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Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 4/7 Governance Team Coordinator: Becky Gladstone and Chris Cobey Artificial Intelligence: Lindsey Washburn Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill Conflicts of Interest/Legislative Ethics: Chris Cobey CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone Election Systems: Barbara Klein Emergency Preparedness: Cate Arnold Immigration, Refugee, and Asylum: Claudia Keith Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey State Audit Working Group: Sheila Golden Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Please see Governance Overview here . Jump to a topic: Initiatives Rulemaking Legislation for which the League testified Elections Initiatives SJR 30 : Proposes an amendment to the Oregon Constitution to require petition signatures for initiative laws to contain at least eight percent of the total votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the last general election at which a Governor was elected divided equally among the congressional districts of this state. Proposes an amendment to the Oregon Constitution to require petition signatures for initiative amendments to the Oregon Constitution to contain at least ten percent of the total votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the last general election at which a Governor was elected divided equally among the congressional districts of this state. League written testimony here . Public hearing April 2 in Senate Rules . Rulemaking By Peggy Lynch The League continues to follow the bills listed on the March 17 agenda of the Senate Committee On Rules since some of the bills relate to the process of rulemaking. After legislation is passed, agencies are required to implement those laws. That action often requires rulemaking to clarify the details around that implementation. But the League is concerned when legislators “get a second bite at the apple” by relitigating the legislation when rulemaking is only meant to implement, not change policies. 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. The League will continue to be engaged with potential meetings in May and June. We continue to watch a series of bills related to rulemaking which we might oppose: HB 2255 , HB 2303 , HB 2402 and HB 2427 . We are also concerned with HB 3382 , since the requirements of the Secretary of State to gather ALL the state agencies’ rulemaking, including all materials would be overwhelming. Individual state agencies provide that information on their rulemaking websites. We may sign on to a letter explaining our concerns to legislative leadership. Because the League is often engaged in rulemaking, we regularly comment on legislation that would affect changes in Oregon’s current Administrative Rules. We have provided testimony in opposition to HB 2692 , a bill that would create complicated and burdensome processes for agencies to implement legislation with their rulemaking procedures . Legislation for which the League testified By Becky Gladstone and Chris Cobey SJR 30 : Proposes an amendment to the Oregon Constitution to require petition signatures for initiative laws to contain at least eight percent of the total votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the last general election at which a Governor was elected divided equally among the congressional districts of this state. Proposes an amendment to the Oregon Constitution to require petition signatures for initiative amendments to the Oregon Constitution to contain at least ten percent of the total votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the last general election at which a Governor was elected divided equally among the congressional districts of this state. League written testimony here . Public hearing April 2 in Senate Rules . SB 224 : Prohibits the Secretary of State from publishing the residence address of certain individuals who are affiliated with a candidate's principal campaign committee on the electronic filing system maintained by the secretary. Previous League written testimony . Work session: April 2; do pass as amended by -3 ; 5-0-0-0 SB 1014, to allow political party statement translations in online voters’ pamphlets, was heard in Sen Rules; League testimony , written and presented, was among four speaking to the bill. SB 1046 to expand automatic voter registration (AVR) from DMV & OHA to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), was heard in Senate Rules, League testimony , comments with cautions, in support of the concept. AVR was put on hold for an audit after non-citizen voter registrations were discovered OPB , October 7, 2024. The ODFW feels unprepared to determine citizenship, as the Dept of Revenue did when AVR expansion via tax filings was suggested with HB 2499 A (2021), League testimony. We supported HB 2177 Enrolled (2015), well-known as Oregon’s MotorVoter law, League testimony . SB 952 , for interim US Senator appointments, League testimony presented and submitted in support, was heard in Senate Rules. The crux, the bill would give Oregon a Senator’s voice during interim months that might be lacking, in case of an unexpected vacancy. Elections would be held as prescribed and voters would still have a say. Appointment by the Governor would maintain party representation. SB 473 -2 League testimony, to create a crime of threatening a public official, passed unanimously from Sen Judiciary. Bill we are watching: SB 1121 creates a new crime of unlawful private data disclosure, punishable by a maximum of six months' imprisonment, $2,500 fine, or both. A public hearing and possible work session are slated for April 8 in Senate Judiciary, at the request of the Oregon Judiciary. Elections By Barbara Klein SB 210 . Effort to Repeal Vote-By-Mail (VBM) was