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Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 4/3 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: Rights of Incarcerated People Cybersecurity and Public Records Government Ethics Campaign Finance Redistricting Election Methods Governance By Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator, and Team Rights of Incarcerated People By Marge Easley Two bills that promote more humane treatment of those in correctional institutions passed out of the House Judiciary on April 4. HB 2890 directs the Department of Corrections (DOC) to ensure all incarcerated people have access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment throughout their term of incarceration. This is in keeping with the directive from HB 2257 (2019) to treat addiction as a chronic disease and provide appropriate treatment. The adopted -1 amendment removed a provision in the original bill that all incarcerated people must have access to personal electronic devices. The bill passed with a do-pass recommendation and a subsequent referral to Ways and Means. HB 2345 passed with amendments with a do-pass recommendation. It directs DOC to share aggregate data on the department’s website about the use of segregated housing in Oregon’s correctional institutions. The goal is to be transparent in fulfilling DOC’s objective of minimizing the use of segregated housing as a disciplinary tool. Budgets, Cybersecurity, DC Statehood & TikTok By Rebecca Gladstone We spoke to the SoS’s budget bill this week. We’re following the progress of numerous cybersecurity and public records bills. The SB 417 Task Force continues to meet, now into next week. We’ve added two bills, planning to speak to a broadly supported “TikTok” bill and a DC statehood resolution. HB 5035 : We support this Secretary of State budget bill ( our testimony ), repeating our calls since 2017 to replace and unify separate outdated OCVR and ORESTAR elections’ software systems, for efficiency. Note SoS Dennis Richardson’s 2018 Newsroom report “ ORESTAR Batch Transactions Processing Error ” and from May 2022, ORESTAR affected by C&E Systems ransomware . It is overtime already. We urged for Risk-Limiting Audit support, with extensive information linked in testimony. The bill presents a conservative pilot program to educate elections officials and the public. We see in these hearings that education is clearly needed. We support the numerous cybersecurity efforts in the bill. We noted omission of voter registration expansion and geospatial districting and urged that these be retained and supported. HB 2490 was quickly referred to Senate Vets, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs after no opposition from the House, read in the Senate on March 27. It addresses Oregon’s growing cybersecurity vulnerability, by protecting our defense plans, devices, and systems from public disclosure, also echoing our call to balance public records disclosure transparency and privacy. The League urges for maximum protection of public health, safety, and the environment. Defending our critical infrastructures is at stake ( our testimony ). SJM 6 : Catching up with this, to urge Congress to grant statehood to the District of Columbia, supported by LWV as a national position. We will submit testimony for the next public hearing. Taxation without representation is a fundamental democratic value and we will support this. SJM 6 passed from Senate Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs on firmly partisan lines, with a do adopt recommendation. Sen. Thatcher prefers residents not be taxed and DC not be admitted as a state. Sen. Linthicum referred to Greater Idaho and focused on government problems. Sen. Woods invoked Taxation without Representation; DC residents pay taxes and this resolution lacks teeth but shows we understand and support them. Sen. Manning urged belief that when the DC area was included in the constitution, it omitted many who looked like him. We must correct the ills of the past at some point. This SJM may not pack power but sends a signal that Oregon recognizes and must correct ills of previous laws. He’s hopeful at some point we recognize all citizens. Not long ago we had a segregated military, now more diverse, agile and stronger. To “Greater Idaho”, imagine if every community wanted to pull up stakes. At the end of the Civil War, in 1865, we were looking for a greater, brighter future. This does send a message that Oregon will support. SB 619 : LWVOR strongly supports this AG’s consumer privacy bill, now with a - 1 amendment ( our testimony ). It passed from Senate Judiciary on Apr. 3 with a Do Pass recommendation to W&Ms. HB 3127 A : We will research this “TikTok bill”, prohibiting installing or downloading certain “covered products” onto state information technology assets, and testify in the next public hearing. It passed 52 to 4 from the House floor, not on strictly partisan lines. Note, it does not address personal use. Government Ethics By Chris Cobey HB 5021 : Budget of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, in Joint General Government, reported out with amendments, returned to full committee; 4/7: Joint W&M work session scheduled. Limits biennial expenditures from fees, moneys or other revenues, including Miscellaneous Receipts and reimbursements from federal service agreements, but excluding lottery funds and other federal funds, collected or received. SB 168 A : Senate Rules reported out with -1 amendment 3/31 and recommended Do Pass with Amendments; Senate floor carried over to 4/5 by unanimous consent. Expressly prohibits public employees, while on job during working hours or while otherwise working in official capacity, from promoting or opposing appointment, nomination or election of public officials. SB 207 : Senate passed with ayes 21, nays 8 on 3/23; referred to House Rules; 4/4: public hearing scheduled. Authorizes Oregon Government Ethics Commission to proceed on its own motion to review and investigate, if the commission has reason to believe that the public body conducted meetings in executive session that were not in compliance with laws authorizing executive sessions. SB 292 A : Senate Rules; A2, A5 amendments on OLIS; 4/6: work session scheduled. Narrows applicability of requirement that district school board members must file verified statement of economic interest to only those members of districts with specified number of students or districts that are sponsors of virtual public charter schools. SB 661 A : Senate Rules adopted -2 amendment, Do Pass as amended; Senate floor carried over by unanimous consent. Prohibits lobbyist from serving as chair of interim committee, legislative work group or legislative task force. Campaign Finance No bills on campaign finance have yet been scheduled for a hearing. Redistricting There has been no movement on redistricting in the legislature. People Not Politicians has started collecting signatures on IP 14 petitions downloadable from its website. Election Methods By Barbara Klein No further developments this week. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. Worthy causes go unaddressed for lack of League volunteers. If you see a need and can offer your expertise, please contact our staff at lwvor@lwvor.org .

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

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Note: Education reports after January, 2024, are included in Social policy reports. Education reports prior to February, 2024, can be found HERE . Please see the Legislation Tracker for 2025 Social Policy bills . Jump to topic: After School and Child Care Age-Related Issues Behavioral Health Education Housing Legislation Immigration After School and Child Care By Katie Riley SB 896 is the only bill left regarding afterschool funding. It is currently in Ways and Means and may receive some funding but it is unlikely to receive the $25-40 million that the sponsor, Senator Anderson, wanted. HB 3162 which also sought funding for afterschool programs did not receive a work session so it is no longer viable. Age-Related Issues by Trish Garner The Senate passed SB 548 , a bill that increases the minimum legal marriageable age to 18. There were only two Nay votes. The bill had already been passed in the House and will be moving to the Governor for her signature. HB 3187A , the workplace age discrimination bill, has been signed into law by the Governor. The bill prohibits employers from asking for a date of birth or graduation date on job applications unless it is a job requirement or an offer of employment has already been made. Behavioral Health By Trish Garner The Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response unanimously passed HB 2481 -11 with a “do pass” recommendation and a referral to Ways & Means. The Dash 11 Amendment constitutes a small but significant portion of HB 2481 and the Committee will be having a Work Session on the remainder of HB 2481 next week. Amendment 11 authorizes the OR Public Guardian and Conservator to develop and administer a program to provide guardianship services to persons who have been charged with committing a crime but who have been determined unable to aid and assist in their defense. It also requires courts to appoint counsel for these defendants and if the defendant is unable to afford counsel, the court will appoint one at state expense. It is likely that the Committee divided the bill as it did because Amendment 11 requires state money to be budgeted for it, and it is also likely that the Ways & Means Committee is well underway in its budgetary consideration process. Other provisions of HB 2481 relate to the aid and assist process in Oregon, and interactions between the state and tribal entities regarding behavioral health treatment and involuntary commitment procedures in these communities. Education By Jean Pierce On May 21, the House Committee on Education recommended Do Pass SB 1098 , the Freedom to Read bill, LWVOR provided testimony in support. HB 2586A has been passed by both chambers. The bill permits an asylum seeker who is a student at a public university to receive an exemption from nonresident tuition and fees. LWVOR filed testimony in support. Budget bills LWVOR is following several budget bills relating to educational funding. In view of the revenue forecast, it is anticipated that amounts appropriated will be lowered. SB 5515 and SB 5516 concern funding for the State School fund. It is anticipated that the final appropriations will be nowhere near the amount recommended by the American Institute on Research (AIR) in March. AIR recommended a 30% increase in funding, with more attention to equitable spending for the education of low income and high needs students. SB 5525 appropriates funding for the Higher Education Coordinating Council to divide among colleges and universities in Oregon. In anticipation of inadequate budgetary allocations, the state’s seven public universities have announced plans to increase the average inflation-adjusted cost of undergraduate tuition for Oregon residents. Tuition will be nearly 30% higher than it was a decade ago. According to a 2022 report from the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, a nonprofit think tank in Colorado. “About 25 years ago, public funding accounted for up to 75% of the cost of each full-time employee at an Oregon university. Now, it pays for about 50% or less.” Effect of Federal Actions on Oregon Federal Judge blocks closing of DOE On May 22, Judge Joun in Massachusetts temporarily blocked efforts to carry out an executive order closing the US Department of Education, citing that only Congress can take that step. In addition, the judge ruled that the administration needs to reinstate Education Department employees who lost their jobs in March. Finally, the judge halted the administration’s effort “to transfer management of federal student loans and special education functions out of the Department.” Currently, 77,275 Oregonians are receiving an average of $4,644 in Pell Grants for higher education. In addition, more than $170 million is coming to Oregon for IDEA (funding education of students with special needs. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona Bills Passed SB 814 A will be administered by Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) to expand eligibility criteria for the agency’s existing Long-Term Rent Assistance Program. Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) youth under the age of 25 would have an opportunity to access long-term rental assistance to help achieve a greater level of housing security. This measure also requires OHCS to consult with the Oregon Youth Authority (OYA), among other stakeholders. Youth assisted will be exiting a childcare center or a correctional facility. At least 14% of youth who were committed to OYA since October 2022 have already experienced some period of homelessness. Studies indicate that housing instability increases the risk for recidivism. This bill will assist youth by providing a safe and stable home so they can devote their attention to employment, education, and family. This bill passed the Senate and House on May 14 and was signed into law on May 19 by the Governor. The League submitted testimony in support. SB 973 protects residents of publicly supported housing by requiring notices from landlords when affordability restrictions are ending. This applies to tenants who are living in subsidized units, applicants, and new tenants. For existing tenants, the bill would extend the notice requirements from 20 to 30 months. It will require landlords to warn tenants that their housing will no longer be affordable. For applicants and new tenants who are entering into a new rental agreement, landlords of publicly supported housing must provide written notice of when the affordability period will end, prior to charging a screening fee or entering into a new rental application. These tenant protections are critical to giving low-income Oregonians additional time to find stable housing they can afford. The Senate and House passed this bill on May 14 and the Governor signed it into law on May 22. The League submitted testimony in support. Bill in Progress Lottery Revenue Bonds are used to provide financial assistance to local governments for facilities and infrastructure improvements and continue to have a statewide impact. SB 5531 seeks to use Lottery Revenue Bonds for affordable housing preservation, and infrastructure to support new housing production. Thirty-six affordable housing properties in Oregon face foreclosure in the next two years. An additional 76 properties are operating at a monthly deficit due to unsustainable operating costs. Preservation is a cost-effective and efficient approach to address our state’s housing crisis. Allocating $160 million to preserve rental housing and $25 million to preserve manufactured housing parks is a sound investment. The Senate held a public hearing on May 9, and an informational meeting on May 16. The bill now is in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means on Capital Construction, where it should be. A work session is expected to be held toward the end of the session. The League submitted testimony in support of this bill. HB 3054 A would limit rent increases and sales constraints by a landlord in a home park or marina, which can threaten residents’ ability to stay in their homes. It would fix at six percent the maximum rent increases for rental spaces in a larger facility and limit to 10 percent the maximum increase in rent paid by the purchaser of a dwelling or home in a facility. It prohibits a landlord from requiring aesthetic improvements or internal inspections as conditions of sale of a dwelling or home in a facility. The bill passed the House, and the Senate Committee on Housing and Development held a work session on May 19 and recommended passage. It declares an emergency, effective September 1, 2025. LWVOR submitted a letter in support. HB 2964 : Requires the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department to award loans to non-profit affordable housing developers to cover pre-development costs of developing new housing. The bill passed the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness on April 15. It was then referred to the Senate Committee on Housing and Development. The committee held a work session on May 21 and recommended passage. LWV testimony supports passage of the bill. HB 2735 : The House Committee on Revenue held a work session on the Independent Development Accounts (IDAs) bill on May 22, and recommended passage, and referred it to Tax Expenditures. The League submitted a letter in support. The Legislature created the IDAs program in 1999. The state matches participants’ savings up to 5-to-1. Money can be used to invest in the individual financial goals most important to each person’s own circumstances, such as buying a home or enrolling in higher education. The state tax credit that funds IDAs has not kept up with inflation. HB 2735-3 would raise the cap on the tax credit from $7.5 million/year to $16.5 million/year. The cap has not changed since 2009. If the Legislature does not act this session to “fix the funding” for IDAs, the program will shrink to serve 50% fewer Oregonians each year. HB 2958 : The House Committee on Revenue held a work session on the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) on May 22, and recommended passage with a -2 Amendment and referred it to Tax Expenditures. The bill would extend the sunset date to 2032 and increase to 25 percent the EITC for families with children under three years of age. Other families with children will receive 20 percent of the federal credit. With the amendment, the bill no longer extends the benefit to all childless working adults over age 18. The League submitted a letter in support. The bill, if passed, will put more money in people’s pockets and help avoid the trauma, instability, and costs to society and affected individuals that come from losing one’s home, deferring medical care, or missing meals. Immigration By Becky Gladstone and Claudia Keith Highlights - News Will President Trump use Oregon National Guard in immigration crackdown ? - OPB Republicans aim to punish states that insure unauthorized immigrants - Oregon Capital Chronicle The HILL: Oregon Legislature advances bill to stop landlords from asking immigration status Trump Welcomes White South African Refugees as He Shuts Out Afghans and Others - The New York Times 20 state AG's sue feds for tying transportation and disaster funding to immigration enforcement • Oregon Capital Chronicle Legislative Bulletin — Friday, May 23, 2025 - National Immigration Forum Click Scroll Bar on Bottom of Table to View All Columns Bill # Description Policy Committee Status Fiscal M$ Chief Sponsors+ Comments SB 149 Immigration (support services ) JWM waiting for Fiscal Y Sen Jama -3 amendment SB 599A Immig status: discrimination in RealEstate transactions Waiting for Gov to sign N Sen Campos House passes 5/19 SB 611 Food for All Oregonians - for undocumented JWM 8 Sen Campos Rep Ruiz amendment -1 SB 703 a bipartisan immigration status update funding bill JWM 6 Sen Reynolds, Rep Neron, Ruiz, Smith G Testimony HB 2548 Agricultural Workforce Labor Standards Board. H Rules PC: No recommen dation Rep Valderrama, Nelson , Munoz League Testimony HB 2976 funding for interpretation of indigenous languages. JWM 1.5 Rep Hartman HB2788 funding to nonprofits to assist w lawful permanent resident status / legal aid - HC ECHS - JWM dead Rep Neron, Ruiz, Sen Reynolds * likely end of session Reconciliation Bill HB 2586 A nonresident tuition exemption for asylum seekers. Waiting for Gov Signature RepHudson, SenCampos League Testi mony HB 2543 funds for universal representation and gives funds to Oregon State Bar for legal immigration matters HC Jud dead? 15 Rep Valderrama, Sen Manning Jr, Rep Walters, Andersen, McLain, Sen Campos DAS - see sb 703 HB3193A Farm Worker Relief Fund JWM 10 Rep Marsh, SenPham, RepValderrama DAS - see sb 703 HB 5002 Oregon Worker Relief Fund (legal rep funds) JWM-GG WS 5/29 7 LFO d etails Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Governance , and Natural Resources , and Revenue report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 3/31 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 Please see Governance Overview here . Jump to a topic: Initiatives Broadband, Vote-by-mail, Privacy Elections Revenue Initiatives SJR 30 , sponsored by Senators Nash and Broadman, will be heard in the Senate Rules Committee 4/2. It would increase the requirements to qualify an initiative for the general election ballot. If SJR 30 is adopted, then the number of valid signatures that is required would be increased 33% for statutory measures and would be increased 25% for constitutional measures! Furthermore, the required signatures would have to be equally distributed among congressional districts. The League submitted testimon y opposing SJR 30 since it would nearly destroy the ability for citizens to qualify an initiative for the ballot, except by wealthy special interest groups and corporations. Broadband, Vote-by-mail, Privacy By Becky Gladstone SB 224 : Senate Rules work session on April 2, League testimony in support of privacy for campaign committee staff home addresses. SB 470 A : passed a House floor vote, 29, 1 excused. League testimony supported the original bill to protect lodgers’ privacy from illicitly taken videos. HB 3766 : allows civil action against an adult who, unbidden, digitally sends intimate images (cyber-flashing) with the intent to harass, degrade or humiliate. League testimony in support; work session April 1. Upcoming & Watching SB 1014 requires the SoS to allow inclusion of political party statements in translated online versions of state or county voters’ pamphlets. League testimony in support is being prepared for a March 3 public hearing in Senate Rules. SB 952 will close a replacement timing lapse for US Senators, if need be, between when a vacancy occurs and replacement at special election. League will testify in support, public hearing in Senate Rules, April 2. SB 1121 creates a new crime of unlawful private data disclosure, punishable by a maximum of six months' imprisonment, $2,500 fine, or both. A public hearing and possible work session are slated for April 8 in, Senate Judiciary, at the request of the Oregon Judiciary. Elections By Barbara Klein Related to party membership and registration requirements , HB 3908 was filed by the Rules Committee at the request of the Independent Party of Oregon, and is scheduled for a public hearing on 3/31. The Act increases the percentage of voters in the state required for a party to be a major political party from five percent to 10 percent. This would make the development of a new major party more difficult. The LWVOR has not yet addressed this bill. Senator David Brock Smith is the sole sponsor of SB 210 to be heard by the Senate Rules Committee on 3/31. The bill replaces the Oregon vote-by-mail system and makes in-person voting on election day the standard method for conducting elections. It requires more features that the LWV opposes, some which are laid out in the federal SAVE act (which we also oppose). The bill requires voters to show valid government-issued picture ID when voting or requesting a ballot. It allows a by-mail ballot only if the elector is unable to vote in person on the date of the election. The bill removes a current requirement that the state pays postage for ballots returned by mail. It does allow vote-by-mail as the primary method for conducting elections for military and overseas electors and for electors who have a mailing address outside of Oregon. SB 210 refers the Act to the next general election ballot. It is unclear if this is only a courtesy hearing. Revenue By Natalie Briggs Public Hearing - HB 2515 Authorizes public bodies to enter into an intergovernmental agreement to pool bond proceeds or other funds into commonly managed investments without the oversight of the State Treasurer and the Oregon Investment Council. Summary: The proposed bill would enable public bodies in Oregon such as local schools to enter intergovernmental agreements for pooling bond proceeds or other funds into jointly managed investment pools, without requiring oversight from the State Treasurer or the Oregon Investment Council. Public bodies would also have the option to create investment pools for funds that aren’t specifically related to bond proceeds, allowing greater flexibility in managing different types of funds. Written agreements under ORS Chapter 190 would be required before each investment pool is established and used, to ensure accountability, and transparency among participating entities. When managing these pools, public bodies would be permitted to use the same powers and authority as the State Treasurer and Oregon Investment Council under existing laws. Proponents of the bill feel that it would enable autonomy, quicker decision-making, and tailored investment strategies that meet the varying and specific needs of the participating bodies. Committee Questions and Comments: Committee would like to understand the feedback from the Oregon state treasurer regarding this bill. Information from the state treasurer has been provided to the committee for review. Can school districts simply contract or engage a 3rd party for business office help, and could this be a suitable alternative establishing separate investment pools? This bill would result in the investment of public money in a private sector service rather than with the state treasury. Who will provide oversight to ensure that these investments are being managed appropriately? Proponents of the bill responded that schools have existing investment policies at the district level, and school boards are responsible for managing investments in accordance with these policies How would school board account for the possibility of a higher cost of management of the funds compared to the existing system? Proponents of the bill responded that school officials would be responsible for investing responsibly. