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How to navigate the LWVOR website. / Website Tutorials / Website Tutorials Navigating the LWVOR Website Website Member's Section Webinar This webinar takes you step-by-step through the process of signing up, logging in, and accessing the resources in the password protected area of our website. Watch the Webinar

Event page for the LWVOR Fall Workshop. Event is closed. Fall Workshop 2023 Thank you for attending LWVOR's Fall Workshop! Please let us know about your experience at the event. Submit your evaluation form here . Agenda 10:00 AM Welcome from Board and guest speakers, coffee and pastries 10:10 AM LWV Liaison for Oregon: Alexis Juday-Marshall 10:20 AM Membership and Leadership Development (MLD) Update 10:30 AM Voter Service Update: Peggy Bengry, Ballot Measure Chair 10:45 AM Outreach Circle presentation (virtual) 11:15 AM Lunch 11:30 AM Keynote Speaker (Elections Director Molly Woon) through Lunch (virtual) 12:30 PM Youth Council / Oregon Student Mock Election / Youth Outreach Workshop + Facilitated Q&A 1:45 PM Closing remarks Program Printable program available here , featuring speaker bios and full event agenda. Keynote and LWVUS Speaker Biographies Molly Woon (she/her) - Elections Director Molly is the Elections Director and is responsible for the administration of Oregon's vote by mail elections system by working closely with state agencies, 36 counties throughout Oregon, and the division’s dedicated staff. She oversees the state initiative, referendum and candidate processes, as well as campaign finance regulations and state voting resources. Born and raised in the Northwest, this is Molly’s second stint working in the Secretary of State's Office. In 2015 and 2016, she served as the Communications Director for Oregon Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins, overseeing communications for implementation of the Oregon’s first-in-the-nation system of automatic voter registration, Oregon Motor Voter. Read more. Alexis Juday-Marshall (she/her) - LWV Liaison to Oregon Alexis Juday-Marshall joined the League of Women Voters in late 2018. During her time in the Washington State League, Alexis was a member of the Observer Corps, which presented an opportunity to see government in action and to promote transparency and accountability in government processes. As a climate action guide and co-chair of the Environmental Committee of King County/Seattle, she collaborated with other members and local officials to increase public engagement on climate change matters. She also served as a Delegate for the LWVUS for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland. Read more. Luana Chaires (she/her) - LWVUS Digital Relational Organizing Manager Luana Chaires is a digital relational organizing manager with the League of Women Voters where she is using her direct-service and advocacy experiences to increase equity in democracy by working closely with League affiliates. Additionally, Luana works directly with state and local Leagues to strengthen their digital organizing muscle and oversee the development and rollout of League In Action nationwide. You can learn more about Luana and her colleagues' work here . Luana holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from St. Edward’s University. Throughout her undergraduate career, Luana became committed to better understanding the principle of fair equal representation. As a Ronald McNair scholar, Luana focused her undergraduate research on evaluating the impact of independent redistricting commissions have on voter turnout and level of competition in congressional elections. Read more. Youth Council Speaker Biographies Celine Ioffe (she/her) - LWVOR Youth Council President Celine is a high school senior in Portland and LWV Washington County member who is passionate about reproductive justice and our legal system. She is actively involved in Columbia Willamette Teen Council, a peer education and leadership program where members learn medically accurate and inclusive sexual health information, lead classroom presentations and organize events in schools and their communities around sexual health awareness. Celine interned for a DUI and domestic violence law firm last summer, and plans to attend university and law school after graduating in summer of 2024. She will be leading a diverse team of Youth Council members to build effective power in their communities to achieve their goals. Read more. CHRIS WALKER (he/him) - LWVOR Off-Board Liaison and Youth Council Vice President Chris Walker is a Legislative Scholar advocating for more affordable higher education at the University of Oregon while majoring in Planning, Public Policy and Management, with a minor in Business Administration. Chris ran a nonprofit serving disadvantaged Oregon youth, has interned in Congress, and on Friday, February 10th, 2023 he was appointed to a ground-breaking role as a strong, influential voice as the League of Women Voters of Oregon Youth Liaison. Chris feels a definite stake in the commitment of our state and local Leagues to encourage youth leadership, and is mentoring a new LWVOR Youth Council inviting youth across Oregon to get connected and involved by emailing him at youthcrew@lwvor.org or messaging on their Instagram at @lwvoryouthcouncil Read more. NIVEDITA GIANI (she/her) - LWVOR Youth Council Advocacy Chair Nivedita Giani is attending Sunset High School and is a member of the League of Women Voters of Portland. She is passionate about advocating for climate justice, reproductive rights, and workplace equity. She is currently the national delegate for Sunrise PDX, an organization committed to combating climate change. She is actively involved in a local campaign as well as a national campaign to help make public transportation more accessible and widespread. She is a staunch advocate for the Green New Deal due to the prospect of decarbonization and sustainable good paying union jobs for all. Read more. DEENIE BULYALERT (they/she) - LWVOR Youth Council DEIJ Co-Chair and Events Chair Deenie is the DEIJ co-chair and Planning and Events Chair of the League of Women Voters of Oregon Youth Council and they are excited to build effective civic engagement in Oregon communities. They are passionate about nonprofit work and advocacy for marginalized communities, specifically LGBTQ+, BIPOC and disabled youth. Deenie believes in the fight for improved mental health access for all and runs a coalition to support their efforts in these areas. Read more. MILANA SLOAN (she/her) - LWVOR Youth Council DEIJ Co-Chair and Youth Vote Committee Mila Sloan is attending University of Oregon majoring in Public Planning, Policy and Management and is a member of the League of Women Voters of Oregon. She is passionate about social justice for marginalized communities and has active volunteer and nonprofit experience with HIV Alliance in Eugene with formal training on Diversity, Equity, Harm Reduction, and Inclusive Language in relation to sexual orientation and health. Read more. DEIJ Toolkit A DEIJ Resource for League Members Learn more about DEIJ practices for your League and community. Get the Toolkit Youth Council Slides Learn more about Youth Council Book a Youth Council speaker! Youth Council Fall Workshop presentation slides Outreach Circle/League In Action Resources More about League In Action/OutreachCircle Thank you to our sponsors and supporters! Members of the League of Women Voters

Contact the League of Women Voters of Oregon with questions or comments. Contact Get in Touch 1330 12th St SE Suite 200 Salem, OR 97302 lwvor@lwvor.org | 503-581-5722 First Name Last Name Email Subject Type Your Message Here Send Thanks for submitting! We Need Your Support Today! Donate

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 2/3 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: Social Policy, Immigration, Hate Crimes Government Ethics Election Systems Social Policy, Immigration, Hate Crimes By Becky Gladstone We are following numerous bills relating to immigration, discrimination, bias and hate crimes, including as they relate to privacy. We are following national executive orders and memos that relate to our December action alert, anticipating developments. See the LWVOR alert and the LWVUS press release . HB 2341 : The League’s was the only testimony filed. We supported adding email address access for certain veterans and service member correspondence, based on “efficiency in government”. The bill passed unanimously in work session, from H Comm On Emergency Mngmt, Gen Gov, and Veterans . SJM 1 : We are preparing testimony on this bill, urging Congress to protect rights of armed forces and their families. It mentions bias and hate crimes. A work session is scheduled in Sen Comm On Vets, Emergency Management, Fed and World Affairs on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 1pm to return the bill to the Senate President for committee reassignment. SB 5535 : Time allowing, this DAS agency budget bill may be addressed, public hearing Wed, Feb. 5. New LWVOR Action Committee volunteers have joined to work on artificial intelligence and other cyber issues. Government Ethics By Chris Cobey The House Rules Committee heard five bills from the Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC) on Jan. 27. The OGEC Director Meyers said that these bills are “simply efforts to clean up inconsistencies and eliminate confusion with respect to the application of the statutes.” HB 2923 specifies some business roles that must be included on a Statement of Economic Interest disclosure form. HB 2927 permits the OGEC to prolong an investigation into alleged ethics law or lobbying violations by no more than 60 days. The current 30 days allowed is ineffective since it would not extend to the next OGEC meeting. HB 2928 removes the prohibition on offering gifts in excess of $50 per calendar year to a public official, candidate, or to a relative or member of their household. This is the OGEC’s most controversial proposal since they justified it with a 2009 court case that overturned this statute. However, later written testimony said that a 2020 court case “abrogated” the 2009 decision. See Oregonian, Should special interests get to offer Oregon officials luxury gifts? Four people opposed this bill, and the League will also likely oppose it. HB 2930 applies conflict of interest laws to people who live in the same house as a public official. The only two witnesses (OGEC executive director and another OGEC employee) were in favor of the bill. Two public comments were received (one from Dan Meek on behalf of the OR Progressive Party), both in support of the bill. HB 2932 allows a public official to get paid for teaching at certain schools, even when related to their public office. Election Systems By Barbara Klein A bill related to Open Primaries ( HB 3166 ) on which LWVOR has been working, has not yet been amended. The anticipated amendments may change LWVOR support (or no support) status. It has been moved to the Rules committee. HB 2876 seeks to conform all county election structures statewide, making every county commission a nonpartisan board of five (5) commissioners (unless voters of the county choose not to do so). It is currently in Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 2/27 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 Gun Safety Criminal Justice Human Services Housing Gun Safety By Marge Easley As implementation of Measure 114 (permit-to-purchase and high-capacity magazine ban) remains in limbo awaiting court decisions, a bill has just been introduced by several Republican legislators that would, in effect, allow counties to opt out of enforcing the measure. HB 3445 gives a county the authorization to adopt an ordinance to make Measure 114’s permit-to-purchase requirements optional for county sheriffs, police chiefs, gun dealers, and county residents. Although the bill will likely fail to progress and has not yet been referred to a committee, we will keep you informed of its progress. SB 993 , sponsored by Senator Brian Boquist and referred to the Senate Judiciary, is an interesting bill that we will be keeping an eye on. It creates the crimes of pointing a firearm at another person and unlawful carrying of a handgun, increases penalties for crimes of criminal trespass while in possession of a firearm, and directs the Oregon State Police to maintain a database of those convicted of crimes related to firearms. Meanwhile, gun sales continue to soar in Oregon. Here are some alarming facts from a recent article in 247wallst.com : “ The FBI conducted an estimated 55,581 background checks related to firearm sales in Oregon in January 2023, up 88.7% from the same period in 2022. Adjusting for population, this comes out to about 13.1 background checks for every 1,000 people, the most among states.” Criminal Justice By Marge Easley & Karen Nibler The League submitted supportive testimony on two bills, both heard on February 27 in the House Judiciary, related to programs at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. HB 2535 establishes a doula program for pregnant and postpartum adults in custody that would provide an array of doula services overseen by an onsite pregnancy coordinator. The bill also prohibits shackling during labor, childbirth, or postpartum recovery. HB 2731 authorizes the long-term continuation of the Family Preservation Project under the auspices of the Oregon Justice Commission (OJC) and the Department of Corrections. This program, supported by the League in previous sessions, promotes family connections during incarceration and is a lifeline for inmates and their children. The League submitted testimony on HB 2327 , which was heard on March 2 in the House Judiciary Committee. The bill permits county juvenile departments to provide preventive services for children under 12 who engage in delinquent behavior. The League is pleased that another criminal justice bill we have supported is moving forward: SB 529 , relating to alternative incarceration programs for those suffering from addiction disorders, passed the Senate on January 22 and is now awaiting referral to a House committee. The Senate Judiciary scheduled SB 519 A for a hearing on March 2 on an amendment. The bill related to juvenile delinquency records and expunction will stipulate the process within the juvenile system. The amendment proposes requirements for the destruction of records and possible damages for confidentiality violations. The League did not testify on the legalities in this bill but supports expunction of juvenile records. SB 763 is a related bill that has opposition from the District Attorneys Association and has not moved forward. Human Services By Karen Nibler Senate Human Services took testimony on March 27 from many citizens on the need for food programs through the Department of Human Services . SB 609 , SB 610 and SB 856 covered higher education graduate students, immigrants from Asian countries and Pacific Islanders, who expressed the need for the food programs. The Human Services Ways and Means Subcommittee will consider the costs and the decisions in the Department of Human Services Budget process. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona Significant strides are being made to address Governor Kotek’s executive order declaring housing and homelessness a state emergency. A bipartisan and bicameral process is in action, and bills are being passed on near unanimous votes. Legislators are meeting more frequently than originally scheduled. HB 2001-11 Oregon Housing and Community Services Governor’s Budget The Oregon Legislature is moving quickly to address urgent homeless and housing priorities. On 2/28, the House Committee on Housing and Homeless passed HB 2001-11. The estimated $200 million dollar package will fund the Governor’s Homeless State of Emergency, prevent more people from becoming unhoused, make affordable housing a top priority for the state, and much more. The bill is headed to Ways and Means, and lawmakers aim to pass the final package by mid-March in response to the current housing and homeless crisis facing Oregonians. A complete list with descriptions of the bill’s 11 amendments can be found at: HB 2001-11 Metro Regional Multi-Agency Coordination Group On Friday, February 24, Governor Kotek convened the first meeting of the Metro Regional Multi-Agency Coordination Group. This group includes representatives from local jurisdictions, public housing authorities, local homelessness agencies, rapid rehousing service providers, shelter developers and operators, landlord associations and behavioral health providers. Its formation came out of the governor’s declaration ( EO 23-02 ), of a homeless state of emergency. MAC groups also will be established in other regions: 1) Central Oregon, 2) Eugene, Springfield, and Lane County, 3) Medford, Ashland, and Jackson County, and 4) Salem, Marion, and Polk Counties. The MAC groups will provide planning, coordination, and operational leadership and be responsible for working with landlords and unsheltered people to move them into housing stability. They will work with Oregon Housing and Community Services and the Office of Emergency Management to meet the following goals by January 10, 2024: Prevent 8,750 households from becoming homeless statewide; Add 600 low-barrier shelter beds in emergency areas; and Rehouse at least 1,200 unsheltered households in emergency areas. This work depends on the Legislature passing the governor’s proposed funding package. SB 976 - Mortgage Interest Deduction Oregon’s largest housing subsidy, the Mortgage Interest Deduction, costs the state about $1 billion per biennium in reduced revenue. Benefits primarily go to wealthier homeowners who live in urban areas. SB 976 would place limits on the deduction by prohibiting its use for second homes and reducing the amount a household can deduct based on income. The resulting increase in state revenue would be placed in a newly created Oregon Housing Opportunity Account. Resources in the account would flow through Oregon Housing and Community Services to promote affordable homeownership and prevent homelessness. Write your senators and encourage them to schedule a hearing on this common sense proposal.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - December Interim 2024 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: Afterschool and Summer Behavioral Health Education Higher Education Gun Policy Healthcare Housing Public Safety Workplace Age Discrimination Social Policy By Jean Pierce, Social Policy Coordinator and Team Afterschool and Summer By Katie Riley The Governor’s budget includes $80 million for summer school but it is not clear whether that includes summer child care. The HB4082 task force that was formed from last session held a follow up meeting on November 20 from their August summit to gather more community input. Final recommendations have not come out yet and no reports from ODE were scheduled for Legislative Days for either the House or Senate Education Committees. Behavioral Health By Stephanie Aller The House Interim Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care met on 12/11/2024. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA), presented an update on the findings of the Behavioral Health Workforce Workgroup created by HB 2235 (2023). The Workgroup is studying recruitment and retention issues facing behavioral health workers. According to the Workgroup, key problems include: Low reimbursement rates and pay Administrative burdens/paperwork Shortage of providers with advanced degrees, especially in rural areas Licensing barriers Lack of career pathways/workforce development Extra burdens facing cultural and linguistically specific providers Extra burdens for CMHP and COA organizations The Workgroup’s recommendations include more support for workers through paid professional development, loan repayment, zero cost training programs, paid internships, childcare, and housing support. They also recommended increased wellness and safety support. The Workgroup’s first report is due in January 2025 and a second report focusing on legislative actions is due in December 2025. Chair Rob Nosse noted that he believes bills about licensure compacts are coming and asked if the Workgroup discussed this topic. Although the Workgroup discussed compacts, there was no consensus. The Workgroup plans to address licensure, staffing ratios, and pay increases in the December 2025 report. Education By Anne Nesse House Education Summary of LC’s for the coming 2025 Session: 1) Bills to address the inadequacy of funding, especially for special education students. 2) Improvements in the transparency, and efficiency of the functioning of the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), all summarized here. Senate Education Summary of LC’s for coming 2025 Session: 1) LC 776 moves the staffing responsibility for the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) into the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), while maintaining TSPC as an independent commission. 2) A number of placeholder, and other bills relating to higher education and K-12 education: including financial budgets, the State School Fund current service level, chronic absenteeism, substitute teachers, statewide collective bargaining, ESD contracting, and raising the cap on the percentage of children with disabilities to allow more equitable funding between districts. 3) LC 941 directs ODE to develop and implement a standardized method for electronic student data. Higher Education By Jean Pierce According to a report from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, Oregon has the highest average resident tuition and fees in the region at our public four-year institutions and the second highest at two-year institutions. From the Senate Education Committee meeting : Oregon has a disproportionately high ratio of individuals with some college but no credential. In 2025, the legislature will be asked to consider participating in the Re-up program, which works to re-enroll former students so that they earn a credential. This program is currently being used in 31 other states. From the House Higher Education Committee Meeting: In 2025, there will be legislation which supports the Oregon Community Table on Postsecondary Education and Training (OCTPET) in providing financial aid to help meet basic needs (e.g. food, housing, childcare, transportation) of traditionally under-served students (e.g. rural communities, low-income, students with disabilities, undocumented, as well as racial and ethnic minorities). Through the Education Champions Program, OCTPET students receive civic education teaching them how to make their voices heard in government. Similarly, there will be legislation requesting additional funds for tribal student grants which offset the cost of attending higher education. Like the Oregon Opportunity Grant, this money can go to private, non-profit institutions. Gun Policy By Marge Easley Organizations working on gun policy legislation in Oregon have reconvened as a coalition under a new name, “Alliance for a Safe Oregon”. LWVOR has joined this alliance, and we endorse their priorities for 2025, including: Funding community violence intervention programs Banning rapid-fire devices (aka “bump stocks”) Strengthening protection orders that will ensure compliance when a court mandates weapon surrender Ensuring effective implementation of Measure 114 if the Oregon Court of Appeals issues a favorable ruling to allow the measure to go into effect State licensing of firearm dealers and instituting a dealer code of conduct Increasing use of Oregon’s Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) law Raising the age from 18 to 21 for purchase of semi-automatic rifles Thus far OLIS lists two Legislative Concepts (LCs) related to firearms. LC 3066 directs the Department of State Police to study whether the process for conducting criminal background checks for firearm transfers can be made more efficient. LC 3062 directs the Judicial Department to study the number of extreme risk protection petitions that are filed and orders issued each year. Updates on previous legislation: Oregon’s 2023 law banning ghost guns went into effect on September 1, 2024. The first-time penalty for possessing firearms and firearm parts without serial numbers is a fine up to $1000, with repeat offenses resulting in higher fines or prison time. Measure 114 (2022), which requires a permit to purchase a firearm and bans high-capacity magazines, continues to wend its way through the appellate courts. The most recent hearing was before the Oregon Court of Appeals on October 29, with LWVOR joining an amicus brief on the case. We await the court’s ruling, which hopefully will allow the measure to go into effect during the appeals process. Healthcare By Christa Danielson The Senate and House healthcare committees heard reports from task forces that had been formed over the last several years - specifically HB 3610 which had studied alcohol addiction and prevention and HB 3396 which had studied hospital discharge. Based on their findings, we can expect bills that help fund alcohol rehabilitation from wine and beer, not just hard liquor, and up to eight recommendations for bills to help the discharge process from the hospital. Also discussed were improvements to eligibility verification for OHP patients as an audit from the Secretary of State found significant errors. As these errors accounted for up to $445 million (from 2019-2022) we can expect changes that support improved supervision in the eligibility process. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona State of the State’s Housing Report Oregon Housing and Community Services recently released its first State of the State’s Housing report. It paints a grim picture of the situation facing Oregonians in need of a safe and stable place to call home. Following is some of the key information from the report: Homelessness When adjusted for population size, Oregon ranks third in the nation for people experiencing homelessness, behind only New York
and Vermont. Oregon ranks first in the nation for unsheltered homelessness among families with children. The number of children experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Oregon is 14 times higher than the national average. Rental housing Cost burden for renters (spending more than 30 percent of income on housing costs) increased by 11 percent between 2019 and 2022. The increase predominantly affects households making between $45,000 and $75,000, whose representation among cost-burdened renters grew from just 18 percent in 2001 to 44 percent in 2022. More than 27 percent of
all renters are severely cost-burdened, meaning they spend 50 percent or more of their income on housing. The number of eviction cases filed in 2023 was the highest Oregon has seen since 2011. Homeownership For every dollar Oregonians earned in wage increases between 2013 and 2022, the median
sales price of a home increased by $7.10. BIPOC communities, which have historically been excluded from homeownership, continue to face significantly lower homeownership
rates (49 percent) compared to their white counterparts (66 percent). 
 2025 Legislative Session Housing Bills Legislative committees met recently to explore ideas for bills they may consider in the 2025 session. Possible proposals include: Imposing rent control on manufactured home parks and marinas at a rate no greater than inflation, Limiting landlords’ ability to pocket deposits from tenants applying to secure an apartment They would be required to refund the deposit if they failed to provide a lease for reasons such as overbooking a unit or trying to rent a unit that is not habitable. In buildings with 10 or more units, require landlords to provide cooling sufficient to keep bedroom temperatures 15 degrees below the outside temperature and no more than 80 degrees Reduce the number of years from 10 to six during which condo owners can file complaints against construction companies potentially responsible for defects Governor Kotek’s Budget On Dec. 2, Governor Kotek released the state’s 2025-27 budget proposing to invest $39.3 billion in homelessness, housing, behavioral health, and education. Budget amounts applicable to housing and homelessness: Homelessness: $700 million Maintain Oregon’s statewide system of shelters Maintain efforts to transition Oregonians out of homelessness and into housing Provide services to prevent people from becoming homeless Housing Supply: $1.4 billion New bond authority to build affordable rental housing and new homeownership units Establish a new housing infrastructure program Support for homebuyer assistance programs first-time homebuyers Oregon Housing Alliance The Oregon Housing Alliance workgroups met this fall to consider proposals to include in their legislative priorities. In January, members will meet and vote on the Housing Alliance agenda for the 2025 legislative session. LWVOR is a member of the Housing Alliance and participated in the workgroup meetings. Public Safety By Karen Nibler and Jean Pierce The Senate and House Judiciary Committees heard an update on SB337 (2023) from the Oregon Public Defense Commission. The bill charged the Commission with finding ways to address the fact that a public defender shortage left many in custody without representation. Between July and October of 2023, the in-custody population who are unrepresented went down significantly. However, the costs of the Temporary Hourly Increase Program (THIP) increased dramatically in that time period. THIP uses higher hourly rates as incentives for lawyers to serve as public defenders. Under that program, 395 attorneys have taken over 7200 cases serving close to 5000 clients. Most of the increase in costs has gone to attorney fees. The Commission asked the Emergency Board to extend THIP funding through June, 2025. In July, they anticipate replacing flat-fee contracting with a workload model. They are currently crafting policies and programs needed for this. The Emergency Board agreed to refer the request for $2.45million to the full committee. The Senate and House Judiciary Committees also heard about Oregon State Police Safe Kit DNA testing which requires highly trained analysts. The Department of Corrections presented its Substance Abuse Treatment Programs in prison facilities. The adults in custody are diagnosed when they enter DOC facilities and assigned to treatment programs including medication assistance for opioid abuse. The abuse rate is high in adults in custody but they can be trained as peer mentors in the prison and in future roles in the community. An important report was heard from a Task Force on Specialty Courts which are part of the state court system but require separate funding. The Task Force presented 14 recommendations including terminology, data systems, advisory committees, and case management systems. The recommendations will be considered during the upcoming regular session. Follow up to HB 4002 (2024) The Oregon Criminal Justice Commission reported to the Joint Committee on Addiction and Public Safety that between September 1st and December 4th, 442 people had been referred to deflection programs; 323 were actually eligible for a program; 263 enrolled; 10 have completed; and 216 are still In programs. Workplace Age Discrimination By Trish Garner The topic of workplace age discrimination was raised in an informational hearing held on December 10 in the House Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee. Representative Sosa is the Chair of the Committee and the Chief Sponsor of the bill (LC 567 - which is still in the Legislative Counsel's Office awaiting final edits).