heard by Senate Rules with a great deal of public input. OLIS experienced technical issues on 3/31/2025 due to the overwhelming number of SB 210 testimony submissions (both written and requests to speak). Testimony was heated at times, with oppose and support views near equal in number during the hearing, despite the unequal written statements. Complaints about VBM included concerns about fraud, lack of responsibility on the part of voters and the erroneously belief that there are online connections to ballots. Senator David Brock Smith the main sponsor of the bill (joined later by Senator Kim Thatcher) repeatedly explained that they just want voters to “reaffirm” their wishes to keep VBM or not. SB 210 is a ballot referral to the voters. There was no discussion of monies needed to support or oppose the ballot measure. While more testimony continued to pour in for the 48 hours after the hearing adjourned, shortly after the hearing there were more than 11,000 written testimonies submitted. Over 85% of those were opposed to the bill and in favor of keeping VBM. The League submitted written testimony and delivered verbal testimony (at 1 hour, 26 minutes, 20 second mark). HB 3908 was heard on 3/31/2025. HB 3908, related to party membership and registration requirements, was filed by the Rules Committee at the request of the Independent Party of Oregon (IPO). It may surprise readers (as it did some legislators) why a minor party would be requesting an increase in the percentage of voters from 5% to 10% for a party to be determined a major political party. Registration levels of the IPO have fluctuated between qualifying as a minor and major party. IPO spokespersons said they’re on the brink of major party status once again and would like a “longer runway” or more time to adjust to different (and more stringent) major party requirements. In both2017 and 2019 they requested the legislature remove some of the more stringent requirements, but had no remedy. They believe major party status now would destroy their party and instead wish to maintain their minor party status. When questioned as to whether this would make it more difficult for other minor parties, the witnesses gave data showing other parties are years off from major party status (based on their numbers). While LWVOR supports a diverse group of voices, it has not planned to address HB3908. SB 1054 , introduced by sole sponsor Senator Daniel Bonham, is scheduled for a hearing April 7th in Senate Rules. It requires “each county clerk in this state to provide a live video feed to be made available to the public through the Internet of rooms in which ballots are tallied and official ballot drop sites” These feeds would have to be recorded and made available to the public through the Internet for at least two years following the election at which the live video feed was provided. Issues at play include ballot security vs transparency, and costs. The League has not provided testimony. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - December Interim 2024 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Agriculture Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Columbia River Treaty Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Department of State Lands (DSL) Drinking Water Advisory Committee Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) Emergency Management Forestry (ODF) Hanford Land Use and Housing Recycling Regional Solutions Transportation Water Wildfire Agriculture Look for a new lobbying group to Keep Oregon Farming by advocating for MORE uses on farmland. A separate group will be advocating for reducing the current number of uses on farmland. The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) updated their Farm and Forest rules (starting on page 16) at their December meeting. The rules are meant to codify case law to help local governments administer land use applications. Budgets/Revenue The new Chief Economist provided the Governor and legislature with a positive Revenue Forecast on Nov. 20th which included an increase in expected revenue for 2025-27 and a larger personal kicker. Here is their Press Release . As a result of the increase from the Sept. forecast, the Governor adjusted her draft budget to add staff and/or programs before her Dec. 2nd budget release. Her budget is required to be “balanced” so she did not address the revenue shortfall for the Oregon Dept. of Transportation (ODOT). Instead, she acknowledged the work of the Joint Transportation Committee and its many hearings around the state and left it to the legislature to figure out exactly how to fund ODOT’s responsibilities. The Emergency Board met on Dec. 12th. Here is their agenda . See the meeting materials or the Subcommittee meetings for details of the requests. Budgets 2025 By Peggy Lynch 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. However, 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 the League determines as priorities using our League positions ). The next Revenue Forecast will be Feb. 26th. The legislature will use that forecast to do a final rebalance of the 2023-25 budget. Then the May 14th forecast will be the basis for the legislature to determine the 2025-27 state budget. Climate By Claudia Keith and Team Here are future climate projections for Oregon counties. See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. T here are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. Coastal Issues By Christine Moffitt and Peggy Lynch There is a new advocacy group addressing ocean issues for the 2025 session: The Oregon Ocean Alliance. Among the issues we expect to be addressed is protection of eelgrass . Other concerns: “A new report spells out exactly how much Oregon’s kelp forests have dwindled over the past decade or so — and the picture is