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 2/26 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 Other Governance Bills Privacy & AI, Elections, & In Memoriam for Alice Bartelt By Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator, and Team Campaign Finance During the 2/29 public hearing on the -3 amendment to this placeholder bill, HB 4024 , good government groups severely criticized the amendment for leaving huge loopholes for special interest organizations to still make 6-figure campaign contributions. See the League’s written testimony . After a week of private negotiations, a new -5 amendment was posted just minutes before a deadline before an 8 am Monday 3/4 hearing and possible work session. The good government groups have not yet had a chance to analyze this 48-page amendment. Stay tuned! Other Governance Bills HB 4021 , which 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, had a public hearing and a work session is awaiting action on the House floor. HB 4026 , which was a placeholder bill related to elections, was amended in House Rules to retroactively prohibit the use of a referendum on any urban growth boundary expansion. This would block a referendum in the City of North Plains in Washington County. The LWVOR submitted written testimony opposing the amendment, saying the bill is likely unconstitutional and may invite a lawsuit. The bill passed the House 49 to 5 and is now awaiting Senate action. HB 4031 was amended in House Revenue to protect taxpayer information from disclosure. It now awaits House floor action. HB 4032 , which 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, had a public hearing but no further action yet in House Rules. HB 4117 , which authorizes the Oregon Government Ethics Commission to issue advisory opinions on the application of the public meetings law, and which is a correction to a bill passed in 2023 session, passed the House immediately and unanimously. The bill then had a hearing and work session in Senate Rules and now awaits Senate floor action. SB 1502 requires public schools and college boards to live stream their meetings and post the meeting recordings on their websites and social media sites. It allows remote testimony for most school and college board meetings. The bill passed the Senate 29 to 1. The bill had a hearing and work session in House Education, which recommended “Do Pass” for the House floor. SB 1538 A , an election law clean-up bill that makes many changes, was passed by the Senate as amended on a 20 to 10 vote. The House Rules held a hearing and a work session, which recommended a “Do Pass” House floor action. Privacy & AI, Elections, & In Memoriam for Alice Bartelt By Rebecca Gladstone Late breaking: the Oregonian invited submission for this March 3rd Op-Ed: Opinion: Oregonians should not fall for Legislature’s fake campaign finance reform . A public hearing for HB 4024 -5, the bill mentioned in the Op-Ed was set after going to press, for 8am Monday March 4 in House Rules. An Action Alert is being prepared. Our Legislature went into Sine Die, 1-hour notice for bill hearings, on Feb 27, becoming both a sprint and a marathon. Rumor predicts that the last day will be Friday, 3/8. AI, synthetic media in campaign SB 1571 A : This was presented in House Rules after passing unanimously in the Senate. We updated and presented supportive verbal testimony, see video , first bill on the agenda. We expect a work session and passage in the final days. The Senate Memorial Commemoration for Alice Bartelt, SCR 203 , was heard and passed unanimously from the Senate floor on Feb. 28. See the video , at 20 minutes for the presentation and vote. Our thanks to Senators Deb Patterson, Lew Frederick, and Rob Wagner for supportive comments, especially for Alice’s daughters, unable to attend, and for the League (look in the gallery). LWVOR researched and wrote this resolution at sponsor Senate President Sen. Rob Wagner’s request. See League testimony . It was heard in House Rules, and we expect a work session and passage in the final days. Increase Voters’ Pamphlet languages SB 1533 : This bill to increase the number of languages other than English for State Voters’ Pamphlets passed unanimously on the House floor and has been sent to the Senate, with supportive League testimony . We expect a work session and passage in the final days. Automatic Voter Registration for students SB 1577 -3 . This bill to expand automatic voter registration for higher ed students, through the Dept of Revenue, was amended to require the Legislative Policy and Research Director to study its viability, benefits and challenges. After passing from Senate Veterans on a 3 to 2 partisan vote, it still awaits action in Joint W&Ms.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 5/22 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Air Quality Budgets Climate Coastal Issues Elliott State Research Forest Land Use/Housing Recycling Toxics Water Wildfire By Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, and Team With Policy Committees closed from moving bills out of committee (except for Rules, Revenue and Joint Committees), watch for interesting information sessions—to learn more about current issues and potential future ones. We continue to wait for a climate package and a water package, as well as most natural resource agency budgets to be scheduled. The League continues to advocate for the slew of bills in Ways and Means we supported earlier in session and listed in this report. Air Quality LWVOR joined with others in support of HB 3229 . The bill would m odify federal air quality (Title V) operating permit program fees. The bill sits in Ways and Means without recommendation. Budgets/Revenue The Ways and Means Natural Resources Subcommittee worked on grant application requests last week. For instance, $5.9 million from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture will come to Oregon to help small farmers and underserved communities and businesses. Our Dept. of Agriculture will need to create a plan for spending the money. Among the ideas could be providing packaging machines to small farms to be able to package vegetables in individual containers for our Farm-to-School program. Other grant requests for ODFW and others were considered. SB 488 A r equires the owner or operator of a municipal solid waste incinerator (Covanta in Keizer) to develop a plan for continuous monitoring or sampling of specified emissions for 12 consecutive months. It was worked in W&M Natural Resources Subcommittee. The – A7 amendment was adopted that provides $118,537 to DEQ to implement the bill. A couple of budgets of interest last week included HB 5022 , the budget for the Office of the Governor. Three positions are being added: a new Deputy Housing Advisor, a new Behavior Health Advisor and continuing the State Wildfire Programs Director position . And SB 5502 , the budget for the Dept. of Administrative Services. Here is the LFO recommendation for the DAS budget. It includes monies to increase addressing IT services and upgrades in agencies statewide. Also being heard in other Subcommittees were bills related to the Dept. of Transportation and K-12 Schools. Last week’s budgets were considered in Full Ways and Means on May 26. The Governor signed HB 5046 , to allow state agencies to continue to operate until Sept. 15 at current levels. With the current Senate Republican walkout, this bill is increasingly important. SB 538 A , would allow DOGAMI and other agencies to offer permittees the ability to use a credit card to pay fees and the agencies can charge for the processing costs charged by those card businesses. It is set to be voted on the House floor. Climate By Claudia Keith and Team We encourage you to read both the Climate Emergency and Natural Resources sections of this Report. Coastal Issues By Christine Moffitt/Peggy Lynch HB 3382 A sits in House Rules. It currently limits the bill to ONLY the International Port of Coos Bay, places requirements around proof of financial viability and reports on the number of jobs to be created to be submitted with any actual project application. Only the Port and tribes would be qualified to submit an application. We don’t support the bill, but the votes seemed to be there for a bill, so we worked to make it as narrow as we could. Any project application would be for a new Goal 16 exception and would go through the usual local land use processes. Also, all the other federal and state agency permits would be required for any process. The League will continue to monitor the bill. One additional amendment that would be appreciated is clarity that no fossil fuel projects would be allowed to be approved. (Remember Jordan Cove?) HB 2903 A , funding to continue work on marine reserves, is in W&Ms, LWVOR supports . This 10-year-old program now has support by a diverse set of interests in the coastal communities. Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) DEQ will hold two virtual listening sessions to discuss updating its Supplemental Environmental Project policy in which funds from violations can go towards a community project that benefits public health or the environment. Session #1 : June 6, 2023 | Noon – 1:00 p.m. Zoom: ordeq.org/sep-mtg1 Session #2 : June 7, 2023 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Zoom: ordeq.org/sep-mtg2 The focus of these listening sessions is to hear how community-based organizations and communities think DEQ could update the policy to be more equitable and accessible. Read more about supplemental environmental projects . Send feedback also to: sep@deq.oregon.gov SB 835 A , as amended, would require DEQ to adopt rules to clarify when a single septic system can be used for both a primary residence and an ADU, sits in Ways and Means. LWVOR provided testimony with concerns that were addressed by the amendment. Dept. of State Lands HB 2238 , a bill filed to provide permission for robust rulemaking to increase fees for the removal/fill program with a new amendment was passed out of the Senate Natural Resources and awaits a vote in the Senate chamber. It will need to go back to the House for “concurrence”—to agree with the Senate amendment. The League continues to support . Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) By Peggy Lynch SB 161 was amended, passed the House and is headed to the Governor. The League understands there is a request for some monies in the end-of-session bill to help the new ESRF Authority move forward the first 18 months of their existence since logging to provide funding will take time to plan and execute. The prospective Board will tentatively meet June 6 and again on July 24 (time and location TBD). Land Use/Housing By Greg Martin/Peggy Lynch On May 17, Senate Energy and Environment moved HB 3179-A7 to the Senate floor with a do pass recommendation. 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 amended bill now requires an applicant for a land use permit 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. There are still a number of land use planning bills sitting in Senate and House Rules. Those committees are not subject to deadlines until Leadership closes them, so we wait and watch—holding our breath that these bills are not trade bait. SB 1096 , a bill to “expand development into farmland”, has been referred to Senate Rules. The bill, similar to SB 1051 which the League vigorously opposed has died, is a topic of discussion. The bill continues the false narrative that simply adding land to urban growth boundaries will solve Oregon's housing crises. HB 3414 would create a new Housing Accountability and Production Office in DLCD and also includes a Section 2 related to processing of variances under certain circumstances. Variances are used to address exceptions to a code’s “clear and objective standards”. It is unclear how this provision will change a community’s control over residential development. The bill had a public hearing in House Rules where the Governor advocated for the -6 amendment while a number of cities advocated for the -5 amendmen t , but it was clear that more negotiations will occur, so we should look for yet another amendment. The League has concerns about the burden being placed on cities under the -6 amendment. Local governments need to provide findings to explain why they might want to deny the variance instead of the applicant proving the need for the variance. Your Oregon News has a good article on the cities’ concerns. Of note is mention of a -7 amendment that would deal with land supply advocated by the Homebuilders Association and the Oregon Realtors. No new news on SB 1087 , filed on behalf of a farm in Lane County where they want to add a “café” (with seating for 250-300 people) on their Exclusive Farm Use (EFU)-zoned property. The League opposes this overreach of our land use program. The bill is in Senate Rules. SB 70 A would allow housing on acreage in Malheur County. T he League provided testimony in opposition on Feb. 8. On April 3, the bill was moved without passage recommendation to Senate Rules. LWVOR still opposes it. SB 1013 would allow a recreational vehicle to be sited on a rural property. It was amended by the -4 amendment and passed out of committee to the House floor on May 18. The League worked with the sponsor and Sen. Hayden to assure that, should a recreational vehicle be allowed, issues of sewage and clean drinking water would be addressed by the counties. Rep. Helm also stated that for the record in committee which the League appreciated. HB 3442 A , to allow coastal communities to develop in hazard areas under certain conditions, passed to the Senate floor on May 10 where it sits until there is a quorum. The amended bill responded to League concerns on the original bill. HB 2983 A would help with manufactured housing and housing parks, now in W&Ms. LWVOR supports . See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. Reduce/Recycle DEQ will hold the first Recycling Modernization Act Rulemaking Advisory Committee meeting for the second rulemaking from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on July 13. DEQ will provide an overview of the Act, the rulemaking process, and will present the Commingled Processing Facility Worker Living Wage and Supportive Benefits rule concept. To attend the meeting please Register via Zoom . To learn more about this rulemaking and the advisory committee, view the rulemaking web page at: Recycling Updates 2024 . SB 542 A (Right to Repair) continues to sit in Senate Rules until more amendments are made or until there are enough votes to pass it in the full Senate. The League provided testimony in support on Feb. 14 th . Toxics By Paula Grisafi HB 3043 A was amended by the A3 amendment and passed out of Senate Energy and Environment to the Senate floor where it awaits a quorum. The bill revises provisions relating to chemicals in children’s products. SB 546 A (toxic free cosmetics) was sent to W&Ms although there was NO fiscal for the 2023-25 session because, although the measure takes effect January 1, 2024, all substantive portions of the bill are not operative until January 1, 2027. SB 426 A (toxic free schools) was sent to W&Ms without clarity on the fiscal impact. The bill’s advocates are working to assure that the fiscal impact statement is not over inflated by agency staff. Water By Peggy Lynch The Port of Morrow announced May 19 that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected the port’s application for a loan to cover up to 80% of the cost to upgrade the industrial wastewater reuse system. Help may eventually come to residents of the Lower Umatilla area as they continue to suffer from nitrate-laden groundwater per this East Oregonian story. On May 22, the EPA announced $2,499,579 in research grant funding to Texas Tech University for research on the behavior of perchlorate after fireworks events near water sources. Many fireworks displays in Oregon happen over water, in part to protect from fire. But is it safe? Hopefully this research will help answer that question. It’s time to engage in the Integrated Water Resources Strategy 2023 update. See the survey link on the webpage and meetings around the state, including a new May 31 virtual meeting. A major water bill, HB 3124 , was moved to W&Ms w ithout recommendation as to passage. The bill is a $250 million Drought Relief and Water Scarcity package . and includes some of the other bills we’ve seen this session . The League provided comments on the bill, including a list of our priorities, using our participation in the HB 5006 Work Group as our guide. HB 3163 A , is a League priority. It renews the Place-Based Planning program with a Fund to help groups participate in this program, and was sent to W&Ms. The League participated in a Work Group last year to help develop program sideboards and we provided testimony in support. HB 3100 A addresses the Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS), now in Ways and Means. The League provided t estimony when the bill had its public hearing. Then we worked behind the scenes to provide guidance as the IWRS is updated and we support the bill. HB 3207 A , related to domestic well testing and data collection, in W&Ms. LWVOR support s . HB 2813 A creates a grant program to protect drinking water sources, in W&Ms. LWVOR supports . HB 3125 , would create a Ratepayer Assistance Fund to help low income people pay for sewer and water bills, is in W&Ms. LWVOR supports . We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” V isit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. The League supports HB 2647 A to continue to address this public health issue. It sits in Ways and Means. Thanks to a substantial snowpack, our drought in many parts of Oregon has lessened. However, the recent hot weather has begun to melt that “storage”. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Governor Kotek has signed drought declarations under ORS 536 for the counties of Crook, Jefferson, Grant, Deschutes, Wasco and Harney counties. Lake and Sherman Counties have requested a drought declaration. In addition, many counties in eastern and southern Oregon have received Secretarial Disaster Designations from the US Department of Agriculture due to continuing drought conditions. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers The League provided testimony in support of funding for the Oregon Conservation Corps in HB 5025 , the omnibus Higher Education Coordinating Commission budget bill. The bill is in W&Ms. SB 80 A , the omnibus Wildfire Programs bill, is in W&Ms as is SB 509 A , which aims to scale out neighborhood collaboratives in order to help whole neighborhoods reduce risk. LWVOR provided support for SB 509 A. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED : What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The 2023 legislative session is almost 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 - Sine Die Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Agriculture Air Quality Budgets Climate Coastal Issues State Agencies Elliott State Research Forest Fish and Wildlife Parks and Recreation Radioactive Waste Northwest Energy Coalition Land Use/Housing Recycling Toxics Water Wildfire Natural Resources By Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, and Team The League’s Natural Resources Team added volunteers Paula Grisafi (Toxics) and Carolyn Mayers (Wildfire) and sadly lost a member, Kathy Moyd, who worked on both Climate and Natural Resource issues and was a valuable former NASA engineer with a variety of expertise and willingness to attend meetings virtually, provide written and verbal League testimony using League positions and personal expertise. You will see others’ names listed below under the issues they covered. The League is a member of many coalitions. One of the most critical for Natural Resources is the Oregon Conservation Network , a group of now over 40 conservation and environmental organizations who declare "Priorities for a Healthy Oregon" each legislative session. They also provide an opportunity for the groups to share support or opposition for other legislation to legislators. Legislators saw LWVOR’s name on bills listed in the weekly Hotlist as we advocated for or against bills. This session, the Oregon Legislature introduced an impressive 2,970 measures — more than any other session in the last decade. After months of hard work, 653 of them passed— about 22% of the measures that were introduced. (From Rep. Gomberg’s newsletter) The Legislative Policy and Research Office provided this report on Natural Resource issues and this report on Energy and Environment. The League was engaged in some of the bills listed in these reports. The Governor provided letters with some of the final decisions she made to sign or veto bills. The following bills were accompanied by signing letters: HB 2010, HB 2426, HB 2772, HB 3561, HB 5026, SB 80, SB 283, SB 488, SB 1089, SB 1095 (explanation of line-item veto for emergency clause). Additionally, HB 3440 and SB 5535 will become law without the Governor’s signature. HCR 38 passed and sets the process for the February 2024 short session that runs Feb. 5 through March 10th. The legislative calendar is posted on the Oregon Legislature website . There will be interim legislative days in Sept., Nov., and January. Agriculture Much of the work under this section was done by the Climate Team. However, we provided a letter to the Oregon Board of Agriculture sharing our natural resource area priorities for 2023. And we provided a letter on HB 5002 , the Dept. of Agriculture’s budget. SB 530 , the Natural Climate Solutions bill, was included in HB 3409 , the omnibus climate bill, Sections 53-63. Air Quality By Kathy Moyd & Peggy Lynch LWVOR joined with others in support of HB 3229 . Under the Clean Air Act, funding must be from fees on permittees for this program. Per DEQ’s own testimony , without this funding, a critical part of their Air Quality program was in jeopardy. The bill was amended by the -2 amendment, passed the legislature and was signed by the Governor. It increases fees for polluters who require Title V permits 43% in 2023 and another 40% in 2024. Fees had not been increased for 13 years. DEQ is to review its permitting methodology and how it charges fees due to complexity instead of the amount of pollution emitted and report to the legislature by Dec. 2023. T he DEQ Budget ( HB 5018 ) includes POP 110 and authorized the 11 staff for the Title V program. HB 3229 was effective as of July 13. The Governor plans additional work on this issue in 2024. Although we did not provide written testimony on SB 488 , the Medical Waste Incinerator Bill (Covanta facility in Marion County), League members did engage. The bill was amended many times and was signed by the Governor, although she is concerned about sections of the bill related to limiting medical waste disposal. Budgets By Peggy Lynch Each long session the Governor provides a statewide budget with individual agency budget requests. Governor Kotek’s first biennial budget is here . For natural resource agency budgets, start on page 143 of the web document. The Governor’s budget was based on the December 2022 forecast when there was still a great deal of concern around a potential recession. The Governor proposes; the Legislature disposes. The League follows the Ways and Means Committee and Subcommittees. The Legislative Fiscal Office website provides a great deal of information on this process, the legislature’s involvement, research and reports on the state’s expenditures. They also coordinate fiscal impact statements on individual pieces of legislation as it moves through the legislature. The Ways and Means Committee always does a “rebalance” of the current (2021-23) budget after the March forecast and that was done again this year. T he Office of Economic Analysis also provided sobering data on Oregon’s population. Without an increase in young people—with in-migration--our need for a variety of long-term care services will explode without the incoming revenue to pay for those services! In late March, the Ways and Means Co-Chairs Budget Framework was provided to guide Subcommittees considering all the agency budgets. The Framework provides the amount of money each Subcommittee should expect to spend for their assigned budgets and any policy bills that might be assigned to them. A series of meetings around the state provided the public with opportunities to share their priorities with legislators. The Treasurer’s Office reported to the legislature in March on the state’s bonding capacity : General Fund debt capacity results in $1.94 billion issuance for each biennium, or $969 million annually ($320 million greater than 2021-23). The State’s Lottery Revenue debt issuance capacity for Lottery Bonds is $506.4 million in each biennium or $253.2 million annually over the forecast period ($9 million decline from 2021-23). Governor Kotek’s office then provided their 2023-25 bond proposal list . HB 5005 , the General Fund bonding bill, passed and was signed by the Governor. HB 5030 is the Lottery Bonds projects budget bill. HB 5046 is the Continuing Resolution bill that allows agencies to continue expending funds on July 1 based on their 2021-23 budgets until their new budgets for 2023-25 are signed by the Governor passed or until Sept. 15 th . The bill passed and was signed by the Governor. All agency budgets were signed by the Governor by the August 4 deadline, but some agencies needed to take advantage of HB 5046 until those budgets were signed. The League followed HB 3349 , with an amendment that would have provided $300,000 each to eight different entities to create “navigators” to help access federal funding. The League was disappointed that HB 3349 , with the 3 amendment , was passed to Ways and Means. We believe there are better uses for the $2.4 million in the Higher Education budget although we supported staffing in state agencies to facilitate federal funding. The bill did not pass. The May forecast declared an additional $1.96 billion available for the 2023-25 session that were used to balance the 2023-25 budget. Here are the Governor’s new spending requests . A new process around budget requests was used this session: Packages of policy bills were created to reduce the need for individual bill votes when they were sent to Ways and Means for funding. That practice also allowed controversial policies to be packaged with more benign policies to gain support and passage. (That practice may occur in the future.) Senate Republicans decided not to provide a quorum in the Senate chamber for a number of weeks so, in case they returned, it would be easier to move these packaged bills. See below under the water bills-- HB 2010 , HB 3409 under Climate, and HB 3395 for Housing . HB 3410-2 , another “package” bill, includes a variety of economic development funds/grant programs, mostly for rural Oregon. Sen. Dembrow provided climate and drought package spreadsheets. Expect a final 2023 session reconciliation by the end of August and the August 30 Revenue Forecast where the final “kicker” amount will be announced. ( T axpayers can use the credit on their 2024 tax returns—2023 taxes) Look for about $5.5 billion to be returned. (The 1979 Oregon Legislature passed the "Two percent kicker" law, which requires the state to refund excess revenue to taxpayers when actual General Fund revenues exceed the previous odd-year May forecast amount by more than two percent.) The League’s Natural Resource Team not only provided testimony on many of the 14 natural resource agency budgets, but encouraged the Governor and legislature to provide staffing, create new programs and provide matching funds for the many substantial federal programs made available by federal budgets, by the bipartisan infrastructure bill, the CHIPS Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. By August 4 the