Young Oregonians are the focus of economic, educational and environmental policies

SALEM-The five Oregon state representatives under 35 years of age unveiled a legislative agenda for young Oregonians today.

Voting-age adults under 35 represent 30% of Oregon's population. The "Five under 35” believe their fellow young Oregonians are looking to the legislature for leadership on issues that affect their generation.

State Representatives Ben Cannon (D-Portland), Brian Clem (D-Salem), Chris Edwards (D-Eugene), Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis) and Tobias Read (D-Beaverton) say their agenda will serve the interests of young Oregonians by:

Making government more accessible

"Students and young adults change residences more frequently than older, more established Oregonians and many pay less attention to elections until late in the campaign cycle,” said Cannon. "Oregon's early registration cutoff means that many young people learn too late that they are not registered to vote and are consequently disenfranchised from our democracy.” ÂÂ

Strengthening young families

"One of the greatest joys and challenges faced by young Oregonians is caring for and protecting their growing families. As a young legislator and a parent, I look forward to passing legislation that will help young families raise and nurture their families in their homes, protect their children from violence and sexual predators, and enjoy the kind of job security that does not force them to choose between employment and caring for ill children or aging parents,” said Gelser.

Fostering entrepreneurship

"I am proud to join my colleagues in supporting this forward looking legislation that will expand Oregon's economy, create family wage jobs, and benefit Oregon for years to come,” said Edwards, an entrepreneur himself.  "These bills reflect the innovative and competitive nature of Oregon.”

Creating a sustainable Oregon

"Protecting Oregon's environment is critical to the future of our state,” said Clem. "Our priorities will help our environment to prosper and allow Oregon to continue to expand by establishing a statewide recycling program for consumer electronics, establishing that 25 percent of Oregon's annual retail electricity sales come from renewable energy resources, and making the Sustainability Board statutory.”
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Expanding post-secondary education opportunities

"Oregon's future success depends on our ability to live up to our full potential,” said Read. "The ASPIRE program and the Earned Education Tax Credit are two tools that help young Oregonians access education more readily.”

All five lawmakers involved with the "Agenda for Young Oregonians” are serving their first full terms in the Oregon House of Representatives and together make up the largest group of young legislators in Oregon this decade.

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LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR YOUNG OREGONIANS

MAKING GOVERNMENT MORE ACCESSIBLE
Getting other young people to participate in the political process is a priority for the Five Under 35.  One innovation that has proven remarkably effective in increasing youth voter turnout has been same-day voter registration. The seven states that allow people to register and vote on Election Day have seen, on average, youth voter turnout rates that are 14 percentage points higher than states without same-day voter registration. The Five Under 35 support the Same Day Registration Initiative, House Joint Resolution 43, refers same-day voter registration to Oregon voters.

STRENGTHENING YOUNG FAMILIES
The Five Under 35 recognize that one of the most critical challenges facing young Oregonians is caring for their growing families. The Family and Medical Leave Act (HB 2575) makes that easier by allowing workers to take time off work to care for their newborn or ill children, or aging parents. Thousands of young Oregonians raising children with disabilities and complex medical needs are counting on passage of the Welcome Home Package (HB 2406 and 2407) so they can keep their children at home, where they can grow up with their parents and siblings. Young parents deserve protection from domestic violence, which is why strangulation-- one of the most common forms of violence against women in the home-- should be a felony (HB 3329). Finally, young Oregonians appreciate the tool of Internet technology, but are also aware of the dangers faced by children online. The Protecting Children from Online Predators Act (HB 3515) is one way to lessen that risk.ÂÂ

FOSTERING ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Oregon's young representatives embrace efforts to enhance the competitiveness of Oregon industries by increasing the state's capacity for innovation, technology development and product creation. To that end, the Five Under 35 support three bills.

The first two bills, Senate Bills 580 and 581, are part of the Oregon Innovation Council package. Senate Bill 580 moves our state forward by focusing attention on renewable energy, sustainable products, and drug development in the areas of infectious disease, vaccines, cancer and neuroscience. Senate Bill 581 allocates funds to the Oregon Innovation Council to promote Oregon's international competitiveness and research capacity.

 The Tax Credit for Small Business Investment Bill (HB 3246) rewards business owners for investing in new technology and equipment, which will help small businesses grow more ready to compete in the global economy.

CREATING A SUSTAINABLE OREGON
Protecting Oregon's environment is critical to the future of our state. The Five Under 35 support several bills that would help our environment to prosper and allow Oregon to continue to expand.

One of these bills deals with a relatively new problem: electronic waste. As new technology renders older computers, televisions, printers, and other electronics obsolete, the need for a statewide electronic waste program increases. The E-Waste Bill, House Bill 2626, lays out the provisions of this program and marks a new commitment by both businesses and environmentalists to work together to solve complex problems.

The Renewable Energy Standard Bill, Senate Bill 373, calls for Oregon to get 25% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. This not only decreases our dependence on foreign oil, but also calls for Oregon to become a leader in providing this renewable energy.

The Statutory Sustainability Board Bill, House Bill 3244, marks a small change in Oregon law that speaks volumes about the state's commitment to its land and natural resources. This bill ensures that the various business leaders and community advocates who make up the Sustainability Board will continue to meet, discuss solutions, and make recommendations as they have since its inception in 1999.

EXPANDING POST-SECONDARY OPPORTUNITY
Rapidly escalating education costs are making the leap from high school to post-secondary education seem all the more distant and difficult.  From tuition to textbook sticker-shock, Oregon needs to do a better job communicating the opportunities for higher education and work to increase its accessibility. It's critical that all Oregonians think of higher education as realistic and attractive option. The Five Under 35 support two bills that will encourage our youth to pursue post-secondary opportunities and to pursue those opportunities in Oregon.

The ASPIRE Bill, House Bill 2729, increases funding for the ASPIRE Program (Access to Student Assistance Programs in Reach of Everyone). Since 1998, this program has been successful in helping high school students realize the importance of higher education and the availability of scholarships and financial aid through trained mentors. The ASPIRE Bill will expand the scope of this program from 84 schools and 39,450 students to an estimated 150 schools and 71,250 students for the next biennium. ÂÂ

When students choose where to go to school, we want them to stay in Oregon. The Earned Education Tax Credit Bill helps that happen. An Oregon high school graduate who graduates an Oregon post-secondary school (be it public, private, or community college) within four years would, with the Earned Education Tax Credit Bill, earn a tax credit worth as much as $1,000. With this incentive, Oregonians are encouraged to stay in Oregon for their education and afterward.