bleak.” “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.” Then two groups are launching a campaign to address shoreline erosion. And climate change is causing low-oxygen levels per an OSU report . The Dept. of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) hosted a kickoff meeting of the Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap Roundtable on November 1st. The video from the kickoff meeting is available on DLCD's YouTube channel here: Offshore Wind Roadmap Roundtable Kickoff . The agenda and meeting materials may be found here , and a copy of the slides may be found here . For more information on the Oregon Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap, please visit the DLCD webpage here: Offshore Wind Roadmap . This engagement was supported by LWVOR and HB 4080 (2023). For more information on offshore wind, this article provides a great update. The Port of Coos Bay has received a number of federal grants. $25 million was awarded to advance environmental review, permitting, and preliminary engineering and design for the intermodal terminal component of the larger PCIP project, including the railyard, container yard, wharf, and berths. The entire project is expected to cost $2.3 billion! Another $29 million was awarded to upgrade the railroad so there is a land connection to I-5. The League has many concerns about this project and its effect on that eelgrass mentioned above. It is also located in an area where a tsunami could destroy the Port. Columbia River Treaty By Phillip Thor The U.S. and Canada announced a new agreement, although, to the disappointment of the League and others, it didn't include the concept of ecosystem function as part of the river's management. Soon after learning about the agreement, the federal government announced a Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative that addresses some of our concerns about the Treaty. Flood control updates were added. There is hope that the entire details can be completed before the next federal administration takes charge. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch A League member is serving on a rulemaking advisory committee to address sewer availability and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) issues prompted by bills enacted by the 2021 and 2023 sessions and supported by LWVOR. Here is the DEQ 2025-27 Governor’s Recommended Budget. Department of State Lands (DSL) By Peggy Lynch See Elliott State Research Forest below for the agency’s role in that issue. See the Wetlands section of this report for information on removal/fill fee rulemaking. The last State Land Board meeting was Dec. 10th. Drinking Water Advisory Committee By Sandra Bishop December 16, is the fiftieth anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act, signed into law in 1974, by President Gerald R. Ford. The measure required the Environmental Protection Agency to set maximum contaminant levels for drinking water and required states to comply with them. It protected the underground sources of drinking water and called for emergency measures to protect public health if a dangerous contaminant either was in or was likely to enter a public water system. (Thank you Heather Cox Richardson) Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) The State Land Board met on Oct. 15th to appoint additional ESRF Board members and adopt its first Forest Management Plan. Among the decisions was approving joining a carbon market in order to provide revenue for the management of the forest and doing the research intended in the forest. The carbon credits agreement has been signed. The Dept. of State Lands will ask for additional General Funds to fund the forest and staff, but we also expect a beginning timber sale in the spring. Sadly, Bob Sallinger, an ESRF Board member and an advocate for the forest for many years, passed away recently. His passion for the birds of the forest helped stop the forest from being sold. (The League played a role in this effort as well.) He then worked tirelessly to find an answer for the forest. He attended the Oct. 15th Land Board meeting and saw these first steps taken toward his vision. He was honored at the beginning of the House Interim Committee on Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources and Water meeting. Visit DSL's Elliott webpage to learn more . Emergency Management By Lily Yao The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) invites all Oregonians to participate in shaping the future of emergency management across the state. On February 11, from 10:00-11:30 a.m. , OEM is hosting its second annual town hall where community members and partners from all backgrounds can provide input and feedback on the agency’s 2023–2025 Strategic Plan and the OEM Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) plan. One of LWVOR’s Youth Council members will be attending the event. Forestry (Oregon Dept. of Forestry ODF) By Josie Koehne On Nov. 22, the Board of Forestry met for a special session to decide on criteria for a computer model to test run different forest management scenarios for timber harvests on state forest lands. The model will project outcomes over a 30-year period assuming that the approved Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is in place. The intent of modeling of various scenarios is to show examples of the trade-offs between resources and outcomes under different implementation approaches. The model will provide a scientific basis for management decisions, and the chosen plan will be incorporated into the Western Oregon Forest Management Plan (FMP) which is due to be approved by the Board this time next year. There has been much controversy in past meetings about harvest levels since state forests must be managed for Greatest Permanent Value for all Oregonians. At a previous meeting in September, we