of Unite Oregon, said: 

“Without action, the challenges facing our communities will get worse and more expensive to solve. Walking out on the job does not offer a solution. It prolongs the crisis and suffering that our families are experiencing. These lawmakers are walking out not only on the job – they’re walking out on Oregon families. They’re walking out on the critical issues that we need action on.” 

“Just last week, Oregon State University released a report that warns of rising temperatures and the possibility for more heat domes in Oregon — like the one that killed nearly 100 people two years ago. The climate and environmental crisis is here. The wildfire season is longer and more dangerous than ever before. Extreme heat has become deadly. Water shortages are growing. Oregon families need protection now.”

Courtney Graham, political director, SEIU Local 503

“I came here today to talk about how families and working people can’t wait. We need a state budget that creates economic opportunity for all and better prepares Oregonians to weather any coming storm. But instead, as Oregonians from around the state show up to testify about their needs in the state budget, some Senate Republicans have instead decided to abandon their jobs and abandon Oregon families. 

“Because let’s be clear: Republicans are walking out on our communities. They are walking out on child care funding. On funding for essential services. On healthcare funding and access. They are walking out on Oregonians’ constitutional rights and freedoms.”

Photos and videos of the rally are online at https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1ipGXDdQ0wmw5t-AVP_bgMyO-UDFbHQ5A. 

The Ways and Means Committee hearing is broadcast online at https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/mediaplayer/?clientID=4879615486&eventID=2023051000. 

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Leading advocates applaud Oregon House passage of Reproductive Health and Access to Care bill

May 1, 2023 

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Rose King,  rose@heartsmindscomm.com, Blair Stenvick, blair@basicrights.org,

Leading advocates applaud Oregon House passage of
Reproductive Health and Access to Care bill

HB 2002 addresses existing gaps in access to care, creates added protections for people who seek and provide the full spectrum of reproductive and gender-affirming care

Salem, Ore. — LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, and civil rights advocates applauded lawmakers today for taking an important step to protect patients and providers following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and advance health equity.  By a vote of 36 to 23,  the Oregon House advanced the Reproductive Health and Access to Care bill (Oregon House Bill 2002). 

Last year’s Dobbs decision from the United States Supreme Court overturned 50 years of precedent and the constitutional right to an abortion.  Since the decision, many Americans face jail time for seeking abortion care, along with the doctors, nurses and other providers who provide that care. At the same time, state governments across the country are working to ban and even criminalize transgender healthcare. The Reproductive Health and Access to Care bill is Oregon’s urgent response to protect, strengthen, and expand equitable access to reproductive and gender-affirming care that has been under attack at the state and federal levels. Since Dobbs, 11 other states have passed or are considering legislation to help ensure that patients can safely access abortion, and that providers can continue offering this critical care. 

HB 2002 is based on science and medical best practices, and has earned the support of more than 70 stakeholders including local community organizations, health providers and health clinics, national legal experts, patients, and advocates. The legislation:

• Protects providers’ and health centers' ability to deliver care to all patients who seek gender-affirming and reproductive health care in Oregon.

• Expands access to gender-affirming, reproductive, and sexual health care for rural Oregonians, low-income folks, students, and all those in our community who experience barriers to care.

• Ensures that no one can ever be criminalized for their reproductive health decisions and pregnancy outcomes.
  

Following the loss of basic constitutional protections, assaults on fundamental rights and freedom have intensified in Oregon and across the nation.  According to the Guttmacher Institute, 24 states have banned abortion or are likely to do so without protections from Roe. At the same time, states across the nation have also taken steps to ban and restrict access to gender-affirming care, denying transgender and gender-expansive people life-saving medical care.  Analysis from the ACLU shows that state lawmakers have introduced more than 460 bills this session to restrict life-saving gender-affirming health care.

In addition to HB 2002, advocates are also pushing the Oregon Legislature to pass Equal Rights for All (Senate Joint Resolution 33) which puts an Oregon constitutional amendment on the November 2024 ballot. Advocates call SJR 33 an opportunity for voters to enshrine fundamental rights and freedoms in the Oregon Constitution and put a judiciary backstop in place for future attacks. The Oregon constitutional amendment currently awaits a vote in the Oregon Senate after getting voted out of the Senate Committee on Rules last week.

Proponents of the Reproductive Health and Access to Care bill (HB 2002) issued the following statements: 

 Sandy Chung, executive director at the ACLU of Oregon said:

“Oregon has led the country with laws that promote democracy and protect our rights and freedoms and today's vote affirms that we are a beacon of hope. Thank you to lawmakers for their ongoing commitment to justice, equity, and care by supporting all Oregonian’s access to essential health care, including abortion, contraceptives, and gender affirming care by passing HB 2002”.

Todd Addams, interim executive director of  Basic Rights Oregon said: 

“In a year when transgender healthcare and LGBTQ2SIA+ existence is being targeted and criminalized across the country, we’re so grateful that Oregon lawmakers continue to lead with Oregon values. Every Oregonian deserves access to life-saving medical care, and we know doctors should make decisions based on medical best practices—not politics. HB 2002 will change lives and save lives, and we applaud each representative who voted for it today.” 

