STATEMENT FROM STACY CHAMBERLAIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OREGON AFSCME ON 2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

With Oregon working families facing so many challenges right now, we needed state lawmakers to take action on the lack of child care options, the behavioral health staffing crisis in communities and at the Oregon State Hospital, the housing crisis, and other issues our members said were priorities.

In the 2022 legislative session, lawmakers delivered with bipartisan passage of bills that will increase child care availability as well as increased pay for providers, provide salary increases for behavioral health providers, and $10.8m for the Oregon State Hospital - a system that is decimated by high turnover and low pay. Our state still has many challenges ahead but this session we made important strides forward not only with these critical new investments but with policies that put the people of our state first.