reported that the Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee (FTLAC) attended the last Board meeting in person and provided input, arguing for greater harvest levels to increase revenue for the trust land counties, while various environmental groups supported lower harvest levels and growing trees longer in order to protect wildlife habitat and increase carbon sequestration to help fight climate change. There was agreement on which scenarios to run and the Board agreed to the test the following four scenarios: Scenario 1 will test volume targets of 185 million board feet (MMBF), 195 MMBF, and 205 MMBF and then for non-declining timber harvest for 30 years. Scenario 2 will test longer timber harvest rotations (now trees are harvested at about 30-40 years) to creating more even distribution of age classes throughout the forest (outside the Habitat Conservation Areas identified in the HCP) harvesting at 120 years in managed acres, andthen 150 years, time permitting. Scenario 3 will maximize volume with unlimited periodic variation. Scenario 4 – Maximize Net Present Value (NPV) maximized at 4% discount rate. After the computer runs these scenarios, the State Forest Division will report back to the Board in the early months of 2025 and the Board will discuss and decide next steps. A growing number of local and state agencies that rely on revenue from logging public forests are agreeing to scale back logging in exchange for money from carbon credits according to this article in the Oregon Capital Chronicle. Here is the 2025-27 Governor’s Recommended Budget for the Dept. of Forestry. See also the Wildfire section of this report below. Hanford Hanford Challenge is a watchdog nonprofit focused on transparency and cleanup process at Hanford nuclear site. Plans for the cleanup evolve. Land Use and Housing By Peggy Lynch The Oregon Housing Needs Analysis (OHNA) rules were adopted by the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) on Dec. 5th. Cities will now have housing targets to work toward in a range of styles, sizes and costs. The rules take effect on Jan. 1. A second set of rules will be developed in 2025, with adoption expected by Jan. 1 of 2026. 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 Housing Accountability and Production Office (HAPO) managers were announced by Governor Kotek as she continues to focus on housing for all. Five new interagency agreements were signed by the Dept. of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) to increase cooperation and define their responsibilities. Here is the 2025-27 Governor’s Recommended Budget for DLCD. See also the Agriculture section of this report on Farm and Forest rules. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy Legislative Report. Recycling The Environmental Quality Commission adopted rules to implement the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act at its meeting on Nov. 22nd. The League supported SB 582 (2021).” Starting this summer, Oregonians across the state will begin to receive a standardized list of what can and cannot be recycled statewide, and owners and managers of apartment complexes and multi-unit housing will need to prepare to provide recycling for residents.” according to an article in the Oregon Capital Chronicle. Regional Solutions By Peggy Lynch Here is a great slide presentation that helps explain what the Regional Solutions program is. There are 11 regions and residents can sign up to receive agendas, meeting materials and even provide public comment on certain agenda items on their website . Toxics On Oct. 2nd, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to add 16 individual per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 15 PFAS categories representing more than 100 individual PFAS to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) . It would also designate them as chemicals of special concern so they must meet more robust reporting requirements, including reporting even for small concentrations. This proposed expansion of TRI would advance the commitments of the Biden-Harris Administration and EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap to address the health and environmental impacts of PFAS by promoting pollution prevention, and informing the public about environmental releases of these so called “forever chemicals.” Transportation As the legislature struggles with paying for the work of the Oregon Dept. of Transportation (ODOT), it is reported that Oregon counties need $834 million a year to repair & maintain roads . Water By Peggy Lynch A member of the League has served on two rules advisory committees for the Water Resources Dept.: Place-Based Planning is now open for public comment through Jan. 15th. Best Practices in Community Engagement is also open for public comment through Jan. 15th. More information is on the linked websites. As we look to the 2025 legislative session, it is helpful to review the 2021-2024 investments . Legislators have created an Oregon Water Caucus to help guide water investments in the 2025 session. Sign-up to receive updates on their website . The Water Caucus is asking Oregonians to submit their current and future water investment needs via a statewide survey to help inform budget requests and strategic planning. In the time since the Statewide Integrated Water Resources Strategy was initially adopted in 2012, the state has been incrementally increasing its attention to critical water priorities, but the Legislature does not have a comprehensive inventory of water investment needs. In an effort to fill that gap, the Water Caucus invites water managers, users, stewards, advocates and members of the public to submit water investment needs by January 15 via a statewide survey . Oregonians can help the Water Caucus understand investment-ready water projects. In