It is an honor and a privilege to represent the constituents of District 17 in the Oregon Senate.

The February 2010 special session was a whirlwind of activity. My colleagues and I worked hard to help Oregon families and businesses thrive under our current challenging economic conditions. I chair the Committee on Consumer Protection and Public Affairs, and also serve on the Judiciary and Education Committees.

Achievements from the 2010 Legislative Session include:

• Supporting small and emerging businesses through Senate Bill 1017. This bill, which I sponsored, makes some temporary changes in the law to make it easier for small and emerging Oregon businesses to access capital from the state’s Business Development Fund and Entrepreneurial Development Loan Fund.
  
• Strengthening consumer protection laws by removing the exemption for credit transactions from the Unlawful Trade Practices Act, a law that applies to almost every other business in Oregon. House Bill 3706 allows victims of fraud or deceptive practices to take action against lenders.
  
• Passing a bill to limit the use of credit reports in employment. Senate Bill 1045, which I cosponsored, is a balanced approach to helping people get back to work while preserving the rights of employers.
  
• Improving the ability of small businesses to provide access to affordable health insurance. Senate Bill 1003 modifies provisions in association health plans, which are used by many general contractors and other small businesses to offer health care to their workers.
  
• Supporting unemployed Oregonians by providing emergency unemployment insurance benefits for an estimated 18,600 workers so they can feed their families while continuing to look for work.
  
• Improving the way the Legislature delivers services to Oregonians. SJR 41 refers to voters the question of whether the Legislature should meet once a year for a limited number of days. You’ll have the opportunity to vote on this issue in November 2010.

You can read more about these and other bills at http://www.leg.state.or.us. For information about my work during the 2009 Legislative Session, click here.

Now that the 2010 Legislative Session has adjourned, my re-election campaign is in high gear. Please watch this site for updates on the campaign. I would be honored to have your support.

Sincerely, Senator Suzanne Bonamici

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