The 2013 Legislative Session Reconvenes

The 2013 Legislative Session reconvenes on Monday, February 4. Bills introduced during our organizational days earlier this month have been assigned and committees formally begin meeting. A full list of Committee Assignments and agendas can be found online.

The constitutional obligation of the Legislature is to balance the State's two year budget. This will be the primary work of this session. Our starting point is the Governor's Budget

Many other issues are on our plate including:

• Public Safety
• PERS
• Tax Changes
• Immigration
• Health Care Changes
• Education Reform
• Jobs & Economy

I will try to keep you informed of these issues as they move through the legislative process.

Navigating the Legislative Process

The Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS) is a new tool available to assist in tracking bills through the legislative process. It centralizes and provides real-time legislative information on the session, bills, and committees. OLIS will provide public access to bill text, amendments, and measure analysis, as well as providing access to committee agendas, meeting material, recording logs and committee votes.

Also, the 2013 Bill Index is another useful tool to find out what's currently being considered by topic.

Constituent Survey Results

Earlier this month, I sent out a link to my online constituent survey. Thank you to all who participated. The results gave me a good look at constituent opinions and priorities regarding the 2013-15 budget.

Most folks answering this year's survey seem to want a "hold the line" budget without major changes. However, comparing the results of this survey with a similar survey from two years ago, it seems that there is a much greater
interest in increasing state support for education.

To review the complete survey results click here.

Honorary Page Program

The Honorary Page Program for the Oregon House of Representatives is geared towards youth 12- 18 years of age. This is an excellent opportunity for students to learn and experience the legislative process firsthand. Honorary pages spend a day at the capitol in offices and as pages during the floor session. Please contact my office at 503-986-1420 or at rep.vickiberger@state.or.us if you have a student interested in this program.

Thank you for staying in touch. Please don't hesitate to contact my office if I can be of assistance, whether it is through the legislative process or through personal assistance with the state government.

Sincerely,

Vicki