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

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 5/19 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 Protecting privacy, consumers, and public officials State information portal & rulemaking update Elections Artificial Intelligence Rule Making Campaign Finance By Norman Turrill HB 3392 is said to be the vehicle for a gut and stuff of the technical fixes for HB 4024 (2024) . This bill is currently a study of campaign finance by the Secretary of State. Complex amendments are under discussion among Honest Elections, the Secretary of State’s Election Division, the Attorney General’s office, Oregon Business and Industries, Oregon unions and legislative staff. However, no amendments are yet posted on OLIS. The Elections Division of the Secretary of State is asking the public for feedback until August 22 on draft administrative rules that would implement HB 4025 (2024). It has also appointed a Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) to work on these new administrative rules. Protecting privacy, consumers, and public officials By Becky Gladstone HB 3766 had a second public hearing in the Senate Judiciary after passing unanimously from the House Floor. League testimony supported the bill as written to allow civil action against an adult who, unbidden, digitally sends intimate images (cyber-flashing) with the intent to harass, degrade or humiliate. Updated League testimony was filed and presented to address amendments quantifying defendant age and limiting damages to $10,000. We recommended reading Criminalising Cyberflashing . SB 470 A : A work session on May 15 in House Judiciary passed 7 to 0 for this popularly supported bill, with unanimous support from Senate Judiciary and the Senate floor. League testimony supported the original bill to protect lodgers’ privacy from illicitly taken videos. SB 473 A has a work session scheduled in House Judiciary for May 19, to create a crime of threatening a public official, after passing unanimously on the Senate floor, League testimony, in support. SB 952 A has a public hearing set for May 19, followed by a work session on May 21, in House Rules, after passing on the Senate Floor, along nearly partisan lines, 26 to 13, to consider interim US Senator appointments, League testimony in support. HB 2008 B passed a May 13 work session unanimously in Senate Judiciary, after unanimous House Commerce and Consumer Protection support and then also on the House floor. This personal data bill is detailed, basically about protecting personal data for teenagers. League testimony in support. SB 430 A : Our League testimony in support was filed and comments abridged for hearing brevity, addressing the extensive amendments that broadly address business transparency for consumer protections. The bill is up for a second work session in House Commerce and Consumer Protection on May 20. The initial bill, for online transaction cost disclosure to improve transparency passed in Senate Labor and Business on partisan lines, similarly passing on partisan lines on the Senate Floor, 18 to 11. SB 1121 A creates a new crime of unlawful private data disclosure, punishable by a maximum of six months' imprisonment, $2,500 fine, or both. Notably, this calls for criminal court action that can deliver punitive sentences, versus civil court actions, for plaintiff recompense and possible restraining orders. It passed a Senate floor vote unanimously with a House Judiciary May 20 work session. League testimony was filed and presented, supporting the amendment relating to data broker issues, specifically written to protect the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. HB 2930 had a second public hearing on May 14 in Senate Rules, for conflict of interest of public officials’ household members. The League supported this bill brought by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, with presented and written testimony . It passed unanimously from House Rules and from the House floor. State information portal & rulemaking update The second quarter EPAB meeting (Electronic Government Portal Advisory Board) is rescheduled for June. EPAB was one of the website oversight providers presented in the Joint Committee on Information Management and Technology informational meeting on May 16, as a follow up to the public hearing for HB 3931 , calling for a Task Force to study a coordinated state portal for licensing, applications, etc. See League testimony and our May 5 Legislative Report for the provider listing, mirrored in the May 16 hearing agenda. HB 3931 has no work session set, but a public hearing was held on May 2 to create a Task Force to consider a coordinated state portal for licensing, applications, etc. League testimony was updated verbally to include new information from the staff summary on the background of state websites (first in the video agenda, League at 26.30). HB 3382 is up for a May 28 work session in House Rules, directing the Secretary of State to maintain an online Rulemaking Information system. Sen. Sollman asked about this concept of a central state rulemaking site in the context of the HB 3931 follow up information presented on May 16, above. Elections By Barbara Klein SB 580 A-Eng. This Senate bill passed unanimously in that chamber and had a first reading in the House where it has been referred to the Rules Committee. The bill requires more and quicker transparency when candidates file information. Concessions were made to accommodate challenges between large/small, urban/rural counties. This bill would help the League’s voter service work. Without comment, SB 44 was passed over in the agenda on May 14th at which time it was to have a work session. While re-scheduled for May 19th, that work session was later removed from the committee agenda. An attempt to reach a committee member on this matter was unsuccessful. Related to elections, SB 44-4 (for which the League provided testimony ) changes statutes to account for vote recounts, tallying or write-in votes when using Ranked Choice Voting, which four Oregon jurisdictions currently do. Another amendment to the bill changes the language of voter registration “cards” to “applications”. HB 5017 relates to the financial management of the state library. There was a work session held on 5/15 by the Joint General Government Subcommittee . At that time the 2025-2027 budget, as recommended by the Legislative Fiscal Office (LFO) for HB 5017 and -1 and -2 amendments, was passed and sent to the full W&M committee. Not everything that had been requested for the library system was granted, but there were increases in the budget, representing levels of inflation only. LFO analysis can be viewed here . The League submitted testimony in February on the bill. In part, that testimony stated: “ The Oregon State Library lists partnerships with 39 organizations, the League of Women Voters being one of them. We have been partners for many years, supplying information about Oregon elections. The State Talking Books Library helps us provide voting information that is accessible to the Library’s registered clients.” Artificial Intelligence (AI) By Lindsey Washburn HB 3936 A regards acquisition of AI from other countries. Rep. Nathanson's office called for confirmation of the League's position on this bill based on our previous testimony. We support the bill passed with amendment to remove "country of origin." The bill passed the House and is now back to JLCIMT. HB 2299 Enrolled added deepfakes to the category of unlawfully disseminated intimate images. Passed and the President has signed. The League supported this bill but did not submit testimony. Rule Making By Peggy Lynch A number of bills related to agency rulemaking and the role of the legislature, many of which are listed below, are getting work sessions.The League and others have concerns about many of these bills. The legislature’s job is to set policy. The agencies are responsible for implementing that policy.That action often requires rulemaking to clarify the details around that implementation. But the League is concerned when legislators “get a second bite at the apple” by relitigating the legislation when rulemaking is only meant to implement, not change policies or facilitate an agency’s mission.Blurring those lines is problematic. HB 3569 , a bill that would require a Chief Sponsor (legislator) of a bill to be a part of a rules advisory committee for legislation they had a hand in passing, passed the House and now goes to Senate Rules. 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 and HB 2454 in House Rules. Separately, the League was invited to a conversation among state agency rules staff on addressing concerns of the Governor and in an attempt to standardize the process statewide. The Governor has provided Rulemaking Guidance to state agencies: This document includes questions received from agencies since the Governor’s letter. This document includes additional resources for agencies including direction to post updates to the Transparency site, a website template that agencies can use (if they choose) to develop their pages, and links to other comprehensive agency rule making sites to review. There is a broader discussion to increase transparency and consistency in the state agencies’ rulemaking process. A second meeting related to the state agency rules process is set for June with an invitation to the League to continue to participate. We 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. 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. Sadly, a work session is scheduled for May 28 in House Rules. 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 6/12 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to topic: Housing Gun Safety Immigration, Refugee, and Other Basic Rights Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona On June 6, the Legislative Fiscal Office and the Joint W&Ms issued their recommended budget to the Transportation and Economic Development Subcommittee on SB 5511 , the Housing and Community Services Department (OHCS) budget: Legislative Fiscal Office's analysis . The Subcommittee recommends a total OHCS budget of $2,558,608,558 with the addition of 441 positions, a 28.5% increase from the 2023-25 current service level. The suggested budget includes: $111.2 million in General Funds to continue OHCS’s shelter and rehousing services that was funded in HB 5019 in response to the Governor’s emergency declaration on homelessness. $24.1 million in General Funds to provide operating support to existing shelters. $55 million for rental assistance, and $6 million for services to tenants. $10 million in General Funds for down payment homeownership assistance. $2.5 million for decommissioning and replacing manufactured housing. $9.7 million in General Funds to capitalize OHCS’s predevelopment loan program and revamp the process to approve affordable housing finance applications from developers to shorten the time between project approval and construction, while helping smaller developers and projects. $136.8 million in Federal Funds expenditure related to wildfire recovery efforts, supported by a $422 million federal grant. Housing advocates are concerned that this recommended budget bill does not fully support the Governor’s end-of-session investments of an estimated $1 billion in bonding for new affordable housing developments to move the state towards reaching the goal of producing 36,000 in new housing units per year. Their priorities include: New rental and homeownership: $770 million in Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) bonds to Oregonians transitioning out of homelessness, seeking to buy their first home, or just needing an affordable place to live. This is especially true in rural areas that lack housing affordable to workers who provide critical services like education, public safety, and firefighting. HB 5005 and HB 5006 Market Cost Offset Fund: to increase housing production in support of the Governor’s request of up to $40 million in LIFT bonding to recapitalize the Market Cost Offset Fund (MCOF) for projects that have faced cost overruns due to market volatility. Permanent Supportive Housing: $130 million to LIFT for new construction, rental assistance, and wrap-around service delivery designed to reduce chronic homelessness. HB 5005 and HB 5006 Preservation of expiring regulated housing: $100 million in Lottery Funds to save and reinvest in some 163 apartment projects with 7,735 units that are at risk of losing affordability due to the expiration of 30-year affordability restrictions. The people who live in these homes are seniors, people experiencing disabilities, and families just starting out. HB 5030 New homes for homeownership: $100 million in LIFT and the General Fund to affordable homeownership developers who need a combination of LIFT bonds and general fund resources to build homes in all parts of the state. General fund dollars paired with LIFT will ensure that mission-driven developers can build hundreds of homes for first-time buyers, directly addressing the persistent racial homeownership gap. Acquisition and rehab of manufactured housing parks: $35 million in Lottery funds. HB 2983 Gun Safety By Marge Easley As part of the compromise agreement for the Republican’s return to the Senate chamber, the three-part gun safety bill, HB 2005 B , was considerably altered at a Senate Rules work session on June 15. The -B12 amendment was adopted, which includes only the ban on unserialized firearms (“ghost guns”) and removes the provisions raising the minimum age of firearm purchase to 21 and the ability of cities to establish gun-free zones. The bill is now in the Senate for passage. The compromise agreement also included the stipulation that a workgroup will be established to study policy solutions to gun violence and suicide prevention and $10 million will be invested in the Community Violence Prevention program. Immigration, Refugee and Other Basic Rights By Claudia Keith SB 610 A : Now in JW&Ms. Establishes Food for All Oregonians ( regardless of documentation status) Program within Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Fiscal , Staff Measure Summary . The fiscal may show up in the end of session budget balancing bill. Recent News: ‘Dozens of advocacy groups disappointed food assistance bill fails’ – Oregon Capital Chronicle HB 2905 : Expands the list of individuals whose histories, contributions and perspectives are required to be included in social studies academic content standards and in related textbooks and instructional materials. At Senate Desk awaiting Third Reading.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 2/17 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to topic: Behavioral Health Child Care Criminal Justice Education Housing Immigration, Refugee, and Asylum Public Safety Behavioral Health By Stephanie Aller On February 10, the House Committee on Education held a work session on HB 2596 (Interstate Licensure Compact for School Psychologists). The Committee voted to move the bill to the floor with a “Do Pass” recommendation. Rep. Neron will be the carrier of the bill on the floor. On February 11, the House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care held public hearings on HB 2013 and HB 2041 . HB 2013 would amend ORS 743A.168 to include outpatient treatment clinics that employ certified alcohol and drug counselors (CADCs) as providers for purposes of mental health insurance coverage. Phil Broyles of Teras Intervention and Counseling testified that most private insurers will not reimburse CADCs for doing the same care as other providers. This has limited access to care because CADCs are a significant part of the workforce for substance use disorder treatment. HB 2041 would require insurers to reimburse mental health providers at the same rate as physicians and other medical providers when performing the same services. Representatives from insurance companies testified in opposition to the bill stating that it would drive up costs. The representative from the Oregon Psychological Association (OPA) testified that OPA was neutral on the bill but stated that the problem of low reimbursement rates is the major factor limiting access to care. Due to the low reimbursement rates, behavioral health providers opt out of participating in the insurance networks. HB 3185 was scheduled for a hearing on February 13, but the hearing was cancelled due to the weather. The bill involves a pilot program for students from Portland State University and Eastern Oregon University. The students receive a tuition reduction and placement at a non-profit . HB 3185 would prioritize those students whose studies focus on underserved fields such as behavioral health, housing insecurity, and K-12. On February 11, the Senate Committee on Health Care began a public hearing on SB 140 . At the hearing, behavioral health executives from hospitals testified about their reimbursement rate problems and discussed ways to better coordinate care and streamline processes in the system. The hearing was carried over to February 13, but that was cancelled due to the weather. Child care By Katie Riley The Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education held an informational meeting on Monday, February 10 to review the Oregon Department of Education's (ODE) three reports on the results of the 2024 Legislative session on HB4082 which provided $30 million for 2024 summer learning and set up a task force to plan for the future of summer and after school. They include a Final Report on the task force as well as a report on the process of implementing funding and a participant survey . The ODE review in the legislative committee was glowing about the results of summer school activities; however, the Oregonian reported concerns about inadequate and uneven tracking of goal outcomes. In addition, there was no split between summer school outcomes and after hours care spending and outcomes. Reporting on the use of community-based organizations did not differentiate between care and enrichment organizations, and there was no attempt to look at their effectiveness. Funding is key to providing adequate care during non-school hours. SB896 was heard the previous week. It would allocate funds for after-school care. HB3039 which provides for summer funding has not been heard yet. Neither bill has a funding amount attached at this time although the Governor has proposed $78.5 million for summer funding. ODE’s HB4082 final report included $50 million per year for the next two years. League Testimony supported HB3011 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. No funding was attached to the bill. Potentially, these funds could also support afterschool staff. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley The League submitted supportive testimony on February 13 for HB 2233 , which continues funding for a legal services program at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. The Re*Membering program, established by the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, provides legal assistance to adults in custody or those newly released for civil matters that are barriers to successful reentry into the community, such as child custody, divorce, domestic abuse, debt, housing, employment, or property. Education By Jean Pierce Testimony was prepared for two bills which were scheduled for a Public Hearing in the House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development on February 13. But since all committee meetings were cancelled due to inclement weather, the testimonies will be filed at a later date. HB3182 directs the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide affordable housing support to low-income students. A 2023 survey of Portland Community College students revealed that 56% were dealing with housing insecurity. HB3183 would appropriate money to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission for the Open Educational Resources Program which provides no-cost, low-cost textbooks and course materials for higher ed students. A single textbook can cost as much as $600, so a 2022 survey of students at Oregon State University revealed that 61% had not purchased textbooks due to the cost. Open Oregon Educational Resources data collected over six years from Community College students in the state have revealed that “the average materials cost for the two-year Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer degree in 2021 was $1,143.62, a 47% drop since the study began in 2015”. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona Public hearings have been held on several housing-related bills to address our state’s low homeownership rate. According to Census data, Oregon’s homeownership rate is approximately 64%, ranking Oregon 43rd in the nation [ American Census Survey Homeownership Data ]. In addition, of the 74% of Oregonians who rent, 48% consider achieving homeownership a top priority. These numbers are even higher among younger generations, Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X (81-88%), and Black, Indigenous, Latino/a/x, and People of Color (96%). Oregon Realtors Statewide Housing Survey . Listed below are housing priorities of the statewide Housing Alliance, of which our League is a member. HB 2090 currently in the House Committee on Revenue is proposing to extend the manufactured dwelling park closure tax credit for displaced residents. The bill would mitigate the cost to manufactured dwelling park households who are forced to move due to market forces, development, or landlord closure. The tax credit sunset would be extended from 2026 to 2032 and allow for a refundable income tax credit of $5,000 for residents of manufactured dwellings who rent space and are displaced when a park closes. HB 3236 is a housing tax credit for lending for affordable homeownership. It expands the Affordable Housing Lender Fund to provide funds for origination and servicing of mortgage loans and related costs for eligible homebuyers. The state Department of Revenue is to allow a tax credit against taxes to a lending institution that makes a qualified loan to the Lender Fund to assist eligible home buyers. HB 3235 The state Housing and Community Services Department would award grants to organizations to support first-time home buyers to purchase residential property to build equity ownership in the residential property through below market interest rates and accelerated loan terms. This program would provide a new resource for homebuyers by blending private bank capital with state funding. HB 2698 sets a goal of attaining a statewide homeownership rate as determined by the American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau. It requires the Housing and Community Services Department to track goal progress as part of the Housing Needs Analysis. It is required to update a publicly available statewide housing production dashboard of progress toward the homeownership goal based on the homeownership rate and in the aggregate, and by race and ethnicity. Immigration By Becky Gladstone We are researching this immigration-related bill, not yet scheduled for a hearing. SB 703 directs DHS to give service providers grants to help noncitizens change their immigration status. Public Safety By Karen Nibler The House Early Childhood and Behavioral Health Committee scheduled a hearing for HB 3079 , which would require the Department of Human Services and the Housing and Community Services Department to study options for allocating 30 percent of their respective budgets in the 2027-2029 biennium toward reducing the number of youth aging into adult homelessness. Due to cold weather, the February 13 hearing will be rescheduled. The newly-emancipated youth at 18 can rarely afford to pay current rents without family or agency assistance. Those without family support require highly-paid jobs to afford current rent prices. Those in college programs can apply for rental assistance, but those without resources are not able to pay current rents. The Joint Addictions Subcommittee heard testimony on SB 782 on February 12, 2025. This bill is a follow-up on HB 4002 (2024) which provided funds for deflection programs within county mental health programs. However, those who testified reported that the initial funds through the Criminal Justice Commission grants were not sufficient to operate county-wide programs for housing, jail space and behavior health treatment programs. These programs are needed for those charged with alcohol and drug offenses and subsequently supervised by county probation staff and state parolee staff.

