Oregon House Democrats hail passage of insulin cost cap, business eviction and voter protections
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oregon House Democrats issued three news releases Friday about measures passed by that body and now headed to the Senate:
| House Democrats Pass Cap on Cost Sharing for Insulin |
| HB 2623 would limit the price of insulin under a health benefit plan, tie future price increases to cost of living |
| SALEM, OR— House Democrats passed legislation this evening that would place a limit on the amount a person could be charged for their insulin under a health benefit plan in Oregon. The effort comes as Democrats prioritize making healthcare accessible and affordable. HB 2623, which passed 50-6 with broad bipartisan support, would cap the cost of insulin at $75 for a 30-day supply, and $225 for a 90-day supply. The Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) would review the price annually and would be allowed to adjust the cap based on changes to the cost of living. “Nobody should have to break the bank in order to afford this life-saving drug,” said Representative Sheri Schouten (D- Beaverton). “This lifesaving drug has been around for a century and should be affordable to all Oregonians." HB 2623 now moves to the Senate for consideration. --- |
| House Democrats Pass Legislation to Extend Eviction Protections for Businesses |
| HB 2966 extends the grace period to repay back rent, as businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic |
| SALEM, OR— Today, the Oregon House voted to protect small businesses from evictions by extending the timeline for the repayment of back rent for non-residential spaces. The bill aims to support small businesses most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. HB 2966 will extend the previous deadline of March 31 to September 30, 2021. “Oregon’s small businesses, bars, and restaurants are a big part of what makes our state so special,” said Rep. Rob Nosse (D- Southeast Portland). “To have our eviction moratorium end before state and federal relief can be distributed to these businesses doesn’t make sense. As our state begins to move out of the pandemic and back towards normal living, we need to give these businesses the time they need to recover.” HB 2966 passed 44 to 10 and moves now to the Senate for consideration. |
| House Democrats Pass Bill to Protect Voters from Being Removed from Rolls Due to Inactive Status |
| HB 2681 prohibits using failure to vote as a valid reason for moving a voter to inactive status |
| SALEM, OR— Today, the Oregon House of Representatives passed legislation to prohibit using failure to vote as a valid reason for moving a voter to inactive status. HB 2681, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, would also require notices to go to all electors who are inactive for signature or name change issues prior to each primary and general outlining how they can reactivate their registration. There were over half a million voters in Oregon on the inactive list prior to the 2020 November Election. There are many reasons an elector can become inactive, but it is most often due to a challenge signature issue or relating to a recent name change. The electors are notified twice, within a few weeks of the most recent election, and never notified again. “Over half a million inactive voters in this state is simply too many,” said Representative Dan Rayfield (D- Corvallis). “We worked closely with the County Clerks to develop a solution that will prohibit voters from becoming inactivated for failing to vote and also provide better notice when they are inactivated for valid reasons.” The bill also requires the activation of electors who were inactive for not voting for any period of time. HB 2681 passed the House floor 52 to 2 and now heads to the Senate. |