Jennifer Williamson, Interim Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon said:

"In the wake of Dobbs, this legislation is needed now more than ever to protect providers’ ability to deliver essential health care, and expand access to abortion and gender-affirming care for patients who need it the most. Oregon lawmakers have made clear that in our state, we trust people to make their own health care decisions. Thank you to the House for putting the health and safety of our communities first by passing House Bill 2002.”  

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Journalists can access the following  resources for covering abortion and gender-affirming care:

https://www.glaad.org/reference

https://www.ustranssurvey.org/reports

https://www.hrc.org/resources/transgender

https://www.liberateabortion.org/resourcehub 

With roughly $2 billion in reserves, this is no time for budget cuts

On April 21st, the Joint Committee on Ways and Means will hold the third of five “roadshow” hearings at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg.

Ahead of the hearing, Fair Shot for All Coalition Director Heather Stuart issued the following statement on the state budget:

 “As legislative leaders determine the state budget for the next biennium, they are determining the future of our state’s economy and our communities’ wellbeing. Will they step in to address the urgent crises facing our communities and invest in programs and priorities that lay a foundation for economic growth and shared prosperity? Or will they leave Oregonians high and dry as our families continue to navigate the effects of inflation, a housing crisis, food insecurity, fentanyl overdoses, and income inequality? The longer we ignore the challenges we face, the more it will cost to address them.

 “Our past wisdom in creating and growing a rainy day fund has given us the ability to create opportunities for Oregon families, while at the same time being prepared for an uncertain economic future. The reality is that Oregon’s rainy day fund is well-funded at levels above the national average. To strengthen our economy and create more resilient and financially stable communities, we need to continue investing in our communities instead of squirreling away reserves at unnecessary levels. “

The Co-Chairs Budget Framework currently leaves out critical community-led investments, policies, and workforce support outlined in the People’s Budget. While a relatively small investment compared to the overall state budget, these priorities will go a long way toward making our state a safer, healthier, and equitable place to live. 

“This opportunity is clear, and so are the risks: the legislature will be doing harm to Oregonians and our state’s economy if they pass a budget that cuts support and services. We have high expectations for our leaders and we’ll continue showing up to make sure they do the right thing for Oregon.”

About Fair Shot for All

Since its launch in 2014, Fair Shot for All has been committed to taking on discrimination and inequality through policy, organizing, and action. The coalition’s work is centered on ideas and input from those who bear the burden of Oregon’s broken systems, especially those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC); women; immigrants; and/or LGBTQ+. 

Pair of Proposed Bills Will Expand Indigenous Language Justice in Oregon

Hearing on SB 612, SB 911 highlighted the needs of over 35,000 Oregonians who speak Indigenous languages

SALEM, Ore.—Advocates and speakers of Indigenous languages provided testimonials at a public hearing in Salem on Tuesday, urging lawmakers to pass a pair of bills for “Indigenous Language Justice,” SB 612 and SB 911. Currently, none of Oregon’s statewide systems reliably provide services or interpretation in Indigenous languages, despite the fact that Oregon is home to over 35,000 people whose primary language is one of more than 30 Indigenous languages.

 “Indigenous language speakers from present-day Mexico, Central America, and South America should experience the fundamental human right to understand and be understood. Full stop,” Sen. Wlnsvey Campos (D-District 18, Aloha) said. “All Oregonians should have access to interpretation services if and when they need them. This is critical to our collective prosperity as Oregonians.”

Pueblo Unido, a member of the Fair Shot for All economic justice coalition, and the Collective of Indigenous Interpreters of Oregon are supporting the legislation to increase language access and ensure the inclusion of Indigenous communities in government.

• SB 612 would result in the development of new evaluation processes for Indigenous languages, which would create a path for interpreters to demonstrate proficiency and obtain formal credentials. 

• SB 911 will establish a commission for Original Peoples from South America, Central America, and Mexico within the Oregon Advocacy Commissions Office, ensuring that Indigenous peoples from these regions are represented in state government and have a direct voice in policy proposals that concern their communities.

Cameron Coval, executive director of Pueblo Unido, told legislators that Oregon’s statewide systems must meet the needs of all Oregonians and be available in languages that they understand. “Without adequate access to interpretation, Oregonians who speak Indigenous languages face tremendous barriers to participating in society and experience devastating human rights violations, including delay or denial of life-saving medical care, inaccessibility of critical services, wrongful imprisonment, and unjust deportation and family separation.” 

Interpreters with the Collective of Indigenous Interpreters of Oregon (CIIO) shared stories at today’s hearing of the impacts to Indigenous language speakers who struggled to understand and receive life saving medical care, legal services, or simply to obtain driver’s licenses and other services. Interpreters also told legislators that people who need interpretation services often must pay out-of-pocket, forcing them to go without interpretation, or for interpreters to forgo payment.

“Many times I have had to interpret without receiving payment or travel expenses because the people we serve do not have the capacity to pay,” said Pedro Sosa, an interpreter and member of CIIO. “At the same time, there is limited funding for help.”

Furthermore, Amelia Pacheco Santos, a member of CIIO and one of only two qualified healthcare interpreters of an Indigenous language in Oregon explained, “the lack of funding for interpretation has prevented me from exercising my career as an Indigenous interpreter, because with the current rates I cannot cover my basic expenses. This prevents me from dedicating myself to interpreting full-time, because I am forced to work other jobs and only be available to interpret when possible.