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 Behavioral Health Criminal Justice Education Gun Policy Hate Crimes Housing Legislation Immigration Age-Related Issues by Trish Garner SB 548 has been signed into law by Governor Kotek. This bill establishes 18 as the minimum age for marriage. LWVOR testified in support. Behavioral Health By Trish Garner HB 2481A-11 passed unanimously in the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response with a do pass recommendation and referral to Ways & Means. As one might discern from the number of amendments, this is a complicated and comprehensive bill which relates to individuals charged with a crime who have been found to be unable to assist aid and assist in their defense. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley HB 3532 A , which eliminates civil statutes of limitations for sexual assault survivors, unanimously passed the House on May 29 and now awaits a hearing in Senate Rules. This bill represents a major step forward in acknowledging the importance of removing arbitrary deadlines in the reporting of sexual assault, since it often takes many years before a victim is ready to come forward. According to the press release from bill sponsor Rep. Annessa Hartman, “Under current law, adult survivors have just five years from the time they discover the connection between the assault and their injuries to file a civil suit. For child survivors, the limit is five years from discovery or until they turn 40—whichever is later. But trauma experts and survivor advocates point out that the average age at which a child sexual abuse survivor comes forward is 52.” Education By Jean Pierce The Governor has signed HB 2586A into law. 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. The Joint Ways and Means committee on Education and the Joint Ways and Means Committee both gave Do Pass Recommendations to SB 141 A . The bill requires entities receiving money from the State School Fund to measure student academic growth in mathematics and language arts. At the same time, the bill is intended to streamline grant-reporting processes. It also prescribes requirements for tools and support through coaching from the Department of Education if those targets are not met over time. The amendment allocates over $2.6 million to the endeavor. This amount is part of the calculation for SB5516 A which also received Do Pass Recommendations from both committees. In recognition of the revenue forecast, this bill would provide for an adjusted current service level of almost $11.4 billion. The committee is anticipating that local revenues will total $5.6 billion in the next two years, so total formula resources are expected to be more than $16.7 billion for the 2025-27 biennium. This represents a 10.5% increase over the 2023-25 biennium. The funds would provide a welcome boost, though it still falls short of the 30% increase recommended by the American Institute of Research which recommended a 30% increase in funding, with more attention to equitable spending for the education of low income and high needs students. Gun Policy By Marge Easley After many iterations, SB 243 B finally made it to the Senate floor, where it passed on a party line vote following long and impassioned speeches from both sides of the aisle. Prior to the vote, Republican senators attempted to substitute a minority report for the committee report, but as expected the motion failed. It will have a first reading in the House on June 2. SB 243 B was originally a four-part omnibus bill, but over the course of the session two provisions were stripped away to lessen its fiscal impact. The final bill bans rapid fire devices, such as bump stocks, and allows cities and counties to prohibit the carrying of firearms inside buildings where public meetings are held. This prohibition includes those with concealed handgun licenses (CHLs), which was one of the main points of contention during the floor debate . The League submitted supportive testimony on an earlier version of the bill on May 12. Hate Crimes By Becky Gladstone Coalition Against Hate Crimes update, May 13, 2025 LWVOR is a CAHC member. The challenge, we want more cross-state participation. Currently it is mostly PDX based. We’re hoping the coalition can expand to cover more events around the state by redesigning the website; to be posted in a few weeks: · Homepage, a history of the coalition, the importance of reporting hate crimes · How to report! Hot lines, education about civil rights violations · List of partners, with links, awareness of the need for privacy · The 4th page is for news, upcoming events, for justice. · Link to the DoJ dashboard. Upcoming EVENTS · Join us for World Refugee Day 2025 ! Soccer, stories, and community celebration for refugee, immigrant, and low-income youth. Friday, June 20 | East Portland. Create better relations to prevent a 2020 replay, to prevent violence toward activists & PDX Police, to pull in community members. We are a Sanctuary STATE & City. Fear that local police will be deputized to ICE. · Building bridges event, at Muslim Educational TRUST. We will come together in-person, with shared human values, to work for violence prevention. Cities- Portland, Gresham, etc., with youth voices and teachers from Reynolds School District, Centennial, David Douglas, etc. They are looking for projects they can do, working with the Portland Police Bureau Equity Office, Behavioral Health, substance abuse, violence prevention, music, artistic expression. Building Bridges East Community . · From the Antidefamation League , An Audit of Antisemitic Incidents . OR DoJ Hate crime reporting Closing the data year for Sanctuary Promise on May 31st, summary due in July. We’ve seen “pretty significant” increase in public body reporting from communities. The Federal Immigration Authority is reaching out for information that would violate sanctuary privacy. We expect new VISA request info at the end of June: What does it mean to be a new Sanctuary state, how we interact with federal agencies. Confusion is real with frequent changes, conflicting messaging for sanctuary, deputizing, posse comitatus reminds us of the old wild west “posse”. Hate crime patterns, looking at particular groups targeted, for example with COVID, the AAPI, seems to be more toward LatinX now. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona SB 5011 is Oregon Housing and Community Services Department ‘s (OHCS) budget bill for the 2025-27 biennium. One aspect of the proposed bill is $6 million for eviction prevention services to address our state’s housing and homeless crisis. We have an urgent need to preserve and stabilize existing affordable homes. An Oregon Capital Chronicle May 29 article reports on our state’s eviction crisis: “Oregon sees a rise in eviction filings but rent assistance programs are working”. The article underscores the importance of eviction prevention programs to reduce eviction filings to help keep Oregonians housed. OHCS and legal aid programs such as the Oregon Law Center and Legal Aid Services of Oregon are making this possible. Bills in Progress 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, where a work session was held on May 21. A second reading was held on May 28, and on May 29, the bill was carried over to June 2 by unanimous consent. 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. On May 29 the House Committee on Revenue recommended a do pass with amendments and the bill was referred to Tax Expenditures by order of the Speaker. 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 amendments. On May 29, the committee recommended passage of the bill with amendments 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 -2 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 League of Women Voters Files Brief Opposing Executive Order Attacking Birthright Citizenship | League of Women Voters A ttorney General Dan Rayfield Urges Court to Uphold Orders Blocking Trump Administration's Attack on Refugees - Oregon Department of Justice : Media Congress House budget bill cuts benefits, raises fees tied to immigration : NPR Axios: State Department seeks to create “Office of Remigration” New York Times: Afrikaners See Trump as the Ally Who “Heard Our Cries” BBC: Fleeing U.S. deportations, it took this family of asylum seekers three tries to enter Canada Hindustan Time: In Kenyan refugee camp, US aid cuts mean no period pads, no school Democracy Forward: Refugee Advocates to Court: U.S. Government is Attempting to Slam the Door Shut on People Fleeing Persecution ProPublica: Death, Sexual Violence and Human Trafficking: Fallout From U.S. Aid Withdrawal Hits the World’s Most Fragile Locations News from Homeland Security: Sanctuary Jurisdictions Defying Federal Immigration Law | Homeland Security Asylum seekers in Oregon can now qualify for in- state tuition | OPB Legislative Bulletin — Friday, May 30, 2025 - National Immigration Forum Oregon lawmakers will not move forward this year with a proposed agricultural labor standards board that would set wages and workplace conditions for farmworkers. Click Scroll Bar on Bottom of Table to View All Columns Bill # Description Policy Committee Status Fiscal M$ Chief Sponsors+ Comments SB 149 A 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 recommend 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 Reconcilation Bill HB 2586 A nonresident tuition exemption for asylum seekers. Gov Signed 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 OHA HB 5002 Oregon Worker Relief Fund (Prev yr legal rep funds eliminated) JWM WS was 5/29, passed LFO d etails Amendment Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Governance , and Natural Resources , and Revenue report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 3/10 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 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: Behavioral Health Early Learning and Child Care Education Housing Public Safety Behavioral Health By Stephanie Aller The House Behavioral Health and Health Care Committee will have a public hearing for HB 2059 on March 18. HB 2059 directs the Oregon Health Authority to create a unit dedicated to developing behavioral health facilities sufficient to serve the needs of each trauma system in the state. The Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response will have a public hearing on bills relating to youth substance use disorder on March 12. HB 2502 would require a collaborative study, led by the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission, focused on increasing school-based substance use prevention and intervention programs. The bill requires the development of a comprehensive plan and the distribution of grants to recovery schools. The Senate Committee on Health Care has scheduled a work session for SB 538 on March 13. This bill would allow parents to be paid for their in-home care of children with extremely high behavioral health or medical needs. Early Learning and Child Care By Katie Riley During the week of March 3rd, the Joint Committee on Ways & Means on Education heard informational reports from the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC). The reports were extensive and covered 3 1/2 days of the committee's schedule followed by the other 1/2 of a committee meeting devoted to public testimony. DELC is asking for significant increases in funding for its programs. All public testimony was supportive, including testimony submitted by LWVOR for the SB 5514 funding bill. Our testimony particularly prioritized funding for Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) which subsidizes child care of people at 200% or below the federal poverty level who need child care to work or go to school. The ERDC waitlist went from over 8,500 in December 2024 to a current level of 10,000. Its increase over the past two year is partially accounted for by a change in priorities adopted by previous legislation which prioritizes people receiving TANF (food stamps) to jump to the beginning of the list. The LWVOR board has approved the positions resulting from the Caring for Our Children update and expansion of the 1989 child care study. These positions are now available for LWVOR to use in testimony. SB 896 has been submitted for funding afterschool grant programs but it is unclear how it will align with the Governor's budget. The Governor's bill, HB 3039 for summer and after school care is expected to be submitted with a funding amount attached on March 17. We do not know the amount that will be associated with it. It is expected that the grants associated with the bill will be processed by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to school districts based on those most in need, similar to last year's process. It is predicted that the funds will mostly cover costs for summer school and contracts for afterschool care by community based organizations will be awarded by school districts. More details to follow. Education By Jean Pierce The March 3rd Education Legislative Report noted that an American Institute for Research (AIR) report commissioned by the Oregon Government recommended an increase of more than $5000 per student in order to bring Oregon’s educational outcomes up to an adequate level. As of fall, 2024, 545,088 students are enrolled in K-12 public schools in the state. This means that close to three billion in additional education funding would be required to help the state hit its performance targets of adequacy. In her 2025-2027 budget proposal, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek proposed $11.36 billion for the State School Fund, which finances K-12 public education. This represents an increase of more than 600 million, which potentially could be used to help the state make some progress towards its goals. At the same time, our legislators are trying to analyze how a number of recent actions taken by the federal administration will affect our education funding. On March 3rd, Linda McMahon was confirmed as the Federal Secretary of Education. It has been widely reported that the President would like to eliminate the Department of Education, but that would take an act of Congress, which is not likely. Nevertheless, McMahon takes seriously her task of drastically cutting federal spending in education. Currently, federal funding accounts for more than $1 billion of Oregon’s annual education budget. McMahon has told the U.S. Senate Committee on Health Education Labor and Pensions that federal funding would continue for Title I programs for low-income school districts and for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. However, at this point, with federal cuts in jobs, agencies, and office space, it is unclear how that funding will be administered. Further, funding cuts for these programs and others, such as free and reduced lunches, has been threatened if schools do not eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In postsecondary education, Title IV (financial aid for students in higher education) and student loans appear to be contingent on universities taking steps to rescind DEI programs. The loss of financial support for higher education students would be devastating, considering the fact that they need help meeting not only the high cost of fees and tuition but also the basic needs of food, housing, transportation, and childcare. Over 50% of undergraduates in the country receive student loans from the federal government. Oregon’s universities are already feeling the impact of federal cutbacks, with the loss of research grants On top of these concerns, Legislators in Oregon have a constitutional mandate to balance the state budget. So cuts in federal funding to other programs – i.e. Medicaid, which services one third of the state’s population, may require increased state funding for healthcare, which further jeopardizes funding for education. