Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 1/10 - 1/17 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Housing Immigration/ Refugees and other Basic Rights Gun Safety Criminal Justice Housing By Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Oregon Governor Tina Kotek is moving quickly to address the state’s housing crisis. She signed three executive orders aimed at addressing the state’s lack of affordable and homeless housing. Executive Order 23-02 declares a State of Emergency due to homelessness in parts of the state that have seen an increase in unsheltered homelessness of 50% or more over the last five years. The Department of Emergency Management will activate the state’s emergency operation plan to coordinate assistance necessary from all state agencies to assess, mitigate, and recover from this emergency. Executive Order 23-03 directs state agencies to work not just in the designated emergency areas but across the state to expand shelters, rehouse people, and reduce and prevent homelessness. Executive Order 23-04 will establish a statewide housing production goal of 36,000 new housing units a year, up from 22,000 for the next 10 years. Also, a new Governor’s Housing Production Advisory Council will recommend an action plan of executive actions, policies, and investments to meet the state’s housing production target. Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan attended the Oregon Housing Alliance’s membership meeting to learn about proposed legislation under consideration for its 2023 legislative agenda. LWVOR is an alliance member. Below are some promising proposals intended to address the needs of the most vulnerable Oregonians. Homelessness and Tenant Protections Eviction reform and reduction (LC 1061 and 1911) This proposal would help keep renters in their homes by making the eviction process more reasonable. It would give renters more time to access rent assistance and other services in order to avoid eviction if possible. It also would streamline existing eviction expungement protections to make it easier to rent in the future. People’s Housing Assistance Fund (LC 3255) This is a pilot program administered by the Department of Human Services. It would provide a $1,000 monthly cash subsidy to low-income households and to people experiencing homelessness. Portland State University will evaluate the results. Allowing tenants to operate home-based childcare business (SB 599) This bill addresses two critical needs – stable rental housing and childcare. It would ensure that tenants can provide certified childcare in their homes, maintain the landlord’s control over building modifications and their right to require liability insurance. Land Use, Development, and Preservation Protections for renters with expiring affordability restrictions (LC 679) In the next eight years expiring affordability restrictions will affect 154 projects and 7,566 units. This proposal improves the chances the units will remain affordable and protects tenants from large rent increases for a three-year period. Tax credit for preservation of regulated affordable housing (LC 801) This proposal would create a new tax credit to incentivize private owners of rent restricted properties to sell to an affordable housing provider willing to maintain affordability for 30 years. The credit would provide relief from capital gains taxes due on sale and help stabilize the affordable housing supply. OHCS funding for affordable homes within mixed-income developments (LC 554) This proposal would allow Oregon Housing and Community Services to subsidize affordable units in market-rate developments. OHCS would continue to prioritize housing for people most in need and develop a methodology for allocating shared development costs attributable to the affordable units. Homeownership and Asset Building Fair Housing Investigation, enforcement and education would allocate $5 million from the state General Fund to the Bureau of Labor and Industry and the Department of Justice to support state fair housing enforcement and awareness. Mortgage Interest Deduction Reform proposal would evaluate Oregon's MID for non-primary residences and phase out the deduction for principal residence for households with incomes $250,000 and above and disallow the deduction completely for households with incomes of $300,000 and above. All savings from the MID would fund homeownership and homelessness prevention programs. Immigration/Refugees and other Basic Rights By Claudia Keith 'We need more people,' says Fed's Powell. What does that mean for immigration reform ? | Morningstar. Rep Wilde: A Turning Point on Immigration Private Sponsorship of Refugees Makes a Positive Impact. FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Border Enforcement Actions | The White House. Bills of Interest or likely League support: (Bills that have been posted to OLIS that may move forward via a committee public hearing. - Incomplete list) SB627 Funding for universal (legal) fees for non-documented individuals (15M$) Sen Lieber. SB185 Requires Department of Justice to study immigration in this state; may include recommendations for legislation, to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly no later than September 15, 2024. requested by Attorney General Rosenblum HB2957 financial assistance to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status recipients for specified purposes. (>7M$). Large portion of the Source funding is Federal ARPA funds. Rep Ruiz SB613 creates Commission for Indigenous Communities Gun Safety By Marge Easley The implementation of Measure 114, the 2022 ballot measure that authorized a “permit-to-purchase” requirement for the transfer of firearms and a ban on high-capacity magazines, was scheduled to begin on December 8 but remains on hold, awaiting both state and federal court decisions. Supporters, including the League, are hopeful that at least the permitting portion of the measure will be allowed to go forward when a federal judge issues a ruling on March 7. Meanwhile, chief petitioners at Lift Every Voice Oregon are urging legislators to ensure that adequate funds are provided to local law enforcement agencies and to the Oregon State Police for the new permitting system. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley Many of the bills introduced thus far in the House and Senate Judiciary Committees are placeholders, but it is clear that a restructuring of many aspects of the criminal justice system remains a legislative priority. Here’s a partial list of bill topics the League will be following this session: alleviating the defense attorney crisis, improving access to mental health treatment in rural and underserved areas, addressing the unlawful possession of firearms, providing alternatives to incarceration for juveniles, examining the availability of adult education programming within correctional institutions, studying the disparities and impacts of Oregon’s justice system, improving K-12 curriculum on the dangers of fentanyl and other drugs, and improving the training of law enforcement officers. Stay tuned for details on specific bills in the coming weeks.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 4/24 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to a topic: Housing Behavioral Health Gun Safety Criminal Justice Social Policy Housing By Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Governor Kotek created the Housing Production Advisory Council to develop comprehensive recommendations to build 36,000 homes per year. On April 25, the Council released its Framework for Action Plan, which gives priority to solutions that will have the greatest impact in addressing the state’s housing shortage, and inequity and racial injustice. The next steps the Council will take to accomplish the task will include: development of an action plan outlining immediate and long-term executive actions, policies, and investments needed to meet the production target of 36,000 housing units with one-third of them affordable to the lowest income households. The Oregon Housing Needs Analysis estimates that the state is short 140,000 homes statewide. The council’s report describes the council’s goals and the steps it plans to take to develop the action plan due to the Governor by the end of the year. The report points out that low-income and communities of color are disproportionately affected by the housing shortage. With that in mind, the council set some minimum standards for its future recommendations. They must 1) prioritize housing affordability levels by the scale of the deficit of each housing type, and 2) plan for production that is equitable and affirmatively furthers fair housing. In addition, they will look for ways to reduce barriers and increase production. The Governor emphasized need to acknowledge “past and present racially discriminatory and exclusionary housing policies that are still felt in communities today” and work proactively to fix them. Status Update on Bills Reported on Last Week: SB 702 : would require training to be adopted by the Appraiser Certification and Licensure Board for real estate appraisers and appraiser assistants to comply with state and federal fair housing laws. The League submitted testimony in support. The House held a work session on April 27. SB 893 A : would require Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) to modify the state’s homeless programs and funding structure so they are more culturally responsive. It allows OHCS to create committees to work on rules and a policy framework that accomplishes that goal. The bill passed out of the Senate on April 11 and the House held a work session on April 27. HB 3443 : Prohibits landlords from terminating a lease or taking other specified actions due to the status of a tenant as a victim of a bias crime. The bill would make changes to the bias crime laws and aspects of the Oregon Department of Justice's (DOJ) Bias Response Hotline. The measure expands the confidentiality of reports. It would allow victims to break a lease without penalty and have protected leave from work. The Senate held a work on April 24, and the measure passed by unanimous vote with referral to another committee. Behavioral Health By Karen Nibler The Behavioral Health Committee proposed HB 3610 -2 but sent it to House Rules where it was heard on April 20. Distilled alcohol is a product that is taxed now but this amendment proposed taxes on beer, cider and wine. Rep. Tanya Sanchez was a major proponent as she sees addiction as a huge issue. The amendment sets up a 17 member task force and adds funding for treatment and the distribution of tax revenues. Those who testified were concerned about the distribution of funding and the impact of the tax on the industry. Others said the funding was not sufficient and allocation was controlled by current beneficiaries of grants. The BM 110 grants were disbursed to public and private agencies in 2022. An Oregon Health Authority representative stated that alcohol was the third leading cause of death, which increased during the pandemic to 2,500 people in 2020. For society the costs are in lost productivity, motor vehicle crashes, health care, and criminal justice. For the agency, alcohol abuse requires prevention, treatment and recovery services. Gun Safety By Marge Easley A showdown is expected on the House floor on May 2, the date when HB 2005 B is scheduled for a vote. The omnibus bill, with 12 Democratic sponsors, bans ghost guns, increases the minimum age to purchase a firearm to 21 (with exceptions for hunting), and allows local jurisdictions to create gun-free zones. Stay tuned! SB 348 A , the implementation bill for Measure 114 is in Ways and Means where cost considerations will occur in light of the May 17 budget forecast. Besides the firearm permit requirement and the ban on large capacity magazines, the bill contains two added provisions that have caused a stir. One requires a 72-hour waiting period between the background check and the transfer of the firearm. Due to the potential for legal challenges to the bill, the same waiting period requirement is also included in the backup bill SB 393 A , which passed out of Senate Judiciary in early April. The other provision is a requirement that any legal challenges must be filed in Marion County Circuit Court. This was added to prevent judge shopping, which many suspected was the case in the Measure 114 lawsuit filed in Harney County. An excellent summary of the looming legislative and courtroom battles over firearm legislation can be found in this Capital Chronicle article (April 24). Meanwhile, firearms are flying off the shelves in gun stores across Oregon in anticipation of the passage of firearm restrictions. It was reported that in one weekend alone—April 15-16—background checks on 40,000 people were completed by the Oregon State Police. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley The movement of bills has slowed considerably, particularly on the Senate side, and at the current rate it is clear only a small percentage will make it through the session. A hearing and possible work session in House Judiciary on SB 339 A , which increases penalties for sexual harassment, was postponed until May 3. The work session on SB 234 , which gives the Chief Justice the authority to make rules for gathering data on impacts and disparities in the criminal justice system, was postponed until May 5. Several Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) bills are moving forward. These three passed out of House Judiciary on April 26: SB 902 allows those 20 or older who are resentenced to continue temporary assignment to youth corrections, SB 903 authorizes the collection of OYA staff demographics data, and SB 904 A changes the OYA staff to facility population ratio. A public hearing on SB 745 A , ensuring that adjudicated youth receive sex trafficking screening, and a work session on SB 212 A , requiring confidentiality of communications during peer support check-in sessions, will take place on May 4.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 4/21 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Please see Natural Resources Overview here . Jump to a topic: Air Quality Agriculture Bottle Bill Update Budgets/Revenue Climate Columbia River Gorge Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) Emergency Services Forestry (ODF) Governance Land Use & Housing Oregon Parks and Rec. Dept. Water Wetlands Wildfire AIR QUALITY SB 726 A requires the owner or operator of a municipal solid waste landfill to conduct surface emissions monitoring and report data as specified in the Act. LWVOR supports. The bill has been referred to the House Committee On Climate, Energy, and Environment AGRICULTURE By Sandra Bishop HJR 22 Would amend the Oregon Constitution to create a County Review Board made up of one representative from each of the 36 counties in Oregon. The County Review Board would meet after every legislative session for the purpose of reviewing all legislative proposals related to land use, natural resources or forestry that passed during the session. If 20 of the 36 county representatives disapproved of a proposal that the legislature had passed that proposal would be null and void. Essentially giving the County Review Board veto power over legislation that passed the scrutiny of the full legislature. The board would be prohibited from reviewing legislative proposals about the budget or taxes and taxation. Introduced on April 15th the bill is was assigned to the Rules Committee. If the bill goes to hearing it is likely that the League would oppose it because of our positions on statewide land use planning. SB 1129 -A requires the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) to amend rules on urban reserves, clarifying which lands should be given a lower priority. The -1 amendment was adopted. The bill passed the Senate on April 17th and is on the Speakers’ desk awaiting assignment to a House committee. The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) meeting on March 20th included a public hearing on rulemaking for solar siting in eastern Oregon. The rules are required to implement HB 3409 (2023 session), specifically to reduce conflicts in siting solar projects. The rules will be considered for adoption by July 1st, 2025. The public comment period has been extended to April 30. Proposed rule amendments to the Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) Chapter 660 divisions 4, 6, 23, and 33, pertaining to Goal Exceptions, Forest Lands, Goal 5, and Agricultural Lands. Submit comments to: denise.johnson@dlcd.oregon.gov gordon.howard@dlcd.oregon.gov jon.jinings@dlcd.oregon.gov adam.tate@dlcd.oregon.gov BOTTLE BILL UPDATE By Sandra Bishop SB 992 is the omnibus bottle bill. The -3 amendment replaced the original bill, was adopted and the bill passed the Senate 28/1/1 and is on the Speakers’ desk waiting to be assigned to a House committee. This bill is Portland-centric and contains various changes to the bottle redemption centers in Portland to address problems and make it easier for those who return and redeem beverage containers on a daily or near daily basis. It also contains a provision that would allow a winery to refuse to redeem containers of a type or brand they do not sell. The League has not taken a position on the specific changes proposed in SB 992, but has always supported the bottle bill and continues to support the most appropriate, effective, and environmentally sound recycling and recovery of beverage container materials. BUDGETS/REVENUE By Peggy Lynch Following are the budget bills we are watching in Natural Resources: Dept. of Agriculture: SB 5502 Info mtgs. March 24 and 25 with public hearing March 26. Meeting Materials Of critical importance is their request for a new IT system—ONE ODA--one of the many IT bonding requests this session. Dept. of Agriculture Fees: SB 5503 Info mtgs. March 24 and 25 with public hearing March 26. Columbia River Gorge Commission: SB 5508 Info mtg. and public hearing March 13. An KGW article explains a potential funding issue since both Oregon and Washington must provide equal funding for the Commission. April 27 is a critical decision date at the Washington legislature. Dept. of Environmental Quality: SB 5520 . Governor’s budget DEQ Fact Sheet Meeting Materials . info mtgs. April 7-9, public hearing April 16. League testimony Oregon Dept. of Energy: SB 5518 info hearing 2/10, Meeting Materials , public hearing 2/11 Oregon Dept. of Energy Fees: SB 5519 info hearing 2/10, public hearing 2/11 Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: HB 5009 , public hearings Mar. 31 & Apr. 1-2; Meeting Materials , Apr. 3 ODFW Hatchery Assessment; See also the April 15 informational meeting on the Private Forest Accord and Aquatic and Invasive Species. Oregon Dept. of Forestry: SB 5521 . info hearing March 10 & 11. Public hearing March 12. Meeting Materials ; See the April 15 informational meeting on the Private Forest Accord. (See the Forestry and Wildfire sections for more information.) Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: HB 5010 Public hearing Feb. 5-6; Meeting materials LWVOR testimony Aggregate industry testified against the staffing and fee increases. LWVOR points out that KPM #4 , mine inspections has consistently NOT met the small 20% target so, if staffing is needed to meet that target AND fees increased to pay for them, we will continue to support. LWVOR supports SB 836 , a bill that would significantly increase permit fees for mining related activities. See the agency’s presentation to understand the reasons for these increases. On March 25 the bill was moved to Senate Rules without recommendation. A performance audit was prepared. The League awaits the results. The League will continue to be involved in SB 836 because we need DOGAMI staff to do more than 14% inspections of mining operations. Dept. of Land Conservation and Development: SB 5528 Governor’s budget DLCD Fact Sheet Public hearing Feb. 3-4; LCDC 1/24 presentation ; Meeting Materials LWVOR testimony Land Use Board of Appeals: SB 5529 Public hearing Feb. 27 LWVOR testimony . SB 817 is a bill to request a minor fee increase. It has passed the Senate. A public hearing is set on April 23 in the House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water . Oregon State Marine Board: HB 5021 Public hearing Feb. 17 Meeting Materials See also the April 15 informational meeting on Aquatic and Invasive Species. Oregon State Parks and Recreation Dept.: HB 5026 info hearings March 3-4, public hearing March 5. Meeting Materials LWVOR testimony in part to address comments by the Legislative Fiscal Office. Dept. of State Lands: SB 5539 Info hearing March 17. public hearing March 19. Meeting Materials . LWVOR testimony in support. The Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Natural Resources will have an informational meeting on the Elliott State Research Forest on April 22 . Water Resources Dept.: SB 5543 Governor’s budget WRD Fact Sheet Here is a summary of the Governor’s budget. Governor's Budget and Agency Request Budget documents are available online here . Info Mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 18-20. Meeting Materials . LWVOR testimony . And the fee bills: support HB 2808 (Bill moved to Ways and Means) and support HB 2803 (The - 3 amendment was adopted, reducing the fees significantly which will cause the department a revenue shortfall should the amendment stand the scrutiny of Ways and Means where it now lies.) Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: HB 5039 . Info mtg. & P ublic hearing Feb. 25-27 LWVOR testimony . Meeting Materials Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board 6-Year Limitation: HB 5040 (Limits expenditures of lottery funds from the Watershed Conservation Grant Fund for local grant expenditures by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for a six-year period beginning July 1, 2025.) Info mtg. & P ublic hearing Feb. 25-26 Oregon Business Development Dept.: HB 5024 Info mtgs. 3/12, 13 & 17. Public Hearing 3/18. Additional informational meetings: Held April 7 and Scheduled April 22. Oregon Dept. of Emergency Management: SB 5517 info hearing 4/7&8. Public hearing 4/09; Office of the Governor: SB 5523 Oregon State Fire Marshal: SB 5538 info hearing 2/19, public hearing 2/20. Dept. of Transportation: SB 5541 info hearing 3/03-6, public hearing 3/11. Here is an article from oregonlive reporting on the potential 2025 transportation package with proposed revenue sources. The League signed on to a letter in support of increased transit funding. Dept. of Administrative Services: HB 5002 info hearings 3/03-5, public hearing 3/06. Meeting Materials Legislative Administration Committee, Legislative Assembly, Legislative Counsel Committee, Legislative Fiscal Officer, Legislative Revenue Officer, Commission on Indian Services and Legislative Policy and Research Committee: HB 5016 Lottery Bonds: SB 5531 : an average debt capacity of $564 million in each Biennium. Public hearing May 2. Emergency Board: HB 5006 This bill will be to vehicle to accept testimony from the public during six community meetings around the state ending April 25 on the public’s priorities for the 2025-27 budget. It will be populated with an amount for the Emergency Board to spend at will and amounts in Special Purpose Appropriations if needed when the legislature is not in session. General Obligation Bonds, etc.: SB 5505 : an average debt capacity of $2.22 billion per Biennium. Public hearing held April 18. Second public hearing, this time on university and community college requests, will be held May 2. Six-Year Limitation/Bonds: SB 5506 (Limits for the six-year period beginning July 1, 2025, payment of expenses from fees, moneys or other revenues, including Miscellaneous Receipts, but excluding lottery funds and federal funds, collected or received by various state agencies for capital construction.) CLIMATE By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. T here are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE COMMISSION The League has been a supporter of the Commission since its inception. League members have served on the Commission. A shared responsibility between the states of Washington and Oregon, this year a Washington House of Representatives member is considering defunding the Commission. Funding must be equal between the two states. This KGW article explains the issue. April 27 is a critical decision date at the Washington legislature. DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch The League supports SB 830 , a bill that m odifies provisions of the on-site septic system loan program to allow for grants. It also allows for the program to consider mobile home parks in need of septic upgrades. The bill p assed the full Senate unanimously. A public hearing was held April 17 in the House Committee On Climate, Energy, and Environment . The League then shared with each committee member our testimony in support of HB 2168 , a bill that would fund this grant and loan program. Here is the Onsite Wastewater Management Program 2025 Rulemaking webpage . Because of the League’s work on SB 391 (2021) and additional bills in 2023, a League member served on the rules advisory committee to address sewer availability and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) issues. On Feb. 26 the advisory committee approved the Fiscal Impact Statement. A public comment period is expected in May. You are welcome to Sign up for email updates about this rulemaking via GovDelivery . The League again served on an annual rulemaking advisory committee on water quality fee increases. A meeting was held on Feb. 25th where the committee agreed to forward their recommendation for the allowed annual 3% fee increase to the DEQ Director. To learn more about this rulemaking and the advisory committee you can view the rulemaking web page at: Water Quality Fees 2025 . ELLIOTT STATE RESEARCH FOREST (ESRF) SB 147 clarifies the management of the ESRF into the hands of the Dept. of State Lands and sets up a separate fund account for monies received to manage the forest. The - 3 amendment was adopted and the bill was sent to Ways and Means. The Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Natural Resources will have an informational meeting on the ESRF on April 22 . EMERGENCY SERVICES By Rebecca Gladstone The League spoke and filed testimony on HB 2581 in support of a statute change, substituting the word “seismic” with “hazards”, to coordinate coverage efforts through the State Resiliency Officer. The bill passed in the Senate, 27 for, one against, two excused and the bill now goes to the Governor for her signature. FORESTRY (ODF) By Josie Koehne The League provided testimony in support of HB 3489 , a timber severance tax bill that would help fund ODF, provide funding for wildfires and monies that would go to counties where timber is harvested. A public hearing is scheduled for April 24. The Board of Forestry April 23rd mtg. agenda is focused on a process for selecting a new State Forester. The Board wants to address their current role as appointee. However, they are aware of the Governor’s bill in the legislature. The League will continue to follow SB 1051 , assigned to the Senate Rules Committee which transfers the authority to appoint a State Forester from the State Board of Forestry to the Governor. A public hearing was held March 24. Because the bill is in Senate Rules, there is no current deadline for action on the bill. See also the Wildfire section of this report below and the separate Climate section. GOVERNANCE The League continues to follow the bills listed on the March 17 agenda of the Senate Committee On Rules since some of the bills relate to the process of rulemaking. After legislation is passed, agencies are required to implement those laws. That action often requires rulemaking to clarify the details around that implementation. But the League is concerned when legislators “get a second bite at the apple” by relitigating the legislation when rulemaking is only meant to implement, not change policies or facilitate an agency’s mission. Separately, the League was invited to a conversation among state agency rules staff on addressing concerns of the Governor and in an attempt to standardize the process statewide. The Governor has provided Rulemaking Guidance to state agencies : This document includes questions received from agencies since the Governor’s letter. This document includes additional resources for agencies including direction to post updates to the Transparency site, a website template that agencies can use (if they choose) to develop their pages, and links to other comprehensive agency rule making sites to review. There is a broader discussion to increase transparency and consistency in the state agencies’ rulemaking process. A second meeting related to the state agency rules process is set for June with an invitation to the League to continue to participate. We continue to watch a series of bills related to rulemaking which we might oppose: HB 2255 , HB 2303 , HB 2402 and HB 2427 . We are also concerned with HB 3382 , since the requirements of the Secretary of State to gather ALL the state agencies’ rulemaking, including all materials would be overwhelming. Individual state agencies provide that information on their rulemaking websites. We may sign on to a letter explaining our concerns to legislative leadership. Because the League is often engaged in rulemaking, we regularly comment on legislation that would affect changes in Oregon’s current Administrative Rules. We have provided testimony in opposition to HB 2692 , a bill that would create complicated and burdensome processes for agencies to implement legislation with their rulemaking procedures . LAND USE & HOUSING By Sandra Bishop/Peggy Lynch HB 2647 passed out of committee with the -3 amendment to allow the city of Monmouth a land swap to remove and replace land to its Urban Growth Boundary. It now heads to the House floor for a vote. HB 3921 is a similar bill in that it would allow by law land swaps for City of Roseburg/Douglas County per this preliminary staff analysis . The bill passed out of committee and heads to the House floor for a vote. The League provided testimony in support of HB 3939 , a bill that provides a list of infrastructure projects to fund for smaller Oregon cities so they can build more housing. We have also supported HB 3031 A (already sitting in Ways and Means) but know there might be limited dollars this session so called out that link in our letter. The -1 amendment to HB 3939 was adopted and the bill moved to Ways and Means. HB 2316 : Allows designation of Home Start Lands to be used for housing. These lands are currently a variety of state-owned lands scattered around the state. The -4 amendment was adopted and the bill was sent to Revenue with a subsequent referral to Ways and Means. HB 2316 -4 frees up approximately 3,500 acres of state land of which can now be used for housing production, all within the urban growth boundaries. It provides revenue to the state from the sale of the land, and it also provides revenue to our cities because the land becomes taxable for property taxes five years after purchase. HB 3757 is having an “informational meeting” on April 21st in the House Committee On Housing and Homelessness . The bill is, we believe, dead, but there must have been some interest by the committee to learn more about the proposal to allow four additional housing units on rural lands. This could be a precursor for a bill to be considered in the 2026 session. See also the Agriculture section above and the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. OREGON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPT. OPRD is working on a Land Disposition Policy, which they have never really had. This started out as a means to “reducing expenses,” but is turning into something much better, a properly worded policy document that hopefully gives OPRD another tool without encouraging giveaways. It is meant to be a part of, and to mirror, the existing policy on acquisitions. The Parks Commission is adopting the new policy at their meeting April 23rd. Comments to : matt.rippee@oregon.gov WATER By Peggy Lynch Oregon's Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) provides a statewide inter-agency framework for better understanding and meeting Oregon's instream and out-of-stream water needs. Oregon's Water Resources Commission adopted the first IWRS in 2012 and the second in 2017. A League member served on the Policy Advisory Group for each. Oregon Revised Statute (536.220) was updated in 2023 to requires that the IWRS is updated every 8 years.  Draft 2 is now available for Public Review and Comment. Please submit your written comments to WRD_DL_waterstrategy@water.oregon.gov on or before May 7, 2025 . The State released Draft 1 of the 2024 IWRS in March 2024. Draft 2, now called the 2025 IWRS, incorporates input from public comment and includes the addition of state agency action priorities. These priorities were identified by leadership from six agencies in collaboration with the Governor’s Office: The Department of Agriculture, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Land Conservation and Development, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, and the Water Resources Department. Here is the IWRS website . Bills we are following: Water Rights Process Improvements ( HB 3342 ) . A - 4 amendment was adopted and the bill now goes to the House floor for a vote. Harney Basin Groundwater Management ( HB 3800 ). A work session was held and the bill was sent to House Rules without recommendation as to passage. Water Rights and Public Interest ( HB 3501 ) A work session was held and the bill was referred to House Rules without recommendation as to passage on a 6 to 3 vote. HB 3525 is related to tenants’ right to well water testing. The League submitted testimony in support. The -6 amendment was adopted and the bill was moved to House Rules without recommendation for further discussion. HB 3364 makes changes to the grants programs at the Water Resources Dept. The - 4 amendment was adopted. The bill passed the House floor and awaits scheduling in the Senate. LWV Deschutes County submitted a letter in support of SB 427 , a water rights transfer bill meant to protect instream water flows. Possible work session scheduled for April 8. SB 1153 , an alternate bill provided with help from the Governor’s office, may have more of a chance of passage. It had a public hearing on March 25 with a work session April 8. These bills were moved to Senate Rules without recommendation as to passage to allow for further conversation. SB 1154 was amended by the -1 amendment and sent to Senate Rules without recommendation as to passage in a 4 to 1 vote. An article in the Oregon Capital Chronicle explains the bill and its controversy. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Here is a more complete website about drought in Oregon. The good news is currently Oregon is NOT in drought! However, the latest long-term forecast is for a hot (90 deg) May and a hot (100 deg) June! We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. As the weather gets warmer and more people and animals visit Oregon’s water bodies, it is important to watch for potentially deadly algal blooms. WETLANDS A new Rulemaking Advisory Committee has been formed related to Permitting and Mitigation in Oregon's Wetlands and Waters. WILDFIRE By Carolyn Mayers Below is the status of a variety of wildfire bills. OPB provides a look at the formerly urgent wildfire funding proposals that now are taking a back seat with other funding needs rising to the top. SB 1177 is before the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue. This bill would establish the Oregon Wildfire Mitigation and Adaptation Fund and redirect the “kicker” to it, one- time, for financing wildfire related expenses, by using the interest earned. A 5% return would yield approximately $170-180 million per year, about half of what is expected to be the average ongoing cost per year of funding wildfire mitigation. SJR 11 is also before the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue and would dedicate a fixed, to-be-determined percentage of net proceeds of the State Lottery to a wildfire fund created by the Legislature. Its passage would mean an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, which would have to go to the voters for approval. HB 3666 had a Work Session before the House Committee on Judiciary. This bill would establish wildfire mitigation actions and an accompanying certification for electric utilities in an attempt to standardize their approach. It was referred to the Rules Committee. SB 83 would, once again, repeal the State Wildfire Hazard map. This would result in many changes to current statutes, since references to the map would have to be removed, and would have far reaching consequences including establishing standards for building codes and defensible space which can be adopted by municipalities, changing the definition and mapping of the wildland urban interface, and many other areas. The -9 Amendment was adopted and the bill was sent to the floor with a do-pass recommendation. This article from The Statesman Journal offers further insights. SB 85 , with the -2 Amendment adopted, passed the Senate and now goes to the House Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment. This bill directs the State Fire Marshal to establish a neighborhood protection cooperative grant program to help communities collectively reduce their wildfire risk. The League supports this bill as an extension of the work done in previous sessions. HB 3940 , the omnibus wildfire funding bill, passed out of committee after adopting the -1 amendment without recommendation as to passage and was referred to House Revenue by prior reference. SB 75 A , which defines “high wildfire hazard area for purposes of developing an accessory dwelling unit on lands zoned rural residential, or a replacement building on lands zoned for resource uses, has been assigned to the House Committee On Climate, Energy, and Environment HB 3489 Imposes a severance tax on owners of timber harvested from public or private forestland. The Legislative Revenue Office will begin its hearing April 24th by providing a staff report on the legislation. The League has supported a severance tax in past sessions and plans to provide testimony on April 24th . Bills we are watching: Senate Bill 1051 , Governor Kotek is seeking the authority to choose the next State Forester. The Board of Forestry will begin the recruitment process at its April 23rd Board meeting. SB 926 would prohibit the recovery of certain costs and expenses from customers that an electric company incurs as a result of allegations of a wildfire resulting from the negligence or fault on the part of the electric company. The -3 amendment was adopted and the bill in a 4-2 vote was passed to the Senate floor. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The long legislative session begins in January of 2025. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Revenue , Governance , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to Legislative Report Education Legislative Report - November Interim Jump to a topic: Education Update Non-school Supports School Funding and Accountability Higher Education State Funding of Financial Aid for Students Education Update By Anne Nesse As the Portland teachers strike continues over wages and working conditions, it is important to note that Oregon has failed to invest what is required for an equity-based public school system, for a number of years. An Oregon Quality Education Model Commission Report helps explain how we divide the funds between schools: scroll to the Summary for a shortened report. This is an unfortunate fact and it is true in all parts of the country. This is perhaps why a number of Oregon teachers are questioning their profession. House Education met Nov. 6. Rep. Jami Cate, House District 11, was a leader in the discussion on ‘Accountability’, stating she realized that complete ‘equity’ for funding public education could not be established all at once. She announced that In the coming legislative sessions, we will re-evaluate the 11% cap on funds allowed for special education and numbers of homelessness students, among other criteria. One group of slides shown by Kevin Strong, Business Manager Sweet Home School District, illustrates the difficulties we currently face with the 11% cap on special needs and achieving greater equity in public education. These statistics help to demonstrate that disparities are large, among schools and school districts. Once the 11% cap is reached, funds must be taken from other school services to meet the growing demands for those students who are falling behind more than 2 grade levels in performance. Meghan Moyer, Disability Rights Oregon, pointed out that this Federal classification for disabilities was not possible to be “over claimed” by individual school districts. Bob Estabrook, Oregon School Employees Association, reminded us that initially the Federal Government was supposed to fund the educational care of those who are classified as disabled. However, he stated that Federal funds have ‘never even come close to what we need’, and that we receive only 18% of the cost funding needed. He emphasized that ‘the current model is essentially unsustainable.’ The end result is that students who are behind in grade level performance for other reasons do not get the attention they may need. Several proposals will be forthcoming, including 3 tiers of the severity of disabilities or IEP, and adding a 1/2 ‘weight’ for homelessness. Charlene Williams, the newly approved Oregon Department of Education Director for the ODE, introduced herself to both the House and Senate Education Committees, stating her priorities and goals. Here , in relation to these goals, is an added history of Oregon school funding which has unfortunately helped to create inequities in public education, based on property tax rules in Ballot Measures 5, 47, and 50. And for further history, the Student Success Act of 2019 , was passed by the legislature to help add funds to decrease inequities. Senate Education met Nov. 7 ( video ). Summer learning programs were minimally funded this year, due to decreased Federal funds. We know these programs help to prevent academic losses during the summer and try to bring joy to learning. During the meeting, we were reminded that planning for these programs must begin early for them to occur at all. The agenda also included a report on the SB 1522 project implementation based on designing online classes for inmates within the Oregon Dept. of Corrections, to receive High School diplomas, or other classes. This includes PSU and Treasure Valley CC presently, offering classes at Coffee Creek women’s facility and Ontario men’s facility. Finally, this committee heard from the newly appointed Teacher Standards and Practice (TSPC) Director, Melissa Goff and others on the creation of pilot programs to certify new teachers in “mentorship programs”. These kinds of programs are happening across the country to assure we have a dedicated supply of educators. It was unclear from the meeting whether these mentorship candidates were already college graduates. There may soon be Federal support for this program in Oregon. The program is meant to curb the high dropout rate of teachers in the first 2 years of employment, increase the diversity of teachers in Oregon, and increase the number of special education or other needed professionals. Non-school Supports By Katie Riley Both the House and Senate Education Committees held hearings during November Legislative Days. Both meetings were reports from ODE, including work on crisis training and de-escalation for employees, PELL grants, teacher apprentice pilot programs, and ODE’s efforts to provide accountability and transparency. Tenneal Wetherell, ODE Chief of Staff, reported to the Senate Committee on summer learning. She noted that there is a group plan for a bill that would provide funding for summer and afterschool learning, approximately $50 million for the biennium. Funding for summer programs alone totaled $390 million in 2021 and 2022. Senator Dembrow noted that Rep. Susan McLain will probably be the bill sponsor. School Funding and Accountability By Jean Pierce Revenue Committee Bills Six revenue bills will be in the request submitted Thursday for consideration during the short session. The primary one for LWVOR to track regards a Constitutional change for voters to consider in the November Election. Currently assuming no changes are made to a property, its maximum assessed value equals 103 percent of the property’s assessed value from the prior year or 100 percent of the property’s maximum assessed value from the prior year, whichever is greater. The goal of the Senators proposing this bill is to try to avoid winners and losers. Explanation of the State School Funding formula The State School Fund is a combination of state and local funds, which provides about 80% of the general operating dollars to K-12 school districts and educational service districts. These funds are allocated through an equalization formula adopted in 1991. Approximately 80% of the SSF is for salaries and benefits. The next largest amount is for transportation. Attempts to provide equalization, adequacy, and equity among districts is addressed in the remaining funds (18% of the funding formula), which are allocated based on attendance (average daily membership) as well as weights allocated to the number of students classified as: · English Language Learning (ELL) · Special Education (up to 11% of the students holding Individual Educational Plans) · Pregnant and parenting · Poverty · Foster Care, neglected, delinquent · Remote Elementary School · Small High School · Post graduate scholarship (money is deducted based on those only receiving college education) These funds are not tied to an outcomes-based system of accountability. Currently, an average 14.3% of K-12 students require special education, and some districts experience as high as 50%. In fact, the state school fund is generating only 2/3 of the funds needed for special education. Districts exceeding 11% must pull resources from ELL and other programs that are not mandated. This is particularly a problem for smaller districts which tend to have higher percentages of students needing special education and fewer resources available. Superintendents report that there is very little discretionary money available to districts. Educational inflation is higher than other inflation indices. While the amount of state school funding has more than doubled since 1990, it has remained fairly constant in inflation-adjusted dollars since 1994. Accountability of school districts for spending Speakers from the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) reported to the House Education Committee, that they are developing a map of Oregon’s K-12 education accountability ecosystem, and this work should be completed by January of 2024. This information will be used in a conversation over the next 6-9 months about accountability and support needed by schools and districts for the system. ODE identified 16 elements of accountability and noted that only 5 of them were highly rated for transparency and access. Financial management and reporting earned only 2 out of 5 stars for transparency and access. Higher Education By Jean Pierce Effects of University of Oregon decision on Oregon State University LWVOR believes that · cooperation and coordination should be emphasized by all Oregon public postsecondary education institutions and governing boards · the performance of independent boards at each institution of higher education should be monitored to ensure that they are responsive to the institution’s needs and the needs of the state as a whole. The House Higher Education Committee heard testimony that the decision of the University of Oregon to withdraw from the Pac 12 had not been discussed with Oregon State University and is causing significant harm to OSU, which stands to make $43 M less in fiscal year ’25 than in ‘24. OSU leadership made the following recommendations: · There is a need to define how to make the best decisions for university boards and the state · It is critical that institutions consult affected parties when a decision might adversely affect another public university. · If entities cannot come to agreement, there is a need for a mechanism for mediation. · At the same time, there is a need to preserve the independent governing structures of the universities. At the same time, OSU is requesting more financial support from the state: · Increasing sports lottery allocations by 1% · Funds to cover revenue loss and increased costs incurred during COVID (these were to be repaid from athletics revenue) State Funding of Financial Aid for Students By Jean Pierce The Oregon Opportunity Grant The Oregon Opportunity Grant (OOG) changed the funding formula and increased funding for low income students. The following chart shows the changes. Cost of attendance includes tuition plus room and board and other expenses. When OOG grants are combined with Pell Grants, currently these funds are covering 45% of the costs of attending community colleges and 48% of the costs of attending 4-year universities. OOG grants are awarded to students attending qualifying not for profit private schools in Oregon, such as Willamette University, but those students receive the same amount as students in 4-year public schools. Previously, students needed to apply for the grants in February, which disproportionately affected Community College students who did not enroll in the fall semester. The deadline was changed to mid-summer, but it is not possible to accept students year-round unless there is a change in the way that grants are funded by the state. College Possible and the Oregon TRIO Association The House Higher Education Committee will submit a policy bill requesting continuing support for grant programs supporting College Possible and the Oregon TRIO Association. College Possible serves 1600 low-income, first-generation students each year, 80% of whom attend college in Oregon. A majority of their students are people of color. The Oregon TRIO Association promotes educational equity and access for under-represented students applying for federally-funded college grants. They provide tutoring, counseling, mentoring, financial guidance, and other support. They also provide training for directors and staff running federal grants.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 3/6 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Land Use/Housing Recycling Water Wildfire By Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, and Team Policy bills that are priorities for committees are seeing public hearings—even work sessions—and going to chambers for votes or to Ways and Means to be funded by end of session--maybe. For now, most bills are bipartisan. But the session is beginning to heat up. All this amidst the very real limited revenue for anything other than current programs and a few Leadership and Governor priorities such as housing. The next important session date is March 17 when policy bills will need to be scheduled for a Work Session or they are dead for the session unless they are in Revenue, Rules, or a Joint Committee. Budgets/Revenue We provided testimony on the Oregon Dept. of Forestry (ODF) budget ( HB 5020 ), expressing concern that staffing for climate change issues around forest management and urban forestry weren’t included in the Governor’s budget. We also provided testimony on the Oregon Dept. of Energy (ODOE) budget ( HB 5016 ), requesting additional agency programs that were not included in the Governor’s budget. The League provided support for the Land Use Board of Appeals budget ( HB 2028 ) that was heard March 6. The Dept. of State Lands budget ( HB 5037 ) was heard Mar. 7 with public testimony on the 9 th . The League provided testimony in support. The Columbia River Gorge Commission budget will be heard March 13—both agency presentation and public testimony. The Oregon Dept. of Agriculture (ODA) budget ( HB 5002 and HB 5003 ) is scheduled for March 14-16. Public testimony on the 16 th . Oregon Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) budget ( SB 5509 ) week of March 20. Dept. of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) ( HB 5018 and HB 5019 ) week of March 27. Here’s the DEQ one-pager . Tentative date for the Oregon Water Resources Dept. (OWRD) budget ( HB 5043 ) is early April. Here is their one-pager . The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) budget ( SB 5539 & SB 5540 ) is tentatively scheduled the week of April 10. SB 5543-1 Bond Authorization, SB 5544-1 Capital Construction, SB 5545-1 2021-23 Allocations Bill and HB 5045-3 , Budget Rebalance were all heard in Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Capital Construction March 3. Funding for housing/homeless needs ( HB 2001 A ) with the A14 amendment and HB 5019 with the -3 amendment were heard in the JW&Ms Subcommittee on Transportation and Economic Development on March 7. SB 4 , semiconductor funding requests, has a -3 amendment posted and was heard on March 6 and 8. A -2 amendment by Sen. Knopp requests that the funding come from the General Fund while the -3 has money coming from the Rainy Day Fund. SB 4 is meant to help Oregon access federal CHIPS Act monies. The Full W&Ms met March 10 to address most of the bills above. SB 4 was not included in this meeting, but currently has a $210 million price tag. Lastly, the Office of Economic Forecast provided sobering data on Oregon’s population. Without an increase in young people—with in-migration--our need for a variety of long term care services will explode without the incoming revenue to pay for those services! Climate By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. There are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. Coastal Issues By Christine Moffitt/Peggy Lynch Last week we reported on HB 3382 , a bill to provide certain Ports with an exception from our land use planning system to allow dredging and other activities around these Ports without the current public process and federal consistency requirements. The bill has been assigned to the Joint Committee on Transportation . We understand that the reason the bill has been filed by the Ports Association is in response to a Land Use Board of Appeals decision around the Jordan Cove project. Here is an article about that case. Currently the Coos Bay/North Bend area is in the process of updating their management plans for the Bay. (See past Legislative Reports on this issue.) State agencies that administer permits that could be affected by the legislation are discussing the implications of the proposed legislation. HB 2903-1 , a bill that directs certain state agencies to implement the recommendations of the Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) around marine reserves, protected areas and other management areas and provides $800,000 for that work. The League also supported this bill as a continuation of previous testimony on OPAC’s recommendations. Land Use/Housing By Peggy Lynch Last week we expressed concern around provisions in SB 4 that includes “supersiting” authority by the Governor for many acres of farmland “just in case” the semiconductor industry might want to build a new facility in Oregon. We provided testimony in opposition only to Section 10 of the bill. Since our testimony, a number of amendments have been proposed and two public hearings have taken place. At this time no amendments have been adopted. See above in the Budget/Revenue section of this Report for the status of last week’s housing bills and also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report for details. Reduce/Recycle By Kathy Moyd A Work Session was conducted on March 7 in Senate Energy and Environment for SB 545 , one of our priority Zero Waste bills. A -1 Amendment had been posted. The original bill directed the State Department of Agriculture and Oregon Health Authority to adopt rules allowing consumers to use their own containers for refilling with food at a food establishment. Because the amendment had been posted just before the start of the Public Hearing, the League’s written testimony dealt only with the original bill. The -1 Amendment is a complete replacement of the original bill. It removes the State Department of Agriculture and limits the bill to restaurants, not all food establishments. It removes the administrative details, leaving them up to the Oregon Health Authority, although the following statement may leave too much ambiguity: “The Oregon Health Authority shall adopt rules allowing for a restaurant to allow a consumer to fill a consumer-owned container with food.” The amendment was adopted on a unanimous vote; the amended bill, SB 545-1, was passed by a vote of 4 - 1. No referral was made to Ways and Means. HB 2531 prohibits the sale or distribution in this state of new screw- or bayonet-base type compact fluorescent lamps on or after January 1, 2024. It prohibits the sale or distribution in this state of new pin-base type compact fluorescent lamps and linear fluorescent lamps on or after January 1, 2025. Repeals statutes related to mercury in lighting products. It was passed on March 6 with no amendment and goes to the chamber floor. Water By Peggy Lynch It’s been a busy week for water bills for which the League provided testimony or followed with others. HB 3163 would create a special Fund for place-based planning efforts. The League testified in support of the Fund. We are working with others on the specific criteria listed for qualifying for access to the Fund. The League has strong positions on water quality and the importance of wetlands so it was easy for us to support HB 2238 , allowing for rulemaking to increase removal/fill fees. The bill was pulled from the March 7 committee agenda and no new hearing date has been set. HB 3207 was scheduled for a public hearing on March 7 related to domestic water well testing but was pulled from the agenda. We understand it may not get a public hearing this session. HB 3208 that would expand the Environmental Quality Commission’s authority to annually adjust additional water quality fees up to 3% per year was heard and a work session on this bill is scheduled for March 9. HB 2813 A , a bill that directs OWEB to provide grants to protect drinking water sources and for which the League provided testimony in support was sent to W&Ms. The fiscal impact statement has a $5 million price tag. This money might also be able to be used as a match for federal grant opportunities. The Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) is being updated . Go to the website for opportunities to participate. The League is engaged in discussions on HB 3100 related to the IWRS. A public hearing was set for March 9 . The League supports the IWRS but has concerns about the current bill . Lastly, we are aware of a newly filed bill, HB 3368 , that would stop all future water permitting applications until Oregon determines the amount of surface and groundwater water available for use that has not already been appropriated. We have no idea where this bill might go this session, but here’s a helpful Oregon Capitol Chronicle article that explains the reasoning behind Reps. Helm and Owens’ filing this bill. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. We have an on-going drought throughout Oregon and League members may want to check the U.S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers The League monitored the March 3 meeting of the Wildfire Programs Advisory Council. The meeting purpose was to review a letter to the Legislature, the composition of which was assigned to a task force of the Council at their January 2023 meeting. The purpose of the letter is to advise the Legislature on a number of recommended adjustments to the Wildfire Risk Map to help ensure a successful next roll-out. Recall the original Map associated with SB 762, the 2021 wildfire bill, was withdrawn after widespread opposition to a number of its components, and work is underway to determine the best path forward. This is part of that effort. Among the recommendations made were to change the name to Wildfire HAZARD Map, which it was noted is the language California uses. Also, while emphasizing the importance of the integrity of the eventual final product, the group decided to eliminate hard deadline dates for completion of the new map that were in the original letter. It was determined there were too many variables beyond their control to set firm dates, including a number of wildfire related bills that could influence the final version of the Map. It was speculated that Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) could be used as a platform to keep work moving forward in the interim. In addition, the Council felt it was important to allow sufficient time for the community engagement process which was not successful the first time around. The final letter can be found here . On March 8, Senate Natural Resources amended SB 509 on defensible space and the CWPPS mentioned above and the Oregon State Fire Marshall’s responsibilities and sent it to W&Ms. They also amended SB 82 related to fire insurance and sent it to the chamber floor. More on these bills next week. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The 2023 legislative session is almost halfway over. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 2/3 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Air Quality Agriculture Budgets/Revenue Climate Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) Dept. of State Lands (DSL) Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) Emergency Services Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Land Use & Housing Natural Resources Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) Pesticides Water Wetlands Wildfire Air Quality Bills we are watching: SB 726 Requires the owner or operator of a municipal solid waste landfill to conduct surface emissions monitoring and report data as specified in the Act. LWVOR to support. HB 3244 : Replaces the requirement that an owner or operator of a municipal solid waste incinerator conduct continuous monitoring or sampling of specified air contaminants with a requirement that the monitoring or sampling be conducted annually. LWVOR would oppose. The bill relates to the Reworld facility out of Keiser and League members have testified of their concerns in past years. Agriculture By Sandra Bishop Chair Jeff Golden announced four specific Senate bills that will be considered by the committee: SB 78 – Replacement dwelling bill; SB 77 – home occupation reform bill; SB 73 – Spot zoning reform; and SB 79 – prohibits certain dwellings on resource lands. LWVOR will watch and may support with our strong positions on the protection of Oregon’s valuable agricultural lands. Budgets/Revenue By Peggy Lynch Following are the budget bills we are watching in Natural Resources: Dept. of Agriculture: SB 5502 Dept. of Agriculture Fees: SB 5503 Columbia River Gorge Commission: SB 5508 DEQ: SB 5520 . Governor’s budget DEQ Fact Sheet Public hearing tentative set for mid-March Oregon Dept. of Energy: SB 5518 Oregon Dept. of Energy Fees: SB 5519 Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: HB 5009 Oregon Dept. of Forestry: SB 5521 Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: HB 5010 Public hearing Feb. 5-6; Meeting materials Dept. of Land Conservation and Development: SB 5528 Governor’s budget DLCD Fact Sheet Public hearing Feb. 3-4; LCDC 1/24 presentation ; Meeting Materials Land Use Board of Appeals: SB 5529 Oregon State Marine Board: HB 5021 Oregon State Parks and Recreation Dept.: HB 5026 Public hearing tentative set for March 8 Dept. of State Lands: SB 5539 Water Resources Dept.: SB 5543 Governor’s budget WRD Fact Sheet Public hearing Feb. 18-20. Here is a summary of the Governor’s budget. Governor's Budget and Agency Request Budget documents are/will be available online here . Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: HB 5039 . Tentative public hearing Feb. 23-24 Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board 6-Year Limitation: HB 5040 Limits expenditures of lottery funds from the Watershed Conservation Grant Fund for local grant expenditures by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for a six-year period beginning July 1, 2025. Oregon Business Development Dept.: HB 5024 Oregon Dept. of Emergency Management: SB 5517 Office of the Governor: SB 5523 Oregon State Fire Marshal: SB 5538 Dept. of Transportation: SB 5541 Dept. of Administrative Services: HB 5002 Legislative Administration Committee, Legislative Assembly, Legislative Counsel Committee, Legislative Fiscal Officer, Legislative Revenue Officer, Commission on Indian Services and Legislative Policy and Research Committee: HB 5016 Lottery Bonds: SB 5531 : an average debt capacity of $564 million in each Biennium Emergency Board: HB 5006 General Obligation Bonds, etc.: SB 5505 : an average debt capacity of $2.22 billion per Biennium Six-Year Limitation/Bonds: SB 5506 Limits for the six-year period beginning July 1, 2025, payment of expenses from fees, moneys or other revenues, including Miscellaneous Receipts, but excluding lottery funds and federal funds, collected or received by various state agencies for capital construction. The next Revenue Forecast will be Feb. 26th. The legislature will use that forecast to do a final rebalance of the 2023-25 budget. Then the May 14th forecast will be the basis for the legislature to determine the 2025-27 state budget. Climate By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. T here are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch The League supports SB 830 , a bill that m odifies provisions of the on-site septic system loan program to allow for grants. It also allows for the program to consider mobile home parks in need of septic upgrades. Here is the Onsite Wastewater Management Program 2025 Rulemaking webpage . Because of the League’s work on SB 391 (2021) and additional bills in 2023, a League member is serving on the rules advisory committee to address sewer availability and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) issues. There are two additional meetings set for Feb. 13 and 26. You are welcome to Sign up for email updates about this rulemaking via GovDelivery . The League will again serve on an annual rulemaking advisory committee on water quality fee increases. Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) By Joan Fryxell On Jan. 28th, the House Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment received a presentation on the proposed pilot project on Geologic Carbon Sequestration Potential in Oregon. Follow up materials were provided. Dr. Day-Stirrat, DOGAMI Director, presented the information. He stated that the target horizons are the porous zones at the tops and bases of lava flows, which are the appropriate zones, as they are highly porous (have a lot of gaps) and permeable (the gaps are well connected). The sample he circulated was clearly from the intact center of the flow, as it was quite solid, but still had holes in it. The project described is only to drill a test well to evaluate feasibility of injecting brines (a.k.a. any sort of water solution, possibly saltier than we want to drink) infused with carbon dioxide. Some test injections will need to be done to evaluate this correctly, but clearly this proposed project is not intended to be a production well for ongoing injection of brines. $10 million from the Common School Fund (CSF) should cover the scope and duration of the project. Because the land is located on CSF land where future viable private projects could pay to lease the land, the CSF money is considered by the State Land Board as a good investment. Drilling is expensive, and drilling through a stack of basalt flows is likely to be relatively slow (therefore more expensive). To characterize the well, they will want to retrieve cores at intervals, also expensive and time consuming. More drilling info below under background information. Monitoring wells will need to be drilled a little distance away from the pilot well, to monitor how the pilot well responds to pumping brines down the hole. This keeps an eye on pore pressure down at the horizon of interest, as well as can retrieve brines to see if leakage is occurring as well as how effective the mineral production of calcite is going. The Dept. of Environmental Quality will need to approve well drilling permits. Committee members raised a number of questions with answers here: “Carbon isn’t the problem; other greenhouse gases are the problem”. Carbon dioxide levels have doubled in the last 200 years, and clearly are a major problem. Other greenhouse gases are also a problem, at a secondary level. Methane, for example, is a potent greenhouse gas, but its residence time in the atmosphere is fairly brief, on the order of a few years to a decade. Carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere indefinitely. As Dr. Day-Stirrat said, methane can be injected underground, but it will remain a gas, and can leak back up to the surface. “Take carbon out of the air, don’t the trees need that?” Plants do take up carbon dioxide (and give off oxygen), but even getting the carbon dioxide levels back to 280 ppm (pre-industrial revolution) will not hurt plants. The forests were in fine shape throughout human history, as well as back into the fossil record to the first land forests ~300 million years ago. “Source of brine?” Not discussed at length, but one possibility is to pump up the fluids down there (the brines), inject carbon dioxide, and pump them back down, in a cycle. That’s probably the cheapest way to go. “Is it bad to plug the holes in the basalt with calcite?” This is a question of scale, really. Pores will be plugged with calcite for some radius around the well, but these zones are really pretty tiny compared with the extent of the layers in the Columbia River Basalts. Reducing porosity is generally not detrimental to the rocks. “How many years have we been tracking atmospheric carbon dioxide?” We have records of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere that extend back about 500 million years all the way up to today, utilizing different techniques, but the data set is quite robust. “What is the seismic impact of pumping?” That is exactly what hydrofracturing (fracking) is – enough fluid is pumped down to the horizon of interest to counteract the prevailing pressure regime enough to fracture the rock. This is being done industrially in a number of places, and has been done long enough that the mining engineers and drillers have a very good idea of how much pressure is needed to fracture the rock. Injecting carbonated brines with the intent of making calcite doesn’t need this high level of pressure, so it can be done without increasing the seismic risk to the area. “What is displaced when we put things into the subsurface?” Dr. Day-Stirrat said “the pressure goes up”, which is true but not helpful, really. Even at relatively shallow depths like 2500 feet, things behave a little differently than they do at the surface, and we’re talking about fluids in pore spaces. The fluids are at least a little compressible, and again, we’re talking about a relatively small radius around the well in a very large system. “Injection vs eruption vs earthquakes”. Iceland is on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a spreading center, so it exists by repeated volcanic eruptions. Movement of magma produces earthquakes, and this has been ongoing the entire history of the island, whether people have been around or not. These injection wells are shallow and small in comparison, and the magma movement is not affected by them. Background information: Basalt is particularly good for carbon sequestration in terms of its chemistry and its texture. It contains relatively high amounts of calcium, as well as magnesium, both of which readily combine with carbon dioxide to form carbonate minerals (calcite and magnesite, respectively), which are stable solids which will stay in the rock indefinitely. Texturally, the basalt is in the form of lava flows, which override the land surface with all its roughness, and the tops of the flows typically break up as they cool while the interior continues to move. These broken zones are ideal for fluids to travel through. Drilling: Normally a drill string and bit rotates, which chews up the rock to make the hole get deeper. The rock chips then circulate up with the drilling mud, are retrieved and logged, so the rock type is known, and changes are recorded. To get a core (like what was handed around in the session), the whole drill string is pulled up, and the bit is replaced with a coring bit, which preserves a cylinder of rock in the center. Once the interval to be cored is drilled, the whole drill string is pulled back up, the core is retrieved, and the normal bit is put back on, the whole drill string is fed back down the hole, and drilling resumes. Normal drilling is faster and cheaper than drilling for a core, so it is done unless there is a lot of interest in exactly what the rock is. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels: They have fluctuated considerably over geologic time, with a high of about 4000 ppm in Cambrian time, to a low of 180 ppm in the last glacial period. However, the rate of change has always been much slower, which allows some accommodation by the plants and animals living at the time. The rate of change over the last 200 years is far too fast for these accommodations to take place. Dept. of State Lands (DSL) By Peggy Lynch The Director of DSL published a p roposed increase in permit fees for Removal/Fill program: “ Oregon’s Removal-Fill Law helps protect wetlands and waters by requiring permits to remove or add materials in wetlands, rivers, streams, lakes, and other waters of the state .” A League member served on the rulemaking advisory committee . “ The statutory Common School Fund heavily subsidizes Oregon’s removal-fill permitting process .” “ Visit the DSL website to see a draft of the proposed rules and program fees, all related materials from the rulemaking process, and the online comment form: www.oregon.gov/dsl/Pages/rulemaking.aspx . The comment deadline is February 17th at 5:00 p.m.” The next State Land Board meeting is Feb. 11. Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) The ESRF Board will meet Feb. 5th. Here is the agenda, meeting materials and a zoom link. Emergency Services By Rebecca Gladstone HB 2581 : The League spoke and filed testimony in support of a statute change, substituting the word “seismic” with “hazards”, to coordinate coverage efforts through the State Resiliency Officer. A work session is scheduled on Feb 5 at 1pm, in H Comm On Emergency Mngmt, Gen Gov, and Veterans . SB 505 The League is preparing testimony for this bill to fund grants for county emergency liaisons, public hearing scheduled for Feb 4 at 1pm, in Sen Comm On Vets, Emergency Management, Fed and World Affairs . Oregon Dept. of Forestry (ODF) By Josie Koehne SB 404 State Board of Forestry shall convey forest lands within a county to the county if the board of county commissioners of the county determines that conveyance of the forest lands to the county would secure the greatest permanent value of the forest lands to the county. LWVOR will oppose. See also the Wildfire section of this report below and the separate Climate section. Land Use & Housing By Peggy Lynch HB 3013 : Details the process by which a permit or zone change that is based on provisions of a comprehensive plan or land use regulation that fail to gain acknowledgment is voided and any resulting improvements or uses are removed or revoked. LWVOR supports with -1 amendment. The following is a beginning list of land use (and housing-related) bills we are following: HB 3062 : Requires local governments to map sensitive uses as part of a comprehensive plan. LWVOR may support. HB 2138 : Expands allowable middle housing and expands middle housing requirements to include urban unincorporated lands. LWVOR may have comments. Some provisions we support; others not so much. HB 3145 : Allows the Housing and Community Services Department to use Local Innovation and Fast Track Housing Program Fund moneys for factory-built housing. LWVOR should support. May have overlap with Housing portfolio. HB 2316 : Allows designation of Home Start Lands to be used for housing. LWVOR will oppose. HB 2347 : Authorizes the Department of Land Conservation and Development to provide planning assistance for housing production to federally recognized Indian tribes and makes other technical changes to laws relating to land use planning. A -1 amendment will be considered at a public hearing on Feb. 5th in House Housing. HB 2950 A bill to update Goal One and Public Participation is being sponsored by Oregon’s American Planning Association. The League is interested in the bill, but has some concerns. We understand there will be an amendment proffered. SB 462 : Requires the Oregon Business Development Department to establish an education course for land use planners for local governments, special districts and state agencies. LWVOR supports educational efforts but there are other training opportunities, so this proposal might be redundant. SB 525 : Amends expedited land division criteria and processes. LWVOR has concerns. May need to oppose. Knowing that infrastructure is a hot topic this session, you might find these slides ( Infrastructure 101 Webinar, Password: !zI0siD% ) from the Regional Solutions Team of interest. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. Natural Resources HB 3173 – Establishing OregonFlora in Statute: OregonFlora provides comprehensive information about ~4,700 vascular plants in Oregon to the public, state and federal agencies, educational institutions, businesses; consumers, and scientists, providing significant economic, social, and educational benefits. Long-term and sustainable funding is needed to ensure that OregonFlora can continue to provide this service. This bill creates an initial appropriation of $400,000 per biennium made to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission for distribution to Oregon State University. HB 3173 info sheet . The bill has widespread support statewide and the League hopes to see this program that supports many natural resource areas funded this session. Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) By Lucie La Bonte The OWEB program began in 1993. In 1994, several pilot watershed councils developed. After passage of Measure 66, the Governor’s Watershed Enhancement Board became the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board funded with 7.5% of lottery funds. There are now 92 Watershed Councils in Oregon. These watershed councils partner with various state and federal agencies bringing economic development to rural areas by improving watershed habitat. Funding includes proceeds from the Oregon Lottery, federal grants and loans and, more recently, General Funds to support additional programs added to the agency’s mission. OWEB has established a Strategic Funding Plan developing strategies to fund their programs and projects throughout the state. The Board and Staff work together updating the funding plan to ensure secure funding for restoration projects. The Legislature is a partner and generally approves funding for OWEB. The Strategic Funding Plan was reviewed at the January Board Meeting and will be updated in April. Pesticides HB 2679 directs the State Department of Agriculture to classify certain pesticides containing neonicotinoids as restricted-use. The League has supported a similar bill in past sessions. Water By Peggy Lynch The Governor has added “water” as her environmental priority this session as reported in this Oregon Capital Chronicle article.: “ Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and her natural resources adviser Geoff Huntington consider water quality and availability a top priority this legislative session …. Huntington said the governor’s office will back a package of bills that gives state agencies more statutory authority to manage water allocations and regulations in Oregon. Much of that is being sponsored by Rep. Ken Helm, D-Beaverton, and Rep. Mark Owens, R-Crane, who co-chair the House agriculture and water committee.” The League provided testimony on HB 2168 at the House Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water Committee. The bill requests $5 million for the on-site septic loan program, another $5 million for the Well Water Repair and Replacement Fund and monies to help the Oregon State Extension Service reach out to potential recipients. The bill is scheduled for a Work Session on Feb. 3rd. Water bills we are following: HB 2988 : Instructs the Water Resources Department to take certain actions related to aquifer recharge and aquifer storage and recovery. HB 3108 : Requires the Water Resources Department to implement additional rules and requirements for the review of limited license applications for an aquifer storage and recovery permit HB 2803 : Increases certain fees related to water. LWVOR will support. Expect amendments. Needed to provide current service level staffing at WRD. Oregon Water Data Portal debuted Jan. 31st. The multi-agency effort to release a beta version of the pilot portal for the Oregon Water Data Portal project debuted on January 31. The pilot portal is accessible at https://www.oregonwaterdata.org/ . Changes to the pilot portal will be made intermittently from input received during the beta testing until June 2025, as resources allow. The League has supported this project so that there is ONE PLACE where Oregonians can find water information. This Oregon water data pilot portal was developed through a collaboration with multiple Oregon agencies, Oregon State University, and the Internet of Water Coalition. The pilot was developed based on the experience and knowledge of this group as well as the input and questions the team has received through various engagements. The objective of this initial pilot portal is to test functionality using limited data and will evolve over the next six months as data are added and improvements are made based on user feedback. We will continue to build our understanding about user needs and experiences through this pilot portal phase. Users can provide feedback about the beta version of the pilot portal by completing a survey or emailing OWDP@deq.oregon.gov . The objective of a water data portal is to bring together Oregon’s water data and information into a single point of access so that water decision makers and others can find the data, and to improve data access and integration for better water-related decision-making. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Here is a more complete website about drought in Oregon. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” V isit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. Wetlands A bill of concern to the League related to our removal/fill program has been filed: SB 400 . As proposed, the League will oppose. Another wetlands-related bill we will be watching: HB 2054 . Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers The League watched a meeting of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire on January 28, which addressed how wildfire losses impact homeowner insurance in Oregon, with comparisons to the CA insurance market for context. Andrew Stolfi, Director and Insurance Commissioner, Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, spoke first, laying out the overall unfavorable landscape in the insurance industry due to increasing huge natural disaster payouts. He pointed out that the double-digit premium increases people are experiencing, even in “non-high disaster areas” are due to the increase in large claims. His presentation , as well as those of the other two speakers at this meeting, clearly illustrate the problem, and some possible approaches to solutions, when it comes to wildfire. Of note, Commissioner Stolfi pointed out that Oregon’s homeowner insurance rates, by one measure which excludes condos, are still less than half the national average, in spite of the fact that there has been an average of approximately 50% increase in rates between 2018 and 2023. This is remarkable, given the fact he also pointed out - that losses in the past 10 years are tracking 10 times the total for the past 4 decades. Finally, he shared that in spite of the feeling among consumers that many people are experiencing non-renewals, that actual number is .only 78% of policies. All these figures and more are included in his presentation. He was followed by Michael Newman, General Counsel for the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), which is a non-profit organization focused on wildfire risk mitigation at the parcel and neighborhood level. They have recently received permission to offer their program to homeowners in Oregon. One item they are working on is developing a “Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood Benchmark”. This is a program they hope to offer to homeowners at the neighborhood level to help 1) mitigate wildfire risk of loss and increase survivability and; 2) help reduce participants’ homeowner insurance rates, or at least slow rate increases. At the end of the presentation, Senator Jeff Golden commented that another attempt at funding a grant program through the State Fire Marshal for “Neighborhood Protection Cooperatives”, which has failed repeatedly in previous sessions, is forthcoming at this Legislative Session in the form of SB 85 . Rounding out the discussion was Kenton Brine, President, Northwest Insurance Council, who reiterated the unsustainable nature of rapidly increasing disaster payouts by insurance companies exceeding premiums collected. Increasing magnitude of disaster claims, which is also influenced in no small part by the large increase in the cost of construction materials used in rebuilding. He sited the fact that in 2023, $1.12 was paid out in claims for every $1.00 collected in 2023. Finally, this article from the Oregon Capital Chronicle explores the relationship between wildfire and insurance availability. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The long legislative session begins in January of 2025. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training offered.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 5/15 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Air Quality Climate Coastal Issues Elliott State Research Forest Land Use/Housing Radioactive Waste Recycling Toxics Urban/Rural Divide Water Wildfire Natural Resources By Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, and Team We’ve got money! The May 17 Revenue Forecast declared an additional $1.96 billion available for the 2023-25 session. And the crazy “kicker” is up to about $5.5 billion!! It could be about 50% of your 2023 Oregon taxes—shown up as a credit in 2024! Now we’ll see what the legislature does with all that money! We expect a package of climate bills and a water package. The League will advocate for the slew of bills in Ways and Means we supported earlier in session. Air Quality LWVOR joined with others in support of HB 3229 , to modify federal air quality (Title V) operating permit program fees. The bill sits in Ways and Means without recommendation. SB 488 A , relating to the Covanta medical waste incinerator, sits in Ways and Means. BUDGETS/REVENUE: Here it is: The May 17 Revenue Forecast . You can listen to the presentation here . $1.96 billion more to spend on Oregon’s needs! Here are the Governor’s spending requests . We’ll soon learn what our legislators decide as to their spending priorities. We hope that the bills listed in Ways and Means in this report will be among those gaining funding and we understand there will be packages for climate and water investments. The Oregon Center for Public Policy shared: “We estimate, based on Oregon Department of Revenue data, that the richest 100 Oregonians will get kicker rebates averaging more than $800,000.” State Economist Mark McMullen said rebates will come close to a record 50% of state tax liability (for 2023). Last week’s budgets were considered in Full Ways and Means on May 19. The Governor signed HB 5046 , to allow state agencies to continue to operate until Sept. 15 at current levels. This bill is usually done every biennium, but later in the session, as some budgets aren’t always finished until the last few days. This year, if the Senate Republicans don’t provide a quorum, the bill provides a short-term extension. SB 538 A , mentioned in last week’s report, would allow DOGAMI and other agencies to offer permittees the ability to use a credit card to pay fees and the agencies can charge for the processing costs charged by those card businesses. It passed out of committee on May 11 and is headed to the House floor. Climate By Claudia Keith and Team The Climate Emergency and Natural Resources sections of this Legislative Report overlap. We encourage you to read both sections. Coastal Issues By Christine Moffitt and Peggy Lynch HB 3382 moved to House Rules with the -7 amendment late in the evening of May 18. After many meetings and conversations, the League agreed to not oppose the -7 amendment to HB 3382 that limits the bill to ONLY the International Port of Coos Bay, places requirements around proof of financial viability and report on the number of jobs to be created to be submitted with any actual project application. Only the Port and tribes would be qualified to submit an application. We don’t support the bill, but the votes seemed to be there for a bill, so we worked to make it as narrow as we could. Any project application would be for a new Goal 16 exception and would go through the usual local land use processes. Also, all the other federal and state agency permits would be required for any process. On May 14, LWVOR issued an Action Alert to oppose the bill. As a result of ours and others who did the same, there were many opposition testimonies filed and a second public hearing was allowed on May 16 where more League members and others testified in opposition. The -7 amendment was negotiated on May 17 and was posted by noon on May 18 for the night’s work session in the Joint Committee on Transportation. The bill has been amended but was moved to House Rules without an explanation. The League will continue to monitor the bill. One additional amendment that would be appreciated is clarity that no fossil fuel projects would be allowed to be approved. (Remember Jordan Cove?) The -7s “save” the Yaquina and Astoria estuaries, but could do damage to the Coos Bay estuary, even though the amendment requires no net loss of important environmental values. A major expansion of the navigation channel can not help but do damage. If you want to listen to the sausage making, go to the 1 hour mark here. The Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) will hold a meeting on May 23 from 9am - 3pm at the Oregon Department of State Lands in Salem. Remote participation will also be available ( Zoom Registration Link ) Meeting materials and the draft agenda are forthcoming. Contact: Andy Lanier, Marine Affairs Coordinator @ Andy.Lanier@dlcd.oregon.gov . HB 2903 A , funding continuing work on marine reserves, is in Ways and Means. LWVOR supports . You might find this ODFW news release interesting about how the marine reserves program unlocks secrets of ocean temperatures and oxygen levels. This 10-year-old program now has support by a diverse set of interests in the coastal communities. Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) The Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) met on May 18 and 19, meeting agenda . Staff reports are often valuable resources. A League member participated in the 2023 Water Quality Fee Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) as in past years to provide a “public” voice to the RAC. Here is the WQ Fee RAC Meeting Summary link - May 5, 2023 . The EQC delegated authority to approve this rulemaking for 2023 to DEQ Director Feldon on May 19. SB 835 A , as amended, would require DEQ to adopt rules to clarify when a single septic system can be used for both a primary residence and an ADU. It sits in W&Ms. LWVOR testimony concerns were addressed by the amendment. Dept. of State Lands HB 2238 originally filed to provide permission for robust rulemaking to increase fees for the removal/fill program is back! The bill was amended in the House to remove the fee increase and instead allows the Dept. of State Lands to get rid of personal property collected during cleanup of DSL-owned property after 30 days. A new amendment has been filed to bring back the original purpose of the bill. The League continues to support . The bill was amended and passed out of committee on May 17. It will need to go back to the House for “concurrence”—to agree with the Senate amendment. Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) By Peggy Lynch SB 161 was amended and passed out of the House Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources and Water Committee. The amendment increased a deadline for work being done on the transfer of the Elliott to the new Authority to Dec. 31, 2023. The bill adjusts some timelines as provided by the Dept. of State Lands’ April 25 testimony . The League understands there is a request for some monies in the end-of-session bill to help the new ESRF Authority move forward the first 18 months of their existence since logging to provide funding will take time to plan and execute. Land Use/Housing By Peggy Lynch Unfortunately, there are a number of land use planning bills sitting in the Senate and House Rules Committees. Those committees are not subject to deadlines until the Leadership closes those committees so we wait and watch—holding our breath that these bills are not trade bait should the Republican Senators return to their chamber to vote before the end of session. SB 1096 would “expand development into farmland”, referred to Senate Rules. The bill, similar to SB 1051 which the League vigorously opposed and has died, is a topic of discussion. The bill continues the false narrative that simply adding land to urban growth boundaries will solve Oregon's housing crises. HB 3414 would create a new Housing Accountability and Production Office in DLCD and also includes a Section 2 related to processing of variances under certain circumstances. Variances are used to address exceptions to a code’s “clear and objective standards”. It is unclear how this provision will change a community’s control over residential development. The bill had a public hearing in House Rules where the Governor advocated for the -6 amendment while a number of cities advocated for the -5 amendment , but it was clear that more negotiations will occur, so we should look for yet another amendment. The League has concerns about the burden being placed on cities under the -6 amendment. Local governments need to provide findings to explain why they might want to deny the variance instead of the applicant proving the need for the variance. Your Oregon News has a good article on the cities’ concerns. Of note is mention of a -7 amendment that would deal with land supply advocated by the Homebuilders Association and the Oregon Realtors. No new news on SB 1087 , filed on behalf of a farm in Lane County where they want to add a “café” (with seating for 250-300 people) on their Exclusive Farm Use (EFU)-zoned property. The League opposes this overreach of our land use program. The bill is in Senate Rules. SB 70 A would allow housing on acreage in Malheur County. The League provided testimony in opposition on Feb. 8. On April 3, the bill was moved without passage recommendation to Senate Rules. LWVOR still opposes it. SB 1013 would allow a recreational vehicle to be sited on a rural property. It was amended by the -4 amendment and passed out of committee to the House floor on May 18. The League worked with the sponsor and Sen. Hayden to assure that, should a recreational vehicle be allowed, issues of sewage and clean drinking water would be addressed by the counties. Rep. Helm also stated that for the record in committee which the League appreciated. HB 3442 A to allow coastal communities to develop in hazard areas under certain conditions, passed to the Senate floor on May 10. The amended bill responded to League concerns on the original bill. HB 2983 A to help with manufactured housing and housing parks, is in Ways and Means. LWVOR supports . See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. Radioactive Waste By Shirley Weathers In accordance with the plan announced at the end of the April 24 meeting of the Rulemaking Advisory Committee (RAC) on Radioactive Waste, Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) staff distributed on May 16, a second draft of what was designated as Part I of recommended rules for OAR 345-050 designed to implement SB 246 (2021). The deadline for RAC member input is June 15, after which ODOE staff will prepare materials for a report to EFSC for a July council meeting. It is expected that a public comment period on that segment of proposed rules will follow that meeting. Staff indicated in the transmittal email of May 16 that RAC members will be notified when a path forward for the more controversial “Part II” pathway exemption section of the rules is identified. Discussions and other activities related to the Waste Management proposal presented during the April 24 meeting will proceed and likely will include more meetings. A link to the agenda and the video of the final hour of the meeting are posted on the ODOE Rulemaking page for this RAC ; the PowerPoint presentation prepared by Waste Management outlining their alternate proposal and the video of the first half of the meeting will be posted soon, per ODOE staff. The League will follow up on the remaining meeting materials, comment on the Part I draft, and continue to participate in the proceedings. Reduce/Recycle Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act will improve recycling systems in communities across Oregon by requiring producers of packaging, paper products, and food serviceware to share responsibility for an effective and responsible recycling system. A new Recycling Council advises DEQ and the producer responsibility organizations on key recycling system elements. Contact information is posted at RecyclingAct.Oregon.gov . SB 542 A (Right to Repair) continues to sit in Senate Rules until more amendments are made or until there are enough votes to pass it in the full Senate. The League provided testimony in support on Feb. 14. Toxics By Paula Grisafi HB 3043 A was amended by the A3 amendment and passed out of Senate Energy and Environment to the Senate floor. The bill revises provisions relating to chemicals in children’s products. SB 546 A (toxic free cosmetics) was sent to W&Ms, although there was NO fiscal for the 2023-25 session because, although the measure takes effect January 1, 2024, all substantive portions of the bill are not operative until January 1, 2027. SB 426 A (toxic free schools) was sent to W&Ms without clarity on the fiscal impact. The bill’s advocates are working to assure that the fiscal impact statement is not over inflated by agency staff. Urban/Rural Divide This article from the Oregon Capitol Chronicle is worth a read: According to Oregon’s 2023 Economic Outlook report , rural economies are leading growth in the state, with metro areas lagging. Rural areas have something to teach the rest of the state about protecting vulnerable populations. For example, according to a 2020 report by the Portland-based Oregon Community Foundation, seven of the 11 Oregon communities where children were most likely to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty were rural and primarily in eastern Oregon. The report also showed that growing up in northeastern Oregon had the most positive impact on future income for low-income children: “On average children who grew up in low-income families in Wallowa, Baker or Grant counties earned 26% more than children in similar families in Jefferson County and 14% more compared to children in Multnomah County”. Growing economies and increased economic mobility for low-income children are just a few examples of the value our rural communities bring to the state. Better understanding our rural communities and their assets would help to unify Oregon. Water By Peggy Lynch It’s time to engage in the Integrated Water Resources Strategy 2023 update. See the survey link on the webpage and meetings around the state, including a new May 31 virtual meeting opportunity. HB 3124 , a major water bill, was moved to House Rules without passage recommendation. The bill is a $250 million Drought Relief and Water Scarcity package and includes some of the other bills we’ve seen this session. The League provided comments on the bill, including a list of our priorities, using our participation in the HB 5006 Work Group as our guide. HB 3163A, a League priority, renews the Place-Based Planning program with a Fund to help groups participate in this program, was sent to W&Ms. The League participated in a Work Group last year to help develop sideboards on the program and provided testimony in support. HB 3100 A , addressing the Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS), is in Ways and Means. The League provided testimony when the bill had its public hearing. Then we worked behind the scenes to provide guidance as the IWRS is updated. We support the bill. HB 3207 A , related to domestic well testing and data collection, is in W&Ms. LWVOR supports . HB 2813 A , creates a grant program to protect drinking water sources, is in W&Ms. LWVOR supports . HB 3125 would create a Ratepayer Assistance Fund to help low income people pay for sewer and water bills, is in Ways and Means. LWVOR supports . We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. The League supports HB 2647 A to continue to address this public health issue. It sits in Ways and Means. Thanks to a substantial snowpack, our drought in many parts of Oregon has lessened. However, the recent hot weather has begun to melt that “storage”. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Governor Kotek has signed drought declarations under ORS 536 for the counties of Crook, Jefferson, Grant, Deschutes, Wasco and Harney counties. Lake and Sherman Counties have requested a drought declaration. In addition, many counties in eastern and southern Oregon have received Secretarial Disaster Designations from the US Department of Agriculture due to continuing drought conditions. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers Senate Natural Resources held a Work Session on HB 2192 A -A6 , a portion of which pertains to requiring destroyed or demolished structures rebuilt in High or Extreme wildfire hazard zones having to comply with home hardening requirements in the Oregon Residential Specialty Code, whether the new wildfire hazard map is available yet, or not. It was sent to the floor with a do-pass recommendation. This was followed by an informational session on various topics including a number of methods used for early detection of wildfire by Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), including infrared enabled aircraft, cameras and remote monitoring at detection centers. One interesting tidbit was that of the 69 wildfires detected by aircraft, all 69 fires were kept below ODF’s 10 acre measure of success. This speaks to the effectiveness of this particular investment in wildfire response, most of which came from SB 762 , the sweeping 2021 wildfire legislation. Then the Department of Human Services discussed their work, largely in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), who also presented, around their “Cleaner Air Centers” and other actions taken to help Oregonians remain safe and healthy during wildfire smoke events, and ongoing monitoring of air quality. It was made clear that all work done in these areas was one-time funding, and if the work was to be ongoing, as it should be, new funding would be needed. Finally, there was an ODF presentation about prescribed fire and how they are planning on using this mitigation tool much more extensively than in the past. This plan does have a potential large obstacle in the form of a recent EPA study showing a higher level of harmfulness to humans from wildfire smoke than anticipated, or previously believed. See meeting materials. Oregon’s fleet of remote fire-watching cameras has grown following passage ofSB 762 (2021). The camera program expanded from 74 cameras at 58 sites now to 110 cameras at 94 sites. Teams at detection centers watch for signs of smoke the cameras pick up. With recent lightning events, the cameras have proved their worth. A fire spotted by camera in deep forest was put out within hours and only burned ½ an acre! HB 5025 the omnibus Higher Education Coordinating Commission budget bill is now in W&Ms.The League provided testimony in support of Oregon Conservation Corps fundin. SB 80 A , the omnibus Wildfire Programs bill, is in W&Ms as is SB 509 A , which aims to scale out neighborhood collaboratives to help whole neighborhoods reduce risk. LWVOR provided support for SB 509 A. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The 2023 legislative session is halfway over. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 5/15 Governance Team Coordinator: Becky Gladstone and Chris Cobey Artificial Intelligence: Lindsey Washburn Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill Conflicts of Interest/Legislative Ethics: Chris Cobey CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone Election Systems: Barbara Klein Emergency Preparedness: Cate Arnold Immigration, Refugee, and Asylum: Claudia Keith Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey State Audit Working Group: Sheila Golden Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Jump to a topic: Campaign Finance Redistricting Oregon Legislature Paralyzed; Stand by to Act Ethics Issues Election Methods Governance By Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator, and Team Campaign Finance No bills on campaign finance have yet been scheduled for a hearing. However, there has been some movement behind the scenes about what could be passed during this session. Given the Republican walkout in the Senate, a deal to permit only certain bills to come to the Senate floor may be necessary. Such a deal is unlikely to include CFR, let alone HB 2003 , but the League is hopeful and working with other good government groups. There has been some suggestion that using Washington State’s contribution limits might be a better starting point for negotiations than HB 2003. For campaign finance reform, the League wants true reform without loopholes for large special interest organizations. Redistricting People Not Politicians has started collecting signatures on IP 14 petitions downloadable from its website. Thousands of signatures have been collected, but more donations are needed. Oregon Legislature Paralyzed; Stand by to Act By Rebecca Gladstone We are extremely concerned about critical budget and policy bills sitting in a logjam with hundreds of bills as time ticks away for lack of a Senate quorum. The Senate is hogtied with paralyzed partisan positions over guns and access to reproductive and gender-affirming health care, making negotiations fruitless. Now ten Senators’ “walkouts” have invoked M 113 (2022). Voters passed the measure, 68% to 32%, to disqualify legislators from re-election at the end of their terms if they are absent for 10 legislative floor sessions without permission or excuse. ** Action Needed : Please contact your State Senator and Representative to encourage them to support and prioritize these three, details in previous reports** Please stand by for League action alerts on short notice for these priority governance bills. The cybersecurity omnibus bill and the Attorney General’s Data Broker bill died mysteriously last session, despite unanimous passage from committee with do pass recommendations. Funding the SoS budget is imperative for2024 election security and efficiency, including replacing ORESTAR. No bills we are following have moved in the past week. HB 2049 -2 : This cybersecurity omnibus bill was referred to W&Ms March 3 with a unanimous Do Pass recommendation. See our testimony . SB 619 We strongly support this AG’s consumer privacy bill went to W&Ms April 12 by prior reference, with a Do Pass with amendments recommendation. See our testimony , now with a coalition letter. SB 167 : This SoS elections bill would replace candidate filing software, add efficiency improvements, address some privacy and cybersecurity issues, with efficiency tweaks. See League testimony . Ethics Issues By Chris Cobey HB 2038 : Requires statements of economic interest to include certain information about sources of income for any business in which public official or candidate, or member of household of public official or candidate, is officer, holds directorship or does business under, if the source of income has legislative or administrative interest and 10 percent or more of total gross annual income of business comes from that source of income. Prohibits candidate or principal campaign committee of candidate from expending campaign moneys for professional services rendered by certain businesses required to be listed on candidate's statement of economic interest. Creates exceptions. 5/16: House Rules public hearing held. HB 5021 A : Limits biennial expenditures from fees, moneys or other revenues, including miscellaneous receipts and reimbursements from federal service agreements, but excluding lottery funds and other federal funds, collected or received by Oregon Government Ethics Commission. 5/8: Signed by the Governor. SB 168 A : Expressly prohibits public employees, while on job during working hours or while otherwise working in official capacity, from promoting or opposing appointment, nomination or election of public officials. 5/18: House Rules work session scheduled. SB 207 : Authorizes Oregon Government Ethics Commission to proceed on its own motion to review and investigate, if the commission has reason to believe that the public body conducted meetings in executive session that were not in compliance with laws authorizing executive sessions. 5/8: Signed by the Governor. SB 292 B : Narrows, on temporary basis, applicability of requirement that members of district school board must file a verified statement of economic interest to only those members of districts with specified number of students, or districts that are sponsors of virtual public charter schools. Expands applicability of requirement to all members of district school boards in 2026. Directs Oregon Government Ethics Commission to provide training on filing of verified statements of economic interest to members of district school boards. 5/11: House Rules public hearing held. SB 661 A : Prohibits lobbyist from serving as chairperson of interim committees, or certain legislative work groups, or legislative task forces. Provides exceptions. 5/16: Passed House, 57-0. Election Methods By Barbara Klein HB 2004 A work session was held May 16, at which time the -2 amendment was explained via PowerPoint by Blair Bobier (from the HB 2004 coalition). The LWVOR is one of 39 coalition organizational members and has been active in considering the amendment items. (Highlights of those amendment changes are listed below.) The bill (with the -2 amendment) received a “Do Pass” recommendation out of committee to the floor for a chamber vote. The bill passed along partisan lines (with Democrats in support). However, one important comment from Rep. Kim Wallan (District 6, southern Oregon) should be reported. She wanted to remind everyone that despite the vote from the committee, RCV “is not a partisan issue.” The League previously provided written testimony in support of this bill and another (HB 3509). We also continue to participate in the RCV coalition meetings with individual legislators to promote HB 2004. Four ballot initiatives on election methods are being watched by LWVOR, P 11 , from STAR Voting for Oregon, has secured a certified ballot title with the submission of 1,000 signatures. The title (or caption) for this measure on STAR (Score then Automatic Runoff) voting is: “Establishes new voting system; voters score candidates from zero to five stars.” IP 26 (basically the same as previously filed IP 16) known as All Oregon Votes, has collected its first 1,000 signatures. The verification of sponsorship signatures is completed, but a certified title is not yet posted as of this writing. IP 19 has no reportable movement, from Oregon Election Reform Coalition, which is a Final Five Open Primary, using RCV or STAR in the general. LWVOR supports IP 19. IP 27 is a new RCV initiative, expanding terms and offices covered by HB 2004 bill above. Summary HB 2004 -2 amendment. The HB 2004 coalition asserts that the -2 amendment moves an RCV policy forward that better reflects the perspectives of voters, election officials, community organizations, and elected leaders. Removes judges for now – saving ballot real-estate for election officers. Clarifies tabulation processes, gives explicit authority to county clerks to set key policy decisions, and prioritizes using RCV in races with historically crowded fields. Lifts the 5-limit ranking, especially important for new Portland races. This empowers election officials to create an implementation framework that works for all counties across Oregon. Maintains BOLI elections using RCV, but voted on with the primary ballot. Moves effective date of implementation from 2026 to 2028 (giving election officials and county clerks more time to transition to RCV). Refers the measure to the ballot to the Nov 2024 ballot, giving voters the final choice on using RCV in Oregon. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. Worthy causes go unaddressed for lack of League volunteers. If you see a need and can offer your expertise, please contact our staff at lwvor@lwvor.org .

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 1/15 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to topic: Housing Public Safety Reports Summer Learning Housing By Nancy Donovan, Beth Jacobi, Debbie Aiona Homelessness State of Emergency: Governor Kotek declared a homelessness state of emergency a year ago and set targets for local jurisdictions. Based on preliminary data, the state and local partners have exceeded those targets. They created 1,032 low-barrier shelter beds, exceeding the original goal by 432; rehoused 1,293 unsheltered households, exceeding the goal by 93; and prevented 8,886 households from experiencing homelessness, exceeding the goal by 136. LWVOR supported funding this effort. To meet these goals, the Legislature allocated $155 million early in the 2023 session for homelessness prevention, rehousing, and shelter capacity expansion. They went on to budget $316 million for the same purpose in the 2023-25 biennium. The 2023 Point in Time annual count showed that as of last January an estimated 20,100 people were experiencing homelessness. About 62% were unsheltered. In recognition of the fact that Oregon has a long way to go before it can claim success, Governor Kotek issued Executive Order 24-02 on January 9. 2024, to extend the 2023 Executive Order and continue the state’s focus on addressing the homelessness crisis. In 2024, Governor Kotek is proposing $65 million for homeless shelter operations. The funds will be used primarily to prevent closure of state and locally funded shelters and invest in re-housing focused services at shelters to improve exits into permanent housing. Rent Assistance: The Governor’s legislative budget is also requesting $33 million for rent assistance to help keep Oregonians from losing their homes. Affordable Housing : Our League of Women Voters of Oregon actively partnered with a number of other organizations to inform legislators prior to the session on What we need to build more affordable housing . Oregon is in short supply of approximately 140,000 homes for people with low- and moderate-incomes. Housing Production : Also, with League support, the Housing Alliance sent a letter on January 4, encouraging state leaders to introduce housing production bills in the 2024 session in line with principles outlined in the letter. Housing Alliance Membership Meeting : On Tuesday, January 23, the League will participate in the Housing Alliance’s Membership Meeting to vote on bill endorsements, via Zoom. Monday, January 29 is the voting deadline for bill endorsements, via an online form. House Interim Committee on Housing and Homelessness held an informational meeting on 1/11. H ousing and homeless representatives made presentations on the topics below. Note that Legislative Concepts (LCs) are being assigned to certain bills. When available, LC drafts will be posted on committee OLIS pages. · Financing affordable/moderate income housing · Committee Legislative Concepts Technical fix omnibus, LC 40 · Member Housing-Related Legislative Concepts Individual Development Account Funding , LC 151 · Oregon Housing and Community Services Legislation Implementation Updates , Shelter Operations Funding · Modular Housing The Senate Interim Committee on Housing and Development held an informational meeting on 1/10/2024. These housing topics were discussed. · Committee Budget Bill ( LC 158): Shelter Operation Needs · Recovery Housing · Affordable Housing Land Acquisition Revolving Loan Program · Emergency Rental Assistance Program · Public Safety Reports – 1-11-24 Public Safety Reports The Joint Addiction Committee discussed the Secretary of State Audit of the Ballot Measure 110 process at the January 10 hearing. The grants totaled $209.3 million awarded to Behavioral Health Networks to provide access to services. The reports listed harm reduction as the highest service followed by peer support and mentors. Other services were low barrier treatment, screening, needs assessments, supported housing and supported employment. Problems were reported: hiring staff for behavioral health services, providing housing costs and documenting poor usage of the hotline. Funding Medicaid services was the highest priority. The committee heard presentations on youth substance abuse and prevention plans through the Oregon Social Learning Center in Eugene. Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission leaders talked about prevention efforts in the counties and tribal areas. Treatment access with mobile units, sobering centers and residential programs were needed. Specialty Courts are operational within the Oregon Judicial System with the Lincoln County Court spot lighted as an example. The Criminal Justice Commission provides program funding and supervision. The Public Safety Subcommittee of Ways and Means discussed one of the primary needs for defense attorneys: for those in custody prior to hearings to determine release conditions and future hearings. Lack of defenders has delayed many cases and clogged court processes. The most urgent Oregon Public Defense Commission need was to provide funds for unrepresented cases (132 in custody). They cited 4,289 unrepresented cases of which 2,324 were pretrial, 268 parole or probation violations not in custody, and 1,365 on warrants. The Committee considered extending a Temporary Hourly Increase Program for six months through the end of June. This program was created to ensure that persons in custody have representation by public defenders in a timely fashion. In the meantime, it is anticipated that sufficient contract providers will be found so that people charged with crimes do not need to wait an inordinate period of time. Summer Learning By Katie Riley Different groups are working on a proposal for funding summer learning to be submitted by Rep. Susan McLain. The Governor’s office is working with the Department of Education. Another group with ODE representatives is working with a group of afterschool and summer providers called EASE. EASE has subgroups including data gathering and measurement, logistics, and professional development. These groups will provide input to the final bill. A key action to be required for the bill to succeed is for parents to come forward to testify about why care is needed for them to be able to work.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 1/16 Governance Team Coordinator: Becky Gladstone and Chris Cobey Artificial Intelligence: Lindsey Washburn Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill Conflicts of Interest/Legislative Ethics: Chris Cobey CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone Election Systems: Barbara Klein Emergency Preparedness: Cate Arnold Immigration, Refugee, and Asylum: Claudia Keith Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey State Audit Working Group: Sheila Golden Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Transparency By Rebecca Gladstone Two major bills that passed unanimously from committees in 2022 and failed to progress will now be moving in 2023. SB 2052 is the AG’s Oregon Data Broker Registry bill, heard in House Business and Labor. We called attention in our League testimony in support to data brokers influencing elections. We urge ongoing legislative attention to privacy, transparency, and cybersecurity issues because they evolve quickly. Other testimony spoke to biometrics revealing pregnancy since hips widen and gait recognition may perceive changes. Gait recognition may be a more reliable individual identifier than other biometric measurements. Data brokers can market geolocation information, also a privacy issue if they sell geolocation tracking information, for example to health clinics. Chair Holvey called our attention to the companion SB 619, not yet scheduled for public hearing. The Joint Committee for Information Management and Technology has three committee bills, none scheduled for hearings yet. The committee is introducing concepts and agency staff to new committee members. HB 2049 We will continue to support his cybersecurity omnibus committee bill. SB 625 We will be examining this IT procurement pilot program bill. SB 680 We may address this committee broadband development bill for the southern Oregon coast. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. Worthy causes go unaddressed for lack of League volunteers. If you see a need and can offer your expertise, please contact our staff at lwvor@lwvor.org .