addition to physical projects, water investment needs can include data, planning, and other needs that benefit the environment, communities, and economy. The survey is for informational and planning purposes only and does not guarantee funding or replace other legislative processes. View the dashboard . Click here to view their press release. The League continues to monitor the actions related to the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area. An article in the Eastern Oregonian explains that “a management area refers to quality of the water while a critical area refers to water quantity, and the Lower Umatilla Basin is low in both measures .” Groups demand action : “Nitrate contamination has become a problem in rural communities and cities in many parts of the U.S., spurring a group of nearly two dozen nonprofits from several different states to band together to demand the EPA do more to regulate farms and sources of nitrate.” “In the last decade, groups have submitted five emergency petitions to the EPA to prompt federal intervention in nitrate contamination in drinking water in Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin.” A federal lawsuit is now part of the discussion: “By suing some of the largest agricultural producers in the Lower Umatilla Basin, a group of local residents are trying to get the federal courts to do what they say state government has failed at for the past three decades: take decisive action against nitrate pollution.“ “Pearson vs. Port of Morrow”. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Here is a more complete website about drought in Oregon. The Governor declared Jefferson County as a drought emergency through Executive Order 24-08 , declared a drought in Lake County through Executive Order 24-26 , declared a drought in Wallowa County through Executive Order 24- 29 , declared a drought in Harney County through Executive Order 24- 30 , and directed state agencies to coordinate and prioritize assistance to the regions. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” V isit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers There were a number of Interim Committee meetings held last week, some with an urgent focus on the record-breaking wildfire season. With a total of nearly 2 million acres (triple the ten-year average) burned, and $350 million in large fire costs, there was an urgency not seen among legislators since the devastating 2020 wildfire season, with emotions running high, and a sense of determination. “This is our new reality.” - a sentiment expressed repeatedly by lawmakers and agency officials alike, describing the wildfire crisis Oregon faces. On December 10, the Joint Emergency Board on Public Safety met and heard from Kyle Williams, Deputy Director of the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), and James Short, the agency’s Chief Financial Officer. Williams briefly recapped the 2024 wildfire season, and how completely overwhelming it was for all involved, including people from all over the State and beyond who assisted. The crux of the funding problem is that many, many vendors, private businesses, and others helped agencies fight wildfires this season, and the state agencies don’t have the funds to pay them for the work they did. While much of that is owed by, and will ultimately be recouped from the federal government, that repayment can take years. It is an untenable situation, threatening the solvency of the agency. Their request was for $82.1 million of General Fund for the remainder of the state's portion of net large fire costs, and $17 million of Other Funds limitation to continue processing 2024 fire season payments. This was followed by a presentation and funding request from Chief Mariana Ruiz-Temple of the Oregon Department of the State Fire Marshal (DSFM). Her agency’s request was for $5 million General Fund from the Emergency Fund “to maintain solvency”. The recommendation for the Legislative Finance Office added $26.5 million. Both items were deferred to the full committee and to be considered at the Special Session on December 12 called by the governor so the entire legislature can vote to fund an even larger request. At the same meeting, Doug Grafe, the Governor’s Military and Wildfire Advisor, along with Kyle Williams of ODF, and Chief Temple of DSFM, offered a progress report on the Wildfire Funding Workgroup, created at the end of the last session with charge to find durable, long-term, sustainable funding for wildfire in Oregon. Chief Temple shared that the nickname for the Workgroup is the “Fire 35”, and they have made progress, narrowing a list of 70 ideas at the outset down to 20 so far. All parties at the table expressed admiration for the hard work and collaborative effort members were making to find workable solutions that are fair and affordable. They expect to have a recommendation for the Legislature ready for the 2025 session. Details for this meeting, including LFO analyses, granular details on the allocations, and complete presentations, may be found here . The aforementioned parties (Williams of ODF, Ruiz-Temple of DSFM, and Graf from the Governor’s Office) repeated their 2024 Wildfire season report before the House Interim Committee on Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans, also on December 10. This report contained the most intricate details of all the reports given. Next, still on December 10, was another progress report on the Wildfire funding Workgroup before the House Interim Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment December 10, and yet another, nearly identical report given to Senate Interim Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire, December 11. At this meeting, Chief Ruiz-Temple stated, “This is an all-Oregon problem.”, acknowledging the reality that any area of