natural resource budgets had all been signed by the Governor. To learn more about their content, look for the LFO Recommendation posted for each budget. More info is listed below under each agency. The end-of-session bill had over $1.4 billion in funding items. Here is the 33-page list , called “ornaments'' as the bill, SB 5506 , is also called the Christmas Tree bill. The Oregon Capital Chronicle provided a summary . The Emergency Board met right after Sine Die to adopt rules for their work during the interim. They were provided $50 million to spend on emergencies until the next session, as well as a number of “special purpose appropriations” for expected expenses such as additional wildfire funding and salary increases. Otherwise, agency budgets are only changed by an act of the entire legislature. Climate By Claudia Keith and Team One bill included in HB 3409 (Sections 82 and 83 of the climate package) and followed by Natural Resources was HB 2647 A , which the League supported to continue to address harmful algal blooms, a public health issue. SB 530 , the Natural Climate Solutions bill, was included in HB 3409 , the omnibus climate bill, Sections 53-63. We encourage you to read both of the overlapping Climate Emergency Natural Resources sections. Coastal Issues By Christine Moffitt/Peggy Lynch HB 3382 B was amended to create a new exception to Goal 16 to allow deeper and wider Coos Bay channel dredging. It passed and was signed by the Governor. The League provided testimony in opposition. A number of sideboards were placed in the bill should any dredging take place. Only the Port of Coos Bay or recognized Oregon tribes can request the exception. The League is disappointed the bill passed, but worked hard to assure as many requirements as we could get would be in the bill. We encourage you to read the two-page bill . Of note is $20 million bonding for the Coos Bay Channel Modification project; it was included in a bonding bill and an additional $20 million is authorized for the project in the 2025-27 biennium. Coastal League members originally raised alarm about the bill. HB 3382 would have provided certain Ports with an exception from our land use planning system to allow dredging and other activities around these Ports without the current public process and federal consistency requirements. The League has shared our concerns with others. State agencies that administer permits that could be affected by the legislation provided information on their processes and the implications of the proposed legislation on certain state permits. See LWV Coos and LWVOR testimonies: March 14 , second , third . Coalition testimony , and LWVOR testimony . On May 14, LWVOR issued an Action Alert to oppose the bill. As a result of ours and others who did the same, many opposition testimonies were filed and a second public hearing was allowed on May 16 where more League members and others testified in opposition. The -7 amendment was negotiated on May 17 and posted by noon on May 18 for the night’s work session in the Joint Committee on Transportation. League members from across the state submitted opposition testimony. It made a difference. We took the opportunity to share our 2012 Coastal Study that explains the CZMA and other coastal issues with some legislators and staff. Informative, well researched League studies are a hallmark of League expertise. After many meetings and conversations, the League agreed to not oppose the -7 amendment to HB 3382 that limits the bill to ONLY the International Port of Coos Bay, places requirements around proof of financial viability and reporting on the number of jobs to be created, to be submitted with any actual project application. Only the Port and tribes would be qualified to submit an application. We don’t support the bill, but the votes seemed to be there so we worked to make it as narrow as we could. Any project application would be for a new Goal 16 exception and would go through the usual local land use processes for any Goal exception. Also, all the other federal and state agency permits would be required for any process. The bill was amended to clarify that no fossil fuel projects would be allowed approval. (Remember Jordan Cove?) The -7s “save” the Yaquina and Astoria estuaries, but could damage the Coos Bay estuary, even though the amendment requires no net loss of important environmental values. A major expansion of the navigation channel cannot help but do damage. To listen to the sausage making, go to the 1 hour mark here. Rumor has it that the Port of Coos Bay, on behalf of a container ship development, has again applied for federal funding. They were not approved for federal funding in 2022. Additionally, the Coos Bay Estuary Management Plan (CBEMP) is continuing to be updated. The County file for this project is AM-22-005 . SB 5524 is the Oregon Business Development Dept. budget: LFO Recommendation includes $10 million for distribution to the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay to support the continuation and final completion of the engineering and design work related to the deepening and widening of the Federal Navigation Channel at Coos Bay to support existing businesses and promote new business opportunities. The original appropriation of $15 million was provided to the agency in the 2022 legislative session. The League provided testimony in support of HB 2903 , to require Fish and Wildlife and State Lands to provide communications staff to help continue to implement and support Oregon’s marine reserves and new management areas. The bill did not pass nor were the requested staffing positions funded. League and partners will be back in 2024 or 2025. According to ODFW, “ a new survey shows that coastal Oregon’s recreational industry joins more conventional, store-front businesses in believing the state’s Marine Reserves do not negatively impact their bottom lines, continuing a vast shift in what businesses feared just before the first reserves were established more than a decade ago. ” Good news! OSU’s wave energy testing facility is ready to be tested off the coast of Newport per Oregon Capital Insider . The ocean test site will be on a sandy-bottomed stretch of the Pacific Ocean away from popular commercial and recreational fishing reefs about seven miles off the coast of Newport. The site will have four test berths, which combined can accommodate up to 20 wave energy devices at any one time, per Rep. Gomberg. See the League’s 2012 Coastal Study to learn more about wave energy. Columbia River Gorge Commission The League provided testimony in support of the Columbia River Gorge Commission budget ( HB 5008 ). Columbia River Treaty By Phillip Thor The League continues to follow the potential Treaty resolution/update. You can find a written copy of U.S. Government representatives' remarks at the top of the meeting by accessing this website: https://www.state.gov/columbia-river-treaty/ . Y ou can reach the team with comments or questions by emailing ColumbiaRiverTreaty@state.gov . The 18 th round of negotiations is scheduled for August. Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) The League provided testimony with comments on the Dept. of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) budget ( HB 5018 ). The Environmental Quality Commission received this legislative update on July 20. SB 1013 would have required counties to allow RVs to be sited on certain rural properties. League engaged with the sponsor and Sen. Hayden and was assured that appropriate sewer and water connections would be required for these special cases so we did not provide written testimony. The bill was amended to “allow” and not “require” counties to provide this use. The bill passed and signed by the Governor. Also, DEQ received monies to help assure that the sewer issue was addressed. The bill takes effect Jan. 1, 2024. The League provided testimony with concerns about SB 835 , a bill that would have required 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 bill was amended addressing our concerns, was passed and signed by the Governor, also effective Jan. 1, 2024. SB 931 allows DEQ to issue a permit to repair or replace a subsurface sewage disposal system or alternative sewage disposal system without regard to the availability of a community or areawide sewerage system under certain circumstances. Although the League did not engage, we are concerned that this bill perpetuates the use of septic systems that fail and pollute the groundwater when a sewer system is nearby. DEQ was provided funding for .88 FTE to do rulemaking for this and SB 835. The bill passed and was signed by the Governor. A League member participated in the 2023 Water Quality Fee Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) as in past years to provide a “public” voice to the RAC. Here is the WQ Fee RAC Meeting Summary link - May 5, 2023 . The EQC delegated authority to approve this rulemaking for 2023 to DEQ Director Feldon on May 19. Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) By Peggy Lynch The League provided testimony on the Dept. of Geology and Mineral Services budget ( SB 5510 ). The LFO recommendation i ncludes two Budget Notes on the new e-permitting system being funded. The League provided testimony in support of SB 220 that would have provided a fee to pay for implementation of a new e-permitting system for mining interests instead of using $2 million in General Funds. However, the legislature chose to provide the $2 million in GF. We also provided testimony in support of SB 221 to provide ongoing funding for this new system and testimony on SB 222 to allow DOGAMI to accept credit cards and to add the credit card fee to the permittees choosing to use a credit card. SB 222 failed in the Senate. Another bill, SB 538 A , would have provided general authorization to agencies. That bill also died in committee. SB 221 passed and was signed by the Governor. The League continues to follow the Grassy Mountain Gold Project in Malheur County, using a streamlined permitting process. Dept. of the State Fire Marshal HB 5036 is the budget bill funding and spending authority for the recently established Department of the State Fire Marshal, taking the place of the Office of the State Fire Marshal that was part of the Oregon State Police. Dept. of State Lands (DSL) By Peggy Lynch HB 2238 allows for rulemaking to increase fees related to removal or fill permit applications, wetland delineation reports and general authorizations. We will work with the agency to increase processes for clearly identifying wetlands in urban growth boundaries to be sure lands that should be developed can be and those that can’t should be are removed from the buildable lands inventory. We support the bill which passed and was signed by the Governor with an effective date of Sept. 24, 2023. In August the League discovered that the issue of wetlands was being discussed in the Land Availability Work Group of the Governor’s Housing Production Advisory Council (HPAC). We expressed concern that no wetlands expertise had been consulted during the initial round of meetings. The League will monitor this Work Group as it considers providing unvetted proposals to the Governor. If you want to receive notices of HPAC meetings, click here . HB 2914 establishes the Oregon Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Program in DSL LFO Recommendation The League has consistently supported funding for this program outside of the Common School Fund. Funding for this program was included in the end-of-session bill, SB 5506 : $18,763,236 from the Monsanto Settlement Agreement per the Governor’s recommendation. The League provided testimony in support of the DSL budget ( HB 5037 ) , as did League member Christine Moffitt on behalf of the Friends of South Slough. Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) By Peggy Lynch The League continues to engage in the ESRF, including attending their prospective Board meetings. The prospective ESRF Board met July 24th. Visit DSL's Elliott webpage to learn more . Additional meetings are set for August 16 (9a-5p in-person in Winchester Bay) and Sept. 22 nd 10 a.m. to 4 p.m on Zoom. They WEplan to meet again October 16, Noon to 4 p.m. and December 4, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Meeting locations TBD. Meeting videos are posted to the Department of State Lands YouTube channel and meeting notes are posted to DSL's Elliott website here . Work is continuing on eventual adoption of a Habitat Conservation Plan and a Forest Management Plan for the forest. Of concern to the League is how their plan can be financially viable without excessive timber harvest. SB 161 passed to change a date included in SB 1546 (2022) related to requirements in establishing the ESRF to December of 2023. The Governor signed with the bill’s effective date June 30, 2023. HB 5048 with the -2 amendment funds, starting Jan. 1, 2024, the new Elliott State Forest Research Authority Board staffing and expenses. LFO Recommendation . It is expected that the 2024 session will enhance this new agency’s budget and fiscal needs, but the 2023 funding provides for an Executive Director and two other positions. Public listening sessions on the HCP and Forest Management Plan (FMP) is scheduled for September 21: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Zoom links to join the listening sessions and more information about the forest management planning process can be found on the OSU College of Forestry website here . On June 2 OSU Board of Trustees met and received a Report and a Presentation as they considered approving their engagement on the ESRF, with a decision in October or December by the OSU Board on whether or not to accept a role in the ESRF. They will receive an update at their Aug. 25 and Oct. 19-20 meetings before a special OSU Board meeting in December. The State Land Board will meet Dec. 12 to provide a final decision on the ESRF going forward. The Shutter Creek former Oregon Dept. of Corrections facility was transferred by the federal government to the Dept. of State Lands in anticipation of the property being the home of the ESRF staff and research team. There is also discussion around a tribal role for the property. The property currently pays a significant fee for sewer to the City of Lakeside. Conversations with the city are on-going since that infrastructure is critical to keeping effluent out of Tenmile Lake where a significant number of failing septic systems also exist. Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) The League had no volunteer to follow the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife so we did not comment on their budget ( SB 5509 ) except to work with partners to assure staff for in-stream flows and water management would become permanent, in keeping with our support for water management across water agencies. Are you a fisherperson? High mercury levels detected in Oregon waters: Health advisories issued for summer fishing season addresses higher than healthy mercury and information on fish consumption in these waters. Forestry (ODF) We provided testimony on the Oregon Dept. of Forestry budget ( HB 5020 ), expressing concern that staffing for climate change issues around forest management and urban forestry weren’t included in the Governor’s budget. Those positions were not included in the final budget. However, HB 3409 includes a provision that directs ODF to acquire and maintain an urban tree canopy assessment tool and to develop and implement program related to loss of tree canopy. DLCD was given over $7 million and 5 staff to create and award grants under a new Community Green Infrastructure Fund. State Forester Cal Mukumoto has decided not to renew the state’s wildfire insurance policy for 2023-24. The state would have to incur over $75 million before accessing the $25 million policy. As the Board of Forestry makes decisions on our state forests, including potential adoption of a Habitat Conservation Plan and future harvest plans, we remind you that Oregon’s forests are managed for the greatest permanent value : “ healthy, productive, and sustainable forest ecosystems that over time and across the landscape provide a full range of social, economic, and environmental benefits to the people of Oregon.” LWVOR provided comments on the biennial Harvest Tax bill, HB 2087 , expressing concerns but supporting if this bill is all that is available for helping to fund forestry programs. The bill passed and was signed by the Governor on July 31. Governance By Peggy Lynch SB 42 would have required agencies to add even more factors related to business when calculating the costs of rulemaking and their consequences. The League provided testimony in opposition. SB 38 would have required certain agencies to process permits even if state or federal laws or rules changed during the permit processing. The League provided testimony in opposition. Neither bill passed this session. Hanford Cleanup Board By Marylou Schnoes The Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board meeting materials are available on their website . Per OPB , we are a long way from being safe as the cleanup continues. Rep. Mark Gamba has been appointed by the Speaker to join the Board. Oregon Department of Energy Assistant Director for Nuclear Safety and Emergency Preparedness Maxwell Woods and Hanford Hydrogeologist Tom Sicilia weigh in on the Dept of Energy blog, HISTORIC HANFORD CONTAMINATION IS WORSE THAN EXPECTED: OREGON EXPERTS WEIGH IN . Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) By Peggy Lynch Another League volunteer followed education this session but there were two areas under Natural Resources that we provided testimony. The League provided testimony on HB 5025 , the omnibus higher education budget, in support of the Oregon Consensus/Oregon Solutions programs at Portland State University. It is unclear if this funding was provided but the program will continue. The League provided testimony in support of funding for the Oregon Conservation Corps in HB 5025 , the omnibus Higher Education Coordinating Commission budget bill. $10 million was provided in the end-of-session bill, SB 5506 . Land Use/Dept. of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) & Housing By Peggy Lynch Land use and housing were front and center this session. The Governor came out early with a Housing Executive Order 23-02 . The l egislature followed up quickly with HB 2001 and HB 5019. A Budget Report was provided for HB 2001 that clarifies that some monies are coming from 2021-23 with most from the 2023-25 biennium. The same is true in th e Budget Report for HB 5019 . Also, there is a Budget Note on pages 3-4 of the LFO Recommendation. DLCD provided a helpful press release in understanding the land use nexus. The League provided testimony on SB 534 in support of a pilot $3 million fund to provide financing for the development of infrastructure and other costs, usable only for housing to remain affordable to moderate income households for at least 30 years. SB 534 was incorporated into HB 2001 , Section 51, and was passed and signed by the Governor on March 29. With the increase in staff of seven permanent positions at DLCD, they have created a new Housing Division under Senior Planner/Manager Ethan Stuckmayer. The League provided testimony on HB 5027 , the DLCD budget, and were disappointed that only the Housing Policy Option Packages were approved. Missing were positions for wildfire and climate planning. However, the agency received a number of positions related to housing and one surprise bill related to green infrastructure and another on solar siting: While HB 2727, Early Childhood Facilities, came with funds for DLCD to convene a Work Group to examine strategies for expanding early learning and care facilities in Oregon, the bill did not include any funding for positions. SB 5506 , Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities Program (CFEC), granted DLCD one permanent position and $2.7 million in one-time grant funds. SB 5506, Green Infrastructure and Solar Siting (TREES), provided five limited duration positions and $6.5 million in Green Infrastructure grant funds. Four of these positions are associated with the TREES program. One is assigned work to identify ways to reduce conflicts for solar facilities in Eastern Oregon. HB 3395 was the housing package and included sections on the Residential Use of Commercial Lands, new Approval Procedures around residential structures in Urban Growth Boundaries, Emergency Shelter Siting, and Subdividing Affordable Housing Developments as changes to our land use system. HB 2889 : Establishes Oregon Housing Needs Analysis within the Housing and Community Services Department. The League provided testimony in support. The Governor signed on July 18. The League provided testimony on HB 2983 in support of manufactured dwellings and dwellings parks. Although HB 2983 did not pass, t here is money in the Oregon Housing and Community Services budget or other housing bills that should help with this housing issue. SB 70 amends the definition of high-value farmlands for residential rezoning of lands within the Eastern Oregon Border Economic Development Region from SB 16 (2021). LWVOR provided testimony in opposition, continuing to focus on water quality and quantity; however, the bill passed and has been signed by the Governor. SB 1013 , a bill that would allow a recreational vehicle to be sited on a rural property, was amended by the -4 amendment and was signed by the Governor with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2024. The League worked behind the scenes to be sure that water and sewer would be safely provided since the RV would likely be sharing the main residence's facilities. The League provided testimony in opposition to HB 3442 , a bill that would have required local governments to allow development of affordable housing on certain lands within a 100-year floodplain or subject to property development constraints under land use regulations related to natural disasters and hazards. The bill was amended to clarify those public safety concerns and passed. The Governor has signed. The League provided testimony with concerns on SB 835 , a bill that required 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 bill was amended addressing our concerns, was passed and signed by the Governor. The League was alerted to SB 1087 , a bill to allow restaurants, 25-car parking lots, and 5,000-square-foot seating areas for 250-300 people on land designated for exclusive farm use (EFU land). It set standards for the establishment of farm cafes on lands in Lane County zoned for exclusive farm use. It required the Oregon Health Authority to review the land use compatibility statement before licensing a farm cafe. The bill also authorized OHA to revoke, deny or suspend licenses upon certain violations of land use conditions. The League is concerned with the precedent that would be set by allowing this activity in Lane County as other counties could ask for the same use on their EFU lands in the future. The League did not provide testimony, but would have provided opposition testimony had the bill received a Work Session. The bill died in the Senate Rules Committee but could well return in 2024 or 2025. SB 4 , known as the CHIPS Act, includes $200 million in grants and loans with a commitment to provide a certain number of permanent full-time jobs to help semiconductor industries and would allow the Governor to “supersite” lands for this industry many acres of farmland “just in case” the semiconductor industry might want to build a new facility in Oregon. We provided testimony in opposition only to Section 10 of the bill. The bill passed and was signed by the Governor, but many sideboards were placed around the “supersiting” provision. With tax credits and other legislation, a total of $500 million was committed to this industry. On Aug. 1, the Governor approved $90 million to a proposed expansion of Intel at current facilities in Washington County. At this time, it doesn’t seem to include any “supersiting”. A total of 15 companies have applied for Oregon’s CHIPS Act funding. The League provided testimony in opposition to SB 1051 with the -2 amendment , a bill that would allow a property owner to request an Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion of up to 200 acres outside of the current UGB process, but inside an urban reserve. The bill died in committee, but elements of the bill appeared in HB 3414 (see below) as did SB 1096 , HB 3620 and HB 3616 . HB 3414 with the -1 amendment would have created a new Housing Accountability and Production Office in DLCD and also included a Section 2 that says that local governments may not deny a variance under certain circumstances. Variances are used to address exceptions to a code’s “clear and objective standards”. It is unclear how this provision would have changed a community’s control over residential development. The insistence by the Governor to include a section in the bill that would have allowed private property owners to ask a city to add their lands (lands adjacent to current UGBs) for development was a non-starter for LWVOR and other land use advocates. Metro also had concerns that their role in the management of Metro’s UGB would be usurped by the Metro cities. The League provided verbal testimony based on our Nov. 2022 LCDC testimony , pointing out that it’s not more raw land we need; it’s funding for infrastructure and planning staff. The UGB section relates to SB 1096 , a bill that would “expand development into farmland” and was similar to SB 1051 which the League vigorously opposed and has since died. Although there are sideboards around what lands can be considered, the bill continued the false narrative that simply adding land to urban growth boundaries will solve Oregon's housing crises. HB 3414 B became the last drama of the 2023 session. OPB had a good article as did Willamette Week . Although it passed the House, it did not pass the Senate—by one vote. LWVOR appreciates that Senate members rejected the bill, but are also sad that the good portions of the bill were lost by the insistence that the UGB expansion sections be included. We look forward to a quick passage of a slimmed down version in 2024, although the Governor has indicated we will see the same bill. There were a number of bills filed ( HB 3180 , HB 3181 , HB 3179 and HB 2989 related to siting solar in Oregon. An Oregon Siting Table was formed to have conversations around potential conflicts among solar developers, the agricultural and environmental communities. The League engaged in meetings of the Oregon Siting Table, but did not provide testimony on any of these bills. HB 3179 was amended, passed and signed by the Governor. The bill doubles 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 amended bill now requires an applicant for a land use permit 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. The Siting Table will continue and there may have been monies to continue conversations among the parties in other bills. As HB 2003 (2019) ( helpful DLCD website ) is implemented by cities, you might want to read pages 3 and 4 of Monmouth’s DRAFT Housing Production Strategy . (The cities of Milwaukie and Grants Pass have also completed a DRAFT—all of which can be commented on.) As cities are required to review their Housing every 6 (Metro) or 8 years, they are required to consider how to address their housing needs. You don’t have to wait until your city is required to do this exercise. You can begin the conversation now to help address your housing shortage. As part of the information on cost of housing, in January a presentation on Systems Development Charges (SDCs) was provided. The League supports state help with SDC costs and other infrastructure costs, especially for low-income housing, but also help for cities to provide infrastructure to create buildable lots within cities and to make urban growth boundary lands buildable. The Legislative Policy and Research Office provided this report on housing and land use. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) By Peggy Lynch The League provided support for the Land Use Board of Appeals budget ( HB 5028 ). Northwest Energy Coalition By Robin Tokmakian Our League representative worked on a resolution regarding gas utility decarbonization. LWVOR signed on to support the resolution . Oregon Dept. of Energy (ODOE) The League provided testimony in support of the Oregon Dept. of Energy (ODOE) budget ( HB 5016 ). Oregon Marine Board The League provided testimony in support of the Oregon Marine Board budget ( SB 5521 ). The League was pleased that the budget includes a focus on abandoned and derelict vessels. Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) The League did not provide written testimony on the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) budget ( SB 5539 & SB 5540 ), but engaged during budget development and behind the scenes with legislators. Here is the July Director's Report on their budget and strategic plan. OWEB worked with others to review their 20 years of providing Operating Capacity Grants to Soil and Water Conservation Districts and others. Parks and Recreation The League provided comments on SB 5527 , the budget bill for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept. Radioactive Waste By Shirley Weathers The Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) continues its work to protect Oregon from acceptance, accumulation, and storage of hazardous levels of radioactive waste. For a quick recap, the current effort now going on three years was triggered in 2020 by discovery that almost 1,300 tons of such waste generated through fracking for oil and gas out-of-state had been illegally accepted by Chemical Waste Management (CWM) at their Arlington OR landfill between 2016 and 2019. That triggered the understanding that decades-old rules and statutes needed updating. During the interim after the 2020 Session, ODOE and the first Rulemaking Advisory Committee (RAC) worked on aspects of OAR 435.029 (Notice of Violation, Civil Penalties, Revocation or Suspension) that didn’t require statutory changes. The resultant final rules provide significantly better prevention of illegal out-of-state dumping and provide the state with enforcement authority if and when it occurs. After successful passage in the 2021 Session of SB 246 , Radioactive Waste Disposal Definitions and Enforcement, another RAC embarked on changes to ORS 469.300 (Definitions) and 469.525 (Radioactive Waste Facilities Prohibited). The bill retains in full force Oregon’s commitment to stringent restriction of radioactive waste storage and emphasis on protecting the health and safety of the public. It called for review and necessary revision of technical provisions to reflect current-day science and federal standards where there were deviations, as well as rule changes pertaining to the classification, handling, and disposal of radioactive waste generated within the state, commonly as a byproduct of other operations. Medical and manufacturing waste figure importantly in discussions, but there are a number of other sources. Many of the technical issues arising from SB 246 are therefore beyond the expertise of many RAC members, including the League. Some member organizations have hired consultants to act on their behalf to interact on draft rules with ODOE staff. However, there are other important issues that can and need to be addressed by laypersons. In fact, a stark division in approach that surfaced with the first draft led staff and RAC members to agree to divide pertinent subsections into two parts (more below). Part I issues have resulted in three drafts, but RAC members will provide input by August 30 and likely the Energy Facility Siting Commission (EFSC) will consider a final draft in its September meeting. If accepted, a 30-day public comment period will be opened. It is hoped that more individuals and organizations with concerns about public health and safety and environmental issues will become involved. The Part II controversy stems from the cost of transporting out-of-state materials produced here but prohibited from disposal in Oregon. Charging that this is cost-prohibitive, some RAC members rejected the staff draft and instead collaborated with Chemical Waste Management on a proposal that would have allowed retention of bona fide radioactive waste in-state under certain conditions. However, the League was not surprised when the Oregon DOJ ruled that the proposal would violate ORS 426.525. That subsection has been shelved for now and further steps are unknown at this time. LWVOR has supported new legislation and held a seat on the two RACs involved to date and will continue to participate. Reduce/Recycle By Kathy Moyd/Greg Martin There were three “Zero Waste” bills related to polystyrene and plastics: SB 543 , prohibits food vendors from using polystyrene foam containers in sales of prepared food. LWVOR provided Testimony . The Governor has signed the bill which takes effect Jan. 1, 2024. 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 percent source reductions compared to 2023 levels by 2030. LWVOR provided Testimony ; however, the bill did not pass. SB 545 , directs the State Department of Agriculture and Oregon Health Authority to adopt rules allowing consumers to use their own containers for refilling with food at food establishments. The League provided testimony in support. The bill passed, was signed by the Governor on May 8 and is immediately effective. The Right to Repair bill, SB 542 , required original equipment manufacturers to make available repair information to owners of consumer electronic equipment or independent repair providers. The League provided testimony supporting the bill, but pointed out two areas where changes should be made: one dealing with clarifying what was included under the bill and the other dealing with the enforcement method. Preferred versions were included in the New York law. The bill did not pass this session but we expect a version to return in 2024 or 2025. DEQ is proposing rules to clarify and implement the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act of 2021. More information on this rulemaking, including the draft rules, can be found on the Recycling Updates 2023 Rulemaking Page . DEQ continues to hold Recycling Modernization Act Rulemaking Advisory Committee meetings. To learn more about this rulemaking and the advisory committee, view the rulemaking web page at: Recycling Updates 2024 . Toxics By Paula Grisafi HB 3043 , a bill that revises provisions relating to chemicals in children’s products, was signed by the Governor and is effective as of Sept. 24, 2023. As a member of the Oregon Conservation Network, we were pleased to see the OCN Letter in support of HB 3043 , the Toxic Free Kids Act Modernization. LWVOR has engaged in this bill in past sessions. SB 546 requires the Oregon Health Authority to adopt and maintain a list of designated high priority chemicals of concern used in cosmetic products and to periodically review and revise the list. The bill was amended and passed. LWVOR provided testimony in support of SB 426 , the Toxics Free Schools bill, but again it did not pass the legislature. Water By Peggy Lynch The League provided testimony in support with comments on the Oregon Water Resources Dept. (OWRD) budget ( HB 5043 ). The budget includes a permanent staffer to follow the Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS). The League has participated in the past two IWRS documents. That document is set to be updated again and OWRD is partnering with Oregon’s Kitchen Table (OKT) to provide outreach and engagement for the 2023 update to the IWRS. Here’s the latest Integrated Water Resources Strategy 2023 public engagement . Here's the agency’s full budget summary for 2023. A major water bill, HB 3124 , a $250 million Drought Relief and Water Scarcity pkg., was introduced and included some of the other bills we’ve seen this session . The League provided comments on the bill, including a list of our priorities, using our participation in the HB 5006 Work Group as our guide. The W&M Natural Resources Subcommittee used HB 2010 for the water package instead of HB 3124 , t he bill to which LWVOR provided comments . The -6 amendment was adopted and includes elements of: -Place-based Planning, 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 have created a special Fund for these regional planning efforts. The League testified in support of the Fund. T he good news that the Place-Based Water Planning Fund, as described in HB 3163 , will become permanent with an initial $2,000,000 appropriation. See Sections 15, 16, 44, 57, 58,59, 60 & 61 of HB 2010 . - HB 3100 , a bill that updates requirements for the Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) was included. See Sections 10 and 11 of HB 2010 . LWVOR testified on the original bill. -The League provided testimony in support of HB 2813 , the Safe Drinking Water bill that directed OWEB to provide grants to protect drinking water sources. See Sections 1-4 of HB 2010 . Here is the Drought Package Press Release . LFO Recommendation and the Budget Report that shares the many programs and agencies that will benefit from this bill. You might also note the amount of cross-agency cooperation and collaboration expected from this package. Sen. Dembrow provided spreadsheets for the climate and drought packages here. The League also provided testimony in support of HB 3125 to create a new Ratepayer Fund to help low income people pay for sewer and water bills. A study of this issue was funded in the Christmas Tree bill. The League has been a voice for the safety of domestic wells and provided testimony in support of HB 3207 , a bill that would have required reporting to DEQ the results of well water tests during a real estate transaction. The bill did not pass out of Ways and Means. HB 3208 that expands the Environmental Quality Commission’s authority to annually adjust additional water quality fees up to 3% per year passed. The League has participated in a rules advisory committee related to 3% fees for other water quality permits and has been invited to do so again this year. In 2021, the legislature provided funds for a contractor to provide a report on the Business Case for Oregon Water Investments. Here is the Executive Summary . There was also a requirement to engage the nine tribes. Here is the Tribal Water Task Force Summary Report. Statement from the EPA on Waters of the U.S. rule: “EPA and Army statement regarding intent to amend WOTUS rule in wake of U.S. Supreme Court’s Sackett decision – On June 26, EPA and Army released the following statement regarding next steps for the agencies’ WOTUS rule: “The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of the Army (agencies) are in receipt of the U.S. Supreme Court's May 25, 2023, decision in the case of Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency. In light of this decision, the agencies are interpreting the phrase “waters of the United States” consistent with the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett.” Oregon is reviewing the effect of this decision on our own wetlands rules and laws. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. HB 3409 (Sections 82 and 83 of the climate package) included HB 2647 A . The League supported HB 2647 A to continue to address harmful algal blooms., a public health issue. “When in doubt, stay out.” V isit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Governor Kotek has signed drought declarations under ORS 536 for the counties of Crook, Jefferson, Grant, Deschutes, Wasco, Harney, Sherman and Lake counties . On June 27, the Governor declared a drought emergency in Jackson County through Executive Order 23-15 , and directed state agencies to coordinate and prioritize assistance to the region. Gilliam County has also submitted a request for a state declaration. In addition, many counties in eastern and southern Oregon have received Secretarial Disaster Designations from the US Department of Agriculture due to continuing drought conditions. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers SB 80 , one of the important wildfire bills passed this session, is detailed in this press release and this OPB article . LWVOR provided testimony in support of SB 80 with the -2 amendments. Senator Golden spoke at length in support of this overall bill, at one point calling it a refinement of certain aspects of SB 762 , the Omnibus Wildfire Legislation of 2021. Regarding the map, which, in part, this bill improved and refined, he said “ Senate Bill 80 simplifies the structure of the map and makes some changes to the way that reflects NOT the way that single homeowners maintain their property for fire readiness, but rather the hazard that wildfire presents to the wider landscape .” The League is hopeful that the new, required county collaboration on the map-making process will give Oregonians a better understanding that the map is to point out areas of fire HAZARD so that we all might help be better prepared for wildfires. “ We no longer have a fire season. We have a fire year .” - Mark Bennett, Chair, Wildfire Programs Advisory Council. Throughout the session, the League followed closely the work of the Governor’s Wildfire Programs Advisory Council , which makes recommendations regarding wildfire legislation to the Governor and the Legislature. Among the most consequential recommendations they made was to change the name of the Statewide Wildfire RISK Map to Hazard Map (the importance of which is mentioned in the previous paragraph) as is the practice in California, and to reduce the number of Hazard Zones from the previous 5, to 3, namely High, Moderate and Low. Their year-round, ongoing work is and will continue to be pivotal in the mission to inform future wildfire preparedness and mitigation legislation for the State and its residents. The League provided testimony in support of funding for the Oregon Conservation Corps in HB 5025 , the omnibus Higher Education Coordinating Commission budget bill. $10 million was included in SB 5506 , the end-of-session bill. The League monitored SB 82 , which enhances insurance carriers’ obligation to consider property owner’s efforts to reduce wildfire risk in rate-setting and policy coverage decisions and increases information available to policy-holders. It passed the Senate per this press release . State Forester Cal Mukumoto has decided not to renew the state’s wildfire insurance policy for 2023-24. The state would have to incur over $75 million before accessing the $25 million policy. This policy was for the state to help pay for the cost of fighting wildfires, not for personal fire insurance. Oregon has been the ONLY state to have this policy (Lloyds of London). The deductible of $75 million made it less useful to help the state pay for state fire fighting expenses. We also followed SB 509 , which would have required the Oregon Department of Forestry to study community-based programs for reducing wildfire risk, among other things, and would declare an emergency upon passage so that grant fundings and other program items would have begun immediately. LWVOR provided support for SB 509 A, which did not pass. However, there was some funding provided in the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s budget at the end of session. SB 872 , a bill to enable better cooperation between Federal agencies and Oregon Department of Forestry with regard to wildfire mitigation efforts during the non-wildfire months passed with the -4 amendment . It directs the Oregon Department of Forestry to endeavor toward further shared stewardship of federal forests through partnership with federal agencies to expand certain Good Neighbor Authority activities, and to request that the federal agencies fund these activities. In addition, a number of bills passed which dealt with housekeeping elements of the change of status of the Office of the State Fire Marshal, under the Oregon State Police, to an independent Department of the State Fire Marshal, a move that gives the State Fire Marshal’s office significantly more responsibility and autonomy, especially in the area of wildfire. The department will still be referred to as OSFM, for Oregon State Fire Marshal, as opposed to “Office of” the State Fire Marshal previously. Unfortunately, the funding requested for this new office fell well short of expectations and there remains much work to be done. Nevertheless, OFSM has launched a Defensible Space website , which provides a multitude of resources to help Oregonians make their home more resilient in the face of increasing wildfire risk, including the ability to schedule a home assessment based on entering your home address. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The 2023 legislative session is over, but 2024 is just around the corner. 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 Legislative Report Education Legislative Report - Week of 5/22 Education By Anne Nesse Leadership Announces Historic Budgets for State School Fund, Early Learning and Literacy Success On May 22, presiding Senate and House officers announced “an historic $10.2 billion investment into the State School Fund (SSF), $700 million above current service level and the most ever allocated to the fund. When paired with local property tax revenues, the total formula resources for K-12 schools reaches $15.3 billion, a 12.3% increase over current resources, which will ensure Oregon’s schools and educators will have the tools they need to prepare Oregon's students for the future.” Several Bills were voted to the floor from House and Senate Education Committees this week, on their way to passage into law. Some by narrow margins, ostensibly over discussions of inadequate potential funding. Even though the recent May economic forecast exceeded expectations, totaling approximately over $1.9 Billion dollars of what was anticipated. Thankfully leadership was able to make some prioritized decisions listed above in an historic $15.3 billion dollar education budget! More to come in next week's newsletter. • SB 489 Eliminates restrictions on payment of unemployment insurance benefits to certain nonprofessional educational workers. This gives these employees some extra income stability. It was noted by Susan Allen, OSEA, that most of these employees are working for comparatively low wages, and they would appreciate this protection. • SB 736 Requires DOE to conduct a study to identify how to increase access to advanced instruction for the purpose of preparing students for college and career, written for talented and gifted students. • SB 473 -1 , Directs school district board to adopt a prevention curriculum that addresses child sex trafficking. This was amended to be a study of possible curriculum by DOE, and Sen. Hansell, chief sponsor of the Bill, announced he now no longer supports this change. It was announced that the group “In Our Backyard” will be involved, if this passes. • SB 819 A-16 , Modifies abbreviated school day program requirements for students with disabilities. This Bill attempts to preserve some rights to parents and children with disabilities that are Federally mandated. This created a lot of discussion of the possibility of not enough staff, or money to cover these costs. • HB 3068 A , Provides that high school a student in grade 11 or 12 may be awarded a high school equivalency diploma if the student has received a certificate for passing approved high school equivalency test and meets other conditions. Within the bill is the study of the possibility of creating an entirely new type of high school diploma. HB 3199 A , Modifies calculation of required minutes of physical education for middle school students to be based on weekly calculation.

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of December 1 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: 2026 Legislative Short Session Potential 2026 Policy LC’s / Bills News Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust 2026 Legislative Short Session (Feb 2 to March 9) The primary climate/carbon issues during the 2026 short session will be related to budget issues primarily caused by Federal funding and policy decisions. All state agencies have been asked to provide 5% reduction options by program. The revenue / economic forecast due Feb 4 will likely reset budget reconciliation guidelines –> favorably or unfavorably. Additionally, this funding situation and Gov Kotek’s 2025/2026 executive orders including prioritizing implementation of clean energy projects and resilience coexist in a very challenging short session. Potential 2026 Policy LC’s/Bills A bipartisan group of lawmakers is actively working on creating a new carbon market cap and trade proposal . ‘ Can Oregon and Washington Price Carbon Pollution? ‘- The Climate Trust Published: September 30, 2025 by Gloria Gonzalez, Ecosystem Marketplace's Carbon Program Environmental and social justice groups, such as the Sierra Club and Oregon Rural Action, plan to continue advocating for environmental justice during the 2026 session, focusing on issues like clean truck rules, utility rate fairness, and addressing nitrate contamination in communities of color. Make Polluters Pay: Climate Resilience Superfund : The concept is the same as SB 1187 (2025) which was introduced by Sens Golden, Pham and 9 other legislators. The policy is based on similar legislation passed in New York and Vermont. Major greenhouse gas emitters who extract or refine fossil fuels would need to pay for the impacts to Oregon of their past emissions (from 1995 to 2024). Virtual Power Plant / Distributed Energy (“VPP”): Planned bill will promote “virtual power plants” (VPPs) or distributed power plant programs, built from distributed energy resources (DERs) such as home and business batteries, smart thermostats, EV chargers, and other controllable devices. Senator Neron Misslin Columbia Riverkeeper Data Center Nov 13 View recording of Webinar Unpacking the Impacts of Data Centers .” Kelly Campbell (Policy Director, Columbia Riverkeeper), Environmental Coordinator Kate Valdez with the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and Equity Analyst & Advocate Sarah Wochele with Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board (CUB).. Much of the information in this webinar was adapted from Columbia Riverkeepers’ September 2025 background brief on data centers (DCs). Kelly Campbell, policy director: DCs require intensive cooling systems, consuming millions of gallons of water per day. Over a year, a 100-Mw DC will consume 100 million gallons of water, enough for 2,500 people’s domestic use. Unfortunately, DC systems that are more energy-efficient require more water for cooling. To improve our understanding of DCs’ water use and how it relates to energy consumption, we need accurate and timely reporting. If using power generated from natural gas, that 100-Mw DC will generate CO2 emissions equal to that of 60,000 cars. DC expansion is dramatically increasing electricity consumption, jeopardizing the clean energy transition. Utilities are turning to unspecified fossil power instead of renewable energy. Tech companies are pushing small modular nuclear reactors as a “clean” energy source, but it will take at least 15 years for these to become operational. In the meantime, the DCs will continue to use natural gas-fueled power. Policy strategies need to focus on transparency, accountability, and oversight. Very little information is available to the public on data center size, energy and water use, etc. DC development in Oregon has proceeded with virtually zero public input, with closed-door negotiations between elected officials and tech companies. Google and Amazon have consistently resisted transparency demands from citizens and lawmakers. The Washington governor’s work group is developing legislation to address this. Kate Valdez, tribal nations representative reported that increased peak loads are detrimental to salmon runs, which are already dangerously low. Fish operations are disrupted in “emergency” situations such as blackouts, when water flow over dams is cut off. Unsustainable growth of power demand threatens grid reliability that affects all Oregonians. DCs should pay the costs of the new infrastructure they are demanding. We need to ensure that DCs have sufficient energy and transmission availability before they begin operating, and we need closer scrutiny of tax revenue gains and losses before extending current tax incentives. Sarah Wochele, CUB, noted that Oregonians are unfairly subsidizing DCs through their monthly energy bills. Electricity is becoming “luxury priced,” threatening food security, housing affordability, etc. DC load growth is making it more difficult for Oregon to meet its clean energy targets on time and achieve a just energy transition. DCs are an unprecedented type of new utility customer. A single DC requires enough energy to power a city of 56,000 homes. The distribution system is changing, but ratepaying models are not. DCs are responsible for 94% of PGE’s recent load growth. Without their demand, PGE’s overall electric load would be declining. Investments in energy efficiency have largely been funded by residential households, while the benefits have flowed mostly to DCs. The 2025 POWER Act (HB 3546) took a step toward greater accountability by requiring the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to create a DC-specific rate class. PUC’s implementation effort has begun with its UM 2377 proceeding for Portland General Electric (PGE). Columbia Riverkeeper has intervened with a coalition of climate and energy advocates, represented by the Green Energy Institute. CUB finds PGE’s proposal seriously lacking, as it calls for residential customers to pay 42% of the investment costs of serving DCs. A complicating factor is that consumer-owned utilities not regulated by PUC serve 37% of Oregon’s electricity demand. Parties in UM 2377 will present testimony to PUC through early December. The docket is open for public comment on the importance of protecting our climate and water from DC proliferation. Columbia Riverkeeper is asking PUC to require water use reporting from DCs so we can begin to develop solutions to improve DC efficiency without harming the surrounding environment. House Interim Committee On Climate, Energy, and Environment 11/17/2025 12:00 PM Video Recording Stakeholder Comments on the State Energy Strategy Jennifer Joly, Director, Oregon Municipal Electric Utilities AssociationTucker Billman, Director of Government Relations, Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative AssociationChloe Becker, State Legislative Affairs Manager, Portland General ElectricMary Moerlins, Director of Environmental Policy and Corporate Social Responsibility, NW NaturalNora Apter, Oregon Director, Climate Solutions Meeting materials Stakeholder Comments on the State Energy Strategy - Jennifer Joly (testimony) Jennifer Joly, Director, Oregon Municipal Electric Utilities Association Stakeholder Comments on the State Energy Strategy - Tucker Billman (testimony) Tucker Billman, Director of Government Relations, Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association State Energy Strategy - Janine Benner, Edith Bayer (presentation) Janine Benner, Director; Edith Bayer, Energy Policy Team Lead, Oregon Department of Energy News ODOE to Release Draft Land-Based Net Carbon Inventory Report with Webinar, Comment Period November 24, 2025 | DOE Energy Strategy Update November 2025 To meet growing energy demand, Oregon is ‘nuclear curious,’ mostly cautious • Oregon Capital Chronicle Editorial: Oregon has a roadmap to divorce from fossil fuels | The Bulletin Environmental Advocates Remind Portlanders: Clean Energy Fund Essential to Climate Justice; Rerouting Not an Option | Sierra Club Who’s Ready to Think About Blocking Out the Sun? - The Atlantic ( The idea of artificially lowering the planet’s temperature is gaining supporters and hitting political opposition.) DEPARTMENT OF THE FUTURE - The Strange and Totally Real Plan to Blot Out the Sun and Reverse Global Warming ( A 25-person startup is developing technology to block the sun and turn down the planet’s thermostat.) The stakes are huge — and the company and its critics say regulations need to catch up. - Politico Magazine Oregon Climate Action Commission - OCAC The Oregon Climate Action Commission will meet virtually online on Dec. 12, 2025. Log-in information and meeting materials will be added. Oregon Climate Action Commission Virtual Meeting Nov. 14, 2025 Meeting Materials: Agenda , Meeting Recording , Meeting Presentations , Governor’s Executive Order 25-26 on Resilience of Natural and Working Lands , Glossary for the Land-based Net Carbon Inventory , Public Comments on TIGHGER 2.0 , Response to Public Comments on TIGHGER 2.0 . OCAC Reports 2025 Special Meeting of Oregon Environmental Quality Commission This meeting was held by Zoom only . Monday, Nov. 24 Variances for Air Quality Programs to Address Fuel Availability (Action) 