Emiliana Aguilar, an interpreter for Mayan K’iche’ who works as a legal and social services navigator, testified that the bills would have a far-reaching impact in the state, “Offering Indigenous language interpreters accreditation would change the life and the future of the Indigenous language-speaking community in Oregon.” 

More information about Indigenous Language Justice is online at https://www.fairshotoregon.org/languagejustice. 

More about Pueblo Unido

Pueblo Unido connects immigrants with legal, social, and Indigenous language interpretation services. Its programs are focused on addressing long-standing inequities and promoting social inclusion by helping people overcome financial, technological, literacy, linguistic, and bureaucratic barriers to essential human rights and services. This work protects due process rights, promotes household stability, and secures language justice so that our communities can be safe, feel supported, and thrive.

Pueblo Unido is a member of the Fair Shot for All coalition. Since its launch in 2014, Fair Shot for All has been committed to taking on discrimination and inequality through policy, organizing, and action. The coalition’s work is centered on ideas and input from those who bear the burden of Oregon’s broken systems, especially those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC); women; immigrants; and/or LGBTQ+. 

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Fair Shot for All applauds Governor Kotek’s proposed budget with an eye toward advancing justice

In its 8th year, Oregon’s economic justice coalition calls for continued investments to address historic inequities, build resilience, and foster long-term opportunity for Oregonians

SALEM, Ore.—Governor Kotek unveiled a proposed budget Tuesday that outlined key investments for the State of Oregon to make housing more affordable, reduce and prevent homelessness, improve access to mental health and addiction services, increase access to local child care, and improve educational outcomes in K-12 schools.

Fair Shot for Oregon Executive Director Heather Stuart issued the following statement reacting to the budget on behalf of the coalition:

Governor Kotek has hit the ground running with a bold budget that addresses our state’s biggest challenges and begins to move Oregon forward. Investments in housing, children, and behavioral health are essential in this moment – but more must be done this session to address long standing inequities and advance racial, gender, and economic justice. 

As Governor Kotek and the legislature construct the state budget, the Fair Shot for All coalition will advocate for a number of fiscal priorities in addition to specific bills: 

Reproductive & Gender Justice: With the fall of Roe, action is needed to protect and expand reproductive freedom, and continue our work to dismantle barriers to abortion and gender-affirming care that existed long before the Supreme Court decision came down.

In Defense of Humanity: Oregonians with low incomes are being denied their constitutional right to representation every day, deepening systemic racism and classism in our state. We are now decades behind in adequately funding our public defense system. Fixing and investing in public defense is a major step towards justice. 

Indigenous Language Justice: Oregon must ensure that services are accessible and understandable for all communities, especially for people whose cultures have been subjected to colonization, oppression, and erasure. Without guaranteed access to interpretation services for all in the moments we may need them most, we risk denying Oregonians who speak Indigenous languages access to potentially life-saving  services.

Stable Homes for Oregon Families: Landlords are issuing an unprecedented level of eviction filings and tenants are reporting some of the highest rent increases that state has seen in years. As Oregon leaders push to increase housing supplies and reduce homelessness, they must also pass reasonable eviction and rent reforms so that more people don’t lose their homes. 

Our communities have seen decades of disinvestment that have perpetuated and amplified the impacts of systemic racism. Further cuts this session would only exacerbate these continuing challenges. In order to respond to the state’s most urgent needs, our elected leaders must adopt a community-centered approach to policy making and focus on Oregonians who have been left behind. The funding that Oregon’s future depends on shouldn’t be tied to outdated fiscal policies that continue to tip the scales in favor of the status quo. When we prioritize the needs of those most vulnerable in our communities, our state becomes a better place to live for all of us. We must continue to explore ways to generate the revenue needed to create economic opportunities for all families in Oregon.

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About Fair Shot for All

Since its launch in 2014, Fair Shot for All has been committed to taking on discrimination and inequality through policy, organizing, and action. The coalition’s work is centered on ideas and input from those who bear the burden of Oregon’s broken systems, especially those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC); women; immigrants; and/or LGBTQ+. Last year, Fair Shot for All introduced The People’s Budget to provide a clear fiscal framework for policymakers that is rooted in gender, racial, and economic justice. Fair Shot for All will continue to work with the legislature to uplift the need for investments in our communities this session. In addition, the coalition’s 2023 Fair Shot Agenda includes four priority issue areas to create a stronger future for all Oregonians.

Oregon farmers, farmworkers, and community leaders call for swift passage of Farmworker Overtime after Thursday legislative hearing and work session

 Farmworker Overtime (HB 4002) will extend basic overtime pay protections to Oregon farmworkers

Salem, OR–The newly formed bipartisan Joint Committee on Farmworker Overtime will convene for the first time on February 24, 2022 to hear from workers, growers, and community leaders from across the state about the urgent need to grant Oregon farmworkers equal protection under the state’s overtime laws. Ahead of the hearing, farmers, farmworkers, and community leaders from across the state urged legislators to move quickly to extend overtime pay to the approximately 87,000 migrant and seasonal farmworkers who work in Oregon each year. 

STATEMENT FROM KAIT CROWLEY, PK PASTURES 

I am the owner/operator of a small-scale pastured livestock operation, PK Pastures, but I spent the past decade working in field crews for other farms. I know first hand how physically, mentally, and emotionally depleting it is to work more than 40 hours a week, consistently, and have only poverty wages to show for it at the end of the season. 

