The 2021 Legislative Session is in full swing with lots of opportunities to get involved. Thank you so much to those of you who are responding to the calls to action being issued by ORHA Legislative Director, Jason Miller. Now more than ever, our rights are under assault in ways unimaginable before the pandemic. And there’s more coming.

The proposed changes range from the reasonable to the preposterous. We need to continue to provide well-reasoned arguments against the more extreme parts of these bills. We may not be able to stop the legislative boulders rolling down the hill toward us, but with your help we may be able to nudge the boulder in a slightly different direction.

You can sign up to testify in person by phone or video, or submit written testimony on any bill. Go to https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/citizen_engagement/Pages/bill_actions_list.aspx to get tips on submitting testimony and to sign up for email alerts about specific bills, specific committees and specific legislators. I signed up and selected my local and state reps, and the housing committees for both the House and the Senate.

Another way we can support our leaders as they work to persuade legislators to not unreasonably burden housing providers is to donate to the ORH Key-PAC. Donating funds to specific legislators helps us get our foot in the door and hopefully influence the direction of proposed legislation away from the absurd. Donations up to $50 per individual and $100 per couple filing jointly can be claimed as a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. That’s free money people!