If there’s a bill you want passed, if there is a program you want to see funded, reach out now to your legislators.

Gov. Tina Kotek told us recently: Take nothing for granted as the Legislature approaches the end of the session.

“We are fighting for every dollar right now,” Kotek told us earlier this month. “There are a lot of needs in this state. People are asking for resources for very important and beneficial things.”

We asked her about that in the context of the statewide literacy program she is supporting. We’d argue House Bill 2605 is one of those very important and beneficial things.

Before we go any further, we should say The Bulletin and other Oregon newspapers under the EO Media Group umbrella, may benefit in some way if this bill comes into law.

We think you would, too.

Local and rural journalism is in trouble in Oregon. The bill aims to do something about it.

Under the bill, the state would issue grants to The University of Oregon for its Agora Journalism Center and the Fund for Oregon Rural Journalism. They would set up a work group to identify the holes in local journalism in Oregon, particularly in places that are rural and underserved. And then look for ways to help bring news deserts to an end.

It might be grants. It might be actually placing journalists in those communities.

The money in the bill at this moment is about $1.2 million for the Agora Center and nearly $1.7 million for the Fund for Oregon Rural Journalism.

Local newspapers have vanished in Oregon and across the country. It means more city councils, school boards and other government meetings go uncovered. It means court trials and arrests go uncovered. It means opportunities to highlight heroes, problems and challenges go uncovered.

EO Media Group and others stepped in and helped save The Bulletin when it went bankrupt. EO Media Group stepped in again to create the Rogue Valley Times when The Mail Tribune went quiet. But there are still many communities in Oregon where local journalism is dead or dying.

You can add your name to a letter of support here: tinyurl.com/Support2605

State Rep. Jason Kropf, D-Bend, is one of the sponsors of the bill. You can email him at Rep.JasonKropf@oregonlegislature.gov.