Activistas

Paid Family Leave: Hanging On By A Thread - HELP!!!

As the Oregon state legislature wraps up its 2007 session, a lot is happening and fast.  HB 2575, the Paid Family Leave bill that Moms Rising has been working very hard on, made its way out of the Joint Ways & Means Committee and passed the House but (yikes!) failed the Senate vote yesterday 16-13.  By a technicality it can be reconsidered TODAY in the Senate, so this is your chance to get active and tell the Senate that this is something we families really, really want and think would make Oregon a better state for all families.  If you want more info on the bill, please see the post on it below.  To act NOW, call (preferably) or e-mail your senator (find out who it is here) or, better yet, call the democratic senators that voted against the bill yesterday (you're likelier to change their minds).  They are:

• Senator Ryan Deckert: (503) 986-1714
• Senator Betsy Johson: (503) 986-1716
• Senator Rick Metsger: (503) 986-1726
• Senator Kurt Schrader: (503) 986-1720
• Senator Joanne Verger: (503) 986-1705

It would be a wonderful victory for the grassroots if this bill passes!  Let your voice be heard! 

Portland's Sad, Sad Streets

Commissioner Adams and the Portland Department of Transportation are considering how to fund Portland’s street maintenance. The streets in Portland are in a sad state of repair, according to PDOT:

- 3941 miles of Portland streets, 32% of arterials in poor condition
- 157 bridges, 22% in poor condition
- 992 traffic signals, 43% in poor condition

To determine how to prioritize these needs and how to fund them, Commissioner Adams is holding a series of Neighborhood Town Hall Meetings over the next two weeks:

North & North East Portland -
Tuesday June 26, 7PM -9PM
King Neighborhood Facility 4815 NE 7th Avenue

Northwest Portland -
Wednesday June 27, 7Pm -9PM
Friendly House Conference Room 1737 NW 26th Avenue

Central Northeast & East Portland -
Monday July 2, 7PM to 9PM
Firehouse #12, 4415 NE 87th Avenue

Whether you are able to attend a townhall meeting or not, you can still let Commissioner Adams know your opinions, thoughts, and suggestions by contacting him at 503-823-3008 or commissionersam@ci.portland.or.us

Paid Family Leave in Oregon - Now or, uh, Later. You Decide!

CA did it five years ago.  WA did it a few months ago.  Oregon might just be #3!

Exactly What is Proposed for Oregon?: Rep. Diane Rosenbaum (D-Portland) introduced a bill into the Oregon House of Representatives (HB 2575-A) this session that would establish a state-level insurance account to provide paid family leave for workers to care for newborn/adopted children, sick children, or other family members with serious health conditions.  Workers covered by and eligible for the Oregon Family Leave Act (which applies to work places of 25+ persons) would be paid a set amount (e.g., $250/week) for up to six weeks in a year.  Smaller workplaces could elect to participate.  The bill is based on the CA and WA models.

So Who Pays For The Benefits?  Employee withholdings. Employers would withhold $0.01/hour worked from employees' post-tax earnings to fund the insurance account that ultimately pays out benefits.  So if you work 40 hours/week, you'd pay in $0.40/week or $20/year from your post-tax earnings to pay future benefits.

But What About the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)? This national legislation was passed in 1993.  As anyone with kids knows, it allows up to 12 weeks leave over a year period to care for a newborn or other sick family member  - but is unpaid.   It is what many parents use to support their maternity/paternity leaves.  The proposed paid family leave bill builds on this current national policy by adding some pay and extending it to caring for sick children without a serious health condition.

If you support this bill and are itchin' to get active, read on.  If you're not the active type (yet!)but are interested in learning more, there are many web resources on the topic, ranging from those in favor (National Partnership for Women & Families, 9 to 5) to those against (NFIB).

What Can You (Easily) Do NOW to Help Pass This Bill?  Make calls and e-mail!  HB 2575-A is currently in the Joint Ways & Means Committee and must be voted out and onto the floor of both the House and Senate before it can become a law (remember school house rock? I'm just a bill...). If you would like to see this bill move, you can call key members of that committee and let them know that you support the bill. You can also call or e-mail your own representative/senator, but at this stage, a call to committee members (even if they're not in your district!) is likely more effective.  The session ends next week, so now is the time to act if you are feeling active.  Here are some names and numbers of Joint Ways & Means Committee Members:

• Rep.Carolyn Tomei      (Sub-Committee Chair), 503-986-1441 or rep.carolyntomei@state.or.us     
• Sen. Betsy Johnson      (Sub-Committee Chair), 503-986-1716 or sen.betsyjohnson@state.or.us     
• Sen. Kurt Schrader (Full      Committee Chair), 503-986-1720 or sen.kurtschrader@state.or.us     
• Rep. Mary Nolan (Full      Committee Chair), 503-986-1436 or rep.marynolan@state.or.us

And if you happen to be free Wednesday morning June 20th... head on down to Salem! Children First for Oregon is organizing a rally to support the bill.  Here's the scoop: They will unveil the famous MomsRising ONEsie display (maybe you provided one?) at the Capitol in Salem from 8 AM to 1PM. You are welcome for all or part of that time - bring your kids, wear your MomsRising t-shirt if you have one, and show your elected officials that there is strong support for this bill!   If you are going, send a quick note to ashley@momsrising.org so she can send you all of the info.  Get directions to the Capitol here.

Healthy Kids & Families for Oregon

I recently received an email from Onward Oregon with a synopsis of a few important health bills that could have huge impact on children and families in Oregon. 

• The Healthy Kids Plan will ensure that more children have access to adequate health care.  It expands school-based health centers and makes more affordable insurance options available for children.
• The proposed Department of Health Services budget will expand Medicaid coverage
• HB3088 will ensure fair charges to the uninsured
• SB329, the Healthy Oregon Act, plans for more affordable family care, portability, options for self-employed, and renewing focus on primary and preventive care
• SB27, the Better Health Act, is a comprehensive plan to reform health care in Oregon - and this plan may be replicated on the national level soon.  The plan is huge and starts here in Oregon.  Learn more at We Can Do Better.

Have a look at what's on the table.  If you support these bills, here is a quick way to craft a letter to send to our legislators.

Take Action: Implement a Community Project

Do you have a vision to improve your community? Could it help you to have a hands-on training session to help you accomplish your vision? SOLV presents a Community Action Training session on June 28th from 9AM to 3PM. Session topics include how to:

Envision and identify a community project
Plan and coordinate a volunteer project
Define an outreach strategy
Recruit, train, and coordinate volunteers
Add new energy to volunteer projects
Prevent volunteer burnout and other common problems
Approach and work with sponsors and the media

A requirement of the program is that you agree to coordinate a SOLV project in your area. The SOLV projects in my neighborhood I've seen have been recycling projects or clean-up days. Inspire your community to be all they can be, and improve our communities in the process! Hope you can make the SOLV Community Action Training!