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Back to Legislative Report Education Legislative Report - Week of 1/16 Education By Anne Nesse If you are represented by any of these Representatives or Senators, feel free to contact them about your hopes for educational progress in the coming Legislative Session. Editor’s Note: Find Your District and Legislators is posted on OLIS. Senate Education Committee members this session are: Sen. Dembrow Chair, Sen. Weber Vice-Chair, Sen. Anderson, Sen. Frederick, Sen. Gelser Blouin, Sen. Robinson, Sen. Wagner. This committee will meet regularly Tues. and Thurs. 3-4:30 pm. (live or recorded on OLIS site) Sen. Dembrow opened the first meeting Jan. 17, with a positive statement about how education is the foundation of preparing our entire state to meet future needs, security, and success. The Committee voted to accept two possible bills LC3960 and LC2268, and they will be assigned for future discussion. Informational sessions were held on roughly how we used federal Covid relief funds (accounted in the Billions of dollars), 90% of which went to local authorities. Several success stories were noted by those testifying from ODE and school districts, as well as working towards the goal of improving mental health for all, and meeting the challenges of students with special needs. An important discussion was had on enrollment declines in Oregon public schools. This was reported to be the highest at kindergarten and younger grade levels, high school enrollment being relatively stable. In the 2020-2021 school year, the home schooling population increased by 13,000 students, although the number could be higher, because not all families registered with their school districts. It was also pointed out that we know nothing of how many families transitioned to private schools during this time. There was also an increase in virtual school offerings within the public school system. Sen. Dembrow commented that we need to have a better way to monitor these changes to best meet student needs all over our state, within the public school system. There was a public hearing on SB215 , composed of technical language fixes involving food programs, child abuse language, speech language programs, and media programs, etc.. Several testified and it was noted that the word “libraries, and librarians” had been omitted. More work on this bill seemed to be indicated. Early Childhood House Committee members are: Chair Rep. Reynolds, Vice-Chair Rep. Nguyen, Vice-Chair Rep. Scarf, Rep. Anderson, Rep.Cramer, Rep. Elmer, Rep. Hartman, Rep. Hieb, Rep. Nelson, Rep. Neron. This committee will meet regularly Mon. and Wed. 1-2:30 pm (live or recorded on OLIS site) Rep. Reynolds, a pediatrician, opened the first meeting by acknowledging that this committee will merge with the former Human Services Committee. A public hearing on HB2479 was held, with mostly positive testimony concerning the need to legally protect Child Abuse Children’s Advocacy Centers, (except for the trial lawyers association, who would prefer the committee change some legal wording in the bill). House Education Committee members this session are: Chair Rep. Neron, Vice-Chair Rep. Hudson, Vice-Chair Rep. Wright, Rep. Cramer, Rep. McIntire, Rep. Nguyen, Rep. Valderrama This committee will meet regularly Mon. and Wed. 3-4:30 pm (live or recorded on OLIS site) Rep. Neron opened the first meeting with an overview report from Director Colt Gill, of the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), who is retiring at the end of this session. The Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) also presented an overview of their agency. Please write to us if you would like more information on coming education bills for Oregon in the 2023 long Session, as the 2 year budget will be decided. Anne Nesse .

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

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - September Interim 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 and Redistricting Elections, Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Public Records Election Methods By Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator, and Team Campaign Finance and Redistricting The LWV of Oregon has endorsed and is actively circulating IP 9 on Campaign Finance and IP 14 on Redistricting. We urge you to download, print, sign and return petitions by mail from Honest Elections for IP 9 and People Not Politicians for IP 14. Both initiative petitions are due to be filed by July 5, 2024 with the Secretary of State. Elections, Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Public Records By Rebecca Gladstone Joint Info Management & Technology, Cyber Advice Another ransomware attack, in Curry County, expects $3 million in recovery costs. They didn’t trust attackers to protect and return their data, not to escalate, and didn’t pay ransom. They are calling for legislation to develop, supply and fund rapid cyber response teams. Cyber Insurance is not an easy out. You can’t get cyber insurance without using multi-factor authentication (MFA) and other safety precautions. Insurance policies are less available, more expensive, with increasingly higher deductibles. Cyber firms can review your exposure, help you to improve your safety, and help to set up emergency plans. You can be prepared if you receive a note, as Curry County did on a printer: You’ve been attacked, are being held hostage. Cyber Advice: Check URLs before clicking on links. Prevent exposure, don’t let malware in. Even if messages look okay, they may be “spoofing” to get your ID, credit card number, etc. Never give out personal information if they call or email you. Don’t use their links or phone numbers. Call your bank back using a known phone number. Log on to your trusted website links, not in messages that may not be legit. Regularly back up your files and use a security scan. Curry County had NO backups. Use MFA, add a security step to be safer. Use MFA, by confirming with a code to your cell or email, using a code generator app. This can prevent most problems. Have a security protocol. Curry County now prohibits plugging in outside devices, like thumb drives, into their hardware. Make sure your group (our Leagues’ leaders, for example) know about the plans, and we all step up to not being weak links that let malware in the back door. House Rules Committee Meeting 9/28/23 We look forward to working on extensive meeting materials from the Secretary of State. Others spoke to the condition of Oregon’s local journalism, of deep concern to us, with “Free Press and the Survival of Democracy” as our LWVOR 2023 state convention theme. Electronic Portal Advisory Board ( EPAB ) The board oversees state websites, currently analyzing public survey results, overseeing agency project updates, increasing other languages access, improving cybersecurity awareness, and increasing lateral connections between agency sites, for easier navigation. The Board meets quarterly, with Governor-appointed members, including a UO Computer Science grad student just added and League member Becky Gladstone as the public member since 2018. We welcome comments, for example, from Sen Jeff Golden’s news, wanting easier navigation. “I’m retired,” he said, “and have time and ability to find information about this program online. But I can’t find what I need to know about requirements, about where and how I can have my say on proposed rules, on what incentives there could be to do the work on my land. There are too many programs and agencies to keep track of!” Action since our Sine Die report: HB 2107 effective Jan 1, 2024, to extend automatic voter registration to certain Oregon Health Authority clients. Our testimony in support , filed late in the session, glad that early support for a pilot program at Powder River Women’s correctional facility was reinstated. HB 2049 Enrolled took effect July 31, 2023, to transfer OR Cyber Ad council from EIS to OR Cyber Center of Excellence. Ceremonial signing Sept 27, LWVOR invited. HB 2052 Enrolled data broker registry, effective July 27, 2023, first in the nation. HB 2490 Enrolled effective Jan 1, 2024 for cybersecurity defense plan protection. HB 3073 Enrolled took effect Sept 24, to protect candidate home address disclosure, on request. SB 619 Enrolled effective Jan 1, 2024, for consumers’ personal data rights. Republican Aug 8 PR on unexcused Senate absences administrative rule (OAR). CFR, Campaign Finance Reform, from SoS: Clear Initiative The CLEAR initiative is a new project aiming to increase compliance with Oregon’s campaign finance laws through greater transparency and education. Everyone wins when campaigns play by the rules. This summer, the Elections Division announced three initial steps for an ongoing project: increase visibility for online campaign finance information a new database of campaign finance violations and associated penalties more training and educational materials to help campaigns comply with the rules Learn more on the Elections Division’s website . Election Methods By Barbara Klein There were no bills taken up during this interim legislative session that relate to election systems. There were rumors of some efforts to oppose Ranked Choice Voting via legislation or the ballot, but as of yet, it is unclear whether this will materialize. Due to the decision of the legislature in June 2023, Ranked Choice Voting will be on the 2024 general ballot (for implementation in 2028).

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 1/20 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Agriculture Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Department of State Lands (DSL) Drinking Water Advisory Committee Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) Emergency Management Forestry (ODF) Land Use and Housing Mining Oregon Watershed Enhancement Water Wildfire Agriculture By Sandra Bishop A League member attended virtually the Dec. 18-19 Board of Agriculture meeting. Peter Kenagy, Albany area farmer, announced the reactivation of the Ag for Oregon group who will be advocating for agricultural land use protections and address the expansion of agri-tourism. Samantha Bayer, Oregon Property Owners Association, and member of the panel on Agri-tourism and Land Use announced that next session they will push for changes in the farm stand state statute to increase agri-tourism uses. The League may need to consider any proposed legislation. We are strong advocates of Goal 3, Agriculture.The Board approved an edited Resolution 314: Permitted Uses on Lands Zoned Exclusive Farm Use and on High-Value Farmland. A phrase was deleted from the published, edited version. There may be a special board meeting called in January for the Board of Ag to agree on legislative priorities. Here are the new Dept. of Land Conservation and Development Farm & Forest Rules. Congress passed a Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government until March 14 with $10 billion disaster aid for farmers. The bill also includes a one-year extension of the Farm Bill (until Sept. 2025). The Farm Bill includes money for nutrition programs like food stamps. It also includes $29 billion for conservation. Many of Oregon’s conservation programs rely on that federal funding. You can read more in the Oregon Capitol Chronicle . See in this legislative report under “Water” for the latest on nitrates in groundwater in the Umatilla Basin. Budgets/Revenue By Peggy Lynch The next Revenue Forecast will be Feb. 26th. The legislature will use that forecast to do a final rebalance of the 2023-25 budget. Then the May 14th forecast will be the basis for the legislature to determine the 2025-27 state budget. Now that the Governor’s budget (GRB) has been released, the state agencies, who work for the Governor, can only advocate for the GRB. Their agency request budgets (ARBs) were used as a basis for the Governor’s decisions, but it is the GRB that now governs. Look for bill numbers HB 50xx and SB 55xx for the agencies’ budgets you might want to follow. If you add them to your OLIS subscription, you will get a notice when they might be heard in one of the Ways and Means Subcommittees. After some orientation, look for budgets to be heard beginning the second week of session. The Governor proposes; the legislature disposes. And those of us who engage in the budget process now must focus on convincing legislators (especially the Ways and Means Committee and the Subcommittees) of the need to fund those programs and staffing, using the League’s Legislative Priorities | LWV of Oregon and our adopted positions as our guide. The State Debt Policy Advisory Commission will provide bonding guidance in January of 2025. Climate See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. There are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. Coastal Issues By Christine Moffitt and Peggy Lynch Among the issues the League is following are shoreline erosion , low ocean oxygen levels , and protection of eelgrass (watch for legislation). A report from the Oregon Kelp Alliance found that nearly two-thirds of the state’s kelp forests have died out over the last decade. A multitude of factors appear to be behind the decline, including rising ocean temperatures and booming populations of purple sea urchins, which eat the kelp. The report also outlines future research and conservation strategies that could help protect the state’s remaining kelp forests. “Kelp forests are a key marine ecosystem. They act as a home and nursery for a number of fish species important in Oregon’s commercial and recreational fisheries.” We have reported on the potential for offshore wind off Oregon’s southern coast. OPB explains what happened. The Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap meetings have continued. For more information, please visit the DLCD webpage here: Offshore Wind Roadmap . The West Coast Ocean Science Trust will establish a 10-year detailed suite of strategies , needed funding, and timeline to address existing, emerging, and complex West Coast ocean and coastal issues, convening and engaging key policymakers, agencies, Tribes, academic leaders, scientists, and potential funders. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch Here is the Onsite Wastewater Management Program 2025 Rulemaking webpage . Because of the League’s work on SB 391 (2021) and additional bills in 2023, a League member is serving on the rules advisory committee to address sewer availability and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) issues. There are two additional meetings set for Feb. 13 and 26. You are welcome to sign up for email updates about this rulemaking via GovDelivery . Department of State Lands (DSL) By Peggy Lynch See Elliott State Research Forest below for the agency’s role in that issue. The next State Land Board meeting is Feb. 11. Drinking Water Advisory Committee (DWAC) By Sandra Bishop At the Drinking Water Advisory Committee (DWAC) meeting January 15th, it was announced that Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will adopt a new definition of Disadvantaged Community (DAC). The DAC definition is used to prioritize eligibility for public funds to improve public water systems. Oregon, like all states, has a priority ranking system to address first any problems with public water systems that have the most serious human health risks. The state is also required to have a definition of disadvantaged community that meets the state affordability criteria for customers served by a public water system. This is to help prioritize eligibility for use of Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (DWSRF). The new Disadvantaged Community definition addresses other socioeconomic, environmental justice, and demographic considerations, beyond the one-income criteria in the current definition. The current DAC definition used to determine DAC status for funding water projects is: A public water system with a service area that has a Median Household Income (MHI) less than the state MHI. The new definition defines Disadvantaged Communities (DAC) as any public water system (PWS) with a Median Household Income (MHI) less than the state MHI, or If a PWS has an MHI higher than 100% of the state MHI but less than 120% of the state MHI, then the system must meet two (2) of four (4) criteria: Greater than the state poverty rate, Greater than the state unemployment rate, Greater than the state percentage of people with less than a high school education, Greater than the state housing cost burdened. The new definition was arrived at after public comment and cooperative work between OHA Drinking Water Services staff, Business Oregon, and an EPA State Revolving Fund contractor. Metrics for determining need were expanded and refined. The new broader definition of Disadvantaged Communities includes an additional 79 public water systems serving a total population of more than 2,500,000. The new definition will also include the nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon. Approximately 61% of the public water systems in the state and 69% of the population served by public water systems will be covered under the new DAC definition . There was also news about Small System Equipment Assistance (SSEA) forgivable loans. A pilot of this program was implemented in 2021 but was suspended as federal BIL (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) funding superseded the available staff capacity to manage the program. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) plans to re- launch this program. Application submission deadline will be August 15th, 2025 for small-scale additions or replacement of equipment and instrumentation needed by small water systems (serving less than 300 connections). Funding for projects will be up to $20K in 100% forgivable loans. Program materials and additional information are being prepared and will be available soon on OHA’s DWSRF webpage . Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) By Peggy Lynch The final environmental impact statement for the proposed Elliott State Research Forest Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is now available, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today. Read the Service's press release here . The HCP balances forest research and management activities with the conservation of rare species and their habitat in the Elliott State Research Forest. The final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is one of the last steps before federal agencies decide whether to issue incidental take permits to the Department of State Lands for federally protected species based on the HCP. View the final EIS and final HCP here on the Service’s Elliott State Research Forest HCP webpage. The Dept. of State Lands is asking for $10 million General Funds in 2025 as, hopefully, final bridge financing to continue to stand up the ESRF, hire staff and work toward self-funding in the future. Visit DSL's Elliott webpage to learn more . Emergency Management By Lily Yao A League member will be attending this Oregon Dept. of Emergency Management meeting Feb. 11. Forestry (ODF) By Josie Koehne See the Wildfire section of this report below and the Forestry report in the Climate section of this Legislative Report. Land Use & Housing By Peggy Lynch The League has again participated in a Land Use 101 webinar focusing on the statewide land use planning program with emphasis on Goals 3,4, 7, 10 and 14. One of the many 2025 session bills the League will be following and engaged in during its development is HB 2138 . As explained in this OregonLive article , the Governor looks to continue to increase middle housing opportunities. Because the bill had to be filed in Sept., expect a significant amendment to be posted before the first public hearing in the House Housing and Homelessness Committee. SB 1537 (2024) provisions went into effect Jan. 1st, including “adjustments” that can be made by cities rather than going through a variance process. Then the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis program will begin to be implemented “to facilitate housing production, affordability and choice to meet housing needs for Oregonians statewide. Three state agencies have vital roles in implementing the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis (OHNA). Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), Department of Administrative Services (DAS) and Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) are undertaking various tasks outlined by House Bill 2001 (2023) .” In order to see significant new housing, the League has continued to advocate for funding for infrastructure. The League of Oregon Cities provided 2024 Survey results : ”If all infrastructure needs across all types are summed, we find a tremendous amount of funding is needed. In total, as can be seen in Table 21, the total infrastructure needs for cities across both water and transportation projects is $12.2 billion.” Starting at page 35, you can read the list of needed projects and the possibility of housing IF the funding is found. Here are the new Dept. of Land Conservation and Development Farm & Forest Rules (also posted under the Agriculture section of this report). Mining The League has continued to follow the application for the Grassy Mountain Gold Mine near Vale. The next meeting of the interdisciplinary team of agencies will be January 30th on the proposed chemical process gold mine in Malheur County. The public notice and related documents are available. This is the first project using a consolidated permitting process where all permitting agencies are meeting together to process the permit applications. Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) By Lucie La Bonte We have a new League volunteer who will be following OWEB’s meetings and reporting on this important state agency. From its beginning as part of the Plan for Salmon and Watersheds with a portion of lottery funding, their success in funding grants has raised their stature. The legislature has added a number of other programs, including distribution of the Natural and Working Lands Funds and the Drinking Water Source Protection Fund (General Funds), both of which the League has supported. Water By Peggy Lynch The League will provide our first natural resources area testimony on HB 2168 on Wed. Jan. 22nd at the House Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water Committee. The bill requests $5 million for the on-site septic loan program, another $5 million for the Well Water Repair and Replacement Fund, and monies to help the Oregon State Extension Service reach out to potential recipients. The League has been a perennial supporter of the two loan programs from their inception. Another bill, SB 830 , that the League will also support when posted, would allow for grants in the on-site septic program and extend the opportunities to low-income mobile home parks with failing septics. The Governor declared an emergency for the Port of Morrow “My office has heard directly from producers and farmers in the Lower Umatilla Basin that pausing operations even for a short time in February would be devastating to the local economy and potentially shut down some operations permanently,” Kotek said in the release. “I did not make this decision lightly. We must balance protecting thousands of jobs in the region, the national food supply, and domestic well users during this short period of time during an unusually wet winter.” The League is distressed that the low-income groundwater well users are again not addressed . The League is proud to have been a part of advocating for many of these 2021-2024 Oregon Water Resources Dept. investments . But there is more to do. The League has been invited to participate in discussions on a new Water Stewardship and Supply Initiative with its updated scope . LC 3542 has been filed, and this work will flesh out the proposed bill which “Directs the Water Resources Department to study the use of water resources in this state. Directs the department to report to committees or interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to natural resources no later than September 15, 2026.” League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Here is a more complete website about drought in Oregon. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers The devastating fires in the Los Angeles vicinity have dominated headlines recently, highlighting the oft-referenced sentiment among the wildfire community in Oregon and nationwide that we no longer have a wildfire season, but “wildfire years”. Many California wildfire personnel and agencies had assisted during Oregon’s record wildfire season last year, and our Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) have provided significant and timely resources in the form of equipment and firefighters to help suppress these recent fires and save lives. The League followed with great interest the first meeting of the year of the Governor’s Wildfire Programs Advisory Council (WPAC) on January 17. After the introduction of new members, the Council received an update on Oregon’s support of California agencies in the wake of the wildfires. Details of resources provided to California were given by Chief Ruiz Temple of OSFM. Her report is well summarized here . She noted that resources were deployed within 12 hours of the first conversation between the two States, and that Oregon firefighters were the first out-of-State team to arrive on the scene. She also stated it was the largest out of State deployment in the history of the agency. Chief Ruiz-Temple’s report was followed by details of the response sent to California by ODF, which was coordinated with CalFire, California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Deputy Kyle Williams spoke of how well the two agencies, OSFM and ODF, work together and that they are really more than the sum of their parts. You may read about the details of those ODF deployments here . It was noted that while containment of these fires is increasing, there are troubling signs of returning dangerous Santa Ana winds mid-week. Finally, the Chief stated that while normally a deployment lasts only 2 weeks, the need may well arise to extend that. The Council relayed the fact that availability of the off-season ODF personnel was the direct result of the Legislature following through on a recommendation from the WPAC to allow some of the seasonal personnel to stay on beyond the normal fire season. They were pulled from fuels reduction/mitigation work that they normally do this time of year. The Los Angeles fires have, once again revealed vulnerabilities in our current approach to wildfire, especially in urban areas. There have been a number of recent articles covering these vulnerabilities. Urban water supply and its reliability in the face of a large urban conflagration is one area that isn’t discussed enough, and this article details that issue. This one paints a clear picture of the importance of fuels reductions and defensible space around the home, and home hardening techniques, which was also a topic of discussion at this same meeting. New regulations for homeowners in the Wildland Urban Interface areas which also fall in areas rated High Hazard on the new map , will be forthcoming, following the appeals process and once details are worked out. Building Codes and Defensible Space Code will be available before the end of the year, though the timeline for finalization and enforcement varies from agency to agency. There has apparently been a sizable outcry, as with the release of the first map, so the appeals process will take time. Regulations around defensible space and home hardening hinge on the aforementioned State Wildfire Hazard map. A very thorough OBP article details the map, its history and next steps. Derrick Wheeler, Legislative Coordinator for ODF, and Andy McAvoy, Oregon State University Wildfire Risk Research Scientist, gave an overview of the mapping process and purpose, and the appeals process. Find more information on ODF’s wildfire hazard web page . Doug Graf, the Governor’s Wildfire and Military Advisor, told WPAC members that there are approximately 50 wildfire-related bills coming in the 2025 session, and that more details would be forthcoming. One bill was highlighted in Senator Jeff Golden’s most recent Newsletter , and would establish a Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program within the Department of Environmental Quality. SB 682 looks to take advantage of a trend in getting “polluters to pay” for the effects of climate change, such as increased wildfire risk, flooding and more. Clearly, it is another angle on trying to find creative ways to fund the wildfire crisis, among other crises, being exacerbated by the effects of climate change. In other news, Cal Mukumoto turned in his resignation from ODF effective January 23, following a number of charges of not keeping the Legislature informed of the agency’s inability to pay vendors in a timely fashion for their help during the record 2024 wildfire season. That state of affairs led to the passage of an emergency wildfire funding bill, passed in Special Session, December 11, 2024. Finally, the Wildfire Funding Work Group, which was established by the Governor during the short session to find sustainable, adequate and fair funding for the wildfire crisis, will be presenting a report to the Legislature on February 18, 2025. A not-so-fun factoid from the New York Times: Between 1990 and 2020, the number of homes in fire-prone parts of California grew by 40 percent, according to research led by Volker Radeloff, a professor of forest ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. By contrast, the number of homes in less-flammable areas, like city centers, only grew by 23 percent. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The long legislative session begins in January of 2025. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered.