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 2/5 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: Senate and House Rules Committees Campaign Finance and Redistricting AI and Elections, EPAB (Electronic Portal Advisory Board) The 2024 short session runs Feb. 5 through March 10th. Bills in most committees must be scheduled for a work session by Feb. 12 and acted on by Feb. 19 th in the first chamber. The legislative calendar is posted on the Oregon Legislature website . By Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator, and Team Senate and House Rules Committee Senate Rule Committee SB 1540 requests the Public Records Advisory Council to study fees charged for public records requests. SB 1538 is an election law clean-up bill that makes many changes. House Rules Committee HB 4021 requires the Governor to fill a vacancy in the office of U.S. Senator by appointment within 30 days until a special election can fill the vacancy. HB 4027 requires the Oregon Government Ethics Commission to study Oregon’s government ethics laws. (Placeholder relating to government ethics.) HB 4030 requires the Oregon Government Ethics Commission to study public meetings. (Placeholder relating to public meetings.) HB 4031 requires the Public Records Advisory Council to study public records. (Placeholder relating to public records.) HB 4032 removes the requirement that the word “incumbent” appear on the ballot with the name of incumbent candidates for the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Oregon Tax Court, and circuit court. HB 4117 authorizes the Oregon Government Ethics Commission to issue advisory opinions on the application of the public meetings law. Correction to a bill passed in 2023 session. Senate Committee on Education SB 1502 requires public schools and college boards to livestream their meetings and post the meeting recordings on their websites and social media sites. Allows remote testimony for most school and college board meetings. Campaign Finance and Redistricting The LWV of Oregon has endorsed and is actively circulating IP 9 on Campaign Finance and IP 14 on Redistricting. Petitions can be downloaded, printed, signed and returned by mail from the Honest Elections website for IP 9 and the People Not Politicians website for IP 14. Both initiative petitions are due to be filed by July 5, 2024 with the Secretary of State. Elections, Cybersecurity, Synthetic Media (aka AI), and EPAB By Rebecca Gladstone For the first week of session this news includes committee bills we’re working on / watching and news from the quarterly EPAB Meeting. Artificial Intelligence “synthetic media” bills Several bills will address this hot issue. SB 1571 altering campaign ads with artificial intelligence , provides definitions, compliance requirements, enforcement provisions, and penalties for. We are revising testimony for the -1 amendment, which replaces “artificial intelligence” with “synthetic media”. Thanks to Sen. Woods for inviting LWVOR to work on this campaign ad bill. The public hearing is posted for Feb. 13, moved from Joint Information Management to Senate Rules. LWVOR will support, with testimony to be shared on submission. SB 1546 3 rd party Exec Dept IT study, lineup is underway for which offices should not be subject to this study, addressing constitutional definitions of the Executive Department. HB 4153 artificial intelligence glossary Task Force, (this is another AI TF**) this one for studying, collecting, and defining terms and definitions, for use in legislation and statute. Professional organizations were well prepared in the public hearing, sharing thanks to bill sponsors for inclusion in early collaboration. Increasing understanding is a laudable goal and we expect to support it, if need be. **Governor Kotek’s Oregon State Government AI Advisory Council is contacting members now. Cybersecurity HB 4152 EIS cyber assets security study. Enterprise Information Services to study just how secure our cyber assets are. This hasn’t come up for a hearing yet, but watch Wednesday’s hearing video , 50.00 minutes in, which highlights a learning opportunity from the Joint Information Management and Technology committee. “Estonia’s Digital Journey”, shows how Estonia is avoiding hacking and ransomware cyber-attacks while increasing government efficiency. This committee has been reporting on these problems, refreshing here to see solutions at work. This calls for further study and could fit right into this bill. Elections bills HB 4019 US President and VP electors , set scheduling and process. No surprises are expected, but since LWV has a longstanding position to abolish the electoral college, we will be watching this. HB 4024 campaign finance placeholder bill . LWVOR is actively working on IP 9, for campaign contribution limits and transparency, watching this bill. See Oregon power players in business, labor are negotiating a campaign finance package , OPB, Feb 9, 2024. LWVOR is actively working on IP 9 with Honest Elections . HB 4026 : We are watching this call for the SoS to study how to improve voter access in Oregon, in the shortest concept ever seen in this portfolio, no details on specific purpose, impetus, or funding. SB 1538 : We’ll be researching content, prospects and support for this bill to increase Voters’ Pamphlet languages from 5 to 10. A public hearing is set for Feb 13, then slated for Joint Ways and Means. SB 1577 : We will comment on this Automatic Voter Registration for students applying to Oregon public higher ED schools. We laud the concept of winnowing down to reach the last 7% or so of Oregon’s unregistered voters. This bill needs more work, though. Public Records HB 4078 , to “develop and implement a standardized way… to electronically create, collect, use, maintain, disclose, transfer and access student data”, may help further work for SB 1577. See the Education LR. SB 1574 Abuse of a corpse would not usually catch attention here, but it could be relevant to handling personal data in other legislation. EPAB The mission is to eliminate obstacles to accessing Oregon’s online resources, aligning with the EIS framework. This state group meets quarterly to oversee state websites’ administration. Rebecca Gladstone, appointed as a public member, attends listing LWVOR affiliation. A new public member has joined, representing business perspective, as an owner. There were significant links to the week’s bills. See HB 4152 calling for a study of how secure our cyber assets are. The EPAB shifted the biennial benchmark survey from 2 to every 4 years, since user sentiment is not expected to alter much to warrant more frequency, and since this could enable study sooner for historically underserved groups. E-commerce “Prompt Pay” integrations proceed. Compare our HB 4152, in cybersecurity, to “Estonia’s Digital Journey", hearing video , 50.00 minutes in. Estonia’s digital technology is far ahead of Oregon, unified after serious nationwide cyber attacks unified their resolve to improve. A Newsroom 2.0 website template release is set for March 2026, for customized use by state agencies. See the current Oregon.gov Newsroom Index . 2024 investment areas include multilingual support. SB 1538 above calls for increasing Voters’ Pamphlet access from 5-10 foreign languages.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 2/17 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 Reform Social Policy, Immigration, Hate Crimes Government Ethics Campaign Finance Reform The Portland City Auditor wants to ask the Legislature to nullify (preempt) the campaign finance reform Charter Amendment approved by 87.4% of Portland voters in 2018. This would undermine the express desires of Portland voters and open the doors to a deluge of big money flowing into Portland elections. It is unclear if the Auditor will convince city representatives to lobby for this idea in the Legislature. Social Policy, Immigration, Hate Crimes By Becky Gladstone Numerous bills followed here have not been scheduled for hearings. Their committees are still introducing members to their issues. Weather cancellations included Joint Information Management and Technology IT modernization planning. Here are recent bill updates: HB 2341 , ( League testimony in support), passed unanimously in a work session. The bill would add veterans’ email addresses to shared information in providing services. HB 5017 ; League testimony was presented and heard in support of this Oregon State Library budget bill. HB 2570 is scheduled for a work session 19 Feb. League testimony was submitted and presented in support of this privacy bill to make new [non]disclosure law to keep PII (personally identifiable information) confidential for employees working with OSHA investigations or inspections. SB 473 creates a new crime of threatening a public official. League testimony in support was written and presented. Sen Prozanski, Sen Judiciary Chair, suggested forming a work group for this complex issue. We are researching these: HB 2710 , to put victims of child abduction onto the list of those able to join the Address. Confidentiality Program. A public hearing was cancelled due to weather. HB 3012 , relates to 16 or 17 year-olds voting in school district elections, and it has not been scheduled for a hearing. HB 3384 , a County Clerks’ bill to alter the election calendar to allow not processing petitions during election season, has not moved since a Feb 3 public hearing. We are watching for amendments and intend to support it. SB 18 would increase penalties for election law violations. A public hearing was almost scheduled, but was withdrawn for this complex bill, with amendments already underway. Government Ethics By Chris Cobey HB 2727 further limits what lobbying a legislator can do after leaving office. It was heard in House Rules Feb. 10. The League supported this bill with testimony . HB 3130 would allow unpaid school district board members to not file statements of economic interest (SEIs) with the Government Ethics Commission. It was heard in House Rules Feb. 10. The League opposed this bill with testimony , since conflicts of interest do not depend on the size of a school district or if a public official is paid or not.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of October 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 Please see Natural Resources Overview here . Jump to a topic: Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ ) Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI ) Dept. of State Lands (DSL) Drinking Water Advisory Committee (DWAC) Forestry (ODF) Hanford Land Use & Housing Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept. (OPRD ) Revenue Regional Solutions Smith River State Land Board Tips for the Public Transportation Water Weather Wetlands Wildfire BUDGETS/REVENUE By Peggy Lynch Impacts of Fefderal Actions on Oregon: The House Climate, Energy and Environment Committee (Sept. 29 agenda and meeting materials ) had a great cost/loss general presentation as did the Oregon Dept. of Energy, the Dept. of Environmental Quality and the State Support Center. There are discussions on the Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept.’s budget crisis that the Oregon Coast Alliance is leading. From bloomberglaw.com : Included in the budget request is a $2.46 billion cut for the EPA’s clean and drinking water state revolving loan funds. The program “has been heavily earmarked by the Congress for projects that are ultimately not repaid into the program and bypass states’ interest and planning,” according to the request. This could mean a 17 percent cut to the clean water programs and a 12 percent cut to DEQ funding. Cuts to NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) will affect Oregon coastal communities per this article in Columbia Insight. CLIMATE By Claudia Keith and Team Governor Kotek signed Executive Order 25-25 on Oct. 6 to accelerate the pace of renewable wind and solar project development in the state of Oregon before the clock runs out on critical federal clean energy tax credits. 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 Ocean Policy Advisory Council Meeting: The Territorial Sea Plan Offshore Wind Working Group will meet on October 15 from 8:30 am to 11:00 am. Meeting Registration: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/R1or3GLBTGCSXovWbiRYZQ Contact: Andy.Lanier@dlcd.oregon.gov Ocean Policy Advisory Council Meeting: The OPAC will meet on October 29 for a virtual meeting of the Council. Meeting information will be made available via the Oregon Ocean Information website closer to the meeting date. Contact: Andy.Lanier@dlcd.oregon.gov Ripple effects from Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve: New economic analysis reveals job and income generation. The League supports the marine reserve program so having a study showing the economic value of these reserves to both Oregon and the coastal area is great news: S upported an estimated total economic impact of approximately $982k and 20 jobs. A reminder related to the Port of Coos Bay bonds: HB 5006 included authorization to issue $100 million of general obligation bonds for the Coos Bay Channel Modification project. The accompanying SB 5505 outlined specific requirements to be met before bonds could be issued. Listed were completion of the environmental impact statement for the project and the issuance of the final record of decision through the National Environmental Policy Act. Additionally, it requires that the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay, or a private entity engaged in a public private partnership with the port, has closed on a Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing loan through the Build America Bureau within the United States Department of Transportation in the amount of at least $1 billion or has secured equivalent levels of alternative funding through other federal grants or loans. See this press release . There have been presentations on this project and the potential rail improvements needed. The Coos County League will hold another presentation on Nov. 19. Their Part 1 presentation was recorded. The Dept. of Land Conservation and Development has a website on offshore wind with public meetings continuing. DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch In a Press Release from Sept. 19, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality submitted formal comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fiercely opposing its proposal to revoke the Endangerment Finding and weaken motor vehicle emission standards. LWVUS comments. The League was pleased to see the Environmental Quality Commission adopted rules to implement important legislation from the 2023 legislative session related to accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and sewer availability through Senate Bills 835 and 931 . The League supported SB 835 and participated in the rules advisory committee that developed these rules. 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 The League continues to follow the Calico Resources proposed Grassy Mountain gold mine near Vale in Malheur County. The Trump Administration listed the Grassy Mountain Gold Mine Project as having a potential completion of federal action by the end of March 2026. But the state has permit authority, too. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for part of the permitting. Here is a link to the agency’s website . DEPT. OF STATE LANDS By Peggy Lynch The agency has a role in addressing abandoned and derelict vessels in Oregon’s waters. OPB has a great article on the issue. DRINKING WATER ADVISORY COMMITTEE (DWAC) By Sandra U. Bishop The League has a standing seat on DWAC. Interactive Geographic Information System (GIS) Maps for water system and source water protection have been improved. These maps are available to the public as well as water system operators and are maintained by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Drinking Water Protection group and may be accessed via the Drinking Water Services website . The next DWAC meeting will be in October 2025. FORESTRY By Josie Koehne Last year the Board of Forestry met for a special meeting to decide on criteria for a computer model to test run different forest management scenarios for timber management on state forest lands. ECO Northwest was hired to evaluate the model under these four different objectives. In July of this year, the final report of Economic Analysis of ODF Western Oregon Forest Management Plan Scenarios was published. The model projected outcomes over a 30-year period assuming that the approved Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is in place. The intent of modeling of various scenarios is to show examples of the trade-offs between resources and outcomes under different implementation approaches. The model provides a scientific basis for management decisions, and the chosen plan will be incorporated into the Western Oregon Forest Management Plan (FMP) which is due to be approved by the Board by the end of this year. Each of the four scenarios modeled projects the outcomes to be expected for harvest intensity, rotation age, and revenue optimization: 30-Year Volume Target: Maintains a steady harvest volume for the first 30 years, followed by a non-declining even flow. Long Rotations: Emphasizes longer tree rotations that supports a balanced distribution of age classes across managed acres by year 70. Maximize Volume: Prioritizes harvest volume to maximize productivity over the long term, with fluctuations over time. Maximize Net Present Value (NPV): Focuses on generating the highest economic return using a 4% discount rate. Each scenario results in different patterns of timber products, harvest costs, harvest volume, revenue distribution, employment, and ecosystem services over the analysis period. The analysis discusses socioeconomic outcomes for both the 70-year permit term of the HCP and the long-term implications over a 150-year modeling timeframe. The report summarizes Key Findings for each of the categories above, but the report did not include a summary of their conclusions nor recommendations. Policy decisions will be left to the Board of Forestry. The newest member to the Board of Forestry is Alexi Lovechio of Ashland who joined in March. She serves as Forests and Ecosystem Services Program Manager with Ecotrust. On July 16, The Board of Forestry met in a special meeting to review the status of the recruitment of a new State Forester. In the interim, Kate Skinner has served as Interim State Forester since January following the resignation of Cal Mukamoto. The responsibility for the selection of the State Forester changed from the Board of Forestry to the Governor’s office with the passage of SB 1051 at the close of the session on June 27th . The Governor’s selection process is headed up by Chandra Ferrari, Governor Kotek’s Natural Resources Advisor, who served previously on the Board. Senior Natural Resource Policy Advisor Geoff Huntington kicked off the discussion and outlined the proposed recruitment process. They have hired a recruitment firm to rank the 6-8 candidates who will be reviewed and interviewed by the Governor starting October 6-13. The planned date for the Senate to confirm the Governor’s choice for State Forester is November 17. The Board can provide input on the recruitment process and reach out directly to potential candidates. The selection criteria are outlined in SB 1051 : “The State Forester must have organizational management experience and either of the following: (A) Executive experience and expertise overseeing forest and wildfire management on western forestlands; or (B) Operational experience and expertise overseeing forest and wildfire management on western forestlands.” The Board of Forestry expressed concerns about their role and authority once the Governor’s office has appointed the State Forester. They expressed concerns over having responsibility without authority, including the purpose of Board-developed performance measures related to the State Forester performance measures if the Board does not have the same authority, and having to trust the Governor’s Office to follow through with addressing the Board’s interests and concerns. On a separate note, here is an OPB article explaining that the Secure Rural Schools federal funding continues to be missing from the federal budget, creating a funding crisis in our former timber counties. HANFORD The League is concerned about potential changes to the Hanford nuclear cleanup per this article in the Oregon Capital Chronicle. LAND USE & HOUSING By Sandra U. Bishop/Peggy Lynch Oregon Housing Needs Analysis ( OHNA ) work: Draft rules were sent to the Sec of State Oct. 1 st . The last planned OHNA RAC is set for Oct. 29 th . Adoption of the rules should occur during the Dec.4-5 LCDC mtg. as they are statutorily due by Jan. 1, 2026. Public comments are due by November 7. press release . The League has been engaged in elements of this process since inception. We encourage individual League members to review the rules and provide personal comments. These rules are among the most significant changes in Goal 10, Housing, and Goal 14, Urbanization since the program’s inception. The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) met Sept. 25-26. Here is the meeting agenda and meeting materials . The Dept. of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) has a YouTube Channel that provides videos of a variety of DLCD meetings and LCDC meetings. The DLCD Director announced a new interagency group (SHIP—State Housing Interagency Partnership) to work on housing and the agencies will be signing a Memorandum of Agreement in Oct. The Gov has instructed all agencies to cut back on travel (LCDC mtgs. will be back in Salem). DLCD will be using vacancy savings—rolling vacancies so they aren’t targeted by Ways and Means in the future--and slowing hiring. DLCD may comment to the federal government on the short timeline of only Oct. 6 th for local gov’ts. to comment on the Federal EIS on the Flood program. Public hearing on the 2025-27 Policy Agenda: There will be seven rulemakings on Housing alone! The League has not provided comments because the items on the agenda reflect our legislative work, with the exception that we have supported the Farm and Forest Modernization work that had been approved back in March. Most of the public testimony reflected a request to continue that work which included changes to address agritourism and other commercial events, use of soils reports, replacement dwellings and non-farm dwellings. Contact Hilary Foote at hilary.foote@dlcd.oregon.gov with any questions about the project. Rulemaking Webpage One other issue was brought up during general public comment: Public Comment on items not on the agenda at LCDC meetings is now scheduled at the end of their meetings. There was a request that the public comment period be moved back to the beginning of the mtg. Sept. 5 th Community Involvement