OTLA Sidebar May/June 2020

4 • SIDEBAR • May–June 2020 knew she had to do something to change it for others. She spent time re- searching Oregon law and found that Oregon was one of only a few states nationwide that reimbursed health insurers before injured Oregonians. In 2015, DuBarry learned there was an effort in the Oregon legislature on behalf of consumers to stack insurance policies, ensuring Oregonians could access the coverage they paid for. She marched to the legislature and testi- fied in favor of Senate Bill 411. DuBarry’s powerful testimony in committee was instrumental to the passage of the bill, which earned bi- partisan support as it headed towards Governor Brown’s desk. The bill’s passage was a triumph more than a decade in the making for injured consumers and for OTLA. It was also a deeply personal win for DuBarry. But she knew there was more to be done. DuBarry reached out to her State Senator Lew Frederick for assistance. Health insurers were still first in line for reimbursement before car crash victims would ever see a dime. Sena- tor Frederick, widely known for his longtime advocacy for access to justice, was the guiding force behind and a chief sponsor of SB 421. Guardian Neil Jackson praised the senator for his commitment to the bill’s passage, from personally introducing the bill and tes- tifying in its favor to helping shepherd DuBarry through the process: “Without the Senator’s guidance and support, the bill likely would nev- er have passed. The passage of SB 421 was the culmination of a 16 year effort by OTLA to ensure that Oregonians get all the benefits they have paid for from their insurance policies and to make Oregon a true “Make Whole” state. Combined with SB 411, we now have one of the strongest statutory foundations to ensure consumers get what they have paid for. DuBarry’s and Sen. Frderick’s efforts made this possible.” Because of DuBarry’s tenacity and powerful testimony, SB 421 passed the Senate 26-2 and was unanimous in the House. DuBarry admits she’d been told by many a law like this would be impossible to pass because “the health insurance lobby is too powerful and [its] politics are too complicated.” She did not waver in her commitment to achieve justice. PUBLIC JUSTICE continued from page 3