DEQ proposed that the commission consider issuing variances from certain requirements as allowed by ORS 468A.075 to support continued fuel delivery through alternative methods in Oregon. Presentation Slides . Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust By Claudia Keith November 12, 2025 Our Children’s Trust Submits Friend of the Court Brief to Ecuadorian Constitutional Court Underscoring that Fossil Fuel Development on Indigenous Lands is an Internationally Wrongful Act | Nov 12 2025. A Federal Court Dismissed A Youth-Led Legal Challenge To Trump’s Fossil Fuel Orders. Now What? | Climate in the Courts Numerous lawsuits are challenging Oregon’s DEQ CPP regulations. Here is one example of how to track them. Basically, there are several active state federal lawsuits , (Nov 2025 update) some of which could assist in meeting Oregon's Net Zero GHG Emissions before 2050 targets and other lawsuits, that 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 91 lawsuits , 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. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report section

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 6/9 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop 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: Agriculture Air Quality Bottle Bill Update Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) Forestry Governance Land Use & Housing Recycling State Land Board (SLB) Transportation Water Wildfire AGRICULTURE By Sandra U. Bishop OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT The first meeting of the Farm Stand Rulemaking Advisory Committee (RAC) was held on May 16th. ( OAR 660-033-0130: Regarding farm stands in exclusive farm use (EFU) zones and agri-tourism) The meetings are live-streamed and recorded and may be reviewed on the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) YouTube channel . The 20-member RAC is expected to meet 4 or 5 times. The public hearing will likely be in September 2025. The public comment period for this rulemaking will close October 5, 2025. To submit public comment please email written comments to: farmforest.comment@dlcd.oregon.gov Comments must be in writing to be considered part of the rulemaking record. People may also make brief public comments at the RAC meetings . Rulemaking webpage AIR QUALITY SB 726 A would direct the Environmental Quality Commission 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 limits the bill's application to a landfill located in Benton County (e.g., Coffin Butte). Passed the House and repassed the Senate. Awaiting Governor’s signature. Related to this bill is HB 3794 , a bill that would create a Task Force on Municipal Solid Waste in the Willamette Valley. HB 3794 is sitting in Ways and Means. BOTTLE BILL UPDATE By Sandra U. Bishop The omnibus bottle bill SB 992 A , a conglomeration of several bills introduced this session to address problems with beverage container redemption in the Portland area, has been signed by the Governor! BUDGETS/REVENUE By Peggy Lynch Following are the budget bills we are watching in Natural Resources. However, there are currently over 500 bills in Joint Ways and Means, with many of the agency budget bills now moving through that committee and to the floor and then on to the Governor. Dept. of Agriculture: SB 5502 Dept. of Agriculture Fees: SB 5503 Both bills passed Full Ways and Means and the Senate. Headed to the House floor for a final vote. Five bills related to department’s various fee increases also passed Full Ways and Means. HB 2805 Relating to food establishment licenses ( Meeting Materials ), HB 2806 Relating to license fees for commercial instruments ( Meeting Materials ), HB 2809 Relating to pesticide registration fees ( Meeting Materials ), SB 1019 A Relating to brands ( Meeting Materials ), SB 832 A Relating to civil penalties for laws implemented by the State Department of Agriculture ( Meeting Materials ) Columbia River Gorge Commission: SB 5508 LFO Recommendation The bill passed Ways and Means and the Senate and House. Awaiting the Governor’s signature. Dept. of Environmental Quality: SB 5520 League testimony . LFO Recommendation and Meeting Materials The bill passed Full Ways and Means after a contentious discussion. Passed the Senate (17-11 with 2 excused). Now it goes to the House floor. As a major regulatory agency, this agency struggles to gain bipartisan support. Oregon Dept. of Energy: SB 5518 and Oregon Dept. of Energy Fees: SB 5519 Meeting Materials . Bills passed the Senate 18-10 with 2 excused. Awaiting a vote in the House. Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: HB 5009 ( LFO Recommendation ), along with HB 2342 A ( LFO Recommendation ) Relating to fees concerning wildlife, HB 2343 A ( LFO Recommendation ) Relating to the Columbia Basin endorsement and HB 2345 ( LFO Recommendation ) Relating to Oregon hatcheries. These three bills passed Full Ways and Means on June 6 and now head to chamber floors. Conservationists, with HB 2977 (a -2 amendment has been filed), would add 1% (or 1.5%) for conservation programs. That additional money would go to a special Fund at the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. It had a hearing in House Revenue on May 8. Oregon Dept. of Forestry: SB 5521 . Meeting Materials ; Work Session was set for May 27 and then cancelled. New Work Session June 5 where it passed the Subcommittee. LFO Recommendation The budget recommended that payroll be transferred to the Dept. of Administrative Services. POP 801 provides funding for the Private Forest Accord and Habitat Conservation Plan work. HB 2072, Harvest Tax, LFO Recommendation . Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI): HB 5010 Public hearing Feb. 5-6; Meeting materials LWVOR testimony LWVOR supports SB 836 , a bill that would significantly increase permit fees for mining related activities. See the agency’s presentation to understand the reasons for these increases. A public hearing was held on May 19 and the League provided verbal testimony on the proposed amendment. A Work Session was held May 28 where the -4 amendment was adopted. A work session was held on June 3. The LFO Recommendation for HB 5010 included additional staff related to the SB 836 fee increase, the carbon sequestration and e-permitting project. There were two budget notes, both of which the League can support related to reporting on the e-permitting project and the audit report done in April. Here is the LFO Recommendation for SB 836. Dept. of Land Conservation and Development: SB 5528 Governor’s budget DLCD Fact Sheet Public hearing Feb. 3-4; LCDC 1/24 presentation ; Meeting Materials LWVOR testimony . The budget is set for a work session in the Ways and Means Natural Resources Subcommittee on June 9. This budget and the Oregon Housing and Community Services budget ( HB 5011 ) have been part of a challenging conversation between the Governor and the Ways and Means Co-Chairs with the Governor’s recommended budget being more than the May revenue forecast can afford. Land Use Board of Appeals: SB 5529 Public hearing Feb. 27 LWVOR testimony . The bill passed Full Ways and Means and the Senate. Is awaiting a vote in the House. Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB): HB 5021 and HB 2558 A modifies the definition of "charter guide" for purposes of outfitter and guide laws and HB 2982 A , a bill that increases boating permit costs estimated to increase revenue to OSMB by about $1 million for the 2025-27 biennium, most of which will be used to address Aquatic and Invasive Species (AIS) management in partnership with the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife were considered together. Here is the Legislative Fiscal Office recommendation for each of the three bills. HB 5021, HB 2558 and HB 2982 all passed the House chamber. Awaiting a vote in the Senate. Dept. of State Lands: SB 5539 LWVOR testimony in support. LFO 2025-27 budget recommendation . LFO budget recommendation for SB 147. Both bills passed the Senate and the House. Awaiting the Governor’s signature. Oregon State Parks and Recreation Dept.: HB 5026 info hearings March 3-4, public hearing March 5. Meeting Materials LWVOR testimony in part to address comments by the Legislative Fiscal Office. The bill passed Full Ways and Means and is now headed to the House and Senate chambers. LFO Recommendation . There is a bill related to contracting rules that is passing and another, SB 565 , that would move the Capitol State Park back to the control of the Dept. of Administrative Services. Back in 2007, the League objected to the move to State Parks as a cost burden to Parks, but it was approved in part because of the lottery revenue available while the General Fund was struggling. Now the reverse is true. We understand that this bill may not move this session but may come back in 2026 where the League may be called on to engage. Water Resources Dept.: SB 5543 Governor’s budget WRD Fact Sheet Here is a summary of the Governor’s budget. Governor's Budget and Agency Request Budget documents are available online here . Info Mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 18-20. Meeting Materials . LWVOR testimony . And the fee bills: support HB 2808 (Bill moved to Ways and Means) and support HB 2803 (The - 3 amendment was adopted, reducing the fees significantly which will cause the department a revenue shortfall should the amendment stand the scrutiny of Ways and Means where it now lies.) The budget and fee bills are scheduled for a work session in Ways and Means Natural Resources Subcommittee on June 10 along with HB 3544A , a bill that revises current statutes on contested case procedures related to new water right applications and water right transfer applications (contested cases). Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: HB 5039 . Info mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 25-27 LWVOR testimony . Meeting Materials . Work Session June 2 where it passed the Subcommittee and passed Full Ways and Means on June 6 . Now headed to both chambers for a vote. LFO Recommendation Of special interest to the League is converting a staffer from “limited duration” (only through a biennium) permanent to oversee the agency’s land and water acquisitions, stewardship activities, the Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program (OAHP) and the Drinking Water Source Protection (DWSP) Program. The League has supported the DWSP Program. We were disappointed that no additional monies were added to the program under this budget bill and will continue to hope for an infusion of monies by the end of session. However, the OAHP received another $2 million General Funds. We see nothing in the bill for funding the Climate Fund for the current biennium. Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board 6-Year Limitation: HB 5040 (Limits expenditures of lottery funds from the Watershed Conservation Grant Fund for local grant expenditures by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for a six-year period beginning July 1, 2025.) Info mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 25-26. Work Session June 2 where it passed the Subcommittee and passed Full Ways and Means on June 6 . Now headed to both chambers for a vote. LFO Recommendation Oregon Dept. of Transportation (ODOT): SB 5541 info hearing 3/03-6, public hearing 3/11. The League signed on to a letter in support of increased transit funding. The Joint Committee on Transportation ended its work on May 23rd but a new committee ( Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment ) has taken over in hopes of coming to agreement on a comprehensive package before the end of session. On June 6, notice was given that a proposed package will be heard next week. This budget will await those actions. Legislative Administration Committee, Legislative Assembly, Legislative Counsel Committee, Legislative Fiscal Officer, Legislative Revenue Officer, Commission on Indian Services and Legislative Policy and Research Committee: HB 5016 Info hearings 4/29-30. Public hearing May 1st. Lottery Bonds: SB 5531 : an average debt capacity of $564 million in each Biennium. Public hearing May 9 and May 16.. The League supported two of the requests: $160 million for preservation of rental housing and $25 million to preserve manufactured housing and $100 million Housing Infrastructure Fund in Section 14. There are over $2 billion in requests for a variety of projects around Oregon! Emergency Board: HB 5006 This bill will be populated with an amount for the Emergency Board to spend at will and amounts in Special Purpose Appropriations if needed when the legislature is not in session. General Obligation Bonds, etc.: SB 5505 : an average debt capacity of $2.22 billion per Biennium. Public hearing held April 18. Second public hearing, this time on university and community college requests, was held May 2. Six-Year Limitation/Bonds: SB 5506 (Limits for the six-year period beginning July 1, 2025, payment of expenses from fees, moneys or other revenues, including Miscellaneous Receipts, but excluding lottery funds and federal funds, collected or received by various state agencies for capital construction.) Public hearing held May 2. CLIMATE By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. There are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. COASTAL ISSUES Cuts to NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) will affect Oregon coastal communities per this article in Columbia Insight. “ Lower catch limits for fish and compromised maritime safety are just some of the ways Trump’s proposed budget could weaken the Pacific Northwest. In the Pacific Northwest, cuts to NOAA are likely to negatively impact everyone from fishers and crabbers to rural communities responding to climate change. Cuts to NOAA are also likely to make it harder to track and respond to environmental harms, including climate change impacts, as well as threats to the health of our region’s fisheries and the safety of the food it produces.” OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTION The League supports HB 3580 eelgrass stabilization LWVOR signed letter of support and HB 3587A Protection of Rocky Habitat LWVOR signed letter of support ( fiscal impact statement ). To help these bills get funded, consider LWVOR’s Action Alert . The League signed on to a letter of support for HB 3963 , a bill that extends the timeline for the Dept. of Land Conservation and Development to provide a report on offshore wind conversations from 2025 to 2027. A public hearing was held May 19. The League signed on to testimony in support. A work session was held May 29 where the bill passed committee in a partisan vote. The bill passed the House floor (34/18 with 2 excused) and now is headed to the Senate chamber for a vote. OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTION The Oregon Coastal Management Program (OCMP) is currently developing its 2026-2030 Program Enhancement Assessment and Strategy. Draft Strategy The OCMP has selected to focus on wetlands, coastal hazards, and ocean resources in this 2026-2030 planning horizon. See the Draft Assessment and Strategy and provide feedback during the comment period of May 12 - June 12, 2025. The draft 2026-2030 Program Enhancement Assessment and Strategy can be found on their Public Comment webpage . Please provide comments on or before June 12. Send comments: E-mail Comments: coastal.policy@dlcd.oregon.gov Written Comments: OCMP-DLCD, 635 Capitol St. NE, Suite 150, Salem, OR 97301-2540. DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch SB 1154 was filed by the Governor to address the groundwater/nitrate issue in Morrow and Umatilla counties per this OPB article . See also in the Water section for a presentation of interest. The bill has a public hearing and possible work session for June 9 in Senate Rules. An A3 amendment is posted. DEPT. OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES (DOGAMI) By Joan Fryxell The Grassy-Mountain Gold Project Technical Review Team will meet June 16th. Information can be found here . The League continues to follow this project as the first consolidated permitting project to be held in Oregon. ELLIOTT STATE RESEARCH FOREST (ESRF) The ESRF Board of Directors will meet in North Bend June 11, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The public may attend in person or via Zoom. Click here to download the meeting agenda and materials . FORESTRY The Board of Forestry met June 4 and 5 per this press release . May 30: Today, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) deployed 14 firefighters to Alberta, Canada, four firefighters to Alaska, three to Minnesota, and one to Florida. With fire season beginning in some parts of the state, this will be the agency’s last big out-of-state resource push until the rainy fall returns in Oregon. ODF is continuing to sign mutual aid contracts with states around the country as each needs help during their specific fire seasons. GOVERNANCE HB 3569 , a bill that would require a Chief Sponsor (legislator) of a bill to be a part of a rules advisory committee (RAC) for legislation they had a hand in passing, passed the House. The League provided testimony with our concerns and opposition to the bill. The bill passed Senate Rules on June 5 and now goes to the Senate floor for a vote. The League continues to have discussions with Legislative Leadership and the Governor’s office on these RACs bills, explaining our concerns. Because the League is often engaged in rulemaking, we regularly comment on legislation that would affect changes in Oregon’s current Administrative Rules. We have provided testimony in opposition to HB 2692 , a bill that would create complicated and burdensome processes for agencies to implement legislation with their rulemaking procedures. The League joined others in sharing concerns about this bill to members of House Rules. It was pulled from the scheduled work session on May 28th. The League continues to follow the bills listed on the March 17 agenda of the Senate Committee On Rules since some of the bills relate to the process of rulemaking ( SB 437 , SB 1006 , SB 370 , SB 483 ) and SB 411 , SB 895 also in Senate Rules. HB 2454 passed House Rules with the -1 amendment and sent to Ways and Means. The bill creates a new Audits Officer (with possible additional staff). The Jt. Audits Committee would hire the Officer. From Leader Bowman’s office: “ HB 2454 changes the statutory authority related to audits and audit reviews from the Legislative Fiscal Office to the Legislative Audit Officer (LAO) and authorizes the LAO to hire necessary staff to carry out assigned functions. The LAO and his/her staff will be housed under the new Legislative Performance Oversight and Government Accountability Office. The bill does substitute LFO for the LAO on a number of responsibilities. LFO will continue fiscal analyses and other duties, while audits and oversight will be housed under the LAO.” We are concerned with HB 3382 , since the requirements of the Secretary of State to gather ALL the state agencies’ rulemaking, including all materials, would be overwhelming. Individual state agencies provide that information on their rulemaking websites. A work session was held May 28 where the -2 amendment was adopted to delay the web work and the bill sent to Ways and Means. Separately, the League was invited to a conversation among state agency rules staff on addressing concerns of the Governor and in an attempt to standardize the process statewide. The Governor has provided Rulemaking Guidance to state agencies: This document includes questions received from agencies since the Governor’s letter. This document includes additional resources for agencies including direction to post updates to the Transparency site, a website template that agencies can use (if they choose) to develop their pages, and links to other comprehensive agency rule making sites to review. There is a broader discussion to increase transparency and consistency in the state agencies’ rulemaking process. A second meeting related to the state agency rules process is set for June with an invitation to the League to continue to participate. See also the Governance section of this Legislative Report. LAND USE & HOUSING By Sandra U. Bishop/Peggy Lynch HB 2647 passed the House floor and was assigned to the Senate Housing and Development Committee where it passed the committee with the A 5 amendment , passed the Senate and has returned to the House floor for concurrence. The League provided testimony in support of HB 3939 , a bill that provides a list of infrastructure projects to fund for smaller Oregon cities so they can build more housing. We have also supported HB 3031 A (already sitting in Ways and Means) but know there might be limited dollars this session so called out that link in our letter. The -1 amendment to HB 3939 was adopted and the bill moved to Ways and Means. HB 2316 : Allows designation of Home Start Lands to be used for housing. HB 2316 -4 frees up approximately 3,500 acres of state land of which can now be used for housing production, all within the urban growth boundaries. It provides revenue to the state from the sale of the land, and it also provides revenue to our cities because the land becomes taxable for property taxes five years after purchase. The bill was sent to Revenue where a public hearing was held on May 15 and a work session was held May 27. The A6 amendment was adopted and the bill sent to Ways and Means. HB 2138 , the Governor’s follow up on the middle housing bill has a work session along with the Housing agency’s budget bill on June 10. “ The measure expands and streamlines middle housing requirements, applies them to more jurisdictions and certain unincorporated areas, clarifies definitions, and sets new deadlines for local governments to update land use regulations accordingly. It removes private covenants restricting middle housing or accessory dwelling units, eases traffic analysis requirements for small middle housing developments, and allows density bonuses for projects that include accessible or affordable units. The measure revises and simplifies the expedited land division process, limiting public notice and appeals, and requires local governments to process certain partitions as expedited if requested. It allows single room occupancies to be developed in greater numbers where multiunit housing is allowed, with capped parking requirements. It also directs the Land Conservation and Development Commission to adopt rules by 2028 .” The League engaged on elements of this bill over the summer but chose to stay silent due to some of the provisions in the bill. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. RECYCLING RECYCLING FLYER The Recycling Modernization Act that the League supported in 2021 is reaping rewards. Expanded options are coming July 1. Here is a DEQ flyer to help. STATE LAND BOARD (SLB) The State Land Board will meet on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Shutter Creek Facility in North Bend. Among the agenda items are: Appoint the Oregon Department of State Lands Director. (The SLB will meet in executive session on June 9th to consider this appointment.) Begin rulemaking for undersea cables in Oregon’s territorial sea. Acquire an 80-acre parcel of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in La Pine. Authorize a permanent easement on an existing freeway overpass in Portland’s Rose Quarter. Authorize the sale of and release of 274 acres of subsurface rights currently owned by the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) in Morrow County. The Land Board will also hear an update on bills the Department is tracking in the 2025 legislative session, as well as a guest presentation from the Department of Geology and Mineral Industries on geologic carbon sequestration. TRANSPORTATION The latest transportation funding proposal was revealed June 4th by a group of Democratic lawmakers. Per the Oregonian article, it would “significantly boost funding for public transit and climate-friendly pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.” See a flyer briefly describing it. June 6, the House and Senate Republicans released their legislative concept (bill) to fund the transportation budget for 2025. Rep. Susan McLain, Co-Chair of the Transportation Reinvestment Committee, has announced a schedule for hearings on a proposed 2025 transportation plan. The hearing schedule for HB 2025 includes: Monday, June 9, 5 p.m.Informational Hearing Tuesday, June 10, 5 p.m. Public Hearing: Anchor projects and ODOT accountability Wednesday, June 11, 4 p.m. Public Hearing: Transit, rail, bike, and pedestrian safety Thursday, June 12, 4 p.m. Public Hearing: Operations, maintenance, and preservation From Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis: “ The bill, which sounds like it will be officially introduced on Monday will be HB 2025 and seems to try to bridge the Democrats’ initial plan, with this other one from this week that proposed a 100% increase in the gas tax to bring the tax to $.80/gallon (highest in the nation!), a 400% increase in the tax on workers' wages, car sales taxes, and big hikes on title and registration fees, all to fund empty buses, bike lanes, and costly climate initiatives.” WATER By Peggy Lynch A slate of water bills are being considered per this article in the Oregon Capital Chronicle. In an effort to modernize and streamline how state officials allocate what’s left of Oregon’s ground and surface waters, lawmakers are considering a slate of bills meant to get resource agencies collaborating on permitting reform, data collection and “management” rather than “regulation.” The status of the bills covered range from one awaiting the Governor’s signature to the many sitting in Rules Committees where work groups negotiate their content to those sitting in Ways and Means where they may or may not be funded. Due to capacity issues, the League has not engaged in many of these bills. HB 2169 had a work session on June 3 in Ways and Means Natural Resources Subcommittee. LFO Recommendation The bill directs the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to establish and lead an interagency water reuse team to encourage and expand water reuse in Oregon. Full Ways and Means passed the bill on June 6 so it now goes to both chambers for a vote. HB 2947 also had a work session on June 3. “ Directs the Oregon State University Extension Service and the College of Agricultural Sciences of Oregon State University to study the distribution and occurrence of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in biosolids applied to agricultural fields that do not produce crops intended for human consumption.” LFO Recommendation . Full Ways and Means passed the bill on June 6 so it now goes to both chambers for a vote. HB 3806 , a bill that authorizes the Oregon Water Resources Commission to approve a Deschutes River water bank pilot program if the charter is approved by the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and adheres to all requirements. It sunsets the pilot program on January 2, 2034, had a work session in Jt. Ways and Means Subcommittee on Natural Resources on May 29th. It was noted that funding for this pilot will be provided by the Deschutes River Conservancy. The bill passed and was sent to Full Ways and Means where it passed on June 6 and now goes to both chambers for a vote. LWV Deschutes County submitted a letter in support of SB 427 , a water rights transfer bill meant to protect instream water flows. A work session was held April 8 in Natural Resources and Wildfire, then the bill was sent to Senate Rules. SB 1153 , an alternate bill provided with help from the Governor’s office had a work session April 8 where the bill was sent to Senate Rules. After weeks of negotiations, a public hearing is set for June 3 with a work session held June 5 where no action was taken so a second work session is set for June 9 on SB 1153. A -10 amendment is now proposed. The June 3rd hearing included presentations by the large work group that developed the proposed legislation. “ Directs the Water Resources Department to consider whether certain water right transfers will result in a loss of in-stream habitat for sensitive, threatened or endangered aquatic species in stream reaches not protected by an existing water right or contribute to water quality impairment in water quality limited streams.” Water Right Process Improvements ( HB 3342 ). A - 4 amendment was adopted and the bill passed the House. Amended by the A 8 amendment, it passed the Senate. On May 29th the House concurred with the Senate amendment and passed the House floor and is now awaiting the Governor’s signature. Harney Basin Groundwater Management ( HB 3800 ). A work session was held and the bill was sent to House Rules without recommendation as to passage. Water Rights and Public Interest ( HB 3501 ) A work session was held and the bill was referred to House Rules without recommendation as to passage on a 6 to 3 vote. HB 3525 is related to tenants’ right to well water testing. The League submitted testimony in support. House Rules had a public hearing April 30. A work session scheduled for May 12 has been cancelled. A number of amendments have been offered. The controversy seems to be around timelines for testing—how often—and what exactly gets tested. The League hopes to see this bill move forward, even if there are constraints. It would be a beginning and a recognition that water needs to be safe for everyone-homeowners and renters. SUMMER PREPARATION TIPS League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. An Abnormally Dry designation has increased in NE and NW Oregon and now we also see our first level of Drought (Moderate) in some of those areas (over 8% of Oregon is in moderate drought (D1) and over 35% is abnormally dry (D0)). 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. WILDFIRE By Carolyn Mayers Along with the transportation package, wildfire funding has been a challenge for the legislature. The Governor has weighed in on the concept of taking at least a part of the “kicker” to fund wildfire: lawmakers have an option if they can agree on a better use for the kicker money. With a two-thirds supermajority (meaning at least two Senate Republicans and four House Republicans would need to approve along with all legislative Democrats.) vote in each chamber, they can opt to suspend the refund. That’s happened once since the policy was enacted in the late 70s. Because our Rural Fire Protection Associations (RFPAs) are seeing a huge increase in their fire fees, Rep. Owens has offered the following: “ I introduced HB 3349 and HB 3350 to ensure our RFPAs have access to the tools they need. These bills propose establishing a dedicated funding stream to help RFPAs obtain gear from the Oregon Department of Forestry and better access federal resources. Importantly, this support does not change their volunteer status but simply gives them the resources to be more effective and safe while serving our communities.” Then the House Leadership decided to move SB 83 , which would repeal the State Wildfire Hazard Map and accompanying statues related to it, to House Rules at a Work Session on May 20. It seems that the bill is now being used as trade bait to find funding for wildfire according to a news release from Sen. David Brock Smith. SB 75 A , removes the wildfire hazard map as a guide for allowing ADUs and requiring higher building codes in rural areas. The bill was moved to House Rules on May 22nd by the House Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment where it is likely to stay while negotiations continue on wildfire funding. The Oregon Capital Insider provides information on the Dept. of Forestry’s budget and what’s happening at the federal level. The League heard a report from ODF staff from a meeting with the USForest Service: The agency is down 1,600 staff nationwide. Currently, they can't work for USFS for 5 years after. That issue is being worked on. Because they may need to bring people back this summer!! In 2024 the USFS had 44 Incident Management Teams. They are down to 37. These are leadership groups "running/management" for fires. They also have issues with "purchase cards"...credit cards used to purchase food/shelter/misc. equipment for fires. AND there are support people who have been let go. Others have chosen to take early retirement. Here is a short report on status of the bills mentioned last week: The Omnibus wildfire funding bill, HB 3940A , had a robust Public Hearing before the House Committee on Revenue on May 1. Legislative Revenue staff provided a table to help understand the various elements of the bill. Oregon Department of Forestry and Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office have stated the minimum annual need for wildfire funding to address the growing wildfire crisis is around $280 million. The bill has a provision related to increasing the bottle deposit to help pay for wildfire funding. This provision was widely opposed, but another concept has been floated where the unclaimed deposits (now used to help pay for the collection system) would be instead used for wildfire funding. This bill is still part of the wildfire funding conversation. SB 1177 is still before the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue. It had a public hearing on April 7. This bill would establish the Oregon Wildfire Mitigation and Adaptation Fund and redirect the “kicker” to it, one- time, for financing wildfire related expenses, by using the interest earned. A 5% return would yield approximately $170-180 million per year, or just over half of the aforementioned projected ongoing costs to fund wildfire mitigation and suppression. (The Governor has expressed interest in using only the amount of kicker that would go to large income earners for wildfire costs.) SJR 11 also remains before the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue after its April 7 public hearing. It would dedicate a fixed, to-be-determined percentage of net proceeds of the State Lottery to a wildfire fund created by the Legislature. Its passage would mean an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, which would have to go to the voters for approval. Finally, HB 3489 , which imposes a severance tax on owners of timber harvested from public or private forestland, had a Public Hearing April 24 before the House Committee on Revenue. The League has supported a severance tax in past sessions and provided testimony at the hearing. The League is also still following other non-funding related bills, such as SB 926 , which would prohibit the recovery of certain costs and expenses from customers that an electric company incurs as a result of allegations of a wildfire resulting from the negligence or fault on the part of the electric company. It was passed by the Senate and had a work session on May 20 in the House Committee on Judiciary where the A 10 amendment was adopted. The Speaker sent the bill to Ways and Means. HB 3666 remains in the Rules Committee. This bill would establish wildfire mitigation actions and an accompanying certification for electric utilities in an attempt to standardize their approach. SB 1051 , which transfers the authority to appoint a State Forester from the State Board of Forestry to the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation, is scheduled for a Work Session June 11 in the Senate Rules Committee where amendments may be considered. 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 Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 3/17 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Please see Natural Resources Overview here . Jump to a topic: Air Quality Agriculture Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Columbia River Treaty Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) Department of State Lands (DSL) Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) Emergency Services Forestry (ODF) Governance Land Use & Housing Water Wetlands Wildfire AIR QUALITY SB 726 requires the owner or operator of a municipal solid waste landfill to conduct surface emissions monitoring and report data as specified in the Act. LWVOR supports. The public hearing on this bill was held Feb. 24 in the Senate Committee On Energy and Environment . We wait to see if it will get a work session. HB 3244 : Replaces the requirement that an owner or operator of a municipal solid waste incinerator conduct continuous monitoring or sampling of specified air contaminants with a requirement that the monitoring or sampling be conducted annually. LWVOR would oppose. The bill relates to the Reworld facility out of Keiser and League members have testified of their concerns in past years. AGRICULTURE By Sandra Bishop The following Senate bills had public hearings in the Senate Committee On Natural Resources and Wildfire on March 6: SB 78 – Replacement dwelling bill and SB 77 – home occupation reform bill which the League supports. And SB 788 , a bill that would exempt some Eastern Oregon counties from certain land use laws, which we opposed. LWVOR testified in support of SB 77 and SB 78 , and in opposition to SB 788 . BUDGETS/REVENUE By Peggy Lynch The Joint Committee On Ways and Means took action on March 14 on five bills to rebalance the 2023-25 budget. T he bills go to the respective chambers for a vote where they should pass and be sent to the Governor for her signature. The legislature will then focus on the 2025-27 budgets. T heir agenda includes consideration of federal grants (one wonders if they still exist) and agency reports. The Joint Committee On Ways and Means Subcommittee On Capital Construction will next meet on March 21st when they will receive a report from the State Treasurer, including the 2025 bonding capacity, and from the Dept. of Administrative Services (DAS) on behalf of the Governor. Following are the budget bills we are watching in Natural Resources: Dept. of Agriculture: SB 5502 tentative 3rd week of March Dept. of Agriculture Fees: SB 5503 tentative 3rd week of March Columbia River Gorge Commission: SB 5508 Info mtg. and public hearing March 13 DEQ: SB 5520 . Governor’s budget DEQ Fact Sheet tentative info mtgs. April 7-9, public hearing April 10 Oregon Dept. of Energy: SB 5518 info hearing 2/10, Meeting Materials , public hearing 2/11 Oregon Dept. of Energy Fees: SB 5519 info hearing 2/10, public hearing 2/11 Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: HB 5009 , tentative public hearings Mar. 31 & Apr. 1-2 Oregon Dept. of Forestry: SB 5521 . info hearing March 10 & 11. Public hearing March 12. Meeting Materials (See Wildfire section for more information.) Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: HB 5010 Public hearing Feb. 5-6; Meeting materials LWVOR testimony Aggregate industry testified against the staffing and fee increases. LWVOR points out that KPM #4 , mine inspections has consistently NOT met the small 20% target so, if staffing is needed to meet that target AND fees increased to pay for them, we will continue to support. LWVOR supports SB 836 , a bill that would significantly increase permit fees for mining related activities. See the agency’s presentation to understand the reasons for these increases. Dept. of Land Conservation and Development: SB 5528 Governor’s budget DLCD Fact Sheet Public hearing Feb. 3-4; LCDC 1/24 presentation ; Meeting Materials LWVOR testimony Land Use Board of Appeals: SB 5529 Public hearing Feb. 27 LWVOR testimony . SB 817 is a bill to request a minor fee increase (Passed the Senate Mar. 11 25/5) Oregon State Marine Board: HB 5021 ; Public hearing Feb. 17 Meeting Materials **Oregon State Parks and Recreation Dept.: HB 5026 info hearings March 3-4, public hearing March 5. Meeting Materials LWVOR testimony in part to address comments by the Legislative Fiscal Office. OPRD will need additional revenue sources for the 2027-29 biennium. Dept. of State Lands: SB 5539 tentative hearings March 17-18, public hearing on March 19. Water Resources Dept.: SB 5543 Governor’s budget WRD Fact Sheet Here is a summary of the Governor’s budget. Governor's Budget and Agency Request Budget documents are available online here . Info Mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 18-20. Meeting Materials . LWVOR testimony . And the fee bills: support HB 2808 and HB 2803 . Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: HB 5039 . Info mtg. & P ublic hearing Feb. 25-27 LWVOR testimony . Meeting Materials Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board 6-Year Limitation: HB 5040 (Limits expenditures of lottery funds from the Watershed Conservation Grant Fund for local grant expenditures by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for a six-year period beginning July 1, 2025.) Info mtg. & P ublic hearing Feb. 25-26 Oregon Business Development Dept.: HB 5024 Info mtgs. 3/12, 13 & 17. Public Hearing 3/18 Oregon Dept. of Emergency Management: SB 5517 Office of the Governor: SB 5523 Oregon State Fire Marshal: SB 5538 info hearing 2/19, public hearing 2/20. Dept. of Transportation: SB 5541 info hearing 3/03-6, public hearing 3/11 Dept. of Administrative Services: HB 5002 info hearings 3/03-5, public hearing 3/06. Meeting Materials Legislative Administration Committee, Legislative Assembly, Legislative Counsel Committee, Legislative Fiscal Officer, Legislative Revenue Officer, Commission on Indian Services and Legislative Policy and Research Committee: HB 5016 Lottery Bonds: SB 5531 : an average debt capacity of $564 million in each Biennium Emergency Board: HB 5006 This bill will be to vehicle to accept testimony from the public during six community meetings around the state from March 22 ending April 25 on the public’s priorities for the 2025-27 budget. General Obligation Bonds, etc.: SB 5505 : an average debt capacity of $2.22 billion per Biennium Six-Year Limitation/Bonds: SB 5506 (Limits for the six-year period beginning July 1, 2025, payment of expenses from fees, moneys or other revenues, including Miscellaneous Receipts, but excluding lottery funds and federal funds, collected or received by various state agencies for capital construction.) CLIMATE By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. T here are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. COASTAL A public hearing was held on March 4 for the Eelgrass Action Bill (HB 3580) , a bill for kelp and eel grass conservation. The League signed on to a letter in support. Also heard was a bill to protect Rocky Habitat ( HB 3587 ). Here is a one-pager: Rocky Habitat Stewardship Bill (HB 3587) . The League also signed on to a letter in support. We asked for funding for a staffer in the Dept. of Land Development and Conservation budget to continue to address rocky habitat, an element of the Territorial Sea Plan which the League has supported as elements were added and updated over the years. COLUMBIA RIVER TREATY After years of negotiating, changes in the 61-year old Columbia River Treaty between Canada and the U.S. is on pause per the Oregon Capital Chronicle. “ If the U.S. misses deadlines for negotiating a final agreement, the earlier 61-year-old treaty would be reinstated, with no resolution to the issues the updates were meant to solve. If either nation decides to terminate the treaty, it will set off a 10-year process of dissolving the nations’ co-management infrastructure”. DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch The League supports SB 830 , a bill that m odifies provisions of the on-site septic system loan program to allow for grants. It also allows for the program to consider mobile home parks in need of septic upgrades. The bill p assed the full Senate March 6 and has been assigned to the House Committee On Climate, Energy, and Environment . Here is the Onsite Wastewater Management Program 2025 Rulemaking webpage . Because of the League’s work on SB 391 (2021) and additional bills in 2023, a League member served on the rules advisory committee to address sewer availability and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) issues. On Feb. 26 the advisory committee approved the Fiscal Impact Statement. A public comment period is expected in May. You are welcome to Sign up for email updates about this rulemaking via GovDelivery . The League again served on an annual rulemaking advisory committee on water quality fee increases. A meeting was held on Feb. 25th where the committee agreed to forward their recommendation for the allowed annual 3% fee increase to the DEQ Director. To learn more about this rulemaking and the advisory committee you can view the rulemaking web page at: Water Quality Fees 2025 . DEPT. OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES (DOGAMI) By Joan Fryxell On March 6th the Technical Review Team (TRT) met on the Calico Resources proposed Grassy Mountain gold mine near Vale in Malheur County. The TRT discussed Best Available Practicable and Necessary Technology (BAPNT). Information will be available online . The League continues to follow this project because of the consolidated permitting process AND that this would be the first chemical processing mine in Oregon. DEPT. OF STATE LANDS (DSL) DSL is seeking comments on a proposed sale of state-owned land located on the south shore of the western side of Hayden Island in Multnomah County. The 45-day comment period is open from March 5 – April 19. ELLIOTT STATE RESEARCH FOREST (ESRF) The Dept. of State Lands is seeking comments on the proposed Elliott State Research Forest Operations Plan. Click here to view or download the proposed plan, project overview map, and appendices. Click here to view only the proposed plan (PDF) The 45-day comment period is open until 5 p.m. on March 31. Here is a more complete notice of the plan with opportunities for virtual public meetings. EMERGENCY SERVICES By Rebecca Gladstone The League spoke and filed testimony on HB 2581 in support of a statute change, substituting the word “seismic” with “hazards”, to coordinate coverage efforts through the State Resiliency Officer. The bill has passed the House. The Senate Committee On Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs has a work session scheduled March 18th. FORESTRY (ODF) By Josie Koehne President Trump has signed an executive order to allow more harvesting of timber on national forests. As a result, the committee working on the updated Northwest Forest Plan has been disbanded . The League will continue to follow SB 1051 , assigned to the Senate Rules Committee and which transfers the authority to appoint a State Forester from the State Board of Forestry to the Governor. HB 3103 , a bill that would d irect the State Forester to establish “sustainable” harvest levels for harvesting timber on state forestland and develop a timber inventory model to inform sustainable harvest levels while ignoring the court-affirmed “greatest permanent value” was heard on March 3rd in the House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water . The League OPPOSED . See also the Wildfire section of this report below and the separate Climate section. GOVERNANCE The League may follow the March 17 agenda of the Senate Committee On Rules since some of the bills relate to the process of rulemaking. After legislation is passed, agencies are required to implement those laws. That action often requires rulemaking to clarify the details around that implementation. But the League is concerned when legislators “get a second bite at the apple” by relitigating the legislation when rulemaking is only meant to implement, not change policies. Separately, the League was invited to a conversation among state agency rules staff on addressing concerns of the Governor and in an attempt to standardize the process statewide. The League will also attend a separate rules process discussion being led by the Dept. of Land Conservation and Development. We continue to watch a series of bills related to rulemaking which we might oppose: HB 2255 , HB 2303 , HB 2402 and HB 2427 . We are also concerned with HB 3382 , since the requirements of the Secretary of State to gather ALL the state agencies’ rulemaking, including all materials would be overwhelming. Individual state agencies provide that information on their rulemaking websites. We may sign on to a letter explaining our concerns to legislative leadership. Because the League is often engaged in rulemaking, we regularly comment on legislation that would affect changes in Oregon’s current Administrative Rules. We have provided testimony in opposition to HB 2692 , a bill that would create complicated and burdensome processes for agencies to implement legislation with their rulemaking procedures . On Feb. 19, the Governor provided expectations and guidance for state agencies related to rulemaking and customer service. Upon outreach to the Governor’s Office, the League has been invited to participate in a series of discussions of rulemaking processes and committee membership selection. LAND USE & HOUSING By Peggy Lynch The Land Conservation and Development Commission will meet on March 20-21 . The Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) and the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) invite comments on a draft of the 2025 update to the Oregon Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan (NHMP). The Plan is now available for comment through March 20. Business Oregon’s Infrastructure bill, HB 3031 , with a -1 amendment to clarify the criteria to be used to access the proposed $100 million fund had a public hearing on Feb. 26 in the House Committee On Housing and Homelessness . Although there are a few issues yet to resolve, the League supports this important funding bill. LWVOR testimony . Governor’s news release . A -2 amendment is now available for consideration. Bills we are following: HB 2138 : Expands allowable middle housing and expands middle housing requirements to include urban unincorporated lands, filed at the request of the Governor. A public hearing was held on March 3rd in House Committee On Housing and Homelessness where a -1 amendment is posted as a “gut and stuff” for the bill. The Governor testified in support of the bill, but received concerns about the provision to allow for easier demolition of historic buildings and has stated that such a provision will be removed in the next amendment. Also not included was a provision that the League had objected to that would have exempted courtyards from cottage cluster development. At this time, the League is not planning to testify on this bill. HB 3145 : Allows the Housing and Community Services Department to use Local Innovation and Fast Track Housing Program Fund moneys for factory-built housing. Public hearing was held on March 10. HB 2950 : A bill to update Goal One and Public Participation is being sponsored by Oregon’s American Planning Association. The League is interested in the bill, but has some concerns. We understand there will be an amendment proffered. A public hearing was held Feb. 12th in the