/ Biennial Reports / Biennial Reports Biennial Report 2021-2023

local leagues Local Leagues In Oregon We have members throughout the state of Oregon and 15 local Leagues or state Units. Members who don't reside near a local League can join at the state level as a Member-At-State (MAS)! Most Leagues offer free or discounted membership for students. Join the League in your area! LWV of Clackamas County PO Box 411 Lake Oswego, OR 97034 Become a Member Go To Website LWV of Coos County PO Box 1571 Coos Bay, OR 97420 Become a Member Go To Website LWV of Corvallis PO Box 1679 Corvallis, OR 97339 Become a Member Go To Website LWV of Curry County PO Box 1859 Gold Beach, OR 97444 Become a Member Go To Website LWV of Deschutes County PO Box 1783 Bend, OR 97709 Become a Member Go To Website LWV of Klamath County PO Box 1226 Klamath Falls, OR 97601 Become a Member Go To Website LWV of Lane County 175 West B Street #2 | Island Professional Center Springfield, OR 97477 Become a Member Go To Website LWV of Lincoln County PO Box 1648 Newport, OR 97365 Become a Member Go To Website Linn County Unit 1330 12th St SE Suite 200 Salem, OR 97302 Become a Member Go To Website LWV of Marion/Polk Counties P. O. Box 421 Salem, OR 97308 Become a Member Go To Website LWV of Portland PO Box 3491 Portland, OR 97208 Become a Member Go To Website LWV of Rogue Valley PO Box 8555 Medford, OR 97501 Become a Member Go To Website LWV of Umpqua Valley PO Box 2434 Roseburg, OR 97470 Become a Member Go To Website Union County Unit 1330 12th St SE Suite 200 Salem, OR 97302 Become a Member Go To Website Washington County Unit 1330 12th St SE Suite 200 Salem, OR 97302 Become a Member Go To Website

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The LWVOR K-12 study is a set of three reports examining different aspects of K-12 education. K-12 Study About the Study The LWVOR K-12 study is a set of three reports examining different aspects of K-12 education. The LWVOR K-12 study is a set of three reports examining different aspects of K-12 education. The purpose of these reports is to provide background information so that League of Women Voter members in Oregon can reach consensus on issues regarding: Exceptional Learners School Safety Career and Technical Education The ultimate goal is to create positions which the League can use to advocate for or against legislation in the state. K-12 Exceptional Learners K-12 Exceptional Learners PDF K-12 Exceptional Learners Video K-12 Safe and Healthy School Resources K-12 Safe-and-Healthy Schools PDF K-12 Safe and Healthy Schools Video K-12 Exceptional Learners K-12 Exceptional Learners Consensus Form (Click on the link to download the Word document) K-12 Exceptional Learners Video ( Passcode: K96m^=@o) K-12 Safe and Healthy School Resources K-12 Safe and Healthy Schools Consensus Form (Click on the link to download the Word document) K-12 Safe and Healthy Schools Consensus Statements K-12 Safe and Healthy Schools Video Previous Next

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Note: Education reports after January, 2024, are included in Social policy reports. Education reports prior to February, 2024, can be found HERE . Please see the Legislation Tracker for 2025 Social Policy bills . Jump to topic: Age-Related Issues After School and Summer Behavioral Health Child Care Education Gun Policy Housing Legislation Immigration Age-Related Issues By Patricia Garner The House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services unanimously approved HB 3497 - Amendment 1 which requires 14-plus State agencies to consider the effects of their actions on older adult populations. It also establishes a Shared Future Oregon Task Force to develop a comprehensive framework to promote healthy aging and intergenerational connections, to prepare for the growth of Oregon’s older population and move Oregon towards becoming an age-friendly state. The bill now goes to Ways & Means for further consideration. After School and Summer By Katie Riley This past week was extremely busy as HB 3039 was dropped. It which would have appropriated moneys from the General Fund to the Department of Education and required the Department of Education to study methods for increasing the availability of summer and after-school academic and enrichment programs. HB 200 7 which would modify requirements for the summer learning program to emphasize literacy and accountability was amended to HB 2007-A and heard in the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education, and the Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education where it was passed. The accompanying funding bill HB 5047-A was also heard at the same time and passed. HB 5047 provides $35 million for summer 2025 and $47 million in 2026 and 27. It also funds the bill with a special summer learning grant fund outside the general fund; thereby, establishing a sustainable funding source that allows for advance planning. It is disappointing that the funding for HB 2007 will be tightly focused on literacy and testing and will not go to all districts; however, it is encouraging that funding will be provided for summer learning, the funding is being established in a separate source outside the general fund, and it will be provided over three years to allow for advance planning. It is hoped this bill will set a precedent for future allocations that will include specific funding for after school hours care with enriched programming that allows more opportunity for children to enjoy their time outside regular school hours while being inspired to pursue academics toward interesting career paths. HB 3941 , which was introduced to allocate $4,990,000 for a grant program to establish up to 5 community schools at $170,000 per year in matching funds, was scheduled for a work session on April 7th but it has been removed from the schedule. It is now dead. SB 1127 , which would have provided for grants to develop and provide educational activities during recess, lunch or after school for Title I elementary schools, was voted down in the Senate Committee on Education. It was noted that school foundations might be a better source of funding for these activities. Behavioral Health By Stephanie Aller and Patricia Garner SB 527 , which would provide grants to train high school students for entry-level behavioral health careers, was passed on April 3 and was referred to Ways and Means. HB 2056 - 1 , which appropriates $64,800,00 for community mental health programs, passed unanimously in the House Behavioral Health and Health Care Committee. It now heads to Ways & Means. HB 2059 (Behavioral Health Facilities), for which the League submitted testimony , will have a work session on April 8. The bill as amended provides $90 million for residential behavioral health facilities. HB 2467 - 3 : On April 3, 2025, the House Judiciary Committee held a Public Hearing on HB 2467 – Amendment 3 which seeks to define when and how a person can be civilly committed. These changes were submitted by the Forensic Health Work which was convened by the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Oregon (NAMI) and was chaired by Representative Jason Kropf. This Work Group included a wide group of individuals, organizations, elected officials, and judicial and legal officials. The changes are largely in line with those suggested in a proposed Amendment 1 which was discussed in a LWVOR Legislative Social Policy Report dated March 24, 2025, but was not formally filed. As stated in the Work Group Report, the ambiguity and breadth of current civil commitment standards has led Oregon courts to require a significant degree of acuity before authorizing civil commitment. Amendment 3 articulates specific factors which can support civil commitment on the basis of danger to self, danger to others and the inability to meet essential needs. It also provides guidance to courts by specifying what factors they “shall” and “may” consider. Critically, the bill acknowledges the importance of anosognosia which impairs individuals’ ability to recognize they have a mental illness, making them unlikely to seek or comply with treatment. Amendment 3 also authorizes courts to consider whether it is reasonably foreseeable that a person will engage in behavior that results in or is likely to result in harm to self or others, or fail to provide for basic personal needs in the near future, even if such behaviors are not “imminent.” A Work Session on the bill has been scheduled for April 8, 2025. Child Care By Katie Riley and Patricia Garner HB 3011 , which establishes the Early Childhood Education Workforce Development Fund and appropriates moneys in the fund to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to provide funding to community colleges and public universities in this state that offer early childhood education degrees and certificates will have a work session on April 8th in the House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. Testimony was submitted earlier in support of this bill. HB 2593 which would direct the Department of Early Learning and Care to study the impact on student parents and working parents who are on the Employment Related Day Care subsidy waitlist (currently over 10,000) is scheduled for a possible work session on April 8th in the House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services. HB 3835 - with Amendments 1 and 2 passed unanimously in the House Early Childhood and Human Services Committee and was sent for further consideration to Rules. Chair Hartman and Representative Rob Nosse made it very clear that they sent this bill to Rules with the understanding that it was being transferred for further discussion and not to die in the Committee. It is important to note that a bill addressing the same issues ( SB 1113 ) whose Chief Sponsor is Senator Gelser Blouin is scheduled for a Work Session on April 8, 2025. HB 3835 proposes significant changes in the use of restraint and seclusion of children in schools and child-care settings, as well as out-of-state placements of children. As it relates to schools, the bill defines these terms while also clarifying that wrongful restraint or seclusion does not include age-appropriate disciplinary measures aligned with the child’s development state and individual needs. Corporal punishment, wrongful restraint or wrongful seclusion are prohibited. Involuntary seclusion is permitted only if the student’s behavior poses a risk of imminent serious physical harm to the student or others, including animals, and there is not a less restrictive intervention which will reduce the risk. The OR State Board of Education is directed to adopt rules regarding investigations related to restraints and seclusions. Child-care settings include child caring agencies; proctor, foster, certified and adjudicated foster homes; and developmental disabilities residential facilities. The bill defines abuse of a child in these settings, including such acts as wrongful restraint, seclusion, involuntary servitude or trafficking, as well as failing to make reasonable efforts to protect the child from abuse, willfully inflicting physical pain or injury, verbally abusing a child by threatening significant physical or emotional, misappropriating money from any account held jointly or singly by a child in care, engaging in sexual abuse or harassment, and permitting a child to be photographed, filmed or taped in a manner that depicts sexual conduct or contact. Physical intervention in these settings is permitted if intervention is necessary to break up a physical fight or to effectively protect a person from an assault, other serious physical harm or sexual contact. There are a number of provisions regarding the process for releasing records regarding restraint or inclusion. Out-of-state and congregate care placements of children by the Department of Human Services (DHS) are allowed if the child requires specialized services and treatment and no suitable child-caring agencies are available in Oregon. The treatment provided by the placement must have rules consistent with those established by Oregon Health Authority (OHA). OHA may not place a child in an out-of-state placement unless it has verified that the placement is in good standing with the out-of-state’s licensing authority. DHS and the OHA are required to establish rules for the out-of-state placement approval process. DHS is permitted to place a child in a congregate care residential setting that is not a qualified residential treatment program and to extend the length of placement in a residential care facility or shelter-care home if certain standards are met. Both DHS and OHA are required to submit quarterly narrative reports to the Oregon System of Care Advisory Council. Education By Jean Pierce Federal Actions affecting Education in Oregon It is well-known that Governor Kotek has been focusing on literacy instruction, proposing $100 million more grant funding in the budget and urging passage of HB3040, which would study methods for improving early literacy outcomes. However, this week the Oregon Department of Education ended 5 math and literacy projects because the U.S. Department of Education terminated more than $2.5 million of funding 10 months ahead of schedule. The money had been approved by Congress in response to needs identified during the pandemic. The suspended programs include: Math Instructional Framework - Development of a math instructional framework to ensure students across the state are receiving the highest quality math instruction to support their learning and boost their outcomes. Oregon Literacy Practitioners Network - Establishment of a network of Oregon literacy ambassadors sharing best practices among educators to improve the quality of literacy instruction students receive around the state. Oregon Adolescent Literacy Framework Professional Learning Resources - Development of training modules, a collection of research and other literacy resources, as well as practical tools to support educators implementing the newly released Oregon Adolescent Literacy Framework for grades 6-12 in their classroom instruction. Instructional Framework - Development (including research and engagement) of a statewide instructional framework so that regardless of zip code Oregon students can count on excellent instruction. Regional In-Person Training For Educators - In partnership with Oregon’s Education Service Districts, provide five summits throughout the state (along with a communication campaign) for teams to use the new instructional resources in Early and Adolescent Literacy and prepare to bring this learning into their schools and classrooms. On April 4, the Supreme Court agreed – on a temporary basis - to permit the federal administration to suspend $65 million in teacher-training grants that the government contends promote diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Oregon has been receiving money through both of the grant programs affected –the Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) program and the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP). Oregon's focus with SEED funding has been to increase the size and diversity of the workforce. TQP grants supported training teachers for high-need schools and subject areas. Ban on Book Bans Based on Discrimination SB1098 : This bill passed the Senate with no amendment.The measure prevents licensed teachers, schools, and school districts from prohibiting the selection, retention, or use of library materials, textbooks, or instructional materials on the basis that the materials contain perspectives, stories, or are created by individuals or groups that are members of protected classes under Oregon's anti-discrimination law. A minority amendment and report which would have gutted provisions pertaining to discrimination failed to pass on the Senate Floor. Testimony supporting the bill far outweighed that in opposition.The floor discussion of the bill is captured on the recording beginning at 57:47. Other bills of interest: HB2009 / SB141 , which requires the Department of Education to study the adequacy of public education in this state, will have public hearings and work sessions on April 7 in both, the House and the Senate Education Committees HB 2251 , which directs school districts to adopt a policy that prohibits the use of student personal electronic devices, will have a work session in House Education on April 7. Testimony is mainly in support of the bill. HB 2729A - 6 , which appropriates $7,000.000 to increase school-based health care services, passed on a party line vote in the House Judiciary Committee. It was referred to Ways & Means. HB3004 , which directs the Youth Development Division to establish a statewide community violence prevention program, has a work session scheduled for April 7 in the House Committee on Education. HB3037 , which is designed to reduce the burden on small districts applying for grants, received a recommendation of Do Pass from the House Education Committee, which referred it to Ways and Means. SB1126 which prohibits withholding recess as a form of punishment, will be heard in Senate Education on April 7. Higher Education This week the House Higher Education Committee heard from leaders of public colleges and universities, who testified once again that Oregon is in the lowest quintile for state funding for higher education, and consequently the state ranks in the top fifth for tuition. Accordingly, our graduates have higher student debt than those from any of our surrounding states. The Oregon Council of Presidents is requesting $1.275 Billion for the Public University Support Fund this biennium, but that would still be 3-4 times less than needed in order to bring us up to average state spending on higher education. And, of course, higher ed institutions are currently experiencing much uncertainty regarding the future of federal grant monies, which pay for a number of faculty positions in the state. Gun Policy By Marge Easley As committee deadlines loom, gun bills are stacking up, and ambitious House and Senate agendas currently list hearings and/or work sessions for ten bills related to firearms on either April 7 or 8. There are lots of moving parts at the moment, and we will soon see whether some may have amendments, are folded into one omnibus bill, or fall by the wayside. House Judiciary Work sessions on HB 3884 (allows a firearm licensee to store a firearm temporarily for an individual), HB 3075 (implementation of Measure 114) and HB 3076 (licensing of gun dealers) in House Judiciary are slated for April 7. A public hearing and possible work session on HB 3074 is slated for April 8. We have just learned that the -1 amendment of this bill will replace SB 203 —a study of extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) that aims to increase their frequency of use in Oregon. Senate Judiciary On April 7, public hearings and possible work sessions are scheduled for SB 696 - ban on rapid fire devices- ( League testimony );, SB 697 -age 21 to purchase a firearm- ( League testimony ); SB 698 - expand “gun-free zones” in public spaces- ( League testimony ); and SB 429 -72-hour wait to transfer a firearm- ( League testimony ). They will also hear SB 243 and its amendments which combine some or all of the previous four bills. SB 1015 (establishes a grant program for community violence reduction) is on the agenda for April 8. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona On April 2, the Senate Committee on Housing and Development scheduled a hearing on SB 1155 aimed at assisting pregnant persons and their families attain stable housing . Under this legislation, Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) would create a program targeted towards low-income pregnant persons and their families that would help them obtain safe, accessible and affordable housing. Owners of rental housing projects financed by OHCS would be allowed to set aside housing units designated for program participants. OHCS would give priority to the rental housing development applicants by modifying their existing scoring criteria. The housing would be subject to a state affordable housing covenant, in which housing affordability for low-income households is maintained for at least ten years. The housing must be sized to meet the needs of the family and located in proximity to employment, schools, community and health services, commercial centers, and other community assets to benefit family members. Without the challenges of housing instability, this pilot program will help low-income households pursue goals for their future. The League wrote testimony in support of this bill. Immigration By Becky Gladstone and Claudia Keith Bill # Description Policy Committee Status Fiscal M$ Chief Sponsors+ Comments SB 149 Immigration Study SCJ PH & WS 4/7 Y Sen Jama DHS SB 599A Immig status: discrimnation in RealEstate transactions H Judiciary Sen Campos SB 611 Food for All Oregonians - for undocumented SC HS - JWM Work Sess 4/8 Y Sen Campos Rep Ruiz SB 703 a bipartisan immigration status update funding bill JWM 6 Sen Reynolds, Rep Neron, Ruiz, Smith G Testimony HB 2548 Agricultural Workforce Labor Standards Board. HC LWPS WS 4/7 Rep Valderrama, Nelson , Munoz League Testimony HB 2976 funding for interpretation of indigenous languages. JWM Rep Hartman HB2788 funding to nonprofits to assist w lawful permanent resident status / legal aid - HC ECHS - JWM dead Rep Neron, Ruiz, Sen Reynolds * likely end of session Reconcilation Bill HB 2586 nonresident tuition exemption for asylum seekers. Sen Ed RepHudson, SenCampos HB 2543 fundsfor universal representation and gives funds to Oregon State Bar for legal immigration matters HC Jud ? 15 Rep Valderrama, Sen Manning Jr, Rep Walters, Andersen, McLain, Sen Campos DAS - see sb 703 HB3193A Farm Worker Relief Fund JWM 10 Rep Marsh, SenPham, RepValderrama OHA HB 5002 Oregon Worker Relief Fund JCWM-GG ? 7 Das Public Safety By Karen Nibler The Public Defense Services Consortium has been in front of the Ways and Means Public Safety Committee recently. Since it has been reorganized, the presentations by the staff have been detailed with attorneys working under the new system giving their perspective. The new agency operates under the Executive Branch. The House Judiciary Committee listened to proposals for public defenders in County Circuit Court Districts. HB 3376 proposes an office of district defender in each county court. The Early Childhood and Human Services Committee heard testimony on HB 3835 which deals with restraint and seclusion practices within foster care placements and special education programs. The testimony was extensive and the bill will undoubtedly be amended. Look for new developments. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Governance , and Natural Resources report sections.