A tool for League members. Learn more about hosting hybrid events. Hybrid Event Toolkit Offering resources for creating successful hybrid event experiences that focus on brand messaging, content, technology, and logistics. Start Now Key Elements Of Hybrid Events 1 Checklist for Set-Up What A/V equipment is best for running a hybrid meeting? What Zoom webinar settings optimize virtual engagement? We have put together a checklist of hybrid equipment and best practices to review before your next meeting or event. More Info 2 Event Management Hybrid events benefit from flexible ticketing, consistent messaging, social media outreach, and more. See below for resources centering around marketing and ticketing your event for both in-person and virtual registrants. More Info 3 Optimizing Engagement Hybrid events involve balancing the needs of both in-person and virtual attendees. We have created a space for resources that offer best practices for optimizing virtual engagement while preserving the in-person experience. More Info Tools For Your Toolkit Essential Components of Running Hybrid Meetings A/V Equipment Marketing and Ticketing Virtual Engagement Collaborative Experiences Meeting Equipment Online Facilitator

Back to Legislative Report Education Legislative Report - Week of 2/27 By Anne Nesse, Education Portfolio Informative hearings were held concerning our State Treasury, and a proposed plan to decrease carbon-intensive investments in favor of a cleaner energy economy. We also heard informative reports on statewide early childhood care. On Thursday, 2/16, LWVOR submitted written testimony on HB 2601 . I delayed posting this, as our virtual testimony was delayed, due to the number of persons testifying, and then delayed due to the winter storms. The committee chair has promised to hear all previously registered virtual testimony. A copy of our written testimony is linked here . Rep. Pham, a Chief Sponsor of the Bill, presented a convincing case for support, recorded here . Her testimony included graphs on the increased performance of non-fossil fuel related stocks, creating increased returns for our State Treasury, and increased PERS benefits. Rep. Pham ended with the statement that current fossil free investments are showing returns on investment 5X greater than more carbon intensive investments. Rep. Golden, and Rep. Gamba testified in support, as well as a coalition of representatives from the organizing group, Divest Oregon, which includes the OEA and 100 other state groups. Only a few testifiers were not in support, or suggested amendments. This bill also brought support from the former New York Controller, Tom Sazillo, testifying on how well New York State was proceeding in its transition towards a fossil free economy, within its investment portfolio. The House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services held an informational hearing on Home-Based Child Care throughout the state on 2/20. Joe Baessler, Ass. Director, Oregon AFSCME, presented a well documented report, along with others. It was obvious that home-based care is the most flexible type of child care for workers living with unusual work schedules, or who ride the bus. These home-based child care centers (10, or up to 16 children), are all licensed by the state. Workers are trained and complete CME to remain licensed. It was reported there are however major issues, with ERDC, Employment Related Daycare, including late or missing payments, and no health care or retirement benefits adequately reward workers. Not all our new providers even know about our ERDC Program. It was reported that, “Infant care is very difficult to find, every county is a child care desert, and 70% of counties are child care deserts for 3-5 yr. olds.” The greatest problem is finding, maintaining, and paying the workforce adequately Mr. Baessler stated. “Without a workforce, more facility space is useless.” Then 3 Bills were heard to help increase the workforce, through the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC): HB 2991 , HB 2504 , and HB 3029. It was unclear how these Bills would positively affect the childcare workforce to meet present needs. We are also reminded that near the start of this session SB 599-A , which was written last session to increase the renters’ ability to create child care centers in approved rental units, had passed on the floor of the Senate, 27-3. It will now move to the House. Some follow-up work was done in this Committee on 2/22, as well as a few other bills introduced. House Education also met on 2/20. There were a lot of kids with bike helmets supporting HB 3014 in a public hearing to amend the statute about the way we are allowed to fund transportation to school, or for after school activities. These amendments could fund free transit, and “walking, or bike riding school bus programs”, to allow safer transport of children to and from school. I understand this is to involve adults supervising students who walk or bicycle to school. These statutes have not been changed or evaluated since 1991. We may be able to apply for additional funding from the Dept. of Transportation. Amendments may be needed. House Education also held a public hearing on HB 2189 , the need for TSPC to ensure pathways to hire otherwise qualified individuals to teach Career and Technical Education (CTE) in some districts. In Senate Education 2/21, a work session was held on SB 819 , awaiting -3 or -5 amendments, on what is considered restricted access to a school day, especially important for teachers, students, and parents to have a voice in these decisions. This Committee also discussed SB 414, to establish ventilation system assessments throughout our state, in order to increase the circulation of air in classrooms, and bring them up to date for health standards. Lori Sattenspiel, from OSBA (Oregon School Board Association), reminds us of the millions of dollars this will require throughout our state, and that federal dollars may be necessary. Amendments may still be needed? Rep. Neron, on 2/21 in Senate Education, introduced SB 426 , a Bill requiring ODE to give technical assistance to school districts for integrated pest management plans. Both Morgan Allen from COSA (Coalition of Oregon School Administrators), and Lori Sattenspiel from OSBA recommended amendments. House Education 2/22, introduced HB 3037 , in public hearing, directing OSU Extension Service to collaborate and collect data along with ODE, relevant to the students who participate in outdoor school. Sen. Weber, Sen. Dembrow, and Rep. Wright, as well as many others, all testified as to how life changing Oregon Outdoor School has been for their own children, and grandchildren. It was generally stated that this schooling occurs at an opportune time for students during 5-6th grade, is based on “hands on science and exploration of the environment”, and creates lasting bonds for many students. This particular bill is for data collection, to make sure we are not leaving some students out of this important facet of their education. The remainder of the week canceled hearings due to inclement weather.

Join the League of Women Voters of Oregon. Become a member to build power in your community. / Join / Become A Member / Become A Member Join 1 of 15 local Leagues or State Units! LWV of Oregon has members throughout the state with 15 local Leagues or State Units. Most Leagues offer free or discounted membership for students. Join the League in your area! Find Your Local League Register or Renew at the State Level Members who don't reside near a local League can join at the state level as a Member-At-State (MAS)! If you've already joined at this level and are looking to renew, you can use the same registration form linked below or download our printable registration form . Join or Renew Now! Find Your Local League "I fully support this organization with my efforts and funding- studies of current issues, Voter registration and education, volunteers doing legislative advocacy, something for everyone. Help us!" Rebecca Gladstone, LWV of Lane Co.

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 2/5 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Jump to a topic: Climate Emergency Highlights Senate Energy and Environment Climate Litigation News Volunteers Needed The 2024 short session runs Feb. 5 through March 10th. Bills in most committees must be scheduled for a work session by Feb. 12 and acted on by Feb. 19 th in the first chamber. The legislative calendar is posted on the Oregon Legislature website . Climate Emergency Highlights Planned League Testimony - Support SB 1559 GHG Emission Modernization - Senator Dembrow: SE&E Public Hearing is scheduled for Tues Feb 13 . One of the issues being discussed is using the word goal or aspiration goal . The most powerful legal term would be specific mandated reduction targets in 2030 or 2035 and 2040 with zero net emissions before 2050. Budget Omnibus Bill - End of Session JW&M committee: Support funding for: Healthy Homes, EV Rebate and Climate-Friendly Micro-mobility transport Programs totaling $50 million. Other Climate Emergency Bills League testimony posted, or we are following and may have testimony: Off-Shore Wind: League HB 4080 Testimony , Find discussion in NR Coastal Issues Leg Report. Clean Tech Leadership Bill HB 4112 public hearing is 2/12 and planned work session 2/14. Right to Repair: HB 1596 Find discussion in NR Leg Report, League Testimony HB 4155 Infrastructure funding study - Rep Gamba in HEMGGV committee, Public Hearing was 2/8 and new 2/13 HB 4083 Coal Act Requires Oregon Investment Council and Treasury to divest from Thermal Coal investments. Work Session HEMGGV 2/13 Environmental Justice: Budget Omnibus Bill– End of Session: Continue Oregon Worker Relief Funding Senate Energy and Environment By Claudia Keith Feb 8 th meeting was taken up solely with the public hearing on Right to Repair ( SB 1596 ). The committee was scheduled to hear testimony on SB 1581 (requiring PGE and PP to report to the legislature on their participation in a regional energy market) but carried that hearing over to Monday 2/12. SB 1596: Chair Sollman defended her bill as a hard-won compromise that addresses the main concerns raised against SB 542 last year: data security, intellectual property, safety, and liability. OSPIRG strongly supports the bill with the -12 amendment. Google also supports the bill as do dozens of small businesses including Free Geek. OBI is neutral, citing significant improvements: stronger protections for intellectual property and trade secrets and the removal of the right of private action (consumer lawsuits). Apple remains the heavyweight opponent, demanding the removal of the prohibition on parts pairing. Repair Done Right Coalition also opposes and the Consumer Technology Association has critical concerns about unintended consequences. SB 1581: Appears non-controversial. PGE is neutral since the -1 amendment would simply require the utilities to deliver an oral presentation before the appropriate legislative committee, rather than a formal written report, by January 15 each year. Other Budget Senator Dembrow‘s recent newsletter details his understanding of the status of current budget priorities. Climate Litigation DOJ Files Petition for Wit of Mandamus to end Juliana Climate Litigation - The Justice Department is wasting no time seeking to put this zombie litigation out of its misery, and the plaintiffs are not happy about it. Reason. COM. Our Children’s Trust Response . It is unclear at this time how the League’s (LWVUS and LWVOR) will oppose this new filing. News This Is Oregon Scientists’ Plan to Save the World – Portland Monthly The radical proposal of Oregon State University researchers aims to avoid climate change via greater biodiversity and more forestlands—and a no-growth economy. January 20 2024. Scientists outline a bold solution to climate change, biodiversity loss, social injustice’ PHYS .org . Senator Merkley: Take Climate Impacts into Consideration when Reviewing New Fossil Gas Infrastructure Projects - Merkley . Merkley, Colleagues: Allocate Dedicated Inflation Reduction Act Funding for Independent Methane Monitoring - Merkley https://phys.org/news/2024-01-scientists-outline-bold-solution-climate.html Climate Emergency Volunteers Needed Please consider joining the CE portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy areas: • Natural Climate Solutions, specifically Oregon Dept of Agriculture (ODA) • Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust • Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) • Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team)

 • State Procurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services)

 • CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets • Climate Migration 

 • Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment 

 We collaborate with LWVOR Natural Resource Action Committee members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics. Volunteers are needed: Training for Legislative and State Agency advocacy processes is available.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 2/5 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) Air Quality Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Dept. of State Lands (DSL) Drinking Water Advisory Board Elliott State Research Forest Forestry Land Use and Housing Reduce/Recycle Water Wildfire Volunteers Needed The 2024 short session runs Feb. 5 through March 10th. Bills in most committees must be scheduled for a work session by Feb. 12 and acted on by Feb. 19 th in the first chamber. The legislative calendar is posted on the Oregon Legislature website . Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) Lisa Charpolliz Hanson was confirmed by the Oregon Senate on Feb. 9 th as the permanent Dept. of Agriculture Director . Air Quality The 2022 Air Quality Monitoring Report is now available on Oregon DEQ’s website . Budgets/Revenue By Peggy Lynch On Feb. 7 th , the House and Senate Revenue Committees heard the latest Revenue Forecast . The revenue from December was only up $76 million, but in closing the books for the 2021-23 session, an additional $446 million was returned to the General Fund unspent. There is about $1.656 billion total to be allocated. However, some legislators have shared that, because much of that money will need to be used for housing (the Governor asked for $600 million), Measure 110 costs (both behavior health and community safety), childcare ($78 million or more) and other priorities, there may be only $100 million for other legislator requests. Peter Wong of the Portland Tribune reports “Steiner said she wants to maintain the transfer of 1% of the budget’s ending balance to the state’s general reserve, known as the rainy-day fund, which is required by law. She also said an additional amount should be reserved for the full two-year cost of new programs started in this budget cycle.” “The economists have trimmed their outlook for revenue growth later this decade.” LC 305 was filed on Feb. 7 th as the beginning omnibus budget bill for 2024. (It will become a Senate Bill.) You will see items approved during the November and January Legislative Days in LC 305. Then there are state agency adjustments that have been requested. And monies to be saved in case of emergencies (such as our summer wildfire season) before the 2025 session and changing needs under the Oregon Health Authority and Dept. of Human Services. Currently there are concerns about revenue for that 2025-27 session so budget writers will want to keep money to cover those expected costs. Bonding capacity remains the same: $65.8 million in remaining general obligation bond capacity and $27.4 million in remaining lottery bond capacity for the 2023-25 biennium. See LC 308 and LC 309 that will be filled with bonding requests. These will be House bills and will show up in the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Capital Construction at the end of session. Every policy bill that is sent to Ways and Means will be considered with the recognition of this limited revenue and if there will be “roll-up” costs for 2025-27 or are they one-time expenditures. Look for those bills to be considered in the Ways and Means Subcommittees ONLY when they have been approved by the Ways and Means Co-Chairs and Senate and House Leadership. As part of the 2025-27 costs, the average for PERS contributions is expected to go up from 18.6% to 19.7%, according to a Milliman projection at a PERS meeting on Feb. 2 nd . That is slightly better than the 1.7% increase estimated last fall when the cost to the 2025-27 budget was estimated at $13 billion additional employer contributions. The official rate will be announced Oct. 4 th . The agency budget process for 2025-27 is beginning. Look for presentations to agency Boards and Commissions soon. More quarterly revenue forecasts will be provided before the Governor presents her budget by Dec. 1 st . Personal income taxpayers can determine the amount of their kicker using a “What’s My Kicker?” calculator available on Revenue Online . To use the calculator, taxpayers will need to enter their name, Social Security Number, and filing status for 2022 and 2023. Taxpayers may also hand-calculate the amount of their credit by multiplying their 2022 tax liability before any credits—line 22 on the 2022 Form OR-40—by 44.28 percent. Your 2023 tax returns could be filed starting January 29. Here is a good video on property taxes in Oregon. Cities and counties rely on property taxes for the services they provide. It’s possible that there will be conversations on property tax reform in 2025. The Oregonian provides some insight into that future conversation. Climate By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. There are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. Coastal Issues By Christine Moffitt/Peggy Lynch The League signed a letter in support of HB 4132 , Marine Reserves. The bill passed the House Committee on Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources and Water on Feb. 8 th and was sent to Ways and Means. Currently there is a fiscal request of just under $900 million for this biennium. The League adopted our position on Marine Reserves after doing our Coastal study in 2012. This bill recognizes the first ten years of this program, creates more specific requirements on its management and on-going public engagement. Those who were concerned about this program have, for the most part, joined us in celebrating its success. Dr. Sarah Klain will be the Oregon Marine Reserves Program’s new human dimensions project leader. The League provided comments on HB 4080-1 that would both address union labor IF offshore wind projects happen on our South Coast and create a robust public engagement process before any projects are approved. It is expected that the federal government may approve leasing parts of federal waters for offshore wind projects as early as this fall. A Dept. of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) letter provides more information. Dept. of State Lands (DSL) By Peggy Lynch The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is working with DSL to identify In Lieu lands (lands owed the State of Oregon on statehood that have not yet been allotted to Oregon). Click here to view the BLM Proposed Classification Decision , and a public notice that two forestland properties in Linn County that have been identified to meet the criteria for some of those In Lieu lands. Learn more and provide public comment through April 9, 2024. Drinking Water Advisory Committee By Sandra Bishop The Drinking Water Advisory Committee (DWAC) meeting was postponed to February 20 th . Agenda . Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) By Peggy Lynch A Dept. of State Lands interim advisory group on the ESRF met on Jan. 18 and again on Feb. 7, Feb. meeting materials . Work is continuing on eventual adoption of a Habitat Conservation Plan and a Forest Management Plan for the forest. Visit DSL's Elliott webpage to learn more . The State Land Board will receive a report at their Feb. 13 th meeting . A recommendation with structural governance may be before the Land Board on April 9. If approved, look for appointments to the new ESRF Board at their June 11 th meeting. Forestry (ODF) The Oregon Dept. of Forestry is holding community conversations in February as they do strategic planning. The public is encouraged to participate. On Feb. 23 rd the Board of Forestry will have a special meeting on Post-Disturbance Harvest Rulemaking. Agenda . There are a number of bills this session around funding wildfire. For information on the various bills, see the Wildfire section of this report below. Land Use & Housing/Dept. of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) By Peggy Lynch The League has been engaged in discussions for months on the Governor’s land use/housing bill, SB 1537 . A -4 amendment has been filed that reflects many of the changes as a result of multiple work groups engaged in this important bill. This bill and others may see additional amendments and be worked in the Senate Committee on Housing and Development on Feb. 13. As part of the effort to provide infrastructure so housing can actually be built, the League supported HB 4134 with testimony . The bill that will have a Work Session on Feb. 13 th . The bill includes a list of infrastructure projects in small towns around Oregon to be funded with a promise of new housing, especially for middle income Oregonians. Follow the work of the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis (OHNA) Rulemaking Committee on the department’s Housing Rulemaking webpage . And watch their meetings on the department’s YouTube channel. The Department of Land Conservation and Development is recruiting committee members for rulemaking for Goal 9 and certain Economic Opportunities Analyses processes. Applications to serve on the Rulemaking Advisory Committee (RAC) must be submitted by midnight on February 13 th . See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. Reduce/Recycle By Camille Freitag The League weighed in again this year on a Right to Repair bill, SB 1596 . We also joined others in support of the bill. There will be another public hearing on Feb. 13 in the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment ONLY for those who had signed up last week and didn’t get to speak. Then a work session is also scheduled for that same day. There are a number of amendments listed on OLIS. We understand that the fiscal (cost) of administering the bill has been removed because the Dept. of Justice has an existing fund for enforcement that is adequately resourced to meet the need. Meeting materials for the fifth Recycling Modernization Act Rulemaking Advisory Committee have been posted on the Recycling 2024 website. The meeting will be held on Feb. 14 on Zoom. The next meetings are scheduled for March 14 th and April 3 rd . To attend please Register via Zoom . To learn more about this rulemaking and the advisory committee, view the rulemaking web page at: Recycling Updates 2024 . Water By Peggy Lynch The Oregon Water Resources Dept. is considering recommending changes to Oregon’s groundwater rules to the Water Resources Commission. This slide deck was presented at their last rules advisory committee meeting. A written public comment period will open from March 1 st through June 1 st . Regional meetings will be held April 4 th in Bend, April 18 in La Grande, May 16 in Central Point, and May 21 st in Salem, with the Salem meeting being available on the internet as well as in person. It is expected that the Oregon Water Resources Commission will consider and may adopt the new rules at their Sept. meeting. The League is watching this work closely as is LWV Deschutes County and looks forward to the Water Resources Commission's adoption of this first set of updated rules which can then lead to updated Critical Groundwater designations as the data determines is necessary. In the meantime, many Oregonians are experiencing dry household wells. Updates on the Lower Umatilla Groundwater Management Area (LUGWMA) and our fellow Oregonians who are suffering from dangerous nitrates in their domestic wells: OPB and the Oregon Capital Chronicle provided articles as we follow this serious public health issue. The Department of State Lands is creating a new statewide program (Abandoned and Derelict Vessels) to address hazardous vessels across Oregon. They want your feedback on the proposed program framework. Share your input by Friday, March 8th! See the proposed framework for the ADV program here (PDF). The League has supported the creation of this program and the funding needed to remove these hazardous vessels from Oregon’s waterways. OWRD anticipates releasing a draft of the updated Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) for public review and comment in March. An updated draft is then anticipated to be available for a second public comment opportunity in May. The Oregon Water Resources Commission will hear public testimony and consider the adoption of the 2024 IWRS at their September meeting. For more information about this process, please visit the IWRS page on their website. The League hopes members will engage since we were actively engaged in the original legislation and in the first two IWRS documents. As a result of that work, our state water agencies have been funded to a greater degree than ever before. Quagga mussels, a serious invasive species that can raise havoc with water infrastructure, were discovered on a boat coming into Oregon from Lake Mead. Oregon needs to consider funding to address this invasive problem as Idaho is doing. Look for this issue to be addressed in 2025. It is a current license program at the Oregon State Marine Board with transfer of funds to the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife who use that money for an inspection program at Oregon’s borders that found those invasives. The League assisted in support of these programs. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Governor Kotek has signed drought declarations under ORS 536 for the counties of Crook, Jefferson, Grant, Deschutes, Wasco, Harney, Sherman, Lake, Jackson, Gilliam, Douglas, Lincoln, and Morrow counties. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers The short session is underway, and things in the wildfire arena are, pardon me for this, heating up! Leading up to the short session was a meeting of the Governor’s Wildfire Programs Advisory Council (WPAC) on Jan. 19. Doug Grafe, the Governor’s Wildfire Director, started things off with an overview of the bills the Council will be tracking and working on with legislators. Much time was spent on two upcoming bills from Senator Golden. The first, SB 1511 , would create a Neighborhood Protection Cooperatives Grant Program, administered through the Dept. of the State Fire Marshal. It would also direct the Dept. of Business and Consumer Services to work with insurance companies to explore the possibility of “rewarding” communities that participate in these standardized risk reduction programs with more favorable rates for homeowners’ insurance. The League testified in support of this bill at a public hearing on Feb. 8 before the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire. The second bill discussed at the WPAC meeting was Senator Golden’s funding bill, SB 1593 , which would repeal the current forest products harvest tax regime and impose a new version of the timber severance tax, which was repealed in the 1990s with devastating consequences for wildfire program funding. The new tax would apply to private lands with larger than 500 acres of timber and would provide funding to counties and to programs to protect homes, neighborhoods and water supplies from wildfire damage. This bill would be a referral to the voters. Two other funding bills were presented, and details of those can be found later in this report. There was also discussion of HB 4016 , which provides some technical fixes and tweaks to a prescribed fire liability program and establishes funds related to responding to wildfire smoke and home hardening. The League also monitored a public hearing on this bill on Feb. 5 before the House Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment. Closing out the WPAC meeting there was a presentation from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) on “The 20-Year Strategy – The Future of Landscape Resiliency in Oregon” and highlights of past and ongoing work to address fuels on the landscape, especially around communities. There appears to be a growing focus on the needed strengthening of the partnership and coordination between federal and state agencies with regard to our wildfire crisis. This is evidenced by these same organizations giving similar, expanded presentations to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire on Feb. 6 th which was followed by the League. As previously mentioned, the League is following two other wildfire funding bills that have been introduced this session. The first, HB 4133 , chiefly sponsored by Reps. Marsh and Owens and Sens. Steiner and Findley, makes changes related to the forest products harvest tax, establishes a State Forestry Dept. Large Wildfire Fund, and makes changes related to forest protection districts. That bill’s original iteration had a $10 tax on each property in Oregon, but that provision has since been dropped. Finally, Rep. Paul Evans has introduced HJR 201 and HB 4075 . HB 4075 would set up a task force to develop a plan for the legislature to establish a statewide public safety funding authority in Oregon. The Authority would have taxing power of up to $0.25/$1,000 property tax value. The establishment of this body requires a constitutional amendment which would have to be referred to the voters in the next general election in Nov. 2024. HB 4075 only takes effect if HJR 201 is approved by the voters. This article outlines some of the pros and cons of each bill. Update: The League will be signing on to a budget request for additional monies to the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Dept. of Forestry to address Community Wildfire Protection and Landscape Resiliency. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The long legislative session begins in January of 2025. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered.