the State is now vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire events, including smoke, and that the risk continues to increase. The last meeting the League covered on December 10 was the Senate Interim Committee on Veterans, Emergency Management Federal and World Affairs. A presentation was given by Oregon Hazards Lab (OHAZ), out of the University of Oregon (Go DUCKS!). Of interest was the portion of their discussion of the growth of the use of, and effectiveness of, Public Fire Detection Cameras. Noting that the first camera for detecting hazards, such as wildfire, was deployed in 2018. Since then, funding from the 2022 short session started to increase momentum toward this technology, leading to 60 cameras in use around the State in 2024. That number is expected to increase to 75 in 2025. The role of these cameras in early detection and response cannot be overstated. The Joint Interim Special Committee on Wildfire Funding met December 11 and held a Public Hearing on LC 2 , the Legislative Concept which would become SB 5801 , the emergency wildfire funding bill, to go before the Special Session of the Legislature the following day. The bill was passed nearly unanimously, and has already been signed by the Governor, providing $218 million in funding to ODF and OSFM with most of the money to be paid to private contractors and local fire departments who provided significant assistance during the fire season. This article gives a concise overview of the evolution of the funding shortfall through the passage of the bill. Finally, this comprehensive piece gives a nearly minute by minute account of the proceedings, and includes some colorful commentary by legislators. 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.

NICOLE REKSOPURO (she/her) NICOLE REKSOPURO (she/her) Youth Council Policy Director Nicole Reksopuro attends Adrienne C. Nelson High School and has a passion for social justice. Nicole was chosen out of 1,060 students to be a part of her school district’s youth equity committee. She, along with many others from different schools, come together and discuss inequities within their schools with the school district board. Furthermore, Nicole is an active member of her speech and debate team and spends most of her time researching, preparing speeches, and competing at tournaments. Outside of her academic pursuits, Nicole continues her devoted commitments to equity by being a part of the leadership council at Girls Inc, where Nicole strives to help uplift underrepresented women's voices with advocacy, policy writing and more. Nicole is also a part of the 2024 Oregon Health Advocate Cohort, where she helps combat systematic obstacles that prevent students from receiving healthcare directly from their school. She has been selected as one of her school’s Student Ambassadors for the Asian American Youth Leadership Conference, to help foster a safe environment for those of Asian heritage to come together and bond over their rich culture. This is Nicole’s first year participating in LWVOR Youth Council, and she has her eye on making civic participation a smoother experience for everyone. Through leading workshops and registering young voters, she hopes to make her community (and the world) a better place. She is excited to advocate for voters across Oregon as a member of the LWVOR Youth Council and can be contacted at youthcrew@lwvor.org . youthcrew@lwvor.org

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 2/19 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to topic: Behavioral Health and Related Public Safety Issues Healthcare Housing Immigration/Refugee Violence Prevention and Gun Safety Education Volunteers Needed By Jean Pierce, Social Policy Coordinator, and Team Behavioral Health and Related Public Safety Issues By Karen Nibler and Jean Pierce On February 26, The Joint Committee on Addictions and Community Safety Response is holding a public hearing to consider two amendments to HB 4002 which deals with Oregon’s addiction crisis. The -10 amendment is proposed by Rep. Kevin Mannix while the - 24 amendment is being proposed by the Joint Committee. The -10 amendment creates an Office for Drug Prevention and Treatment with rograms for crisis intervention, stabilization, detox, treatment medications, and use of the Oregon State Hospital Dome building for hospital level treatment. This amendment also includes a provision for the Oregon Youth Authority to develop a juvenile residential services substance use disorder treatment and recovery plan. Amendment -10 states that the crime of unlawful possession of a controlled substance constitutes an Unclassified Misdemeanor. The supervisory authority shall determine where to transfer physical custody of defendants as follows: “(A) The defendant shall be transferred to a secure detoxification center whenever possible. This might be in another county. “(B) If a secure detoxification center is not available, the defendant may be incarcerated in a local correctional facility with a detoxification program. “(C) If neither a secure detoxification center or a local correctional facility with a detoxification program are available, the defendant may be incarcerated in a local correctional facility. The Court may assign a drug court referee to a case. That person will conduct a status review every 30 days to determine whether a defendant is receiving treatment. Both amendments have some provisions which are similar or identical. For instance, each calls on the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission to study barriers to best practice, medical assisted treatment, and emergency room treatment. Each amendment creates a Joint Task Force on Regional Behavioral Health Accountability. Both eliminate Class E violations for drug possession . FInally, both propose an Opioid Use Disorder