Travis Nelson (politician)

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For the actor, see Travis Nelson (actor).
Travis Nelson
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives
from the 44th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 1, 2022
Preceded byTina Kotek
Personal details
Born (1978-11-20) November 20, 1978 (age 46)
Louisiana, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationColumbia Basin College (AS)
Washington State University (BS)
Signature

Travis E. Nelson is an American politician and nurse serving as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 44th district. He assumed office on February 1, 2022. He is the first openly LGBTQ+ man of color and the first openly LGBTQ+ African American to ever serve in the Oregon Legislature.[1]

Early life and education

Nelson is the grandson of Louisiana sharecroppers and his parents grew up under Jim Crow segregation. He was born in poverty in northern Louisiana to a teen mother. His parents moved he and his sister to Kennewick, Washington as a child, in search of a better life.[2] While working as a janitor, landscaper, and coach, he earned an Associate of Science in Nursing degree from Columbia Basin Community College and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Washington State University.[3]

Career

Travis Nelson started his career as a nurse for PeaceHealth in the Portland, Oregon area, specializing in medical, surgical, cardiac, rehabilitation and emergency nursing. Nelson is currently a union representative and the former vice president of the Oregon Nurses Association.[4] Nelson was appointed to the Oregon House of Representatives in February 2022 by members of the Multnomah County Commission, succeeding Tina Kotek who went on to become governor.[5][6]

Oregon House of Representatives

In his first legislative session, he secured $15 million for a new aquatic complex in North Portland.[7] in 2022, he was appointed to serve on the state Reproductive Health and Access to Care Work Group in anticipation of the overturning of Roe Vs. Wade. This workgroup was charged with ensuring that Oregon closed gaps in reproductive health rights.[8]

In his second legislative session in 2023, Nelson championed the following laws:[9]

  • House Bill 2002 - Protects abortion and access to gender affirming care.[10]
  • House Bill 2697 - Safe staffing legislation for hospital healthcare workers. This bill establishes nurse to patient ratios and establishes staffing committees for other healthcare workers. This makes Oregon the first state in the nation to put nurse to patient ratios in statute.[11]
  • House Bill 2921 - Requires hospitals to turn over employee gender and racial demographic data to the state for public posting. The stated goal is to increase the transparency of hospital workforce by job classification.[12]
  • House Bill 2922 - A consumer protection bill that increases contractor bonding amounts by $5,000 to better protect consumers taken advantage of by bad contractors.[13]
  • House Bill 2925 - Funds the work of creating policy proposals that address racism as a public health crisis.[14]
  • Senate Bill 851 - Requires Oregon's Bureau of Labor and Industries to prepare a model respectful workplace policy that addresses workplace bullying.[15]
  • Senate Bill 907 - Protects employees from retaliation if they refuse to work under dangerous conditions.[16]
  • Senate Bill 1089 - Establishes the Oregon Universal Healthcare Governance Board. The goal of this board is to create a plan for universal healthcare in Oregon.[17]

2024 legislative session

  • Nelson secured $750,000 in funding for improvements to George Park in North Portland. George Park lies in the St. Johns neighborhood.[18]
  • Nelson worked with other legislators to secure $25 million in funding for Albina Vision Trust, a nonprofit Organization aiming to revitalize and reconnect the historically Black Albina community. The funding is aimed at restoring the wrongs done to the community by urban renewal and the Interstate 5 project in the middle of the 20th century. [19]
  • Nelson carried HB4004 on the floor of the House of Representatives. This legislation removed a requirement for the Bureau of Labor and Industries to refund penalties to companies that violated child labor law if there was also federal penalties. Nelson added an amendment that increased the maximum penalty for from $1,000 to $10,000 for violating child labor laws. [20]

Political views

Nelson is a staunch progressive and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.[21] He is known for his support of unions, workers' rights, single payer healthcare, climate activism, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights and racial justice.[22]

Democratic Party Activism

In 2017, Nelson became an officer of the Democratic Party of Oregon when he was elected to serve as one of Oregon's representatives to the Democratic National Committee.[23] One of his first acts as a Democratic National Committee Rep was supporting Keith Ellison in the 2017 Democratic National Committee Chair Race.[24] Nelson has authored and successfully passed multiple resolutions in an effort to make the Democratic Party of Oregon more progressive.[25] Some of those resolutions include:

  • Resolution 2020-09 - The first ever Democratic Party of Oregon resolution declaring that Black Lives Matter.[26]
  • Resolution 2020-010 - Resolution demanding justice for George Floyd.[27]
  • Resolution 2021-02 - Resolution declaring support for unions, workers, clean energy jobs and a $15 an hour national minimum wage.[28]
  • Resolution 2021-03 - Resolution supporting essential workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.[29]
  • Resolution 2021-09 - Resolution calling on Oregon Congresspersons to support efforts to lower drug costs for those on Medicare.[30]
  • Resolution 2021-10 - Resolution demanding that Congressman Kurt Schrader support Medicare prescription drug negotiation.[31]
  • Resolution 2022-10 - Honoring the life and legacy of Lawanda Joyce Manning. The wife of Oregon Senator James Manning.[32]