Advisory Committee (CIAC) meeting: There is a video from the CIAC where on Sept. 5th they were given a presentation on the Draft Policy Agenda: https://youtu.be/sLcdV3jLjQI . The video is about 3 hours long, but the Draft Policy Agenda presentation begins at 1:15 and ends about 1:51. Local Officials Advisory Committee met Sept. 15 and received the same presentation. Other parts of the meeting included: SB 504 (coastal 2025), HB 2001 (2023--OHNA), HB 2258 (site development plans 2025) and HB 2138 (middle housing--legislation LWVOR worked on prior to session 2025). Afterward, they even did a presentation on the proposed wetlands rulemaking (related to addressing wetlands in proposed UGBs). That, too, was interesting. LWVOR supported DSL getting additional staff and funding to work on this issue and DLCD got $500k. The Senate Housing and Development Committee met: agenda . There was a presentation on the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis and an Urban Reserves presentation . House Housing had a presentation on implementation of SB 1537 (2024) related to the one-time Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion portion of the bill. Three cities are considering it as of now: Bend (where the process is almost done!), Eagle Point and Bay City. Some presenters expressed concern with the narrow criteria. The League worked on this bill and supports the sideboards in the bill as this expansion opportunity was meant to sidestep larger acreage requests but was NOT meant to supersede the current UGB expansion process. However, some committee members expressed an interest in bringing legislation to the 2026 session that might sidestep the intent of SB 1537 so the League may need to engage. On July 1, the new Housing Accountability and Production Office (HAPO) officially opened to assist local governments and developers to meet housing production goals, per this press release . Their website . See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. OREGON DEPT. OF FISH AND WILDLIFE (ODFW) By Melanie Moon ODFW SWAP adopted August 15- see news release : The Commission approved a revised State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) today, a plan that serves as a roadmap for protecting Oregon's at-risk species and their habitats. The Plan incorporates the latest available information on species and presents recommended conservation actions to inform and prioritize conservation work for community members, private landowners, organizations, and agencies alike. The revision adds pollution as a new Key Conservation Issue, completes integration of the Oregon Nearshore Strategy, enhances information provided in the Conservation Toolbox to make conservation accessible to all Oregonians, and adds information on species newly identified as being at-risk. The Plan is meant to be used by natural resource partners and will eventually be fully web-enabled and accessible online to ensure that content is navigable . The League provided comments on the SWAP. Significant underfunding has severely impacted Oregon's State Wildlife Action Plan leading to a scaled-back conservation initiative, reduced monitoring of at-risk species, and an over-reliance on declining revenue from hunting and fishing licenses. ODFW has acknowledged this funding gap even as it adopted a revised SWAP. The present administration in Washington DC is proposing more cuts. A new state transient lodging tax (TLT), HB 2977 , was introduced in 2025 to ensure regular and robust funding for wildlife conservation programs. The bill passed the House floor, but did not make it out of the Senate. The League expects the bill to return in 2026 where we will consider supporting. Here is more information on the Transient Lodging Tax (TLT): Current data . The Oregon Dept. of Revenue did a 2025 comprehensive report for the legislators. Currently, at least 65% of the tax must be spent on tourism. HB 2977 would have added a separate percentage to the TLT focused on conservation. OREGON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPT (OPRD) By Peggy Lynch Director Lisa Sumption was recognized by the National Assn. of State Park Directors and her staff did a video congratulations. We are working with her and others to address OPRD’s revenue shortfall and maintenance needs. OPRD provided a budget one-pager and information on asset needs as we work to assure our Parks are open and maintained over time. The Legislative Fiscal Office notes : During the November 2024 meeting of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission, the Department provided an update outlining concerns for the long-term sustainability of OPRD’s operational funding. The Department asserted that the largest known challenge for the 2025-27 biennium is addressing the gap between projected operational revenues and anticipated expenditures. Throughout this biennium as well as the next, OPRD’s operational budget is dependent on an existing beginning balance. This means the current level of expenditures, given projected revenues, is unsustainable for the long-term. While the dedicated programs remain sustainable, operational expenditures are outpacing Lottery Funds and non-dedicated Other Funds revenues used to support agency. The League will engage with these budget issues before the 2027 legislative session. REGIONAL SOLUTIONS The Regional Solutions Program : Within each of the 11 Regions, which are tied to Oregon’s federally designated Economic Development Districts, a Governor-appointed Advisory Committee sets Regional Priorities and a cross-functional Team of state agency staff works together to move projects forward. If you know anyone who may benefit from these publications, please direct them to this signup page . The public is welcome to attend virtually or in person. Go to the program website and to the region to find the agendas and meeting materials posted a few days before the meetings. Public Comment is usually scheduled. Upcoming Regional Solutions Advisory Committee (RSAC) Meetings: Regional Solutions: Add latest mtgs. See July 2 nd LR for info) • Mid-Valley (Marion, Polk, and Yamhill Counties) October 9, 1:30-3:30pm (Aug. 14 th mtg. was cancelled.) *Central (Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson Counties) October 10th from 2:00-4:00pm *Northeast (Baker, Union, and Wallowa Counties) October 14th from 2:00-4:00pm *South Coast (Coos, Curry, and Douglas Counties) December 3rd from 11:00am-1:00pm *North Coast (Clatsop, Columbia, and Tillamook Counties) December 10th from 3:00-5:00pm REVENUE By Peggy Lynch The House Climate, Energy and Environment Committee (See Sept. 29 agenda and meeting materials ) had a great cost/loss general presentation as did the Oregon Dept. of Energy, the Dept. of Environmental Quality and the State Support Center. There are discussions on the Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept.’s budget crisis that the Oregon Coast Alliance is leading. See the Revenue section of this Legislative Report for in depth information. We encourage you to read both sections. SMITH RIVER By Alyssa Babin The League again supported federal legislation to expand the Smith River Recreation Area. The North Fork of the Smith River has scenic, historic and recreational values. We have supported this effort in the past with approval from LWVUS. STATE LAND BOARD By Peggy Lynch The next State Land Board is Oct. 14 ( agenda ). The meeting will consider many topics the League follows: Elliott State Research Forest, Common School Fund Report, South Slough and Oregon Ocean Science Trust. They are hybrid meetings with physical location at the Dept. of State Lands in Salem. The League follows these meetings since the Governor, Secretary of State and State Treasurer comprise the Board membership. TRANSPORTATION The Governor announced that a Special Session would happen starting August 29 and continuing Sept. 1 “ for lawmakers to take up legislation to pay for basic road maintenance and operations at the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), as well as address funding needs for local governments and transit districts.” HB 3991 increases a number of transportation taxes and fees and applies audit requirements to ODOT. It expands the OReGO road usage charge program and repeals the Oregon Transportation Commission toll program. ODOT will receive 50% of the funding, counties will receive 30%, and cities 20%. There is an estimate that the cost to each Oregonian would be about $2/month. HB 3992 appropriates $800,000 General Fund, reduces the Emergency Fund by a corresponding amount, and increases Other Funds expenditure limitation by $204.9 million. Other funds for the Secretary of State’s office (SOS) are sourced from assessments charged to state agencies for services and from revenues generated through HB 3991 . Since HB 3991 would raise taxes, it takes 18 Senators and 36 House members to vote yes. The House passed the bills on Sept. 1, with one Democrat voting no and one Republican voting yes. Since Senate Republicans were opposed to the bill and Sen. Chris Gorsek had a health emergency, the final vote in the Senate didn’t happen until Sept. 29 when the session ended—after both bills passed. See ODOT bills pass Senate per this press release . The bills were meant to be a stop gap measure so the 2026 Session may again try to pass a more comprehensive transportation plan. ODOT had about 200 employees leave or retire during all the chaos, and they are months behind in hiring winter temporary workers. Once the Governor signs HB 3991, Sen. Starr and Rep. Diehl have said they want to gather signatures to place the bill on the ballot for Oregonians to consider. The League will follow this effort since it could stop the needed ODOT funding provided in HB 3991. It is unclear if this political action committee , “No Gas Hikes’, formed after the 2025 regular legislative session, will move forward and try to put the special session legislation (HB 3991) on the ballot. The League would hope that the slimmed down bill will be allowed to stand. LWVOR asks that you “Think before you Ink” when any volunteers ask for your signature to get an item on the ballot. “ Bills passed by Oregon lawmakers can be referred to voters if organizers collect enough valid signatures within 90 days of the Legislature adjourning. This year, a referendum would require at least 78,115 signatures, equal to 4% of the people who cast a ballot in the 2022 gubernatorial election.” 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. Here is the IWRS website . 2025 Integrated Water Resources Strategy adopted ! Addressing Oregon’s water challenges is an all-hands endeavor – Oregonians are best served when agencies are working toward common goals. Those goals are articulated in the 2025 Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS). Earlier this month, the Oregon Water Resources Commission adopted the 2025 IWRS, a roadmap for numerous agencies interacting with water to address these issues head-on through coordinated action. You can view the plan online at owrd.info/iwrs . The League again engaged in this Strategy and helped form the final document. Oregon State University continues to provide important information on water supply. Measuring mountain snowpack at strategically selected hotspots consistently outperforms broader basin-wide mapping in predicting water supply in the western United States, a new study found. Update: Look for a new version of SB 1153 to return in 2026 or 2027. LWV Deschutes County submitted a letter in support of SB 427 , a water rights transfer bill meant to protect instream water flows. SB 1153 , an alternate bill provided with help from the Governor’s office, had months of work group sessions among the various interests, but, in the end, the bill did not pass. From the July 9 th article of the Capital Press, Governor Kotek is looking to continue to work on this issue: Despite the failure of the bill getting done this session, we do need to stay on this topic. We have to manage our water differently. We have to identify ways to update our water rights transfer process,” she said during a recent roundtable interview. TIPS FOR THE PUBLIC League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Over 42% of Oregon is in moderate drought (D1) and over 6% is in severe drought (D2) with the rest of the state experiencing abnormally dry condition. Here is a more complete website about drought in Oregon and a long range climate prediction . We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms (HABs). “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. Information on current advisories can be found on the OHA’s cyanobacteria bloom webpage at healthoregon.org/hab . The OHA has an online photo gallery to help community members identify signs of potentially harmful blooms. As the summer heats up, be aware of the signs of potentially deadly HABs to your pets as well as humans. WEATHER The National Weather Service issued a La Niña watch, raising hopes the coming winter will fight stubborn drought conditions in the Northwest. The weather service’s Climate Prediction Center reported Aug. 14 that the odds slightly favor a La Niña forming by November and sticking around for December and January. A La Niña increases expectations that snow will accumulate in the mountains and melt into rivers for the irrigation season. La Niñas sometimes fizzle. A La Niña formed last winter, but the Washington snowpack was disappointing. Still, it’s the main guide for seasonal forecasts. Read more in this HillsboroNewsTimes article. KLCC also covered this important weather story. OregonLive reports a weaker Polar Vortex and more extreme weather according to Extreme Weather Europe, a website that tracks weather patterns around the globe. A weaker polar vortex would mean more snowfall and cold winter days than with a stronger polar vortex. Here’s another long range climate prediction . WETLANDS On Jan. 1 st , the fees for removal/fill permits will increase so that, within 5 years, the new fees will cover 80% of the cost, relieving the Common School Fund from most of those costs. A League member participated in the rulemaking related to this decision. The current fees paid by developers, property owners, and other permit applicants cover just 21%. On average, it costs $2.8 million every year to cover the remaining removal-fill permitting costs. WILDFIRE By Carolyn Mayers From the Senate Natural Resources and Wildfire Committee: The Oregon Dept. of Forestry reported an average number of wildfires and significantly fewer acres burned. (Current gross costs $127 million, but net--after reimbursements--of $54 million—if the federal government pays their costs.) Fire Marshal Chief Ruiz Temple emphasized how community wildfire preparedness, coupled with the rapid responses and landscape treatments, made all the difference in how they were able to have almost all the threatened structures in the Flat Fire saved from the fire. The Fire Marshal’s office was thrilled with that response. There have, to date, been no injuries to any ODF firefighters. The bill to establish mitigation protocols for utilities is going to come back in the short session. Several speakers expressed concerns about it being a “get out of jail free” card for utilities and that, if they get the certification, they won’t be held legally liable for damages. This legislation will be worked on to the point where it passes so utilities can standardize their practices. Fire season isn’t over. On Sept. 30, the Governor invoked yet another Emergency Conflagration—this time for the Moon Complex in Curry County. This marks the eighth time the Emergency Conflagration Act has been invoked by Governor Kotek in the 2025 wildfire season. The Governor’s Wildfire Programs Advisory Council (WPAC) met July 18 and will meet again Oct. 17. This article in the Oregon Capital Chronicle shares potential changes in the U.S. Forest Service offices where the Portland-based office may close. Oregonians have concerns about both the relocation and potential staffing cuts. 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 All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 2/16 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Please see Climate Emergency Overview here. Jump to a topic: Climate Priorities Senate Committee on Energy and Environment News Oregon Treasury Climate Lawsuits/Our Children's Trust Many Climate Emergency priority policy and or funding bills the league supports are expected to move to JWM or the floor. The deadline for posting work sessions for most first chamber policy committees was Monday Feb 16, find details below. (note: bills in any joint, rules or revenue committees have no deadlines) Climate Priority Bills The League may have testimony and/or join coalition letters. SB 1541 A Make Polluters Pay (MPP), new SMS , Senate Energy and Environment , PH 2/5 and work session 2/10 , - 2 amendment , moved to Joint Ways and Means (JWM) . LWVOR submitted testimony . Creates the Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program to assess financial impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and recover costs from responsible entities. Multiple state agencies are involved including, Department of Land Conservation and Development, Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon Health Authority, and Land Conservation and Developmet Commission. The oversight body is Environmental Quality Commission (EQC). The League has joined the Make Polluters Pay Campaign . This climate legislation is a national effort covered today by the New York Times , reporting that a number of other states are in the process of passing and/or implementing. SB 1526 A, new SMS , Fund for Oregon Resilience, Growth, and Energy, work session was 2/9, Senate Energy and Environment (SEE) moved the bill to JWM, League testimony . Creates financing tools, including a revolving loan fund, to provide more affordable, accessible long-term financing for clean energy and resilience infrastructure projects in Oregon. This is modeled on a number of other states’ legislation , some as "green" banking nonprofits. SB 1582 , Community-Based Power: Distributed Power Plants, SEE possible work session 2/16. Distributed power plants (DPPs) bring together customer resources like rooftop solar, battery systems, and smart thermostats to help maximize grid efficiency by using energy sources already connected to the grid to balance grid loads. This bill requires each investor-owned utility to develop a DPP program and file it with the PUC, which would adopt annual procurement targets for DPP grid services, along with annual performance incentives for the utilities to achieve those targets. HB 4046-2 , Nuclear Study Bill, House Climate, Energy, and Environment (HCEE), work session 2/12, moved to JWM unanimously as amended. New SMS , directs the Oregon Department of Energy, subject to the availability of funding, to conduct a study on nuclear energy, including advanced nuclear reactors. The -2 amendment, a substantial rewrite of the original bill negotiated with opponents, seemed to satisfy committee members that the study could be unbiased as to nuclear energy issues. HB 4031 A : new SMS , first reading in Senate 2/16, House passed on 2/12. Exempts a renewable energy facility from needing a site certificate from the Energy Facility Siting Council if the facility qualifies for certain federal renewable energy tax credits and construction is scheduled to begin on or before December 31, 2028. HB 1597 SEE PH 2/4 , possible WKS 2/16. A number of amendments will be considered. Makes a power provider disclose the costs to store the waste made from making any electric power. SMS Senate Energy and Environment 2/11 The meeting started 15 minutes late with Sen. Sollman announcing that the scheduled work sessions for SB 1582 (Virtual Power Plant programs), SB 1588 (Upgrade and Save) and SB 1597 (nuclear waste storage costs) were carried over to Mon. 2/16, the final day for 1st chamber passage. Instead, attendees were treated to an informational meeting on the nuclear energy study bill HB 4046. Other bills we are following: Work sessions: • HB 4029 - Requires a solar energy contractor or person that installs a solar energy system to have a license appropriate for the scope of work the solar energy contractor or person will perform. (Carried over from 2/5) • HB 4144 - Requires producers of batteries or battery-containing products to join a battery producer responsibility organization and implement a battery producer responsibility program for the collection and recycling of batteries. • HB 4080 - Allows a retail electricity consumer to install and use portable solar photovoltaic energy devices with up to a total maximum generating capacity of 1,200 watts. • HJM 201 - Urges Congress to pass legislation to permanently extend federal tax cuts for wildfire victims. Public hearings: • HB 4077 - Authorizes a public utility, upon approval by PUC, to issue bonds and securitize debt for costs and expenses incurred or to be incurred by the public utility associated with a self-insurance or captive insurance program. (Carried over from 2/5) • HB 4046 - Directs ODOE, subject to the availability of funding, to conduct a study on nuclear energy, including advanced nuclear reactors. News Other states follow Oregon’s lead in targeting data centers ’ energy costs | OregonLive Oregon Treasury & Oregon Divest New 2025 Treasury : Climate-Positive Investing : Invested for Oregon Report Tracking Net zero climate positive investment strategies . Oregon pension shows climate progress , private markets drive emissions | Private Equity Stakeholder Project.org Oregon State Treasury should engage or divest from companies fueling a new era of resource conflicts. (Divest Oregon . ORG) Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust There are a number of active federal lawsuits. Columbia University Law ( CUL) Climate Litigation Jan 30 Updates . Another source: CLU - Sabin Climate DB lists 97 lawsuits , (active and dismissed) mentioning Oregon. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED : What is your passion related to Climate Emergency ? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The short legislative session begins in January of 2026. Many State Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of climate or natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, or Claudia Keith Climate Emergency at peggylynchor@gmail.com Or climatepolicy@lwvor.org . Training will be offered. · Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture · Transportation and ODOT state agency · Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s TrustDA · Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) · Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team) · State Pr ocurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services) · CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets · Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report section

