Education

Suzanne recognizes the importance of a strong public education system, pre-K through college, and education will remain her priority in the upcoming legislative sessions. Her commitment to public education is evident in the legislation she has helped to pass:

• Expanded funding for Head Start;
• A construction excise tax to give school districts a source of funds for capital construction and renovation;
• Additional lottery funds for school capital construction;
• The Shared Responsibility Model to help more students afford college;
• Increased funding for the Community College Support Fund and the Oregon University Fund;
• The requirement that schools use Integrated Pest Management to reduce exposure;
• A teacher and principal mentoring program.

Economic Development and Revenue Enhancement

Stimulating and growing our economy with living wage jobs is crucial to the long-term stability of our state. Improving our system of public education is the first step toward attracting business, and we must also work toward achieving more job growth in all sectors. Suzanne has supported many bills that encourage economic development, including:

• The Go Oregon! jobs stimulus program;
• Capital construction bonding for infrastructure needs across the state;
• A comprehensive transportation package;
• An economic development stimulus package and signature research center for the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI);
• An expansion of electronic permitting for construction and development permits;
• Creation of a Rainy Day fund; and
• Continuation of the Economic Revitalization Team to assist rural Oregon in achieving its economic development goals.

Health Care and Human Services

The costs of health care and prescription drugs are out of control, affecting the bottom line for individuals and businesses. Suzanne understands that we must increase access to health care and reduce the costs. She has helped to pass:

• A program to provide access to health care for uninsured children and low-income adults;
• An expansion of the Oregon Prescription Drug Purchasing Pool; and
• A prohibition of smoking in public places and places of employment.

Consumer Protection

Suzanne’s background as a consumer protection attorney prepared her for taking the lead on consumer protection issues. In the 2007 session, she helped stop predatory payday lending and worked on protecting Oregonians from identity theft and other financial fraud. In 2009 she took the lead on consumer issues. She has played a major part in passing:

• Foreclosure assistance to homeowners and tenants;
• Protection from garnishment for exempt funds, which is especially helpful for seniors, Veterans, and persons with disabilities;
• Oregon’s Identity Theft Protection Act, which gives consumers the ability to freeze their credit reports;
• Laws that cap the interest rates and fees on payday loans, title loans, and check cashing businesses;
• Protection for Oregon seniors from an investment scheme known as stranger-originated life insurance;
• A ban on dangerous toy-like lighters; and
• Additional consumer protection in Oregon's Lemon Law.

Transportation

Washington County and many areas in Oregon are facing tremendous growth. We need to travel smoothly and businesses need to be able to move goods without unnecessary delay. We must maintain and improve our bridges and roads in order to keep Oregon safe and to build our economy. Improving alternate forms of transportation will help keep more cars off of the crowded highways and cut down on the use of fossil fuels. Suzanne has supported:

• A comprehensive transportation package that will keep commuters and commerce moving and create thousands of jobs in Oregon;
• Connect Oregon II, which issues lottery bonds to fund multimodal transportation projects;
• A transfer of funds from the state Highway Trust fund to counties to improve their ability to maintain roads; and
• Approved lottery bonds to finance the Westside Light Rail project and the Oregon Streetcar Project.

Environment

We are fortunate to live in a state as beautiful as Oregon. Suzanne wants to continue Oregon’s role as a leader on environmental and sustainability issues by encouraging innovation to decrease our dependency on foreign oil, finding ways to keep our air and water clean, and taking steps to fight climate change. In her time in the Legislature, Suzanne helped to pass these important bills:

Creation of a Low Carbon Fuel Standard; A ban on the potential carcinogen (DECA-BDE) from use in household products; Expansion of Oregon’s landmark bottle bill to include water and flavored water containers; Adoption of an E-waste program for statewide electronics recycling; Creation of the Oregon Sustainability Board to help direct state efforts to sustain, protect, and enhance Oregon’s environment and economy; and Creation of a Renewable Energy Standard portfolio program.

Public Safety

Our communities must be safe for us to enjoy the quality of life Oregon offers. Suzanne believes that prevention now is preferable to incarceration later, and a strong system of public education that keeps students engaged will help to lower the drop-out and crime rates. In her time in the Legislature, she has helped to make our communities safer by supporting:

• Increased penalties for the sale of stolen scrap metal, which is typically connected to meth use;
• Tougher penalties for drunk drivers;
• Funds to provide additional Oregon State Troopers;
• A requirement that cigarettes in Oregon be self-extinguishing;
• Additional requirements that those convicted of driving under the influence be required to use ignition interlock devices on their cars; and
• Increased penalties for the crime of human trafficking.

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