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 1/20 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Jump to a topic: Climate Emergency Highlights Natural and Working Lands Community Resiliency Programs Updates Oregon Environmental Quality Commission Meeting Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust (OCT) Climate Emergency Updates By Claudia Keith There are now over 100 Environmental/Climate Legislative Bills posted or soon to be posted to OLIS in January. At this point here are a few that have been identified as potential League policy and/or budget Climate priorities: Update to Greenhouse gas Emission Reduction Goals. Bringing back SB 1559 (2024) 
 Natural and Working Lands ( OCAC NWL Report ) (see NWL LR below) SB 681 Treasury: Fossil Fuel investment moratorium SB3170 Community Resilience Hubs and Networks 
 HB 2566 Stand-along Energy resilience Projects – Governor Tina Kotek SB583 Study/Task Force on public banking/financing ( 2024 HB 4155 ) 
- Sen Frederick HB 2966 Establishes the State Public Finance Task Force (2023 HB2763) Representative Gamba, Senator Golden, Frederick, Representative Andersen, Evans SJR 28 Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment Leg Referral 
- Senator Golden, Representative Andersen, Gamba, Senator Manning Jr, Prozanski, Representative Tran SB 682 Climate Super Fund – Sen Golden, Representative Andersen, Gamba, Senator Campos, Pham Carbon sequestration / storage see DOGAMI Agency Budget Transportation package that prioritizes climate, equity, and wildlife: This package would build on the historic gains on HB 2017 (which included investments in public transit, Safe Routes to School, and vehicle electrification), to shift the focus to multimodal, safety, and climate-forward investments. This will create a system that saves money over time and builds a more resilient, equitable, and healthy future for all Oregonians.( see OCN Press Rel ) Energy Affordability and Utility Accountability Package* ( HB 3081 , SB 88 , LC 1547): Oregonians are struggling to keep up with skyrocketing utility bills in the face of ever-worsening climate impacts. HB 3081 would create an active navigator to help Oregonians access energy efficiency incentives all in one place. SB 88 limits the ability of utility companies from charging ratepayers for lobbying, litigation costs, fines, marketing, industry fees, and political spending. SB 553 LC 1547 ensures that large energy users (i.e. data centers) do not unfairly burden Oregon households. (*see OCN Press Rel ) Climate News: Oregon snowfall projected to drop 50% by 2100 among findings in latest state climate report (Oregon Capital Chronicle). NW Natural lobbyists also working for Oregon governments combatting climate change, report says ( oregonlive.com ). Environment Oregon's 2025 legislative agenda . Oregon lawmakers craft bill to shield consumers from the cost of powering data centers ( oregonlive.com ), Biden executive order opens up federal tracts to data centers (E&E News by POLITICO). Natural and Working Lands By Josie Koehne LWVOR is a member organization of the Natural Climate Solutions Coalition that meets weekly. The Coalition is monitoring the implementation of the Natural Working Lands Fund. The legislature approved $10million in 2023 to implement the Climate Change and Carbon Plan (CCCP) approved by the Oregon Department of Forestry in 2021. See our supporting testimony. The funds are funneled through the Oregon Water Enhancement Board (OWEB) to the other Natural Resource agencies, the Dept of Agriculture, Oregon Fish & Wildlife and the Dept of Forestry (ODF) for grants for climate-smart incentives. The LWVOR submitted these comments concerning ODF’s use of the Funds for the Board of Forestry meeting on Jan. 8 and 9th. These comments were referred to by State Forester Cal Mukumoto in his opening remarks, saying he would follow up on the suggestion we made to redirect some of the funds for a dedicated position to implement climate-smart forestry practices throughout the Department. We will be making a budget request during the upcoming session for his Climate Coordinator position. At the Board meeting on Jan 9, a panel of six climate researchers from Oregon State University’s College of Forestry discussed their areas of expertise and offered to work with the Board to assist in making scientifically informed decisions. An excellent presentation by Dr. Matthew Betts ended that morning with a very lively discussion and much interest from the Board for future collaboration. A video of that portion of the Board meeting can be found here . The day concluded on a very sad note when an emotional Chair Kelly announced that State Forester Cal Mukumotois was resigning his position as head of the agency and would end his term in just two weeks, due to “politics”. We are very unhappy to hear of his departure. Bob Van Dyck also has resigned, and January 9th was his last day serving on the Board. House CE&E Committee Meeting - December 11, 2024 -from notes received - Work session: The committee voted to adopt these LCs to be introduced as committee bills: LC 649 – Bottle Bill changes LC 701 – Rebates for purchase of battery-powered leaf blowers LC 1513 – PUC must create rules and framework for microgrids LC 1514 – Allows third party to evaluate a request to connect a project to a power system LC 1516 – PUC must take “certain actions to support microgrids” LC 2097 – Creates Agrivoltaics Task Force to study agrivoltaics LC 3674 – Requires battery makers to collect and recycle batteries Invited testimony: Community Resiliency Programs Updates Ed Flick, Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS): HB 340 9 authorized programs to address wildfire smoke, extreme heat and cold. ODHS is building congregate shelters for 28 communities across the state, deploying portable equipment including climate trailers, building coastal infrastructure for earthquake and tsunami evacuation. Resilience hubs are designed to operate every day, not just in emergencies. Have received 700+ applications from 35 counties with requests totaling $173 million ($10m available), identified 89 applications for award. Praise for the program from Greater Douglas United Way and Thrive Umpqua. Hannah Satein, Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE): County Energy Resilience Program ( HB 3630 ) goal is to provide communities with energy for hospitals, law enforcement, waste management, water supply, etc. during energy disruption. Awards up to $50K per county. Applications accepted through Feb. 2025. Christy Splitt, ODOE: Community Renewable Grant Program ( HB 2021) provides public bodies, tribes, utilities with grants to plan for and build renewable energy projects. Has invested $70 million since 2021 for 44 construction grants and 50 planning grants in 28 counties outside of Portland. Demand has been twice as high as available dollars. ODOE also administers Oregon’s participation in the federal grid resilience program and has submitted the state energy security plan. Oregon Environmental Quality Commission Meeting January 9, 2025. (~40 participants at peak) Presentation slides of the Department of Environmental Quality for the following items are available for download on the EQC rulemaking web page . Clean Fuels Program (CFP) Updates Rulemaking The CFP, in effect since 2016, is expected to bring about roughly half of the overall greenhouse gas emission reduction that Oregon has targeted through 2035.DEQ previewed this rulemaking at its November meeting. The primary goals are to harmonize CFP rules with similar rules in California and Washington and to improve program efficiency by accommodating new fuel technologies in Oregon. The rule changes are narrow and technical, focused on the methods and data sources used to determine the carbon intensity (CI) values of transportation fuels used in Oregon. This includes updating the full well-to-wheels OR-GREET fuel CI model and updating and adding simplified calculators for Tier 1 fuels. This rulemaking also adds requirements for (1) high-risk pathways to use attested source feedstocks to better ensure the environmental integrity of those fuels; (2) third-party verification of fuel pathway applications and electricity reporting (excluding residential EV credits); and (3) CFP handling of fuel pathways with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects. Per DEQ, CCS projects pose a unique risk to crediting under the CFP, as the CI score reflects carbon that is stored geologically and there is a risk that the stored carbon may be emitted in future years. The rule change addresses this by requiring fuel pathways with CCS to set aside some of the credits they would otherwise generate into a new reserve account in case of future carbon leaking. California’s CCS protocol uses the same risk-based methodology. DEQ plans to review this provision in 2029 to determine if an update is needed. EQC voted unanimously to adopt the proposed rule amendments. E-Cycles 2024 Rulemaking DEQ presented proposed rules to implement HB 3220 (2023), which modernizes Oregon’s electronics recycling program launched in 2009. Under E-Cycles, electronics producers must share in the responsibility for the end- of-life management of their products and materials. Effective Jan. 1, 2026, HB 3220 greatly expands the list of electronic devices a recycling collection site must accept ( See E-cycles 2024 Rulemaking Item D Presentation slide 9 ) and requires each county to maintain a permanent collection site, so that 95% of Oregon residents are within 15 miles of a site. Producer Responsibility Organizations must provide fair financial compensation for collection site operators. During the rulemaking process, DEQ modified the proposal to respond to comments the agency received regarding enforcement, market share, fees, reporting, product categories, and other issues. Slides 16–27 summarize the final proposed changes. Slides 28–31 summarize the projected fiscal and racial equity impacts. In brief, manufacturers provide the program funding to cover DEQ’s oversight costs. DEQ anticipates no direct costs to the public. The rules could reduce local government costs related to illegal dumping of covered devices. Collection sites, transporters, and processors may experience impacts related to environmentally sound management practices. The commission voted unanimously to adopt the proposed amendments. Public Forum Strong statements by Columbia Riverkeepers and other organizations opposing DEQ’s approval of water quality permit for the NEXT Energy biofuel refinery on the Columbia River. Climate-Friendly Equitable Communities (CFEC) Program Update Carbon Sequestration See also the Natural Resources Legislative Report Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) Budget Policy Option Package (POP) for 2025-27 (Funding is in DSL budget: $10 million from the Common School Fund with a separate position in DEQ budget) POP 103 – Subsurface Geology and Mapping, is focused on the carbon sequestration in basalt in 108 northeast Oregon. The Director explained how the method is done and showed a picture of the results 109 taken in Iceland. This is a way of developing economy in northeast Oregon and to meet the 110 climate goals/objectives of the State. It is in partnership with POP 106 – MLRR Class VI Injection 111 Well Regulatory Program, to create the regulatory program.. Oreogn is hoping the EPA approves Oregon's Primacy to take on this program. Geologic carbon sequestration possibilities in the Pacific Northwest: Two areas of study and opportunity are recognized for future Geologic Carbon Sequestration in the Pacific Northwest: the Western Oregon and Washington Basins and the Columbia Basin of eastern Oregon and Washington. See the U.S. Geological Survey interactive map for additional information – Geologic Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Interactive Map | U.S. Geological Survey ( usgs.gov ) . Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust (OCT) By Claudia Keith Recent OCT Press Releases: January 13, 2025 Merkley, Schakowsky Lead 41 Members of Congress in Filing US Supreme Court Brief Supporting Landmark Juliana v. US Youth Climate Rights Lawsuit; Public Justice & Montana Trial Lawyers Association Join in Separate Brief Here is one example of how to track DEQ CPP cases. Basically, there are several active federal lawsuits , Jan 2025 update) “Montana Supreme Court Ruled that State Law Restricting Consideration of Climate Change in Environmental Reviews Violated Youth Plaintiffs’ Right to a Clean and Healthful Environment” Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 83 lawsuits , mentioning OREGON.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Sine Die - Week of August 11 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Please see Natural Resources Overview here . Jump to a topic: Agriculture Air Quality Bottle Bill Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ ) Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) Dept. of State Lands Drinking Water Advisory Committee (DWAC) Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) Emergency Services Forestry (ODF) Governance Land Use & Housing Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept. (OPRD) Recycling Regional Solutions State Land Board State Lands/Waterways Taxes Transportation Water Weather Wetlands Wildfire There were 3,467 bills introduced with 704 passed, including agency budget bills. The League had volunteers covering a variety of areas, but never as many as there are issues being discussed! The League did provide testimony on 147 bills . The Governor had until Aug. 8 th to sign passed legislation, let them take effect without signing or vetoing. The Governor provided this news release with her final decisions. She vetoed a couple of bills and provided “signing letters” for 17 bills. Your natural resources volunteers addressed issues around agriculture, wildfire and water, as well as agency budgets. We worked with our coalition partners at the Oregon Conservation Network (OCN) on both policy and budget bills. OCN provides legislators with a “Hot List” of bills OCN groups are following—supporting, opposing or having concerns. A new group, the Oregon Ocean Alliance , provided a coordinated voice for ocean and coastal issues. We are a member of the Oregon Housing Alliance , where the natural resources volunteers follow land use, infrastructure and environmental policies while our Social Policy volunteers follow other housing issues. The League determines our Priorities at the beginning of the session. The Legislative Policy and Research Office (LPRO) provided a 20-page review of Natural Resource legislation for 2025. Below are summaries of the work our volunteers have done this session. But the work continues between sessions as we follow natural resource boards and commissions and follow rulemaking to implement the policies passed during session. You can find their meetings schedules on each agency’s website. The nonpartisan Legislative Revenue Office did a preliminary analysis and determined that Oregon could lose out on roughly $972 million in the two-year budget period that began in July based on various federal tax changes that will flow down to the state. Oregonlive provided a good article of explanation. We now await the Aug. 27 th Revenue Forecast from the State Economist who will also need to consider the effects of tariffs, proposed federal budget cuts and other federal actions as well as state economic news to provide on-going guidance for the legislature. Look for the possibility of more special sessions in the future to rebalance the state budget. AGRICULTURE A lot of proposals were under discussion this session to make changes to, or simply ignore provisions of Oregon’s land use law. More than two dozen bills were introduced with the potential to change what activities are allowed or restricted on farm land in Oregon. No legislation passed this session to change existing uses allowed on high value farm and forest lands in the state. Early in session the League gave testimony in support of two bills and opposed one measure proposing such changes. By mid-March it seemed clear that no other agricultural land-related bills were likely to move this session. SB 788 – proposed to exempt some eastern Oregon counties from existing land use laws governing the use of farm and forest lands for weddings and other events. The League submitted testimony in opposition. SB 77 – to clarify what home based businesses are allowed on farm and forest land. The League presented testimony in support. SB 78 – a comprehensive proposal to specify a maximum size for replacement of a farm dwelling. The League submitted testimony in support. All three of these bills died in the Senate Natural Resources & Wildfire Committee upon adjournment. One result of the plethora of bills proposing changes in use of farm and forest land was encouragement from the governor for interested parties and organizations to identify issues related to businesses and activities allowed on farm land in conjunction with agricultural operations. This led to the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) undertaking Farm Stand Rulemaking to clarify existing administrative rules and potentially surface recommendations for legislative changes to farm and forest land use laws if needed. OAR 660-033-0130: Regarding farm stands in exclusive farm use (EFU) zones and agri-tourism On July 25 th at the request of Governor Tina Kotek the rulemaking process to clarify allowable uses associated with farm stands and related uses on agricultural lands zoned EFU was “ paused ”. The carefully tailored rules process coordinated by DLCD apparently is no match for a social media campaign that resulted in more than 2,000 emails and phone calls flooding the governor’s office. Erroneous facts including statements that the rules on farm stand uses would go into effect on Sept 1 st contributed to the frenzy and flurry of protests. Regardless of the public uproar, the purpose of the rulemaking is to clarify what types of activities are allowed under a farm stand permit in Oregon; to protect farmers and agricultural operations by making it clear when and if a use is allowed, whether or not a permit is needed, and, if so, what type of permit. This rulemaking would only apply to new farm stands and would not affect agritourism and other activities already allowed on farmland. This rulemaking process was initiated in March 2025. DLCD appointed a 20-member Farm Stand Rulemaking Advisory Committee (RAC) . The charge of the RAC was to explore five areas or topics identified by a legislative agritourism work group formed after HB 3133 , expansion of allowable sales and uses related to farmstands on EFU land, failed to move in the 2025 session of the Oregon legislature. (See the 2025 Farm Stand Rulemaking Fact Sheet ) Lively, informative, in-depth discussion from a wide variety of perspectives took place at the RAC meetings covering: 1. Primary Use Test (percentage of income from farm products), 2. Promotional activities outside and inside farm stand structures, 3. Activities that promote the sale of farm products, the farm operation itself, or agriculture (such as on-farm education), 4. Prepared foods with a direct tie to the farm operation or the local agricultural region, and 5. Impact on neighboring farms. The first of five anticipated RAC meetings was held on May 16 th . Four subsequent 3-hour RAC meetings were held in June and July. One final meeting of the RAC was anticipated in August or early September. The online meetings were live-streamed and recorded and may be viewed on the DLCD Youtube channel . The official public hearing on proposed rules was expected to be held at the September 25-26 Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) meeting. The public comment period for this rulemaking originally set to close on October 5th was extended to Nov 5 th 2025 with the expectation that final rule adoption would take place at the December 4-5, 2025 LCDC meeting. It is now unclear what the rulemaking schedule will be since rulemaking has been suspended. DLCD staff described this process as Phase 1 of the Farm Stand Rulemaking. After the conclusion of this rulemaking at the end of 2025, it was expected that DLCD would recommend a work plan for additional phases of Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) changes to address agritourism and other commercial events, use of soils reports, replacement dwellings and non-farm dwellings. Contact Hilary Foote at hilary.foote@dlcd.oregon.gov with any questions about the RAC or the larger project . Rulemaking Webpage AIR QUALITY The League signed on to a letter in opposition to HB 2642 , a bill that seeks to divest the authority to administer vehicle emission testing away from the Department of Environmental Quality, to the private sector. The bill did not pass. Bottle Bill By Sandra U. Bishop SB 992 , the omnibus bill making changes in Oregon’s beverage container deposit and redemption system passed into law and has been signed by the Governor. The new changes will allow modifications in the operation of redemption centers and adjustments to the responsibilities of small and large retail stores to redeem containers. Any changes are expected to make it easier for frequent redeemers (those individuals who redeem containers on a daily or near daily basis) and give some relief to retail stores, especially in the inner-city area of Portland, through the use of Alternative Redemption Centers and implementation of a faster-turnaround accounting system for redeemed containers. Although most changes are applicable only to Portland, some provisions will permeate the bottle bill system statewide. Retailers will be allowed to limit the hours required to redeem: from 8am to 6pm if the business is operating during those hours. A winery may refuse to redeem containers of a type or brand they do not sell. A proposal to include wine bottles in the deposit and redemption system failed. A bill to increase use of reusable beverage containers also failed. Stakeholders are expected to be brought together every three years or so to continue to make suggestions for improvements to the redemption system. As early as next year stakeholders may again review the operation of redemption centers including issues such as drug use and overdose deaths in proximity of redemption centers, land use and public notification issues. The League has always supported the bottle bill and continues to support the most appropriate, effective, and environmentally sound recycling and recovery of beverage container materials. There was a flurry of activity around HB 3940 , a bill to fund wildfire issues, because it originally included a proposal to increase the bottle deposit to provide for that funding. That provision was quickly removed from the bill. (See below under Wildfire for more info on the bill.) BUDGETS/REVENUE By Peggy Lynch Here is the 2025-27 Legislatively Adopted Budget 3-page summary . In between legislative sessions, the Emergency Board (E-Board) can meet when called to expend monies provided to them (See HB 5006 .) The Co-Chairs of the E-Board (Senate President and Speaker of the House) are designated to be able to call a meeting. They will continue to review federal actions. Oregon will likely bring in fewer tax dollars, spend more money on administrative tasks and receive billions less in federal funding. Rep. Gomberg provided some concerning information about the potential loss of federal funding here in Oregon: Thrown into uncertainty was the Oregon Health Plan. State figures show 33.5% of Oregonians are on the state’s Medicaid program. About 14% of Oregon’s annual education budget comes from the federal government, amounting to more than $1 billion each year. And 17,500 preschool children are enrolled in Head Start . A March 28 th press release from Senate President Wagner shared more data on federal losses. Then from bloomberglaw.com : Included in the budget request is a $2.46 billion cut for the EPA’s clean and drinking water state revolving loan funds. The program “has been heavily earmarked by the Congress for projects that are ultimately not repaid into the program and bypass states’ interest and planning,” according to the request. This could mean a 17 percent cut to the clean water programs and a 12 percent cut to DEQ funding. Cuts to NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) will affect Oregon coastal communities per this article in Columbia Insight. Attorney General Dan Rayfield has added a federal litigation tracker to the “Federal Oversight” tab of his website. Check it out here . Each long session the Governor provides a statewide biennial budget (GRB) with individual agency budget requests. Her budget was due by Dec. 1, 2024. For natural resource agency budgets, start on page 141 of the web document. The Governor proposes; the Legislature disposes. It wasn’t long into the new U. S. President’s term when monies from the federal government were being cancelled, making Oregon legislators nervous regarding providing Oregonians important state services. The State Debt Policy Advisory Commission meets annually to provide advice on bonding capacity: The State’s General Fund revenues are forecasted to provide for $8.9 billion of new General Fund debt capacity for the upcoming four biennia, with an average debt capacity of $2.22 billion per Biennium and Lottery bonds were recommended at an average debt capacity of $564 million in each Biennium. The SDPA Commission will meet again before the February 2026 session. The February 2025 forecast reduced the December forecast by $500 million. The Joint Committee On Ways and Means took action on March 14 on five bills to rebalance the 2023-25 budget. Then Oregon’s Joint Ways and Means Co-Chairs introduced their 2025-2027 Biennium Budget Framework on March 19th. The federal “Big Beautiful Bill” (HR 1) will cut money from Medicaid and SNAP. Oregon legislators began worrying about how Oregon was going to continue to help Oregonians with healthcare and food insufficiency. The May 14 Forecast Summary noted that available resources were down $755.7 million. The muted outlook also affects non-General Fund revenues such as the Corporate Activity Tax, Lottery and Marijuana Taxes. Corporate Activity Tax revenues in 2025-27 have declined $44.4 million from the previous forecast. Lottery earnings are revised downward by $36.7 million due mostly to weaker-than-expected Video Lottery sales. Marijuana tax revenues are also adjusted modestly, down $7.6 million from Q1. The slide presentation . A personal "kicker" of $1,639.1 million is projected for 2025. Corporate tax revenue of $915.9 million is projected to be dedicated to K-12 education. The final calculation will be announced in November 2025. Planning for 2026: The co-chairs left unspent about 22% of general obligation bond capacity and 15% of lottery revenue bonds, which theoretically leaves some flexibility for lawmakers to make investments in next year’s short session. Agency Budgets The League’s Natural Resource Team provided testimony on many of the 14 natural resource agency budgets. To learn more about their content, look for the LFO Recommendation posted for each budget. More info is listed below under each agency. Following are the budget bills we watched in Natural Resources. Go to each bill’s “Overview” and select “Analysis” to find the Budget Report: Dept. of Agriculture: SB 5502 Dept. of Agriculture Fees: SB 5503 . At the end of session, the request for an information technology project, OneODA, to modernize IT agencywide and migrate from Apple to Microsoft was also funded. Highlights of DEQ’s Legislatively Approved Budget include: Restoration of Water Quality positions that would have been eliminated due to shortfalls of federal funds. These positions will now be funded through the General Fund. Protection against cuts to currently filled General Fund positions. Authorization of essential fee increases in the Air Contaminant Discharge, Greenhouse Gas Reporting, and Water Quality programs. Creation of new positions, using existing funds, in the Cleaner Air Oregon, Materials Management, Water Quality Grants, and Fuel Tank Seismic Stability programs. Establishment of an additional Environmental Law Specialist position for the Office of Compliance and Enforcement. Creation of three additional positions for the Climate Protection Program, focused on developing new regulations to prevent emissions leakage from energy-intensive and trade-exposed industries. Oregon Dept. of Energy: SB 5518 and Oregon Dept. of Energy Fees: SB 5519 Meeting Materials . The good news is that the Oregon Climate Action Commission is being provided with one fulltime permanent staffer. Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: HB 5009 ( LFO Recommendation ). HB 2977 would have increased the Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) that is collected at lodging establishments, from 1.5% to 2.75% total. (See TAXES below.) The bill passed the House floor, but did not make it out of the Senate. A 1.25% increase in the TLT: Revenue Impact Statement Provides the list of uses for the income: Fiscal Impact Statement . Of interest was the conversation around future legislator actions that might change or add to the use of this new revenue. We expect this bill to return in 2026 or 2027. Oregon Dept. of Forestry: SB 5521 . The Governor signed the budget bill but also shared a signing letter to clarify the distribution of the monies allocated to the Private Forest Accord and the link to the pending Habitat Conservation Plan. LFO Recommendation . HB 2072 , Harvest Tax LFO Recommendation . HB 3940 increased the Harvest Tax and provided additional resources to the agency. Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI): HB 5010 LFO Recommendation . Meeting materials LWVOR testimony LWVOR support ed SB 836 , a bill that significantly increases permit fees for mining related activities. Here is the LFO Recommendation for SB 836. Dept. of Land Conservation and Development: SB 5528 LWVOR testimony . LFO Recommendation Land Use Board of Appeals : SB 5529 LWVOR testimony , that included: We are pleased that the Governor included this work as POP 500 in the LUBA budget. This budget request was one of the recommendations of the Governor’s Housing Production Advisory Committee that received almost unanimous approval. We hope this Committee will also approve. The Governor signed, but also sent a signing letter to Legislative Leadership since the budget did NOT include the money for the IT modernization so needed by this agency. Oregon State Parks and Recreation Dept.: HB 5026 Meeting Materials LWVOR testimony in part to address comments by the Legislative Fiscal Office. LFO Recommendation . The Legislative Fiscal Office notes : During the November 2024 meeting of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission, the Department provided an update outlining concerns for the long-term sustainability of OPRD’s operational funding. The Department asserted that the largest known challenge for the 2025-27 biennium is addressing the gap between projected operational revenues and anticipated expenditures. Throughout this biennium as well as the next, OPRD’s operational budget is dependent on an existing beginning balance. This means the current level of expenditures, given projected revenues, is unsustainable for the long-term. While the dedicated programs remain sustainable, operational expenditures are outpacing Lottery Funds and non-dedicated Other Funds revenues used to support agency. The League will engage with these budget issues before the 2027 legislative session. Dept. of State Lands: SB 5539 LWVOR testimony in support. The agency asked for $10 million General Funds as, hopefully, final bridge financing to continue to stand up the Elliott State Research Forest, hire staff and work toward self-funding in the future. Also, $10 million in Common School Funds (CSF) was authorized to be transferred to the Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries for a Carbon Sequestration pilot with the intent that such a project will reap financial rewards to the CSF as well as help Oregon address climate change. LFO Recommendation Water Resources Dept.: SB 5543 LWVOR testimony . And the fee bills: support HB 2808 and support HB 2803 OWRD Budget Summary . Although the Governor signed these bills, she provided a signing letter for both SB 5543 and HB 2803: HB 2803 and SB 5543 Signing Letter .pdf Download PDF • 953KB Recognizing the resource constraints, however, I am directing the agency to work with my staff to prioritize its efforts in a manner that is achievable and most likely to advance the State's water management goals to meet in-stream and out-of-stream needs . Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board : HB 5039 . LWVOR testimony . LFO Recommendation See page 8 of this recent Director's Report for a copy of the Legislatively Adopted Budget (LAB). Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board 6-Year Limitation: HB 5040 LFO Recommendation Limits expenditures of lottery funds from the Watershed Conservation Grant Fund for local grant expenditures by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for a six-year period beginning July 1, 2025. Dept. of Transportation: SB 5541 LFO Recommendation The budget assumes passage of a transportation funding bill that generates sufficient revenue to support restoration of a majority of the ODOT’s Operations and Maintenance positions that would otherwise be eliminated due to the State Highway Fund revenue shortfall. HB 2025 , the comprehensive Transportation ReInvestment Package (TRIP) did not pass so 483 ODOT positions and some programs were announced as cuts on July 7—with last work date of July 31. With the special session on Aug. 29, the Governor asked that the last date be extended to Sept. 15 in case new funding is agreed to. The League signed on to a letter in support of increased transit funding in HB 2025. Legislative Administration Committee, Legislative Assembly, Legislative Counsel Committee, Legislative Fiscal Officer, Legislative Revenue Officer, Commission on Indian Services and Legislative Policy and Research Committee: HB 5016 LFO Recommendation Legislators provided testimony on their need for increased staffing and support for the departments mentioned above. Staff provided testimony on their need for fulltime employment and a work/life balance. A number of staff are only hired for the legislative sessions. The workload for our “citizen legislature” has increased tremendously—not only dealing with bills during session, but constituent services year-round. Among the changes funded are increased security due to full opening of the Capitol building in 2026, replacement/upgrades of the OLIS and 3 new legislative analysis and research positions to reflect increased workload. There is also money to contract for a review of salaries and number of staff needed by legislators. Sen. McLane supported an amendment to increase staff that did not pass. There was a discussion and assumption that having more information by the February session will help in any staffing increase change decisions. Lottery Bonds: SB 5531 : Lottery Revenue continues to be heavily dependent on video gaming, which is reliant on access to bars, restaurants and gaming facilities and showing signs of weakness vs expectations. Projected Lottery Revenue provides $2.25 billion of new Lottery Revenue debt capacity for the upcoming four Biennia, with an average debt capacity of $564 million in each Biennium over the forecast period. The Staff Measure Summary provides a complete list of projects. The amendment provides clarity on how the bonds should be spent. The League supported two of the requests: $160 million for preservation of rental housing and $25 million to preserve manufactured housing and $100 million Housing Infrastructure Fund in Section 14. There were over $2 billion in requests for a variety of projects around Oregon with only $442.7 million of net lottery bond proceeds authorized to be spent on 45 projects. General Obligation Bonds, etc.: SB 5505 : an average debt capacity of $2.22 billion per Biennium. Budget Report SB 5505 , with the -2 amendment , allocated bonding authority to the list of projects to be funded by these bonds. Six-Year Limitation/Bonds: SB 5506 is a bill that limits for the six-year period beginning July 1, 2025, payment of expenses from fees, moneys or other revenues, including Miscellaneous Receipts, but excluding lottery funds and federal funds, collected or received by various state agencies for capital construction. Budget Report . Senate Bill 5530 is a revenue allocation bill which directs funding levels for specific purposes as outlined in Oregon statute. The budget report, with more detailed information, can be found here . Emergency Board: HB 5006 , with the -1 amendment was populated with an amount for the Emergency Board to spend at will and amounts in Special Purpose Appropriations (SPAs) if needed when the legislature is not in session as well as a long list of other expenditures. There were also a few Budget Notes directing agencies to report back to the legislature on the legislature’s directions related to spending and other actions directed by the legislature. HB 5006 is the end-of-session (Christmas Tree) bill. Budget Report CLIMATE By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. There are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. COASTAL ISSUES By LWV Coos County Volunteers & Peggy Lynch The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay received funds from several bills to support the proposed Pacific Coast Intermodal Port (PCIP) project. The project plans include deepening and widening the Federal navigation channel, construction of a container shipping terminal on the North Spit of Coos Bay, and the rehabilitation of the 130-mile class 3 rail line from Coos Bay to Eugene. HB 5006 , the end of session “Christmas tree” bill, included authorization to issue $100 million of general obligation bonds for the Coos Bay Channel Modification project. The accompanying SB 5505 outlined specific requirements to be met before bonds could be issued. Listed were completion of the environmental impact statement for the project and the issuance of the final record of decision through the National Environmental Policy Act. Additionally, it requires that the Port, or a private entity engaged in a public- private partnership with the port, to have received a US Department of Transportation Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing loan through the Build America Bureau for at least $1 billion, or to have secured equivalent levels of alternative funding through other federal grants or loans. HB 5006 also includes an additional $20 million in the Oregon Business Development Department budget for the port to support the federal navigation channel modification project. (This is the last of the funds that were authorized in 2007 to be deposited in the Coos Bay Channel Fund established by section 15, chapter 746, Oregon Laws 2007. Initially this money was for dredging but in 2024, HB 5201, revised language to the allowable use of lottery bond funds set in place by section 15, chapter 746, of Oregon Laws 2007. This change in language allows funds to be used for the design, engineering, permitting, and land acquisition efforts related to the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port.) Finally, HB 5024 appropriated $5 million of general funds to the Oregon Business Development Department for the Coos Bay federal navigation modifications. SB 5531 provided funds for port development and established a new Container Port Improvement Fund for the purpose of providing grants for capital improvement projects to ensure that Oregon ports can continue to provide container service. $20 million of lottery bonds will be deposited in this fund for Portland’s Terminal 6 project and, potentially, other Ports along the Columbia River, with the stipulation that the Port of Portland has executed an agreement with an entity to operate the terminal. SB 5531 also authorizes the State Treasurer to issue lottery bonds, not to exceed $32.7 million, to fund Oregon’s share of the Columbia River channel deepening project. This includes a limit of $750,000 for the associated studies and ecosystem restoration projects. Since the session, the electrical supply to the railroad swing bridge over the bay into North Bend was severed recently. When the bridge was inspected, the railroad inspector found significant other safety issues and has said it cannot reopen until it is upgraded to its “original operating condition. At the July port commission meeting the railroad supervisor estimated needing $5-10 million to make this happen. KVAL news story The port has this on their web site. The port’s railroad operations are well over budget. They anticipated an average of 650 car loads/month for 2025 and are nowhere near that. The April 2025 year to date general fund shortfall for port operations is $452,000. The Port has $22 million in outstanding debt, with $1.4 million in debt payments anticipated for FY2025/26. The principal payment for the Terminal One property, (the old Georgia Pacific mill site in upper Coos Bay) is estimated at $530,000–$550,000 and has been deferred to FY 2026/27 per discussions with Business Oregon. The port did not get funds in the past session for dredging the entrance to the Charleston boat basin which is in an unsafe state. SB 361 was slated to provide funds for many Oregon ports to use for dredging. It did not pass. The US Army Corps of Engineers will dredge their portion of the entrance channel (currently happening) but the port has requested a $350,000 loan from Business Oregon’s Port Revolving Fund to pay for dredging their portion of the channel. (The loan had not been finalized at the July port commission meeting). The port is currently working on a new strategic business plan, required by the State. Business Oregon gave them $50,000 to do this. They contracted with a firm in Idaho, Points Consulting, who has been interviewing “key stake holders”. The fee for this work is $73,000. They are holding a noon “town hall” meeting on August 20. The Coos Bay League team requested a meeting and will meet with them on that morning. Neither HB 3580 eelgrass stabilization LWVOR signed letter of support nor HB 3587A Protection of Rocky Habitat LWVOR signed letter of support ( fiscal impact statement ) were funded this session. To help these bills get funded, LWVOR sent an Action Alert . The Governor has vetoed SB 1047 , a bill that would have required Curry County and the Water Resources Department to expedite review of applications for use on specified lands. See veto letter here. Oregon’s offshore wind energy areas are being pulled by the federal government per this article by OPB: “While the decision by BOEM to rescind the two Oregon Wind Energy Areas they identified last year takes the process for offshore wind development back a step, it does not preclude offshore wind indefinitely,” Although Wednesday’s action (July 30) by the Trump administration means there are no federally designated areas where offshore wind development would be allowed, the roadmap is set to be completed by mid-2026. The League signed on to a letter of support for HB 3963 , a bill that extends the timeline for the Dept. of Land Conservation and Development to provide a report on offshore wind conversations from 2025 to 2027. The League signed on to testimony in support. DLCD has a website on this project. OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT The Oregon Coastal Management Program (OCMP), housed within the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), is hosting a series of virtual workshops to engage communities in the development of management plans for eight newly designated rocky habitats. These plans, informed by coastal communities, will provide a framework to support activities within the designated sites. The sites are located near Cannon Beach, Tillamook, Depoe Bay, Bandon, and Port Orford. To learn more, go to the Rocky Habitat Meetings Page . In February at the Dept. of Land Development and Conservation budget hearing, we asked for funding for a staffer to continue to address rocky habitat, an element of the Territorial Sea Plan which the League has supported. Ocean Policy Advisory Council Meeting, October 29: The OPAC will meet for a virtual meeting of the Council. Meeting information will be made available via the Oregon Ocean Information website closer to the meeting date. Contact: Andy.Lanier@dlcd.oregon.gov DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch SB 1154 was filed by the Governor to address potential groundwater/nitrate issues in Oregon. This Oregon Capital Chronicle article helps explain the controversy. The bill does NOT deal with the Morrow/Umatilla Groundwater Management Area (LUBGWNA). This article shares the frustration with the weakness some see in the bill because of lack of clear enforcement mechanisms. The Governor announced signing of this bill and its importance to Oregonians , while also providing a signing letter to clarify the relationship between SB 1154 and the LUBGWMA. The League support ed SB 830 , a bill that modifies provisions of the on-site septic system loan program to allow for grants. It also allows for the program to consider mobile home parks in need of septic upgrades. The bill has been signed by the Governor. The League participated in rulemaking related to onsite septic issues. Staff briefed the Environmental Quality Commission at their July 11 meeting: Onsite Wastewater Management Program 2025 Rulemaking . Adoption is expected at their September meeting. See the Onsite Wastewater Management Program 2025 Rulemaking webpage for details. The League served on an annual rulemaking advisory committee on water quality fee increases. The committee forwarded their recommendation for the allowed annual 3% fee increase to the DEQ Director, who approved the fee increase on July 22nd. You can view the rulemaking web page at: Water Quality Fees 2025 . DEPT. OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES (DOGAMI) By Joan Fryxell The League provided testimony on the DOGAMI budget, including support for the Geologic Carbon Sequestration Pilot. On Jan. 28th, the House Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment received a presentation on the proposed pilot project on Geologic Carbon Sequestration Potential in Oregon. Follow up materials were provided. The Dept. of State Lands budget ( SB 5539 ) included up to $10 million to be transferred to DOGAMI to begin work on a project in NE Oregon on carbon sequestration. The hope is that it will be on Common School Fund lands and will provide a return on investment over time. The League provided testimony in support of SB 836 , a bill that would significantly increase permit fees for mining related activities. See the agency’s presentation to understand the reasons for these increases. The Governor signed the bill into law. The League continues to follow the Calico Resources proposed Grassy Mountain gold mine near Vale in Malheur County. The Trump Administration listed the Grassy Mountain Gold Mine Project . The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for part of the permitting. Per an article by OPB: The U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced Friday that the public can provide input on the project’s environmental impact statement on the agency’s website (click the green ‘Participate Now’ button) until Sept. 8. DEPT. OF STATE LANDS By Peggy Lynch The Director of DSL published a proposed increase in permit fees for Removal/Fill program: “ Oregon’s Removal-Fill Law helps protect wetlands and waters by requiring permits to remove or add materials in wetlands, rivers, streams, lakes, and other waters of the state .” A League member served on the rulemaking advisory committee . The new fees may go into effect Jan. 1. DRINKING WATER ADVISORY COMMITTEE (DWAC) By Sandra U. Bishop The League has a standing seat on DWAC . July 16 – Salem in-person & via Zoom; approx. 24 people attended. New Member: Craig Harper from the Network of Oregon Watershed Councils is now filling the Watershed Council position on the committee that has been vacant for some time. He is from Medford and sits on the Rogue River Water Council. Background: Oregon Drinking Water Services (DWS) administers and enforces drinking water quality standards for public water systems in the state of Oregon. There are approximately 2,500 federally regulated Public Water Systems (PWS) in Oregon, and approximately 800 state regulated systems. PWSs in the state range in size from large municipal systems like Portland Water Bureau or Eugene Water & Electric Board to very small systems with 4 to 14 connections. The Drinking Water Advisory Committee (DWAC) is a statutory advisory committee of technical, industry and public interest members meeting quarterly with Oregon Health Authority DWS staff for reviews and updates on water quality and compliance issues, public access to timely information and other issues related to the safety of public water systems in Oregon. Points of discussion: Changes at the federal level will result in less funding for water quality, including source water protection. State funding is expected to stay stable for the time being. Three to five years from now no one knows. Regulatory requirements are also changing. PFAS chemical monitoring is ongoing. Federal rules are expected to be finalized at the end of the year. It is expected that the 2027 date for initial monitoring of entry points to water distribution systems will be retained. PFAS detection is rare in Oregon water systems and is closely monitored. Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR) are required to be sent to consumers in any PWS serving over 10,000 people. Changes need to be incorporated to adopt changes made to federal CCR requirements. A CCR is required to be sent to consumers twice a year for large systems. These are the reports on water quality and any violations or threats to drinking water that utilities send to customers. Deep drawdowns of Lookout Point and Green Peter dams in 2023 and 2024 created water quality issues for PWSs. There are concerns with the extreme turbidity and potential disruption to PWS function. DWS staff reported that a process is underway to revise the halt criteria. DWS staff is making recommendations to the Corp. Deep drawdowns of reservoirs in the Willamette Valley hydro system are expected to continue for flood control and under court order since 2023 to improve fish passage of spring Chinook and winter steelhead. Interactive GIS Maps for water system and source water protection have been improved. These maps are available to the public as well as water system operators. One of the main purposes of the maps is to show Oregon Drinking Water Advisories (any advisory for risk to consumers). The interactive maps also show boundaries for Oregon Public Water Systems with automatic wildfire updates showing proximity of fire and evacuation areas. These exciting and useful new maps are maintained by the Oregon DEQ’s Drinking Water Protection group and may be accessed via the DWS website . The next DWAC meeting will be in October 2025. ELLIOTT STATE RESEARCH FOREST (ESRF) SB 147 clarifies that the management of the ESRF is now in the hands of the Dept. of State Lands and sets up a separate fund account for monies received to manage the forest. LFO budget recommendation for SB 147. ESRF website On May 28, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a Record of Decision and the issuance of an Endangered Species Act incidental take permit for the HCP for the next 80 years. The Elliott State Research Forest Board of Directors met virtually July 9. Click here to download the meeting agenda and materials . EMERGENCY SERVICES By Rebecca Gladstone HB 2581 : The League spoke and filed testimony in support of a statute change, substituting the word “seismic” with “hazards”, to coordinate coverage efforts through the State Resiliency Officer. The bill has been signed by the Governor. FORESTRY By Josie Koehne HB 3103 would have required the State Forester to manage and set harvest levels for cutting timber on state forestland at least every 10 years, after conducting a timber inventory. The State Forester would have required funding to carry out these duties. Testimony in opposition voiced concerns about anyone being able to sue ODF for failure to meet timber harvest levels and that timber harvest levels trumped all the other values state forests provide Oregonians. The bill died in Ways and Means. The League provided testimony in opposition. Comments of Climate Change and Carbon Plan Implementation testimony on Jan.4, 2025 HB 2072 Harvest Tax Comments on Feb. 3 2025 HB 3489 Timber Severance Tax with Referral Request on April 21, 2025 HB 3489-1 The timber tax bill we advocated for died in committee after a public hearing on April 24th, 2025 SB 1051 transfers the authority to appoint a State Forester from the State Board of Forestry to the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation. GOVERNANCE HB 3569 , a bill that would require a Chief Sponsor (legislator) of a bill to be a part of a rules advisory committee (RAC) for legislation they had a hand in passing was signed by the Governor; however she also issued a signing letter that addressed some of the issues of concern to the League. The League provided testimony with our concerns and opposition to the bill. We provided testimony in opposition to HB 2692 , a bill that would create complicated and cumbersome processes for agencies to implement legislation with their rulemaking procedures. The bill did not pass. The Governor has provided Rulemaking Guidance to state agencies. See also the Governance section of this Legislative Report. LAND USE & HOUSING By Peggy Lynch On July 1, the new Housing Accountability and Production Office (HAPO) officially opened to assist local governments and developers to meet housing production goals, per this press release . “ The office will bolster Oregon’s housing production by creating a more predictable regulatory environment for builders and supporting local governments in meeting their housing goals, ” says Governor Kotek. Their website . The Governor has announced signing of a number of housing bills, some of which are listed below: HB 2138 , the Governor’s follow up on middle housing bill, has been signed by the Governor. LFO Recommendation The League engaged on elements of this bill over the summer but chose to stay silent due to some of the provisions in the bill. HB 2258 is a bill that authorizes the Land Conservation and Development Commission to adopt rules requiring local governments to approve certain land use applications for residential developments using building plans preapproved by the Department of Consumer and Business Services . LFO Recommendation HB 3013 : Details the process by which a permit or zone change that is based on provisions of a comprehensive plan or land use regulation that fail to gain acknowledgment is voided and any resulting improvements or uses are removed or revoked. LWVOR support ed with -1 amendment. The bill did not pass. Infrastructure We also supported Business Oregon’s Infrastructure bill ( Governor’s news release ), HB 3031 A where we were hoping for $100 million in the new Housing Infrastructure Project Fund. SB 5531 includes authorization for $10 million in lottery bond proceeds for deposit into the fund. HB 5006 includes $1.2 million Lottery Funds for program administration and $1 dollar in Other Funds expenditure limitation for expenditures from the fund, with a budget note directing the Oregon Business Development Dept. to report to the Ways and Means Committee during the February 2026 legislative session on program implementation and project recommendations. From Rep. Gomberg: In their annual infrastructure report, the American Society of Engineers (ASCE) details $10.1 billion in total drinking water needs, $8.2 billion in total wastewater needs, 28% of roads are in poor or fair condition, and 170 high-hazard dams. ( ASCE Report Card ) The League provided testimony in support of HB 3939 , a bill that would have provided a list of infrastructure projects to fund for smaller Oregon cities so they can build more housing. Although this bill did not pass, some of the projects listed were funded in HB 5006 or SB 5531. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. OREGON DEPT. OF FISH AND WILDLIFE (ODFW) By Melanie Moon The League provided comments to ODFW on their update of Oregon’s State Wildlife Action Plan. ODFW SWAP LWVOR Comments.docx .pdf Download PDF • 84KB ODFW will incorporate public comments and submit a final draft SWAP to the Fish and Wildlife Commission for review and approval at their August 15 meeting in Salem. These documents present updated information for all sections of Oregon’s State Wildlife Action Plan. Website: https://dfw.state.or.us/SWAP-Revision/ Although the Governor signed HB 3932 , a bill that prohibits a person from taking a beaver on waters or watersheds that are classified in a certain manner or on public land that is within the watersheds or within 200 feet of the ordinary high water mark of the waters. she provided a signing letter of concern related to the role of Oregon’s Boards and Commissions with a caution to the legislature about these disparate roles. OREGON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPT. (OPRD) OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT The League encourages you to participate in a survey to provide input on the potential 2027 budget shortfall for this agency. The Central Oregon Daily provides this article . OREGON WATERSHED ENHANCEMENT BOARD (OWEB) (Lucie La Bonte): Director's Report for the July 22-23 OWEB meeting. This information includes a report on the 2025-27 budget. RECYCLING On Feb. 21, the Dept. of Environmental Quality announced approval of the Producer Responsibility Organization program plan and advanced the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act. The Act was supported by the League which sees this as a major advancement to addressing plastic pollution in Oregon. Expanded options are coming July 1. RECYCLING TIPS Here is a DEQ flyer to help consumers make recycling decisions Update: The Act is being sued by wholesalers per this article in the Oregon Capital Chronicle. Look for additional information as the lawsuit moves forward. REGIONAL SOLUTIONS OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT The Regional Solutions Program : Within each of the 11 Regions, which are tied to Oregon’s federally designated Economic Development Districts, a Governor-appointed Advisory Committee sets Regional Priorities and a cross-functional Team of state agency staff works together to move projects forward. Regional Coordinators, who are embedded in their communities and represent the Governor in the field, work with Advisory Committees and Teams to ensure effective state government support to local partners and serve as a conduit between the Governor and local communities . If you know anyone who may benefit from these publications, please direct them to this signup page . The public is welcome to attend virtually or in person. Go to the program website and to the region to find the agendas and meeting materials posted a few days before the meetings. Public Comment is usually scheduled. The League supported the 2014 legislation that formally adopted this program—first started as a Governor’s program many years before. Upcoming Regional Solutions Advisory Committee (RSAC) Meetings: • Central (Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson Counties) August 15, 12-2pm • South-Valley/Mid-Coast (Benton, Lane, Lincoln, and Linn Counties) September 17, 1-3pm • Southern (Jackson and Josephine Counties) September 17, 1-3pm • South Coast (Coos, Curry, and Douglas Counties) September 19, 1-3pm • Northeast (Baker, Union, and Wallowa Counties) September 23, 2-4pm • Greater Eastern (Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Malheur, Morrow, Umatilla, and Wheeler Counties) September 25, 1-3pm • Mid-Valley (Marion, Polk, and Yamhill Counties) October 9, 1:30-3:30pm (Aug. 14 th mtg. was cancelled.) STATE LAND BOARD By Peggy Lynch The State Land Board appointed Kaitlin Lovell of Colton, Ore. as the Oregon Department of State Lands Director during a special 30-minute virtual meeting on July 9 th . Per this Oregon Capital Chronicle article: A scientist and lawyer, Lovell has led habitat protection and restoration efforts for the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services since 2007. Her work includes oversight of environmental regulation, permitting, and land use. Recent focus has included developing a publicly owned and managed mitigation bank in Portland and establishing a financing strategy for critical environmental projects. The Board will also consider appointing Deputy Director Bill Ryan as interim director and setting a bond amount for the position, as required by statute. Appointment confirmed by the Land Board. The new Director is now traveling around the state to learn about issues for which the department has responsibility. She traveled to Corvallis last week and will be at the coast next week. STATE LANDS/WATERWAYS OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT Comment Opportunity: Leases, Licenses, and Registrations on Oregon-owned Waterways: The Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) is seeking comments on proposed changes to administrative rules (OAR 141-082) to achieve sustainable operations in managing waterway authorizations for marinas, ports, docks, floating homes, and more, as well as implement best management practices to protect the health and safety of waterways. The comment period is open from July 1 - August 15, 2025 (closes at 5 p.m. Pacific). Here is the public notice with details of the changes. TAXES There were a number of bills considered related to the Transient Lodging Tax (TLT). Current data . The Oregon Dept. of Revenue did a 2025 comprehensive report for the legislators. Currently, at least 65% of the tax must be spent on tourism. HB 3962 with the -2 amendment would have allowed (not required) local governments to use more of the income for infrastructure and public safety. Conservationists, with HB 2977 and amendments would add a % for conservation programs, anti-poaching efforts, the Wolf Compensation Fund and invasive species control. That additional money would have gone to a special Fund at the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. Neither bill passed but we expect to see them again in 2026 or 2027. TRANSPORTATION The Governor has called a special session of the legislature to address funding shortfalls at the Oregon Dept. of