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 5/15 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Jump to a topic: Climate Emergency Priority Bills I-5 Bridge Project Oregon Economic Analysis Oregon Treasury Climate Related Lawsuits: Oregon and… Natural Climate Solutions Bill Priority Bills The May 17 Revenue 23-25 forecast was very favorable. Oregon is forecasted to have $1.5-2.0 B in funds not previously reflected in the Feb forecast. Previously the Governor and Legislature majority leadership have given some direction in their commitment to a meaningful ‘Climate Package’. Related, given the new May forecast Oregon, is now in a better position to qualify for Federal matching Energy/Climate IPA funds. The CE priority bills had minimal activity in the last few weeks. Most have already moved to JW&Ms. Find additional background in previous LR (report)s on the six CE priorities. ** Action Needed: Please contact your State Senator and Representative to encourage them to support the following Climate and Environmental related Bills. ** 1. Resilient Buildings (RB) policy package: Bills are now in JW&M. The League is an active RB coalition partner. Link to League testimonies: SB 868 , 869 , 870 and 871 . · SB 868 A staff measure summary , Fiscal and Follow-up Questions · SB 869 A staff measure summary , Fiscal and Follow-up Questions · SB 870 A Staff measure summary , Fiscal and Follow-up Questions · SB 871 A staff measure summary , Fiscal and Follow-up Questions 2. SB 530A : Natural and Working Lands is in JW&Ms. The League continues to be an active coalition member. Fiscal . Staff Measure Summary 3. Environmental Justice (EJ) 2023 bills: SB 907 A ‘Right to Refuse Dangerous work’ public hearing was on May 10 in House B&L. The work session was 5/17, bill moved to House Desk with 6,0,5,0 do pass vote. Here is the May 9 LWVOR testimony . The bill will go to the floor; it has Minimal Fiscal Impact. The League joined the Worker Advocate Coalition on 2/13. SB 593 is one of two bills the League will follow and support. The ‘Right to Refuse dangerous work’ SB 907 A , League testimony . SB 907 amendment -6 staff measure summary. 4/4 work session, moved to the floor with do pass with amendments, a unanimous vote. SB907 Coalition Letter - LWVOR one of many organizations. 4. Oregon Climate Action Commission (currently Oregon Global Warming Commission): Roadmap , SB 522 A staff measure summary , fisca l, 4/4 Work Session moved, with 4/1 vote to JW&Ms. 5. Other Governor Climate / Carbon Policy Topics: See 20-04 Executive Order topics . This area includes other GHG emission mitigation/reductions (DEQ) and new clean renewable energy (DEQ & DOE), OHA public health, and ODOT (Dept of Transportation) policy and funding bills including state agency budget bills. (POPS and current service level spending). 6. CE related total 2023-2025 biennium budget: The governor’s budget * was published January 31; Kotek’s budget priorities . On May 17 the Governor's budget / May forecast press release did not mention the Climate Package topic. There is still some discussion concerning using available funds versus issuing additional state bonds for capital construction projects. We provided testimony on the Oregon Dept. of Energy (ODOE) budget ( HB 5016 ) and will add climate items to (DEQ) HB 5018 League 3/30 testimony . In both cases, our testimony requested additional agency requests not included in the Governor’s January budget. Other CE Bills that are still alive: HB 2763 A updated with -1 amendment: League Testimony . Creates a State Public Bank Task Force. Like the 2022 session RB task force, the 23-member Task Force is required to recommend no later than January 2024. “ The report must include a recommendation for a governing structure for a public bank.” This policy topic will likely have a bill in the 2024 session -1 staff measure summary . Moved on 3/14 with recommendation to JW&Ms with - 1 amendment. Fiscal HB 3016 A , community green infrastructure, moved to JW&Ms unanimously. Legislative -2 Staff Measure Summary . HB 3196A – Fees from Community Climate Investment funds -– Support HB 3166 A – Whole-home Retrofits and High-efficiency Electric Home Rebates–– Support HB 3056 A–– Extends Residential Heat Pump Fund until to January 2, 2026 –– Support HB3181 A -- Energy Siting process. Fiscal . Staff Summary Currently in JWM. HB2990A Resilience Community Hubs, Fiscal , Staff Summary Interstate 5 (I-5) Bridge Project By Claudia Keith No schedule meetings yet for the Legislative Joint Committee on Interstate 5 Bridge . Other related Meetings & Events | I-5 Bridge Replacement Program EXECUTIVE STEERING GROUP: ESG May 25, 2023, Meeting Thursday, May 25, 2023, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. Join the meeting via Online Zoom webinar or on YouTube . This meeting will be live streamed on the IBR program YouTube channel ,with closed captioning and all past meetings available. Oregon Economic Analysis By Claudia Keith The Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast was released May 17. (See CE LR above for details). The JW&M-recommended budget will use the May forecast to balance the budget. The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis has continued to ignore the recommended SEC Climate Risk disclosure proposed rule. Analysis: SEC.gov | Remarks at the 2023 SEC Municipal Securities Disclosure Conference , The Need for Climate Risk Disclosures: Emerging trends in ESG governance for 2023 | Harvard. See supportive SEC disclosure LWVOR-initiated LWVUS Testimony , June 2022. Oregon Treasury By Claudia Keith It is unclear how Oregon Treasury/Treasurer Tobias Read will assist with addressing the IRA $27B Federal funds, contingent on formation of an Oregon Green Bank. Up To $27B Available for NPO Clean Energy Activities . | TNPT. Oregon Pers Performance : Returns for periods ending MAR-2023 Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund. The Oregon Investment Council will meet May 31. The agenda and meeting materials are not yet posted. The Council met April 19; see meeting packet ; no 4/19 minutes posted yet. The April packet includes the March meeting minutes. ESG investing continues to be addressed. Climate Related Lawsuits: Oregon and… By Claudia Keith Numerous lawsuits are challenging Oregon’s DEQ CPP regulations. Here is one example of how to track them. Basically, there are a number of active state a federal lawsuits , (May 2023 update) some of which could assist in meeting Oregon's Net Zero GHG Emissions before 2050 targets and other lawsuits, which challenge current Oregon DEQ CPP policy, which would limit the use of fossil fuels, including diesel, natural gas, and propane over time. Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 64 lawsuits , mentioning OREGON. Youth lawsuit challenging Montana's pro-fossil fuel policies is heading to trial | AP News. The challenges and promises of climate lawsuits | KnowableMag.org . Supreme Court deals blow to oil companies by turning away climate cases | NBC News Natural Climate Solutions Bill By Josie Koehne SB 530 A , the Natural Climate Solutions Bill makes it state policy to "implement strategies to advance natural climate solutions to mitigate the future impacts of climate change," and to invest in research on the effects of natural climate solutions on natural and working lands. Working lands means agricultural, forest and marine lands that naturally sequester carbon. The bill will provide incentives via grants to owners/managers of these lands for voluntarily adopting strategies to increase carbon storage on their lands. The funding from state, federal and private sources is to prepare an "inventory, baseline, activity based metrics and community impact metrics for net carbon sequestration and storage in natural and working lands and establish carbon sequestration and storage goals." SB 530 A passed out of the Senate Natural Resources Committee with a Do Pass recommendation, 3-2 along a party line vote. The -7 was adopted that modifies some definitions and changes the committee that is to receive and distribute the requested $20 million per biennium from the Department of Energy (DOE) to the Oregon Water Enhancement Board (OWEB), which already has the authority to write and distribute grants. The Oregon Global Warming Commission will advise OWEB and regularly report to the legislature on the uses of moneys from fund. The bill now sits in Joint Natural Resources W&Ms for possible funding, where it resided at least until the May 17 Forecast is published that helps the committee know how much money it has to spend this session. The LWVOR supports this bill and asks that you ask members of Joint NR W&Ms to fully fund this bill. The LWVOR was part of the coalition that wrote and signed this letter to J W&Ms. We hope you will contact them! Volunteers Needed By Claudia Keith Request to Local Leagues; please let us know your climate, resilience, or sustainability advocacy actions. Please consider joining the CE portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy and law areas: · Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture/ODA · Greenhouse Gas Emission Mitigation and Renewable Energy · Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust · Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) · Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team) · State Procurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services) · CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets · Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment We collaborate with Natural Resource Action members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics. Volunteers are needed: CE Coordinator. Orientation to Legislative and State Agency advocacy processes is available.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 2/20 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 Governance Land Use/Housing Recycling Toxics Water Volunteers Needed By Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, and Team The Feb. 22 (quarterly) Revenue Forecast provided guidance to legislators as they consider bills for the next few months. Of course, it will be the May 17 forecast that will be used to balance the state 2-year budget for 2023-25. We now have a list of most of the bills to be heard this session—with the exception of some “priority” bills that take the permission from the Senate President or Speaker of the House. The next important date is March 17 when policy bills will need to be scheduled for a Work Session or they are dead for the session. Budgets/Revenue The quarterly Revenue Forecast was shared on Feb. 22 in House Revenue. The Oregon Dept. of Energy (ODOE) budget ( HB 5016 ) was heard on Feb. 21-23. The Oregon Marine Board agency presentation and public hearing will be 2/27. The Oregon Dept. of Forestry (ODF) budget ( HB 5020 ) will be scheduled Feb. 28 & Mar. 1 & 2, with public testimony on March 2. We understand that tentatively the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture (ODA) budget ( HB 5002 and HB 5003 ) is scheduled for the week of March 13. Oregon Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) budget ( SB 5509 ) week of March 20. Dept. of State Lands ( HB 5037 ) mid-March and Dept. of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) ( HB 5018 and HB 5019 ) week of March 27. No date has been announced for the Oregon Water Resources Dept. (OWRD) budget ( HB 5043 ). The agency provided their one-pager on the Governor’s Recommended Budget with the list of Policy Option Packages included. See Governor Kotek’s biennial budget . For natural resource agency budgets, start on page 146 of the web document. The Governor’s budget is “balanced” with the use of the ending fund balances of $765 million from 2021-23 that would have gone to the Rainy-Day Fund. Oregon’s reserves are at $2 billion and those funds are not expected to be used, nor is the $3.9 billion kicker money that is expected to be returned to taxpayers. Kicker amounts won’t be finalized until the 2021-23 budget is closed in Sept. Climate By Claudia Keith and Team See Climate Report in the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. There are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. Dept. Of Environmental Quality (DEQ) The League provided testimony with concerns on SB 835 . In listening to the bill sponsor, the concern is that DEQ is not equally administering permits. The bill seemed to require that a single septic system be used for both the main home and an accessory dwelling unit placed on a lot where a septic system is used. The sponsor and DEQ are to clarify the concerns of the sponsor to assure that permits are being considered consistently. LWVOR agrees but wants to be sure that permits are given to use the same system ONLY if it is adequate and in good condition and able to handle the increased waste. This is a public health and safety issue. Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) By Peggy Lynch The DOGAMI budget ( SB 5510 ) was heard. The League provided testimony , both supporting the Geologic Survey and Services Division where science is king and acknowledging the importance of the Mined Land Regulation and Reclamation (MLRR) Division, although we have concerns about the new General Funds proposed for the MLRR program—a program once only funded by fees. Governance By Peggy Lynch The League noticed a couple of bills in Senate Rules and provided testimony in opposition. SB 42 would require agencies to add even more factors related to business when calculating the cost of doing the rulemaking and those consequences. It goes so far as to allow only a few people to file a petition to hold rules hostage. The League provided testimony in opposition. SB 38 would require certain agencies to process permits even if state or federal laws or rules changed during the permit processing. The League provided testimony in opposition. Land Use/Housing By Peggy Lynch HB 2001 is being “stuffed” with the -8 amendment that includes a number of bills LWVOR supported. Section 11 would provide “financing, including refinancing, to local governments or housing developers for predevelopment costs, including infrastructure, site acquisition, planning, reports, surveys and consultants.” LWVOR testified in favor of SB 534 which is now incorporated into this bill as well as some other provisions, including HB 2889 , the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis bill. A news release issued Feb. 22 announced that HB 5019 will be amended and will be the vehicle for funding the policies in HB 2001-8. The Joint Semiconductor Committee Co-Chairs have introduced SB 4 that includes monies to help semiconductor industries and would allow the Governor to “supersite” industrial lands for this industry. The League is concerned with the land use provision. Some of the lands being considered are prime farmland. And some were promised as “rural reserves” in a “grand bargain” from about 10 years ago—so that farmers could plan for investments on that land for 40-50 years. We have supported the concept of “shovel-ready” lands for industry as well as housing, but infrastructure takes investment and it’s unclear if the monies requested in the bill will help pay for servicing any raw land. The need for infrastructure within our Urban Growth Boundaries should be addressed for these lands to be used for any need. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. Radioactive Waste By Shirley Weathers On February 13, the RAC member representing Waste Management proposed a number of changes to the schedule ODOE has put forward to address proposed rules for Division 050 of OAR 345 relating to radioactive waste. They requested that ODOE 1) grant an extension of the March 1 deadline for members of the RAC to submit informal input on the initial draft of proposed rules on radioactive waste for Division 050 of OAR 345 provided by ODOE to RAC members in December; 2) agree on a “new more protective approach” that “. . . will be designed to incorporate the most current radiological science;” 3) convene a series of RAC meetings beginning in April designed to obtain consensus on the new approach; and 4) accept a draft rule package of their own on the basis of their new proposed approach in lieu of submitting comments to the draft concepts currently before the RAC as developed by ODOE. On February 15, ODOE agreed to an extension and to explore possible April meeting dates with RAC members. Recycling By Kathy Moyd The League provided testimony on three recycling bills after doing research: SB 542 requires original equipment manufacturers to make repair information available to consumer electronic equipment owners or independent repair providers. The League provided testimony in support, but pointed out two areas where changes should be made: clarify what was included under the bill and deal with the enforcement method. Preferred versions were included in the New York law. SB 543 prohibits food vendors from using polystyrene foam containers in sales of prepared food. A - 1 amendment was posted three hours before the public hearing. LWVOR provided written testimony after the public hearing. SB 544 directs the Environmental Quality Commission to establish a program for source reduction of single-use plastic food ware and single-use packaging and achieve 25% source reductions compared to 2023 levels by 2030. A -1 amendment was posted three hours before the public hearing. LWVOR provided written Testimony after the public hearing. Toxics By Paula Grisafi LWVOR provided testimony in support of SB 426 , the Toxics Free Schools bill for a Senate Education Committee Feb. 21 hearing. Water By Peggy Lynch On Feb. 15, Governor Tina Kotek declared the first drought declaration of 2023, in Crook and Jefferson counties through Executive Order 23-05, and directed state agencies to coordinate and prioritize assistance to the region. All or a portion of Crook County has been classified as having exceptional drought (D4) conditions since early July 2021. The data indicates the 36-month average ending in January 2023 is by far the worst on record. Current conditions in the Crooked River watershed are less than 30% of the average and reservoir storage is only 10% full. The Klamath and Harney basins may have groundwater restrictions in the future. The two Oregon regions are grappling with water shortages and could soon have new groundwater restrictions as a mega-drought continues to parch the U.S. West. The Water Resources Department may create new critical groundwater areas in Harney Basin in eastern Oregon and the Klamath Basin in southern Oregon, according to agency spokesperson Alyssa Rash. The decision would give the agency wide latitude to mandate groundwater use cuts by setting pumping limits or by denying new permits to pump from underground aquifers. The Oregon Capital Chronicle provided a good article on this important issue. Place-based Planning is a concept that the League has supported since its inception in 2014. We participated in the HB 5006 Work Group where members suggested updating that planning program. HB 3163 would create a special Fund for these regional planning efforts. The League testified in support of the Fund. We will work with others on the specific criteria listed for qualifying for access to the Fund. The League participated in a meeting by Oregon Kitchen Table as the Integrated Water Resources Strategy is being updated . The meeting was to consider how to reach out to more Oregonians and what issues might be of interest. An LWV Deschutes member also attended and shared some of the Deschutes basin concerns. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” We provided testimony in support of HB 2647 , a bill that declares harmful algal blooms to be a menace to public health and welfare. An amendment will be considered to narrow the bill since some issues were addressed in previous sessions. 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. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. 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 1/16 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 AIR QUALITY BUDGETS/REVENUE CLIMATE COASTAL ISSUES DEQ DSL FORESTRY GOVERNANCE HANFORD LAND USE/HOUSING NWEC OWEB RECYCLING TRANSPORTATION WATER WILDFIRE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Overview Bills have been filed, “first read” and assigned to committees. But this does not guarantee they will receive public hearings. That decision first rests with the Committee Chairs in consultation with their Vice Chairs. Final determination is always with Legislative Leadership. Filing deadline is Feb. 21 for most bills. AGRICULTURE Bills being reviewed by the League: SB 47 : Directs Environmental Quality Commission and Department of Agriculture to enter into a memorandum of understanding to allow the department to exercise exclusive jurisdiction over air quality laws, water quality laws and land quality laws that apply to agricultural lands, operations and equipment. HB 2121 : House version of SB 47. SB 399 : Would limit water use for confined animal feeding operations, known as CAFOs. HB 2667 : Would put a pause on all new CAFOs for the next several years. AIR QUALITY Our friends from Neighbors for Clean Air have set their 2023 agenda : Particulate Air Pollution. BUDGETS/REVENUE We are all awaiting Governor Kotek’s Governor’s Recommended Budget (GRB)—due by Feb. 1. The next Revenue Forecast is Feb. 22. The House Revenue Committee provided an overview/audio of Revenue issues. The meeting is worth listening to. CLIMATE By Claudia Keith and Team See Climate Report in the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. There are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. HB 2236 : P rohibits governor and specific agencies from taking measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions unless authorized by Legislature. COASTAL ISSUES By Christine Moffitt Bills being reviewed by the League: HB 2190 (Relating to offshore wind). DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (DEQ) On January 19, the Environmental Quality Commission announced two finalists for consideration to become the new Director of the Dept. of Environmental Quality: Current Interim Director Leah Feldon and Jamie McLeod-Skinner, regional emergency coordinator with the Oregon Department of Human Services and is also founding partner and attorney with MS Sage Consulting in Central Oregon. The Commission will hold a special meeting in February for the Commission, staff and the public to engage before the Commission makes its decision. Bills being reviewed by the League: SB 47 : Directs Environmental Quality Commission and Department of Agriculture to enter into a memorandum of understanding to allow the department to exercise exclusive jurisdiction over air quality laws, water quality laws and land quality laws that apply to agricultural lands, operations and equipment. HB 2121 : House version of SB 47. DEPT. OF STATE LANDS (DSL) By Peggy Lynch Bill possibly supported by the League: HB 2238 : Fees related to removal or fill permit applications, wetland delineation reports and general authorizations. FORESTRY On February 7 from 1 – 4 p.m. there will be a virtual meeting open to the public to learn more about the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Forest Management Plan (FMP) and Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). This meeting will provide an update on the FMP, the HCP, and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. A proposed agenda and additional details will be provided closer to the meeting date. RSVP is requested; you can do so by clicking here. More information is available online at the Western Oregon State Forest Management Plan Website and the Western Oregon State Forest Habitat Conservation Plan Website . See “Wildfire” below for a report on the Oregon Wildfire Council. GOVERNANCE By Peggy Lynch Bills being reviewed by League members: HB 2480 : new or increased fees adopted by state agency do not become effective unless approved by three-fifths of each chamber of the Legislative Assembly. LWVOR opposes. SB 660 : No new/increase in agency fees unless approved by legislative assembly. LWVOR opposes. SB 43 : Requires agencies to post certain information about rulemaking on agency websites and a long list of other requirements. LWVOR opposes. HANFORD By Marylou Schnoes) The Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board will hold a virtual meeting on January 18. A full meeting agenda, including how to participate, and other meeting materials is available on their website . LAND USE/HOUSING By Peggy Lynch Bills being reviewed by League members: HB 2203 : Allows RVs used to provide security of farm use to be sited on lands zoned for EFU. Public Hearing 1/19. LWVOR has concerns around waste disposal, drinking water availability and other services. HB 2889 : Establishes Oregon Housing Needs Analysis within the Housing and Community Services Department. LWVOR supports. You can watch a presentation of this concept in the House Housing Committee on Jan. 17. SB 70 : A “correction” to SB 16 (2021 ), a bill that would have allowed 100 homes on farmland and which we opposed , but passed yet never implemented. At first glance, we will oppose SB 70 as well. HB 2211 : Redefines "historic home" to include dwellings built before 1974 for the purpose of serving as accessory dwelling unit to home newly constructed on rural residential lands. LWVOR opposes as we have in past sessions. HB 2749 : C hange the RR lot size for ADUs from 2 acres to 1 acre or 1/2 acre. LWVOR has concerns. HB 2758 : Change the RR lot size for ADUs from 2 acres to 1 acre or 1/2 acre. LWVOR has concerns SB 534 : Requires Oregon Facilities Authority to provide financing for infrastructure and predevelopment costs for moderate income housing. LWVOR may support. HB 2258 : Extends sunset of Oregon Industrial Site Readiness Program. LWVOR has supported this data-driven program. HB 2027 : Requires Housing and Community Services Department to study housing —a potential “gut and stuff” bill. Expect major amendments. HB 2202 : Prohibits counties from allowing use of certain new dwellings on resource lands as vacation occupancies. SB 580 : Relating to climate rules for land use planning. HB 2207 : Limits standing in appeals of land use decisions. HB 2260 : Relating to system development charges impacting housing . HB 2210 : Relating to parcel sizes of resource lands. HB 2487 : Allows lands zoned for exclusive farm use to be used for weddings or events east of the summit of the Cascade Range. HB 2659 : Requires LCDC to update rules adopted in response to the Governor's executive order on climate to address specific issues. HB 2406 : Directs Energy Facility Siting Council to adopt standards for siting, construction, operation and retirement of energy facilities that generate electricity from renewable energy sources, addressing impacts of energy facility's equipment waste recycling and disposal needs over lifetime of energy facility. HB 2989 : Directs ODOE & DLCD to convene work groups to examine barriers, opportunities and other issues related to renewable energy and transmission project siting in Oregon. SB 673 : Requires Deschutes County to approve certain applications to develop manufactured dwelling or recreational vehicle parks outside the urban growth boundary. LC 3914 is a redraft of HB 2701 (2021). It creates a pilot program under the bill and allocates $1.5 million into an Systems Development Charge fund. Pertains only to cities under 15,000 and small population counties. Allows a developer to build multi-family housing with a waiver of SDC’s provided the City agrees and the developer and subsequent owner enters into a covenant with the State whereby the rent cannot be increased above a statutory threshold for at least 10 years. With the agreement, the State reimburses the City or County for the full cost SDC’s. A bill ( HB 2659 ) for the City of Springfield regarding “Climate Friendly & Equitable Community” rules (not yet first read). The Citizen Involvement Advisory Committee (CIAC) is meeting Jan. 27. The agenda and meeting materials for a CIAC joint meeting with the Land Conservation and Development Commission are now available online. This is a hybrid, virtual and in-person meeting. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. NORTHWEST ENERGY COALITION (NWEC) By Robin Tokmakian 2023 Priorities for NWEC: RE-Building Task Force: The RE-Building Task Force was established during last year’s legislative session by SB 1518 . The task force has been hard at work to determine how to reduce emissions from new and existing buildings in the state. The task force released a draft report earlier in December. Bills will be developed from the concepts considered by the task force and will be introduced when the legislative session starts in January. Clean Lighting Bill: Appliance Standard Awareness Project (ASAP) has proposed a bill to phase out the use of linear fluorescent lamps due to their mercury content . The bill would also result in energy savings and emissions reductions, and follows similar legislation recently adopted in California . Other things to keep an eye on: Portland General Electric Securitization Bill : We expect Portland General Electric to propose a bill around securitization. A bill draft that was shared with NWEC seeks to allow a utility, with the approval of the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC), to issue bonds and securitize debt for costs and expenses associated with events subject to federal or state declaration of emergency (think fires or ice storms). PGE has been discussing the issue with many stakeholders and we expect the bill to come up early in the session. Oregon Siting Bill: As in Washington, there are many discussions in Oregon about clean energy siting. NW Energy Coalition has been, and will continue to, engage and assess any proposals that may arise from discussions. Oregon Budget : Congress’s passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will provide a massive amount of new funding to the state of Oregon. There will no doubt be many discussions about how to allocate those new federal funds. OREGON WATERSHED ENHANCEMENT BOARD (OWEB) OWEB will hold a virtual 2-day meeting, on January 24 and 25 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The agenda and staff reports for the meeting are now available. RECYCLING By Kathy Moyd New: Zero Waste Package aims to reduce Oregon’s waste and includes these five bills: Right to Repair ( SB 542 ): Will reduce electronic waste and save people hundreds of dollars a year by allowing them to repair their own electronics. Styrofoam Phase Out ( SB 543 ) : Phases out the use of styrofoam in food to-go containers, as well as bans the use of highly carcinogenic PFAS chemicals in food packaging. Reduction of Single-Use Packaging ( SB 544 ): A bill that will require a 25% Reduction of Single-Use Packaging in 10 Years. Reusable Containers ( SB 545 ) : Updating Oregon law to allow for reusable containers to be used in the bulk section of the supermarket and for eating out. No New Permits for Chemical Recycling Plants : While the name might sound nice, chemical recycling leads to localized air pollution and is not healthy for people or the environment. Bill not yet filed. TRANSPORTATION T here will soon be new sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, curb ramps and more to make walking and rolling to school safer, easier and more accessible for all. ODOT Commissioners 1/12 approved 26 Safe Routes to School projects totaling $32.4 million, with a focus on under-resourced neighborhoods: all awardees are Title 1 schools (schools where 40% or more of the student population is low-income). WATER By Peggy Lynch An update to the Morrow/Umatilla County nitrate contamination issue: Morrow and Umatilla counties have long faced nitrate pollution in some people’s drinking water. The federal funding aims to establish a long-term fix. A follow up article with resident frustrations. Bills being reviewed by League members: HB 2647 : Harmful Algal Blooms. SB 399 : Limiting water for livestock use. HB 2813 : Relating to sources of drinking water. SB 710 : Relating to groundwater use decisions affecting surface water sources SB 553 : Requires Department of Environmental Quality to study water reuse. HB 2023 : Salmon Credits . LWVOR had concerns with this bill in 2021. HB 2248 : Requires Water Resources Department and Department of Environmental Quality to study impacts of wildfire on water quality of streams and tributaries. HB 2929 : Authorizes WRD to seek injunctive relief if person has engaged, or is about to engage, in activity that is or will be in violation of certain water laws. HB 2590 : Requires DEQ to study both requirements related to subsurface and alternative sewage disposal systems that create barriers to siting and construction of accessory dwelling units in areas outside urban growth boundary and solutions to eliminate barriers. HB 2988 : Establishes Community Benefiting Water Infrastructure Investment Program. HB 3002 : Requires LPRO to study water service rates and rate schedules. LWVOR is interested in this bill. