LOC News
COVID-19 – State Legislature, Next Steps
On Wednesday, the Joint Special Committee on Coronavirus Response (JSCCR) met for more than five hours. About one-half of the committee members where present and adhering to “social distancing” guidelines, while the remainder had remote access. The committee co-chairs, Senator Arnie Roblan and Representative Paul Holvey, managed the meeting, which consisted of a series of questions from legislators on the committee and dialogue with key state agencies and the governor’s staff. Cities can watch the hearing via this link. There was also input offered by labor and business organizations. The main focus of this initial meeting was to better understand what is needed in terms of relief for workers and businesses. This JSCCR will be key to vetting requests from interests, and coming up with a bipartisan, bicameral response to COVID-19 in Oregon. A special session is likely to be called in the next week to 10 days.
The LOC and other interest groups from around Oregon have submitted recommendations to this committee, its leadership and the governor’s office. LOC staff will be following it up with direct contact in hopes of setting the stage for temporary relief for core city services during this pandemic. The LOC comments focused on the need to develop strategies that allow local governments to remain functioning for critical community services in addition to the public health and safety measures and consideration of the economic environment. The LOC requested relief from statutory requirements covering public meetings and public notification, local budget law, land use decisions, and public records. The League also added recommendations regarding economic stability including: resources for displaced workers, small business support, relaxing day care permitting process, and suspension of home or rental evictions.
The best step forward for cities is to communicate directly with your elected officials and Congress. The LOC is recommending that you share your specific needs and also help shore up support for the recommendations offered by the League. The more advocacy advanced by cities to the Legislature and Governor Brown, the better off we will collectively be as we all work through this crisis.
Contact: Jim McCauley, Legislative Director - jmccauley@orcities.org
Last Updated 3/20/20