2020 Legislative Agenda

OSPIRG

Making Health Care Work Better for Oregon

Oregonians can’t wait for Washington, D.C. to conclude its healthcare debate because here in Oregon, health care continues to cost too much and deliver too little. OSPIRG will focus on concrete reforms to address cost and quality at the state level. We will work to:

• (HB 4147) Open up a lower-cost pharmaceutical supply chain through the controlled importation of select, safe drugs from Canada.
• (SB 1535) Expand the Fair Pricing of Prescription Drugs Task Force to consider additional policy solutions being pursued by other states.
• (HB 4110) Strengthen notice requirements when health plans renew to prevent consumers from losing coverage early in the year due to confusing or inadequate notice of missed and incomplete payments.

Transparent and Accountable Government

Oregonians have a right to know how government decisions are made and how taxpayer dollars are spent. Ensuring government transparency enables us to hold elected officials accountable and push back more effectively when powerful interests try to game the system. OSPIRG supports measures to:

• (SB 1506) Clarify the independence of the public records advocate.
• Hold off on adding to the 500+ public records exemptions until the Oregon Sunshine Committee can finish its work of reviewing current exemptions and making a final recommendation to the legislature.

Higher Education

Higher education in America continues to be critical for both individual success and the social and economic health of our country. While college attendance has grown over the past two decades, state appropriations and federal aid have failed to keep pace with the rising cost of college, shifting more costs to students and their families. OSPIRG supports policies that:

• (SB 1540) Regulate student loan servicers in Oregon by requiring registration to operate in the state and prohibiting deceptive and misleading practices.

End the Nicotine Trap

The U.S. Surgeon General has declared e-cigarette use, commonly known as vaping, among young people an epidemic due to its popularity and health risks. One in five high schoolers reported vaping in 2018, a nearly 80 percent increase in one year. An entire generation is at risk of nicotine addiction, and millions of kids are already hooked on nicotine with serious implications for their health and future. We support policies to:

• (HB 4078) Ban online and other remote sales of vaping products, making it more difficult for underage users to purchase vaping devices and e-liquids.

Right to Repair

We generate way too much waste, and companies use their power in the marketplace to make things harder to repair. That adds costs to consumers and increases the amount going to landfills. We support legislation to:

Give every consumer and every small business access to the parts, tools, and service information they need to repair products.