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. A news release explains the signs you should note. “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. Oregonians need to celebrate the early snowfall and the rain these past weeks. But we must hope that the snow stays on until well into May or June. WILDFIRE The Wildfire Programs Advisory Council was scheduled to meet Jan. 20. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Above you can see the names of League volunteers who covered one or more issues. Volunteers are needed. What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. If not actually serving on a rules advisory committee (RAC), you could simply monitor and report back on their work. The 2023 legislative session is at hand with over 2,000 bills already filed. Help! Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly 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 Legislative Report Revenue Legislative Report - Week of 2/9 Revenue Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch REVENUE Patricia Garner, Josie Koehne, Peggy Lynch It’s here! The long-awaited Revenue Forecast that will guide the spending for the 2026 legislative session, was delivered at the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee meeting on Feb. 4th. Carl Ricidonna, Oregon’s State Economist, provided his report, along with Michael Kennedy, Senior Economist. See pages 17 and 20 for the important numbers. And the Legislative Revenue Office’s Forecast Summary : Projected 2025-27 Net General Fund Resources are up $252.7 million (0.7%) from the 2025: Q4 forecast. Projected 2025-27 Lottery resources are up $33.8 million (1.8%) from the 2025: Q4 forecast. Projected 2025-27 Combined net General Fund and Lottery Resources are up $286.5 million (0.7%) from the 2025: Q4 forecast. This Revenue forecast is better than the last forecast, and it appears there is just a 20% chance of a recession. Oregon’s revenue outlook is doing better than predicted due the highest corporate earners doing especially well last year with higher productivity. 5% of corporations are paying 90% of the tax. Lottery revenues are also up. However, the personal income tax revenues were only modestly up, and lower income earners are again hardest hit by a nearly 3% inflation rate with few new jobs. Unemployment is also up but not at an alarming rate. In all this will reduce slightly the revenue hole caused by HR 1 and our state income tax connection to it. Because of the importance of this presentation here is a list of news articles covering the forecast: Oregon Capital Chronicle on Feb. 4 . OregonLive . OPB In the last legislative report, we shared the various budget gaps that legislators are facing, from Medicaid and SNAP to education and addressing transportation funding. Although this forecast was helpful, it is still $450 to $1 billion less than needed. So, cuts will happen. However, there are some actions the legislature is considering to decrease the effects of funding loss for services Oregonians value. One is SB 1507 shared below: At the Senate Finance Committee meeting on Feb. 4, the version of SB 1507 which was initially introduced sought to reduce a number of taxes equal to/conditioned on a statewide retail sales tax with proceeds to be directed to specifically defined purposes. The legislation is largely intended to ameliorate some of the impacts of federal H.R.1 . At the outset of the hearing Chair Anthony Broadman indicated that there were likely additional amendments in the pipeline besides those posted online. Committee members are, for example, working through the jobs credit provision which is currently set at a $12.5 million cap per year. The -3 amendment is fairly straightforward. It entirely replaces the initial version of SB 1507 and updates Oregon’s connection with the federal Internal Tax Code by replacing effective dates of “2023” with “2025.” The -4 amendment also seeks to replace the initial version of SB 1507 and is no longer in consideration. It closes certain federal tax loopholes for purposes of Oregon taxation, which will result in increased taxpayer payments and state revenue. They include (1) deductions for car loan interest, (2) gain from the exchange or sale of small business stock deducted on personal income tax returns, (3) certain machinery and equipment tax deductions. Subject to an annual total amount of tax credits of $12.5 million, taxpayers can also claim $1,000 personal and corporate income tax credit for every new job they create in Oregon, which credit can be carried forward for 3 years. Oregon’s earned income tax credit is also increased from 9% to 14% of a taxpayer’s federal earned income tax credit, and for taxpayers with a dependent under 3 the credit is increased from 12% to 17%. The -5 amendment reiterates - 4 but also adds clarifying language. For example, when seeking the new job tax credit, Dash 5 provides that new jobs are to be determined by comparing the average annual employees of a taxpayer in a 12-month period ending on June 30th of the current tax year as compared to the same 12-month period in the previous tax year. Here is the Legislative Revenue Office summary of the -5. The tax credits are capped at an annual total amount of tax credits of $12.5 million. The latest amendment is the -6 which includes the following: 1. Removes the vehicle loan interest deduction 2. Increases Oregon’s EITC from 9% to 14% of federal EITC amount, or from 12% to 17% for taxpayers with a dependent under the age of 3 at close of tax year. This is a great help to low-income earners. 3. Disconnects from personal income tax exclusion for gain from the exchange or sale of qualified small business stock. 4. Disconnects from bonus depreciation provision. This item was hotly contested in the Feb 4 hearing which allows a business to take 100% depreciation in the first year. 5. Credit for taxpayers creating jobs allows $1,000 × number of jobs created in the year, capped at 10 new jobs per year. Wages paid must be at 150% of the local minimum wage. These credits are capped at $12.5 million per year and end in 2031. All these credits apply to tax years starting in 2026. On Feb. 5 th , a -6 amendment was posted. Here is the Staff Measure Summary of the -3 and -6 amendments that replace the measure and we expect to be voted on in Committee Monday. Public Hearing Feb. 4. Work Session Feb. 9. The League supports the bill with amendments as it has the potential to bring in over $300 million but had wished for additional disconnect items to help with Oregon’s revenue needs. The Oregon Capital Chronicle provides this article . Here are Oregonlive and Salem Reporter articles on HB 1507. Then the Full Ways and Means Committee met for hours Feb. 3 rd to hear from Oregonians as shared in this Oregon Capital Chronicle article. On Feb. 5 th , hundreds of Oregonians rallied in Salem in support of a disconnect ( KDRV article). The Full Ways and Means Committee met Feb. 6 th and introduced 6 budget bills for the session. The LCs (Legislative Concepts) will be assigned bill numbers after their introduction AND the League expects amendments by the end of session: LC 319 : Amends an incorrect internal reference in a law relating judicial compensation. Program Change Senate bill. LC 321 : Modifies previously approved lottery bonding provisions. (Includes monies for the Port of Coos Bay) Bond Authority Senate Bill. LC 322 : Establishes and modifies limits on payment of expenses from specified funds by certain state agencies for capital construction. Capital Construction 6-year limitation Senate Bill LC 323 : Establishes biennial appropriations and expenditure limitations for ______ for the biennium ending June 30, 2027. Placeholder for agency allocation changes Senate Bill. LC 324 : Approves certain new or increased fees adopted by state agencies. The bill includes the Dept. of State Lands Wetlands processing fees set forth during rulemaking for which the League engaged. Fee Ratification House Bill. LC 325 : Establishes biennial appropriations and expenditure limitations for ______ for the biennium ending June 30, 2027. Placeholder House Bill. LC 326 : Establishes biennial appropriations and expenditure limitations for ______ for the biennium ending June 30, 2027. Placeholder House Bill. LC 327 : Modifies certain biennial appropriations made from the General Fund to specified state agencies and the Emergency Board. Establishes and modifies limitations on expenditures for certain biennial expenses for specified state agencies. The items populated in this bill as introduced reflect tentative decisions made by Ways and Means during the January Legislative Days. Omnibus Budget House Bill. Though LWVOR does not have a position regarding the conclusion shared by the author of this article , the information about future PERS costs is important. The two increases mean that by 2029, PERS contributions will have increased almost 80% over the 2023-2025 biennium, from $5.26 billion to $9.35 billion, over 25% of payroll. The Dept. of Administrative Services (DAS) is reviewing state building usage and leases to find efficiencies and reduce state costs per this presentation in the W&M General Government Subcommittee on Feb. 2 nd . Here is the material from the Oregon State Debt Policy Advisory Commission . Tentatively the General Obligation bond capacity for the 2026 session is $513 million and $86 million lottery bond capacity. Bills we may be following: SB 1562 : Allows city and county services for which net local transient lodging tax revenue may be used to be provided either directly by the city or county or indirectly by a special district. Changes the division of allowable uses of net local transient lodging tax revenue from at least 70 percent for tourism related expenses and no more than 30 percent for city or county services, to at least 40 percent and no more than 60 percent, respectively. Allows units of local government with restricted grandfathered local transient lodging tax regimes to take advantage of the new provisions of the Act. Establishes biennial reporting by local governments of amounts and uses of local transient lodging tax revenue. HB 4148 : Allows city and county services for which net local transient lodging tax revenue may be used to be provided either directly by the city or county or indirectly by a special district. Changes the division of allowable uses of net local transient lodging tax revenue from at least 70 percent for tourism related expenses and no more than 30 percent for city or county services, to at least 40 percent and no more than 60 percent , respectively. Allows units of local government with restricted grandfathered local transient lodging tax regimes to take advantage of the new provisions of the Act. Establishes biennial reporting by local governments of amounts and uses of local transient lodging tax revenue. The LOCAL Act, adjusts the post-2003 lodging tax distribution so that local governments may adjust the percentages, with up to 60% used for critical local services and infrastructure, such as first responders, and at least 40% dedicated to tourism promotion and facilities. The LOCAL Act is a bipartisan collaborative bill that updates outdated restrictions so communities can better balance supporting tourism with maintaining residents' quality of life. Public hearing Feb. 9. HB 4125 : Prescribes methodology for the preparation of revenue estimates used in the budgeting process and as applicable to the surplus revenue refund process. Applies to estimates prepared on or after January 1, 2027. Requires the Department of Revenue to estimate the difference in surplus revenue calculations using stated methodologies, and transfer an amount equal to the difference for use for various purposes. Establishes the One-Time Emergencies and Finance Fund. Public hearing Feb. 2. HB 4136 : Disallows, for purposes of personal income taxation, a mortgage interest deduction for a residence other than the taxpayer’s principal residence, unless the taxpayer sells the residence or actively markets the residence for sale. Establishes the Oregon Homeownership Opportunity Account. Transfers an amount equal to the estimated increase in revenue attributable to restrictions on the deduction of mortgage interest to the account, for the purpose of making down payment assistance payments. Applies to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026. SB 1510 : Updates the terminology used to describe certain income earned by multinational corporations to reflect a change in the term used in federal law. Aligns sunset dates for earned income tax credit provisions with the underlying sunset date for the credit. Expands the tax credit for certified film production development contributions to allow the use of contributions for the production of commercials. Applies to fiscal years beginning on or after July 1, 2026. Provides an exception from the annual filing requirement for the property tax exemption for property burdened by an affordable housing covenant used for owner-occupied housing. Applies to property tax years beginning on or after July 1, 2027. Public Hearing Feb. 11. SB 1511 : Requires the Legislative Revenue Officer to study the estate tax. Directs the Legislative Revenue Officer to submit findings to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to revenue not later than December 1, 2027. Public Hearing Feb. 11. SB 1586 : Modifies the tax credit allowed for semiconductor research. Creates and amends certain programs offering tax breaks related to advanced manufacturing, enterprise zones and regionally significant industrial sites. Directs certain state agencies to establish deadlines within which the agency intends to process applications for permits and make the deadlines available to the public. Directs certain state agencies to publish a catalog of permits issued by the agency within 60 days after the effective date of the Act. Adds rural reserves in Washington County to Metro to be used for high technology and advanced manufacturing purposes. See more on this omnibus bill in the Land Use section of the Natural Resources Report. The League has major concerns about sections of this bill. Oregonlive provided this comprehensive assessment of the bill. SJR 201 : Kicker Reform: Proposes an amendment to the Oregon Constitution to require a portion of surplus revenue that would otherwise be returned to personal income taxpayers to be used for funding public kindergarten through grade 12 education, community colleges and wildfire prevention and suppression, if surplus revenue exceeds a certain threshold. Refers the proposed amendment to the people for their approval or rejection at the next regular general election. OPB covered a story about the bill . NO public hearing has been scheduled at this time. HB 4014 : Requires the Legislative Revenue Officer to study the state financial system. Public Hearing Feb. 2. HB 4125 : Prescribes methodology for the preparation of revenue estimates used in the budgeting process and as applicable to the surplus revenue refund process. Public Hearing Feb. 2. See other sections of the Legislative Report about the cuts in each area and what’s being considered to address the revenue shortfall.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 2/5 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: After School and Summer Care Behavioral Health and Related Public Safety Issues Gun Policy and Violence Prevention Health Care Higher Education Housing Immigration General Education By Jean Pierce, Social Policy Coordinator, and Team The 2024 short session runs Feb. 5 through March 10th. Bills in most committees must be scheduled for a work session by Feb. 12 and acted on by Feb. 19 th in the first chamber. The legislative calendar is posted on the Oregon Legislature website . Volunteers are needed who are interested in issues related to Children at Risk, Corrections, Farmworkers, Mental Health, and Physical Health. Please contact SocialPolicy@lwvor.org for more information about how you can make a difference with League advocacy. After School and Summer Care By Katie Riley The House Committee on Education held a hearing on HB 4082 , Summer Learning for 2024 and Beyond, on Monday, February 5th. This bill will provide $50 million for summer school in 2024 and establish a workgroup for planning to support afterschool and summer learning opportunities in the future. The League submitted testimony to support the bill in line with the 2018 position of the LWVUS Children at Risk that policies and programs "promote the well-being, encourage the full development, and ensure the safety of all children." All of the testimony provided in person during the hearing supported the bill. LWVOR support is also consistent with the recommendations contained in the LWVOR 2023 study, Caring for Our Children: An Update and Expansion of the 1988 LWVOR Study, which called for increased state funding and planning for afterschool and summer programs. Behavioral Health and Related Public Safety Issues By Karen Nibler The Joint Addiction and Community Safety Response Committee focused on HB 4002-2 , an extensive bill designed to confiscate hard drugs, such as fentanyl, provide more law enforcement tools, and facilitate treatment access through deflection programs. Possession of a small amount would be considered a Class C Misdemeanor, instead of the current Class E. A Class C misdemeanor requires an appearance at a court hearing, where the judge can order a behavioral health evaluation and probation in lieu of jail time. The court may not require the person to pay a fine, cost, assessment or attorney fee. The bill provides paths to expungement so that a convicted person would have their record cleared. The League submitted the attached testimony . The bill also asks the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission to study barriers for youth accessing treatment, increasing access to medication-assisted treatment, and increasing the network of providers. Oregon Health Authority would be required to establish the Certified Community Behavioral Clinic Program. A Task Force on Regional Behavioral Health Accountability would be created to strengthen evidence-based funding decisions. Delivery of a controlled substance was further defined in the bill with the addition of “intent” to transfer within 500 feet of a treatment facility, public park, or temporary shelter or residence. The House Judiciary Committee heard HB 4097 on expungement reform. Supporters emphasized the need to remove barriers to gainful employment, housing, and education for offenders who have completed their sentences. Defenders of the current system cited protections for victims. District Attorneys objected and offered an amendment. Expungement reform will be heard again. The Ways and Means Human Services Subcommittee received reports on the Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program which receives a HUD grant for current services. Last session funding supported teens in host homes. The Ways and Means Public Safety Subcommittee also heard from the Oregon Judicial Department on the status of the Oregon Public Defense Commission. The Oregon Judicial Department reported a high level of unrepresented cases but has no supervisory position over the newly formed Defense Commission. The OPDC reported an increase in the number of attorneys coming into the system and cited studies on workload models. According to SB 337 (2023) the Oregon Public Defense Commission will transfer to the executive branch and will benefit from executive support for technology and personnel matters. OPDC has set up district offices in the metro area for Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington Counties and in the Medford area for southern Oregon counties. A Mid-Willamette Office will cover Marion, Benton and Linn Counties. Gun Policy and Violence Prevention By Marge Easley Although legislators are understandably reluctant to introduce firearm-related bills during a short session, several bills have been assigned to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees in response to the significant increase in gun violence, mental health issues, and suicide ideation since the pandemic. According to Oregon Health Authority data, Oregon’s firearm suicide rate is 42% higher than the national average. SB 1503 , requested by Senate President Rob Wagner, establishes a Task Force on Community Safety and Firearm Suicide Prevention under the auspices of the Department of Justice that will include a broad range of stakeholders, including tribal representation. It examines public health best practices for reducing deaths from community safety threats and for suicide prevention, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations, geographic areas, professions, and age groups. The bill was heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 7 with a work session scheduled for February 13. The League submitted testimony in support of the -3 amendment to the bill. HB 4096 authorizes a gun dealer, otherwise known as a federal firearms licensee (FFLs), to enter into a firearm hold agreement with a firearm owner. The gun would be held in safekeeping at the owner’s request for a specified period of time and then returned to the owner. The second part of the bill directs the Oregon Health Authority to publish and provide free of charge a pamphlet on firearm suicide prevention to FFLs, law enforcement agencies, gun ranges, community-based organizations, and medical providers. The League will also be monitoring the following bills, using the lens of the LWVUS Violence Prevention position: HB 4156 modernizes and expands Oregon’s current anti-stalking law to include online and electronic means of intimidation. A public hearing on this bill was heard in House Judiciary on February 8. There was general agreement on the need for modernization of the law, although the ACLU expressed concern about the law’s impact on juveniles and youth due to their frequent use of social media. HB 4135 creates the crime of threatening a mass injury event. HB 4088 This bill makes the physical injury of hospital workers al least a 3rd degree assault and includes mandated posting of such. The bill also authorizes an OHSU pilot safety program with the purpose of protecting employees from workplace assault. HB 4074 defines "dangerous to self and others" and describes evidence the court must consider in civil commitment proceedings for mentally ill persons. Current statute would be amended to include this definition: “likely to inflict serious physical harm upon self or another person within the next 30 days.” Health Care By Christa Danielson HB-4149 strengthens reporting from Pharmacy Benefit managers. These entities such as Express Scripts and CVS have taken over delivery of medication to many health plans. These entities were there originally to save patients money. However, they are now traded on the stock market and are considered to be some of the largest Fortune 25 companies. This bill will say that PBMs need to report rebates they get from drug manufacturers, how much they spend on management and how much they pass on to the insured population. This bill will also save rural pharmacies by not allowing “claw-backs” (charging the pharmacy for a drug after it has been given to a patient), allow pharmacies to participate in the delivery of medications instead of forcing patients to use a mail order or a specific pharmacy far from where they live. League testimony . HB-4130 This bill strengthens previous laws developed in the 70s, still active. This bill is an attempt to keep corporations from making decisions about patient’s healthcare. It states that primary care doctors have to make decisions about what care is given - not a corporate entity. There is no restriction at this time about non-profit hospitals owning or managing physician practices. See League testimony . HB 4136 This bill is in response to a downtown Eugene hospital closing abruptly. Some provisions would give money to fund one more Emergency unit but also work broadly to assess the need for transport by EMS and employ innovation on the ground to avoid unnecessary transport. It is broadly supported in the community. Higher Education By Jean Pierce HB 4162: Relating to Higher Education Affordability would appropriate money from the General Fund to make college more affordable by creating and awarding grants for basic needs programs at public colleges and universities. These programs help students find money for food, housing, textbooks, health, childcare, transportation, and other purposes. According to figures reported in November, 2023, in-state students attending a 4-year institution in Oregon pay 15% more than the national average. The total annual cost of attendance is $24,517 for in-state students, with tuition accounting for 47% of that. So helping them pay for costs of basic living is necessary in order to make college more accessible. LWVOR submitted testimony in support. SB 1592 : Relating to Expansion of the Behavioral Health Workforce. Another testimony was written in support of SB1592, which would appropriate money from the General Fund to train more Behavioral Health professionals. The money could be used for purposes such as awarding tuition assistance to students, providing behavioral and mental health services, developing career pathways through partnerships with community organizations, developing education programs, etc. In January, 2024 , the Rural Health Information Hub reported that there were shortages of mental health professionals in every Oregon county except for Clackamas and Washington. So there is a profound need to invest in this training. Housing By Debbie Aiona, Nancy Donovan, Beth Jacobi SB 1537 : Governor Kotek declared a homelessness state of emergency last year, and local jurisdictions are working hard to meet or exceed targets set out in the bill. This year, the Governor is introducing SB 1537. It requests $500 million in state funds to pay for land to and expand utility services and other infrastructure needed to make way for new development. She also is proposing a new state agency, the Housing Accountability and Production Office to help developers and local governments navigate state housing laws. SB 1537 also includes a provision LWVOR opposes that would allow large acre urban growth boundary (UGB) expansions. There are currently thousands of acres in UGBs that should be developed first. And waiting for the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis rules by Jan. 2026 will assure that any expansions will be developed to meet price ranges, sizes, accessibility and other required housing for each city's demographics. Individual Development Accounts: On January 31, LWVOR provided testimony urging support for $10 million to fund Oregon Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), as part of the Senate omnibus housing bill ( SB 1530 ). The League joins over 70 businesses, financial institutions, housing providers and organizations calling for funding to maintain current service levels of the statewide IDA program. Combined with tax credit revenue, a $10 million general fund investment in 2024 will ensure that 2,200 Oregonians can begin saving for their financial goals through an IDA during this biennium. Every IDA, regardless of the savings goal, is a tool for housing stability: A home repair IDA can improve habitability and reduce utility costs. An IDA used to grow a small business can raise a family’s income. Saving for college can set a student on the path to graduate without debt, making homeownership a real possibility. Purchasing a vehicle can enable an IDA saver to access a higher-paying job. Emergency savings create resilience in the face of emergencies, preventing traumatic setbacks such as evictions. SB 1530 : Also included in the Senate omnibus bill, SB 1530, is funding allocated to the Housing and Community Services Department, Oregon Health Authority, Department of Human Services, State Department of Energy and Oregon Department of Administrative Services for the programs below: $65,000,000 for the operations, services, and administration of emergency shelters, as defined in ORS 197.782. $40,000,000 for homelessness prevention services delivered through the Oregon Eviction Diversion and Prevention and Eviction Prevention Rapid Response programs. $20,000,000 to implement the Affordable Housing Land Acquisition Revolving Loan Program under ORS 456.502. $15,000,000 to provide a flexible funding source to allow for alternative ownership models, including co-ops, as well as affordable single-family housing. HB 4099-1 : The concern over our shortage of housing affordable to Oregonians has resulted in an examination of the factors that lead to higher costs and extended timelines. HB 4099 seeks to reduce borrowing costs by giving developers more time to pay their System Development Charge fees to local jurisdictions. These fees help cover the cost of the infrastructure needed to support growth. They are typically due when permits are issued. HB 4099 would give developers up to 180 days after the certificate of occupancy is issued to pay. Affordable housing developers would have a year. The bill also creates a fund administered by Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) that would cover the cost of unpaid fees. OHCS would be responsible for collecting unpaid fees from developers. The League submitted testimony in support. Immigration By Claudia Keith HB 4085 – Directs DHS to give grants for legal assistance to help noncitizens get lawful immigration, status – Support. League testimony was sent to HECHS committee members after the Olis 48-hour deadline. General Education By Anne Nesse, Education Portfolio This week, the League testified on SB 1552 , titled by some the “Educational Omnibus Bill”, which included 48 Sections. This Bill was sponsored by Senator Dembrow, the Senate Interim Committee on Education, and a collection of individuals from the HECC, as well as others. Some Sections of the Bill were necessary technical fixes to language, thus requiring an emergency clause for the entire Bill. We could only support 3 Sections of this long Bill, introduced on 2/8, due to the lack of relevant position statements for much of the bill: • We supported that this Bill creates an Oregon Department of Education Youth Advisory Council, giving youth from around our State just representation for generations to come. • We supported updating the outdated Quality Education Model, to increase the understanding of the funding calculations that have to be made equitably for school districts throughout our State, through the State School Fund. • We supported modifying calculations to provide a more stable funding for youth in State Corrections and Juvenile Detention, and putting this into law. All the Sections of HB 1552 were presented in the Senate Education Public Hearing on Thursday, 2/8. Senator Dembrow announced that often an Omnibus Bill is presented in the short session to fix older legislation, and make additions to be ready for the long session. Expect 2 Amendments he stated, that did not make it into this original Bill. Virtually all the testimony was in support of the Bill. We also wrote testimony on HB 4079 , for 2/5. This Bill would remove the outdated 11% cap for school districts on funding for those eligible for special education,thus making it easier to equitably fund school districts who have higher percentages of these students. This Bill would also allow school districts with high percentages of homeless students to receive a higher weight of funding. Arguments against this bill were hypothetical. What if all school districts identified higher special education needs? Chair Neron and lobbying groups pushed for identifying students’ special needs as a public education goal, defining excellent teaching. We also wrote testimony on HB 4078 , for 2/7, now with a -1 Amendment, that replaces the measure. The original Bill directed the Department of Education to develop and implement a standardized method to be used by school districts to electronically create, collect, use, maintain, disclose, transfer and access student data. The -1 Amendment, changed this to a nationwide study of educational data collection systems. Rep. Neron, testified that this change would help initiate the best data collection system choices in the 2025 session. The LWVOR testimony was still relevant, since it described advantages of electronic and standardized methods of data collection, needed to make the best educational decisions. If you have any questions, you can contact me at lwvor@lwvor.org .

