PORTLAND — Nearly a year after the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown delivered her annual State of the State speech on Thursday.
During the 45-minute speech Brown reflected on the challenges Oregonians have faced in the last year — the pandemic, protests and wildfires — and outlined her goals for the future, focusing on racial equity, ensuring children return to school, mitigating wildfire danger and expanding health care access.
In the State of the State address, which is usually presented to a joint session of the Oregon Legislature but instead was held virtually due to the pandemic and pre-recorded, Brown defended her approach to the pandemic.
The governor’s statewide COVID-19 safety measures, which have included closing schools and businesses, requiring masks and closing restaurants for inside dining, have been described as the strictest in the nation.
