2023 Democratic Party of Oregon Priority Legislative Action Items

1. Introduce legislation to establish a single-payer healthcare system, ensuring access to comprehensive care, including reproductive, mental health, gender affirming, and preventive services, including abortion, without financial barriers. Allocate funding to expand access to medications, vision, dental, hearing, reproductive, surgical, and behavioral and mental health services within the single-payer healthcare system. (State and Federal)
2. Enact legislation putting a Constitutional Amendment before Oregon voters declaring a Legislative quorum should be a simple majority. (State)
3. We support repealing Oregon's "kicker" law, which returns all "surplus" tax revenue collected by the state above what was forecasted if that revenue exceeded forecasts by 2 percent. This results in underfunding critical services and unsustainable budgeting. The Legislature should refer to voters a constitutional amendment repealing the kicker. (State)
4. Enact legislation referring  a comprehensive ballot measure to Oregon Voters to enshrine in the Oregon Constitution: a) marriage equality, b) unhindered abortion access, and c) protect and expand access to gender-affirming care. (State)
5. Fund quality mass transit systems including high-speed rail, using union goods and jobs within and between Oregon cities and regions, with connecting services to smaller communities, such as electric buses and safe bike infrastructure. (State and Federal)
6. Enable Oregon students to attend public college regardless of ability to pay. Fund post-secondary public education for Oregon’s students, including community colleges, career/vocational training, undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate programs. (State)
7. Pass a law that grants automatic citizenship to anyone who has honorably served in the military or been medically discharged, protects from deportation, and mandates repatriation of previously deported veterans. (Federal)
8. Eliminate the cap on Social Security and Medicare taxed wages so all wages are subject to the tax. (Federal)
9. Support passage of the Pay Teachers Act to address the major teacher pay crisis in America. This legislation ensures that licensed public school teachers are paid at least $60,000 a year to start and receive regular pay increases over their career. (Federal)
10. Classify internet service providers (ISPs) as public utilities; create laws that allow state and local governments to implement community owned ISPs; allow common access to publicly owned infrastructure, public rights of way, and utility easements, and provide funding for rural communities to access broadband internet. (State and Federal)
11. We call for the passage of legislation preventing state and local government agencies, and their employees, from providing information on any individual or out-of-state agency regarding provisions of abortion or gender-affirming health care, including information about who provides or facilitates accessing such care. (State and Federal)
12. Acknowledge that we are in a Climate Emergency that is accelerating even faster than scientists anticipated, and therefore all mitigating legislation that meets our values must be immediately prioritized. (State and Federal)
13. Charge and fund Oregon’s public universities to develop a science based approach to meeting President Biden’s 30x30 conservation goals within Oregon. The report would lead to future legislation to take action on putting 30% of Oregon’s lands into conservation by a target date. (State)
14. Amend the Oregon constitution to ensure the right for all residents to a healthy environment. (State)
15. Implement comprehensive police reform, including ending qualified immunity and establishing diverse independent oversight bodies with subpoena power. Restrict current/former police participation. Demilitarize police organizations and fully fund community-based programs that offer alternatives to police response for non-violent incidents, focusing on de-escalation and restorative justice. (State and Federal)
16. Ensure that the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs and its programs are fully funded so all veterans receive the care and support each has earned and deserved, assuring that the healthcare needs of disabled, transgender, women veterans, and those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression are met. (State and Federal)
17. Amend the US Constitution to abolish the electoral College and elect the United States president by popular vote. (Federal)
18. Enact legislation or constitutional amendment which places limitations on private or corporate wealth upon elections, supports small donations, places limits on campaign spending, supports public financing of elections and makes the electoral process more transparent including requiring full disclosure of contributions with close monitoring of the entire process. (Federal)
19. Repeal the Dickey Amendment and fully fund research on gun violence and; support universal background checks; close the Charleston loophole; prevent people convicted of hate crimes from owning guns; ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines; and repeal laws shielding gun manufacturers from civil liability. (Federal)
20. Ban healthcare entities and commercial data collectors from disclosing patient records to law enforcement agencies in the course of enforcing anti-abortion and anti-trans laws. Ban law enforcement/private entities from disclosing out-of-state driver’s information, including license plate numbers, to law enforcement agencies in other states enforcing anti-abortion and anti-trans laws. (State and Federal)