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.

Find a printable version of our 2024 Legislative Priorities list here!

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 Advocacy here!

Rebecca Gladstone, LWVOR Legislative Action Chair, along with our team of volunteers listed below, are available to provide clarifications on League positions.

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

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:

Advocacy Chair & LWVOR Co-President: Rebecca Gladstone, b.gladstone@lwvor.org

Access Coordinator: Paula Krane, lwvor@lwvor.org

Climate Emergency Coordinator: Claudia Keith, Climatepolicy@lwvor.org

Governance Coordinator: Norman Turrill, nturrill@mac.com

Natural Resources Coordinator: Peggy Lynch, peggylynchor@gmail.com

Social Policy Coordinator: Jean Pierce, SocialPolicy@lwvor.org

CLIMATE EMERGENCY

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.

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

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.

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

NATURAL RESOURCES

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.

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

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.

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