Transportation (ODOT) and counties and cities (fund share is 50/30/20) Per this Oregonlive article . Because it raised taxes, HB 2025 needed a 3/5 majority to pass—18 of 30 Senators, 36 of 60 Representatives. Governor’s August 7 transportation funding proposal . Two perspectives on ODOT funding from July 27 Oregonlive editorials: Rep. Christine Drazan and Rep. Susan McLain Since the proposed 2025 Transportation Plan did not pass, it is unclear if this political action committee “No Gas Hikes’ per this OPB article will also object to whatever might be passed in the special session. “ Bills passed by Oregon lawmakers can be referred to voters if organizers collect enough valid signatures within 90 days of the Legislature adjourning. This year, a referendum would require at least 78,115 signatures, equal to 4% of the people who cast a ballot in the 2022 gubernatorial election.” HB 2025 was the comprehensive Transportation ReInvestment Package (TRIP) assigned to the Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment . The League signed on to a letter in support of increased transit funding. The Oregon Capital Chronicle provided a view of the fate of the bill. The bill was sent back to committee where the A28 amendment was adopted. The Statesman Journal provided an article . The bill did not have the votes to pass so the Governor tried one last bill to at least try to provide money only to ODOT. (HB 2025 would have shared the revenue: 50% to ODOT, 30% to counties and 20% to cities for transportation expenses.) It did not receive a favorable reception and the bill died. The Governor then authorized a reduction of ODOT staff as of July 7, effective July 31. (ODOT currently has about 4,700 employees.) To be clear, local governments may also be cutting transportation and transit staff due to the failure to pass a comprehensive bill. WATER By Peggy Lynch The League provided our first natural resources area testimony in support of HB 2168 on Jan. 22 nd at the House Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water Committee. The bill requested $5 million for the on-site septic loan program, another $5 million for the Well Water Repair and Replacement Fund and monies to help the Oregon State Extension Service reach out to potential recipients. Although the bill died in Ways and Means, we did see $1 million added to the Well Fund in the end of session bill. SB 830 , that the League also supported , allows for grants in the on-site septic program and extent the opportunities to low-income mobile home parks with failing septic systems. This bill has been signed by the Governor. HB 2803 : Increases certain fees related to water. LWVOR supported. The bill was amended and reduced the fee increase. It was needed to provide current service level staffing at WRD. (See the Governor’s signing letter on this and the WRD budget bill, SB 5543 above.) LWV Deschutes County submitted a letter in support of SB 427 , a water rights transfer bill meant to protect instream water flows. SB 1153 , an alternate bill provided with help from the Governor’s office, had months of work group sessions among the various interests, but, in the end, the bill did not pass . From the July 9 th article of the Capital Press, Governor Kotek is looking to continue to work on this issue: Despite the failure of the bill getting done this session, we do need to stay on this topic. We have to manage our water differently. We have to identify ways to update our water rights transfer process,” she said during a recent roundtable interview. HB 3106 is the Oregon Water Data Portal funding bill for which the League provided testimony in support. The pilot portal is accessible here. The bill did not pass, but the project continues. The League has been engaged for many years around the issue of exempt wells—their allowed water use and lack of measurement of that water, in particular those domestic wells that are allowed to use up to 5,000 gallons of water for personal use and can be used by three dwellings, so the usage can be up to 15,000 gallons! (The average city water user is under 100 gallons/day.) The League provided testimony in support of HB 3372 to study this issue. However, it turns out the bill was yet another of the water bills that were amended and was NOT a study bill. The amendment significantly changed the bill to allow 3,000 gallons of water to be used for commercial gardens. We asked that our testimony be removed from OLIS since it did not reflect the original bill. We learned to wait until after a public hearing to understand the true purpose of water bills this session before providing testimony. HB 3525 is related to tenants’ right to well water testing. The League submitted testimony in support. The bill was amended multiple times and passed. At least we have a beginning policy related to testing of domestic wells on rental properties. The Senate Rules Committee adopted a B 11 amendment that addresses a conflict with SB 1154 , a bill that updates Oregon groundwater regulations by strengthening and modernizing the state’s Groundwater Quality Protection Act . The Governor announced signing of both these bills and their importance to Oregonians. HB 3526 would require well water test reporting in property sales. The League supported this concept in past sessions and did again this session but it did not pass. The Governor added “water” as her environmental priority this session as reported in this Oregon Capital Chronicle article.: “ Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and her natural resources adviser Geoff Huntington consider water quality and availability a top priority this legislative session .” “ Huntington said the governor’s office will back a package of bills that gives state agencies more statutory authority to manage water allocations and regulations in Oregon. The Co-Chairs of the House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water worked on a broad package of water-related bills. There is a Water Caucus raising the awareness of the need to address Oregon’s water needs. Oregon's Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) provides a statewide inter-agency framework for better understanding and meeting Oregon's instream and out-of-stream water needs. Here is the IWRS website . Groundwater issues continue to be a focus in Oregon as much of our surface water is already allocated. This article by ProPublica shares the worldwide concerns regarding our over pumping of groundwater. As the federal government continues to “downsize”, we understand that EPA's Region 10 (located in Washington state, but also serving Oregon) staff is or will soon be down to 60 from 100 employees. SUMMER PREPARATION TIPS League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Over 56% of Oregon is in moderate drought (D1), nearly 23% is in severe drought (D2), a small portion of northeastern Oregon is in extreme drought (D3), and the rest of the state is experiencing abnormally dry conditions. Governor Kotek has declared a drought in Baker ( Executive Order 25-12 ), Lincoln ( Executive Order 25-13 ) and Douglas, Morrow, and Union counties through Executive Order 25-18 ( here ) . Here is a more complete website about drought in Oregon. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms (HABs). “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. Information on current advisories can be found on the OHA’s cyanobacteria bloom webpage at healthoregon.org/hab . The OHA has an online photo gallery to help community members identify signs of potentially harmful blooms. As the summer heats up, be aware of the signs of potentially deadly HABs to your pets as well as humans. WEATHER OregonLive reports a weaker Polar Vortex and more extreme weather according to Extreme Weather Europe, a website that tracks weather patterns around the globe. A weaker polar vortex would mean more snowfall and cold winter days than with a stronger polar vortex. Here’s another long range climate prediction . WETLANDS The League testified in opposition to SB 511 , a perennial salmon tax credit bill that would create a new program to allow private property owners to get a tax credit for salmon habitat on their property if allowed to be used by a developer to destroy wetlands in another area of Coos and Curry County. The bill did not pass. The League participated in a rulemaking on Removal-Fill Program Fees. Proposed rules may take effect Jan. 1, 2026. WILDFIRE By Carolyn Mayers The 2025 Long Session was like Groundhog Day for wildfire funding once again. In spite of much political wrangling and high hopes for meaningful progress, the session ended, yet again, with no long-term solution to the wildfire funding crisis. This, in spite of a Herculean effort by the Governor’s Wildfire Funding Workgroup, which offered 6 potential avenues to provide durable, equitable and feasible funding for this increasingly perilous situation. More about this Workgroup, which came to be known as the “Fire 35”, may be found here . In the face of what is predicted to be another extremely difficult wildfire season, it feels like a “Doomsday Clock” is ticking ever closer to midnight on our state when it comes to addressing wildfire. HB 3940 , the one wildfire funding bill that DID pass, ended up consisting of a tax on some oral nicotine products and using 20% of the interest on the Rainy Day Fund for wildfire mitigation, as well as other components per this article . This bill went through MANY iterations before Legislators landed on this idea. This article by OPB shares the limited funding from HB 3940 : there’s still no dedicated funding to fight large fires like the Cram Fire, which has burned nearly 100,000 acres in Central Oregon. For further details, see this report . Additional funds were provided for various wildfire related assistance in the Christmas tree bill, HB 5006, including: $24 million for ODF wildfire severity in a Special Purpose Appropriation (SPA) to be approved to spend by the Emergency Board on an as-needed basis. There was also $150 million in a SPA for natural disasters. Additionally, ODF received General Fund $20,019,831 as part of their agency budget ( SB 5521 ). The Oregon State Fire Marshal received General Fund $13,014 as part of their agency budget ( SB 5538 ). Other bills passed: SB 1051 , which transfers the power to appoint the State Forester to the Governor from the Board of Forestry. The introduction of this bill came after Cal Mukumoto, the former State Forester, resigned under mounting pressure at the beginning of the session. SB 85 , another bright spot in the session, which directs the State Fire Marshal to establish a neighborhood protection cooperative grant program. Also, the Department of Consumer and Business Services and the Department of the State Fire Marshal, in consultation with the State Forestry Department and the insurance industry, will evaluate and develop recommendations for community-based wildfire risk mitigation to reduce wildfire risks and increase insurance affordability and availability. SB 83 , which repeals the State Wildfire Hazard Map and accompanying statutes related to it. The back-and-forth saga of the ever-unpopular Wildfire Risk/Hazard map, is now over. It appears that immeasurable resources were wasted leading toward this long, involved, failed effort that yielded exactly … seemingly nothing, except ill-will. SB 75 , which removes the wildfire hazard map (since it was repealed) as a guide for allowing ADUs and requiring higher building codes in rural areas. SB 454 , which requires the Department of the State Fire Marshal to create an advisory committee to advise the department on funding options for rural fire protection districts (RFPDs), instructs the committee to develop funding recommendations based on the review and report to the Legislature by December 31, 2026. HB 3349 , which provides Rural Fire Protection Association and equipment funding. SB 494 , which requires the Oregon Department of Administrative Services to study classification and compensation for forestry and wildland fire positions in state government. SB 860 , which allows the State Fire Marshal and an agency to take actions for fire protection and makes changes related to the Governor's Fire Service Policy Council. SB 861 , which includes grant funds, reimbursements, and moneys received from judgements and settlements as funds in the State Fire Marshal Mobilization Fund. Did not pass: HB 3984 A , regarding requiring certain public electric companies to pay any Federal taxes owed by recipients of settlements resulting from wildfires which were alleged to be caused by the utility. In addition, a study would be undertaken by the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to determine what other steps could be taken by utilities to ensure the safety of customers. The -10 amendment was adopted, and the bill passed the House but did not have time to go through the Senate. HB 3666 would have required the PUC to establish standards for wildfire mitigation actions and an accompanying certification for electric utilities in an attempt to standardize their approach. It did not advance. As expected, with the movement of HB 3940 as mentioned above, the following bills did not advance: SB 1177 would have established the Oregon Wildfire Mitigation and Adaptation Fund and redirect the “kicker” to it, one- time, for financing wildfire related expenses, by using the interest earned. A 5% return would have yielded approximately $170-180 million per year, or just over half of the aforementioned projected ongoing costs to fund wildfire mitigation and suppression. (The Governor had expressed interest in using only the amount of kicker that would go to large income earners for wildfire costs.) SJR 11 would have dedicated a fixed, to-be-determined percentage of net proceeds of the State Lottery to a wildfire fund created by the Legislature. Its passage would have meant an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, which would have to go to voters for approval. HB 3489 would have imposed a severance tax on owners of timber harvested from public or private forestland, had a Public Hearing April 24 before House Revenue, where it remains. The League has supported a severance tax in past sessions and provided testimony at the hearing. An update on the devastation of the Rowena Fire in the Gorge near the Dalles: According to an early OSFM report, Wasco County lost 56 homes (mostly manufactured homes with some stick built), 91 outbuildings, 18 vehicles, and 11 RVs. There were further damaged structures. Wasco County Emergency Management estimates that up to 50 percent of lost homes were un/underinsured, citing difficulties in insuring manufactured dwellings. At least two community water systems were impacted by the fire and at least one community septic system – in addition to many individual septic systems. The Governor’s Wildfire Programs Advisory Council (WPAC) met July 18. This article in the Oregon Capital Chronicle shares potential changes in the U.S. Forest Service offices where the Portland-based office may close. Oregonians have concerns about both the relocation and potential staffing cuts. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The long legislative session begins in January of 2025. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Revenue , Governance , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 5/26 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Please see Natural Resources Overview here . Jump to a topic: Agriculture Air Quality Bottle Bill Update Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) Governance Land Use & Housing Transportatio n Water Wetlands Wildfire AGRICULTURE By Sandra U. Bishop Farm Stand Rules Advisory Committee REPORT OAR 660-033-0130: Regarding farm stands in exclusive farm use (EFU) zones and agri-tourism The first meeting of the Farm Stand Rulemaking Advisory Committee (RAC) was held on May 16th. Staff introduced the topics and areas of endeavor that will be considered by the RAC. The online meeting was live-streamed and recorded and may be reviewed on the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) YouTube channel . The 20-member RAC is expected to meet 4 or 5 times. The public hearing will likely be in September 2025. This rulemaking process was initiated by the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) in March 2025 with the intention to clarify the Oregon Administrative Rules for farm stands and related uses on lands zoned EFU. The charge of the RAC is to explore five areas or topics identified by the legislative agri-tourism group: 1. Primary Use Test (percentage of income from farm products), 2. Promotional activities outside and inside farm stand structures, 3. Activities that promote the sale of farm products, the farm operation itself, or agriculture (such as on-farm education), 4. Prepared foods with a direct tie to the farm operation or the local agricultural region, and 5. Impact on neighboring farms. This is Phase 1 of the Farm Stand Rulemaking. After the conclusion of this rulemaking process, DLCD will recommend a work plan for phases of OAR changes to address agri-tourism and other commercial events, use of soils reports, replacement dwellings and non-farm dwellings. The public comment period for this rulemaking will close October 5, 2025. To submit public comment please email written comments to: farmforest.comment@dlcd.oregon.gov Comments must be in writing to be considered part of the rulemaking record. People may also make brief public comments at the RAC meetings. The next RAC meeting is Tuesday June 3rd. Rulemaking webpage AIR QUALITY The House Climate, Energy, and Environment committee voted 9-1 (Osborne) to move an amended version of SB 726 A to the House floor with a do pass recommendation. The Senate engrossed version would direct the Environmental Quality Commission to adopt rules requiring the use of advanced methane detection technology for surface emissions monitoring at municipal solid waste landfills, beginning 1/1/2027. The A7 amendment , adopted with no discussion, would limit the bill's application to a landfill located in Benton County (e.g., Coffin Butte). The two Reps. Levy voted "courtesy yes" and said they will oppose the bill on the House floor. Per the fiscal note, the advanced technology specified in the bill would cost local governments about $5,000 per monitoring event, or $20,000 annually per landfill. " Counties report that there are five publicly owned landfills in Lane, Lake, Klamath, Crook, and Marion counties that are currently in DEQ’s highest tier of monitoring and would be subject to the expanded methane monitoring requirements. However, there are numerous publicly owned or municipal solid waste landfills across Oregon, and...those subject to the new standards may incur additional costs if required to conduct follow-up monitoring within 10 days of detecting an exceedance ." One can assume that this fiscal note is the reason for the amendment to limit this regulation to Benton County. Related to this bill is HB 3794 , a bill that would create a Task Force on Municipal Solid Waste in the Willamette Valley. HB 3794 is sitting in Ways and Means. BOTTLE BILL UPDATE By Sandra U. Bishop The omnibus bottle bill SB 992 A , a conglomeration of several bills introduced this session to address problems with beverage container redemption in the Portland area, is now awaiting the Governor’s signature. BUDGETS/REVENUE By Peggy Lynch Following are the budget bills we are watching in Natural Resources. After passage by the Full Ways and Means Committee, the bills go to each chamber for a final vote and then on to the Governor. These agency budgets are moving quickly now that the Co-Chairs know the revenue they have to spend: Dept. of Agriculture: SB 5502 Info mtgs. March 24 and 25 with public hearing March 26. Meeting Materials Of critical importance is their request for a new IT system—ONE ODA--one of the many IT bonding requests this session. Dept. of Agriculture Fees: SB 5503 Info mtgs. March 24 and 25 with public hearing March 26. Work Session May 22 on both. Meeting Materials on SB 5502. Meeting Materials on SB 5503. And five other bills related to department’s various fee increases. HB 2805 Relating to food establishment licenses ( Meeting Materials ) HB 2806 Relating to license fees for commercial instruments ( Meeting Materials ) HB 2809 Relating to pesticide registration fees ( Meeting Materials ) SB 1019 A Relating to brands ( Meeting Materials ) SB 832 A Relating to civil penalties for laws implemented by the State Department of Agriculture ( Meeting Materials ) Columbia River Gorge Commission: SB 5508 LFO Recommendation The bill passed Ways and Means and the Senate. Now to the House chambers for a final vote and on to the Governor for her signature. Dept. of Environmental Quality: SB 5520 . Governor’s budget DEQ Fact Sheet Meeting Materials . info mtgs. April 7-9, public hearing April 16. League testimony . The budget bill had a work session on May 21. LFO Recommendation and Meeting Materials Oregon Dept. of Energy: SB 5518 info hearing 2/10, Meeting Materials , public hearing 2/11. Both SB 5518 and SB 5519 will have work sessions on May 20. April 28: Natural Resources Subcommittee info hearing on Department of Energy - Grid Resilience. Meeting materials Oregon Dept. of Energy Fees: SB 5519 info hearing 2/10, public hearing 2/11 Work Session on both bills held May 20: Meeting Materials . Bills passed Full Ways and Means and are now headed to the chamber floors for a vote. Among the good news is that the Oregon Climate Action Commission is being provided with one full time permanent staffer. Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: HB 5009 , public hearings Mar. 31 & Apr. 1-2; Meeting Materials , Apr. 3 ODFW Hatchery Assessment; See also the April 15 informational meeting on the Private Forest Accord and Aquatic and Invasive Species. Conservationists, with HB 2977 (a -2 amendment has been filed), would add 1% (or 1.5%) for conservation programs. That additional money would go to a special Fund at the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. It had a hearing in House Revenue on May 8. Work Session on HB 5009 on May 28, along with HB 2342 A Relating to fees concerning wildlife, HB 2343 A Relating to the Columbia Basin endorsement and HB 2345 Relating to Oregon hatcheries. Oregon Dept. of Forestry: SB 5521 . info hearing March 10 & 11. Public hearing March 12. Meeting Materials ; See the April 15 informational meeting on the Private Forest Accord. (See the Forestry and Wildfire sections for more information.) Work Session set for May 27. LFO Recommendation Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI): HB 5010 Public hearing Feb. 5-6; Meeting materials LWVOR testimony Aggregate industry testified against the staffing and fee increases. LWVOR points out that KPM #4 , mine inspections has consistently NOT met the small 20% target so, if staffing is needed to meet that target AND fees increased to pay for them, we will continue to support. LWVOR supports SB 836 , a bill that would significantly increase permit fees for mining related activities. See the agency’s presentation to understand the reasons for these increases. The League will continue to be involved in SB 836 because we need DOGAMI staff to do more than 14% inspections of mining operations. A public hearing was held on May 19 and the League provided verbal testimony on the proposed amendment (not posted). We are concerned that it will not fund the mine inspections we had hoped, but industry negotiated the amendment that received enough favorable opinions by legislators so we expect to see it pass the committee. A Work Session is scheduled May 28. The Dept. of State Lands budget ( SB 5539 ) passed Full Ways and Means, the Senate chamber and now awaits a vote in the House chamber. Budget Report . LWVOR testimony in support. Dept. of Land Conservation and Development: SB 5528 Governor’s budget DLCD Fact Sheet Public hearing Feb. 3-4; LCDC 1/24 presentation ; Meeting Materials LWVOR testimony Land Use Board of Appeals: SB 5529 Public hearing Feb. 27 LWVOR testimony . The bill had a work session and passed Full Ways and Means on May 23. SB 817 is a bill to request a minor fee increase. It has passed the legislature. The budget assumed passage of the bill and included the income in the approved budget. Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB): HB 5021 and HB 2558 A modifies the definition of "charter guide" for purposes of outfitter and guide laws and HB 2982 A , a bill that increases boating permit costs estimated to increase revenue to OSMB by about $1 million for the 2025-27 biennium, most of which will be used to address Aquatic and Invasive Species (AIS) management in partnership with the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife were considered together. Here is the Legislative Fiscal Office recommendation for each of the three bills. The bills as recommended passed Full Ways and Means on May 16 and now go to the chamber floors. HB 5021, HB 2558 and HB 2982 all passed the House chamber and move to the Senate. Oregon State Parks and Recreation Dept.: HB 5026 info hearings March 3-4, public hearing March 5. Meeting Materials LWVOR testimony in part to address comments by the Legislative Fiscal Office. Dept. of State Lands: SB 5539 LWVOR testimony in support. LFO 2025-27 budget recommendation . LFO budget recommendation for SB 147. Both bills passed the Senate and now go to the House chamber for approval. Water Resources Dept.: SB 5543 Governor’s budget WRD Fact Sheet Here is a summary of the Governor’s budget. Governor's Budget and Agency Request Budget documents are available online here . Info Mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 18-20. Meeting Materials . LWVOR testimony . And the fee bills: support HB 2808 (Bill moved to Ways and Means) and support HB 2803 (The - 3 amendment was adopted, reducing the fees significantly which will cause the department a revenue shortfall should the amendment stand the scrutiny of Ways and Means where it now lies.) Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: HB 5039 . Info mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 25-27 LWVOR testimony . Meeting Materials Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board 6-Year Limitation: HB 5040 (Limits expenditures of lottery funds from the Watershed Conservation Grant Fund for local grant expenditures by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for a six-year period beginning July 1, 2025.) Info mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 25-26 Oregon Business Development Dept.: HB 5024 Info mtgs. 3/12, 13 & 17. Public Hring 3/18. Additional informational meetings: Held April 7 and April 22. Oregon Dept. of Emergency Management: SB 5517 info hearing 4/7&8. Public hearing 4/09; Work Session May 21. LFO Recommendation . Also worked were SB 234 (LFO Recommendation) and SB 826 (LFO Recommendation) SB 826 transfers duties, functions, and powers from the State Chief Information Officer regarding the Oregon Statewide Communication Interoperability Plan (OSCIP) to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (ODEM). Office of the Governor: SB 5523 LFO meeting materials . April 28 Public hearing. Work Session May 28. Oregon State Fire Marshal: SB 5538 info hearing 2/19, public hearing 2/20. Oregon Dept. of Transportation (ODOT): SB 5541 info hearing 3/03-6, public hearing 3/11. The League signed on to a letter in support of increased transit funding. The Joint Committee on Transportation ended its work on May 23rd but a new committee ( Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment ) has taken over in hopes of coming to agreement on a comprehensive package before the end of session. See below for more information on the latest plans to address ODOT’s revenue needs. Dept. of Administrative Services: HB 5002 info hearings 3/03-5, public hearing 3/06. Meeting Materials Work Session May 29. Legislative Administration Committee, Legislative Assembly, Legislative Counsel Committee, Legislative Fiscal Officer, Legislative Revenue Officer, Commission on Indian Services and Legislative Policy and Research Committee: HB 5016 Info hearings 4/29-30. Public hearing May 1st. Lottery Bonds: SB 5531 : an average debt capacity of $564 million in each Biennium. Public hearing May 9 and May 16 @ 1p. The League supported two of the requests: $160 million for preservation of rental housing and $25 million to preserve manufactured housing and $100 million Housing Infrastructure Fund in Section 14. There are over $2 billion in requests for a variety of projects around Oregon! Emergency Board: HB 5006 This bill will be populated with an amount for the Emergency Board to spend at will and amounts in Special Purpose Appropriations if needed when the legislature is not in session. General Obligation Bonds, etc.: SB 5505 : an average debt capacity of $2.22 billion per Biennium. Public hearing held April 18. Second public hearing, this time on university and community college requests, was held May 2. Six-Year Limitation/Bonds: SB 5506 (Limits for the six-year period beginning July 1, 2025, payment of expenses from fees, moneys or other revenues, including Miscellaneous Receipts, but excluding lottery funds and federal funds, collected or received by various state agencies for capital construction.) Public hearing held May 2. CLIMATE By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. There are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. COASTAL ISSUES The League supports HB 3580 eelgrass stabilization LWVOR signed letter of support and HB 3587A Protection of Rocky Habitat LWVOR signed letter of support ( fiscal impact statement ). To help these bills get funded, consider LWVOR’s Action Alert. The League signed on to a letter of support for HB 3963 , a bill that extends the timeline for the Dept. of Land Conservation and Development to provide a report on offshore wind conversations from 2025 to 2027. A public hearing was held May 19. The League signed on to testimony in support. A work session is scheduled for May 29. The Oregon Coastal Management Program (OCMP) is currently developing its 2026-2030 Program Enhancement Assessment and Strategy. Draft Strategy The OCMP has selected to focus on wetlands, coastal hazards, and ocean resources in this 2026-2030 planning horizon. See the Draft Assessment and Strategy, They invite your feedback during the comment period of May 12 - June 12, 2025. The draft 2026-2030 Program Enhancement Assessment and Strategy can be found on our Public Comment webpage . Please provide comments on or before June 12. Send comments: E-mail Comments: coastal.policy@dlcd.oregon.gov Written Comments: OCMP-DLCD, 635 Capitol St. NE, Suite 150, Salem, OR 97301-2540. DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch SB 1154 was filed by the Governor to address the groundwater/nitrate issue in Morrow and Umatilla counties per this OPB article . See also in the Water section for a presentation of interest. The bill is sitting in Senate Rules while negotiations continue. The League supports SB 830 , a bill that modifies provisions of the on-site septic system loan program to allow for grants. It also allows for the program to consider mobile home parks in need of septic upgrades. The bill is awaiting the Governor’s signature. DEPT. OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES (DOGAMI) By Joan Fryxell Here is the Mineral Land Regulation and Reclamation (MLRR) spring newsletter . See above for information about their budget and potential fee increases. GOVERNANCE 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. A public hearing is scheduled for May 28. The League continues to follow the bills listed on the March 17 agenda of the Senate Committee On Rules since some of the bills relate to the process of rulemaking ( SB 437 , SB 1006 , SB 370 , SB 483 ) and SB 411 , SB 895 also in Senate Rules. HB 2454 passed House Rules with the -1 amendment and was sent to Ways and Means. The bill creates a new Audits Officer (with possible additional staff). The Jt. Audits Committee would hire the Officer. It is unclear that, if funded, what the relationship will be with the Secretary of State’s Audit Division and the work of the Legislative Fiscal Office staff. 