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona SB 973 would provide protections to applicants and new tenants by requiring landlords to notify them of the date when a property’s affordability restrictions may end. It will extend the notice requirements from 20 months to 30 months. Unfortunately, Oregon’s publicly-supported affordable housing is not guaranteed to be permanent. By being notified in advance, families and others will have more time to try to find stable housing they can afford. The loss of publicly-supported housing threatens to undo progress we have made in addressing our state’s housing crisis. Passage of this bill will reduce the risk of housing instability, and the possibility of homelessness. The League submitted testimony in support of SB 973. Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) studied the preservation of affordable rental housing in 2023 and created an Affordable Housing Preservation Strategy Framework. The report explains that the state focuses on assisting with maintenance of the physical condition and financial stability of affordable units in return for extending time limits on rent restrictions. They also work to renew federal rent assistance contracts applying to specific properties and preserve affordable manufactured home parks. According to the framework, they estimate that between 2023 and 2033 more than 5,800 units will lose affordability restrictions and many will require recapitalization and rehabilitation. At similar risk are another 5,000 units owned by housing authorities and non-profits. More than 3,100 units with federal rent assistance could require additional subsidy to extend or renew their contracts. It likely will take around $1billion to preserve them all. OHCS provides a dashboard where you can find information specific to your community as well as statewide data. Public Safety By Karen Nibler The House Judiciary Committee listened to testimony on HB 2614 which introduced amendments to the operation of the newly formed Oregon Public Defense Commission. SB 337 (2023) placed the new agency under the Executive Branch for administrative functions. Judges and attorneys have reported a high turnover rate among defense attorneys. The Oregon District Attorney Association supports the independence of the defense attorney association and participates in settlement conferences to resolve cases. The Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association expressed the need to recruit and train new lawyers. High caseloads were described as problematic but the facilitation process varied among county courts. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Governance , and Natural Resources report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 4/10 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 a topic: Housing Criminal Justice Gun Safety Immigration Housing By Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Governor Kotek recently announced funding amounts to address the state’s homelessness state of emergency tied to HB 2001 A . The bill requires specific goals to rehouse more than 1,200 households and create over 600 new shelter beds in emergency areas to reduce unsheltered homelessness by January 10, 2024. Each region submitted local plans for the Governor's Office to review and how they will meet specific goals to reduce unsheltered homelessness in their local area. The state is expected to provide technical assistance and partner with them to help them succeed. Listed below are funding amounts the state will award to regions within designated areas of Oregon's homelessness state of emergency. She also announced outcome measures each region is expected to achieve with this funding. Portland/Gresham/Multnomah County: $18.2 million to rehouse 275 households and create 138 shelter beds Eugene/Springfield/Lane County: $15.5 million to rehouse 247 households and create 230 shelter beds Central Oregon: $13.9 million to rehouse 161 households and create 111 shelter beds Salem/Marion, Polk Counties: $10.4 million to rehouse 158 households and create 79 shelter beds Medford, Ashland/Jackson County: $8.8 million to rehouse 133 households and create 67 shelter beds Hillsboro/Beaverton/Washington County: $8.0 million to rehouse 121 households and create 61 shelter beds Clackamas County: $4.4 million to rehouse 130 households. It also was announced that the funds appropriated for this companion bill in HB 5019 will be appropriated as indicated below. A total of $85.2 million will be allocated for local homelessness emergency plans. OHCS will reserve $3 million to ensure the goals of the emergency order are achieved. An additional $3 million will be used for a statewide landlord incentive, available to landlords participating in local rehousing efforts. However, the requests from all regions within the emergency order total $98.8 million, which is not enough funding to provide each region its full funding request. In addition, the early funding package included $33.6 million to help prevent homelessness for an estimated 8,750 households. This funding will be distributed statewide through existing eviction prevention programs. Recognizing that unsheltered homelessness impacts communities in every part of Oregon, the legislature also approved $26 million to address homelessness in counties that do not meet the emergency order threshold. OHCS is sending each region an announcement of its funding amount and will include an updated timeline for finalizing grant agreements with the goal of funding being available to communities by April 28, 2023. The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and the state housing agency (OHCS) have supported establishment of Multi-Agency Coordinating (MAC) groups to oversee the money in each region and deliver emergency care. They are made up of a wide range of individuals, from people who are part of public housing authorities, local homelessness agencies, shelter developers, and landlords associations. The Governor, after several meetings with city of Portland and Multnomah County officials, said she has a lot of questions. Despite her concerns, she tentatively approved state funding to the city of Portland and Multnomah County and promised to provide state help to address some of her questions and concerns. However, the Governor wasn’t convinced that Clackamas County had the ability to increase shelter beds, so the funding was denied. SB 976 : Mortgage Interest Deduction Reform: There is a lot of interest in this bill because if passed; the state’s largest housing subsidy would see some of the savings redirected away from higher earning homeowners and would instead benefit low- and moderate-income home purchasers. In addition, resources resulting from reducing the subsidy would be used for homelessness prevention. The League submitted testimony in support of the reform. Senate Finance and Revenue held a hearing on this bill on April 12. HB 3151 : Manufactured home parks are one of the largest sources of unsubsidized housing in the country and make up 16% of the state’s affordable housing stock. HB 3151 would institute several provisions related to manufactured home parks. It would limit the types of improvements or repairs a landlord could require in a rental contract and extend the sunset for the Manufactured and Marina Communities Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee and legal assistance grants for low-income facility tenants addressing disputes to January 2, 2027. It would also allow manufactured home park loan funds to be used for development of new parks and require local governments to allow siting of those parks in certain non-residential zones. A HB 3151 hearing took place in Senate Housing and Development on April 12. SB 702 : Appraiser Certification and Licensure Training: This bill would require training to be adopted by the Appraiser Certification and Licensure Board for real estate appraisers and appraiser assistants to comply with state and federal fair housing laws. 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. Appraisal training can be completed online or in person. National studies have identified race-based disparities in appraisals. In 2022, the Legislature appointed the Joint Task Force on Addressing Racial Disparities in Home Ownership and proposed to amend ORS 674.310 to add language including these topics in appraiser education requirements. A Public Hearing on SB 702 was held in House Housing and Homelessness on April 13. Immigration & Refugee By Claudia Keith Bills we are supporting or following: HB 2957 A the -4 amendment Work Session was held 3/29 . It passed out of committee unanimously to JW&Ms, -4 Staff Measure Summary . Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Fiscal. League Testimony . HB 3176 A - 3 : ‘Welcome and Reception’ program for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Work Session was 4/3 . Passed out to JW&Ms with 9/1 vote. Staff Measure Summary . Public Hearing was March 8 . Fiscal . Bills moved from Policy Committee to JW&Ms: SB 627 : Funding for universal (legal) fees for non-documented individuals ($15M) Sen Lieber. Passed out of Sen Judiciary, DO Pass, Feb 7, sent to JW&Ms with partisan vote. The League has supported this policy/funding category in the past. Fiscal Analysis . Bills of Interest or possible League support: SB 849 A Public Hearing 2/28 with -1 amendment . Preliminary SMS -1 : Work session was 3/14. Now in JW&Ms. Fiscal $20M grant fund. Requires professional licensing boards to provide culturally responsive training to specified staff members, publish guidance on pathways to professional authorization for internationally educated individuals and waive requirement for English proficiency examination for specified internationally educated individuals. Basic Needs SB 610 -5: Work Session 4/3 . Moved to JW&Ms. Establishes Food for All Oregonians Program within Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Fiscal , Staff Measure Summary . HB 2990A : Work session 3/27 . Moved to JW&Ms. Resilience Hubs. Directs Oregon Health Authority to develop and implement grant programs to support resilience hubs and networks in Oregon. Fiscal Statement Other Bills SB 216 Passed out of SCHC 3/1 , Now in House Behavioral Health and Health Care. PH 4/16 and WS 4/18 scheduled. Related to data collected by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), request of Governor Kate Brown. OHA set a goal of eliminating health disparities by 2030 including those based on race, ethnicity, language, or disability (REALD) and sexual orientation or gender identity (SOGI). HB 2905 : Now in Senate Education, expands the list of individuals whose histories, contributions and perspectives are required to be included in social studies academic content standards and in related textbooks and instructional materials. Passed House Committee by Unanimous Vote . Public Hearing SCE 4/25 SB 421 A Work session 3/30 moved to JW&Ms with 6/1 vote, establishes a youth advisory council. Prescribes youth standards advisory council membership and duties. ODE to establish a work group to establish member selection process. Staff Measure Summary , Fiscal SB 613 : Creates Commission for Indigenous Communities. In Senate Rules. SB 612 Establishes Indigenous Language Justice Fund. Requires nonprofit organization in this state to serve as fiscal agent to receive disbursement of moneys for purposes related to supporting Indigenous languages interpretation in this state. In Senate RULES, WS 4/1 3 was cancelled. SB 911 Creates Commission for Original Peoples from South America, Central America and Mexico. In Senate Rules, WS was 3/28. Gun Safety By Marge Easley HB 2005 B , the omnibus bill that included a ban on undetectable firearms, an age restriction of 21 and over for purchase, and an expansion of public jurisdictions that can create gun-free zones, was scheduled for a House floor vote on April 12. However, the vote was postponed until May 2 and made a Special Order of Business, most likely to allow time for lengthy pro-con statements from members. Another firearms bill that has attracted attention is SB 393 A , which passed Senate Judiciary in a work session on April 4 and is headed to the Senate floor. A placeholder bill was amended to add clarity to the process by which a gun dealer completes a firearm transfer under the new permit-to-purchase regulations. After verifying that the purchaser has a valid permit, the gun dealer must receive a unique background check approval number from the Oregon State Police and allow 72 hours to elapse between receipt of the approval number and the transfer of the firearm. This amounts to a waiting period, which is strongly opposed by gun supporters. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley Senate criminal justice bills are now making their way to committee hearings in the House. The League is monitoring these bills that appear on upcoming agendas: SB 339 A had a public hearing on April 18. It adds harassment to the crimes that may require sex offender treatment and polygraph tests as a condition of probation, if recommended by the probation officer and if harassment involved touching of sexual or intimate parts of another person. On April 19, House Judiciary has a work session on SB 234 , which allows the Chief Justice to make rules for gathering non-identifying demographic information to evaluate disparities and impacts in the justice system. Also on the agenda is SB 306 A , which modifies statutes to allow for non-attorney associate members of the Oregon State Bar to practice law within a defined scope of practice. This is one of several bills this session to alleviate the shortage of public defenders in Oregon. On April 20, the following bills dealing with juvenile offenders will be heard: SB 902 permits those over 20 who are resentenced for a crime they committed when under 18 to continue temporary assignment to a youth correctional facility. SB 903 directs the Oregon Youth Authority to maintain demographic data, including race, ethnicity, and gender, of youth authority employees in order to evaluate how demographic disparities between youth and employees may affect the cultural appropriateness of programs. SB 904 A modifies the criteria for determining maximum allowable population levels for youth correction facilities.

