OSPIRG releases 2021 legislative scorecard grading legislators’ voters on 13 public interest bills

Bills considered include ones focused on health care, zero waste, and consumer protection

OSPIRG

OSPIRG, a statewide public interest group, released its 2021 state legislative scorecard Wednesday. The scorecard assesses 13 bills voted on in at least one chamber in the 2021 legislative session. Areas of policy covered included reining in the cost of health care, moving Oregon towards zero waste, and standing up for consumers. 

“Oregonians deserve to know how their elected officials voted on key public interest issues,” said Charlie Fisher, OSPIRG’s state director, “We hope they use this tool to thank legislators who voted the right way and urge legislators who didn’t to vote for the public interest next time.”

The scorecard shows how legislators voted on each bill and gives them a percentage score to indicate how consistently they voted for the public interest. OSPIRG’s new website, www.publicinterestscorecard.org, also allows constituents to find their state representative and state senator and send them a personalized email telling them what they think. 

Among those bills analyzed in the scorecard: HB 2010, which passed unanimously in the House and puts Oregon on a path toward creating a public option health plan. Another key bill highlighted: SB 884, which creates a Prescription Drug Affordability Board that will be tasked with addressing the rising cost of prescription drugs. 

OSPIRG also scored the Student Borrower Bill of Rights (SB 785) and SB 582, which sets up a “shared responsibility” system in which producers of packaging, paper products and food serviceware will start bearing some of the costs of the waste management system.

OSPIRG scored lawmakers’ votes on the following bills: 

• Public Option Health Plan (HB 2010)

• Oversight for Health Care Consolidation (HB 2362)

• Health Care Cost growth accountability (HB 2081)

• Prescription Drug Affordability Board (SB 844)

• Prohibiting Pay for Delay (SB 764)

• Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Transparency (SB 763)

• Student Borrower Bill of Rights (SB 485)

• Basic Needs Navigators (2835)

• Textbook price transparency (HB 2919)

• Public Records Advocate independence (SB 500)

• Recycling Modernization (SB 582)

• Endling online sales of vaping products (HB 2261)

• COVID-19 Foreclosure protections (HB 2009)

“While we’re pleased the legislature moved forward with these important public interest priorities, several key bills died in committee and didn’t move forward in 2021,” added Fisher. “Lawmakers need to act quickly to give Oregonians the right to repair, reduce plastic pollution, and get big money out of Oregon elections.”

The full scorecard is available at www.publicinterestscorecard.org.