Congresswoman Andrea Salinas brings listening tour on drug-crime policies to Oregon City

The 2024 Oregon Legislature overturned Measure 110, which changed the sentencing laws for many drug convictions, and which voters had approved just as the fentanyl-addiction crisis hit the state.

“The fentanyl crisis has gripped communities across Oregon and put a huge burden on law enforcement and behavioral health providers who were already stretched thin,” Salinas said. “Now that Measure 110 has been partially repealed, we can begin to enact pragmatic, evidence-based policies that will address the problem at hand.”

The first in a series of statewide briefings will be held at 4:15 p.m., Thursday, June 20, at the Clackamas County offices in Oregon City. Clackamas County Commissioner Ben West, District Attorney John Wentworth, Sheriff Angela Brandenburg and other local leaders will take part.

Salinas has supported legislative proposals that would help law enforcement combat and prevent fentanyl from entering Oregon, according to her office. They include the HALT Fentanyl Act , which would increase criminal penalties for fentanyl-related substances, and the Smart Border Protection Act , which would deploy additional personnel to our southern border of the United States to address drug smuggling. She also recently requested federal funding for the Beaverton Behavioral Health Court , which provides wraparound services to prevent people with substance use disorders from entering the criminal justice system.

The schedule for the rest of her listening tour has not been released.