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 Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 6/2 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 Campaign Finance and Initiatives By Norman Turrill The Elections Division of the Secretary of State is asking the public for feedback on draft administrative rules that would implement HB 4025 (2024). It has also appointed a Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) to work on these new administrative rules. General Governance, Privacy, and Consumer Protection By Becky Gladstone This week included new testimony on two bills and updates on others. HB 2006 places limits on long session bill requests to legislative counsel. This contentious bill got a May 29 first public hearing, League supporting testimony written and presented. HB 3569 A to invite a sponsoring legislator, committee chair or designee onto the bill’s Rules Advisory Committee, as a non-voting member. This was bounced in Senate Rules, rescheduled twice. We oppose for myriad reasons, see our testimony, presented and filed. SB 430 B passed 35 to 15, 7 excused, from the House floor May 29, to the Senate for a concurrence vote. League testimony in support addressed extensive business transparency amendments for consumer protections. SB 470 A : passed on the House floor with 29 ayes, 7 excused, on May 29. This bipartisan-supported bill got unanimous House and Senate Judiciary and Senate floor support. League testimony supported the original bill to protect lodgers’ privacy from illicitly taken videos. SB 473 B received a Do Pass with Amendments, to be printed B-Engrossed, from a House Judiciary work session, to create a crime of threatening a public official, with amendments to include those elected, appointed, or filed to serve an established office, adding numerous judicial branch roles. See League testimony, in support. HB 5017 , the State Library budget bill, had a second work session on May 23 in Ways & Means, yielding a Do Pass with amendments, to be printed as A-Engrossed, with a vote of 21-0. League testimony is still 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 . SB 952 A got a Do Pass recommendation from House Rules, rules suspended to carry over for a third House floor reading, to consider interim US Senator appointments, League testimony in support. SB 1121 B got a Do Pass with amendments to be printed B-Engrossed from House Judiciary, almost unanimously, to create a new Class B misdemeanor crime of unlawful private data disclosure. League testimony was filed and presented, supporting the bill, including the amendment relating to data broker issues. This is from the dissenting Legislator, lightly edited: There is already a civil response not being used, already laws criminalizing harms described in statute. Law enforcement officers basically argued it's too hard as is and making bigger crimes is the solution. In my office, criminalizing actions like this is viewed with skepticism because it does not solve the problem and contributes to the unrepresented crisis. The bar is high for me to say yes in that scenario. The property destruction component was just the deciding factor. Find language relating to property damage in the adopted -5 amendments to the A-Engrossed SB 1121 which will now go back to the Senate for consideration. Thanks for your advocacy, Rep Chaichi. HB 3382 passed a May 28 work session in House Rules unanimously, after the February 12 public hearing, directing the Secretary of State to maintain an online Rulemaking Information system. We are watching HB 3382 based on Sen Sollman asking about a central state rulemaking site in the context of the HB 3931 coordinated state portal Task Force proposal presented here earlier, League testimony . Elections By Barbara Klein HB 3908 provoked interesting discussion in the House Rules hearing during a 5/29 work session. The bill, related to party membership and registration requirements, was filed by the Rules Committee at the request of the Independent Party of Oregon (IPO), and had a public hearing on 3/31. The bill 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 did not address this bill. The thought-provoking part of the conversation at the work session was due to a -1-amendment introduced by Rep Drazen. She explained that she doesn’t support the concept of HB 3908 as believes the Independent Party should now (under current rules) be considered a major party. (A reminder that it is the IPO who wants to remain a minor party.) In her explanation, the dash -1 would encourage minor parties to want to be major parties, providing incentive. The amendment allows for cross-nominations only for major parties. She wants to stop “coattail” parties, as she called them. She thinks “fusion” doesn’t serve Oregonians and the amendment would allow “fusion” voting (or cross nominations) only from one major party candidate to another major candidate. Chair Bowman strongly opposed the -1 amendment. He sees value in fusion with a minor party endorsing a major party candidate. He believes it “tells voters more about candidates” and that fusion is one way to help avoid the spoiler effect. The -1 amendment failed. Rep Drazen added that she doesn’t believe that the legislature should support fewer major parties only to save the state money when running elections. She also believes the bill is simply a “political calculation.” The motion without the amendment passed. HB 5032 was at the request of the Oregon Dept of Administrative Services and relates to the financial administration of the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST). It was heard in a work session on 5 /23 in Ways & Means. The act creates an agency budget, appropriating monies from the General Fund for DPSST. Its limits were listed as “limits biennial expenditures from fees, moneys or other revenues, including Miscellaneous Receipts, but excluding lottery funds and federal funds, collected or received by the department. It also limits biennial expenditures by the department from federal funds.” During the 5/23 hearing, most Legislators were complimentary of DPSST changes, improved training schedule and successes. The bill represents an increase of 1.7% from state general funds. DPSST provided much information under the testimony section of the bill. At the 5/23 hearing it passed with adopted -2 amendment sections which include details of purposes, funding sources and amounts for related DPSST needs. The amendment noted $7,967,812 established (for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025), as the maximum limit for payment of expenses from federal funds collected or received by DPSST. On 5/28, A-Engrossed (with amendments) was recommended with a do-pass. On 5/29 it had a second reading in the House. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 4/28 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: Governance Resilience, Privacy, Consumer Fees and Over-the-Horizon Radar Governance By Norman Turrill SB 686 would require large online platforms to pay digital journalism providers or donate to a Oregon Civic Information Consortium. This is an attempt to compensate small local media providers for news stories that are used by large national websites without compensation. It appears that Senate Rules will amend the bill and pass it out to the Senate floor. The League will likely testify in favor of the bill when it is heard in the House. SB 983 would permit local public officials to discuss, debate and vote on the adoption of a local budget that includes compensation for the public official or a relative of the public official after announcing an actual conflict of interest. This is a clear conflict of interest for these public officials, even though there are ways these conflicts could be avoided. SB 580 would require the election officer in each county and city to post within 2 business days on website any filed nominating petition, declaration of candidacy or withdrawal. The League is likely in favor of this bill in support of its Voter Services. Resilience, privacy, consumer fees and over the horizon radar By Becky Gladstone Bills with League testimony are progressing, reported here, and several not addressed in the first chamber will be considered for testimony in the second chamber: HB 2581 Enrolled The Governor has signed this bill to coordinate expanded resiliency services with the State Resiliency Officer (SRO), passed in the Senate, 27 for, one against, two excused. League testimony in support. SB 470 A had a public hearing in House Judiciary. After passing unanimously on the Senate Floor (Sen Woods excused). League testimony supported the original bill to protect lodgers’ privacy from illicitly taken videos SB 473 A had a public hearing in House Judiciary to create a crime of threatening a public official, after passing unanimously on the Senate Floor (Sen Woods excused). League testimony, in support. HB 3766 has passed unanimously from the House Floor (3 excused), and is referred to the Senate Judiciary. It would allow 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. SB 952 has been heard on the Senate Floor, carried over by unanimous consent three times, to be heard on April 28, to consider interim US Senator appointments, League testimony in support. SB 430 -1 would improve consumer online transaction transparency. It passed in Senate Labor and Business on partisan lines, similarly passing on partisan lines on the Senate Floor,18 to 11, with a referral to House Commerce and Consumer Protection. Goods or services costs online must include all of the fees or charges (excluding taxes and shipping). Prices offered, displayed or advertised must be similarly included, also exempting listing taxes and reasonable charges for shipping goods or delivering services. An extensive listing of transactions and vendor varieties is included. The League anticipates submitting testimony in support. SB 1121 creates a new crime of unlawful private data disclosure, punishable by a maximum of six months' imprisonment, $2,500 fine, or both. It passed with a unanimous Senate Floor vote, Sen Woods excused, sent to House Judiciary. The League anticipates submitting testimony in support. SB 578 sets dates for candidates to file county voters’ pamphlet pictures or statements. It passed a Senate Floor vote unanimously, referred to House Rules. The League anticipates submitting testimony in support. PROPOSED OREGON HOMELAND SECURITY / US AIR FORCE RADAR DETECTION FACILITIES It is unusual to see national defense news relating to Oregon. The Air Force opened a 45-day public comment period on April 18, 2025, in the Federal Register with a Notice of Intent (NOI) for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) of potential environmental effects. They are evaluating proposed radar transmission and receiver sites in Oregon (Christmas Valley, Lake CO, and White Horse Ranch, Harney CO), also in Idaho, and Nevada, to enhance threat detection radar from hundreds to possibly thousands of miles. The draft EIS release is planned for early 2026 and the final EIS for summer 2027. Site decisions will not be made before 30 days after the final EIS is released. This reminds us of infrastructure costs we described in our Hard Rock Mining study. Comments The Air Force is inviting comments with relevant information, studies, or analyses for potential issues, alternative actions, and environmental effects. The comment form is open at Over-the-Horizon Radar Environmental Impact Statement . Or send by USPS: OTHR NW EIS, 3527 S Federal Way, Ste. 103 #1026 , Boise, ID 83705. Public Meetings The Air Force invites the public, stakeholders, and other interested parties to attend public meetings: Mountain Home, Idaho—TU, May 6, 5pm - 7:00pm MT.American Legion Hall Post 101, 715 S 3rd W Street, Mountain Home, ID 83647 McDermitt, Nevada—WED, May 7, 5pm - 7pm PT.McDermitt Community Center by the McDermitt Library at 135 Oregon Rd McDermitt NV 89421 Ontario, Oregon—TH, May 8, 5pm - 7pm MT.Four Rivers Cultural Center & Museum, 676 SW 5th Ave Ontario OR 97914 ·Christmas Valley, Oregon—TU, May 13, 2025, 5pm – 7pm PT.Christmas Valley Community Hall, 87345 Holly Lane, Christmas Valley, OR 97641 Burns, Oregon—WED, May 14, 5pm - 7pm PT.Burns [Harney County] Chamber of Commerce, Burns, 484 N Broadway Ave., Burns, Oregon 97720 Virtual—MON, May 19, 5pm - 7pm MT. See www.othrnweis.com for the TEAMS meeting link. More Information for Oregon Canadian and US NORAD commitments continue but growing political tensions affect the defense sector. The US Air Force would build and operate northwest regional systems to enhance radar for long-range, early airborne threat detection beyond the conventional line of sight obscured by Earth’s curvature. They will consult with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, and federally recognized tribes. The EIS will include potential impacts assessment of all relevant resource areas, including reasonably foreseeable environmental effects. In Oregon, the USAF would purchase and lease land currently owned and managed by the Oregon Military Dept and seek to withdraw BLM managed land for siting and construction. Both Oregon locations would have two separated sites, 140 acres for a transmitter site and 1,350 acres for a receiving array. Extensive supporting infrastructure is estimated at more than $500 million, over three years. This echoes our 2018 Hard Rock Mining Study , which used an example mining operation that had “a road improvement budget of $450,000”. References Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Homeland Defense Over-the-Radar at Northwest Region . The Federal Register ( page ), April 18, 2025. Air Force eyes Idaho, Oregon and Nevada as potential homeland defense radar sites. Inside Defense, April 18, 2025. OTHR EIS This website includes a project overview, documents, public involvement, the schedule, and the public comment form link. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 2/12 Governance Team Coordinator: Becky Gladstone and Chris Cobey Artificial Intelligence: Lindsey Washburn Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill Conflicts of Interest/Legislative Ethics: Chris Cobey CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone Election Systems: Barbara Klein Emergency Preparedness: Cate Arnold Immigration, Refugee, and Asylum: Claudia Keith Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey State Audit Working Group: Sheila Golden Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Jump to a topic: Senate and House Rules Committees House Rules Committee Senate Committee on Education Elections, Campaign Finance, and In Memoriam for Alice Bartelt By Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator, and Team Senate Rules Committee SB 1538 is an election law clean-up bill that makes many changes, was amended in several details and passed out of the Senate Rules Committee on 2/15. The amendments concerned translating voters’ pamphlets; removing the redundant vote tally machine certification just before tallying begins; reducing the number of voter registration cards to 500 that could be obtained, issuing a certificate of ascertainment of presidential electors; increasing the upper limits for a candidate not to be required to file campaign finance reports; and allowing campaign contributions to be used to pay civil penalties for campaign violations. House Rules Committee 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. HB 4031 , which requires the Public Records Advisory Council to study public records, passed out of committee without recommendation and was sent to the Revenue Committee. 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. HB 4117 , which authorizes the Oregon Government Ethics Commission to issue advisory opinions on the application of the public meetings law, and which provides a technical fix to a bill passed in 2023 session, passed out of committee to 2 nd reading, the rules of the House were suspended, and the bill was passed immediately and unanimously. Senate Committee on Education SB 1502 requires public schools and college boards to livestream their meetings and post the meeting recordings on their websites and social media sites. It allows remote testimony for most school and college board meetings. The bill passed out of committee and was referred to Ways and Means. Elections, Campaign Finance, and In Memoriam for Alice Bartelt By Rebecca Gladstone Three bills that received League testimony passed from committees this week. News swirls for others, and we are poised to act on them. These two bills were heard in Senate Rules and both passed, with League support: Increase Voters’ Pamphlet Languages SB 1533 : This bill would increase the number of languages other than English for State Voters’ Pamphlets, adjusted for predominating languages by county. We provided written testimony . As well as virtual League testimony starts at 1:25) . The bill passed unanimously, with one excused. Synthetic Media in Campaign Ads, aka Deep Fakes SB 1571 -1 : League testimony was quickly revised for the -1 amendment and our verbal testimony, (video starting at 50 minutes ), was targeted to issues raised during the public hearing. The -1 amendment replaced “artificial intelligence” with the applied term “synthetic media”. The bill passed unanimously, with four more amendments filed. See Oregon lawmakers consider regulating use of AI in campaign ads , OPB, 14 Feb, 2024. A third bill, from sponsor Sen. Manning, was heard in Senate Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs Committee: Automatic Voter Registration for students SB 1577 -3 : The original bill would have automatically registered students from their college applications via the Dept of Revenue. The amended bill would have Elections and County Elections departments study the feasibility of registering student citizen voters. The clear emphasis on eligible voters, with only citizens being eligible, was not clear to many who sent testimony. It passed from committee on partisan lines, with supportive League testimony (video starting at 1:19), and on the record . Campaign Finance: LWVOR supports IP 9 and is actively collecting signatures, as part of the Honest Elections Coalition . LWVOR and Common Cause are the good government groups mentioned in OPB this week: Democrats and Republicans often clash on the subject, but are hoping to avoid a messy ballot fight . A placeholder bill, HB 4024 , could be pressed into service from unusual partners, labor and business, who are otherwise promoting IP 42, against IP 9. This is presumably hoping to forestall the impending faceoff between the two competing campaign finance petitions. Campaign work for IP 9 is in high gear with discussions between Honest Elections, legislative members, top state leadership, and the press. Senate Commemorative Resolution, In Memoriam: Alice Bartelt, 1947-2023 , SCR 203: We understand from staff that the bill sponsor, Senate President Wagner, has moved the hearing date to Feb. 22, 3pm. It is not yet posted on OLIS. Staff requests that anyone wishing to testify please contact their office at carol.suzuki@oregonlegislature.gov , so that timing can be arranged.