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 5/26 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Please see Climate Emergency Overview here. Jump to a topic: Federal Oregon Current Week CE Action Joint Ways and Means CE Funding Topics Environmental Justice Bills Natural and Working Lands Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package Update Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment Oregon Treasury Oregon Public Financing / BANK Other Climate Bills Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust Highlights of House and Senate Policy Committee Chamber Votes The League is very concerned about the recent announcement from Legislative leadership. The Transportation Cap and Trade idea has not had any public review including a comprehensive OCN perspective. We understand Oregon’s environmental community was not consulted. See: ‘Oregon lawmakers are now considering a ‘cap-and-trade’ program to fund roads, wildfire prevention’. “… . Among the issues under discussion, according to the memo, is scrapping the state’s existing emissions reduction program (see CPP Climate Protection Plan) and replacing it with a cap-and-trade system now favored by some industry and utility players….” | OPB Oregon lawmakers are now considering a ‘cap-and-trade’ program to fund roads, wildfire prevention – OPB Controversial Cap and Trade Policy Reemerges in Salem - Willamette Week Oregon lawmakers look to reshape cap-and-trade program to pay for transportation needs • Oregon Capital Chronicle See also Transportation in the Natural Resources Legislative Reports. While the primary focus of the LWVOR Action Committee is on Legislation in Oregon, what is happening at the federal level is likely to affect budgeting and other decisions in our state. These climate/energy-related Trump admin policy and budget related executive orders if implemented would drastically affect global UN COP efforts in all fifty states, including Oregon’s climate-related legislation (policy and budget), state agencies, and community climate action plans/state statutes/ targeted outcomes. Federal “In May 2025, the Trump administration and Congress are engaged in a budget process that proposes significant changes to funding for the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), particularly concerning energy and climate-related programs. Key Proposals & Potential Impacts: DOE Budget Cuts: The administration proposed substantial cuts to the DOE budget, including rescinding billions allocated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and reducing funding for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). EPA Budget Cuts: The proposed budget also calls for deep cuts to the EPA, with a focus on eliminating climate change-related programs and regulations. Climate and Renewable Energy Impacts: These budget proposals would significantly reduce funding for climate research, renewable energy development, and energy efficiency programs. The administration's justification for the cuts is to prioritize "American energy dominance" by focusing on fossil fuel research and nuclear energy, according to Science | AAAS . Congressional Action: Congress is currently deliberating on the budget proposals, and the final outcome will depend on negotiations between the House and Senate. Notably, the House has introduced a reconciliation bill that aims to repeal or amend several provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which includes significant climate-related funding. Points of Contention and Uncertainty: Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): The proposed reconciliation bill threatens to rescind unobligated funds from various IRA sections, potentially impacting climate programs implemented by the DOE, EPA, and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), according to Columbia University . Energy Star Program: The EPA is planning to end the Energy Star program, which certifies the energy efficiency of appliances. Clean Energy Tax Credits: The House reconciliation bill aims to eliminate or vehicles, potentially slowing the adoption of clean energy technologies. curtail clean energy tax credits for electric vehicles and other alternative fuel Overall, the proposed budget and legislative actions in May 2025 indicate a significant shift in federal priorities regarding energy and climate change, with potential consequences for renewable energy development, environmental regulations, and scientific research. “ ref: AI: Google summary 5/24/25 Science policy this week : May 19, 2025 - AIP.ORG (American Institute of Physics AIP.ORG ) To understand Trump's environmental policy , read Project 2025 - Los Angeles Times House Votes to Undo Industrial Air Pollution Protections | EDF Oregon Oregon State University study finds more than 3,500 animal species threatened by climate change - OPB Rural Oregon’s clean energy investments at risk as Republicans pass Trump’s budget bill - oregonlive.com Oregon joins new electric vehicle coal ition after Congress revokes California’s stricter clean emission rules - oregonlive.com Current Week CE Action The League took no specific CE Actions this week. Joint Ways and Means CE Funding Topics Transportation Package Priorities (The League supports OCN and other statewide NGO budget priorities:) Increase funding above 2017 levels for public transit
 Increase funding above 2017 levels for a safe, complete multimodal system (i.e. GreatStreets, Safe Routes to School, Oregon Community Paths, and bike/ped both on-street and trails, etc.) 
 Dedicated or increased revenue for light, medium and heavy-duty vehicle incentives, including for charging and purchasing of ZEVs (🡪 See NR LR for additional details) 
 News release: Oregon Department of Transportation needs structural changes to increase transparency, better manage projects, new report says - oregonlive.com Please see Natural Resources Legislative Report on Transportation Energy Affordability and Utility Accountability The League joined a coalition sign-on letter in April requesting funding to support building resilience. The goal is to use affordable measures to protect people from extreme weather. * One Stop Shop 2.0 HB 3081, Resilience hubs HB 3170 And Doe budget : existing programs: Lowering utility bills and increasing comfort and safety– Reinvest in the Oregon Department of Energy’s Heat Pumps incentives- $30 million for Rental Home Heat Pump and $15 million for Community Heat Pump Deployment Programs . Get the Junk Out of Rates ( SB 88 ): This bill would stop utilities from charging certain expenses like lobbying, advertising, association fees to customers. Protecting Oregonians with Energy Responsibility (POWER Act) ( HB 3546 ): This bill ensures Oregon households are not unfairly burdened by large energy users with grid and transmission costs. Full Funding for Climate Resilience programs Reinvesting the same amount as last biennium in three programs: Rental Home Heat Pump Program (ODOE), $30m 
 Community Heat Pump Deployment Program (ODOE), $15m 
 Community Resilience Hubs (OREM), $10m ( House Bill 3170 ) 
 Environmental Justice Bills. (disadvantaged communities) HB 3170 : Community Resilience Hubs and networks : Fiscal $10M Work Session 3/4, passed to JWM, DHS, Sponsors, Rep. Marsh, Sen Pham and Rep Tan. League testimony 
 
