Legislative COmmittees
co-Chair, joint committee on ways and means
co-chair, joint committee on legislative audits
co-chair, joint emergency board
Honors + Awards
fora health samuel c. wheeler freedom award winner, 2022
recovery leadership award : oregon recovers, 2022
spotlight award - behavioral health champion : oregon council for behavioral heath, 2022
4d recovery hero award winner, 2021
MIDORI Hamilton Award : Oregon COalition against domestic and sexual violence
Community Engagement
Red Lodge Transitional Services : Board chair
Naah Illahee Fund : Board chair
OREGON DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE : Member
PEACE DEVELOPMENT FUND : Former Board Member
INTERNATIONAL INDIAN TREATY COuncil : Former Board Member
news from the 2023 SESSION
I am incredibly proud of the progress we made this session, especially in behavioral health. These are my personal priorities that passed:
HB 2757
Funding the 9-8-8 suicide crisis hotline and mobile crisis response network.
HB 3610
Establishes a task force to study alcohol pricing and the efficacy of addiction services in our state.
HB 3173
Creates a task force to improve state consultation with Oregon’s 9 federally recognized Tribes.
HB 3258
Expands Oregon's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to monitor and limit opioid misuse.
HB 2669
Establishes requirements for school districts to serve children who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind.
I also had the pleasure of serving as Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means this session. In this role, I had the opportunity to travel across the state for a series of public hearings on the state budget. Despite a higher-than projected revenue forecast, we still had nowhere near the resources necessary to fund our state’s various needs. We had to make many difficult decisions, and while we wish we could have funded every request, we designed a budget that invests in a safer, healthier future for all Oregonians.
Tawna Sanchez
Representative Tawna Sanchez is a dedicated advocate and proven progressive who has spent her life helping strengthen the community around her.
Tawna is Shoshone-Bannock, Ute, and Carrizo, and grew up in Portland. She has received a Bachelor of Arts from Marylhurst University, and a Masters in Social Work from Portland State University.
From early on in life, Tawna was active in the fight for indigenous and women’s rights. She protested coal and uranium on native reservations, and was a leader of international organizations like the Indigenous Women’s Network, and the International Indian Treaty Council. Tawna has always stood up for social justice on the side oppressed and that is the approach she brings to the Oregon Legislature.
Tawna helped co-found the Native American Youth and Family (NAYA) Center and currently serves as the Director of Family Services. NAYA provides families, native and non-native alike, to improve their lives and strengthen our community with services including early education, health care, workforce training, housing assistance, domestic violence services, and elder care. Many of NAYA Family Center's accomplishments including the creation of an Early College Academy, expansion of early childhood services, affordable housing development, elders support, and building a nationally recognized wrap around service model have been under the leadership of Tawna Sanchez.
A major focus of Tawna’s work has been in the area of domestic violence. Prior to joining NAYA, she was a domestic violence advocate at the Bradley Angle House. Tawna is the founder of a nationally recognized Native American domestic violence intervention and prevention program that has successfully served thousands of Native American families. Tawna has been active at the state level as well, serving on the Oregon Domestic and Sexual Violence Advisory Board.
Tawna is also a personal and professional leader in the area of child welfare and foster care. Tawna in her own life has helped raise more than 18 foster kids, kids who attended schools in the District including Humbolt, Sabin, Beaumont, Grant, Jefferson, and Rigler. She has also been active in state policy making, serving on the Oregon Family Services Review Commission and Oregon Child Welfare Advisory Commission.
2022 Legislative Session
During the 2022 legislative session, Tawna worked on achieving legislative success in the following areas:
Addressing Homelessness
Tawna believes in urgently addressing the homelessness and affordable housing crisis with solutions that work. She supported a $400 million investment to address homelessness and connect people with shelter and critical services, build on investments to increase the supply of affordable housing, and keep Oregonians in affordable homes. Tawna also supported investments to help our youth experiencing homelessness and House Bill 4123, which creates a coordinated and regional response to homelessness across the state.
Supporting Working Families & Small Businesses
Working families and small businesses are the backbone of our economy. That’s why Tawna said yes to expanding broadband and increasing access to loans for small businesses from $100,000 to $1 million. Tawna also supported over $200 million in investments in career pathways and programs to retain and attract workers in critical sectors, including healthcare, behavioral health, education, manufacturing, technology, and construction.
Investment in Childcare
Tawna also voted yes to a $100 million investment that will help us stabilize our childcare workforce, responding to the growing needs for affordable childcare for families, and House Bill 4035, which protects access to affordable health care for low-income Oregonians.
Investing in Community Safety & Violence Prevention
We need to invest in proven solutions that reduce and prevent violence, while fostering safe communities built on trust. Tawna supported several targeted investments in community-based violence prevention programs that will help address the root of the problem and reduce crime. She voted yes on House Bill 4075, making it easier for victims of crime, including small businesses, to seek restitution and be repaid for economic damages. Tawna also supported reducing traffic stops for infractions like broken taillights that aren’t dangerous, so law enforcement can focus on stopping serious crime in our neighborhoods.
Stronger Schools
Our kids learn best in safe, healthy classrooms five days a week. That’s why Tawna is committed to keeping our schools open. To do that, we must make sure our teachers, school staff, and students have the resources and support they need to succeed. This short session Tawna supported a $300 million investment to make our schools stronger. This will go towards summer learning programs and activities for K-12 students to keep them engaged and learning; addressing the workforce shortage to retain educators, schools counselors, substitute teachers, mental health professionals and nurses; and supporting school districts impacted by the recent historic wildfires in our state.