Back to Legislative Report Revenue Legislative Report - Week of December 1 Revenue Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Please see Governance Overview here . Jump to a topic: Revenue Updates Revenue Updates By Peggy Lynch On Nov. 19, legislators received the latest Revenue Forecast . (An in-depth version is here .) Oregonlive covered the forecast helpfully. They provide an in-depth Revenue Outlook . The Oregon Capital Insider also provided a good article . However, we still have two economies: One for the wealthy and one for low-income Oregonians—the “k” economy. A Nov. 24 th Salem Reporter story provides more insights. Here is the Office of Economic Analysis (OEA) website . With concern about not only this biennium, but the next two biennia forecasted as less than needed to provide Oregonians with the services they need, the Oregon Revenue Coalition has revived. The League has participated in the past and is attending weekly meetings. For now, it is an informal group with a focus on addressing the revenue needed for services to Oregonians. We have signed on to a one-pager created by the “Protect Oregon Now” group—part of the Revenue Coalition. H.R. 1 , the federal “reconciliation” bill, was signed by the President on July 4 th , just a few days AFTER Oregon’s legislative session adjourned. Because Oregon currently “connects” to the federal tax system, the tax reductions in H.R. 1 will also reduce revenue for Oregon . A disconnect bill ( HB 2092 ) passed the Oregon House in 2025, but was not taken up in the Senate. The new Revenue Coalition and legislators are having conversations around options to increase revenue, including targeting disconnect provisions and other ideas that may be politically easier than a full disconnect. One of our partners, the Oregon Center for Public Policy, provides a YouTube video to help explain. The Legislature COULD delay the April 15 filing date should they decide to address the disconnect in the 2026 session. They have taken that action in the past. At a mtg. on Oct. 9 with the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture, League learned that agencies are being asked to provide a 5% cuts list by each fund type....so 5% General Fund (GF), 5% Lottery Funds (LF), 5% Other Funds (OF)!!! And in 2.5% increments. The 1% the Gov asked for earlier can be counted as part of that 5% number. And they are to provide a list of NEW PROGRAMS created/funded from 2025. During an OWEB mtg. on Oct. 17, we learned the New Programs list each agency is to provide are ones created from July 2021 forward. So not just the last couple of years. The Legislative Fiscal Office (LFO) is looking to see any nexus to Covid/federal programs that were created with one-time money, for instance. Some of these programs were already not funded in 2025. Oregon’s Full Ways and Means Co-Chairs have written an opinion piece about the challenges facing Oregon. The League will need to be actively engaged in helping solve these problems. See other sections of the Legislative Report about the cuts in each area and what’s being considered to address the revenue shortfall. A March 5, 2025 report by the Common Sense Institute, including former state economist Mark McMullen, provides interesting statistics on Oregon budget since 2001. As Oregon has reduced its reliance on the General Fund (income taxes), both Federal and Other Funds have grown. Yes, in spite of the revenue shortfall, Oregon still has the “kicker”. Here’s what you can expect . Remember that you can donate the kicker on your 2024 Oregon tax return. On Nov. 13, Multnomah County provided an economic forecast reported by Willamette Week. On Nov. 17, the Senate Finance & Revenue Committee received an Overview of Wealth Transfer Taxes: Estate, Inheritance and Gift. Review of Past Legislative Discussions on Tax Reform: Meeting Materials Video of meeting Learn more about Oregon’s Reserve Funds in an article by the Oregon Capital Chronicle. Oregon is better suited to address a significant downturn in the economy than the last major downturn because of Oregon’s Rainy Day and Education Stability Funds. But there are criteria that must be addressed in order to access those funds. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Governance , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 2/12 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to topic: After School and Summer Care Behavioral Health and Related Public Safety Issues Higher Education Housing Gun Policy and Violence Prevention General Education By Jean Pierce, Social Policy Coordinator, and Team After School and Summer Care By Katie Riley HB 4082, Summer Learning for 2024 and Beyond , to provide $50 million for summer care in 2024 and establish a workgroup for planning to support after-school and summer learning opportunities and care in the future was approved unanimously in the House Committee on Education and referred to Ways and Means. Behavioral Health and Related Public Safety Issues By Karen Nibler/Jean Pierce SB 1553-1 , which restricts the use of an illegal drug on public transit, is on second reading in the Senate. The bill adds unlawful possession and use of a drug to the list of crimes which interfere with public transportation. This would make the use of a drug such as fentanyl on public transportation or at a transit station a Class C misdemeanor. A person with three or more prior convictions for interfering with public transportation is charged with a Class A misdemeanor. The law does not address the payment of fees, paths to expungement, or support for behavioral health treatment. No other bills designed to increase penalties for public drug use advanced this week. This includes HB4002 , for which the League submitted testimony. Similarly, none of the bills designed to study issues related to public drug use advanced. Higher Education By Jean Pierce Update on SB1592 for which the League submitted testimony : The Senate Education Committee passed this bill, which allocates $6M from General Funds to public universities in Oregon to train behavioral health professionals, with the following amendment: the role of labor management was recognized as a force in developing career pathways. The bill has been referred to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. Update on HB4162 for which the League submitted testimony : The House Committee on Higher Education passed this bill, which allocates $5M from General Funds to the Higher Education Coordinating Committee to divide among public colleges and universities to assist students in paying for basic needs such as food, housing, textbooks, etc. It has been referred to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. HB4125 : The House Committee on Higher Education passed HB4125, which would direct the Legislative Policy and Research Director to hire a qualified vendor to conduct a study of the effectiveness of the Higher Education Coordinating Council (HECC) and Individual Governing Boards for Oregon’s public universities. The study would provide comparisons to trends such as tuition costs and student debt in other states as well as comparisons of the actual performance of the HECC and the Governing Boards to the goals described in the original legislation. The study would also examine trends in state funding for the institutions adjusted for inflation. The bill allocates more than $463,000 for the study, and has been referred to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. Housing By Nancy Donovan, Debbie Aiona, Beth Jacobi Emergency Housing Stability and Production Package (SB 1537-9 and SB 1530-3) At the start of the session, Governor Kotek introduced legislation aimed at increasing housing production and addressing the needs of unsheltered Oregonians. The package passed out of the Senate Committee on Housing and Development on a unanimous vote of 5-0 and now will go to the Committee on Ways and Means. SB 1537-9 would provide technical assistance, new sources of funding and the ability to expand urban growth boundaries to increase housing production by: Creating a Housing Accountability and Production Office, which would be responsible for assisting local governments with housing production by offering technical assistance aimed at reducing barriers to development, among other things. Establishing a Housing Infrastructure Support Fund available to local jurisdictions as they plan for the infrastructure needed to serve new housing development. Allowing local jurisdictions to have access to a new $75 million Housing Project Revolving Loan Fund for the purpose of financing production of affordable and moderate-income housing projects. Granting qualified cities a one-time expansion of their urban growth boundaries (UGB). Cities with 25,000 people could expand their UGB by 50 acres. Cities over 25,000 could expand it by 100 acres, and in the Metro Area, the limit is 300 acres. LWVOR still has a number of concerns about SB 1537, although we appreciate the reduction in UGB acreage expansion that this bill would allow. SB 1530-3 would provide desperately needed funding for unsheltered Oregonians and households living in unstable conditions. The League submitted a letter in support and requested the addition of funding for low-income housing preservation, increasing resources for the Independent Development Account program, and funds for production of affordable homes for first-time buyers. The bill appropriates funding to the Housing and Community Services Department, Oregon Health Authority, Department of Human Services, and Oregon Department of Administrative Services and other programs to directly address the immediate needs of households and individuals: $65 million for the operations, services, and administration of emergency shelters. $2 million to provide support for warming or cooling emergency shelters or facilities. $40 million for homelessness prevention services, through the Oregon Eviction Diversion and Prevention, and Prevention and Eviction Prevention Rapid Response Programs, as well as services for culturally specific organizations. $18 million for housing for people recovering from drug addiction. Other items that promote housing affordability and stability include: $100 million for infrastructure projects that will support the development of housing. $10 million for land acquisition for affordable housing. $2 million to provide support for residents whose housing may be withdrawn from publicly supported housing or is within a manufactured dwelling park being sold or closed. The League provided testimony to increase the funding to $30 million. $5 million to provide matching funds for deposits into Individual Development Accounts. The League provided testimony to increase the amount to $10 million to continue their current service levels. $3.5 for air conditioners and air filters to at-risk individuals. $7.5 million to Healthy Homes, to support home repairs and improvements to lower energy usage and make homes safer. A recent report by Portland State University shows that homelessness increased by 8.5 percent overall from 2022 and unsheltered homelessness increased 17.2 percent. These figures underscore the importance of increasing efforts to address the need. Violence Prevention and Gun Policy By Marge Easley The League submitted testimony on February 14 in support of HB 4135 , which creates the crime of threatening a mass injury event. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Courtney Neron, changes current law to allow for charging an intentional and credible threat as a felony rather than a misdemeanor. The amount of the fine and imprisonment time would increase considerably upon the second and subsequent offense. Using our position on Gun Policy, we also support the bill’s provision to prohibit the possession of a firearm by a person convicted of threatening a mass injury event. The bill may now be undergoing some fine-tuning due to opposition related to free speech and juvenile justice issues, since a scheduled work session no longer appears on OLIS. SB 1503 A , which establishes a Task Force on Community Safety and Firearm Suicide Prevention and received supportive League testimony, passed out of Senate Judiciary with amendments on February 13 and has been referred to Ways and Means. The League is also monitoring HB 4156 , which modernizes Oregon’s anti-stalking law. The bill, championed by Rep. Kevin Mannix, passed out of the House Judiciary with amendments on February 15 and was referred to Ways and Means. General Education By Anne Nesse, Education Portfolio This is the week to follow Bills that are destined to proceed to the House, or Senate, and as needed to Ways and Means, Revenue, or other committees to allow passage. We are following two Bills in Human Services that relate to children. HB 4105 , which relates to targeted case management by nursing services to improve outcomes in children’s lives. This went out of Committee with a do-pass recommendation and referral to W & M. HB 4087 , directs DHS to establish a program to provide treatment to children with high needs who are in DHS custody and to establish an Emergency High Acuity Youth Initiative program. This Bill is scheduled for a work session on 2/19. We continue to follow those Bills we have testified on. SB 1552 , Sen. Dembrow’s Educational Omnibus Bill, part of which we supported , passed out of Committee as amended with a referral to W & M. On 2/13 testimony was submitted by over 700 persons or groups, including LWVOR on SB 1583, a Bill to reinforce our codes against books and materials being banned in our public schools. We added our testimony in support, based on “age appropriate teaching of values that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and the belonging of all people. It is important for a youth’s problem solving skills to understand the issues we all face together, as a community, a state, a nation, and a world.” We learned in the hearing that often ‘quiet book banning’ occurred everywhere in the US, partially because we do not have licensed Librarians in all of our schools, but also because communities disagree on what is age appropriate. Librarians are sometimes better equipped to defend a book or materials on age appropriateness and on intellectual, or emotional grounds. The -4 amendment was approved to replace the Bill on 2/15, and it was sent to the floor with a do pass recommendation. Age appropriateness in teaching, as Sen. Frederick pointed out, is already written into all ODE codes and statutes, and therefore not necessary for this Bill. However Sen. Weber stated she will file a minority report, on that point. Much of the testimony opposed to this Bill was supporting the communities’ right of choice on age appropriateness decisions in teaching, A clause referring to this was added to the -3 amendment, which was not adopted. We are continuing to follow two Bills we supported in testimony: • HB 4078A a study Bill to create a standardized record keeping system in grades K-12 throughout the State. This passed with amendments and was referred to W & M. • HB 4079 removes the percentage cap on the amount of moneys that are distributed from the State School Fund to school districts for students eligible for special education. This Bill will have a second public hearing on 2/20 in the Revenue Committee at 8:30 am. We will follow HB 4161, that includes policies regarding school district approval, open enrollment, and educational savings accounts for virtual public charter schools. HB 4137, directs ODE to adopt rules by which a student who has completed an International Baccalaureate program may satisfy certain requirements for a high school diploma in this State. This Bill will make it easier for students to complete this type of program, with transferable credits for certain classes. The Bill has already passed on the House floor, and will now proceed to the Senate. Contact lwvor.org if you have any comments or questions.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 1/10-1/17 Governance Team Coordinator: Becky Gladstone and Chris Cobey Artificial Intelligence: Lindsey Washburn Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill Conflicts of Interest/Legislative Ethics: Chris Cobey CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone Election Systems: Barbara Klein Emergency Preparedness: Cate Arnold Immigration, Refugee, and Asylum: Claudia Keith Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey State Audit Working Group: Sheila Golden Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Campaign Finance Reform Redistricting Election Methods Cybersecurity and ORMAPs Rights of Incarcerated People Volunteers Needed Governance By Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator, and Team Campaign Finance Reform SB 162 : Establishes Small Donor Elections Program to enable candidates for state Representative and state Senator offices to receive 6-to-1 match on small dollar contributions. (at the request of Secretary of State Shemia Fagan) SB 170 : Requires Secretary of State to study how best to improve Oregon's campaign finance system. (at the request of Secretary of State Shemia Fagan) SB 500 : Prohibits candidates for state office from accepting contributions in excess of amounts specified and from sources not specified. (Chief Sponsor: Senator Golden) HB 2003 : Establishes limits on campaign contributions that may be accepted by candidates and political committees; providing that this Act shall be referred to the people for their approval or rejection. (Chief Sponsors: Rep. Rayfield, Holvey, Valderrama) HB 2106 : Requires Secretary of State to study how best to ensure transparency through reporting of campaign contributions and independent expenditures. (at the request of Secretary of State Shemia Fagan) HB 2695 : Requires paid-for-by tagline on political communications by candidate to identify top five large donors to candidate's principal campaign committee. (Chief Sponsor: Rep. Rayfield) HJM 1 : Applies to Congress to call convention to propose amendments to the United States Constitution that address campaign finance reform. (Chief Sponsor: Rep. Rayfield) The Honest Elections Oregon coalition, of which the LWV of Oregon is a part, has filed two initiatives for the 2024 general election ballot. Both IP 8 and IP 9 are in the long ballot title process and have received certified ballot titles from the Attorney General’s office. These are now on appeal to the Oregon Supreme Court. Redistricting By Chris Cobey and Norman Turrill The People Not Politicians coalition, in which the LWV of Oregon is a leader, has now received certified ballot titles for its two initiatives for the 2024 general election ballot, IP 13 and IP 14 . The coalition will now decide which of these to circulate and begin collecting petition signatures, probably in February. Several related bills have been filed in the Legislature: SB 173 : Requires Secretary of State to study how to best improve the process for conducting state legislative and congressional reapportionment in this state. Directs the secretary to submit findings to interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to elections not later than September 15, 2024. (at the request of Secretary of State Shemia Fagan) SJR 9 : Proposes amendment to Oregon Constitution establishing Citizens Redistricting Commission to adopt redistricting maps for Senate, House, and US Congress. Refers proposed amendment to people for their approval or rejection at the next general election. (Chief Sponsor: Senator Bonham) This bill is similar to PNP’s IP 34 (2021). SJR 10 : Proposes amendment to Oregon Constitution establishing Citizens Redistricting Commission to adopt redistricting maps for Senate, House, and US Congress. Refers proposed amendment to people for their approval or rejection at the next general election. (Chief Sponsors: Senator Thatcher, Golden, Hansell, Representative Lively, Smith G ; Regular Sponsors: Senator Weber, Representative Cate, Hieb, Levy B, Mor gan, Owens, Scharf ) This bill is similar to PNP’s IP 34 from 2021. SJR 25 : Proposes amendment to Oregon Constitution establishing independent redistricting commission to adopt redistricting maps for Senate, House, and U.S. Congress. Refers proposed amendment to people for their approval or rejection at the next general election. (Chief Sponsor: Senator Girod). This bill would create a 36 member commission, one from each county, appointed by county commissioners. Election Methods By Barbara Klein SB 506 : Senator Jeff Golden continues to support Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) by introducing SB 506, which permits counties to adopt RCV for conducting county elections. It further requires the Secretary of State to create and staff the division to assist counties that adopt RCV in purchasing compatible computers, voting machines and vote tally systems. HB 2004 : Promoting RCV on another bill are chief sponsors Representatives Rayfield, Fahey, Reynolds, Marsh, Senator Sollman; and regular sponsors Representative Pham K, Senator Dembrow, Golden. HB 2004 establishes RCV as the voting method for selecting the winner of election to U.S. President, U.S. Senator, Representative in Congress, Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer and Attorney General. Authorizes cities, counties, metropolitan service districts and local government and local service districts to elect to use RCV to nominate or elect candidates for relevant offices. Moves election for Commissioner of Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) to general election, where election is also conducted using RCV. NOTE : this bill does not establish RCV for state legislative offices for representatives or senators. Cybersecurity and ORMAPs By Becky Gladstone This work continued over holidays with the DoR (Dept of Revenue) ORMAP’s Land Information System OAR and Cybersecurity Working Group. See earlier reports for previous intersession work including the AG’s data privacy progress and numerous elections bills. See upcoming reports as the session proceeds. HB 2049 : Work on this cybersecurity omnibus committee bill has been nonstop since HB 4155 failed to progress after unanimous committee passage in 2022, with League support . Specific recent work addressed processes to administer federal grant funding. OAR 150-306-0130 : My appointment to the ORMAP Advisory Group extended to appointment through the governor’s office to the RAC, Rules Advisory Group, to review “Oregon Land Information System Fund and the ORMAP Project”. Several members joined my appeal to push for rule language to facilitate data sharing (in compatible formats), a long-standing roadblock. Rights of Incarcerated People By Marge Easley The League will be keeping a close eye on SB 579, introduced by request of the Oregon Justice Resource Center, that allows incarcerated people to register to vote, update voter registration, and vote in elections. It is the third try for the enfranchisement of incarcerated individuals in Oregon. The League supported the two previous bills in 2021 and 2022. Passage of the bill would restore voting rights to 12,000 to 15,000 individuals and allow Oregon to join Maine, Vermont, and D.C. in allowing convicted felons in correctional facilities to vote. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Worthy causes go unaddressed for lack of League volunteers. If you see a need and can offer your expertise, please contact our staff at lwvor@lwvor.org .