House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water . Because of the requirement to do rulemaking, the bill, if passed by the Committee, will be sent to Ways and Means. HB 3013 : Details the process by which a permit or zone change that is based on provisions of a comprehensive plan or land use regulation that fail to gain acknowledgment is voided and any resulting improvements or uses are removed or revoked. LWVOR supports with -1 amendment. A public hearing was held Feb. 3rd. HB 2316 : Allows designation of Home Start Lands to be used for housing. These lands are currently a variety of state-owned lands scattered around the state. A public hearing was held Feb. 10. HB 2400 Allows the owner of property outside an urban growth boundary to site an additional dwelling on the property for occupancy by a relative of the owner. A public hearing was held Feb. 10. HB 2422 Requires that lands zoned to allow density of one or fewer dwellings per acre to be considered a rural use. A public hearing was held Feb. 10. HB 3062 : Requires local governments to map sensitive uses as part of a comprehensive plan. A public hearing was held Feb. 20th. SB 462 : Requires the Oregon Business Development Department to establish an education course for land use planners for local governments, special districts and state agencies. LWVOR supports educational efforts but there are other training opportunities so this proposal might be redundant. A public hearing was held on Feb. 19 in the Senate Committee On Housing and Development . SB 525 : Amends expedited land division criteria and processes. LWVOR has concerns. May need to oppose. See also the Agriculture section of this report and the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. WATER By Peggy Lynch What are “Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS)”? With the new federal administration, this question will be debated yet again. This conversation makes Oregon’s water laws even more important. We have received notice of the tentative public hearing dates for select water bills in the House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water : Deschutes Basin Water Bank Authority ( HB 3806 ). Public hearing held March 12. Water Right Process Improvements ( HB 3342 ) . Public hearing held March 12 Contested Case Process Improvements ( HB 3544 ). Public hearing held March 12 Place-Based Water Planning ( HB 3116 ) Public hearing scheduled March 19 . League supports. Chewaucan Basin Collaborative ( HB 3114 ) Public hearing scheduled March 19. LCIS Natural Resources Capacity ( HB 3531 ) Voluntary Agreements on Groundwater ( HB 3801 ) Harney Basin Groundwater Management ( HB 3800 ) Certified Water Right Examiners ( HB 3502 ) 3/24: Water Conservation, Efficiency, and Partial Forfeiture Protection (TBD) 3/31: Water Right, Dam Safety, and Well Related Fees ( HB 2803 , HB 2808 ) League supports. Needed to provide current service level staffing at WRD. 4/2: Water Rights and Public Interest ( HB 3501 ) Other water bills we are following: HB 3525 is related to tenants’ right to well water testing. The League submitted testimony in support. HB 3526 would require well water test reporting in property sales. The League supported this concept in past sessions and did again this session. A public hearing was held Feb. 17. HB 3364 makes changes to the grants programs at the Water Resources Dept. Testimony provided comments and concerns with agreement that all parties would continue to work on finding agreement on an amendment. A public hearing was held Feb. 19. HB 3419 is the major broad set of water policy changes that is now described by the various amendments posted since this is really a “gut and stuff” bill! The committee Co-Chairs announced that more amendments are expected. Per Rep. Owens: the -2 and -3 amendments on HB 3419 will NOT move. HB 2988 : Instructs the Water Resources Department to take certain actions related to aquifer recharge and aquifer storage and recovery. A public hearing was held Feb. 12th. HB 3108 : Requires the Water Resources Department to implement additional rules and requirements for the review of limited license applications for an aquifer storage and recovery permit HB 3573 , a bill that addresses funding for a variety of water measurement strategies. The League supports. In 2024 the Water Caucus requested research support from the Legislative Policy Research Office (LPRO) to better understand the groundwater management policies of different agencies in Oregon. The Report on Groundwater Management is now available. LWV Deschutes County submitted a letter in support of SB 427 , a water rights transfer bill meant to protect instream water flows. The Governor has provided an alternate bill that may have more of a chance of passage. HB 3106 is the Oregon Water Data Portal funding bill for which the League provided testimony in support. A public hearing was held on Feb. 26th in House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water where a -1 amendment was shared that would create an entire multi-agency system for gathering the water data needed for good decision making. The League has yet to determine if this new proposal is good for Oregon. See the following presentations and presentations . The League has not weighed in on the amendment. The Co-Chairs of the House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water are working on a broad package of water-related bills, the 2025 Water Package . There is a Water Caucus raising the awareness of the need to address Oregon’s water needs. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Here is a more complete website about drought in Oregon. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” V isit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. House Bill 3314 , sponsored by state Reps. Rob Nosse and Mark Gamba, would direct about $1 million to Oregon State University to finish designing a channel that would cut through Ross Island. See coverage here. WETLANDS A new Rulemaking Advisory Committee has been formed related to Permitting and Mitigation in Oregon's Wetlands and Waters. WILDFIRE By Carolyn Mayers Bills we are watching: Senate Bill 1051 , Governor Kotek is seeking the authority to choose the next State Forester. SB 82 -1 , makes changes to a grant process which funds the Oregon Conservation Corps and their training. It requires the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) which handles the process to consult with the Department of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM), and the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), to ensure different aspects of the wildfire mitigation work they perform meet the goals of those agencies. HB 3077 , a bill which would allow local government employees to volunteer for up to 30 days in a year to serve as volunteers in wildland fire suppression in emergency situations. HB 3666 which would require an electric public utility to apply for a wildfire safety certification, and allow a consumer-owned utility to apply for a wildfire safety certification. SB 926 would prohibit the recovery of certain costs and expenses from customers that an electric company incurs as a result of allegations of a wildfire resulting from the negligence or fault on the part of the electric company. HB 3172 directs OSFM to establish a grant program to facilitate the retrofitting of dwellings and accessory structures (aka home hardening), to reduce vulnerability to wildfire. The League is awaiting a bill or group of bills so the legislature can consider the 6 Alternative Funding Strategies from the Wildfire Funding Workgroup as mentioned in the last legislative report. 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 , Governance , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 5/1 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to a topic: Housing Gun Safety Housing By Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan To address the state’s Homelessness State of Emergency Governor Kotek launched earlier this year an emergency response initiative made up of seven regional multi-agency coordinating groups (MAC). On April 28, the Governor and Oregon Housing and Community Services announced that the funding agreements have been signed and are being sent to the regional MAC groups to effectively distribute this critically needed emergency resource. HB 3462 Emergency Housing for All. This bill would ensure that safe temporary emergency housing is provided when a state of emergency is declared in a manner consistent with nondiscrimination laws, including the Fair Housing Act of 1968. This legislation would ensure emergency housing for households regardless of their immigration status. HB 3462 passed the House on April 14 and is scheduled for a work session in the Senate Committee on Housing and Development on May 8. HB 3042 Renter Protections in housing with expiring affordability contracts. This would require owners of rental housing who intend to end their government affordability contract to give three years notice to tenants, increase rent no more than once a year during that three-year period, and comply with state-imposed limits on rent increases. This legislation is intended to give tenants time to seek other housing and hopefully avoid homelessness. The House passed the bill on April 5. Senate Housing and Development has a May 15 work session scheduled. SB 702 Adopt Training for real estate appraisers and assistants. At the present time, appraiser education requirements do not include provisions specifically covering racial bias or appraiser responsibilities under state or federal fair housing laws. The League submitted testimony in support. The House held a work session on April 27 with a do pass recommendation and a third reading on May 4. SB 611 A : Rental Assistance to keep Oregonians stably housed. General Fund monies would appropriate $25 million to Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) for the biennium beginning July 1, 2023. The funds would provide tenant assistance to people who are disabled, elderly, victims of domestic abuse, veterans, or members of households with incomes at 60% or less of the area median income. OHCS indicated that as of December 2022, the agency paid over $426 million in rental assistance to 67,522 Oregon households. Program funding has been exhausted but the need remains high. Senate Rules scheduled a May 4work session. SB 611 A would also modify the maximum annual residential rent increase to the lesser of 10% or 5% plus the consumer price index one-year change. It applies the rent increase limit to units from which a tenant was evicted, and limits increases to no more than once in any 12-month period on tenancies other than week-to-week. HB 2680 Screening fees charged for rental applications. HB 2680 would require the landlord to refund screening fees within 30 days if the landlord fills the unit before screening the applicant or if the application is withdrawn before the screening. If the landlord fails to return the fee, damages the applicant may recover range from $150 to $250 under the new legislation. A work session in the House is scheduled for May 15. HB 3151 A Manufactured Home Park Modifications. This legislation builds on policies adopted in recent years to protect manufactured home park dwellers and provides legal assistance grants for low-income residents. It would limit improvements a landlord could require of tenants and prohibit requiring improvements that could not be removed at the end of the tenancy. It would also prevent charging tenants for system development charges. The House passed HB 3151 on March 22. Senate Housing and Development will hold a May 10 work session. Gun Safety By Marge Easley The big news is the May 2nd passage on the House floor of HB 2005 B , the omnibus gun bill that bans undetectable firearms (“ghost guns”), raises the minimum age to purchase firearms to 21, and allows cities and counties to create gun-free zones. Although rhetoric on gun safety bills is normally heated, it is a relief to report that representatives on both sides of the aisle remained calm and respectful throughout the debate. The bill passed with 35 ayes and 24 nays.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Interim Week 6/10 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: Healthcare Housing Implementation of Oregon Drug Intervention Plan Higher Education Summer School Pre-K-12 Education Healthcare By Christa Danielson On May 29th the Senate interim Committee on Health Care met during legislative days. Of interest is the ongoing concern about the rising cost of health care. After the meeting, the chair of the committee, Senator Deb Patterson (D-SALEM) said that “We need to empower Oregon employers and consumers to demand more transparency and better results from our health care system.” During the session the committee heard from Chris Whaley (Associate Professor, Brown University) whose research found a strong correlation between rising prices and industry consolidation. Also Piper Block (Research and Data Manager) from OHA reported on costs of procedures in different hospitals and the tremendous variation in payments. Increased transparency would help policymakers to better understand the challenges with rising health care costs. Expect more of these types of discussions to follow both nationally and in Oregon as we anticipate there will be bills that examine corporate and equity takeover of the practice of medicine and bills to strengthen reporting by pharmacy benefit managers along with other bills that follow these themes. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona Senate and House Committees on housing held informational meetings on topics of interest and invited the agency speakers below to present their programs in advance of next year’s Legislative session. The Senate Interim Committee on Housing and Development met on May 30, 2024. The following topics were presented: Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) Affordable Housing Preservation Strategy Framework Task Force on Homelessness and Racial Disparities Report (SB 893 – 2023) Modular Housing Grant Fund Updates Oregon Health Authority Air Conditioners and Air Filtration Program Future Generations Collaborative Land Donation for Affordable Housing The House Interim Committee on Housing and Homelessness met on May 30, and the programs below were discussed. Governor Kotek Policy Updates: Homelessness Response and Housing Production Frameworks Oregon Housing and Community Services Modular Housing Rural Housing Production Housing Stabilization Climate and Health Resilience in Housing, Healthy Homes Program Manufactured Housing Oregon Housing Alliance LWVOR is a member of the Oregon Housing Alliance, a statewide organization that brings together advocates, local governments, housing authorities, community development corporations, environmentalists, service providers, business interests and others concerned about the lack of affordable housing, homelessness, and the devastating impact of the shortage on Oregon families and individuals. The alliance has begun developing its priorities for the 2025 legislative session. The four areas that the alliance plans to prioritize when advocating for Oregon Housing and Community Services agency budgets include: Prevent homelessness and provide lifesaving shelter and services, including rent assistance and homelessness prevention, shelter operations, and youth and child homeless services and prevention. Preserve affordable homes, including preservation of existing low-income housing with expiring rent restrictions, housing owned by non-profits or housing authorities in need of renovation, and sale of manufactured home parks. This also includes funding for affordable housing operations and stability for developments facing financial challenges. Expand affordable homeownership opportunities, build new homes for affordable homeownership, and support lower-income homeowners and homebuyers through Individual Development Accounts, down payment assistance, foreclosure prevention, and fair housing investigation and enforcement. Develop new affordable housing in all parts of the state, including development of new affordable rental units, permanent supportive housing, and farmworker housing. Funding for a housing development pipeline that includes land acquisition, pre-development loans and lines of credit, and a reserve fund for disaster recovery. Fairview Trust Oregon Housing and Community Services announced the Fairview Trust’s 2024 Integrated Housing Grant Program. Its focus is innovative housing for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Grants will go to projects that give preference to this population and are integrated into the community. See also the Land Use and Housing Report in the Natural Resources section of this Legislative Report. Implementation of Oregon Drug Intervention Plan (HB4002) By Jean Pierce The Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety heard reports about progress being made in implementing HB 4002 (2024). They learned that 23 counties were considered “early adopters” – because they had plans to roll out deflection programs quickly. 17 counties have received a base minimum of $150,000. This is being used to Hire coordinators Define deflection programs, including criteria for entry into treatment and for success Train law enforcement in addiction and deflection options Identify community provider partners Plan – almost half of the counties are considering a model resembling the Marion County Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program, which has been in existence for 8 years. Some of the challenges encountered already: FUNDING! How long will the state invest in the programs? More is needed to fully implement a LEAD-like model. Breaking down silos Sharing information between law enforcement and treatment agencies (the Legislature may need to address privacy issues) Hiring effective peer mentors Coordination of county treatment providers and coverage of treatment for non-OHP individuals Assessing services such as housing needs – determining how to support and prioritize needs Translating national best practices to local communities In 2025, the Legislature will need to consider Year 2 Funding. The Governor has made Behavioral Health/Public Safety a priority. Higher Education Jean Pierce The House Interim Committee on Higher Education heard from institutions of higher education who expressed serious concerns over delays in FAFSA funding following the US Department of Education’s (USDOE) attempt to simplify the application. Problems caused by new regulations (including a major overhaul of eligibility) imposed by the Department: People are struggling to get support from the USDOE – their guidance is confusing at best or even nonexistent Poor data quality from the USDOE Students do not know whether they will receive financial support for food, housing, childcare and transportation until the first day of class this summer. Many potential students are stuck at various stages of the process and may not return to school The problems particularly impact low income, first generation students, and people from mixed families (having an undocumented parent) As a result, 2800 fewer students filed for FAFSA this year in Oregon, and there is a concern that they will walk away from higher education. According to the Oregonian, “Gradual declines since 2017 were supercharged by the pandemic. College-going fell to just 56% for the class of 2021, a nearly 1- percentage point drop over the last decade.” This trend had started to reverse slowly before the FAFSA debacle. When legislators asked what the state could do to help, they were told: Continue allocating additional funds to the Oregon Opportunity Grant Remain flexible and responsive to funding requests Students need to know state resources are available Colleges lack sufficient staff to answer students’ questions about FAFSA The committee also heard a request to extend the tuition equity program for refugees seeking asylum. People who have been forcibly displaced from their countries are automatically classified as non-residents in Oregon, so – regardless of how long they have lived in the state - they pay out-of-state tuition for higher education, which can be 3 times as much as in-state tuition. Courts are experiencing a large backlog of asylum cases. In fact, people applying for asylum can wait over 6 years for courts to decide their claims. As of April 1, 2024, Oregon has 5,539 cases filed on behalf of college-aged individuals between the ages of 18 and 24. Currently, California, Florida, Maine, New York, and Washington have legislation that enables asylum seekers to pay instate tuition rates. It is anticipated that granting this request would have little or no cost impact to institutions of higher education because of the small numbers affected. Summer School By Katie Riley The Senate Education Committee met during Legislative Days and heard a report on progress for HB 4082, Summer Learning 2024 and Beyond. ODE Director Charlene Williams and Assistant Manager of Finance and Facilities Michael Elliott reported on progress to date. The $30 million allocated by the legislature to ODE for disbursement has been distributed to the highest priority areas of the state in terms of equity and inclusion. Some districts declined to participate due to a variety of reasons (e.g., lack of capacity or planning) and their funds were reallocated to high priority areas. Allocations: 43 districts and 13 ESD's have received grants for this summer with 133 partners (tribes, community based organizations, and ESD's) participating 51,000 kids, 63% at the elementary level; others at middle and high school levels will participate. As provided in the bill, a work group has been formed to plan for sustainable funding for afterschool and summer programs in the future. The group will be examining current practices in Oregon and nationally as well as potential sources of support and administrative barriers. They are charged with submitting a report with their recommendations in September. Senator Weber remarked that she has received complaints from her district (northern coast) about not being included and hopes there will be improvement. Senator Dembrow hoped that the work group would make recommendations that would lead to having afterschool and summer programs being included in service levels. He also noted that he would like to learn how effective the summer programs would be in preventing summer learning loss. Finally, Senator Frederick emphasized that programs need predictability. Pre-K-12 Education By Anne Nesse Public school funding issues continue to be in jeopardy. Therefore it is not surprising that an “Oregon school choice group is trying to get 2 measures on the statewide November ballot, with the goal of creating more school choice.” The measure would permit using public tax dollars to support education in private schools. Link to the OPB article about this is here . Oregon's history of funding issues is best summarized by this quote from Jenny Liu, a Portland State University professor who specializes in economics and public policy: “Some 30 years ago, a series of anti-tax ballot measures fundamentally changed the school funding equation.” This created a unique myriad of problems for the future of public school funding in Oregon. “Measure 5, passed by voters in 1990, created a new limit on what portion of local property taxes could be spent on schools. And Measure 50, passed seven years later, further limited how quickly local property taxes could increase. A local option levy is probably one of the only ways that [districts are] able to generate that additional amount of money because schools don’t really have any say in [the state funding] formula,” states Jenny Liu in an OPB interview. Early Childhood Meeting 5/29 2:30 • Agenda included informational meeting with federal funding of $3M, over 3 years, as pilot project from Doris Duke Foundation to create programs for prevention of child abuse, in lieu of waiting for hotline responses that yield no effort to help. • Presentation on combining early learning childcare with retirement facilities as mutually beneficial to both age groups, and increasing our number of facilities. House Education 5/30 8:30 AM • Timeline for increasing literacy in Oregon presented by ODE Director and staff. 70% of districts are functional on this program, 30% still require some assistance, with costs that would be sustainable. No new accreditation for teachers is necessary. Simply better use and selection of the correct materials. • Reasons for limiting or banning cell phone use in school were presented by a pediatrician, along with neuroscience evidence by Dr. Dodgen-Magee. Statistics showing prefrontal brain weaknesses of control of actions with use of even over 30 minutes a day. Statistics that were presented showing increased anxiety, depression, and bullying were the results of excessive social use of digital devices on the brain. Chair Rep. Neron and Rep. McIntire were interested in seeing results of bans of cell phone use in Grant HS, and Clackamas school district. It was also noted that increased cell phone use correlated with absenteeism in school. Senate Finance and Revenue as it relates to School Funding Formulas 5/30 2:30 • A detailed study of school finance was reported by the state financial advisor, as a result of ballot measures 5 and 50 in our state. The conclusion was that the only way to actually increase school revenue is to increase the state contribution of 2/3, because the remaining 1/3 in local collections is too variable. Essentially changing some of the historical initiative law. The school funding formula awards additional money to school districts based on the number of students in poverty, students requiring special education, English language learners, etc. Members of the committee questioned: • Whether the formula is still appropriate • What data justifies use of the current formula • Whether districts are being held accountable for using funds to meet needs identified in the formula Senate Education 5/30 2:30 • Review of progress on SB 3, financial literacy classes for graduation bill passed in 2023. It was reported by Legislative council Hanna Lai that the present interpretations of how the credits for graduation would be measured was unclear, and some more work needs to be done before it aligns with the intent of the law. • Update on SB 819, implementation of improvements for students in programs of abbreviated school days due to Individual education plans, IEP’s. 129 school districts appear to be successfully using this plan out of 197. 52 school districts using this plan for medical adaptations for students. Tenneal Wetherall from ODE reported improvements were being made by documentation of use of new Law. Perhaps not all parents knew how to use this planning method, she stated, and there may be a gap in use with foster care programs not being aware of this alternative service.