 It’s time for the farming community to acknowledge that it is time to pay people a living wage. Human beings are not an expendable resource and it’s not okay for any employer, including farmers, to treat workers like they are disposable in order to meet a profit margin. I urge the legislature to pass farmworker overtime and consider a shorter adoption timeline than the five years proposed in HB 4002.

 STATEMENT FROM REYNA LOPEZ, PCUN 

“Farmworkers are an essential part of the success of Oregon Agriculture. Compensation for overtime hours is something most workers take for granted, and after almost a century Oregon lawmakers are taking steps towards changing that. The impacts to farmworkers are very real — many are putting their long term health at risk, and sacrifice precious family time, to put in long hours at their jobs. PCUN has had the privilege of leading the charge on farmworker overtime in Oregon for three years — and we will continue to advocate as long as it takes to end this exclusion once and for all.”

STATEMENT FROM FAIR SHOT FOR ALL COALITION 

A coalition of 30+ diverse organizations across the state, and 71 % of likely Oregon voters in a recent poll, support this proposal. Ending a practice that is rooted in racism and is perpetuating racial disparities is the right thing to do. It is also the smart thing to do. Our neighboring states have already passed farmworker overtime laws and Oregon’s workforce and economy shouldn’t fall behind because of out-of-date economic laws and rules. 

Almost every other worker gets overtime after 40 hours.  Farmworkers shouldn’t be expected to work longer and often harder and make less money Oregon must pass a policy that treats farmworkers the same as other workers by requiring overtime beyond 40 hours. The Republican proposals being debated that don’t require this simple alignment do nothing but perpetuate a racist exclusion for some of Oregon’s most vulnerable workers and their families. 

About Farmworker Overtime (HB 4002):

Washington and California already have farmworker overtime laws on the books. If we don’t begin to pay Oregon’s skilled farmworkers what they deserve, they will take their abilities to where they are better compensated, leaving Oregon farms and family dinner tables behind. To remain competitive, Oregon farm owners and employers must pay overtime. This bill helps support those farmers, making the transition as easy and clear as possible.

The 1938 Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA) failed to guarantee overtime pay for farmworkers despite working in one of the most dangerous job industries. The exclusion of farmworkers from the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 is part of a shameful legacy of institutional racism that initially targeted the 85% of southern African Americans who were farmworkers in the 1930s.

Today, most farmworkers are Latinos and Indigenous. Excluding farm workers from overtime was wrong in 1938 and it’s still wrong today. Oregon lawmakers have the opportunity to end this racist exclusion and extend overtime pay for our essential farmworkers.

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Fair Shot for All Coalition Statement on 2021 Legislative Session

SALEM, OR. — As the 2021 Oregon Legislative session concludes, Fair Shot for All’s Coalition Director, Heather Stuart, issued the following statement on behalf of the coalition: 

“This Legislative session presented lawmakers with an opportunity to make meaningful investments in our communities that would ensure Oregon emerged stronger than before and ready to weather future storms. 

COVID-19 and our last wildfire season deeply exacerbated existing inequities in our communities that were caused by historic and current systemic racism and sexism.  In January, we shared a framework with lawmakers developed by our collective communities that, if used, would root Oregon’s economic recovery in racial, gender, and economic justice. 

We asked the Legislature to prioritize six bills:

• Transforming Justice (HB 2002)

• Universal Legal Representation for Immigrant Oregonians (HB 3230)

• Just Enforcement Act (HB 2205)

• Child Care for Oregon (HB 3073)

• Sanctuary Promise Act (HB 3265)

• Healthy Homes (HB 2842)

Lawmakers followed our framework and calls for change and passed HB 3073 (Child Care for Oregon), HB 3265 (Sanctuary Promise Act), and HB 2842 (Healthy Homes). We’re thrilled for what these policies will do for our communities when signed into law by Governor Kate Brown: 

• Thanks to the passage of HB 3073, parents and children will have better access to affordable child care through Oregon’s Employment Related Daycare (ERDC) program, and child care providers will have more financial stability through reforms to the program that prioritize workers.

• Immigrant and refugee Oregonians will have stronger protections under the Sanctuary Promise Act (HB 3265), which will protect Oregonians from racial profiling and ensure that local police and resources will not be used for federal immigration enforcement.

• HB 2842 will create a new Healthy Homes repair fund at the Oregon Health Authority which will invest in home repairs for low-income renters and homeowners to improve energy efficiency and safety while driving down heating and cooling costs. Funding may also be used for smoke filtration and other fire resilience improvements. This is a huge step forward in advancing environmental justice for our communities.

We were also grateful to receive the support and endorsement of over a dozen lawmakers on The People’s Budget, a larger list of policies our communities hoped to see included in Oregon’s budget for the next biennium. Many of those policies were passed, and will create stronger economic, racial, and gender justice within our communities.

These victories are dampened by the fact that three bills rooted in racial justice and workers rights were not passed this year: Transforming Justice (HB 2002), Universal Legal Representation for Immigrant Oregonians (HB 3230), and the Just Enforcement Act (HB 2205).

The Just Enforcement Act (HB 2205) would have empowered workers by giving them the ability to enforce their workplace rights and use their voices to be heard by their employers. This bill was critical for frontline and essential workers, and failure to pass it this legislative session leaves those workers without a voice. Most at risk are workers who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, or a person of color; women; immigrants; and workers earning a low-wage, all of whom are significantly more likely to experience abuse in the workplace.