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 3/24 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan 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 Summer Behavioral Health Civil Commitment Education Gun Policy Healthcare Housing Legislation Immigration Revenue After School and Summer By Katie Riley There are several bills that are dealing with afterschool and summer care. On Monday, March 17th, the League visited legislators to ask that HB 3039 and HB 2007 which both concern summer learning, include a differentiation of care during non-school time from summer school for both funding and data reporting purposes. The offices that were visited included those for Senators Lieber, Sollman, and Bonham and Representatives Ruiz and Sanchez. Those visits were selected due to their leadership positions on party caucuses and/or committees that determine budget allocations. We also talked to legislative sponsoring offices for SB 876 (Sen. Dick Anderson) and HB 3162 (Rep. Jami Cate), both of whom propose funding for after school care. SB 876 has passed out of committee and will need to be voted on by the Senate before it can be sent to the House for consideration. HB 3162 has not received a committee hearing so it may not progress further. The House Committee on Education was scheduled to have a hearing on Wednesday, March 19th on HB 3039 and HB 2007 but only HB 2007 had a hearing. Both bills have had amendments submitted which help to improve the focus on expanded learning to include the possibility of after school care during the summer. Senator Sollman and Representative Ruiz who authored HB 2007 with Representative Fahey testified. Time was limited so only a few community members were able to testify and most supported the bill with the new amendment submitted by Representative Susan McLain. LWVOR submitted written testimony for both bills encouraging further amendment to differentiate care during after school hours from summer school. Without separate data, it will be impossible to determine the impact of each component. It is expected that the HB 3039 and HB 2007 may be combined. Since HB 3039 is one of the Governor's priority bills, legislators are working hard to address problems before the bill is passed out of committee. A work session is scheduled in the committee for Monday, March 24th. Behavioral Health By Stephanie Aller The House Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee held a public hearing and work session on HB3129 (Higher Education Behavioral Health Workforce Expansion Fund.) LWVOR submitted testimony earlier in support of this bill. The committee adopted an amendment to the bill which includes a minimum service requirement of at least two years for student recipients. It also increased the amount appropriated for the bill from $17,900,000 to $25,700,000. The bill passed the committee on March 18 and was referred to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. Civil Commitment By Patricia Garner SB 171 / HB 2467 : A significant amendment to these bills is anticipated to be filed by the Forensic Behavioral Health Work Group chaired by Representative Jason Kropf. The primary proponent of the legislation is the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Oregon (NAMI). Current law provides that a person can be civilly committed if that person is dangerous to self or others, but importantly, dangerousness to self or others is not defined. This ambiguity has created significant barriers to civil commitment. This LC attempts to remedy this ambiguity. It provides that dangerousness to self / others takes place when a person is engaged in or is threatening to engage in behavior that resulted in or was likely to result in physical harm to self /another, and it is reasonably foreseeable that due to their mental disorder, they will engage in behavior that presents a risk of harm to self/others in the near future. Importantly, “near future” is specifically defined as a period of time that is reasonably foreseeable, but no more than 14 days. “Physical harm” is also clarified as physical contact that results in injury to another, and serious physical harm places a person at a “non-speculative” risk of death, impairment of health or bodily organs, including impairment or deterioration of brain function due to untreated psychiatric conditions. In deciding whether someone should be committed, the court is also specifically authorized to consider whether that person has insight into their mental illness and their ability to follow a treatment plan. This latter factor relates to anosognosia, a neurological condition where a person is unable to recognize her or his own illness, which is common in diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injuries, strokes, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. (See Judiciary Committee Hearing at 54:15 minutes). The prevalence of anosognosia in mental illness means that many people are not just avoiding treatment, but rather they do not apprehend they even have a mental illness. The LC also specifies several factors that can be used when a person is subject to commitment because of danger to self. Some of these factors include recent overt acts attempting to cause serious physical harm to self, recent threats to inflict this harm, the context of such acts or threats, and any past behavior resulting from a mental disorder that caused physical harm to self and past patterns of deterioration that contributed to prior involuntary hospitalizations. Dangerousness to others generally follows this format, but also recent destructive acts against property that were reasonably likely to place others at risk of injury HB 2015 – Oregon Residential Services Legislation This bill is currently a placeholder but should shortly be amended to require the Oregon Health Authority to study and make recommendations (9-25 and 9-26) to the Legislature about a range of issues related to residential treatment facilities and homes. The areas for review are detailed. For example, they include considerations that staffing costs for a facility should not change when the acuity of an individual changes, the workforce needs to be paid a professional wage, whether and how to support discharge from residential levels of placement, and how to create one license and set of rules for Transition Aged Youth Residential Treatment Homes that serve people 17.5 to 24 years of age. Education By Jean Pierce Recently, the Trump administration sent a “ Dear Colleague ” letter pressuring educational administrators not to “embrace pervasive and repugnant race-based preferences”. This was accompanied by a FAQ sheet. In addition, there is an Executive Order threatening cuts to essential programs if schools honor standards of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). So on March 13th Oregon’s Attorney General, Dan Rayfield, joined 14 other state attorneys general to provide guidance regarding what public schools can do to honor the law. They note that “nothing in the ‘Dear Colleague’ letter or FAQ changes existing law and well-established legal principles that encourage—and even require—schools to promote educational opportunity for students of all backgrounds.” This week the administration issued an Executive Order closing the Department of Education. While the administration insists that it will continue funding student loans, Pell Grants, funding for special needs students, and competitive grantmaking, still no plan has been suggested for how that might happen. The Education Law Center has a helpful tool showing how much federal funding for K-12 education each state is receiving for FY 2025. The total for Oregon is more than $433 Million. This includes close to $200 million for Title 1 (funding for educating low income students) and more than $170 million for IDEA (funding education of students with special needs). Legislation which advanced this week SB 1098 , which prohibits discrimination when selecting or retaining school library materials, textbooks or instructional materials or when developing and implementing a curriculum was passed unamended with a partisan vote, by the Senate Education Committee. LWVOR submitted testimony for the bill. HB2997 , which directs the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to establish a grant program to expand access to populations which are under-represented in colleges and universities, was passed with a partisan vote by the House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development with an amendment to appropriate $5 million. LWVOR submitted testimony for the bill. HB 3182 , which directs the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to award grants to nonprofit organizations providing affordable housing support to low-income students. was passed 6 to 1 with minor amendments by the House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. LWVOR submitted testimony for the bill. HB 3183 , which would appropriate money to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to provide no-cost, low-cost textbooks and course materials across Oregon’s colleges and universities, was passed 6 to 1 by the House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development with an amendment lowering the amount appropriated from $4.5 million to $2 million. LWVOR submitted testimony for the bill. Gun Policy By Marge Easley Six gun policy bills are now making their way through the legislative process. HB 3075 , heard on March 17 in House Judiciary, contains details for implementing the firearm permitting requirement in Measure 114 (2022). The committee received over 1000 pieces of testimony on the bill, including testimony from the League, and emotions ran high during oral testimony in the packed hearing room. A work session is scheduled for April 2. HB 3076 , heard on March 20 in House Judiciary, establishes a gun dealer licensing program in Oregon. League testimony stated that a state system is needed to curtail illegal guns that are used in crimes, often obtained through straw purchases and gun shop thefts. Oversight is currently under the direction of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), but the agency is woefully underfunded, and inspections are a rarity. A work session on the bill is scheduled for April 2. The League is also following four additional gun policy bills that are scheduled for an omnibus hearing and possible work sessions in the Senate Judiciary on April 7. SB 696 bans rapid-fire devices that convert semi-automatic weapons to the nearly full-automatic. SB 697 raises the age to purchase military-style weapons like AR-15s from age 18 to 21. SB 698 expands the types of public buildings that are authorized to ban firearms, even for holders of concealed handgun licenses (CHLs). SB 429 creates a 72-hour waiting period for the purchase of a firearm. Healthcare By Christa Danielson HB 2010-A : The League submitted testimon y for this bill, which extends the funding for the state portion of Medicaid. The bill has passed both chambers and has been signed by the President of the Senate as well as the Speaker of the House. It will be heading to the Governor’s desk for consideration of signature. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona The Senate Committee on Housing and Development will hold another public hearing on SB 722 on March 26. The bill would prohibit residential landlords from software and occupancy control, and would apply rent caps for younger properties. This bill would help prevent displacement by prohibiting landlords of multifamily housing from using Artificial Intelligence (AI) software to inflate rents or occupancy rates. This unethical practice is the subject of national attention . Attorneys General in eight states, including Oregon, have joined the Justice Department in an antitrust suit to disallow this method of sharing and aligning non-public information to drive up rents. The bill also would reduce the current 15-year exemption for new construction from our statewide rent stabilization statute down to 7 years. This change would provide reasonable rent stabilization protection for an additional 40,000 housing units and between 80,000 to 100,000 Oregonians. Oregon renters are the 6th most cost burdened in the nation, and our eviction crisis is growing with more than 27,000 cases filed last year. Eighty-eight percent of evictions are because tenants cannot afford Oregon’s high rents. Studies show that rent stabilization policies help keep tenants stably housed and reduce evictions. The League provided testimony in support of SB 722 . The House Committee on Housing and Homelessness will hold a public hearing on HB 2964 on March 26. It would direct Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) to provide grants and loans for predevelopment costs for new affordable housing. OHCS would have the responsibility to administer a grant and loan program for predevelopment costs for new affordable housing for low-income households to rent or own. OHCS would integrate this program into its existing Predevelopment Loan Fund with monies from the General Fund. Properties would be developed with affordability restrictions to ensure that they remain affordable. Oregon's population growth has outpaced housing construction leading to a severe shortage of affordable properties. This bill will give our state’s lower income households an opportunity to live in stable, new and affordable housing. The League provided testimony in support o f HB 2964 . Immigration By Becky Gladstone and Claudia Keith Bill # Description Policy Committee Status $* Chief Sponsors + Comments SB 149 Immigration Study SCJ PH & WS 4/2 Y Sen Jama DHS SB 599A Immigration status: Discrimination in Real Estate transactions Floor Floor vote 3/24 Sen Campos Carry over SB 611 Food for All Oregonians - for undocumented SC HS - JWM PH 3/25, Work Sess 4/1 Y Sen Campos Rep Ruiz SB 703 A bipartisan immigration status update funding bill SCJ PH 3/19 WS 3/26 6 Sen Reynolds, Reps Neron, Ruiz, Smith G Testimony SB 1119 To prohibit employers from engaging in unfair immigration-related practices. SCLAB PH 3/27, Work Sess 4/1 Sen. Taylor SB 1140 Prohibits requirements that employees speak only English in workplace unless business necessity SCLAB PH 3/27, Work Sess 4/1 Sen. Taylor HB 2548 Agricultural Workforce Labor Standards Board. HC LWPS PH 3/12 WS 4/2 Reps Valderrama, Nelson , Munoz League Testimony HB 2976 Funding for interpretation of indigenous languages. HC ECHS wk Ses 3/25 Rep Hartman HB2788 Funding to nonprofits to assist w lawful permanent resident status/legal aid - HC ECHS - JWM dead Reps Neron, Ruiz, Sen Reynolds * likely end of session Reconcilation Bill HB 2586 Nonresident tuition exemption for asylum seekers. Sen Ed 3/12 Reps Hudson, Sen Campos House vote 36 v 18 HB 2543 Funds for universal representation and gives funds to Oregon State Bar for legal immigration matters HC Jud ? 15 Rep Valderrama, Sen Manning Jr, Reps Walters, Andersen, McLain, Sen Campos DAS - see sb 703 HB3193 Farm Worker Relief Fund HC LWPS Wk Ses 3/24 10 Rep Marsh, Sen Pham, Rep Valderrama OHA HB 5002 Oregon Worker Relief Fund JCWM-GG ? 7 Das We are considering joining a coalition that has recently formed to support a number of 2025 bills affecting many agricultural workers and other immigrants. There may be League alerts on this topic later this session. (refer to Immigration LR) Revenue By Peggy Lynch The Co-Chairs of Ways and Means provided their framework for the 2025-27 state budget. Note on the last page the potential effect of federal budget cuts. This Oregonlive article suggests some of the most painful cuts. The Joint Committee On Ways and Means Subcommittee On Capital Construction met on March 21st and received a report from the State Treasurer, including the 2025 bonding capacity: “$2.22 Billion Issuance For Each Biennium, Or $1.11 Billion Annually” . We note that this capacity is based on the Sept. 2024 Revenue Forecast. Also, there is a recommendation that bond sales be scattered throughout the biennium instead of waiting until the last quarter of the biennium. However, that means that the cost of debt service will have to be calculated into the 2025-27 budget. But scattering the sales can also provide the legislature with a pullback of those sales should the economy not support the ability of the state to back those bonds. The Dept. of Administrative Services (DAS) on behalf of the Governor reported on the Governor’s bond requests in her 2025-27 budget. A complete list is available here . Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Governance , and Natural Resources report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 6/30 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 By Norman Turrill In the last few days of the legislative session, we saw extraordinary machinations on campaign finance reform. We have been saying for months that HB 4024 (2024) needed some technical fixes to complete the historic deal that was made during the last session among Honest Elections, legislative leaders, business leaders and union leaders. It was said that HB 3392 was the bill that would be stuffed with these technical fixes. However, a last-minute deal was apparently made behind the scenes to allow Minority Leader Drazan to propose a -5 amendment to HB 3392 to delay implementation of HB 4024 by four years! House Rules held a public hearing on the amendment 6/25 . The Secretary of State sent a six-page letter and testified for half an hour that the delay was necessary and that Oregon has a history of failed large computer projects. All other in-person testifiers (including the League) and all 96 written testimonies were against the delay. For the House Rules meeting, the League and several other organizations had issued action alerts. Several news outlets also wrote about the situation including OPB , Oregon Capital Chronicle , and Oregon Live . House Rules had scheduled a work session on the bill for the same meeting, but they adjourned without opening the work session. We then saw House Rules reschedule the work session five times(!) that day and then cancel the work session altogether. The bill was dead for the session! It is clear that we dodged a bullet on CFR and that powerful political interest groups do not want CFR in Oregon. However, HB 4024 is still part of Oregon statutes because Oregonians demanded it. It will still take effect in part on January 1, 2027. Some technical fixes will still be needed and could perhaps be adopted in a special legislative session or during next year’s short legislative session. Bill wrap: Cybersecurity, National Guard, ethics, privacy and safety, partner agency budget By Becky Gladstone Relevant to this portfolio, this issue was raised last week at EPAB , the Oregon Electronic Portal Advisory Board, June 26, 2025. Note that this follows our reporting on cyber-attacks forecast on the Pacific Northwest power grid in the near future, from JCIMT earlier this session. “We now live in an era of retroactive insecurity where vast amounts of sensitive and encrypted data, government communications, defense secrets [and] critical infrastructure telemetry are being silently intercepted, stored by foreign adversaries. This is known as ‘harvest now, decrypt later’ “. Stakeholders highlight urgency to House panel of moving quickly with implementing post-quantum cryptography , Inside Cybersecurity , June 25, 2025. HB 3954 , for the Adjutant General to prevent the Oregon National Guard from being called to active service except in certain circumstances, was the only bill pending in this portfolio in the final week of the 2025 session. HB 3954 had passed from the House on a 31 to 16 vote. Senate Rules stopped shy of holding a public hearing despite League testimony in support . It was revived for a first (late date) hearing and work session, after a League letter was sent. 