I was surprised by your recent editorial. As the state representative for House District 20, I don’t  represent Bend or Central Oregon, though I enjoy visiting. My community in the Mid-Willamette Valley  is diverse and growing.

You mentioned some bills I introduced this session — here are 29 substantive ones.

HB 2753: Authorizes emergency preparedness equipment bonding.

HB 2844: Creates preparedness offices in DAS/DPSST.

HB 2845A: Oregon Veterans’ Services Supplemental Investments Initiative.

HB 3262: Establishes Oregon Wildfire Preparedness & Community Protection Fund.

HB 3286: Directs ODEM to establish county-level organizations to expand resilience services.  HB 3707: Expands new school construction resilience.

HB 2898: Establishes Oregon All Funds crisis and Disaster Resourcing Task Force.

HB 2885: Creates integrated management system for emergency management and wildfire volunteers.

HB 3309: Establishes Oregon Public Assistant Grant Account within the Oregon Disaster Response Fund.

HB 3292: Requires the ODEM to study seaport infrastructure resilience.

HB 2824: Requires 7-day supply of prescription drugs for veterans.

HB 2828: Requires public post-secondary institution to grants credits for veterans with lived experiences.

HB 2839: Expands Oregon Military Department Service Member & Family Support program.  HB 2843: Establishes Oregon Veterans’ Benefits Economic Development Fund.

HB 2909: Establishes Oregon Public Utility Homeland Security Commission.

HB 2854: Requires DCBS to include certain design features for new school facilities within designated  seismic hazard regions.

HB 2906: Establishes Oregon Task Force on Innovative Housing Strategies for Veterans

HB 2717: Authorization of general obligation bonds for construction of Roseburg Veterans’ Home.

HB 2700: Directs ODEM the Oregon Department of Emergency Management to establish registry of all  Oregonians willing to assist during large-scale disasters.

HB 2761: Requires ODEM to develop grants to fill county-level disaster mitigation.  HB2767 Natural hazards mitigation planning

HB 2770: Establishes Oregon Disaster Recovery Authority

HB 2664: ODVA study on veteran housing instability

HB 3110: Flag criteria

HB 3257: Licensure portability for military

HB 2319: DD214 requirements

HB 2521:ODVA study on small businesses owned by veterans.

HB2650: ODVA study on veterans’ courts.

HB2654: Creates emergency veterans housing program.

I introduced about 70 bills for advocates across the spectrum, 50 in response to constituent  concerns, and 20 more on behalf of colleagues concerned about political backlash.

Ironically, all but one of my top budget priorities are directed toward investments outside of House District 20. Chief among them is HB 2858A, which supports the construction of statewide resilience training facilities —e specially through your CORE3 Program.

Your editorial asked two good questions. While not all need official designation, symbols matter — they raise awareness of issues like mental health access, the focus of the film bill.

OSU-Cascades currently receives financial support from OSU-Corvallis, in addition to benefiting from a  “double-dipping” approach to capital construction funding — an approach that expands its capacity at the  direct expense of Oregon’s technical and regional universities. Notably, the policies enabling OSU-Cascades has never been codified in statute; the campus in Bend operates entirely under administrative rule.

As a senior legislator, I use legislation to foster dialogue and find responsible solutions. These measures reflect serious representation — not ego.

With due respect, the measures I introduced are not mine alone, nor do they represent the actions of a rogue legislator. Many of us take our responsibility to represent our constituents seriously and believe that in a healthy Republic, ideas — not egos — are the true currency of progress.

In closing, as a guy who has battled obesity (especially after injuries incurred during my time in the  military), I truly believe your tone and temper of the editorial “The Legislature should go on a bill diet”  was neither cute, nor all that helpful.

But again, I don’t represent your district so perhaps fat shaming is acceptable there.

Rep. Paul Evans is a Democrat representing House District 20.