Oregon's poverty rate went from 13.5 percent to over 15 percent in the most recent numbers, while the national poverty rate is actually going down.

Juan Carlos Ordonez with the think tank, the Oregon Center for Public Policy feels its time for lawmakers to take action.

"We see Oregon's poverty rate remained unchanged from 2012 to 2013 statistically, even though Oregon's economy is growing.  This really speaks to action that needs to be taken by Oregon lawmakers to strengthen the economy."

Oregon's poverty rate remains four percentage points above its rate in 2007, right before the Great Recession.

The Oregon Center for Public Policy wants lawmakers to invest more in education, worker training and child care and to increase the minimum wage.