We look forward to passing this policy in 2022, and to working with lawmakers on a task force in the interim. 

HB 3230 would have guaranteed legal representation to immigrants at risk of deportation and was designed by and for our community. A successful pilot program serving 1,300 people, including 750+ children and 500+ victims of domestic abuse, facing unjust deportations in the past two years will continue thanks to last-minute funding from the Legislature, but HB 3230 as it was designed would have expanded the pilot into a meaningful statewide program that centered community-based organizations and served thousands more Oregonians. 

Our communities need and deserve legal representation, and we won’t stop fighting until we have it. 

Ultimately, thanks to legislative leaders like Speaker of the House Tina Kotek, Rep. Janelle Bynum, and members of Oregon’s BIPOC Caucus, we were able to secure the following funding and policy changes in HB 2002 through other avenues:

• SB 620 abolishes supervision fees which enables people on supervision to focus on paying victim restitution and for basic needs for themselves and their families, including rent, food, and treatment. There are 28,000 people on supervision in Oregon. The anticipated $10 million loss in revenue for the counties was funded in HB 5006. 

• HB 2172 expands access to earned reduction in time on supervision for people who are successful when released from prison or jail.

• HB 2204 launches a new grant program for Restorative Justice programs, which will broaden pathways for crime survivors to seek accountability for the harm they have experienced    

• HB 5006 also allocates $1.5 million to the Reimagine Safety Fund, a Black community-led workgroup that will develop community safety alternatives

While these are significant wins, they are not what Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and/or leaders of color asked for, and they are not enough. We will continue fighting to pass the policies we need to ensure Oregon is a place where we can all feel safe.

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Fair Shot for All is an economic justice coalition of grassroots organizations and labor unions working together to build power with our communities, to create opportunities for all working families to thrive, and to dismantle historic and systemic economic inequities for Oregonians who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC); women; immigrants; and/or LGBTQ+. Fair Shot’s work centers racial and gender equity that seeks to address inequalities through organizing and concrete policy change.

We envision an Oregon in which BIPOC community members, immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, individuals with disabilities, and working families are united in wielding our political, electoral, and community power to claim economic justice. We believe in using our shared power to hold systems of governance accountable to ending systems that have favored the few over the many through exploitation of people and land as resources and to build systems that provide all living in Oregon economic stability, as well as the ability to inform the economic policies that impact their lives.

Fair Shot Steering Committee Statement on Revenue Forecast: Economic outlook is not equally bright for all Oregonians

This week, Oregon’s House Revenue Committee received our state’s economic forecast for the next biennium. Forecasters from Oregon’s Office of Economic Analysis (OEA) paint a rosy picture of “very strong growth” and “incomes higher today than before the pandemic.” They have projected an increase of “more than $1 billion per biennium through 2025-2027.” 

While we are pleased to know that there are plenty of resources available to provide desperately needed relief in our communities, OEA’s presentation on Oregon’s economic health had some disturbing gaps. 

Notably, slides and data on the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis on women, mothers and caregivers, undocumented Oregonians, and Oregonians who identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color were left out of the presentation. When prompted for the data by committee members Rep. Andrea Valderrama and Rep. Khanh Pham, forecasters said it was “easier” to present just the data for “prime age Oregon men.”

Let us be unequivocally clear: leaving out Oregonians who are currently most harmed by the health and economic impacts of the pandemic and who have also been historically left out of statewide investments does not paint a clear picture of our state’s economic health. 

Swift and meaningful investments that are rooted in racial, gender, and economic justice are what this moment calls for. Now is not the time to save money. Today is our rainy day. 

Our last recession taught us that austerity measures only make economic recoveries longer and more painful. Economists agree: stimulus packages work best when money is quickly moved into the economy. Lawmakers must utilize the influx of resources outlined in today’s economic forecast to invest in the communities that have been historically left out and are also currently most harmed by the pandemic and recession. They can do so by passing the priorities we’ve outlined in The People’s Budget. 

Our communities represent the backbone of Oregon’s economy. We saw during the pandemic and Oregon’s last wildfire season what happens without investment: without schools and child care, without frontline and farm workers, without women, especially those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color, our state cannot function. 

Lawmakers must prioritize passing the policies included in The People’s Budget before the close of the 2021 Legislative Session in order to build an equity-based budget. Doing so will ensure an economic recovery that will empower Oregon to emerge stronger than before and ready to weather future storms.

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Oregon lawmakers, community groups call for more investments in their communities to help recover from COVID recession

The People’s Budget pushes back against proposed austerity measures, instead calling for investments that address historic inequities, build resilience, and foster long-term opportunity.

SALEM, OR — Oregon lawmakers and community organizations are rallying to support The People’s Budget, which outlines investment priorities that will help the communities most impacted by COVID-19 recover from the economic and health impacts of the pandemic and create opportunities for all working families to thrive. The priorities include economic stability for Oregon families, immigrant rights, relief for workers, and community health and safety. 

Published by Fair Shot for All, a group of community organizations and advocates representing impacted communities across Oregon, The People’s Budget responds to the state’s most urgent needs to jump start the recovery and create a stronger future for all Oregonians.