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. A work session is set for May 28. 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. LAND USE & HOUSING By Sandra U. Bishop/Peggy Lynch HB 2647 passed the House floor and was assigned to the Senate Housing and Development Committee where it passed the committee with the A 5 amendmen t and now goes to the Senate floor. HB 3921 is a similar bill in that it would allow by law land swaps for City of Roseburg/Douglas County per this preliminary staff analysis . The bill is awaiting the Governor’s signature. The League provided testimony in support of HB 3939 , a bill that provides a list of infrastructure projects to fund for smaller Oregon cities so they can build more housing. We have also supported HB 3031 A (already sitting in Ways and Means) but know there might be limited dollars this session so called out that link in our letter. The -1 amendment to HB 3939 was adopted and the bill moved to Ways and Means. HB 2316 : Allows designation of Home Start Lands to be used for housing. HB 2316 -4 frees up approximately 3,500 acres of state land of which can now be used for housing production, all within the urban growth boundaries. It provides revenue to the state from the sale of the land, and it also provides revenue to our cities because the land becomes taxable for property taxes five years after purchase. The bill was sent to Revenue where a public hearing was held on May 15 and a work session is set for May 27. If it passes Revenue, it has a subsequent referral to Ways and Means. The new Housing Affordability and Production Office (HAPO) has a website . Their proposed policies and procedures to be used when the office becomes live July 1. Interested parties are encouraged to provide feedback by email to dlcd.hapo@dlcd.oregon.gov before the end of the business day on May 30. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. TRANSPORTATION Here is a good article on the latest negotiations around a 2025 transportation package and a memo from the Co-Chairs of the new Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment: Their memo comes a day after most House and Senate Republicans announced their support for an opposing plan that would cut funding for bike and pedestrian safety and public transit to provide more funding for roads and bridges. Not included in the Republican plan were four Republicans who have worked with Democrats to hash out details: Reps. Jeff Helfrich of Hood River and Kevin Mannix of Salem, and Sens. Bruce Starr of Dundee and Suzanne Weber of Tillamook, the Oregonian/OregonLive reported. Gorsek and McLain provided few details in their two-page memo to lawmakers, but draft language is expected in the coming days. The Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment, which they co-chair, will hold its first meeting on Tuesday. Lawmakers plan to establish a workgroup to create a new program that would eventually replace the Climate Protection Program. Gorsek and McLain’s memo said they envision dedicating credits generated by gas and diesel polluters toward the state highway fund, with other credits used for wildfire mitigation, community-based nonprofits and transit programs. WATER By Peggy Lynch Bills we are following: Water Right Process Improvements ( HB 3342 ) . A - 4 amendment was adopted and the bill passed the House. Amended by the A 8 amendment, it awaits a vote on the Senate floor. Harney Basin Groundwater Management ( HB 3800 ). A work session was held and the bill was sent to House Rules without recommendation as to passage. Water Rights and Public Interest ( HB 3501 ) A work session was held and the bill was referred to House Rules without recommendation as to passage on a 6 to 3 vote. HB 3525 is related to tenants’ right to well water testing. The League submitted testimony in support. House Rules had a public hearing April 30. A work session scheduled for May 12 has been cancelled. A number of amendments have been offered. The controversy seems to be around timelines for testing—how often—and what exactly gets tested. The League hopes to see this bill move forward, even if there are constraints. It would be a beginning and a recognition that water needs to be safe for everyone-homeowners and renters. LWV Deschutes County submitted a letter in support of SB 427 , a water rights transfer bill meant to protect instream water flows. Possible work session scheduled for April 8. SB 1153 , an alternate bill provided with help from the Governor’s office, may have more of a chance of passage. It had a public hearing on March 25 with a work session April 8. These bills were moved to Senate Rules without recommendation as to passage to allow for further conversation. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Here is a more complete website about drought in Oregon. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. As the weather gets warmer and more people and animals visit Oregon’s water bodies, it is important to watch for potentially deadly algal blooms. Information on current advisories can be found on the OHA’s cyanobacteria bloom webpage at healthoregon.org/hab . The OHA has an online photo gallery to help community members identify signs of potentially harmful blooms. WETLANDS The League participated in a rulemaking on Removal-Fill Program Fees earlier this year. After review by the Dept. of Justice and comments received, adjustments to the proposed rules will be shared on May 1st. The Dept. of State Lands will be hosting a second comment period from May 1 – 31, as well as two public hearings online. Please find a PDF copy of the notice on the DSL website here. A new Rulemaking Advisory Committee has been formed related to Permitting and Mitigation in Oregon's Wetlands and Waters. WILDFIRE By Carolyn Mayers Along with the transportation package, wildfire funding has been a challenge for the legislature. The Governor has weighed in on the concept of taking at least a part of the “kicker” to fund wildfire: lawmakers have an option if they can agree on a better use for the kicker money. With a two-thirds supermajority vote in each chamber, they can opt to suspend the refund. That’s happened once since the policy was enacted in the late 70s. Because our Rural Fire Protection Associations (RFPAs) are seeing a huge increase in their fire fees, Rep. Owens has offered the following: “I introduced HB 3349 and HB 3350 to ensure our RFPAs have access to the tools they need. These bills propose establishing a dedicated funding stream to help RFPAs obtain gear from the Oregon Department of Forestry and better access federal resources. Importantly, this support does not change their volunteer status but simply gives them the resources to be more effective and safe while serving our communities.” Then the House Leadership decided to move SB 83 , which would repeal the State Wildfire Hazard Map and accompanying statues related to it, to House Rules at a Work Session on May 20. It seems that the bill is now being used as trade bait to find funding for wildfire according to a news release from Sen. David Brock Smith. The Oregon Capital Insider provides information on the Dept. of Forestry’s budget and what’s happening at the federal level. Here is a short report on status of the bills mentioned last week: SB 860A The bill would allow the State Fire Marshal and an agency to take actions for fire protection and makes changes related to the Governor's Fire Service Policy Council. Passed both chambers and awaiting the Governor’s signature. SB 861 , a measure which would include grant funds, reimbursements, and moneys received from judgements and settlements as funds in the State Fire Marshal Mobilization Fund passed both chambers and is awaiting the Governor’s signature . It requires that the Department of the State Fire Marshal submit a report to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means on the amounts in the fund and expenditures from the fund on or before March 31 of each odd numbered year. SB 85A directs the State Fire Marshal to establish a neighborhood protection cooperative grant program to help communities collectively reduce their wildfire risk. It is awaiting the Governor’s signature. SB 75 A , removes the wildfire hazard map as a guide for allowing ADUs and requiring higher building codes in rural areas. The bill passed the House Committee and is headed to the House floor. The Omnibus wildfire funding bill, HB 3940A , had a robust Public Hearing before the House Committee on Revenue on May 1. Legislative Revenue staff provided a table to help understand the various elements of the bill. Oregon Department of Forestry and Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office have stated the minimum annual need for wildfire funding to address the growing wildfire crisis is around $280 million. SB 1177 is still before the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue. It had a public hearing on April 7. This bill would establish the Oregon Wildfire Mitigation and Adaptation Fund and redirect the “kicker” to it, one- time, for financing wildfire related expenses, by using the interest earned. A 5% return would yield approximately $170-180 million per year, or just over half of the aforementioned projected ongoing costs to fund wildfire mitigation and suppression. ( The Governor has expressed interest in using only the amount of kicker that would go to large income earners for wildfire costs.) SJR 11 also remains before the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue after its April 7 public hearing. It would dedicate a fixed, to-be-determined percentage of net proceeds of the State Lottery to a wildfire fund created by the Legislature. Its passage would mean an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, which would have to go to the voters for approval. Finally, HB 3489 , which imposes a severance tax on owners of timber harvested from public or private forestland, had a Public Hearing April 24 before the House Committee on Revenue. The League has supported a severance tax in past sessions and provided testimony at the hearing. The League is also still following other non-funding related bills, such as SB 926 , which would prohibit the recovery of certain costs and expenses from customers that an electric company incurs as a result of allegations of a wildfire resulting from the negligence or fault on the part of the electric company. It was passed by the Senate and had a work session on May 20 in the House Committee on Judiciary where the A 10 amendment was adopted and the bill moved to the House floor. SB 1051 , which transfers the authority to appoint a State Forester from the State Board of Forestry to the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation, remains in the Senate Rules Committee. HB 3666 remains in the Rules Committee. This bill would establish wildfire mitigation actions and an accompanying certification for electric utilities in an attempt to standardize their approach. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The long legislative session begins in January of 2025. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Revenue , Governance , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of December 1 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Please see Natural Resources Overview here . Jump to a topic: Agriculture Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Drinking Water Advisory Committee (DWAC) Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) Federal Lands Forestry (ODF) Hanford Land Use & Housing Natural Hazards Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept. (OPRD) Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) Regional Solutions Smith River State Land Board Transportation Water Weather Wetlands Wildfire AGRICULTURE Proposed rules for the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area: The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) is accepting public comments on proposed rules for the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area. Written comments are due by December 22, 2025 , and will be considered before final rules are adopted. Details on how to comment are provided below. December 15, 2025 - In Person and Virtual Options: 5:30-7:00 pm An informational hearing starts at 5:30pm and will be followed by a public comment hearing, both in person and virtually. In person: SAGE Center, 101 Olson Rd NE, Boardman, OR 97301 Hearing link, ID: 274 507 130 739 0, Passcode: wD7nb9dM Meeting call-in number: +1 503-446-4951,,167483367# December 16, 2025 - Virtual Only: 5:30-6:30 pm Hearing link , ID: 282 286 813 697 7, Passcode: cS6jM2Ga Meeting call-in number: +1 503-446-4951,,540814150# Mail: ODA, 635 Capitol Street NE, Salem, Oregon 97301 Email: rulemaking@oda.oregon.gov , Subject line: LUBGWMA Rules Online: https://oda.direct/rulemaking BUDGETS/REVENUE Peggy Lynch Here’s the 2025-27 Budget Summary prepared by the Legislative Fiscal Office (LFO). Even a summary is 139 pages long! It describes the budget process and the end-of-session budget numbers. There are also explanations on, what for laypersons, are the mysteries of budget terms. Among those terms is an explanation and statistics on Fiscal Impact Statements. The report notes that fiscal impacts are affected by the volume of bills considered: “ In total, there were 3,466 measures introduced during the 2025 session, which is 496 more than the 2023 session and 689 more than the average of the five previous long legislative sessions. There were 3,271 amendments drafted for those bills, which is 5.5% less than the average of the five previous long legislative sessions. Of the introduced measures, 702, or 20.3%, were voted out by the House and Senate”. The reader should note that, since the budgets were passed, the Governor and Legislative Leadership have asked agencies to cut back on spending, to provide potential cuts lists of up to 5% per agency per revenue source ( General Fund, Lottery Fund, Other Funds) and to provide a list of any new programs that were approved since 2021—all due to reduced revenue forecasts, federal legislation and actions. See the Revenue Section of the Legislative Report for details. Please note that again only 3% of the state resources are allocated to the 14 Natural Resource agencies. Although we expect to see some cuts in the 2026 session, unless the Feb. forecast continues down, we are hopeful that most of the cuts discussed will not be taken. LWVOR is working with the Oregon Conservation Network and others to advocate for these agencies’ work. They address public health and safety for all Oregonians. Here are the meeting materials submitted to LFO by the 14 natural resource agencies. House Speaker Fahey provided a comprehensive list of federal action/potential cuts to Oregon services. The Oregon Capital Chronicle followed up with their Budget Cuts article. Cuts discussed during Legislative Days included potential closure of a state prison, loss of up to 51 Oregon State Police, a 7% increase in university tuition, 10% increase in community college tuition, reduction in Medicaid recipients, etc. ALL state agencies were asked to provide these cuts lists. K-12 schools receive the most revenue in our state budget so the proposed cuts would mean $560 million to the State School Fund. (See other legislative reports for details.) Although many of the cuts may not be accepted due to a better-than-expected revenue forecast, the longer-term revenue expectations may mean greater cuts than we would all like. Working in the natural resource world which is just 3% of the state’s budget, each cut reduces the ability for Oregon to protect our air, land and water. See the Revenue section of this Legislative Report for in depth information. We encourage you to read ALL sections. CLIMATE Claudia Keith and Team Governor Kotek signed Executive Order 25-26 on Oct. 23 to prioritize and increase the pace and scale of adoption of climate resilient strategies into existing state programs to deliver benefits for communities and ecosystems. The League is excited to see the Governor instructing state natural and working lands agencies on the value of wetlands and other important ecosystems for which we have advocated over many years. FAQ OBP reports that Oregon again misses our greenhouse goals. Today (Nov. 19) , Governor Tina Kotek signed Executive Order 25-29 to increase the pace and scale of Oregon’s response to reducing carbon pollution while strengthening grid reliability and energy affordability. The Executive Order targets transportation and building emissions, strengthens grid reliability and energy affordability. See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. There are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. COASTAL ISSUES Christine Moffitt The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) heard a presentation on Rocky Habitat Management on Oct. 23 rd . Rocky Habitat makes up 40% of Oregon’s coast. The League has supported this work and has a comprehensive position on coastal issues. See p. 132, Issues for Action . The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) is opening a Public Access Rulemaking to clarify how local governments will address protection of public access to Oregon beaches. King Tides return at the Oregon Coast: December 4 to 6, and January 1 to 4, 2026. They are the highest high tides of the year. The Blob returns to the Pacific Ocean per a story by KLCC: A massive heat wave is hitting the Pacific Ocean from Kamchatka to California. Water temperatures several degrees above normal span thousands of miles, though they have mostly stopped short of the Pacific Northwest coast. Cool water welling up from the depths is thought to be keeping surface temperatures near the Oregon and Washington coasts closer to normal . So far, this year’s Blob has mostly spared the Pacific Northwest. “It certainly pales in comparison to the really intense event that we had in 2014 into 2016,” according to University of Washington Climatologist, Nick Bond. That long-lasting blob of warm water harmed salmon and shellfish, fueled toxic algae blooms, and killed seabirds by the millions from 2014 to 2016. On Oct. 14, the State Land Board heard a number of presentations on programs involving the Oregon coast. See page 45 of the meeting packet on the Oregon Ocean Science Trust (OOST) , a program the League supported in both creation and funding. There continues to be a partnership with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and OSU helping to keep the Sea Grant program going. California’s Ocean Science Trust received a $10 million endowment a number of years ago. Oregon is part of a West Coast Ocean Science Action Agenda. Our ocean acidification issue is almost twice that of the global rate. Treasurer Steiner requested more information on marine carbon at a subsequent meeting. The link with the Ocean Policy Advisory Council was shared—OOST focuses on science, OPAC does policy. See page 59 of the packet for the annual report on the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve . League members are active with Friends of the South Slough, and the League is a constant supporter of this first-in-the-nation estuarine reserve. The invasive green crabs have become so prevalent that OSU researchers and others are looking to find a market (such as chicken feed) in order to reduce them in the are a. T he Reserve is doing long time research (some 30 years old) so it is important to keep the Reserve solvent. See page 74 of the packet for a report on the Southern Resident Orca Endangered Species Management Plan . The Dept. of State Lands has an important role in assuring wetlands and streams are safe breeding grounds for chinook salmon, the main food source for these special orcas. Oregon Ocean Science Trust website . Contact: Linda.Safina-Massey@dsl.oregon.gov The Dept. of Land Conservation and Development has a website on offshore wind with public meetings continuing. DRINKING WATER ADVISORY COMMITTEE (DWAC) Sandra U. Bishop The League has a standing seat on DWAC. Interactive Geographic Information System Maps for water system and source water protection have been improved. These maps are available to the public as well as water system operators and are maintained by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Drinking Water Protection group and may be accessed via the Drinking Water Services website . DWAC met October 15th. Lab sampling protocols were clarified. A question came up about lab sample reporting. It was clarified that Public Water System (PWS) operators know the purpose of a water sample when submitted and are to mark it correctly. There is a process for correcting mistakes in reporting if needed. The labs do not change sample type after testing; labs do not change Routine samples to Special samples. Mandatory reporting requirements do not apply to Special samples. No lead has been reported in Oregon public water systems. The Service Line Inventory mainly geared toward checking for lead in public water systems is wrapping up. So far 97.3% of systems have submitted an inventory. Deep drawdown operations are planned at Green Peter and Lookout Point. Much better communication is expected this year between Drinking Water Services staff and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In previous years drawdowns resulted in disruptively high turbidity at local Public Water Systems. To better assist the smallest drinking water systems in Oregon the responsibility for technical assistance, alerts and regulatory compliance help is being transferred from counties and given to the state. Extensive rulemaking is wrapping up . These are mainly technical changes and corrections. Written comments must be submitted by November 30. During December, comments will be reviewed. Once approved the rules will be effective January 1, 2026. Ideas for future meetings other than technical subjects include emergency response such as to wildfire and cyber-attacks, education on fraudulent backflow devices sold on Amazon, water system consolidation options, and possible funding sources for source water protection and very small water systems. The next DWAC meeting is January 21. ELLIOTT STATE RESEARCH FOREST (ESRF) The Board had a 3-day retreat on Nov. 12-14. FEDERAL LANDS Sen. Broadman’s proposed 2026 legislative concept meant to protect Oregon’s Public Lands: Oregon’s public lands are central to our economy, our outdoor recreation, and our way of life. This bill would prevent state agencies from taking part in any federal effort to sell or transfer national forests, parks, or recreation areas to private interests. The goal is to keep these lands accessible and protected for the communities that depend on them. FORESTRY (ODF) Josie Koehne ODF is reviewing obligations under the Governor’s Executive Order 25-26 related to climate resilience. Public comment period on the proposed rule-making for the Western Oregon Management Plan (FMP) opened on Nov. 1 and will close at midnight on Jan.31st. “The mission of the Western Oregon State Forest Management Plan (FMP) and Implementation Plans (IP) project is to implement the social, economic and environmental values required of state forests. The comment period will include written comments as well as comments collected from Rule-making hearings to be held on Jan. 13 (virtual), Jan.15 (Forest Grove), Jan. 20 (Tillamook), and Jan. 22 (Eugene) at 5:30 p.m. The proposed change to this rule will replace the three current FMPs (Northwest Oregon, Southwest Oregon, and Elliott) with a single FMP for these forest lands. The State Forests Division is pursuing an alternative method for compliance with the federal Endangered Species Act by applying for incidental take permits from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – Fisheries. The incidental take permits will require the division to manage Oregon state forest lands in compliance with a habitat conservation plan. After careful review of the rule-making, the LWVOR will be providing comments. The State Forester recruitment was reopened Oct. 13 as the Governor would like a range of 8-10 candidates from which to choose. She hopes to have a selection for Senate confirmation during the February legislation session . The Oregon Dept. of Forestry will be asking for additional fire funding in 2026. Details TBD. HANFORD The Department of Energy appears to have enough money for four weeks of operations during the federal government shutdown, according to state officials at the Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board’s virtual meeting Tuesday. Since little information about the shutdown specific to Hanford has been released to the public by the Department of Energy, officials at the meeting discussed what they had heard or surmised about the nuclear site. After the cleanup board meeting, DOE said in a statement that its “Hanford site is not currently experiencing a lapse in funding and continues to operate in a normal capacity, with staff reporting to work and carrying out the Hanford mission safely.” This according to an Oct. 8 th article in the Tri-City Herald News. LAND USE & HOUSING Peggy Lynch On Oct. 24, the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) approved Housing Rulemaking for HB 2138 and HB 2258 (2025): LCDC Oregon Housing Needs Analysis (OHNA) Rulemaking staff report and presentation : Rules are expected to be adopted during the Dec.4-5 LCDC mtg. as they are statutorily due by Jan. 1, 2026, completing a multi-year effort to reset Oregon’s Goal 10, Housing, responsibilities and each local government’s role as well. These rules are among the most significant changes in Goal 10, Housing, and Goal 14, Urbanization since the program’s inception. LCDC Oct. 24: Approved Rulemaking to clarify and allow housing and other needed development outside of wetlands. The rulemaking would create an optional, alternative compliance pathway for wetlands resources when a city is preparing to annex lands from the urban growth boundary (UGB) to accommodate needed housing and economic development. The 2025-27 Policy Agenda 2025-27 Policy Agenda was approved by LCDC on Oct. 24. There will be seven rulemakings on Housing alone! In response to public feedback, additional clarification on Farm and Forest Modernization Program work plan sequencing has been added to the 2025-2027 Policy Agenda. In response to staff feedback, the Community Green Infrastructure report has been added to the 2025-2027 Policy Agenda . See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. NATURAL HAZARDS The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD announce that the 2025-30 Oregon Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan (NHMP) has received approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This plan supports ongoing efforts to reduce natural hazard risks across the state. The NHMP outlines strategies to reduce long-term risks from natural hazards such as wildfires, earthquakes, floods, drought, and landslides. OREGON DEPT. OF FISH AND WILDLIFE (ODFW) Melanie Moon Why we don’t want quagga mussels in Oregon and why we support the Aquatic Invasives program per this OPB article . A new state transient lodging tax (TLT), HB 2977 , was introduced in 2025 to ensure regular and robust funding for wildlife conservation programs. The bill passed the House floor, but did not make it out of the Senate. The League expects the bill to return in 2026 where we will consider supporting it. OREGON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPT (OPRD) Peggy Lynch OPRD fee increases to help w/$14 million shortfall: A public comment period will take place Dec. 1 to Jan. 15. OPRD is proposing a series of changes that could increase camping fees, change cancellation fees and allow for “dynamic pricing.” Collectively, they're known as the Division 15 Rates and Reservation Policy .T he changes would need approval from the OPRD Commission. If approved, these changes could be implemented as early as March of 2026. (per Statesman Journal) In 2024, the agency approved increased parking and camping fees for the first time in nearly a decade. That increase went into effect in 2025. It was intended to cover a previous shortfall of roughly $15 million, due largely to losing 13% of its Oregon Lottery funding, which was diverted to city, county and special park districts. OREGON WATERSHED ENHANCEMENT BOARD (OWEB ) The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board held a board meeting on October 28-29. The meeting agenda and materials are available on OWEB’s website . REGIONAL SOLUTIONS The Regional Solutions Program : Within each of the 11 Regions, which are tied to Oregon’s federally designated Economic Development Districts, a Governor-appointed Advisory Committee sets Regional Priorities and a cross-functional Team of state agency staff works together to move projects forward. If you know anyone who may benefit from these publications, please direct them to this signup page . The public is welcome to attend virtually or in person. Go to the program website and to the region to find the agendas and meeting materials posted a few days before the meetings. Public Comment is usually scheduled. Upcoming Regional Solutions Advisory Committee (RSAC) Meetings: Regional Solutions: *Central (Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson Counties) December 2nd from 3:30-5:00pm *South Coast (Coos, Curry, and Douglas Counties) December 3rd from 11:00am-1:00pm *North Central (Hood River, Sherman and Wasco Counties) December 3rd from 2:00-4:00pm SMITH RIVER Alyssa Babin The League again supported federal legislation to expand the Smith River Recreation Area. The North Fork of the Smith River has scenic, historic and recreational values. We have supported this effort in the past with approval from LWVUS. STATE LAND BOARD Peggy Lynch The next State Land Board is Dec. 3 rd ( agenda and meeting materials ). The League follows these meetings since the Governor, Secretary of State and State Treasurer comprise the Board membership. TRANSPORTATION HB 3991 , passed on Sept. 29, increases a number of transportation taxes and fees and applies audit requirements to ODOT. It expands the OReGO road usage charge program and repeals the Oregon Transportation Commission toll program. ODOT would receive 50% of the funding, while counties would receive 30% and cities 20%. There is an estimate that the cost to Oregonians would be about $2/month. The Governor signed HB 3991 on Nov. 7. Sen. Starr and Rep. Diehl and others have since gathered signatures under NoTaxOR.com to place the bill on the ballot for Oregonians to consider. The League will follow this effort since it could stop the needed ODOT funding provided in HB 3991. LWVOR asks that you “Think before you Ink” when any volunteers ask for your signature to get an item on the ballot. “ Bills passed by Oregon lawmakers can be referred to voters if organizers collect enough valid signatures within 90 days of the Legislature adjourning. This year, a referendum would require at least 78,115 signatures, equal to 4% of the people who cast a ballot in the 2022 gubernatorial election.” The No Tax group says it has more than enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. The Secretary of State shall review the signatures, but we expect to see the item on the November 2026 ballot. If approved for the ballot, the bill and the taxes to be collected will NOT be collected until the results of the election outcome. We could see an alternate ODOT funding discussion in the Feb. session. WATER Peggy Lynch The Willamette River is the life blood of much of western Oregon. Do you want to learn more and have an opportunity to provide input in its future? Willamette River Symposium Dec. 2-3 @ OSU. Sessions will touch upon several water-related topics, including the connection between land and water, urban and rural water challenges and opportunities, and the importance of water for people and biota. Check out this at-a-glance program overview for more information. Registration is currently open on the Conference Website . Cost $150 but it includes lunch. The Nov. 17 State water report : According to the US Drought Monitor, over 31% of Oregon is experiencing moderate drought (D1), just over 6% is experiencing severe drought (D2), and just under 1% is in extreme drought (D3). Over the last two weeks, D2, D3, and abnormally dry (D0) conditions have been reduced across the state. Snow water equivalent (SWE) in basins across the state is currently measuring well below the historical median (min = 9%; max = 32%). The near-term climate outlook indicates probabilities leaning towards below normal temperatures statewide. The outlook also indicates probabilities leaning towards above normal precipitation for most of the state with western Oregon receiving near normal precipitation. Look for a new version of SB 1153 to return in 2026 or 2027. LWV Deschutes County submitted a letter in support of SB 427 , a water rights transfer bill meant to protect instream water flows. SB 1153 , an alternate bill provided with help from the Governor’s office, had months of work group sessions among the various interests, but, in the end, the bill did not pass. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Governor Kotek has declared a drought in eight counties ( map ) . Here is a more complete website about drought in Oregon. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms ( HABs) . “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. Information on current advisories can be found on the OHA’s cyanobacteria bloom webpage at healthoregon.org/hab . The OHA has an online photo gallery to help community members identify signs of potentially harmful blooms. WEATHER A Nov. 28 OregonLive article provided the latest maps on Oregon’s winter weather. In a USA Today article published in the Oct.12 Salem Statesman Journal: “ La Niña has officially arrived, federal forecasters from the Climate Prediction Center announced Oct. 9. La Niña conditions emerged in September 2025, as indicated by the expansion of below-average sea-surface temperatures across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean,” the prediction center said in a statement. A typical La Niña winter in the United States brings cold and snow to the Northwest and unusually dry conditions to most of the southern states, according to the Climate Prediction Center.” In a KGW article : La Niña and 'The Blob' could boost Oregon winter storms "The Blob," a marine heat wave, and La Niña may affect Oregon's winter weather and snow, though long-range climate forecasting is tricky. I think the Northwest will have a stormy winter with above-average mountain snowpack, and a good chance of valley snow. Long-range climate forecasting is tricky stuff, but I can't outweigh the Godzilla-like force of La Niña with a blob of warm water oozing around my feet. ( Author: Matt Zaffino, KGW Weatherman) WETLANDS Peggy Lynch One of the most significant changes in federal rules being considered yet again relates to Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS). On Nov. 18 th , the EPA announced new proposed rules for implementing the Waters of the U.S., reducing 55 million acres of currently assumed wetlands—that protect drinking water and provide flood protection as well as giving a home to a variety of flora and fauna. Key proposed revisions include: Defining key terms like “relatively permanent,” “continuous surface connection,” and “tributary” to appropriately delineate the scope of WOTUS consistent with the Clean Water Act and Supreme Court precedent; Establishing that jurisdictional tributaries must connect to traditional navigable waters either directly or through other features that provide predictable and consistent flow; Reaffirming that wetlands must be indistinguishable from jurisdictional waters through a continuous surface connection, which means that they must touch a jurisdictional water and hold surface water for a requisite duration year after year; Strengthening state and tribal decision-making authority by providing clear regulatory guidelines while recognizing their expertise in local land and water resources; Preserving and clarifying exclusions for certain ditches, prior converted cropland, and waste treatment systems; Adding a new exclusion for groundwater; and Incorporating locally familiar terminology, such as "wet season," to help determine whether a water body qualifies as WOTUS; In addition, the limitation to wetlands that have surface water at least during the wet season and abut a jurisdictional water will further limit the scope of permafrost wetlands that are considered to have a continuous surface connection under the proposed rule. These proposed changes are intended to provide clarity and consistency to the continuous surface connection definition. LCDC on Oct. 24: Approved Rulemaking to clarify and allow housing and other needed development outside of wetlands. The rulemaking would create an optional, alternative compliance pathway for wetlands resources when a city is preparing to annex lands from the urban growth boundary (UGB) to accommodate needed housing and economic development. As a result of the 2025 legislative session, the Dept. of State Lands received additional staffing as did the Dept. of Land Conservation and Development. The League supported these budget allocations. WILDFIRE By Carolyn Mayers The League observed a marked decrease in coverage and discussion around wildfire-related issues at committee meetings during the recent 2025 Legislative Days’ committee meetings compared to 2024. This is likely the result of what many perceive to be a less devastating fire season after all indications had suggested the 2025 season would be very difficult. On Oct. 17, the Oregon Dept. of Forestry announced the end of fire season, reporting that statewide to date, regardless of jurisdiction, there had been 2,965 fires that have burned 338,740 acres. According to Kyle Williams, Deputy Director of Fire Operations at the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), “From a purely acres burned standpoint, it was significantly less bad than last year. From a community impact and primary residences lost standpoint, it’s actually significantly worse than last summer,” said Kyle Williams, Deputy Director of Fire Operations at the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). And humans caused most of this year’s fires.”(62%) Read more here in an article from the Oregon Capital Chronicle. Additionally, this Statesman Journal article also reports that while there were significantly less acreage burned (36% of the 10-year average), 64 homes and 141 other structures were lost to wildfires in Oregon during the 2025 season. It is notable that in spite of the fact that there were actually more fires in 2025 (118%) than 2024, ODF was able to keep 94% of the wildfires it responded to confined to 10 acres or less, a testament to a successful focus on “initial attack” and better coordination among agencies. Several issues dominated the discussion during November committee meetings. The House Interim Committee on Emergency Management and Veterans met November 17 and heard about those issues from the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and ODF. Their complete report on the fire season may be found here . Among issues of concern were the very early start to the season, with the Rowena Fire taking off in early June. Close to 200 structures there were lost, including 56 residences. Travis Madema, the Chief Deputy Fire Marshal of the Department of the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) referred to the fact that a wildfire so early in the season was able to take off and do so much damage was “very concerning” and confirms the trend toward longer and more difficult wildfire seasons. He also emphasized that this year’s season saw many more fires starting both farther west in the state, and many more near communities, which obviously means worse effects on populated areas. Finally, the increase in percent of human-caused fires, and trend toward more lightning-caused fires are also troubling trends. November 18 saw a meeting of the Senate Interim Committee on Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs that heard from OFSM and ODF. Following up on previous points about human- and lightning-caused fires, it was noted that there were 360 lightning-caused fires for a total of 4,796 acres burned, and 796 human-caused fires, with 19,992 acres burned. OSFM Chief Mariana Ruiz-Temple relayed the concern that while early in her career, a normal season would involve 2 - 3 urban conflagrations (with local agencies calling in OSFM to assist communities with wildfires involving structures, currently it is trending close to 8 conflagrations per year. This article from Stateline highlights the dire state of homeowners’ insurance premiums in the state of California, and concerns about what that might mean for the future for Oregon in the face of increasing wildfire risks. The recommendations of the Governor’s Wildfire Programs Advisory Council outlined in their 2025 Report to the Legislature includes approaches to take proactive measures to avoid the same fate. This report is worth a read for those interested in all things wildfire and what are seen as priorities for funding by the Legislature in future sessions. Finally, of note, as reported by Willamette Week , Pacificorp will pay $150 million to 1,434 people in settlements for losses in the 2020 Labor Day fires. What this will mean for customers’ utility rates, or the ability of Pacific Power to sustain operations in this environment remains to be seen. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Revenue , Governance , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to Legislative Report Revenue Legislative Report - Week of 3/9 Revenue Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch REVENUE Patricia Garner, Josie Koehne, Peggy Lynch The short session is over. The Governor still has to decide if she’s signing the legislation. And the work is not done. There was not enough revenue to fund the 2025-27 budget without cuts and new legislation as shared below. The Feb. 4 Revenue Forecast guided the spending for the 2026 legislative session. Carl Ricidonna, Oregon’s State Economist, provided his report, along with Michael Kennedy, Senior Economist. See pages 17 and 20 for the important numbers. And the Legislative Revenue Office’s Forecast Summary . LWVOR participated with several other volunteer and non-profit organizations in the unofficial Oregon Revenue Coalition that worked together to find ways to preserve Oregon revenue in the light of lost federal income from Congress’s passage of H.R.1 which would cut major sources of funding for Medicaid, SNAP and many other services. ( Signed on to letter in January.) We focused on a bill to limit the damage caused by Oregon’s rolling connection to federal income tax law, since legislation to disconnect from the federal law failed in the 2025 long session. This session SB 1507 A passed (Senate (17-13) on Feb. 16 and House (34/21/4/1) on Feb. 25 ) that disconnected from certain sections of the federal code that the Legislative Revenue Office (LRO) reported would save Oregon $311.6 million in revenue this biennium and $313.9 million in the 2027-29 biennium, while providing increased funding for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) at a cost of $26.2 and $52.7 million per biennium respectively. The League has long supported an increase in the EITC. Summaries of the 44-page bill and its amendments can be found here . LWVOR testimony in support. At least one legislator is considering collecting signatures to place portions of the bill on the ballot per this Oregonlive article. Of concern is that the referral process allows petitioners to select parts of the bill. In this case, they could leave off the increase in the EITC while only asking voters to stop the disconnect—which, in part, is expected to pay for that EITC increase. HB 5204 is the final bill that balances the budget as required by state law. In the bill, the legislature made over $128 million in cuts , mostly in agency services and supplies and by not filling vacancies and shifting remaining funds around to fill in some gaps. This was fewer cuts than anticipated at the start of the session. But they also funded or rebalanced some agency programs and staff. The -2 amendment was adopted . See the 4 Analysis documents for the budget additions and reductions, Budget Notes and final LFO recommendation. Passed the House and Senate Mar. 6. Oregonlive article and the Oregon Capital Chronicle addressed the 2025-27 budget rebalance. The Oregonian did a final budget review . SB 1601 was the Program Change bill. The -3 amendment was adopted and includes rebalance of ODOT’s programs in Section 11-23 and clarifies the 1% of lottery monies for county fair upgrades and repairs. Passed the Senate and House Mar 6. SB 5701 amends the limits established during the 2025 legislative session for the maximum amount of bonds and other financing agreements that state agencies may issue. The proceeds from the issuance of bonds are included as revenues in agency budgets. The -2 amendment and the LFO Recommendation includes increases in general obligation and lottery revenue bonds authorized. Bond sales are not anticipated until the spring of 2027. Passed the Senate and House Mar. 6. SB 5702 : Establishes and modifies limits on payment of expenses from specified funds by certain state for capital construction . Capital Construction 6-year limitation. -1 amendment LFO Recommendation Mar. 5 passed Senate. Mar. 6 passed House. SB 5703 : Modifies amounts allocated from the Administrative Services Economic Development Fund, Veterans' Services Fund, Criminal Fine Account, Oregon Marijuana Account and Fund for Student Success. Mar. 5 passed Senate. Mar. 6 passed House. HB 5203 : Approves certain new or increased fees adopted by state agencies. The bill includes the Dept. of State Lands Wetlands processing fees set forth during rulemaking for which the League engaged. Fee Ratification. LFO Recommendation Mar. 6 Passed the House and Senate. SB 1510 : Updates the terminology used to describe certain income earned by multinational corporations to reflect a change in the term used in federal law a bill. This omnibus bill, with amendments, would provide an opportunity to explore additional tax policy for consideration in the 2027 session. It is easier to understand the many provisions of SB 1510 by reviewing the summary provided by the Legislative Revenue Office of the bill and its -4 amendments . Feb. 24: Passed the Senate (28/1/1). Passed the House Mar. 4. HB 4014 : Establishes the Task Force on Taxation of International Income with the amendments. -2 amendment replaced the “study” bill. Staff Measure Summary . Due to this complicated tax policy, parties agreed to use the interim to consider impacts on this federal tax policy on Oregon revenue. Passed the House floor (32/26/2). On to the Senate floor at adjournment. Business interests want to have this conversation behind closed doors rather than an open public Task Force. The bill died but the conversation will continue. SB 1511 : A bill modifying the estate tax that would have increased the $1 million exemption to the estate tax to $2.5 million failed this session. The tax rates would have been greatly increased for the highest valued estates but fewer estates would pay an estate tax. For the first biennium, the revenue would have been about the same as our current estate tax SB 1511 . The revenue staff provided this analysis on the A -3 amendment that was approved by the Senate) with no expected revenue loss for this biennium, but $35 million by 2029-31. The bill did not pass out of House Revenue by end of session, but may be back in the long session. Two bills focused on increasing tax incentives for economic development faced intense debate and scrutiny, and one , SB 1586 , was withdrawn on March 3 due to much public outcry about tax breaks for data centers and the expansion of the Metro’s Urban Growth Boundary into land zoned as rural agricultural land, in violation of the 2014 Grand Bargain. OPB provided an article on this contentious bill. LWVOR testimony in opposition to the bill and additional testimony opposing the -7 amendment . The bill remained in Senate Finance and Revenue at the end of session, but is likely back in some form in 2027. The other economic development bill, HB 4084 A introduced by Governor Kotek, would fast track the permitting process for certain new business development t o be completed within 120 days, by means of a specially appointed Joint Permitting Council to oversee the each permitting agency’s permitting process. This section of the bill aligns with a federal program: Permitting Council’s FAST-41 Assistance for States. In addition, in the bill as introduced, all local property taxes abatements for Enterprise Zones were to be extended. This bill was also controversial because of these extensions since it would allow data centers which are hotly contested throughout the US, and which are the primary recipients of these tax credits, to not pay local property taxes for many years. After several amendments, three were incorporated into the final bill. LWVOR comments . The final bill included these provisions as summarized by LRO: Removes the $40 million General Fund appropriation to OBDD for deposit into the Industrial Site Loan Fund. (However, HB 5204 included $10 million for the Regional Infrastructure Fund, $5 million to support horse racing events at county fairgrounds, $5 million cash and $10 million bonds into the Industrial Site Loan Fund, and $10 million in lottery bond funds. The bonding bill provided targeted investments in sewer and water projects statewide to help with increased housing development demands.) Modifies SB 1507 (2026) to limit the tax credit for job creation to certain specified qualified industries. To qualify for the tax credit, a taxpayer must receive an attestation-based certification from Business Oregon, who will develop the tax credit application process, establish job creation determination methodology, and further define the term “qualified industry” through rulemaking. Excludes any qualified property of an authorized business in an enterprise zone with an operating data center from entering into a written agreement with the enterprise zone sponsor to 1) extend the period during which the qualified property is exempt from taxation beyond the allowable three years; 2) agree to flexible hiring timelines; and 3) approve alternative performance criteria. Prohibits data center properties from authorization as an eligible business firm prior to 90 days after the adjournment of the 2027 legislative session. An amendment was added at the end that puts this one-year moratorium on all new data center development certifications by Business Oregon, starting three months after the close of session. This allows the Governor’s Oregon Data Center Advisory Committee time to consider the various impacts of data center development on Oregon, and to report back to the Legislature with their recommendations. It also limits the existing Standard Enterprise (for urban areas) tax break to three years, but allows all other currently operating data centers, including those in rural areas of the state, to continue to receive tax breaks through the extended time periods as outlined in the bill. Oregonlive provided a great analysis of the impact of data centers. Oregonlive update on data centers in this legislation. Oregon data center operators will save nearly a half-billion dollars in local property taxes this year through three different incentive programs. Kotek’s legislation, House Bill 4084 , would expand the fastest growing of those three programs. HB 4148 : Allows city and county services for which net local transient lodging tax revenue may be used to be provided either directly by the city or county or indirectly by a special district. The -7 amendment adopted that changes the percentage to 50/50 and passed the House floor Feb. 25 (40/12/4/4). Mar. 5 Passed the Senate (23/6/1). SJR 201 : Kicker Reform: Proposed an amendment to the Oregon Constitution to require a portion of surplus revenue that would otherwise be returned to personal income taxpayers to be used for funding public kindergarten through grade 12 education, community colleges and wildfire prevention and suppression, if surplus revenue exceeds a certain threshold. OPB covered a story about the bill . T he League has long supported kicker reform but we also note that, with our new state economist, another kicker is not expected in the near term. The bill did not get a Work Session. HB 4136 : Disallows, for purposes of personal income taxation, a mortgage interest deduction for a residence other than the taxpayer’s principal residence , unless the taxpayer sells the residence or actively markets the residence for sale. The bill had one public hearing on Feb. 16 and died in committee. The League is hopeful that a version of this bill will return in 2027. HB 4125 : Prescribes methodology for the preparation of revenue estimates used in the budgeting process and as applicable to the surplus revenue refund process — potential kicker reform. Public Hearing Feb. 2. The bill died in Committee . On Feb. 20, the US Supreme Court declared that President Trump does not have authority to impose widespread tariffs under a specific federal statute. Oregon’s Attorney General, Dan Rayfield, led the coalition of states arguing that the President did not have this authority. HB 4061 B passed that provides monies to help Oregon businesses hurt by these tariffs. Budget Report . The bill passed the House on Mar. 3 and passed the Senate Mar. 6. On Thursday Mar. 5, Rayfield and officials from 23 other states filed a lawsuit against the new tariff at the U.S. Court of International Trade, with Oregon again leading the way. “Budget aftershocks from the Trump cuts to Medicaid and SNAP will keep hitting Oregon in future years,” said Senator Jama. “Oregon lawmakers must continue working together to make resources stretch and to help families thrive.” As we await the May 20th Revenue Forecast, we watch for data that may change the forecast. Oregonlive reports that Oregon exports are down. Then we now have a war with Iran that, so far, has increased gas and diesel prices. That increases costs to state agencies, local governments, Oregon businesses and individuals. Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain — supply more than a third of the world’s urea, an important nitrogen fertilizer, and nearly a quarter of another one, ammonia. And they all use the Strait of Hormuz to export their products. So that means less food production and an increase in food prices. The February national jobs report was not good (loss of almost 100,000 jobs) and the national unemployment rate rose to 4.4%. (In Oregon, we’re at 5.2%.) As we watch the U.S. and Oregon’s economy, we note the Oregon Capital Chronicle Jobs Report article , of special concern as Oregon is an income tax state. According to this Oregonlive article , Oregonians are working the fewest hours since 2010. Oregon workers are spending less time on the job, another indication that the state’s labor market continues to sag. The average Oregonian worked less than 33 hours a week in December, according to federal data. That’s the lowest number since 2010, when the state was still digging out from the Great Recession — even worse than the sharp decline that accompanied the pandemic. As we continue to be concerned about the economy, we note a study related to AI: Brookings Institution study on AI job losses and adaptability points out metros most at risk – Portland Business Journal Roughly 30% of workers displaced by artificial intelligence will struggle to find new jobs, according to a new report from the National Bureau of Economic Research and Brookings Institution. While 70% of highly AI-exposed workers would likely be able to transition to another job, the rest may have trouble adapting “due to limited savings, advanced age, scarce local opportunities, and/or narrow skill sets. ”What’s more, of the displaced workers in low-adaptive jobs, 86% are women. The League will continue to work with the Oregon Revenue Coalition and others as we address the need for increased revenue to pay for the services Oregonians need. The Ways and Means Co-Chairs warn of increased demand and federal funding cuts for the 2027-29 and 2029-31 biennia. It's time to work with state agencies as they develop their 2027-29 budgets. Here’s some budget guidance that agencies have received: 2027-29 Budget Guidance: Governor's Letter and CFO 2027-29 Budget POP Guidance . Bottom line: The Governor has asked state agencies to provide a “neutral” budget. If they want to add a program or staff, they need to find a program or staff to remove from their budget request. You can contact the agency you want to engage with as they work to provide proposals to the Governor around June. See other sections of the Legislative Report for information about specific agencies or areas of concern.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 2/2 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: From Interim Relating to Federal Laws Elections Consumer and Other Protections Ethics Resilience Catch up on interim news and highlights of some of the 40 governance bills we've identified, out of 700 bills so far this session. We’re preparing testimony for seven of them in the session’s first two days so expect more individual reports next week. Many governance bills will be in committees not limited by 10-day advancement time constraints (e.g. Rules, Ways and Means). Either way, short session wrap is March 9 th . Consider signing up to help, lwvor@lwvor.org . Please see LWVOR Legislative Reports and subscribe to our weekly email LR summaries , starting again in February 2026. From Interim Oregon AG action AG Rayfield testified to Interim Senate Rules on many issues. See his response at 34.46 minutes in the hearing video for the next big hurdles for Oregon, and as a country, His highest concern is protecting the integrity of our elections , closely followed by trust in government and in our judicial system, for a strong democracy. Rayfield’s office filed 53 lawsuits in the last year, winning an overwhelming majority, safeguarding $4.6B for Oregon (not including a tariff case). Because FEMA funding suddenly stopped, a winning suit protected $128M funding for 29 BRIC (building resilient infrastructure and communities) projects, predominantly rural. Legal action cost less than $20K, a tremendous return on investment. Another win let $134M flow for the 1 in 6 Oregonians depending on SNAP benefits, costing $25K for litigation. Relating to federal laws and actions The federal judge dismissed the case heard in Eugene on Jan 14 on the 27th. LWVOR filed an amicus brief as a friend of the court. The plaintiffs held Oregon and our Secretary of State in contempt for protecting personal voting information. A sampling of upcoming governance legislation: Withhold OR payments ( HB 4143 ) to the US government if withheld federal funding defies a court order. Civil Actions for cause against federal and out-of-state law enforcement, HB 4114 OR National Guard HB 4091 has a hearing on Tuesday and we expect to testify (not yet prepared), expecting our testimony for HB 3954 A (2025) to be relevant. See the Interim OR National Guard report , including discussion of duty to follow “patently illegal” or “manifestly unlawful” orders, hearing video , ~26 minutes in. From the materials: The “Burden of proof rests with the service member” Orders are disobeyed at the peril of the service member. Does not apply to patently illegal orders. The dictates of a person’s conscience, religion, or personal philosophy cannot justify or excuse the disobedience of an otherwise lawful order. Elections SB 1508 and HB 4018 look like placeholders which the League may cover. HB 4024 Enrolled (2024), updates, a major campaign finance bill ( League Testimony ). SB 1509 allows for switching President and Vice President electors if they do not vote as they pledged. See “Faithless Elector Law”, testimony in defense , here , and states with robust laws . “Faithless electors” SB 1509 allows for “switch of electors of President and Vice President if they do not vote like they pledged”. We anticipate this to be addressed in another bill, too. See “Faithless Elector Law”, testimony in defense , and here , also a list of which states have robust laws . Consumer and Other Protections Consumer Protection , HB 4024 prevents event ticket resale unless a seller has or can get tickets, relates to Sen. Prozanski’s consumer protection SB 430 Enrolled (2025), which started with hidden event ticket fees, then developed into multi-faceted consumer protection, League testimony . Protect Public Officials HB 4017 permits a candidate to use campaign contributions for protection. SB 1530 expands the crime of aggravated harassment to include threats concerning public officials. The League has testified to many bills to protecting government services, especially elections, and those who provide them, expanding to cover more people. Immigration bills will be shared with Social Policy: SB 1594 relates to enforcing federal immigration laws, HB 4001 will study immigration enforcement, and HB 4111 addresses immigration status as not admissible for civil cases. Gun bills, depending on your perspective, address protection. HB 4096 and HB 4145 will both be heard on the first day of session. (See the Social Policy Legislative Report) Ethics By Lindsey Washburn SB1589 - Lobby Reform Requires lobbyists to notify the Oregon Government Ethics Commission regarding certain information about the lobbyist's: representing certain clients, compensation, and new or different position on legislative or administrative action.\ Resilience HB 4044 and HB 4121 emergency preparedness organization. See OEM Resilience Priorities & Report . Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report sections.