< Back Revenue LWVOR Advocacy Positions Note: these are condensed versions. See the complete positions in Issues for Action . 2026 Legislative Priority ASSURE ADEQUATE REVENUE from all levels of government to provide essential services while promoting equitable and progressive tax policy. Address changes in federal taxation. Consider new revenue to fund services Oregonians need. Positions Governance Economic Development Revenue Bonds LWVOR supports the authority to issue Economic Development Revenue Bonds by the state, ports, and cities with more than 300,000 population. 2. In addition to the Economic Development Revenue Bond program, LWVOR supports other state and local economic stimulants Fiscal Policy Evaluating Taxes —any tax proposal should be evaluated with regard to its effect on the entire tax structure. Fiscal Responsibility —local government should have primary responsibility for financing non-school local government. Local services mandated by the state should have state funding. Income Tax—i ncome tax is the most equitable means of providing state revenue. The income tax should be progressive, compatible with federal law and should apply to the broadest possible segment of Oregonians. Sales Tax— A sales tax should be used with certain restrictions Property Tax —local property taxes should partially finance local government and local services. Exemptions to the general property tax include: a. Charitable, educational and benevolent organizations, etc. b. School District Financing. The major portion of the cost of public schools should be borne by the state, which should use a stable system to provide sufficient funds to give each child an equal, adequate education. Previous Next

Google workspace tutorials from the LWV of Oregon. Google Workspace Tutorials Here you'll find everything you need to start using Google Workspace apps like Gmail, Docs, and Drive in the context of League work. Get Started 01 Google Workspace Learning Center The Google Workspace Learning Center offers tutorials and walkthroughs of all Google products and apps. Below you can find direct links to the top Google products used at the League: Google Doc Sharing Basics Excel and Google Sheets Best Practices Get Started With Goo gle Ca lendar Learn About Google Groups How to Reply to Google Reviews (Tips & Examples) 02 Zoom Tutorials and Meeting Recordings Links to Zoom tutorials. Learn how to get started on Zoom! Google Workspace Office Hours July 2024 03 Interactive Resources and Guides The State League (and local Leagues) use a resource called Scribe to produce play-by-play image tutorials of many League functions. We offer several Scribe tutorials on a variety of Google subjects below: Uploading a document to Google Drive Moving a document in Google Drive Google Workspace: Getting Started Set Up Your Google Calendar Navigating Google Drive Uploading Google Doc to a Drive Have a topic you want to see covered in a tutorial? Get in touch! Please send any requests for tutorial topics via this form. First Name Last Name Email Topic Request Send Thanks for submitting!

/ Join / Donating to LWVOR / Donating to LWVOR Your contributions to the League of Women Voters of Oregon, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. There are multiple ways you can donate to LWVOR: Donate via our secure online form . Set up a monthly checking account deduction. If you name LWVOR as a beneficiary of your IRA or 401(k), your distribution will not be taxed. Beneficiary forms are available from your account administrator. Leaving a bequest to the LWVOR in your Will or Trust may lower estate taxes, although we recommend consulting with an estate planning professional. Notifying the League of your plans will ensure that we follow through with your wishes. Designate a percentage of your life insurance policy to benefit the LWVOR. Donating stocks, bonds, or mutual funds to the LWVOR is tax deductible and may reduce your capital gains taxes. Giving our League an endowment is pivotal to the continuance of LWVOR’s 100+ years of influence on voting rights and voter education in Oregon. Your generous gifts can create a perpetual revenue stream for the League. Investing $25 can give the League $1 annually, based on 4% expected market gains. The Oregon Community Foundation manages close to 450 endowments for the benefit of communities throughout Oregon and is now celebrating its 50th year.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 3/13 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Agriculture Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Land Use/Housing Recycling Toxics Water Wildfire By Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, and Team St. Patrick’s Day has passed. And so has the chance for many of the more than 2,800 bills and resolutions introduced to pass this session. Bills in most policy committees needed to be scheduled for a Work Session by end of day on March 17 unless they are in Revenue, Rules or a Joint Committee. Their next important date is April 4 when they must pass out of the policy committee. One last tip: Watch for the “relating clause” on bills. Any bill can be amended or proposed to be amended if the content of the amendment fits within the relating clause. That’s why LWVOR gets nervous when we see “relating to land use” or “relating to water”! Of course, whatever the content, it must pass both the Senate and House and be signed by the Governor before becoming law. Agriculture The Dept. of Agriculture (ODA) budget ( HB 5002 and HB 5003 ) was heard this week. The Ways and Means ODA presentation provides a great deal of data around Oregon agriculture. Note on page 37 where our nursery and cattle industries continue to vie for top commodity. Budgets/Revenue Look for the Ways and Means Co-Chairs Budget Framework to be provided this week to guide the Subcommittees as they consider all the agency budgets. That Framework will provide the amount of money each Subcommittee should expect to spend for their assigned budgets and any policy bills that might be assigned to them. Of course, the May 17 Revenue Forecast will provide the final guide. The Columbia River Gorge Commission budget ( HB 5008 ) was heard March 13. The League provided testimony in support. The Oregon Dept. of Agriculture (ODA) budget ( HB 5002 and HB 5003 ) was heard March 14-15. Public testimony was due on March 16. Oregon Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) budget ( SB 5509 ) is set for March 20-21 with public testimony on March 22. Dept. of Agriculture grant requests will be heard March 23. Dept. of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) ( HB 5018 and HB 5019 ) budgets the week of March 27. Here’s the DEQ one-pager . Tentative date for the Oregon Water Resources Dept. (OWRD) budget ( HB 5043 ) is early April. Here is their one-pager . The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) budget ( SB 5539 & SB 5540 ) is tentatively scheduled the week of April 10. Legislators will need to assure that General Fund monies allocated in 2021-2022 drought and wildfire packages and awarded will be available for reimbursement if the projects go into 2023-25. That funding continuation was not included in the Governor’s budget for OWEB. On March 15, the biennial Harvest Tax bill, HB 2087 , had a public hearing. LWVOR provided comments expressing concerns but supporting if this bill is all that is available for helping fund forestry programs. A Budget Report was provided for HB 2001 that clarifies that some monies are coming from 2021-23 while most from the 2023-25 biennium. The same is true in the Budget Report for HB 5019 . Also, there is a Budget Note on pages 3-4 of the LFO Recommendation. SB 4 , semiconductor funding requests, has amendments and more public hearings and possible Work Sessions. SB 4 currently has a $210 million price tag but amendments could require sessions in House Revenue related to tax credits. Climate By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. There are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. Coastal Issues By Christine Moffitt/Peggy Lynch HB 3382 , a bill that would provide certain Ports with an exception from our land use planning system to allow dredging and other activities around these Ports without the current public process and federal consistency requirements had a public hearing in the Joint Committee on Transportation . State agencies that administer permits that could be affected by the legislation provided information on their processes and implications of the proposed legislation on certain state permits. The League provided testimony in opposition. This bill is a serious threat to our Coastal Zone Management Plan and we have joined with other coastal advocates to oppose this bill. The only filed testimony in support came from the bill’s sponsor, the Oregon Ports Association, although a number of legislators testified in favor as did former State Rep. Brian Clem who is an investor in a container ship proposal at Coos Bay. The League expects to be engaged in discussions around the main reason for the bill (Coos Bay) as the sponsors seek to find a solution to their wish to deepen and widen the Coos Bay channel. The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) is considering the adoption of amendments to Part Three of the Oregon Territorial Sea Plan (TSP), the Rocky Habitat Management Strategy. A draft of the proposed rules and fiscal statements is available on DLCD’s website. A first public hearing for this rulemaking is set for March 22 in Newport at 12:00PM at the Guin Library on the Hatfield Marine Science Campus. LCDC is scheduled to consider adoption of the new amendments during their April 20-21 meeting. Please contact Casaria Taylor, Casaria.taylor@dlcd.oregon.gov for further information. Address written comments to the Chair LCDC, care of Casaria Taylor via email. If you have questions about the proposed rules, contact Andy Lanier at 503-206-2291, or email: Andy.Lanier@dlcd.oregon.gov . The agenda for LCDC’s April 20 meeting will be available on DLCD’s website . LWVOR has supported this work and may provide testimony before LCDC in April. The Oregon Ocean Science Trust (OOST) has scheduled its next meeting for April 5 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, in-person only but open to the public at the Hatfield Marine Science Center, Library Seminar Room – Guin Library,2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport. The meeting will focus exclusively on Strategic Planning. Oregon Ocean Science Trust/Oregon Department of State Lands webpage and Oregon Ocean Science Trust website . Dept. of Environmental Quality By Peggy Lynch SB 835 , a bill that seemed to require that DEQ or county public health, whichever is responsible for septic system permits, to approve the use of the septic system currently used by the primary residence to also allow an accessory dwelling unit to be connected to the same system. LWVOR provided testimony with concerns that seem to be addressed by the -1 amendment . The bill will have a Work Session on March 20. Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) By Peggy Lynch The League provided testimony on a suite of bills with Work Sessions on March 20: SB 220 , SB 221 and SB 222 . You can find our testimony on the bills’ websites. Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) By Peggy Lynch The prospective Board for the ESRF met on March 13 and heard a draft budget presentation. The League continues to follow the transition to a separate state agency, the ESRF Authority, but has concerns regarding the funding for this new agency. It is supposed to survive on minimum timber harvests, grants, federal funds and philanthropic donations. Right now the budget doesn’t pencil out. A new bill, SB 161 with the -1 amendment has been filed to address work to be done and changing a date from July to November. The ESRF website notes a next prospective Board meeting on April 10. Land Use/Housing By Peggy Lynch The League provided testimony in opposition to HB 3442 , a bill that would require local governments to allow development of certain affordable housing on certain lands within 100-year floodplain or subject to property development constraints under land use regulations related to natural disasters and hazards. Local governments have development codes that should address these issues and the state should not REQUIRE this action. Local governments have a better understanding of the hazards and mitigation that might be needed so housing is placed in safe places. A public hearing was held on March 16 with a Work Session scheduled for March 23. A new bill popped up that would create a new Housing Accountability and Production Office in DLCD: HB 3414 . A public hearing will be held March 23. The bill, filed late, has Speaker Rayfield’s name as one of the sponsors so we are certain that it will continue to be discussed. SB 4 that includes “supersiting” authority by the Governor for many acres of farmland “just in case” the semiconductor industry might want to build a new facility in Oregon is still alive. In the Joint Committee on Semiconductors, the committee can continue the work throughout the session. We provided testimony in opposition only to Section 10 of the bill. A number of amendments have been proposed and public hearings and possible work sessions continue. See above in the Budget/Revenue section of this Report for the status of last week’s housing bills and also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report for details. Reduce/Recycle By Kathy Moyd HB 3220 : Modifies provisions of the electronics recycling program. Expands definition of covered electronic device. Establishes criteria for electronics producer responsibility programs. Directs Environmental Quality Commission to establish fee calculated to cover costs to department of carrying out program. Passed the House Climate, Energy, and Environment Committee with a unanimous vote. SB 545 -1 Directs Oregon Health Authority to adopt rules allowing restaurants to allow consumers to fill consumer-owned containers with food. Requires authority to adopt rules that take effect no later than June 30, 2024. The bill passed the Senate on March 15 per this press release . Toxics As a member of the Oregon Conservation Network, we were pleased to see the OCN Letter in support of HB 3043 , the Toxic Free Kids Act Modernization. LWVOR has engaged in this bill in past sessions. Water By Peggy Lynch The continued scarcity of water in Oregon is the focus of many bills being considered this session. It is unclear which bills listed in our last report will receive a Work Session and stay alive. At the writing of this report, we can share only one: HB 3208 that would expand the Environmental Quality Commission’s authority to annually adjust additional water quality fees up to 3% per year was heard and a work session on this bill is scheduled for March 16. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. We have an on-going drought throughout Oregon and League members may want to check the U.S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. California is beginning to look much better, but Oregon continues to have concerns. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers Recent actions by the Senate Committee on Natural Resources relating to two wildfire bills, SB 509 and SB 82 , mentioned in the last LR, are detailed below. SB 509-2 , the community wildfire risk reduction bill, was amended to remove elements related to home hardening against wildfire risk, and move them to another bill, SB 80 (notice that it’s “relating to wildfire” and may well be moved to another committee since there is no hearing nor work session scheduled for this bill); and add a 20-year Strategic Plan to holistically address wildfire risk and mitigation. SB 509-2 was forwarded to W&Ms. Meeting details, including all supporting materials, may be found here . Discussing SB 509-2, Chief Mariana Ruiz-Temple of the State Fire Marshal’s office (OSFM) outlined the tasks assigned to their office with this bill, which will include improved communications with the public and developing the 20-year Strategic plan to address wildfire risk mentioned above. In addition, a Neighborhood Protection Cooperative program will be developed, building on an existing Fire Protection Program, designed to help Oregonians reduce their risk, and focusing on communities, where previously the focus has been more on individual parcels. This was in response to having received much feedback from the public that artificial lines between areas hinder progress on resiliency. Also, Senator Golden pointed out the utility/necessity of setting standards for homeowner and community education on defensible space measures that will be recommended by future consultants who will receive training as part of this effort to reduce risk. OSFM is also directed to create a central consolidated website so the public, which has been vocal in its frustration with navigating the over-abundance of online wildfire information sites, may more easily access wildfire information of all types, including grant and educational opportunities, in one place. SB 82-3 addresses wildfire risk and how insurers operate in that space, was amended and forwarded to the chamber floor. Andrew Stolfi, Director/Insurance Commissioner, Department of Consumer Services, gave an overview of the amended bill. The bill gives definitions of terms to provide clarity and outlines a number of consumer protections. Among those, insurers will be required to improve notices they send to consumers that relate to cancellation, non-renewal or increase of premium on their homeowners’ policies, giving them more information about the data behind their decision, and actions homeowners might take to improve their risk and possibly reduce their premiums. In addition, insurers will be required to extend the timeframe in which homeowners must rebuild after wildfire, after much public outcry. Finally, the bill prohibits insurers from using any Wildfire Map created by the State as grounds for cancellation, non-renewal or increase of premium on homeowners’ policies. He mentioned that the insurance companies are in agreement with the measures outlined in the bill. On March 15, Senate Natural Resources held a Work Session on SB 644-4, which removes certain requirements relating to wildfire risk maps, in light of the current absence of a map, for development of accessory dwelling units on lands zoned for rural residential use. The bill was adopted and sent to the chamber floor. A Public Hearing was held on SB 1012 , which provides for a homestead rebuilt by the same owner on the same lot to replace a homestead destroyed by September 2020 wildfires to temporarily have frozen assessed value equal to destroyed homestead assessed value for 2020-2021 property tax year. HB 3446 was mentioned as a bill with similar aims. Next up was SB 839 which directs the State Forestry Department to establish a pilot grant program for the purpose of managing wildfire risk by promoting use of air curtains by persons that make biochar. This method could reduce smoke and particulates related to disposing of removed fuel by 80% according to Senator Brock Smith. The final wildfire bill related hearing was on SB 928 which instructs State Forester, or forest protective association or agency that is under contract or agreement with State Board of Forestry for protection of forestland against fire, and whose protection area is or may be affected by fire on nearby federal lands, to take certain actions to address fire. The aim of this bill is to bolster and improve wildfire response, by leveraging and improving upon existing processes for cooperation and collaboration between Federal and State Departments and Agencies, with direct actions and areas of cooperation outlined more clearly. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The 2023 legislative session is almost halfway over. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered.

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