In 2020, Nelson served as chair of Oregon's Bernie Sanders delegation and Oregon delegation co-chair to the 2020 Democratic National Convention.[33]

Electoral history

2024 Oregon State Representative, 44th district[34]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Travis Nelson 27,281 98.3
Write-in 474 1.7
Total votes 27,755 100%
2022 Oregon House of Representatives 44th district election[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Travis Nelson (incumbent) 26,429 87.65
Republican Rolf Schuler 3,444 11.42
Constitution Morgan Hinthorne 232 0.77
Write-in 47 0.16
Total votes 30,152 100.0
2022 Oregon House of Representatives 44th district Democratic primary[36]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Travis Nelson (incumbent) 10,271 91.35
Democratic Eric Delehoy 948 8.43
Democratic Write-in 25 0.22
Total votes 11,244 100.0

References

  1. ^ "First openly LGBTQ+, Black man sworn into OR Legislature". KOIN.com. 2022-02-01. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  2. ^ "Board appoints Travis Nelson to fill vacant House District 44 seat". Multnomah County. 2022-01-28. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  3. ^ "DPO Officers". Democratic Party of Oregon. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  4. ^ "Q&A: Rep. Travis Nelson Is Oregon's Newest Lawmaker". The Lund Report. 2022-02-03. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  5. ^ "Board appoints Travis Nelson to fill vacant House District 44 seat". Multnomah County. 2022-01-28. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  6. ^ "Travis Nelson Sworn in to Oregon House of Representatives". The Skanner News. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  7. ^ "Rep. Travis Nelson Proposes $33 Million Go Toward Building North Portland Aquatic Center". 17 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Legislators Want To Strengthen Oregon Laws in Post-Roe v. Wade Era". The Lund Report. 2022-07-05. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
  9. ^ "Ending the Session Strong!". Oregon State Legislature. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  10. ^ "HB2002 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System". olis.oregonlegislature.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  11. ^ "HB2697 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System". olis.oregonlegislature.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  12. ^ "HB2921 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System". olis.oregonlegislature.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  13. ^ "HB2922 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System". olis.oregonlegislature.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  14. ^ "HB2925 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System". olis.oregonlegislature.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  15. ^ "SB851 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System". olis.oregonlegislature.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  16. ^ "SB907 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System". olis.oregonlegislature.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  17. ^ "SB1089 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System". olis.oregonlegislature.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  18. ^ "Victory for St. John's George Park". www.streetroots.org. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  19. ^ Oregonian/OregonLive, Jayati Ramakrishnan | The (2024-03-01). "Lawmakers poised to allocate $25 million to Albina Vision Trust for housing development". oregonlive. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  20. ^ InvestigateWest, Kaylee Torney (2024-03-06). "Bill cracking down on Oregon child labor laws heads to Oregon governor". PortlandTribune.com. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  21. ^ @IamTravisNelson (2023-06-26). "The @PortlandDSA Caucus! With @FarrahChaichi on the last day of the legislative session. Sine Die! #PeoplePowered #TaxtheRich #UnionStrong" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  22. ^ "About". Travis Nelson For State Representative. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  23. ^ "DPO Officers". Democratic Party of Oregon. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  24. ^ "DNC CHAIR'S RACE: 2ND BALLOT RESULTS" (PDF).
  25. ^ "Party Resolutions". Democratic Party of Oregon. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  26. ^ "Resolution 2020-009: Emergency Resolution Declaring That Black Lives Matter". Democratic Party of Oregon. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  27. ^ "Resolution 2020-010: Demanding Justice & Honoring The Legacy of George Floyd". Democratic Party of Oregon. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  28. ^ "Resolution 2021-02: Reaffirming Support for Workers and Labor Unions in Oregon and Across the Nation". Democratic Party of Oregon. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  29. ^ "Resolution 2021-03: Honoring Essential Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic". Democratic Party of Oregon. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  30. ^ "Resolution Regarding Drug Price Negotiation and Strengthening Medicare". Democratic Party of Oregon. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  31. ^ "Resolution 2021-10: Concerning Representative Kurt Schrader's Lack of Support for the Platform of both the State and National Democratic Parties Regarding Medicare Negotiating Prescription Drug Prices". Democratic Party of Oregon. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  32. ^ "Resolution 2022-10: Honoring the Life of Lawanda Joyce Manning". Democratic Party of Oregon. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  33. ^ "Travis Nelson's LinkedIn page".
  34. ^ "November 5, 2024, General Election Abstract of Votes" (PDF). Oregon Secretary of State. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 12, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
  35. ^ "November 8, 2022, General Election Abstract of Votes" (PDF). Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  36. ^ "May 17, 2022, Primary Election Abstract of Votes" (PDF). Oregon Secretary of State. p. 37. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
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