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Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 2/13 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Housing Criminal Justice Gun Safety Immigration/Refugees and other Basic Rights Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona Governor Kotek has underscored the need to address the state’s housing emergency, and the legislature is coalescing around bills to serve communities around the state in sheltering the unhoused, providing low- and extremely low-income housing, and serving those experiencing economic inequality. HB 2889 – Oregon Housing Needs Analysis in OHCS This bill proposes to locate the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis (OHNA) within Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) to advance comprehensive reforms to the state’s land use planning systems. The goal is to pave the way to increase housing production and enhance flexibility in housing choice and location. With state guidance, local communities must address disparities in housing outcomes with an emphasis on housing those most in need. This bill is moving forward in the Governor’s Recommended Budget for OHCS, as of February 6, 2023. LWVOR submitted testimony in support of this bill. HB 3010 – Mortgage Interest Deduction This bill would limit the mortgage interest deduction on personal income taxes available to high earners and on second homes. The resulting increase in state revenue would be deposited in a First-Time Home Buyer Account administered by Oregon Housing and Community Services. The bill calls for creation of a Task Force on First-Time Ownership that would report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by Sept. 2024. The bill has been referred to the Housing and Homelessness subcommittee with a subsequent referral to Tax Expenditures. SB 611 – Reasonable Rent This bill would increase relocation assistance in landlord-based no fault evictions. In addition, it would limit annual rent increases to 3% plus consumer price index, or 8%, whichever is lower. It extends protections to tenants of all buildings more than 3 years-old. Buildings up to 15 years-old currently are exempt. SB 611 is a priority bill of the Housing Alliance, of which LWVOR is a member. On 1/15/2023, it was referred to Senate Housing and Development. HB 2001 – Oregon Housing and Community Services Governor’s Budget The House Committee on Housing and Homelessness has proposed an amendment to OHCS’s budget. Amendment-1 would require OHCS to study issues related to housing and report back to the Interim Committee of the Legislative Assembly related to housing by September 15, 2024. The amendment replaces the measure in six key areas summarized below. HB 2001-1 Proposed Amendment and Staff member document summary . · Homelessness Emergency . Declares homelessness as a statewide emergency in Oregon, and applies provisions of Executive Order 23-02, issued by the Governor on January 10, 2023, to the entire state. · Youth Homelessness . Expands the use of the Emergency Housing Account funds to include services and assistance to school-aged children or their families who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of experiencing homelessness. Allows the Housing and Community Services Department to award grants to organizations that provide evidence-based services for youth experiencing homelessness in underserved areas. · Termination of Residential Tenancy for Nonpayment . Extends, for residential tenancies, a 72-hour timeline for issuance of notice of intention to terminate a rental agreement based on nonpayment to 10 days and extends the 144-hour timeline to 13 days. · Modular Housing Funding . Allocates, for the biennium beginning July 1, 2023, $20 million in General Fund moneys to the Oregon Business Development Department to provide grants or loans to entities developing modular housing or related components, under advisement from a temporary advisory committee. Requires grant or loan recipients to prioritize, in order, disaster recovery, low-income, and middle- income housing construction. · Affordable Housing Predevelopment Grants. Allocates beginning July 1, 2023, $3 million in General Fund moneys to the Oregon Facilities Authority to provide financing or refinancing support for local governments or housing developers for infrastructure development and predevelopment costs for moderate income projects. A public hearing was held on February 14 by the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness. SB 599 - Child Care in Rental Homes This bill requires landlords to allow tenants to use their units for childcare purposes as long as the home is certified or registered with the Office of Child Care, the tenant has notified the landlord, and the home does not violate zoning regulations or an association’s governing documents. The childcare provider must carry liability insurance or parents must sign a liability waiver. Lack of access to childcare is a significant barrier for all parents, but particularly to women’s participation in the workforce. SB 599 removes one roadblock for tenants who provide childcare services in their homes. On 2/8/2023 the Housing and Development Committee recommended a do pass with amendments. On 2/14 it was carried over by unanimous consent. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley and Karen Nibler HB 3035 , which creates the crime of threatening a mass injury event, was heard in House Judiciary on February 13. The bill is the product of a work group convened by Rep. Courtney Neron in response to concerns about threats of violence in schools and other public settings. There is currently no law in Oregon that specifically addresses a threat of mass violence. If no loss of life occurs the crime would most likely be considered a lower-level Class B felony. This bill increases the penalty to a Class C felony, punishable by five years’ imprisonment, $125,000 fine, or both. The increased penalty allows for formal supervision and possible mental health treatment, firearm prohibition, and stricter release conditions. Juvenile offenders would be given special consideration and remain in the juvenile justice system. The League is also monitoring SB 763 , heard on February 14 in Senate Judiciary, which prohibits an employer, state agency, or licensing board to deny consideration to those who commit crimes as a juvenile. Senate Judiciary discussed SB 763 on access to juvenile records on February 14 and SB 519 on expunction of juvenile records on February 16. Both bills are in the revision process. SB 470 asks that the Oregon Health Authority request coverage of medical assistance to persons under 19 in juvenile detention facilities. The counties are responsible for medical care in county facilities, which can be very expensive. The Legislature passed SB 588 in 2017 to cover all kids below 300% of the federal poverty level, but there is an age gap under consideration. House Judiciary focused on crime victims and child advocacy centers last week. The Criminal Justice Commission and Department of Community Corrections were on this week. DOC reported a 28% decrease in law violations among the 21,000 adults on supervision in the community after the pandemic. HB 3194 granted short term transitional leave, 120 day early release, which has shown an improvement in recidivism rates. More information is available on the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission website. Public Safety W&Ms heard CJC reports on the Family Preservation Project at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. The CJC staff were optimistic about the positive effects on the women’s families. Gun Safety By Marge Easley A precedent-setting court ruling on February 15 regarding the status of two “Second Amendment Sanctuary” ordinances in Columbia County is receiving nationwide attention. The Oregon Appeals Court struck down the 2018 and 2020 ordinances, which had declared all state gun laws to be violations of the Second Amendment and would not be enforced. The ruling states that such ordinances are illegal, given that state law gives the Legislature the sole authority to regulate firearms. The League, along with many gun safety groups, have long awaited a ruling on the issue, which is sure to have repercussions across the country where these ordinances have been passed, including 16 Oregon counties. According to The Center Square , “as of June 2021 there were 1,930 counties protected by Second Amendment Sanctuary legislation at either the state or county level, representing 61% of 3,141 counties and county equivalents in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.” Immigration/Refugees and other Basic Rights By Claudia Keith Support – Public Hearing Scheduled HB 2957 : Financial assistance to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status recipients for specified purposes. (>7M$). A large portion of the source funding is Federal ARPA funds. Rep Ruiz, House EC&HS Public Hearing is 2/22 HB 3176 Requires Dept HS and Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement, to award contracts to organizations to provide support services to immigrants and refugees. Appropriates moneys from the General Fund. Directs Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement to convene representatives from state agencies, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders to coordinate policy recommendations. Representative Reynolds, Senator Jama, House ECHS then JW&M. Public Hearing 2/22 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. The League has supported this policy / funding category in the past. Bills of Interest or possible League support: (Bills that have been posted to OLIS that may move forward via a committee public hearing. – an Incomplete list) Basic Needs SB 610 : Establishes Food for All Oregonians Program within Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (snap), unclear what the funding ask may be. Chief sponsors: Senator Campos, Representative Ruiz, Senator Manning Jr, Gorsek, Representative Bowman, Dexter, Gamba . Sen Human Services then to JW&M. May replace the ‘Workers Relief Fund’ . ‘Oregon Worker Relief measures impact in infrastructure’| Statesman Journal. SB 856 Establishes COFA Food Assistance Program to provide nutrition assistance to COFA citizens who would qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits but for their immigration status and who have incomes at or below federal poverty guidelines. Legislative Counsel has not adopted standards for drafting measures that establish exemptions from disclosure of public records. Chief Sponsor: Senator Meek, Patterson, Hansell. Posted to OLIS 2/7/23 Immigration SB 185 Requires the Department of Justice to study immigration in this state; may include legislation recommendations to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly no later than September 15, 2024. Requested by Attorney General Rosenblum. In Sen Judiciary. Sunsets January 2, 2025. SB 603 : Establishes People's Housing Assistance Fund Demonstration Program, administered by Dept Human Services, to provide 12 monthly payments of $1,000 to individuals who are experiencing homelessness, are at risk of homelessness, are severely rent burdened or earn at or below 60% of area median income. (Includes immigrant, and refugee status.) Starts with a PSU $250K study. A potential $500M program. Rep Pham K and Senator Campos, Sen Cmt on Housing and Dev, then JW&M. SB 849 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…. Sen L&B. Senator Jama, Dembrow, Frederick, Campos, Manning Jr, Woods, Representative Chaichi, Nguyen H . Other SB 613 : Creates Commission for Indigenous Communities. SB 216 Related to data collected by OHA. (Request of Governor Kate Brown for OHA).The Oregon Health Authority 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). Sen HC, 2/8 Work Session carried over. No fiscal impact identified. 2/15 with amendment carried over . HB 2458 : Prohibits conversion therapy. Public Hearing 2/24

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 3/9 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Note: Education reports after January, 2024, are included in Social policy reports. Education reports prior to February, 2024, can be found HERE . Please see the Legislation Tracker for 2026 Social Policy bills . Jump to topic: Child Care Behavioral Health Criminal Justice Education Gun Policy Healthcare Housing Immigration Reproductive Healthcare Summer Learning Behavioral Health Trish Garner HB 1532 has passed both chambers and has been signed by the Speaker of the House. It delineates certain aspects of the OR Department of Human Services’ authority regarding residential and long-term care facilities, including requiring ODHS to impose a license condition on such a facility if a person is in “immediate jeopardy.” ODHS is also allowed to place a child in care in an out-of-state placement that is not licensed as a child-caring agency if the placement is in a relative foster home or pre-adoptive family place, is in an eating disorder program approved by that state’s Medicaid program or is pursuant to the OR Indian Child Welfare Act. HB 1533 has passed both chambers and been signed by the Speaker of the House. It permits a court to limit, deny, or prohibit contact between a foster child and the foster child's sibling to ensure safe and appropriate contact between the siblings. It also expands the Oregon Foster Children’s Bill of Rights to include the right to (1) be protected from abuse, exploitation, neglect, intimidation and inappropriate use of restraint or seclusion, (2) have access to a free and appropriate public education; (3) be assigned an attorney to represent the child’s interests; and (4) maintain, have access to and be able to transport to their personal belongings. HB 1546 B has passed both chambers. Because the Senate added an amendment after passing the House, It had to be sent back to the House for its consideration. The bill attempts to restrict the impact of AI (“artificial intelligence”) chatbots that are increasingly affecting the lives of children, as well as adults. The system must remind a user that it is using AI. AI operators are required to set up a protocol to deal with persons with suicidal or self-harm ideation which are more stringent if the user is under 25. The Amendment added language requiring AI operators to use clinical best practices and expertise on how it will provide additional information for a user who continues to express this ideation. HB 1547 has passed both chambers and been signed by the Speaker of the House. The bill authorizes the Oregon Board of Psychology to issue licenses to “behavioral health and wellness practitioners “ after completion of relevant education, clinical hours and training. HB 1547 also sets standards for licensure. HB 4039 has passed both chambers and been signed by both the Senate President and the Speaker of the House. It changes the method that Oregon Health Authority must use in setting payment rates for coordinated care organizations , which are the regional networks which receive and manage state and Medicaid funding and then distribute it to health care providers based on their services. It also mandates that CCO’s establish a transparent, data-driven process when developing capitation rates, which are the set amounts of Medicaid funds Oregon pays a CCO per member, per month to cover that person’s healthcare. The bill also requires that CCO’s use a part of their income or reserves to address social determinants of health and health disparities. Finally, the Oregon Health Policy Board is mandated to establish a review process for collecting public comment when setting rates. HB 4069 has passed both chambers and been signed by both the Senate President and the Speaker of the House. It requires residential treatment facilities, detoxification and sobering centers and mobile crisis intervention teams to develop and implement written safety plans for workers and the built environment to be filed with the Oregon Health Authority. If the facility uses individuals who work in a situations or locations without a colleague nearby or close supervision, it must include protections for them as well. HB 4070 has passed both chambers and been signed by both the Senate President and the Speaker of the House. The bill provides that the Oregon Health Authority must ensure that access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment and services is comparable to medical and surgical treatment and services . Crisis stabilization centers are required to have the capacity to screen individuals for physical health needs. Subject to legislatively appropriated funding, services must be made available to all persons with mental health, substance use disorders or intellectual or developmental disabilities. HB 4083 has been signed into law by the Governor. It requires the Oregon Health Authority to create a uniform process to credential behavioral health care providers. By June 30, 2027, it must select this system and by July 3, 2027, coordinated care organizations must begin using it. It also requires the State Board of Licensed Social Workers and the OR Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists to adopt rules that would allow behavioral health providers of a type other than those licensed by these boards to provide supervision to individuals seeking authorization to practice. Child Care By Katie Riley SB 1535A related to the Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) lack of funding to meet the needs of their extensive waitlist was approved to temporarily pause the requirement that gives TANF recipients priority eligibility for the waitlist and make it optional and to establish a work group to study the cost and availability of liability insurance as well as other liability issues affecting child care providers. The work group is to provide a report by November 1, 2027. The Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) also was approved to move a surplus of approximately $67 million due to a lack of use of the Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten (Oregon Head Start) and Preschool Promise federal funds to help address the ERDC deficit of approximately $80 million. It was recommended that the existing programs be reviewed for possible changes. The two programs with surpluses may have lower enrollments due to their partial day coverage for enrollees vs the ERDC coverage for all day care. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley & Sharron Noone Immigration Bills In a race to the finish line, only a handful of the thirteen bills in the “immigration justice package” successfully passed through both chambers, on largely party line votes. Bills that are soon to become law in the criminal justice category include: Warrantless Searches : HB 4114 allows Oregonians to sue in cases of warrantless searches of property by law enforcement or anyone acting under color of law. This is a rejection of the federal rule, known as the “open fields doctrine” that allows such searches. Oregon joins six other states (Mississippi, Montana, New York, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington) that have enacted similar laws. See League testimony. Court Immigration Protections: HB 4111 prohibits data about a party’s or a witness’s immigration status from being used in a civil case and prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who update their employment authorization status. Immigration Policies: SB 1594 directs the Oregon Office of Immigration and Refugee Advancement to create model policies relating to citizenship or immigration status. Law Enforcement Uniform Rules: HB 4138 specifies identification requirements for law enforcement uniforms and prohibits facial coverings except in certain narrow instances. See League testimony Bills that died along the way include HB 4091 (limits use of the Oregon National Guard) , SJR 203 A (forbids secret police in Oregon), SB 1563 (allows for civil action against law enforcement officer), HB 4117 (appropriates money from General Fund to Universal Representation Fund, established in 2022 to provide grants to nonprofits who work with immigrants), HB 4150 (prohibits contractors for state agencies to transport individuals for deportation), HB 4143 A (authorizes state to withhold money from federal government if federal money is withheld from Oregon) Other Criminal Justice Bills The League also supported the following bills that await the Governor’s signature: HB 4045 requires communication providers to respond to a search warrant withing a specified time when domestic violence is involved. See League testimony . SB 1515 modifies provisions for wrongful convictions to allow for more timely compensation and to allow for review of cases involving discredited forensic science disciplines. See League testimony Education By Jean Pierce Bill which the League supported and the Governor signed SB 1538 A creates a new protected class in educational antidiscrimination law (schools cannot discriminate based on immigration or citizenship status), and guarantees admission to Oregon school districts’ instructional programs The League submitted testimony in support Bills which the League supported passed both chambers: HB 4079 A requires public schools to inform parents, students, and community members when ICE is present on the campus. This would assure immigrants that they have accurate information to base decisions to protect their children. The League submitted testimony in support of the bill. HB 4149 directs school districts to enroll and provide services for homeless students. The bill codifies provisions of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act in Oregon law. LWVOR submitted testimony in support. Bills that did not advance: SB 1555 would have eliminated the Quality Education Commission and made other changes related to how public education is funded. There is no question that the current system of determining this level of funding is flawed in Oregon. The Quality Education Commission has not used evidence-based practices in its model calculating school funding needs. While SB1555 raised a number of issues that the legislature should address, there was no time for these issues to be resolved in the short session SJR 201 would have allocated part of Oregon’s “kicker” tax refund to the state school fund . Ninety-seven percent of the testimony opposed the bill. Gun Policy By Marge Easley One of the biggest disappointments in the waning days of the session was the behind-the-scenes deal-making between the two parties that caused HB 4145 to be stripped of nearly all its provisions before its final passage on the Senate floor. The initial purpose of the bill, sponsored by Rep. Jason Kropf, was to provide implementation details for Measure 114 (2022) as well as delay implementation until 2028 to give agencies sufficient time to institute the changes needed for the required firearm permitting system. See League testimony for the original version. Court challenges have held up the measure since 2022, but it is hoped that the Oregon Supreme Court will deliver a favorable ruling on its constitutionality within the next few months. After much passionate opposition HB 4145 A was able to pass the House on a party-line vote. However, when it passed to the other chamber, Senate Democrats needed a bargaining chip to avoid a Republican walkout. Thus, a deal was made to pass a gutted version of the bill, leaving only the provision that delayed Measure 114’s implementation until 2028. Despite this setback, Rep. Kropf reiterated his commitment for gun violence prevention and vowed to bring the bill back in 2027. Healthcare Christa Danielson Bill which the League supported and the Governor signed: SB 1527–A prohibits cost sharing on colposcopy. Makes colposcopy part of screening procedure. See League testimony. Bills which the League supported that passed both chambers SB 1570 establishes protections in healthcare facilities. Requires hospitals to have policies around law-enforcement at hospitals and to designate private areas in the hospital.. See League testimony. SB 1598 Requires insurance to pay for recommended vaccines. Allows pharmacies to use standing orders. See League testimony. Other Bills: SB 1575 establishes new requirements for hospice programs to be constructed by OHA. Prevents fraud, favors good care. This is going to Governor’s desk. Enrolled HB 4040 Numerous fixes to a variety of administrative issues in health care. Testimony has been given in previous years about multiple parts of this bill. Enrolled. HB 4054 . Down coding by AI. Not going further, died in committee. Housing Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona Bills Governor Kotek has signed into law SB 1523 Enrolled Electronic Barriers to Residential Tenancies The Governor signed this bill on March 5, 2026. It will require landlords to provide tenants and prospective tenants with non-electronic means of conducting business. Tenants will have the option of submitting rental applications on paper rather than through a tenant portal. The bill also requires landlords to provide access to common areas by means other than software loaded onto smartphones, such as keys, access codes, fobs, etc. Bills awaiting Governor Kotek’s signature SB 1576 Enrolled Housing Accessibility Act: This legislation requires the Department of Consumer and Business Services and Housing and Community Services Department to adopt rules that conform to the state building code so they align with federal fair housing accessibility requirements and American National Standards Institute standards. The rules will apply to multi-family housing and will increase the future supply of housing accessible to people with disabilities. SB 5702 Enrolled Affordable Housing LIFT : Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) Affordable Rental Housing Program received approval for an increase of $75 million in Other Funds (Article XI-Q Bonds) capital construction with a six-year expenditure limitation to acquire, construct, remodel, repair, equip or furnish real property in which the Housing and Community Services Department will take an operational or ownership interest to provide affordable rental housing for Oregonians with low-incomes and citizens in historically underserved communities and communities of color. The increase brings the total of other Funds for capital construction expenditure limitation approved for the LIFT program to $540 million. HB 4036 Enrolled Affordable Housing Preservation Bonds: This bill establishes the Housing Opportunity, Longevity and Durability (HOLD) Fund to support the preservation of affordable housing that it at risk of loss. It would authorize the use of $25 million in Article XI-Q general obligation bonds into the fund. Money could be used for acquiring, constructing, remodeling, repairing, equipping, or furnishing affordable housing that is or will be operated by the state. Preserving existing low-income housing is a cost-effective and efficient way to maintain our supply. HB 4123 Enrolled Tenant Information Privacy Protections: This bill will add clear provisions to Oregon’s Landlord Tenant law regarding the disclosure of confidential information on certain personally identifying, financially sensitive and other private information. The amendments would allow landlords to share tenant contact information with repair and maintenance workers and release confidential information if required by an administrative or judicial warrant. HB 4128 Enrolled Restricts large investors from purchasing single-family homes : This bill places restrictions on the purchase of single-family residences by certain large institutional real estate investors and related entities. Before such entities could purchase the home, it must have been listed for sale to the general public for at least 90 consecutive days. Immigration Bills with League testimony SJR 203 Oregon Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting Secret Police See Criminal Justice SB 1538 Enrolled Public schools educate immigrants See Education SB 1570 Enrolled Where ICE can go in hospitals See Healthcare HB 4079 Enrolled Public schools must inform about ICE presence See Education HB 4091 Oregon National Guard Activation & Authority See Governance: Privacy & Protections HB 4114 Enrolled Rules for Operations of Federal Agents or Agents from Another State in Oregon See Criminal Justice HB 4138 Enrolled Requires ID and prohibits face coverings for law enforcement agents See Criminal Justice Other Bills Bill # Description Policy Committee Status Fiscal M$ Chief Sponsors+ Comments HB 4117 Universal ( legal) Representation & worker relief Funding Died in Committee 11 16 See HB 5204 end of session reconciliation bill. SB1505 Establish Workforce Standards Board Died in Committee Not posted Sen Interim Committee on Rules Home and community based services – likely in next session SB 1581A School Meals Died in Committee Not posted yet 11 Not all districts needed this HB 4089A Wage theft Passed, waiting for Governor to sign Minimal 6 SMS House vote 33, 9 Funding HB5204 Refugee Emergency Response and immigration legal services See Gov public statements 4.5 See HB 5204 end of session reconciliation bill News, Updates and other Resources: Oregon lawmakers approve key immigration bills to shield immigrants from Trump deportation campaign - oregonlive.com Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement: OIRA Update : February 2026 Oregon Legislature: Experiences of Immigrant and Refugee Oregonians Will Inform State Responses to Federal Immigration Practices Senate Bill 1594 directs the Oregon Department of Justice to consult with Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement Experiences of Immigrant and Refugee Oregonians Will Inform State Responses to Federal Immigration Practices Oregon Moves to Ensure Community Voice in Immigration Policy Updates PDF Document · 211 KB Immigration Policy Updates Important Policy Updates from OLIS Reproductive Healthcare Trish Garner SB 1568 requires Medicaid coverage for a minimum of 12 visits by doulas , 24 hours of doula services or a comparable combination of visits and service hours, as well as coverage for these services of up to $3,750 per a 12-month period. Lactation counseling services must also be covered without prior health care provide referral. After passing in the House, an Amendment was added In the Senate which clarified that OHA is required to adopt qualification criteria for birth doula and postpartum doula. The bill was approved by the House as amended. Bills which the League supported passed both chambers HB 4088 has passed both chambers. The League provided testimony in favor of the bill. It declares that it is Oregon’s policy to ensure that people are allowed to get reproductive health care and gender identity treatment services . Several protections are given to providers of these services, including directing public bodies not to cooperate with investigations into reproductive and gender affirming care and a ban on extradition by the Governor related to a person’s engagement with these activities. Disclosure of public records regarding providers of these services is expanded from a person’s name, and home or professional address to also include images and home telephone numbers. Senators Kim Thatcher and Mike McLane had filed a Minority Report which essentially converted the bill into a study bill, reportable to the legislature by September 15, 2027. It was not adopted. HB 4127 has passed both chambers. The bill ensures that certain providers, including Planned Parenthood affiliates of the Columbia Willamette and of Southern Oregon, are paid for their services . The League submitted testimony . Summer Learning By Katie Riley The Ways and Means Joint Subcommittee on Education held an information session regarding the report from the Oregon Department of Education on the results of implementation of the 2025 legislative session SB 2007 which provided funding over three summers for summer school care (2025-2027). The results have received praise both in print and from legislators in the committee, although there were many questions in the hearing asking for more detail on findings and a separate article asked if the expenditure was worthwhile. Approximately 74% of the recipients reported meeting their literacy-based goals and an additional 24% reported partially meeting them. The goals were set by each recipient and were not the same across the board. This issue will be addressed by ODE in the future. ODE is conducting a competitive process for the 2026 allocations. There was no explicit mention of the participation of students in after school hours programs although some community based organizations administered the grants. Please see the Legislation Tracker for 2026 Social Policy bills for which the League submitted testimony. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED : What is your passion related to Social Policy? You can help. Volunteers are needed. We particularly need help tracking legislation concerning Basic Needs: Food Basic Needs: Income Juvenile Justice Public Safety Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Governance , and Natural Resources , and Revenue report sections.