“Oregon cannot recover until we all recover,” Sen. Kayse Jama, said. “From hospitalizations to job loss, Oregonians who identify as women, LGBTQ+, immigrants, and/or Black, Indigenous, or people of color have shouldered the heaviest burdens from COVID-19. It’s time to invest in communities that have been most impacted so all of us can benefit from recovery efforts.”

In the last revenue forecast, state economists made clear that, without a change in course, the impending economic recovery would leave many Oregonians behind. Despite this warning, Oregon’s Ways & Means Co-Chairs have proposed withholding nearly 20% of the $6 billion in federal funding Oregon will be receiving from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) until 2023-2025.  

“We know from the last recession that austerity measures only make economic recoveries longer, more painful and inequitable,” says Rep. Khanh Pham. “I urge my colleagues to prioritize investments with a lasting impact that will create long-term economic stability for families.”

Recent statistics paint a stark picture of economic suffering by Oregon families and workers. The unemployment rate remains twice as high as before the pandemic, more than 1 in 10 children have gone hungry, drug overdose deaths have skyrocketed, and 1 in 7 renters have fallen behind on their rent, putting them in danger of eviction and homelessness. 

The impacts have been especially severe for people of color. While 9% of white Oregonians lack enough to eat, 18% of Oregonians of color report going hungry — including 31% of Black Oregonians and 18% of Hispanic Oregonians. Among white renters in Oregon, 12% have fallen behind on their rent. By comparison, 25% of Hispanic renters have fallen behind on rent.

“By adopting the People’s Budget, we have the opportunity to build an equity-based budget that ensures Oregon emerges stronger than before, ready to weather future storms,” Rep. Andrea Salinas, said. “Instead of prolonging the widespread suffering Oregonians are experiencing, now is the time to invest. Today is our rainy day.”

“The Joint Ways and Means Committee put out a call for budget recommendations focused on advancing equity and we have answered with The People’s Budget,” said Lamar Wise, AFSCME Oregon political coordinator and member of Governor Kate Brown’s Racial Justice Council. “The investments we have outlined will strengthen Black, Indigenous, and communities of color across the state and create economic opportunities for all. Now is the time to invest in Oregon.”

Fair Shot for All is an economic justice coalition of grassroots organizations and labor unions working together to build power with our communities, to create opportunities for all working families to thrive, and to dismantle historic and systemic economic inequities for Oregonians who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC); women; immigrants; and/or LGBTQ+. Fair Shot’s work centers racial and gender equity that seeks to address inequalities through organizing and concrete policy change. Learn more at fairshotoregon.org.

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Statement by Fair Shot for All on the end of the 2019 Legislative Session

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2019

Mike Westling, Fair Shot for All
(503) 498-8161

mike@brinkcomm.com

Statement by Fair Shot for All on the end of the 2019 Legislative Session

Salem, Ore.—As the Oregon Legislature prepares to conclude the 2019 session, Fair Shot for Oregon Executive Director Heather Stuart issued the following statement on behalf of the coalition:

“Today, the 2019 Legislative Session will come to a close. While the final week of session was delayed by attacks on our democracy and underhanded tactics by corporate lobbyists, we moved Oregon forward with a number of historic policy victories that put workers and families front and center. This progress is evidence of the strength we have when we come together to advance economic, racial, and gender justice as part of a unified agenda. 

“Together, we fought to pass the most progressive paid family and medical leave in the country, protect people who rent their homes, invest billions in Oregon’s public schools, and make driver’s licenses available to all. 

“Even though the legislature failed to begin comprehensive reform of Oregon’s public defense system, we will not give up. We will continue fighting to implement the full set of reforms called for by the Sixth Amendment Center in 2020, along with the funding needed to carry them out across the state.

“Despite this progress, several important policies did not receive a vote this session because Republican Senators chose corporate interests over their responsibility to their constituents. Looking forward, Fair Shot for All will continue to hold our elected leaders accountable—for their votes on the floor and their actions outside the capitol. We will continue working toward a future where all Oregonians have a voice in the political process and get a fair shot.”

About Fair Shot for All
Fair Shot for All is a growing movement of community groups, racial and gender justice organizations and labor unions fighting together for the Oregon we believe in. We are united behind a vision of the future where all of us — Oregonians of color, people of all genders and abilities, LGBTQ communities, immigrants and working families —have a fair shot.

Fair Shot For All includes AFT Oregon, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon, Bus Project, Causa Oregon, Coalition of Communities of Color, Community Alliance of Tenants (CAT), Family Forward Oregon, Forward Together, Healthcare for All Oregonians, NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, Northwest Workers’ Justice Project, Oregon AFL-CIO, Oregon AFSCME, Oregon Education Association, Oregon Latino Health Coalition (OLHC), Oregon National Organization for Women, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon Student Association, Partnership for Safety and Justice, Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, Portland Jobs with Justice, Rural Organizing Project, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Unite Oregon, Urban League of Portland, Voz Workers’ Rights Education Project, and the YWCA.

