2015 LEGISLATIVE SESSION UPDATES
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Health Care for ALL Oregon (HCAO) posted this information about health care bills in the Oregon Legislature:
The 2015 Health Care for All Oregon Act previously LC 2548 is now SB 631 with its formal introduction in the Senate occurring on February 11th. The bill has been assigned to the Senate Health Care committee which is chaired by Senator Laurie Monnes-Anderson a supporter of our bill. A hearing is expected in early March.
Our priority bill in the 2015 legislative session is the extension and full funding of the Health Care Study HB 2828. Passage will commission a rigorous study, the results of which will be a recommendation to the legislature as to the best method of funding comprehensive health care in Oregon. HB 2828 will be heard by the House Health Care committee on Monday February 16th at 1pm. Testifying on behalf of the bill will be Senator Michael Dembrow chief sponsor, Representative Smith Warner Co-sponsor and Sam Metz a physician allied with HCAO and key player in the passage of HB 3260 the predecessor to HB 2828. The bill is expect to pass out of the committee and move on to the House Ways and Means committee where it should be funded at the end of the 2015 session.
At the February 11th HCAO Capitol Rally HCAO activists from across the state met with their legislators to discuss our bills and ask their legislators' support. From the report outs both oral and written our bills and especially HB 2828 received strong support. Some fiscally conservative are waiting to see the results of HB 2828 study before weighing in on SB 631.
Our goal in the 2015 session remains 36 sponsors and co-sponsors for our bills. As of the Rally on February 11th the number of sponsors for HB 2828 was 27 and rising. Having just been introduced SB 631 is only beginning to gain sponsors and cosponsors. We do expect as a results of our many legislative visits on the 11th and ongoing efforts we will see sponsorship continue to grow. Thanks go to all who came to Salem for the rally and lobbied their legislators.
Information on the SB 631 hearing will be made available as we receive it. We are presently preparing our panel of experts for the hearing. If you would like to testify at the hearing please contact me by clicking on my name below.
Information regarding our bills will continue to be available on this site.
Mark Kellenbeck, Chair, HCAO Legislative Committee
Summary of Our Bills:
2 pages: Summary of The Health Care for All Oregon Act – SB 631.
This is HCAO’s publically funded universal health care bill.
Full Bill text
1 page: Summary of The Health Care Study Bill – HB 2828.
The is HCAO’s must past bill in 2015.
Full Bill Text
Recap of Voting History:
3 pages: The Oregon Health Care Study Bill - 2013 Passage Voting Census.
This recaps 2013 voting in the House and Senate. We are counting on these votes and desirous of new supporters (especially Republican) in 2015.
Recap of Bill Sponsorship:
1 page: The Health Care for All Oregon Act – 2013 Legislative Sponsors.
This recaps all sponsors in the House and Senate in 2013, we are working to increase sponsorship to 36 (12 new sponsors in 2015).
Talking Points for Single Payer and HCAO Legislation:
2 pages: HCAO Talking Points
2 pages: Talking Points for the Health Care for All Oregon Act SB 631.
This provides strong single payer arguments and explanation of HCAO’s bill as well.
1 page: Key Talking Points for the Oregon Health Care Study Bill
The provides a summary of the bill and strong points supporting the value and passage of the bill in 2015.
