LOCAL REP MAKES FRONT PAGE HEADLINES

MILWAUKIE – Months after the 2007 legislation session ended, many of the bills that were passed last year finally become Oregon Law on January 1^st.  Several articles printed on the front pages of Oregon’s statewide newspapers have once more highlighted the legislation written and sponsored by State Representative Carolyn Tomei (S.E. Portland, Milwaukie). 

The 2007 legislative session was a successful one for Rep. Tomei, who used her position in the state legislature to support and pass many important new laws, such as the gift card bill, which bans expiration dates on gift cards.  Representative Tomei wrote this bill and first introduced it in the 2005 legislative session, on behalf of a constituent, although it died.  Tomei re-introduced the bill this session and shepherded it through the House Consumer Protection committee, then lobbied for its passage in the State Senate. 

Representative Tomei was also instrumental in the passing a bill that allows for the expanded use of red-light cameras and photo radar units in Oregon.  Rep. Tomei also originally introduced this bill during the 2005 session, at the request of the Milwaukie Mayor and Police Chief.  Tomei used her influence as Vice-Chair of the House Transportation Committee to hold committee hearings about the safety benefits of using this technology.  Before January 1^st of this year only a few Oregon cities were allowed to use this technology, which frees up police staff, allows for safe enforcement of traffic laws and provides a deterrent for breaking traffic laws.  The city of Milwaukie is expected to install its first camera by March 1st of this year. 

Tomei also sponsored a bill that requires that health insurance plans that offer prescription medication coverage to also cover prescription birth control.  The bill also requires hospitals to offer emergency contraceptives to women who seek care in the emergency room after a sexual assault.   Rep. Tomei has been the Co-Chair of the Oregon Women’s Health and Wellness Alliance since 2005 and this was one of the group’s top priorities.  This bill came out of the House Human Services and Women’s Wellness Committee, which Rep. Tomei Chairs and enjoyed bipartisan support in both the house and senate chambers.  Representative Tomei also used her position as Chair of the House Human Services and Women’s Wellness Committee to pass out the nursing mothers bill, a law that requires employers with 25 employees or more to give unpaid “reasonable rest periods” for their employees who are nursing mothers to pump breast milk in a private, sanitary place.  After weeks of negotiations and hard work, the Representative’s House Human Services and Women’s Wellness committee (which included 3 male republicans) passed it unanimously.

Finally, the Representative made useful her time of the Transportation Committee by shoring up funding for $250 million bond dollars to send light rail through SE Portland and into Milwaukie.  She took the lead in the ways and means committee to obtain the funding for this expansion.