Monday, June 28, 2021

6-28-2021 Newsletter

 

Oregonians rallied in Salem to speak with legislators on Clean Energy Jobs Lobby Day,  February 6, 2019

CLIMATE WIN IN OREGON
Saturday was a historic day for energy policy and environmental justice in Oregon. The Senate passed House Bill 2021 C, the 100% Clean Energy for All bill that the Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity campaign and coalition partners have worked so hard to move this session. This bill requires Oregon's electricity to be emissions free by 2040 and bans the siting of new fossil fuel power plants.

INCO was among the numerous groups and individuals who made this happen, including all of you who contacted legislators, wrote letters to the editor, and informed your community and decision-makers about this monumental piece of legislation.

Special thanks to Eric Halperin for being INCO's climate organizer and guide over the last few years.

Thanks to the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility for these bullet points:
  • This is the fastest U.S. state timeline for a clean electricity standard so far, and the policy includes the nation's best labor standards for clean energy jobs and job training as well as the first statewide ban on new or expanded fossil fuel power plants. The bill also invests $50 million in community-based energy projects including disaster resilient systems like solar-plus-battery storage projects. 
  • House Bill 2842, the Healthy Homes bill, which invests $10 million in home repairs and retrofits for low-income renters and homeowners. Projects may include weatherization and energy efficiency upgrades, smoke filtration and fire resilience improvements, and lead and mold abatement. Click here to learn about how home improvements like these are a great climate justice measure.

PASS - FAIL FOR OREGON DEMOCRACY AND ELECTIONS

The 2021 Oregon legislative session ended yesterday. Thanks to David Delk for this overview of key bills related to democracy and elections.

The legislature enacted: 

  • requirement that voters cannot be moved to inactive status due to voter not voting or updating voter registration. Requires county elections official to notify voter if they have been moved to inactive status. (HB2681-A)

  • Bill (HB3291-2) which allows ballots posted marked no later than election day to be counted if received within 7 days of the election date 

  • Bill (HB2323) which penalized false info regarding an election 

The legislature has failed to act on:

  • limits on campaign finance contributions (HB3343, SB336)

  • system of public funding of candidates for state offices (HB2680A)

  • use of Ranking Choice Voting (or STAR Voting) (HB2678, HB2685, HB2686)

  • allowing same day voter registration (HJR11)

  • allowing felons to vote while still in jail/prison (SB571-3)

  • allowing 17 year-old to vote (HB2689)

  • creation of independent redistricting committee (HJR7)

Likely future action:

  • Initiative campaign to enact effective limits on campaign contributions. This is being worked on by Honest Elections Oregon

  • Initiative campaign to enact Ranked Choice Voting. This will be worked on by a coalition of Ranked Choice Voting advocates

  • Initiative campaign for creation of independent redistricting committee. An initiative has been filed with the Oregon Secretary of State’s office, ##16, People Not Politicians.

More info on initiative petitions is available on the Oregon Secretary of State’s website for petitions here.

Lady Liberty and INCO's Vote Boat crew paraded in Seaside's celebration, July 4, 2018.
A number of GOP-dominated state governments are passing laws to restrict and interfere with the right to vote. These barriers put our democracy at risk. S.1 the For the People Act, and HR4 #VotingRightsAct will project our constitutional right to vote.

COIN is partnering with pro-democracy groups around the country to get this legislation passed. Click here to see how you can help.

Please thank Senators Wyden and Merkley and Congresswoman Bonamici for their work to pass S.1. Contact info is here.  
COIN is people from all over Oregon. See the larger map on the COIN website.
WHAT DID THEY SAY?
We need more wisdom than ever these days, so help spread it with INSIGHTS from the INCO newsletter. We can email you the collection (a free Word doc) of each year's quotations from 2017 - 2020. Contact Laurie at incoregon@gmail.com and specify which year(s) you'd like.  
HAPPENINGS
VIRTUAL 
Tuesday, July 13 - INCO South County Community Group Zoom meeting, 6:30 - 8 pm. Please RSVP to Kathleenannmacdonald@yahoo.com thru Monday, July 12 for your Zoom link.

Saturday,  July 17 - INCO North County Community Group Zoom meeting, 11 a.m - noon. Contact incoregon@gmail.com to get the Zoom link if you haven't attended a previous meeting.

Write To Voters. Special elections and issue campaigns need you year-round. INCO encourages you to sign up to write to voters at www.postcardstovoters.org or for general Get Out the Vote campaigns, sign up at Vote Forward. For supplies or information, contact incoregon@gmail.com.
INSIGHTS
"Freedom means freedom from oppression, but not freedom from obligation."
—Sebastian Junger, author, in a radio interview about his book, FREEDOM, 5-17-21
Comments, news, and photos to INCO at incoregon@gmail.com. 
Resources and other information at www.incoregon.org and www.indivisible.org.
Encourage others to sign up for the INCO newsletter at our website or here.
INCO Weekly Newsletter  June 28, 2021
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