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Gov. Kotek signs six bills aimed at addressing Oregon's mental health, addiction issues
Gov. Kotek signed bills that will address Oregon’s mental health. Learn more here.
KGW8, SALEM, Ore. — Gov. Tina Kotek vowed to make meaningful strides for behavioral health in Oregon on Tuesday. She signed into law six bills that aim to strengthen the state’s response to mental health and substance abuse issues.
“The bills I am signing mark progress towards building a behavioral health continuum of care that incorporates harm reduction, suicide prevention, stronger tools against substance abuse among youth and adults, and improvements to the implementation of Measure 110,” Kotek said to a group of lawmakers and advocates.
Among the bills signed into law, two focus on preventing overdose deaths. House Bill 2395expands the access of short-acting opioid overdose reversal medications like Narcan and naloxone, making them more readily available in public buildings, stores, police departments and schools.
The second bill, Senate Bill 1043, requires hospitals, sobering and detox facilities to provide two doses of opioid overdose reversal medication to patients when they’re discharged.
“The goal is to help people be healthy and stay alive,” Kotek said.
Then there’s the bill to fix issues with Measure 110, or HB 2513. The governor’s office said it will strengthen Measure 110 by increasing staffing and improving application processes to speed up approval and get funds out the door, centralizing the support hotline to get people connected to services more efficiently, and improving program data collection and accuracy.
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Oregon facing threats from invasive vine mealybugs
Invasive vine mealybugs have been found in Southern Oregon. Find out more here.
By Rolando Hernandez (OPB)
An invasive vine mealybug was found in Southern Oregon in 2021 and since then, vineyards have been fighting to eradicate the insect. The pest can cause significant damage to Oregon’s grape vines, affecting fruit quality and mold growth. State funding from SB 5506 will invest more than $400,000 to monitor, research and suppress the insect before it becomes widespread in the state.
Brian Gruber is the president of the Oregon Winegrowers Association. Greg Jones is the vice chair on the Oregon Wine Board’s board of directors. And Vaughn Walton is a professor at Oregon State University’s horticulture department . They join us now to share how this bug can potentially affect Oregon’s vineyards and the potential impact of the funding to address the threat it poses.
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Oregon Parks now offers same-day online coastal camping reservations for available sites
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Cape Lookout Beach on the Oregon coast.
You can now book same-day camping reservations on the Oregon coast. Find out more here.
SALEM, Ore (KTVZ) — Visitors hoping to camp last-minute at the coast can now check online to view and book same-day openings when sites are available, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department said Wednesday.
Previously, visitors could only make online reservations 24 hours or more in advance of their arrival. Now coast visitors can make online reservations on the same day that they plan to camp.
The new option is part of a pilot program at the coast. The goal is to offer campers the security of knowing they have a site booked before they leave home, and to give park staff more time to offer interpretive opportunities and maintain park facilities and landscapes and provide a safe camping experience.
“Same-day reservations at the coast give those traveling the peace of mind that there is a place ready for them when they arrive,” said Coastal Region Director Dennis Comfort.
The coast is the busiest region in the Oregon State Parks system, with an estimated 1.9 million camper nights reserved each year across the 17 campgrounds. A camper night is one camper for one night, so a group of four camping two nights totals eight camper nights.
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Minimum wage changes in Oregon on July 1
The minimum wage is set to increase July 1st. Learn more here.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Anyone who works a minimum wage job in Oregon will get a raise starting July 1.
In all parts of the state, the minimum wage will increase. However, in Oregon, the minimum wage is not equal across the state.
Oregon’s minimum wage is divided into three areas: the Portland metro area, the “standard” area, and the non-urban area.
In the Portland metro area, minimum wage will top $15 per hour for the first time. On July 1, 2023 it will jump from $14.75 to $15.45 per hour.
The standard minimum wage will increase from $13.50 to $14.20.
The non-urban minimum wage will increase from $12.50 to $13.20.
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