Learn more at www.FairShotOregon.org

Fair Shot for All: New report from 6th Amendment Center highlights urgent need to reform Oregon’s public defense system

December 12, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fair Shot for All: New report from 6th Amendment Center highlights urgent need to reform Oregon’s public defense system

High caseloads and inadequate funding place Oregonians’ constitutional right to a fair trial under threat

Salem, Ore.— The 6th Amendment Center, an independent nonprofit organization that provides technical assistance regarding the constitutional right to legal representation, released a new report Thursday that calls out serious deficiencies in Oregon’s justice system and highlights the urgent need for reforms to protect every Oregonian’s constitutional right to a fair trial. The report was commissioned by the Oregon Legislature and the Oregon Office of Public Defense Services.

“Every Oregonian has a constitutional right to a fair trial,” said Heather Stuart, executive director of Fair Shot for All. “Most people aren’t aware, but that right is being violated on a daily basis in courtrooms across the state. Without a legal representative who can devote the time and attention to present an effective defense, Oregonians are more likely to be unfairly charged and detained. This constitutional violation creates immense harm for low-income Oregonians, who are disproportionately people of color due to historic and systemic racism.”

“Right now in our state, public defenders are being handed massive caseloads defending some of our most vulnerable populations, but are not being fairly compensated for that work,” said State Representative Jennifer Williamson. “During the upcoming legislative session, we have an opportunity to fix this broken system and ensure every Oregonian has the legal representation they are promised by the U.S. Constitution.”

The shortcomings of Oregon’s current public defense system have received increased attention in recent years. A 2017 report from the Office of Public Defense Services summarized the challenge, writing, “High caseloads, inadequate funding, and an outdated contact model create significant risk that the legal services provided to clients fail to meet state and national standards.” Many public defenders in Oregon are juggling more than 100 open cases at any given time.

“Oregon’s public defense system is overloaded with cases,” said Morgen Daniels, appellate public defender, president of AFSCME Local 2435. “As a result, low-income Oregonians, many of whom are from communities of color, are entering the courtroom without adequate representation. This isn’t what justice looks like. Other states have moved forward with public defense reforms and are producing better outcomes. It’s time for Oregon to catch up.”

About Fair Shot for All

Fair Shot for All is a growing movement of community groups, racial and gender justice organizations and labor unions fighting together for the Oregon we believe in. We are united behind a vision of the future where all of us — Oregonians of color, people of all genders and abilities, LGBTQ communities, immigrants and working families —have a fair shot.

Fair Shot For All includes AFT Oregon, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon, Bus Project, Causa Oregon, Coalition of Communities of Color, Community Alliance of Tenants (CAT), Family Forward Oregon, Forward Together, NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, Northwest Workers’ Justice Project, Oregon AFL-CIO, Oregon AFSCME, Oregon Education Association, Oregon Latino Health Coalition (OLHC), Oregon National Organization for Women, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon Student Association, Partnership for Safety and Justice, Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, Portland Jobs with Justice, Rural Organizing Project, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Unite Oregon, Urban League of Portland, Voz Workers’ Rights Education Project, and the YWCA.

Learn more at www.FairShotOregon.org.

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Fair Shot for All: 2017 legislative session saw big wins for working Oregonians

Contact: Mike Westling
(503) 498-8161
mike@brinkcomm.com

Salem, Ore.—On the final day of the 2017 Oregon Legislative Session, Fair Shot for All Director Heather Stuart released the following statement on behalf of the coalition:
 
“While Oregon’s economy continues to grow, many Oregonians, especially women and people of color, are being left behind. At the beginning of the 2017 session, Fair Shot for All set out an ambitious agenda to champion legislation that would create economic opportunities for working families and address longstanding racial and gender inequities.
 
“Although much of the focus in Salem has been on issues that have caused gridlock and disagreement, this session will ultimately be remembered for what was accomplished for working families: extending health care coverage to every kid in the state, expanding access to affordable reproductive health care to all Oregonians, and securing resources for tracking and ending law enforcement profiling. And while lawmakers did not approve paid family and medical leave insurance or tenant protections that would help keep families in their homes amidst a statewide housing crisis, Fair Shot for All raised the dialogue on both issues and built support that will carry forward to future sessions.
 
“Since the coalition launched in 2014, Fair Shot for All has been committed to amplifying the voices of working Oregonians from across the state. In 2017, members of the Fair Shot for All coalition spent thousands of hours making phone calls, sending letters, testifying at hearings, and meeting with legislators to make sure those voices were heard. These wins bolster Oregon’s emerging role as a national leader for working families, taking real action to advance racial and gender equity amidst efforts from the nation’s capital to roll back workers’ rights. While we have much to celebrate, our work is far from done. This coalition will be back—stronger and with even more resolve to ensure all Oregonians have a fair shot.”

Oregon Becomes Seventh State in the Nation to Provide Health Care for All Kids

Contact: Rose King, (503) 863-1363, rose@brinkcomm.com

Passed by the House today, SB 558 ensures all Oregon children have the same access to health care, regardless of residency status

(Salem, Ore.)—The Oregon House today passed legislation known as “Cover All Kids” with bipartisan support. Senate Bill 558, co-sponsored by Representatives Alonso Leon, Hernandez, Huffman, Keny-Guyer and Olson and by Senators Boquist, Kruse, Monnes Anderson, and Roblan, now heads to Governor Kate Brown who is expected to sign the bill. 

The Cover All Kids legislation will: 

• Extend health care coverage through the Oregon Health Plan for all children in Oregon up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level. 
• Ensure that culturally and linguistically appropriate community-based outreach is conducted to maximize enrollment. 