 
 
 HB2548 : establishes an agriculture workforce labor standards board, League Testimony . Work Session was held 4/9 passed 4/3, with no amendments, no recommendation and in House Rules. It is unclear why this bill is inactive. Natural and Working Lands HB 3489 Timber Severance Tax. House Committee on Revenue. League Testimony for original bill and for -1 Amendment . 
 
 
 HB 5039 financial administration of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board; JWM NR SC, League testimony 


 HB 3103A – work session was 3/31. Moved to JWM, Overweight Timber Harvest , League Testimony , new adopted -5 amendment . 
 
 
 Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package Update By Claudia Keith HB 215 1: Testimony ; appears dead 
 
 
 HB 2152 : Testimony ; work session held 4/8 , passed, moved to Joint Ways and Means (JWM) -2 amendments , Staff Measure Summar y (SMS). $1M+ fiscal 
 
 
 HB 2949 : T estimony ; work session held 4/8 , passed to JWM w -5 amendment new SMS. Fiscal is not available, will be completed if the bill gets a hearing in JWM NR SC. 
 
 
 HB 3450 A Testimony , work session held, 4/8 passed adopted amendment -1 . fisca l >1M$. referred to JWM 4/11 
 
 
 See CEI Hub Seismic Risk Analysis (The study, Impacts of Fuel Releases from the CEI Hub, is intended to characterize and quantify the anticipated damages from the CEI Hub in the event of the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) Earthquake.) See Climate Emergency April 28: CEI emergency management package update. The Bigger Picture: ASCE's ( American Society of Civil Engineers , founded in 1852), Oregon received a C- grade Infrastructure Report Card . Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment At this point in the session, it is doubtful SJR 28 has enough support to move out of Sen Rules. SJR 28 proposed -1 amendment , Environmental Rights Constitutional amendment (ERA) S enate Joint Resolution - with referral to the 2026 ballot, public hearing was 3/26 . The League provided support with comments testimony . The bill is in Senate Rules , so the Legislative first chamber deadlines are not applicable. A Work Session is not yet scheduled. The -1 a mendment is a partial rewrite and may address the League’s concerns. Oregon Treasury: Oregon Divest/ Environmental, Social, and Governance Updates By Claudia Keith HB 2081A Directs the Oregon Investment Council and the State Treasurer to take certain actions to manage the risks of climate change to the Public Employees Retirement Fund. Passed House along party lines. WS Senate Finance & Rev is 5/28. At the request of: (no sponsor: at the request of House Interim Committee on Revenue for Representative Nancy Nathanson) 
 HB 2200 -1 , work session was 4/8, bill was requested by previous Treasury Sec Tobias and supported by Treasurer Steiner, related to ESG investing , identified as the compromise bill. League chose not to comment, could move to the floor, no JWM required. (still in H EMGGV, still awaiting transfer to desk) 
 
 
 Resources: Divest Oregon The Pause Act would enact a 5-year moratorium on new Public Employees Retirement Fund (PER investments in new private fossil fuel funds. March 2025 Fund Performance - Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund and graphics Published by Divest Oregon: Executive Summary and Praise for Report (see SB 681) Addressing the Risk of Climate Change: A Comparison of US Pension Funds' Net Zero Plans – Jan 2025 Oregon Public Financing / BANK HB 2966 A: Establishes the State Public Financing / public bank Task Force, Work Session 3/6/2025 passed to Joint Ways and Means (JWM), fiscal: $1.3M , League Testimony , Rep Gamba, Senator, Golden, Frederick, Rep Andersen, Evans .

 
 Historically, since 2009 Public banking policy topic has been included in many Leg sessions, (go here and then use Control F to search for ‘bank’. ) 22 bills mentioning Public and Bank have died in committee over the past 16 years. Other Climate Bills HB 3963 posted to OLIS 4/15, Rep Gomberg, House Rules. PH was 5/19. WS 5/29. Extends the deadline from Sept 1, 2025, to Jan 1, 2027, for the DLCD to draft and submit a report to the Legislative Assembly on the department's activities to develop an Offshore Wind Roadmap and its assessment of enforceable state policies related to offshore wind energy development off the Oregon coast. HB 2566 A : Stand-alone Energy resilience Projects , Work Session was 3/20, moved to JWM, Rep Gamba was the only nay. At the request of Governor Tina Kotek (H CEE), DOE presentation 


 HB 3365 A: climate change instruction /curriculum in public schools, 4/21 moved to Sen Ed, PH 5/7, WS was 5/21 passed, awaiting transfer. League Testimony , NO Fiscal noted , Chief Sponsors: Rep Fragala, Rep McDonald 


 SB 688 A: -5 , Public Utility Commission performance-based regulation of electric utilities, PH 3/12,& 3/19, work session was 3/24, updated $ 974K fiscal , moved to JWM , League testimony , Sen. Golden, Sen. Pham SB 827A : Solar and Storage Rebate , SEE Work session 2/17, Gov. Kotek & DOE, Senate voted 21-7, moves to House 3/4 , House passed, 5/20. HB 3546A , -3 the POWER Act , in Sen E&E , PH 4/30, 5/5, P WS was 5/14, moved with due pass. 2nd reading , 5/22 carried over. The bill requires the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to create a new rate class for the largest energy users in the state. (data centers and other high-volume users). These regulations would only apply to customers in the for-profit utility's service areas of PGE, Pacific Power, and Idaho Power. NO Fiscal, on its way to the floor. The League has approved being listed on a coalition sign on advocacy letter . 

 HB 3189 in JWM . Oregon lawmakers introduce legislation to rein in utility bills | KPTV , Citizens Utility Board CUB presentation here . 
 
 
 SB 1143A : -3 , moved to JWM, with bipartisan vote, PH was 3/19, Work session was 4/7 SEE, PUC established a pilot program that allows each natural gas Co to develop a utility-scale thermal energy network (TEN) pilot project to provide heating and cooling services to customers. Senator Lieber, Sollman, Representative Levy B, Senator Smith DB, Representative Andersen, Marsh. Example: Introduction to the MIT Thermal Energy Networks (MITTEN) Plan for Rapid and Cost-Effective Campus Decarbonization. 
 
 
 HB 3609 work session 4/8, moved to JWM. The measure requires electric companies to develop and file with the Oregon Public Utility Commission a distributed power plant program for the procurement of grid services from customers of the electric company who enroll in the program. H CEE, PH 3/11 


 HB 3653 in Sen E&E, PH 4/28, WS was 5/5, 6-0 vote. House vote was 51 - 9. Senate 5/15 vote passed, waiting for Gov signature. Allows authorized state agencies to enter into energy performance contracts without requiring a competitive procurement if the authorized state agency follows rules that the Attorney General adopts, negotiates a performance guarantee, and enters into the contract with a qualified energy service company that the ODOE prequalifies and approves. 
 
 

 Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust Here is one example of how to track ODEQ Climate Protection Program cases. Basically, there are a number of active federal lawsuits , Climate Litigation May 15 Updates Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 85 lawsuits , (active and dismissed) mentioning Oregon. There are no recent press releases or media from Our Children’s Trust. Highlights of House and Senate Policy Committee and Chamber Votes On 5/19, Senate E&E canceled its meeting 5/19 at which a Possible Work Session on HB 3336 (requiring electric utility plans for cost-effective use of Grid Enhancing Technologies or GETs) had been scheduled. The PWS is rescheduled for Wed., 5/21. The -4 amendment up for consideration essentially replaces the base bill passed by the House in April. The most significant change seems to be a new section outlining the authority and conditions for a local government to rule on an application for an upgrade to a transmission line within the existing utility ROW that entails only the deployment, construction or installation of GETs, and does not expand the footprint of any part of the transmission lines "if sited within an area designated for a statewide land use planning goal related to natural resources, scenic and historic areas and open spaces or the Willamette River Greenway." A decision on such an application would not be a land use decision, as defined in ORS 197.015; could not be subject to a public hearing; and could not be appealed except by writ of review under ORS 34.010-34.100. On 5/20, The House CEE committee voted 9-1 (Osborne) to move an amended version of SB 726 A to the House floor with a do pass recommendation. The Senate engrossed version would direct the EQC to adopt rules requiring the use of advanced methane detection technology for surface emissions monitoring at municipal solid waste landfills, beginning 1/1/2027. The -A7 amendment, adopted with no discussion, would limit the bill's application to a landfill located in Benton County (e.g., Coffin Butte). The two Reps. Levy voted "courtesy yes" and said they will oppose the bill on the House floor. Per the fiscal note, the advanced technology specified in the bill would cost local governments about $5,000 per monitoring event, or $20,000 annually per landfill. "Counties report that there are five publicly owned landfills in Lane, Lake, Klamath, Crook, and Marion counties that are currently in DEQ’s highest tier of monitoring and would be subject to the expanded methane monitoring requirements. However, there are numerous publicly owned or municipal solid waste landfills across Oregon, and...those subject to the new standards may incur additional costs if required to conduct follow-up monitoring within 10 days of detecting an exceedance." Chair Lively carried over the Work Session on SB 685 A to Thurs., 5/22. The bill would require a natural gas utility to notify all customers and the PUC if the utility plans to increase the amount of hydrogen blended with natural gas. On 5/21, The Sen EE committee voted 4-1 (Robinson) to move its amended version of HB 3336 to the Senate floor with a do pass recommendation. This is a Bill of Support on the OCN/OLCV Hot List. The base bill passed by the House in April would declare state policy that investor-owned utilities must: a. Meet the required clean energy targets in ORS 469A.410; b. Develop sufficient resources to meet load growth; c. Create efficiencies and resilience in the transmission system; and d. Maintain energy affordability. Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs) would have to file strategic plans with the PUC to use cost-effective grid enhancing technologies (GETs, defined in the bill) as part of their mandated Clean Energy Plans and Integrated Resource Plans (IRPs), and to update those plans every two years. An IOU would have to carry out its first filed strategic plan by 2030. As explained by Rep. Gamba, the -4 amendment adopted by the committee serves as a "carrot" for IOUs to carry out the mandate of the base bill, and resolves some issues that had caused "heartburn" for local governments and consumer-owned utilities. It would add reducing wildfire risks as a major focus of transmission policy; clarify that nothing in the bill applies to COUs; and add a new section outlining the authority and conditions for a local government to decide on an application for an upgrade to a transmission line within an existing utility ROW that entails only the deployment, construction or installation of GETs. Rather than updating the strategic plan for GETs every two years, the IOU would update it concurrently with the development of, or update to, each IRP. The IOU’s first filed strategic plan would have to identify both short-term actions that could "reasonably be carried out" by 1/1 2030, and “longer-term” actions. Discussion was limited to Sen. Robinson's comment that he supported deployment of GETs but couldn't vote for any bill that promoted the clean energy targets. On 5/22, By a 6-4 vote (including two "courtesy" aye votes), the H CEE moved SB 685 A to the House floor with a do pass recommendation. This is a Bill of Support on the OCN/OLCV Hot List. It would require a natural gas utility to notify all customers and the PUC if the utility plans to increase the amount of hydrogen that it blends with natural gas and the ratio of the volume of hydrogen to the volume of natural gas will, for the first time, be greater than 2.5%. A utility that has a hydrogen blending program would have to maintain information on its website about the program and how customers could communicate with the utility about the program. Reps. Owens and B. Levy asserted that the bill gives the PUC too much additional authority over gas utilities, and that the real purpose is not about hydrogen notification but about beating up on natural gas. The original bill would have prohibited a utility from developing or carrying out a project involving the production or use of hydrogen without first obtaining PUC approval. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED : What is your passion related to Climate Emergency ? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The short legislative session begins in January of 2026. Many State Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of climate or natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, or Claudia Keith Climate Emergency at peggylynchor@gmail.com Or climatepolicy@lwvor.org . Training will be offered. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report section