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. One letter in opposition to HB 3954 believed that passing the bill would put Oregon in a position to lose critical federal funding for the Oregon National Guard. The issue turned from National Guard activation to hinge on support of the President. Republicans block attempt to prevent federal overreach with Oregon’s National Guard , Oregon Live, June 30, 2025. HB 2930 Enrolled has the Governor’s signature, for conflict of interest of public officials’ household members. League testimony supported this bill brought by the Oregon Ethics Commission. SB 224 Enrolled , has the Governor’s signature, to keep from posting campaign committee addresses on the SoS website, with League testimony in support. This is sadly more relevant with the recent killing of a senior Minnesota legislator and her husband . Minn. legislator killed in ‘politically motivated‘ shooting, Washington Post, June 14, 2025. HB 3569 Enrolled has 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 opposed for a myriad of reasons. HB 5017 Enrolled , has the Governor’s signature, for the State Library budget. League testimony remained the only one filed, supporting our partnership for League Voter Service information. They share our Voters’ Guides in the Talking Books and Braille Library . Elections By Barbara Klein A public hearing for HB 3390 A was held on 6/24, a work session was on the agenda for later in the week but was removed without comment. 100% of the vast submitted testimony was in opposition. The League submitted testimony opposing this bill, in part because it minimizes the minority party voice more, and also gives greater power to the legislature for ballot issues than to the people. We stated “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.” Several legislators indicated that this measure was related to the transportation bill (and how it might be described on the ballot if it became a referendum petition). As that effort was scrapped, the League assumes that is why the HB 3390 A was no longer active. [Summary – the bill prescribes the method for creating a ballot title and explanatory statement by a joint legislative committee for any amendment to the Oregon Constitution that passes both houses of the Legislative Assembly during the 2025 regular session and is referred to the people by the Legislative Assembly and for any Act that passes both houses of the Legislative Assembly during the 2025 regular session if the Act is referred to the people by either the Legislative Assembly or by referendum petition.] HB 3687 Enrolled will establish in law that counties and cities cannot demand a supermajority vote to change their charter (most do not). To best allow local government to function for the people, only simple majorities to a CHARTER change would be allowed. This does NOT relate to any ballot measure on taxes, fees, fines, etc. This bill would make it easier for a community to adopt new election systems in local cities and counties. Currently, only one county in the state requires a supermajority for such changes. A public hearing was held 6/23 in Senate rules; work session 6/24; and on 6/26 the third reading passed the senate 17 to 12. On 6/27, the House Speaker and Senate President signed the bill. HB 3908 Enrolled was signed by House Speaker 6/23 and Senate President 6/24. Filed at the request of the Independent Party of Oregon (IPO), 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. The League did not testify on this measure. Artificial Intelligence By Lindsey Washburn HB 3592 A , which would have established the Senator Aaron Woods Commission on AI with the Dept. of Justice, remained in Ways and Means when the Legislature adjourned. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 4/17 Governance Team Coordinator: Becky Gladstone and Chris Cobey Artificial Intelligence: Lindsey Washburn Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill Conflicts of Interest/Legislative Ethics: Chris Cobey CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone Election Systems: Barbara Klein Emergency Preparedness: Cate Arnold Immigration, Refugee, and Asylum: Claudia Keith Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey State Audit Working Group: Sheila Golden Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Jump to a topic: Elections, Public Records, Police Body Cams Rights of Incarcerated People Government Ethics Election Methods Campaign Finance Redistricting Governance By Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator, and Team Elections, Public Records, Police Body Cams By Rebecca Gladstone The SoS elections bil (SB 167) l pushed for overdue software updates. We continue to catch bills we missed in the first chamber and can use volunteer help. SB 167 : This major 17-point elections omnibus bill from the SoS is pitching to replace candidate filing software (top of our list), add numerous efficiency improvements, address some privacy and cybersecurity issues, and tweak elsewhere for efficiency. The public hearing was rescheduled for Sen. Rules, April 20. See League testimony in support. The League was alone in speaking to the bill, as with HB 5035 last week. HB 2107 : The House Rules work session was rescheduled to April 20. We hope to see further movement and to address in the second chamber committee, to extend automatic voter registration via the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). We were sorry to see the Powder River facility pilot project cut from the bill. SB 510 : This bill passed from the Senate on April 17, 28 in favor, 2 excused. It is the companion funding for SB 417, below, to improve efficiency, cost estimates and budgeting, and sustainable funding for the Public Records Advocate Commission (PRAC). See our testimony in support . SB 417 : The Task Force, meeting since Feb 7, anticipates one more week for policy discussion, another week for final edits to propose an amendment. Current discussion includes “reasonableness”, “balancing test”, “totality of circumstances”. We support this detailed PRAC bill to increase efficiency in processing public records requests, consider fee waivers, defining “media”, waiving records request fees when made in the public interest, and considering malicious intent in placing requests; see our testimony . SB 619 : Recommendation issued, Do pass with amendments and be referred to Ways and Means by prior reference. (Printed A-Eng.) LWVOR strongly supports this AG’s consumer privacy bill, now with a - 1 amendment . (See our testimony .) It passed from Sen. Judiciary on April 3 with a Do Pass recommendation to W&Ms. Upcoming: SB 614 , police body cam use, personal data retention and disclosure. We will look into the bill and amendments. Since our Privacy and Cybersecurity study and the NYT 2016 article, “ Should we see Everything a Cop Sees? ”, police body cam issues have evolved. There are competing challenges of data retention and management, public records transparency and individual privacy, amid a litany of incidents that could benefit from on-site perspective, many with racial and hate aspects. The LWVOR is a member of the Oregon Coalition against Hate Crimes. Rights of Incarcerated People By Marge Easley After passing the Senate 23 to 4, the work session in House Judiciary for SB 529 , originally scheduled for April 12, has been delayed until April 24. The bill modifies legislative findings concerning alternative incarceration programs related to substance abuse. It requires that intensive addiction programs for incarcerated individuals address addiction as a chronic disease and include a range of treatment services. Government Ethics By Chris Cobey HB 2422 : Directs Legislative Administrator to pay the costs of reasonable accommodation of a member of the Legislative Assembly who is afforded rights and protections as a person with disabilities under specified federal and state law. Directs Legislative Administration Committee to adopt an interactive process to determine reasonable accommodations entitled to payment. Appropriates moneys to the Legislative Administration Committee to fund payments. Work session was scheduled April 20 in H Rules. HB 5021 A : Limits biennial expenditures from fees, moneys or other revenues, including miscellaneous receipts and reimbursements from federal service agreements, but excluding lottery funds and other federal funds, collected or received by Oregon Government Ethics Commission. Passed House April 14 without dissenting vote; referred to Ways and Means. SB 168 A : Expressly prohibits public employees, while on job during working hours or while otherwise working in official capacity, from promoting or opposing appointment, nomination or election of public officials. April 10: passed Senate 17-10; April 13: to H Rules. SB 207 : Authorizes Oregon Government Ethics Commission to proceed on its own motion to review and investigate, if the commission has reason to believe that the public body conducted meetings in executive session that were not in compliance with laws authorizing executive sessions. April 20: H Rules work session. SB 292 B : Narrows, on temporary basis, applicability of requirement that members of district school board must file verified statements of economic interest to only those members of districts with specified number of students, or districts that are sponsors of virtual public charter schools. Expands applicability of requirement to all members of district school boards in 2026. Directs Oregon Government Ethics Commission to provide training on filing of verified statements of economic interest to members of district school boards. April 17: from Senate Rules with unanimous do-pass recommendation as amended; April 19: Passed Senate 26 to 0. SB 661 A : Prohibits any lobbyist from serving as chairperson of interim committees, certain legislative work groups, or legislative task forces. Provides exceptions. April 6: passed Senate, 24-2; April 13: in H Rules. Election Methods By Barbara Klein No further developments this week. 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. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. Worthy causes go unaddressed for lack of League volunteers. If you see a need and can offer your expertise, please contact our staff at lwvor@lwvor.org .

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 5/29 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to topic: Housing Criminal Justice Gun Safety Housing By Debbie Aiona, Nancy Donovan, Debbie Wallace, Penny York The continued Republican walkout has prevented 17 floor sessions from being held, with 150 bills waiting to be worked on by the Senate after significant effort and gaining bipartisan support. Unfortunately, due to the walkout, the Senate can recommend passage, but is unable to vote on key bills. It is unlikely that the bills will be voted on before the session ends. SB 892 A will amend housing statutes and laws of the Oregon Housing and Community Services and the Housing Stability Council to add federally recognized tribes as community development corporations to allow access, and to administer housing funds. The House held a third reading and the bill passed on May 25. SB 225 will address a problem with how private activity bond resources are used to fund low-income housing. The bill addresses a barrier, which would allow Oregon Housing and Community Services to move forward on affordable housing developments to avoid construction delays and cost increases. The House passed the bill on May 25. HB 2680 A would strengthen and clarify legislation passed in 2019 related to screening fees charged for rental applications. The bill requires the landlord to refund screening fees within 14 days if the apartment is filled before screening the applicant or if the application is withdrawn before the screening takes place. The Senate Committee on Housing and Development recommended a do pass on May 30. A second reading will be held May 31, and a third reading will be held on 6/1. HB 3151 would limit improvements landlords of manufactured home parks can require of tenants. It also will extend the sunset date on a landlord/tenant dispute resolution program. Senate Housing and Development recommended a do pass on May 30. A second reading will be held on May 31, and a third reading on 6/1. HB 3462 would ensure that individuals covered by federal, and state fair housing laws are eligible for emergency housing when an emergency declaration is made. This extends to people regardless of their immigration status. Senate Housing and Development recommended a do pass on May 30. A second reading will be held on May 31, and a third reading on 6/1. SB 611 B would modify the maximum annual residential rent increase for affected units to the lesser of 10%, or 7% plus the consumer price index one-year change. It applies the rent increase limit to units from which a tenant was evicted. The bill is awaiting a second reading by the Senate on 5/31 and a third reading on June 1. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley and Karen Nibler A May 31 press release issued by House and Senate Democrats announced a $4 Billion Public Safety and Accountability Budget Framework to emphasize strong support for Oregon’s crisis response network that includes the Oregon Department of Justice ($813 million), Oregon State Police ($611 million), Department of Corrections ($2.2 billion), Oregon Judicial Department ($750 million), Department of Public Safety and Safety Standards and Training ($83 million), and the State Fire Marshal ($73.9 million). Many of the framework’s details are contained in the following criminal justice bills passed by the J W&Ms in recent days. On May 26, W&Ms passed SB 344 to continue Justice Reinvestment programs, SB 1034 to allocate federal funding for at risk youth, HB 5012 to fund district attorney expenses, HB 5022 to fund the Governor’s Office administration, HB 5055 to fund the Criminal Justice Commission, SB 5513 relating to judicial conduct, SB 5514 on child support in the Department of Justice Budget, HB 5515 to fund the Bureau of Labor and Industries, HB 5535 to fund the Racing Commission, and HB 5541 to fund the Oregon Youth Authority (OYA). The latter bill drew the most comments and 3 nays by Sen. Hansell, Rep. Lewis, and Rep. Breese-Iverson. OYA has a high number of staff positions (990) and behavioral residential beds (328) funded. There was a reduction in the number of beds with a higher rate per bed noted. Most discussion focused on Behavioral Residential Services and mental health needs for youth. The agency has scheduled an upgrade of the Juvenile Justice Information System, which is used by County Juvenile staff and OYA staff. The Subcommittee on Public Safety approved several bills on May 30, which will soon be voted on in full W&Ms: HB 5017 funds the Department of Emergency Management, SB 900 A establishes the Organized Retail Theft Grant Program, HB 2320 A establishes the Juvenile Justice Policy Commission, and HB 2772 A defines terms related to domestic terrorism. On the May 31 docket for the full W&Ms are SB 5512 to fund the Judicial Department, HB 2225 to increase fees for court transcripts, HB 2316 A to expand the number of intoxicants included in the driving under the influence statute, and HB 2645 B to increase penalties for fentanyl possession. Gun Safety By Marge Easley The Republican walkout continues to stall the passage of gun safety bills HB 2005 and SB 348. However, we will be closely monitoring the five-day federal trial on Measure 114 that starts June 5 with U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut presiding. According to a May 30 th Oregonian article , The City of Portland recently submitted a court brief in support of the measure, particularly the ban on large capacity magazines, citing the city’s record number of 101 homicides and 1,306 shootings in 2022, on the heels of the 92 homicides and 1,315 shootings in 2021.