Governance Read Our 2025 Priorities Here 2026 Legislative Priorities PROTECT DEMOCRACY by protecting privacy and voting rights - including automatic registration. Fund and implement secure, efficient election software, supporting ranked choice voting. Protect against mis-, dis , and mal-information, including from artificial intelligence. Ensure cybersecurity. Defend and support implementation of HB 4024 (2023) on campaign finance. LWVOR Advocacy Positions Note: these are condensed versions. See the complete positions in Issues for Action . Constitutional Provisions— The Oregon Constitution should be a basic framework of state government, free of obsolete material and statutory detail. It should · guarantee basic democratic rights · provide for a legislative assembly, an executive branch, and a judicial system. · be revised by constitutional convention, initiative amendment, or legislative amendment. Privacy and Cybersecurity— This position statement addresses Elections, Information Security, Personal Information Protection, and Electronic Business and Social Media. Economic Development Revenue Bonds LWVOR supports the authority to issue Economic Development Revenue Bonds by the state, ports, and cities with more than 300,000 population. 2. In addition to the Economic Development Revenue Bond program, LWVOR supports other state and local economic stimulants Election Laws— Election procedures and voter information are critical elements to an informed and participating electorate. Election Methods— LWVOR does not believe that plurality voting is the best method for promoting democratic choice in all circumstances. For single-winner systems, the League supports ranked-choice voting; we do not support range or approval voting. The League of Women Voters of Oregon supports election systems that elect policy-making bodies that proportionally reflect the people they represent. Emergency Board— An appointed Emergency Board should provide fiscal adjustment between legislative sessions. Fiscal Policy Evaluating Taxes —any tax proposal should be evaluated with regard to its effect on the entire tax structure. Fiscal Responsibility —local government should have primary responsibility for financing non-school local government. Local services mandated by the state should have state funding. Income Tax—i ncome tax is the most equitable means of providing state revenue. The income tax should be progressive, compatible with federal law and should apply to the broadest possible segment of Oregonians. Sales Tax— A sales tax should be used with certain restrictions Property Tax —local property taxes should partially finance local government and local services. Exemptions to the general property tax include: a. Charitable, educational and benevolent organizations, etc. b. School District Financing. The major portion of the cost of public schools should be borne by the state, which should use a stable system to provide sufficient funds to give each child an equal, adequate education. Initiative, Referendum and Recall Position— LWVOR supports constitutional provisions for initiatives, referendum, and recall. The League discourages amending the Oregon Constitution by the initiative process. Oregon State Courts— The State of Oregon should provide access to its courts Judges must be free to decide cases based upon the facts of the particular case and the applicable law, independent of the influence of public opinion and political and partisan pressures. Adequate and stable funding is needed to perform the Department’s core functions and critical services; The League encourages the development of specialty courts and problem-solving courts. Open Primaries— LWVOR supports more open primary elections, either through party primary elections or individual candidate-based primary elections. Redistricting— The Oregon legislative and congressional redistricting system should be efficient, adequately funded, based on well-defined criteria, subject to a reasonable and effective timetable, and have an open and public process. Previous Legislative Reports Next

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 4/24 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 Interstate 5 (I-5) Bridge Project By Arlene Sherrett This week we learned more about the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR or the Project) Project’s status from Just Crossing Alliance (JCA) , which published widely about their IBR’s plans objections. We spoke with Chris Smith, long-time observer of the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) plans, which failed to get us a bridge 10 years ago, and the current bridge rebuild, to Indi Namkoong from Verde, and to Brett Morgan from 1000 Friends of Oregon. They represent a local interest groups alliance which would like to see a S.A.F.E.R. bridge, in everyone’s best interests. We asked about having a hard time getting solid Project information. It seemed like there was nothing out there to follow issues raised about design, price and mobility matters. Indi shared that the draft bill (HB 2098-2) and funding plan were only made public a few hours before the informational hearing, and that JCA is “eager to see the bill brought forward for a public hearing soon so a wider range of voices can join the conversation.” Chris also pointed out that the Joint Committee on Transportation (JCT) meeting the night before was a “carefully crafted "infomercial" for the bridge with invited panels only.” Chris wrote legislative testimony opposing the -2 amendment and outlining JCA’s position. Getting the issues of bridge design and funding a broader public examination needs to be done. Anyone interested in how these issues will be resolved should read through this letter. Indi spoke to me about the draft bill. The bottom line is, we need a bill committing to the bridge project and allocating funds before May 5, 2023, in order to be in line for substantial federal funding. That deadline is all that needs to be met right now. So there is an urgency but we do not need a bill that commits to General Obligation (GO) bonds for the funding this bill proposes. Washington State has pledged a billion dollars for this project but is allocating only $300M to begin with. Oregon legislators could follow the same “pledge and allocate” model and find the amount needed in highway tax revenues instead of the general fund, which is so stretched right now. That would be a win for everyone. JCA believes the bill could be decoupled from any specific funding strategy and from the $6.3 billion spending cap. JCA suggests lowering that cap to $5 billion to force consideration of cheaper alternatives. JCA is not advocating for any one bridge plan but points us to the Alliance values . They want issues to be adequately aired before the legislature and the public. Their S.A.F.E.R. bridge platform emphasizes some issues that are not getting attention about the bridge, mobility for bikers, walkers and people in wheelchairs, for one, and points back to addressing funding issues so that State coffers for maintenance work that has been neglected in our neighborhoods would not be further drained. The Project’s unwillingness to respond to mounting criticism not only from the JCA, but many others , is troubling. Criticism that the lack of an Investment Grade Analysis or any other essential oversight of the Project, may leave us in the same situation we were in with the CRC, ignoring the very concerns that caused the failure of the bridge plans at that time. There is a lot to be considered here. It’s a huge project with a huge budget, and we should get it right this time.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 6/23 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 Please see Governance Overview here . Jump to a topic: Campaign Finance General Governance, Privacy, and Consumer Protection Elections Artificial Intelligence Campaign Finance and Initiatives By Norman Turrill We are still waiting for urgently needed technical amendments to HB 4024 (2024) on campaign contribution limits, which are expected to be amended into HB 3392 . Since we are nearing the end of the session, we fear that this will not happen or will happen haphazardly. The last we heard, there may be no bill or only a minimal bill to delay the Secretary of State’s HB 4024 implementation deadlines. General Governance, Privacy, and Consumer Protection By Becky Gladstone It is time for a bill status review, with two weeks or less remaining in the session. HB 3954 was revived last week after a League letter called for action on the bill, for the Adjutant General to not allow the Oregon National Guard to be called to active service, except for certain reasons. It passed from a first work session on partisan lines, and then from the House floor, and is scheduled for reading on the Senate floor. We wrote to the Governor’s staff, the Attorney General, Chairs and House Rules Committee members, and bill sponsors. This bill became more relevant with the California National Guard being called to action by the President in Los Angeles, overriding the Mayor and California Governor. LWVOR followed with an Action Alert to members. We anticipate revising the letter and submitting as testimony to Senate Rules, including comparisons of work done in other states, including Washington state’s “Defend the Guard” bill, HB 1321 , signed by Governor Ferguson in April. We are standing by as requested, for updates. See HB 3954 sponsor’s presser and Oregon House votes to protect Oregon National Guard from being deployed by Trump, future presidents , Oregon Capital Chronicle. SB 1191 Enrolled has been signed by the Governor. League testimony supports SB 1191 which excludes the act of informing another person of their civil or constitutional rights from statute defining “commits the crime of obstructing governmental or judicial administration”. This is relevant as League voter service activities and advocacy issues are newly vulnerable to Executive Order classification as domestic terrorism if not aligned with recently changed federal preferences. The League will continue to support legislation for DEI, climate change, immigration, access for voter registration and election process information, natural resources, and more. HB 2008 Enrolled has been signed by the Governor, relates to protecting consumer data for those under 16, to targeted ads, and to geolocation exposure. See League testimony in support. HB 2341 Enrolled , to add veterans’ email addresses to shared information, League testimony in support, was signed by the Governor. SB 1121 Enrolled to create a new Class B misdemeanor crime of unlawful private data disclosure, has been signed by the Governor. League testimony was filed and presented, supporting the bill, including the amendment relating to data broker issues. HB 2930 Enrolled has been signed by the Governor, for conflict of interest of public officials’ household members. League testimony supported this bill brought by the Oregon Ethics Commission. SB 224 Enrolled , is awaiting the Governor’s signature, to keep from posting campaign committee addresses on the SoS website, League testimony supports. HB 3569 Enrolled is awaiting the Governor’s signature, to invite a sponsoring legislator, committee chair or designee onto the bill’s Rules Advisory Committee, as a non-voting member. Our testimony opposes for myriad reasons. HB 5017 Enrolled , is awaiting the Governor’s signature, for the State Library budget. League testimony remained the only one filed and is in support of our partnership for League Voter Service information. They share our Voters’ Guides in the Talking Books and Braille Library . HB 5012 A : Ways and Means Committee members (bipartisan!) expressed a desire to see increased salaries for our judiciary and encouraged the Co-Chairs to consider additional funding in the end-of-session bill for the Oregon Judicial Department budget bill. League testimony in support was requested. HB 2570 , for PII (personally identifiable information) confidentiality when working with OSHA inspections, got League testimony support, was scheduled for a February 19 work session , but was apparently dropped, not reflected on the bill overview, probably a session casualty. Elections By Barbara Klein On 6/16 a public hearing was held for HB 3908 , the following day on 6/17 a work session was held. On 6/20, this House bill passed a vote on the Senate floor 19 to 9. Filed at the request of the Independent Party of Oregon (IPO), HB 3908 relates to party membership and registration requirements. The bill increases the percentage of state voters from 5 to 10 percent required for a party to obtain major political party status. Other minor parties wrote in support of HB 3908. Last week we mentioned that the opposition to this bill submitted a Minority Report Recommendation disallowing minor parties to cross nominate major parties; that recommendation did not pass. At the public hearing, IPO representatives explained that currently the IPO stands at 5.03% (only slightly over the 5% level) and that IPO bounces back & forth between major & minor party status (being a major party in 2016 and 2020). They described the struggles for their party since rules for candidates of major parties differ from those for minor parties, making it more difficult for them to recruit candidates. They also attested that the counties and state will have higher costs if IPO is considered a major party. HB 3390-2 : This bill was one of those often referred to as “gut and stuff,” differing from or expanding on the original title. This last-minute bill establishes a joint legislative committee and prescribes the method for creating a ballot title and explanatory statement for any amendment to the Oregon Constitution. Technically, it involves any bills that pass both houses of the Legislative Assembly during the 2025 regular session and are referred to the voters by either the Legislative Assembly or by referendum petition. The League submitted testimony opposing this bill, in part because it minimizes the minority party voice, and also gives more power to the legislature for ballot issues than to the people. We state “the normal process based in the offices of the Secretary of State and Attorney General has greater impartiality than this proposal grounded in the legislative branch. The latter (under HB 3390-2) could more likely jeopardize transparency and understanding for voters.” Despite our opposition, the third reading passed the House 31 to 19. The bill sunsets on January 2, 2027. SB 580 Enrolled provides more timely transparency to voters showing online declarations – or withdrawals – of candidates. On 6/13 it passed a House third reading 41 to 0. The bill awaits the Governor’s signature. There were concessions made previously for various counties, big and small, rural and urban. (It also exempted precinct committee persons.) The League submitted testimony on this bill based on the needs of our work producing League Voter Guides and Vote411 publications. Artificial Intelligence By Lindsey Washburn HB 3936 Enrolled prohibits any hardware, software or service that uses artificial intelligence from being installed or downloaded onto or used or accessed by state information technology assets if the artificial intelligence is developed or owned by a covered vendor. Awaiting Governor's signature. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of March 2 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Note: Education reports after January, 2024, are included in Social policy reports. Education reports prior to February, 2024, can be found HERE . Please see the Legislation Tracker for 2026 Social Policy bills . Jump to topic: Child Care Criminal Justice Education Gun Policy Healthcare Housing Immigration Reproductive Healthcare Summer Learning Child Care By Katie Riley The Ways and Means Joint Subcommittee on Education held a work session regarding SB 1535 A related to the Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) lack of funding to meet the needs of their extensive waitlist. It would make it optional to give TANF recipients priority and the bill would establish a work group to study the cost and availability of liability insurance as well as other liability issues affecting child care providers. The work group is to provide a report by November 1, 2027. The Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) also has a surplus of approximately $78 million due to a lack of use of the Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten (Oregon Head Start) and Preschool Promise federal funds. The possibility was discussed to have the surplus be used to help address the ERDC deficit of approximately $80 million. It was recommended that the existing programs be reviewed for possible changes. The two programs with surpluses may have lower enrollments due to their partial day coverage for enrollees vs the ERDC coverage for all day care. A “do-pass” recommendation was approved. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley & Sharron Noone Immigration Bills Several key House bills related to Oregon’s pushback on federal law enforcement and immigration actions have successfully passed Senate Judiciary and await a vote on the Senate floor. These include HB 4114A (allows civil suits for warrantless actions), HB 4138 A (establishes police ID policies and rules for public employee when interacting with federal and out-of-state law enforcement), HB 4111 A (prevents immigration status from being admissible in a civil proceeding), and HB 4091 (establishes mobilization rules for Oregon National Guard). The following Senate bills are still alive but sit in Rules Committee, where session deadlines do not apply: SJR 203 A (forbids secret police in Oregon), SB 1563 (allows for civil action against law enforcement officer who violates constitutional rights), and SB 1594 (establishes immigration policies for schools, health facilities, and other public bodies). See the League Action Alert for HB 4114A and HB 4138. Other Criminal Justice Bills The League is also closely following HB 4045 A (requires communication responders to respond quickly to a search warrant when related to domestic violence), which passed Senate Judiciary on 2/25, and SB 1515 A (modifies provisions for wrongful convictions), which unanimously passed the Senate on 2/24 and is scheduled for a hearing in House Rules on 3/2. Education By Jean Pierce HB 4079 A requires public schools to inform parents, students, and community members when ICE is present on the campus. This would assure immigrants that they have accurate information to base decisions to protect their children. The Senate Education committee is giving a DO PASS recommendation to the version that was passed in the House. The League submitted testimony in support of the bill. SB 1538 A creates a new protected class in educational antidiscrimination law (schools cannot discriminate based on immigration or citizenship status), and guarantees admission to Oregon school districts’ instructional programs The bill passed both chambers, The League submitted testimony in support. Thank you for all who responded to our Action Alert. HB 4149 directs school districts to enroll and provide services for homeless students. The bill codifies provisions of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act in Oregon law. LWVOR submitted testimony in support. The Senate Education committee is giving a DO PASS recommendation to the version that was passed in the House. Please see the League’s Action Alert. Gun Policy By Marge Easley The League is very pleased to report that HB 4145 A successfully passed the House on 2/25 on a party-line vote of 33 to 19, despite a contentious floor vote and several days of delay. The bill provides much-needed implementation details for Measure 114 (2022). According to a 2/25 press release from Representatives Finger McDonald, Tran, Grayber, and Dobson, “HB 4145 responds to unresolved legal and implementation issues by clarifying statutory language, adjusting timelines and procedures, and delaying the permit-to-purchase requirement to allow for orderly implementation once court proceedings conclude.” The bill had a hearing in Senate Rules on 2/27. Please see the Action Alert . Healthcare Christa Danielson SB 1527 classifies colposcopy as a preventive screening procedure, eliminating patient cost-sharing. The bill advances preventive care access and removes financial barriers to early detection. It passed the House unanimously following an emotional bill presentation by Rep. E. Levy, who reminded legislators that the Chief Sponsor, Rep. Hartman, is currently in the hospital fighting cervical cancer. The League wrote testimony . Housing Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona Senate Committee on Housing and Development SB 1523 Enrolled The House and Senate both passed this bill, and it’s awaiting the Governor’s signature. The bill requires landlords to provide tenants and prospective tenants with non-electronic means of conducting business. Tenants will have the option of submitting rental applications on paper rather than through a tenant portal. SB 1523 also requires landlords to provide access to common areas other than software loaded onto smartphones, such as keys, access codes, fob, etc. SB 1576 A this bill would require two state agencies to set rules for making housing easier to access and use for people with disabilities. The Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services and the Housing and Community Services Department are to adopt rules to conform to the state building code so that it aligns with federal fair housing accessibility requirements and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards. It requires the Housing and Community Services Department to meet specified accessibility standards when funding new subsidized rental housing developments. The Senate passed this bill on February 19. The House Committee on Housing and Homelessness gave a do-pass recommendation. It is on the Senate floor House Committee on Housing and Homelessness HB 4123 A would add clear provisions to Oregon’s Landlord Tenant law regarding the disclosure of confidential information on certain personally identifying, financially sensitive and other private information. On February 17, the House passed this bill. The Senate Committee on Housing and Development held a public hearing and work session on February 24 and was sent to the full Senate with a do-pass recommendation. The third reading is scheduled for March 2. The amendments would allow landlords to share tenant contact information with repair and maintenance workers and release confidential information if required by an administrative or judicial warrant. (See also the Privacy and Protections Section of the Governance Legislative Report.) Subcommittee on Capital Construction HB 4036 A would establish a Housing Opportunity, Longevity and Durability (HOLD) Fund to support the preservation of affordable housing that is at risk of loss. It would authorize the use of $100 million in Article XI-Q general obligation bonds into the fund. Money could be used for acquiring, constructing, remodeling, repairing, equipping, or furnishing affordable housing that is or will be operated by the state. Preserving existing low-income housing is a cost-effective and efficient way to maintain our supply. On February 25, the bill was assigned to the Subcommittee on Capital Construction. Immigration By Claudia Keith News and Resources - Portland advances plan to cover legal services for immigrants and refugees - OPB - Oregon launches multi-agency effort to protect state’s immigrants and refugees - OPB - Senate Majority Office PR - February 24, 2026 Experiences of I mmigrant and Refugee Oregonians Will Inform State Responses to Federal Immigration Practices Senate Bill 1594 directs the Oregon Department of Justice to consult with Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement - 2026 Immigrant Justice Package – Oregon Worker Relief Bills with League testimony SJR 203 Oregon Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting Secret Police See Criminal Justice SB 1538 Public schools educate immigrants See Education SB 1570 Where ICE can go in hospitals See Healthcare HB 4079 Public schools must inform about ICE presence See Education HB 4091 Oregon National Guard Activation & Authority See Governance: Privacy & Protections HB 4114 Rules for Operations of Federal Agents or Agents from Another State in Oregon See Criminal Justice HB 4138 Requires ID and prohibits face coverings for law enforcement agents See Criminal Justice Other Bills Bill # Description Policy Committee Status Fiscal M$ Chief Sponsors+ Comments HB 4117 Universal ( legal) Representation & worker relief Funding H Judiciary PH 2/18 10 16 Likely end of session reconciliation bill SB1505 Establish Workforce Standards Board S Rules PH 2/4 Not posted Sen Interim Committee on Rules Home and community based services - SB 1581A School Meals JWM Ws 2/10 to JWM Not posted yet 11 SMS HB 4089A Wage theft Senate 1 st Reading 3/2 WS 2/24 HOUSE 2/27 Minimal 6 SMS House vote 33, 9 Not yet posted Refugee Emergency Response JWM See Gov public statements 4.5 Likely end of session JWM reconciliation bill Reproductive Health Trish Garner HB 4088A Engrossed declares that it is Oregon’s policy to ensure that people are allowed to get reproductive health care and gender identity treatment services. Several protections are given to providers of these services, including directing public bodies not to cooperate with investigations into reproductive and gender affirming care and a ban on extradition by the Governor related to a person’s engagement with these activities. Disclosure of public records regarding providers of these services is expanded from a person’s name, and home or professional address to also include images and home telephone numbers. The League provided testimony . After consideration of amendments which would have denied the protections to providers when patients were under the age of 18 or would have forced providers to honor a criminal investigation of another state for an action that is considered legal in Oregon, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to recommend DO PASS the version passed by the House. Please see the League’s Action Alert. Summer Learning By Katie Riley The Ways and Means Joint Subcommittee on Education held an information session regarding the report from the Oregon Department of Education on the results of implementation of the 2025 legislative session SB 2007 which provided funding over three summers for summer school care (2025-2027). The results have received praise both in print and from legislators in the committee, although there were many questions in the hearing asking for more detail on findings and a separate article asked if the expenditure was worthwhile. Approximately 74% of the recipients reported meeting their literacy-based goals and an additional 24% reported partially meeting them. The goals were set by each recipient and were not the same across the board. This issue will be addressed by ODE in the future. Representative Wright recommended that the programs should be available to all students who need them. Currently ODE is soliciting proposals for the 2026 allocations which will be competitive. There is no explicit mention of the participation of students in after school hours programs although some community-based organizations administered the grants. Please see the Legislation Tracker for 2025 Social Policy bills for which the League submitted testimony. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED : What is your passion related to Social Policy? You can help. Volunteers are needed. We particularly need help tracking legislation concerning Basic Needs: Food Basic Needs: Income Juvenile Justice Public Safety Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Governance , and Natural Resources , and Revenue report sections.

League members serve on several legislative workgroups and committees. LWVOR also partners with coalition organizations on policy issues that align with our mission. / Advocacy / Committees and Coalitions / Committees and Coalitions League Representatives LWVOR Advocacy Team members serve on legislative workgroups and committees. Contact: lwvor [at] lwvor.org Coalition Against Hate Crime : Claudia Keith, Becky Gladstone, rhyen enger Coalition for Climate and Economic Justice: Claudia Keith and Arlene Sherett Electronic Government Portal Advisory Board (EPAB): Rebecca Gladstone Equal Rights 4 All Coalition: Jean Pierce Human Services Coalition of Oregon: Jean Pierce Legislative Gun Tragedy Prevention Coalition: Marge Easley North West Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Conservation Network: Peggy Lynch and Claudia Keith Oregon Housing Alliance: Nancy Donovan, Debbie Aiona Our Coalition Partners The League of Women Voters of Oregon is a member of several advocacy coalitions that align with our organizational mission and advocacy priorities. Human Services Coalition Housing Alliance NW Energy Coalition Coalition Against Hate Crimes Oregon Conservation Network Coalition for Climate and Economic Justice

LWVOR Legislative Report: a weekly publication during session, covering a range of League issues and topics. / Advocacy / Legislative Report / Legislative Report The Issues The Legislative Report is a comprehensive newsletter covering what is happening at the Oregon State Capitol, published each week during the legislative session. Looking for past Legislative Report emails? Find them here ! LWVOR Testimony 2026 Subscribe to the LR Climate Emergency Updates on clean energy bills, climate justice topics, climate lawsuits and more. Natural Resources Updates on coastal issues, forestry, recycling, resource management and more. Education Updates on education related policies in Oregon. Revenue Updates on revenue related bills in Oregon. Governance Updates on cybersecurity bills, campaign finance, redistricting, election methods and more. Social Policy Updates on social policy related bills in Oregon. LWVOR Testimony Matrix - 2026 Testimony Scroll Here For Full Table!