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 5/22 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Jump to a topic: Climate Emergency Priority Bills I-5 Bridge Project Oregon Economic Analysis Oregon Treasury Climate Related Lawsuits: Oregon and… Oregon Global Warming Commission ** Action Needed: Please contact your State Senator and Representative to encourage them to support the following Climate, Energy and Environmental Justice related Bills. Funds are available, the recent May revenue forecast provides historical funding opportunities across all policy areas. ** Climate Priority Bills By Claudia Keith The Republican walkout put most of these bills at risk. The CE priority bills had minimal activity in the last month. Most have already moved to JW&Ms. Find additional background in previous LR (report)s on the six CE priorities. 1. Resilient Buildings (RB) policy package: Bills are now in JW&M. The League is an active RB coalition partner. Link to League testimonies: SB 868 , 869 , 870 and 871 . · SB 868 A staff measure summary , Fiscal and Follow-up Questions · SB 869 A staff measure summary , Fiscal and Follow-up Questions · SB 870 A Staff measure summary , Fiscal and Follow-up Questions · SB 871 A staff measure summary , Fiscal and Follow-up Questions 2. SB 530A : Natural and Working Lands is in JW&Ms. The League continues to be an active coalition member. Fiscal . Staff Measure Summary 3. Environmental Justice (EJ) 2023 bills: SB 907 A ‘Right to Refuse Dangerous work’ currently House Desk - Third Reading. The committee public hearing was on May 10 in House B&L. The work session was 5/17, bill moved to House Desk with 6,0,5,0 do pass vote. Here is the May 9 LWVOR testimony . The Bill has Minimal Fiscal Impact. The League joined the Worker Advocate Coalition on 2/13. SB 593 is one of two bills the League will follow and support. SB 907 amendment -6 staff measure summary. 4/4 work session, moved to the floor with do pass with amendments, a unanimous vote. SB 907 Coalition Letter - LWVOR one of many organizations. 4. Oregon Climate Action Commission (currently Oregon Global Warming Commission): Roadmap , SB 522 A staff measure summary , fisca l, 4/4 Work Session moved, with 4/1 vote to JW&Ms. 5. Other Governor Climate / Carbon Policy Topics: See 20-04 Executive Order topics . This area includes other GHG emission mitigation/reductions (DEQ) and new clean renewable energy (DEQ & DOE), OHA public health, and ODOT (Dept of Transportation) policy and funding bills including state agency budget bills. (POPS and current service level spending). 6. CE related total 2023-2025 biennium budget: The governor’s budget * was published January 31; Kotek’s budget priorities . On May 17 the Governor's budget / May forecast press release did not mention the Climate Package topic. There is still some discussion concerning using available funds versus issuing additional state bonds for capital construction projects. We provided testimony on the Oregon Dept. of Energy (ODOE) budget ( HB 5016 ) and will add climate items to (DEQ) HB 5018 League 3/30 testimony . In both cases, our testimony requested additional agency requests not included in the Governor’s January budget. Other CE Bills that are still alive By Claudia Keith and Greg Martin The House passed HB 3550A by a vote of 34-23. It would require all light-duty vehicles a state agency buys or leases after 1/1/2025 to be Zero Emissions Vehicles unless the agency finds that a ZEV is not feasible for the vehicle's specific use. This includes police and fire vehicles among others exempted by current law. It also would require the Office of Administrative Services to replace diesel with biofuel or biofuel-derived electricity in all generation facilities or machinery the agency installs or operates, to the maximum extent economically feasible. Senate E&E passed HB 3179-A 7, 3-0 (Lieber excused, Hayden absent) to the Senate floor with a do pass recommendation on 5/18. The bill would double the maximum allowable acreage for solar photovoltaic power generation facility siting in the context of county land-use planning, allowing counties to approve more and larger solar projects while preserving existing protections for land use and wildlife. The -A7 requires a land use permit applicant for a renewable energy facility to provide a decommissioning plan to restore the site to "a useful, nonhazardous condition," assured by bonding or other security. HB 2763 A Creates a State Public Bank Task Force, League Testimony . Like the 2022 session RB task force, a 23-member Task Force is required to recommend no later than January 2024. “ The report must include a recommendation for a governing structure for a public bank.” This policy topic will likely have a bill in the 2024 session -1 staff measure summary . Moved on 3/14 with recommendation to JW&Ms with - 1 amendment. Fiscal HB 3016 A , community green infrastructure, moved to JW&Ms unanimously. Legislative -2 Staff Measure Summary . HB 3196A – Fees from Community Climate Investment funds -– League support HB 3166 A — Whole-home Retrofits and High-efficiency Electric Home Rebates –– League support HB 3056 A –– Extends Residential Heat Pump Fund until to January 2, 2026 –– League support HB3181 A — Energy Siting process. Fisca l. Staff Summary Currently in JWM. HB2990A Resilience Community Hubs, Fiscal , Staff Summary Interstate 5 (I-5) Bridge Project By Claudia Keith R’s have an issue with I-5 bridge funding recommendation, see recent Rep Boshart-Davis newsletter. A new I-5 bridge bill is in progress. HB 2098 had amendments posted on 5/17 but this bill is likely dead. (See Joint Transportation committee) Oregon Economic Analysis By Claudia Keith The Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast was released May 17. The JW&M-recommended budget will use the May forecast to balance the budget. The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis has continued to ignore the recommended SEC Climate Risk disclosure proposed rule. Analysis: SEC.gov | Remarks at the 2023 SEC Municipal Securities Disclosure Conference , The Need for Climate Risk Disclosures: Emerging trends in ESG governance for 2023 | Harvard. See supportive SEC disclosure LWVOR-initiated LWVUS Testimony , June 2022. Oregon Treasury By Claudia Keith It is unclear how Oregon Treasury/Treasurer Tobias Read will assist with addressing the IRA $27B Federal funds, contingent on formation of an Oregon Green Bank. Up To $27B Available for NPO Clean Energy Activities . | TNPT. Oregon Pers Performance : Returns for periods ending MAR-2023 Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund. The Oregon Investment Council will meet May 31, agenda and meeting materials not yet posted. The Council met April 19; see meeting packet ; no 4/19 minutes posted yet. The April packet includes the March meeting minutes. ESG investing continues to be addressed. Climate Related Lawsuits: Oregon and… By Claudia Keith Numerous lawsuits are challenging Oregon’s DEQ CPP regulations. Here is one example of how to track them. Basically, there are a number of active state and federal lawsuits , (May 2023 update) some of which could assist in meeting Oregon's Net Zero GHG Emissions before 2050 targets and other lawsuits, which challenge current Oregon DEQ CPP policy, which would limit the use of fossil fuels, including diesel, natural gas, and propane over time. Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 64 lawsuits , mentioning OREGON. Youth lawsuit challenging Montana's pro-fossil fuel policies is heading to trial | AP News. The challenges and promises of climate lawsuits | KnowableMag.org . Supreme Court deals blow to oil companies by turning away climate cases | NBC News Oregon Global Warming Commission By Greg Martin ODOE's legislative update touched on known points, including speculation about a special budget session in the event the Senate doesn't reconvene, and a possible omnibus climate bill. Other updates: ODOE's electric grid resilience open house s (in person and virtual) were held May 23 and 24. OHA began rulemaking on its Healthy Homes grant program in April and hopes to issue grants to eligible third-party organizations by the end of this year. The program was created by HB 2842 in 2021, with LWVOR’s support, to help low-income households repair and rehabilitate their dwellings to address climate and other environmental hazards. This program is an important pathway to leverage state funds to complement available federal funds. ODOE staff outlined upcoming work on the Climate Pollution Reduction Planning Grant program – $5 billion funding opportunity created by the IRA to help states, local governments, tribes, and territories develop plans for reducing GHG emissions and other harmful air pollution. Phase 1, development of state planning grants = $250 million ($3 million per state plus $1 million for each major MSA, $TBD for tribal governments). Phase 2 = $4.6 billion (competitive) for implementing state plans. Oregon has applied for planning funds, must submit its Priority Climate Action Plan by 3/1/2024 and Comprehensive Climate Action Plan by summer-fall 2025. Critical brief window in March 2024 — states will have 1 month to submit applications for implementation grants per EPA solicitation (RFP). OGWC’s Roadmap to 2030, already developed, may give OR a leg up on most other states — will build on that with input from across state government, local governments, community organizations, and tribes. Environmental Quality Commission Meeting By Greg Martin At the May 18 meeting, DEQ staff updated the commission on various legislative and regulatory topics. Link to Meeting agenda and materials Climate and resilience-related highlights follow. Air quality/GHG emissions: • EPA has posted its proposed new emission standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles and held public hearings. Written comments are due July 5. The standards starting with model year 2027 are expected to align more closely with California standards that Oregon recently adopted. • In March, DEQ launched a pre-approval process for the Charge Ahead program of ZEV rebates. Low- and moderate-income Oregonians who prequalify can present vouchers for ZEV purchases at auto dealerships. Unfortunately, the program has been suspended because funding to continue it ( HB 2613 ) is stalled in the Joint Transportation Committee. Legislative and budget updates: Legislators will have more money to work with than they thought but the backlog of bills in W&M is very large. DEQ staff expressed optimism that their bills will begin to emerge from W&M though not necessarily at the requested funding levels. Item C: Budget and Legislative Updates (Informational) DEQ will provide updates on the 2023 Legislative Session, including bills under consideration, and DEQ’s budget process. Item C presentation slides ) Fuel tank seismic stability rulemaking: SB 1567 , enacted in 2022 and supported by LWVOR , requires EQC to adopt rules for fuel terminal owners along the Willamette River to retrofit their facilities to withstand a magnitude 9 earthquake. Owners must develop individual risk mitigation plans, and DEQ must develop a risk mitigation implementation program through rulemaking. RAC meetings ended in April with approval of draft rules and impact statements. DEQ will post the rules for public comment in June and expects to propose final draft rules for EQC consideration in September. Implementation is to be completed in 10 years. ( Item D: Fuel Tank Seismic Stability rulemaking (Informational) DEQ will provide updates regarding a rulemaking under development for seismic stability, as directed in legislation regarding fuel tank seismic stability requirements. The commission will be asked to take action on a proposed rulemaking later in 2023. Item D presentation slides ) Volunteers Urgently Needed By Claudia Keith Request to Local Leagues; please let us know your climate, resilience, or sustainability advocacy actions. Please consider joining the CE portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy areas: · Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture/ODA · Greenhouse Gas Emission Mitigation and Renewable Energy · Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust · Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) · Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team) · State Procurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services) · CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets · Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment We collaborate with Natural Resource Action members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics. Volunteers are needed: CE Coordinator. Orientation to Legislative and State Agency advocacy processes is available.

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of March 2 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Please see Climate Emergency Overview here. Jump to a topic: Priority Bills Other Bills Senate Energy and Environment News Oregon Treasury Climate Lawsuits Sine die is 3/8 -now just around the corner. Very few policy only bills passed this session. The deadline for 2nd chamber for most policy bills was 2/26. A number of Climate bills with fiscals are in JWM or Rules, the League is not clear if any of these bills will move. (please see last week’s LR for how to advocate for those bills) and refer to the League's recent ALERT . Priority Bills SB 1541 A - Make Polluters Pay - Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program. New SMS , Senate Energy and Environment , PH 2/5 and work session 2/10 , - 2 amendment , moved 2/12 to Joint Ways and Means (JWM) . LWVOR submitted testimony . Creates the Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program to assess financial impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and recover costs from responsible entities. Multiple state agencies are involved including, Department of Land Conservation and Development, DLCD, Department of Environmental Quality, DEQ, Oregon Health Authority, OHA, and Land Conservation and Development Commission. LCDC, the oversight body is Environmental Quality Commission (EQC). The League has joined the Make Polluters Pay Campaign . This climate legislation is a national effort covered today by the New York Times , reporting that a number of other states are in the process of passing and/or implementing similar legislation. Please see the League’s Action Alert. SB 1526 A - FORGE: Fund for Oregon Resilience, Growth, and Energy - New SMS , work session was 2/9, Senate Energy and Environment (SEE) moved the bill to JWM, League testimony . Creates financing tools, including a revolving loan fund, to provide more affordable, accessible long-term financing for clean energy and resilience infrastructure projects in Oregon. This is modeled on a number of other states’ legislation , some as "green" banking nonprofits.
 Please see the Action Alert. Other Bills the League is following: HB 4046A Nuclear Study Bill, work session was 2/12, moved to JWM 2/17, unanimously as amended. New SMS , directs the Oregon Department of Energy, subject to the availability of funding, to conduct a study on nuclear energy, including advanced nuclear reactors. The -2 amendment, a substantial rewrite of the original bill negotiated with opponents, seemed to satisfy committee members that the study could be unbiased as to nuclear energy issues. 
 
 HB 4031 A : new SMS , 2/27 on its way to the governor . Exempts a renewable energy facility from needing a site certificate from the Energy Facility Siting Council if the facility qualifies for certain federal renewable energy tax credits a nd construction is scheduled to begin on or before December 31, 2028. 
 
 SB 1597 A in H Rules PH 2/27. Sen chamber vote 2/23 17,12. Makes a power provider disclose the costs to store the waste made from making any electric power. New SMS 
 
 Bill that died in Policy Committee SB 1582 , Community-Based Power: Distributed Power Plants, SEE Senate E&E Committee PH Notes Senate Energy and Environment 2/23/26 The committee held public hearings and work sessions on the following bills, and voted to move all three to the Senate floor with a do pass recommendation. HB 4031 A (expedited site review for renewable energy projects) -- 5-0 HB 4025 (winter rate increases for non-gas, non-electric public utilities) -- 5.0 HB 4029 A (consumer protection for solar installation customers) -- 4-1 (Robinson, concerned about restraint of competition) Chair Sollman postponed the WS for HB 4102 (third-party contracting for environmental permitting) to Wednesday 2/25. With a vote of 17-12 2/25/26 The committee voted 3-1-1 (Pham nay, Brock Smith excused) to move HB 4102 to the Senate floor with a do-pass recommendation. Sen. Golden: This bill has been more of a "voyage" than he imagined it would be. Senate E&E has focused mainly on Sen. Pham's proposed -2 amendment dealing with labor rights and good governance. He would have preferred to move the bill with the one-sentence -3 amendment requested by Rep. Dobson: “Before contracting with a third party to provide services pursuant to this section, the department shall consider the third party’s potential or actual conflicts of interest with the applicant, permittee or regulated entity.” However, time limitations of the short session make amending the bill at this point problematic. "Very likely we will be privatizing some of the permit process and other processes going forward" -- we would prefer that staff working for the taxpayers would do this work but we recognize that we have delays that we need to address. He wants to state on the record "triple underscored" the committee's intent that when DEQ hires a third party for permit processing, they will commit to be very vigilant in their research about conflicts of interest. Sen. Robinson: Supports the bill as a "bandaid" measure to expedite permitting whereas the larger need is to "reform DEQ." Sen. Pham: Regretful "no" as she believes the bill as introduced lacks adequate guardrails vs. conflicts of interest and fails to address important labor issues. Chair Sollman: House passed the original bill unanimously and she doesn't want to take the chance of killing the measure by sending it back amended. News Regulators to Hold Public Hearing on Large Increase for Cascade Home Gas Bills and What to Expect at Cascade Gas’s Public Hearing | Latest News | News | Oregon CUB - Citizens Utility Board Eugene groups propose climate tax to mirror Portland’s - OPB How Oregon is building back smarter after wildfire • Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon Adopts New Building Codes to Reduce Energy Costs and Increase Energy Efficiency in Newly Constructed Homes – CleanTechnica Oregon’s New Building Codes Are a Win for Home Energy Resilience - Oregon Environmental Council Oregon lawmakers seek to shine a light on balcony solar, but safety issues linger - OPB Oregon DOE Feb Press Releases – a number of updates… Oregon State Treasurer Steiner Joins 15 Other State Fiscal Officers in Warning That Immigration Enforcement Operations Threaten Economic Stability and State Revenues February 5, 2026Oregon State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner MD joined fifteen other state fiscal officers in a joint letter to President Donald Trump expressing … Oregon Treasury & Oregon Divest Building on Oregon Treasury’s 2025 Progress toward Net Zero Emissions - Part 1 (Divest Oregon ORG) New 2025 Treasury : Climate-Positive Investing : Invested for Oregon Report Tracking Net zero climate positive investment strategies. Oregon pension shows climate progress , private markets drive emissions | Private Equity Stakeholder Project.org Climate Lawsuits and Our Children’s Trust Columbia Law - Sabin Climate Center Blog – Feb 2026 updates There are a number of active federal lawsuits. Columbia University Law ( CUL) Climate Litigation Jan 30 Updates . Another source: CLU - Sabin Climate DB lists 97 lawsuits , (active and dismissed) mentioning Oregon. Our Children’s Trust - In the News: February 19, 2026 - E&E News Enviros, health groups are first to sue over Trump’s big climate rollback February 18, 2026 - The Guardian Environmental groups sue Trump’s EPA over repeal of landmark climate finding February 18, 2026 - The New York Times E.P.A Faces First Lawsuit Over Its Killing of Major Climate Rule February 18, 2026 - Climate in the Courts Environment and Public Health Groups, and Youth, Sue Over Trump Administration’s Elimination of Climate Protections February 18, 2026 - Inside Climate News Healthcare Professionals, Scientists and Children Sue the EPA for Backtracking on Greenhouse Gas Regulation February 18, 2026 - Bloomberg Law Endangerment Finding Rollback Draws First Legal Challenges (1) VOLUNTEERS NEEDED : What is your passion related to Climate Emergency ? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The short legislative session begins in January of 2026. Many State Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of climate or natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, or Claudia Keith Climate Emergency at peggylynchor@gmail.com Or climatepolicy@lwvor.org . Training will be offered. · Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture · Transportation and ODOT state agency · Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s TrustDA · Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) · Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team) · State Pr ocurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services) · CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets · Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report section

Back to Legislative Report Education Legislative Report - Week of 2/6 By Anne Nesse, Education Portfolio House Education Meeting 2/6/23 3PM, takes an important look at locally elected school board responsibilities and the non-discriminatory rights of all students. We submitted written and virtual testimony on SB 2750 , which prohibits charging fees or requiring participation in fundraising activities as a condition of participating in interscholastic activities. The law also includes authorization to use moneys in Statewide Education Initiatives, Account for costs incurred by school districts, and public charter schools as result of this law. The law does not prohibit communities from raising such monies needed to fund the law. Our testimony made clear that the LWV, since its founding, has believed in the fundamental right of equal rights by law, to a non-discriminatory public education, without asking families to pay additional fees for education or recreational services. There was only positive testimony on this Bill, with some concern about the high potential cost. A number of school districts have already begun, and are succeeding in eliminating “pay to play” fees. Here is a link to the live recording of this hearing, with LWV testimony in the last few minutes. I was able to add my personal experience of coaching after school interscholastic activities, in two areas: team critical thinking and problem solving competitions in Odyssey of the Mind, and instructing after school string orchestra. Here is the recording of public hearing of this Bill , held first on the agenda. A public hearing was held on HB 2751 , to establish a Task Force to study and collect data on school starting times. Much convincing long term medical, health, and educational data was presented, as to why High School and Middle School students should not start school before 8:30AM, while younger grade levels can usually adapt. A public hearing was held on HB 2753 , allowing a district school board to choose to provide directors with a monthly stipend, and requires the board to provide reimbursements for actual and necessary expenses if board does not provide stipend. There was little data presented about the difficulty of filling school board vacancies. The amount of work required to be a school board member was considered significant enough to warrant a modest salary of some kind. Details and potential consequences of this Bill have yet to be worked out. A public hearing was held on HB 2669 , declaring children who are deaf, hard of hearing or deaf-blind have the same rights and potential as children who are not. Requires school districts to provide children who are deaf, hard of hearing or deaf-blind with hearing and vision screenings and assessments, communication and language support and access to relevant services and programs at the earliest possible age and throughout education experience. Our next news in education will cover 2/7-2/13, as we are changing our sequence of reporting.

Childcare In Oregon LWVOR's recently published study, Childcare In Oregon, is meant to inform our advocacy at the state and local levels. At Convention 2021, LWV of Washington County proposed a restudy of LWVOR's 1985 Childcare Position . The current pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated childcare issues and inequities. The LWVOR Board adopted this completed restudy on January 23rd, 2023. Child care concerns have changed dramatically since our 1988 - Childcare In Oregon publication. Our advocacy position has not changed. You can find a downloadable version of the restudy here. For more information, contact Kathleen Hersh .