Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility

Oregon’s 2022 short legislative session ended with a number of bills that passed amidst challenging global and local circumstances. With the ongoing pandemic and last summer’s deadly heat waves taking a disproportionate toll on marginalized communities, it was heartening that Oregon’s legislature took action on so many important issues. 

On February 24th, 2022, Oregon PSR and our partners at Southern Oregon Climate Action Now (SOCAN) presented an online webinar exploring the health impacts of gas appliances.

Farmworkers are critical to Oregon’s economy and society. In a year of pandemic, catastrophic fires, and dangerous levels of air quality, farmworkers continued to work, despite serious risks to their health, to make sure that we have food available. It is time that we demonstrate our commitment to economic security for all of our workers by extending overtime pay to farmworkers through House Bill 4002.

Image courtesy of Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN).

Farmworkers are critical to Oregon’s economy and society. In a year of pandemic, catastrophic fires, and dangerous levels of air quality, farmworkers continued to work, despite serious risks to their health, to make sure that we have food available. It is time that we demonstrate our commitment to economic security for all of our workers by extending overtime pay to farmworkers through House Bill 4002.

Here are some action steps you can take to support farmworker overtime:

• Contact your legislators and encourage them to support HB 4002 farmworker overtime legislation in 2022.
• Learn more about the multifaceted impacts of overtime on farmworkers’ health, safety, and wellbeing.

Find your state legislators' email address and phone number and encourage them to support HB 4002.

Below you will find a sample script for your emails and calls:

Dear [Representative/Senator],

My name is _______, and I live in _________. 

I am writing to you today in support of farmworker overtime. Farmworkers should receive overtime pay after 40 hours in a work week at one and one-half times the employee’s regular rate of pay. Farmworkers deserve dignity, respect, and labor rights. For too long they have been denied rights that other workers have been afforded. Extending overtime pay protections to farmworkers will create better health conditions and longer lives for farmworkers. Farmworkers should be able to spend more time with their families or tend to other responsibilities, instead of spending most of their lives at work. I urge you to pass HB 4002 farmworker overtime legislation in the 2022 Legislative Session to ensure that farmworkers in Oregon are paid fairly for their skilled and essential labor. 

Sincerely, 

[Your name, city, ZIP code]

In the summer of 2021, Oregon experienced a record heat wave in which at least 96 Oregonians died and countless others suffered due to lack of access to life-saving cooling devices. Over the past few years, Oregonians have faced months of unhealthy air quality from wildfire smoke, along with dangerous ice storms and other extreme weather events worsened by climate change.

In the summer of 2021, Oregon experienced a record heat wave in which at least 96 Oregonians died and countless others suffered due to lack of access to life-saving cooling devices. Over the past few years, Oregonians have faced months of unhealthy air quality from wildfire smoke, along with dangerous ice storms and other extreme weather events worsened by climate change.

As climate change fuels more extreme weather, it is essential that Oregonians are protected from the deadly impacts of heat waves and other climate-related disasters. Will you take action to ensure that Oregonians are safe and healthy during extreme weather events? 

Health professionals, energy and housing advocates, and environmental justice organizations have come together to urge the Oregon legislature to pass the Emergency Heat Relief Bills (HB 4058 & SB 1536) to help protect families from extreme weather. 

• Emergency Heat Relief for Communities (House Bill 4058) would expand access and investment in emergency air conditioners, air filters,and  energy-efficient heat and cooling pumps.  This bill will prioritize people most impacted by extreme weather events including rural, low-income, elderly, disabled, Indigenous, Black, and People of Color communities.
• A Renter’s Right to Cool (Senate Bill 1536) would remove barriers to renters who currently lack access to cooling and heating during extreme weather conditions by enabling renters to install portable air conditioners, investing in extreme weather shelters, and providing incentives for landlords to install efficient heat and cooling pumps.

As climate change brings more frequent and extreme weather events, it is essential that all Oregonians are prepared. Take action to urge your legislators to support the Emergency Heat Relief Bills.

As the Oregon legislature engages in a short session, Oregon PSR is once again weighing in on bills that affect the health of Oregonians. One silver lining of another session of remote testimony is that it’s easier to testify from the comfort of home rather than driving to Salem to be heard. Continue reading to see what bills we have been supporting during this legislative session and how you can make an impact.

Over the last few years, one of the many injustices that the COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted is how prisons fail to protect the health of adults in custody. Crowded prisons with insufficient access to masks and hygiene infrastructure have caused Oregonians in prison to become sick and die from COVID-19 at rates that would have been lower had Governor Brown released more prisoners who were deemed safe to leave prison and shelter in homes to avoid the virus.

Over the last few years, one of the many injustices that the COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted is how prisons fail to protect the health of adults in custody. Crowded prisons with insufficient access to masks and hygiene infrastructure have caused Oregonians in prison to become sick and die from COVID-19 at rates that would have been lower had Governor Brown released more prisoners who were deemed safe to leave prison and shelter in homes to avoid the virus.

Even though Oregonians in state prisons now have access to COVID-19 vaccines, Oregon's process for compassionate early medical release needs to be improved. Senate Bill 1568 (formerly known as Legislative Concept 142) would establish an independent Medical Release Advisory Committee (MRAC) of health professionals within the Board of Parole to make recommendations for inmate medical releases based on medical and public health criteria. Current criteria for early medical release are too narrow, requests are not reviewed by medical professionals, and the application process is inaccessible and slow. SB 1568 would greatly improve this process for inmates who have pressing medical needs that cannot be met by state prisons.

Sign our petition encouraging the Oregon Legislature to support compassionate medical release for incarcerated Oregonians (SB 1568).

Read a factsheet on SB 1568 from our partners at Oregon Justice Resource Center for more information.

Find your state legislators' email address and phone number and encourage them to support SB 1568.

Here is a sample email/script:

Dear [Representative/Senator],

I am contacting you to express my support for Senate Bill 1568, which would greatly improve Oregon's process of compassionate early medical release from prisons. Some health conditions cannot be well-managed inside of Oregon's prisons, and all Oregonians have a right to access the medical care and treatment that they need. We have learned during the COVID-19 crisis that prisons are often not well-equipped to care for public health.

Right now, requests for early medical release are difficult to submit and aren't reviewed by medical professionals. Senate Bill 1568 would create an independent Medical Release Advisory Committee of health professionals within the Board of Parole to make recommendations for inmate medical releases based on improved medical and public health criteria. Criteria would be phased in over time and the Board of Parole would still hold the final say. We must pass Senate Bill 1568 this session so that we can begin implementing an improved, health-based approach to caring for Oregonians who are serving prison sentences.

Health care is a human right for all - please support Senate Bill 1568.

Sincerely,

[Your name, city, ZIP code]

Major policy change is being voted on by the Portland City Council during the waning days of 2021, when so many people are not paying close attention. Last week, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler introduced an agenda item at a City Council meeting that would once again allow the City of Portland to invest in corporate securities with very few restrictions.