Oregon Women's Health

And Wellness Alliance

www.owhwa.org

December 16, 2010

12:00 – 1:00PM
Room 350, State Capitol

I. 12:00pm - Welcome and Introductions

II. 12:05 – 12:15 pm – Summary & Recap–Budget

Environment for 2011

III. 12:15-45 Discussion of Criteria and Ranking of Proposed

Legislative Priorities for 2011 Session

1. Preserving funding for vital services: ERDC/TANF/DV

Services: Due to the budget situation we are up against this
session, we felt it would be important to highlight the
preservation of some vital services that vulnerable populations
rely on for survival. There is a clear need of the preservation of
funds for TANF/ERDC and there will be many other groups
fighting for these services. As part of our goal to not duplicate
other group’s efforts, we will put a special emphasis on the
preservation of funding for DV services.

2. Preserve funding for Oregon’s Advocacy Commissions ––

Includes the Oregon Women’s Commission, Oregon
Commission on Black Affairs, Oregon Commission on Asian
Affairs and Oregon Commission on Hispanic Affairs – In these
tough times, funding for these commissions is at risk for cuts
or elimination. The advocacy commissions do significant and
important work. Our support will play a pivotal role in their
preservation.

3. Oregon Breast and Cervical Cancer Program – Treatment –

This is a redraft of SB 891 from the 2009 legislative session.
We are working with DHS and Komen on this concept. This bill
will expand the eligibility for women for treatment of breast
and cervical cancer if they are diagnosed through a health
care provider outside of the Oregon Breast and Cervical
Cancer Program. The federal Breast and Cervical Cancer
Prevention and Treatment Act of 2000 allows states to provide
presumptive Medicaid eligibility to women diagnosed with
breast or cervical cancer and, as a result, access to federally-
funded life-saving medical treatment. Currently, DHS policy
allows only women who are diagnosed through an OBCCP
provider to obtain treatment for their breast or cervical cancer.
There are additional women who meet the income and age
requirements of this program, but if they are diagnosed
through a non-OBCCP provider, are not eligible for treatment.
(Rosenbaum/Tomei – Starting in Senate)

4. Maternal Mental Health – Recommendations from TF: In

2009 OWHWA helped pass a bill creating the Maternal Mental
Health TF – This group met over the last couple of years and
recently came out with their report/recommendations for
improving access to maternal mental health services. The
concept for this session is an educational/outreach
requirement for DHS. (Tomei/House Human Service
Committee bill)

5. BPA/Children’s Safety: This bill would prohibit the use of BPA

in sippy cups, baby bottles, and plastic water bottles. (Oregon
Environmental Council/Dingfelder - Senate)

6. Work and Family Task Force/Commission – In an effort to

broaden the conversation about work and family policy we will
be introducing a Work and Family Balance TF bill to look at the
bigger picture of workplace/family policy, incorporating the
needs and concerns of businesses and other stakeholders. We
also hope to engage the Governor in this issue as a long term
policy goal. (Dembrow/Rosenbaum/Family Forward Oregon)

7. Human Trafficking Statute Changes– There are several bills

moving forward to address the sex trafficking of minors
addressing three main areas: Getting services to the youth
victims, Increasing penalties for the those buyers who engage
the sexual services of minors, Prosecuting the
pimps/traffickers who are controlling these youth. We will likely
 pick two or three bills in this package to highlight on our
agenda. (Tomei/Gelser - House)

8. Sexual Assault Response Teams– Creates Sexual Assault

Response Teams (SART) in every county to provide
coordinated response teams to victims of sexual assault,
integrating law enforcement, medical and social services.
(Edwards/Senate)

9. Strangulation (Gelser/House) – Makes strangulation a felony

crime in certain circumstances – it is currently a misdemeanor
charge. This bill has been included on the OWHWA agenda in
previous session.

10. Expression of milk in the workplace update – Conforming

Expression of milk in the workplace protections with Federal
Law; Amends existing state law to conform to new federal law
as it relates to covered employers, the frequency and timing of
the protected rest periods, and undue hardship exemptions.
The OWHWA helped pass the original version of this bill in
2007 which was then used as a model for the Federal law.
(BOLI – Agency Bill)

11. Lupus Resolution – Designates May of each year Lupus

Awareness Month and makes May, 10th, 2011, Oregon Lupus
Day (Rosenbaum/Tomei – Senate)
__________________________________________________________________
Sexual Assault Protective Order for non-intimate partners.
(Gelser) Current law gives protection when the perpetrator is a
household member of the victim. This would expand the
protective order provision for victims whose assaulter does NOT
live in the house.

Birth Anomaly Registry (March of Dimes, House Human Services

Committee bill) Oregon is one of only a handful of state who
does not have a Birth Anomaly Registry. Identifying and tracking
these outcomes is the first step for prevention. We have
introduced this measure before and are continuing to work on it.

Teen Dating Violence (Bailey/Doherty) – Establishes an

education/prevention program within the schools to help teens
recognize appropriate/inappropriate dating relationships.
Oregon Birth Mothers (Doherty) -- Gives birth mothers more time
before adoptions are finalized and requires independent
counseling, to protect birth mothers from pressure for adoption
advocates.

IV. 12:50 – 1:00pm

Set January mtg. to finalize agenda – HOLD TIME – January 12th
12-1pm - Capitol
Pick date for February OWHWA Breakfast – 2nd or 3rd Week of
February

CRITERIA:
Must...
...be related to women's health and wellness.
...be an issue that can be addressed by legislation or
other means.
...have broad support among interest groups.
...have individuals from OWHWA willing to participate.
...reflect needs of diverse communities.
...have immediate and long term impact to Oregon
women.
Things to consider...
- ...OWHWA's continuing commitments and goals.
...strive for bipartisanship.
...research and staffing capabilities.
...funding aspects related to issue.
...not duplicate another group's work on issue.
...measurable results.