Expanding health care to undocumented kids has gained support throughout the nation over the last few years. Oregon is the seventh state following California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Washington, D.C., and Washington state.

“Today, we are celebrating a tremendous victory. For the first time in their lives, thousands of kids across Oregon will have the health coverage they need to reach their full potential,” said Alberto Moreno, Executive Director of the Oregon Latino Health Coalition. “We thank Governor Kate Brown, Speaker Kotek, Representative Keny-Guyer and Representative Huffman for their steadfast support of all children and we thank the many Oregon legislators who supported a bill that truly reflects our core values. Today is a proud day for all Oregonians.” 

“We have a moral obligation to support Oregonians who face disparities accessing health care. Children rise to the top of that list,” said Representative Huffman. “I’m proud to support this policy that moves us one step closer to giving all children a healthy start in life.”

“I’m proud to say that health coverage will finally be a reality for all Oregon kids. As a sponsor of the bill, this has been a top priority for me for three sessions,” said Representative Keny-Guyer. “More children will get the preventative care they need to grow up healthy. This policy will strengthen the future of kids in every corner of our state.” 

In 2015, the Oregon Latino Health Coalition organized a statewide coalition of nearly a hundred organizations and set out to win health coverage for all children who call Oregon home. The Oregon Latino Health Coalition has led the effort to give a voice to the more than 17,000 kids denied critical medical coverage because of their residency status.  

Research shows that improved access to health coverage increases academic success and high school graduation rates. Medicaid-eligible children are also more likely to attend college, make greater contributions as taxpayers and live longer than kids growing up without health coverage and access to preventive care. Senate Bill 558 will promote the health of all Oregon children and put every child on the pathway to success.   

Advocates react to the news: 

“When kids are covered, there’s an immediate and long-term return on investment,” Imelda Dacones, CEO and President of Northwest Permanente, said “They have reduced emergency room visits, which is the most expensive venue of acute care, and also reduced hospitalization rates. They are less likely to drop out of high school and more likely to graduate college. They tend to have higher incomes and surpass their families’ incomes, so as adults they pay more taxes.”

"Children are children. No child should be denied the health care coverage they need to thrive,” said Tonia Hunt, Executive Director for Children First for Oregon. “We know that access to health care improves all aspects of a child's life. Cover All Kids will give every child a strong start for a healthy and successful future." 

“For kids, health insurance helps create a greater possibility of a healthy, productive life. And Oregon is stronger when every child in our state has the opportunity to grow up healthy,” said Dave Underriner, chief executive, Providence Health & Services in Oregon.

“By committing to the health of all children, Oregon will help more kids do better in school, earn higher incomes down the road and ultimately pay more taxes. This was the right thing to do for our children and our communities will also benefit from a stronger economy,” said Jim Francesconi, VP, Moda Health.

"Access to quality healthcare for our kids isn't a luxury," said Nichole Maher, President & CEO of Northwest Health Foundation. "It's the hallmark of a state that knows a safe, healthy childhood sets the stage for lifelong health. Cover All Kids gives every child the dignity of care that will benefit them and our state for generations to come." 

"Passage of Cover All Kids is great news for our patients and children across the state," said Laura Etherton, policy director at the Oregon Primary Care Association, the association of Oregon's Community Health Centers. "Coverage means that these low income children will have access to the full range of health care - from primary and preventive care, to specialty and inpatient hospital care-without fear of unaffordable costs."

Oregon Senate passes legislation to end police profiling and reform drug sentencing with bipartisan support

Contact: Mike Westling, Fair Shot for All
(503) 498-8161
mike@brinkcomm.com

Salem, Ore.—A bill that provides resources to end law enforcement profiling in Oregon through data collection, training, and accountability passed the Oregon Senate on Thursday evening with bipartisan support. Having passed the Oregon House on July 5th, HB 2355 will now head to the desk of Governor Kate Brown for her signature.
 
Following the vote, Unite Oregon Executive Director Kayse Jama issued the following statement on behalf of Fair Shot for All:
 
“In a political environment increasingly defined by disagreement, finger-pointing, and fear, today’s vote is a sign that progress is still possible when listen with respect and come together to make our communities safer and more just.
 
“The passage of this bill is a victory for Oregonians who have been targeted by law enforcement because of who they are, where they come from, or what they look like. It’s a victory for law enforcement officers, who will receive needed training and an opportunity to rebuild trust in the communities they serve. And it’s a victory for all Oregonians, who can be confident that instances of profiling will be tracked and that law enforcement agencies will be accountable for their actions.
 
“Central to this victory were the brave voices of Oregonians who experienced profiling—on urban streets and on country roads—and were willing to share their stories in the state capitol and at listening sessions across the state.
 
“Since the legislature passed HB 2002, prohibiting profiling and creating the Oregon Law Enforcement Profiling Task Force, we have made progress in building a coalition of law enforcement officials and local leaders who care about justice and want to see our criminal justice system work for all. Beyond any piece of legislation, these relationships will continue to bring positive change to communities across the state.
 
“Everyone engaged in the conversations that led to this bill recognizes that the challenge of profiling will continue for years to come, but the commitment of law enforcement officials to take on this difficult work gives us hope for the future of Oregon.”
 
More information about the legislative proposal to end profiling is available here: http://bit.ly/end_profiling