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Sine Die Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to topic: Housing Criminal Justice Gun Safety Rights of Incarcerated People Immigration and Basic Rights Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona In 2023, it became clear that the housing crisis is now a statewide issue. In communities throughout Oregon people are living on the street and many of those who are housed are at risk of losing their homes because they can’t afford to pay their rent. Before the start of the legislative session, Governor Kotek made clear that addressing the unmet need was one of her top priorities. The Governor signed HB 2001 into law on March 29, a hopeful start to the session. Early in the session, the Governor assembled a package of bills under HB 2001 that addresses some of the state’s critical housing needs. The bill supports Oregon Housing Needs Analysis and associated housing production targets and reporting requirements. Funding of $25 million will help combat homelessness and those at risk of becoming homeless. The bill modifies the emergency housing assistance and state homeless assistance programs to provide services and assistance to school-aged children experiencing, or at risk of homelessness. $20 million will provide loans and grants for modular housing development with priority given to housing people displaced by natural disasters, and for the construction of low- and middle-income housing. $613,925 will fund moderate-income housing predevelopment loans; and $5 million is targeted for agricultural workforce housing. Renter notification requirements are extended when rental agreements will be terminated for non-payment, and eviction records can be sealed in certain circumstances. Emergency procurement authority was granted to Oregon Housing and Community Services to address homelessness and provide services within the OR-505 Balance of State Continuum of Care. $3 million will help nonprofits access low-cost financing by issuing bonds for affordable housing including financing to local governments or housing developers for predevelopment costs, including infrastructure, site acquisition, planning, reports, surveys, and consultants. $5 million in grants will be used to improve agriculture workforce housing. Homelessness Response and Prevention The growing humanitarian crisis of homelessness caught the attention of people around the state and prompted passage of legislation aimed at assisting people living on the street or preventing people who are experiencing housing instability from losing their homes. The 2023 – 25 FY state homeless budget includes the following: $96 million for housing and long-term rent assistance for unhoused Oregonians, $81 million for emergency rent assistance to prevent evictions and homelessness, including a 30 percent set-aside to be deployed by culturally specific organizations, and $72.2 million for shelter operations, homeless services navigation centers, and Project Turnkey transitional housing. HB 5019 is an appropriation bill of $128.2 million to provide funding to address the homeless emergency in the OR 505 Oregon Balance of State Continuum of Care. The funds will support services to homeless youth. The League provided testimony in support. Another key legislation is SB 611 that modifies the maximum annual rent increase percentage for the following calendar year as the lesser of 10%, or 7% plus the September annual 12-month average change in the Consumer Price Index. It also limits rent increases to no more than once a year. Affordable Housing Preservation and Development Oregon does not have enough housing affordable for its residents and, until the shortfall is eliminated, there will be Oregonians paying more for rent than they can afford or who are unable to find stable and suitable housing. The Legislature allocated the following resources for development of new, and preservation of existing low-income housing: · $604 million in bonding for new affordable housing development · $50 million in bonding to preserve existing regulated affordable rental housing, and mobile home parks HB 3042 provides protections for households renting publicly subsidized units in buildings with expiring affordability restrictions. Rent increases and terminations will be limited for a three-year period to give tenants time to find alternative housing. Also, legislation was signed into law that would facilitate development of additional affordable units. HB 2761 expands OHCS' ability to finance a portion of certain housing developments that are affordable to households earning at or below 120 percent of area median income. Additional Legislation HB 3215 authorizes OHCS to support replacement, reconstruction, or rehabilitation of residential units damaged or destroyed by disaster. It establishes a Disaster Housing Recovery Fund. In addition, passage of HB 3462 will make individuals affected by disasters eligible for housing assistance regardless of their immigration status. SB 599 allows tenants to operate home-based childcare by requiring a landlord to allow a renter to use a dwelling unit for a family childcare if it is certified or registered with the Office of Child Care. The landlord can require a tenant to pay for improvements necessary for certification and carry some form of liability coverage. HB 3151 limits improvements that landlords of manufactured dwelling parks may require of tenants. It expands affordable housing that is developable on nonresidential lands. It also expands the manufactured dwelling park preservation loan program to allow loaned funds to be used to develop new parks. HB 2680 requires residential landlords to refund applicants for screening charges within 30 days, subject to certain conditions. The measure requires landlords to promptly notify an applicant once the screening has taken place, their right to a refund of the screening charge, and recovery of damages if the landlord fails to provide the refund within 30 days. Homeownership SB 702 allows the Appraiser Certification and Licensure Board to require real estate appraiser training on implicit bias and state and federal fair housing laws. The League submitted a t estimony letter in support. Representative Ricki Ruiz sent a note thanking the League for its support. Unfortunately, HB 3487, which could have addressed racial disparities in homeownership did not pass. It would have required a biannual report to the Legislature on changes to racial disparity, require OHCS to partner with culturally responsive or culturally specific organizations to convene peer training programs for housing counselors, and require OHCS to develop culturally specific and multilingual financial literacy materials for distribution by mortgage brokers and bankers. Fair Housing HB 3309 directs OHCS to study and incentivize accessible units in OHCS-funded affordable housing units by providing financial support and increasing the quantity and quality of accessible units. In another loss, funding for fair housing investigation, enforcement, and education did not pass. Fortunately, however, SB 702 did pass as described above. Mortgage Interest Deduction Reform Unfortunately, the Mortgage Interest Deduction Reform bill did not advance. According to a 2022 Oregon Secretary of State a udit , this tax expenditure primarily benefits higher income households living in urban counties. The League and a number of organizations have been working for several sessions to reform the tax credit so that savings can be used to assist moderate- and low-income homebuyers and address homelessness. SB 976 , the Mortgage Interest Deduction Reform bill, has received a lot of interest because, if passed, the state’s largest housing subsidy would see some of the savings redirected away from higher earning homeowners to instead benefit low- and moderate-income home purchasers. In addition, resources resulting from reducing the subsidy would be used for homelessness prevention. The League submitted testimony in support of the reform. Oregon Housing and Community Services Budget SB 5511 is the Oregon Housing and Community Services budget bill. The total funds budget is $2,558,608,558 and 441 positions. This is a 28.5% increase from the 2023-25 current service level. OHCS’ budget from the General Fund includes the following: · $111.2 million to continue shelter and rehousing services that were funded in HB 5019 in response to the Governor’s emergency declaration on homelessness. · $24.1 million to provide operating support to existing shelters. · $55 million for rental assistance. · $6 million for services to tenants. · $10 million in down payment assistance. · $2.5 million for the decommissioning and replacement of manufactured housing. · $9.7 million to capitalize a predevelopment loan program within OHCS, and expenditure limitation and position authority were added to revamp the process the Department will use to approve affordable housing finance applications from developers, which are intended to shorten the time between project approval and construction, while helping smaller developers and projects. · $136.8 million is included in this budget in federal funds related to wildfire recovery efforts and supported by a $422 million federal grant. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley Despite the Senate shutdown, some significant pieces of criminal justice legislation were able to make it through the session. The League focused this advocacy primarily on bills related to domestic violence, sexual assault, and juvenile justice. We submitted testimony on 13 bills and reported on the progress of many, many others. Bills related to gun safety and the rights of incarcerated people are discussed under separate headings in this report. In the area of domestic violence and sexual assault, we were pleased to support the passage of bills to extend the length of restraining orders from one year to two years ( SB 816 ); create the crime of sexual abuse by fraudulent representation, spurred by the case of the West Linn doctor who abused scores of young women in his examining room ( SB 974 ); increase the statute of limitations from 12 years to 20 years for sex abuse offenses in the first degree ( HB 3632 ); expand the crime of subjecting another person to involuntary servitude ( SB 1052 ); expand the list of harassment offenses that require sex offender treatment ( SB 339 ); and allocate $10 million from the General Fund to assist victims of domestic violence or sexual assault ( SB 5506 ). The League also supported the following legislation to improve Oregon’s juvenile justice system: expand the automatic expungement of records for youth under the jurisdiction of juvenile court ( SB 519 ), require confidentiality between Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) employees and peer support team members ( SB 212 ); require county juvenile departments to conduct sex trafficking screening ( SB 745 ); allow those over 20 years of age to remain under the jurisdiction of OYA during the appellate process ( SB 902 ); regularly review demographic data to ensure OYA programs are culturally appropriate ( SB 903 ); and establish a Juvenile Justice Policy Commission to provide data-driven policy recommendations ( HB 2320 ). Gun Safety By Marge Easley Only one firearm bill made it through the gauntlet this session, due to last minute compromises to lure Senate Republicans back to the floor. HB 2500 originally contained three separate regulations, but after both an age restriction of 21 and an expansion of gun free zones were dropped from the bill, a ban on unserialized firearms (ghost guns) was the only part of the bill to successfully pass. Oregon is now one of 11 states to regulate ghost guns. Another disappointment was the failure of SB 348 to pass this session. The bill would have provided details for the implementation of Measure 114 (2022), which requires a permit to purchase a firearm and places a ban on high-capacity magazines. Meanwhile, given changes in federal firearm law as a result of the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court’s Bruen decision, Measure 114 is in the midst of constitutional challenges by firearm advocates. It passed one hurdle on July 14 when U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut ruled that the provisions of Measure 114 are in keeping with “the nation’s history and tradition of regulating uniquely dangerous features of weapons and firearms to protect public safety.” A state court trial will be held in Harney County in mid-September. Appeals are expected, and gun safety advocates across the country are closely watching the progress of this precedent-setting case. Rights of Incarcerated People By Marge Easley The League’s interest in the rights of incarcerated people continued this session as we provided support for the passage of several bills to improve the lives and recidivism rates of those housed in Oregon’s correctional facilities. These bills facilitate the provision of a wide array of drug treatment programs in correctional facilities ( SB 529 ); require publicly accessible data on the use of segregated housing ( HB 2345 ); and authorize the Department of Correction to enter into agreements to offer higher education academic programs to adults in custody ( SB 270 ). The League was disappointed that SB 579 , allowing incarcerated people in Oregon to vote, did not advance this session. We will continue to advocate for passage in future sessions. Immigration and Basic Rights By Claudia Keith HB 2905 : Approved: Expands the list of individuals whose histories, contributions and perspectives are required to be included in social studies academic content standards and in related textbooks and instructional materials. House Speaker and Senate President signed this bill June 24. Passed unanimously. The governor signed 7/18. SMS: Adds requirement that academic content standards for history, geography, economics, and civics include instruction on individuals who are of Jewish descent. Requires adopted textbooks and instructional materials to adequately address the contributions of men and women of Jewish descent. SB 610 A : Did not move from JW&Ms. It would have Established Food for All Oregonians (regardless of documentation status) Program within Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Fiscal, Staff Measure Summary. The fiscal may show up in the end-of-session budget balancing bill. Recent News: ‘ Dozens of advocacy groups disappointed food assistance bill fails’ – Oregon Capital Chronicle HB5045 Budget reBalancing measure. “Legislature approves $7.5 million for Oregon Food Bank with COVID food benefits gone | Jefferson Public Radio” and governor signed 4/6/23 SB 216 A 5/8 governor signed . Related to data collected by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), request of Governor Kate Brown. OHA set a goal of eliminating health disparities by 2030 including those based on race, ethnicity, language, or disability (REALD) and sexual orientation or gender identity (SOGI). Other Topics Oregon announces it will stockpile abortion drug – 4/20/23 - Oregon Capital Chronicle. The Washington legislature passed a bill related to this topic Governor Inslee administration submitted the request and drugs were purchased in March. Lawmakers briefed on WA plan to distribute abortion pill | The Seattle Times. Washington state purchases three-year suppl y of abortion pill | 4/4/23 - Reuters. LWVOR corresponded with Oregon Planned Parenthood on Apr 11 concerning this topic. LWVWA supported SB5768 . The Washington bill was posted 4/5 and signed by the governor 4/27. End of Session Full JWM Budget Reconciliation Bill HB5506 A tentative list of Immigration/Refugee + related line items: - $2M OHA Healthcare Interpreter - universal representative fund / Oregon worker relief $8.6M DAS. Section 264 and 265 - Universal rep (legal) and legal services…. $4.8M section 85 & 86 - Language interpretation services $.5M section 76 - Latino Comm Ctr Pdx/Gresh. $4.1M - Immigration legal Services Oregon State Bar $800K - Migrant Bilingual educ team $2.2M - Afghan Refugee $2.5M League of Women Voters of the US on social media - June 23, 2023: “This SCOTUS decision rightly leaves in place guidelines that do not target undocumented immigrants for arrest & deportation if they don’t threaten public safety. LWV stands with immigrants and partners to support polices to provide a path to citizenship.” Where is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program Now? | League of Women Voters By State-Funded Health Coverage for Immigrants as of July 2023 | KFF Court to Weigh Effect of Justices’ Enforcement Ruling on DACA | Bloomberg Law Supreme Court immigration ruling allows Biden's deportation policy | Washington Post, Biden asylum restrictions at Mexico border can stay in place for now , appeals court says | Reuters HB 2957 A in JW&Ms, -4 Staff Measure Summary . Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Fiscal. League Testimony .

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 5/15 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to a topic: Housing Criminal Justice Social Policy Housing By Debbie Aiona, Nancy Donovan, Debbie Wallace, Penny York Republican walkouts have prevented the full Senate from considering key housing bills that passed out of Senate Housing and Development and are ready for floor votes. In better news, the full House adopted SB 702, which will require racial justice and implicit bias training for home appraisers. It is now ready for the Governor’s signature. Other key bills are also expected to pass the House and go on to the Governor for her signature. SB 702 : As mentioned in the introduction, this bill is awaiting signature by the Governor. It will require home appraisers to receive bias training to receive certification. Representative Ricki Ruiz sent a thank you note thanking the League for its testimony letter. SB 225 : This bill will address a problematic issue with how private activity bond resources are used to fund low-income housing. In addition to other provisions, it will eliminate the current “blackout period” that begins with the start of the new biennium and ends when the Governor signs the bond authorization bill. During that time, Oregon Housing and Community Services cannot move forward on affordable housing developments. Eliminating this period will prevent construction delays and the resulting cost increases. House Revenue held a work session on May 16 and recommended passage. SB 599 A : Allows tenants to operate home-based childcare by requiring a landlord to allow a renter to use a dwelling unit for a family childcare home if it is certified or registered with the Office of Child Care. The landlord can require a tenant to pay for improvements necessary for certification and carry some form of liability coverage. The House held a third reading on May 18. HB 2983 : LWVOR added its logo to an informational document on this bill to provide financial resources to Oregon Housing and Community Services and the Department of Land Conservation and Development for the purpose of developing new manufactured parks and drafting new model codes for them. Manufactured housing is a significant source of unsubsidized affordable housing in Oregon. SB 892 A amends housing statutes and laws of the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department and the Housing Stability Council. It will add federally recognized tribes as community development corporations to allow them to access and administer housing funds. The bill addresses the need to provide loans directly to individuals for down payment or closing costs assistance. It adds to the definition of residential loans for down payment or closing cost assistance to allow low- and moderate- income households to qualify for a primary mortgage loan. The Detailed in this bill are other corrections and conforming amendments. House Housing and Homelessness held a work session on May 18. Several housing bills of interest are awaiting a vote by the full Senate: HB 2680 would require more transparency when tenants submit applications for rental housing. HB 3151 would limit the improvements manufactured home park landlords could require of tenants. It would also extend the sunset date on a landlord/tenant dispute resolution program. HB 3462 would ensure that individuals covered by federal and state fair housing laws are eligible for emergency housing when an emergency declaration is made. This extends to people regardless of their immigration status. SB 611 is the updated version of caps on rent increases in Oregon. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley The following bills passed unanimously out of House Judiciary on May 17 and await the Governor’s signature: SB 212 B maintains confidentiality of peer support check-in sessions for Oregon Youth Authority employees. SB 745 A directs county juvenile departments to conduct sex trafficking screening for adjudicated youth. SB 974 A creates the crime of sexual abuse by fraudulent representation. SB 1052 amends statutes on human trafficking and involuntary servitude to include more categories of forced behavior.