Medication Grant Program for treatment of people in jail custody. This resource will be appreciated by County Corrections officers managing jail programs. The -24 amendment covers payment for Substance Abuse Treatment, stating that insurers may not require prior authorization and shall reimburse legally-dispensed refill costs. Possession of a Controlled Substance is classified a “Drug Enforcement Misdemeanor” with 18 months of probation but no jail time. Probation violations get 30 days in jail or release to treatment programs. County Community Corrections agencies supervise these court orders. Law enforcement agencies are encouraged to refer people to a deflection program, which is collaboration between law enforcement agencies and behavioral health providers. This amendment also describes timely sealing of records for people who complete a treatment program. The Oregon Behavioral Health Deflection Program will manage proposed grants for Behavioral Health programs in county and tribal areas. LWVOR is drafting testimony supporting HB 4002-24, but also encouraging the committee to add some provisions from the -10 amendment, including an Office for Drug Prevention and Treatment which coordinates programs and a provision for the Oregon Youth Authority to develop a juvenile residential services substance-use disorder treatment and recovery plan. Healthcare By Christa Danielson HB-4149 -A Strengthens reporting from Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). These entities, such as Express Scripts and CVS, have taken over medication delivery to many health plans. These entities were there originally to save patients money. Unfortunately they are now traded on the stock market and are considered some of the largest Fortune 25 companies. This bill requires PBMs to report rebates they get from drug manufacturers, how much they spend on management, and how much they pass on to the insured population. This bill will also save rural pharmacies by not allowing “claw-backs” (charging the pharmacy for a drug after it has been given to a patient). It will allow pharmacies to participate in the delivery of medications instead of forcing patients to use a mail order or a specific pharmacy far from where they live, see League testimony submitted 2/7/2024. The bill passed through a work session on 2/19/2024 and was referred to W&Ms. There is a possibility this topic will be reviewed by a work force before the 2025 session since concern was expressed that amendments had diluted the original intent. HB-4130 -A Bans against Corporate Management of Health Care. The bill will strengthen previous bills that kept corporations from making patient’s healthcare decisions, see League estimony submitted 2/7/2024. The bill was passed by the House and a Senate public hearing was scheduled for 2/26/2024. HB 4136 -This bill is in response to a downtown Eugene hospital closing abruptly. This looks to be a very good bill as it gives money to fund one more Emergency unit but also works broadly to assess the need for EMS transport and employs innovation on the ground to avoid unnecessary transport. It is broadly supported in the community. It passed a work session with referral to W&Ms.. League testimony was not written as this is a local measure, but we are following it. HB 4088-A This bill makes assault against hospital workers a crime and includes mandated posting of such. It passed through the work session and wasreferred to Ways and Means. Housing By Debbie Aiona, Nancy Donovan, Beth Jacobi The Emergency Housing Stability and Production Package aims to fund homeless shelters, support renters, boost housing production and infrastructure, and grants qualifying cities a one-time expansion of Urban Growth Boundaries. The package consists of two bills, SB 1537 and SB 1530 A . They are scheduled for a Work Session in W&MsTransportation and Economic Development on 2/27, see League testimony . Homeownership: SB 1530 A : The League sent testimony to W&Ms urging legislators to allocate $15 million to build new affordable homes for low- and moderate-income buyers. Although this funding was included initially in SB 1530; it was excluded in amendments. This omission will have a devastating impact on critically needed housing production in Oregon. Insufficient funding in the amended bill will place a large majority of affordable homeownership production at risk, including shovel-ready projects ready to move forward in the next two years. Our state needs to build hundreds of new homes for low- and moderate-income buyers, who otherwise will be priced out of the housing market. Housing Preservation: One of the most effective and least costly methods of providing affordable homes to low-income Oregonians is through preservation of existing regulated units. Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) estimates that it costs an average of $72,000 per unit to maintain affordability. This means it would take $200 million per biennium to maintain existing affordable units through preservation programs. The Legislature allocated $50 million in 2023 and housing advocates are urging an additional $30 million in lottery backed bond revenue this session. League testimony urges allocation of that amount through HB 5201 . Preservation measures include extending federal long-term rent assistance contracts, acquisition, and rehabilitation of privately-owned housing when affordability contracts expire, or acquisition of manufactured home parks by resident-owned cooperatives or affordable housing nonprofits. More information on preservation opportunities and their location is in this Oregon Housing Alliance information handout. Individual Development Accounts HB 4131 : League testimony to W&Ms urges support for $10 million in critically-needed funds for the state-wide Oregon Individual Development Accounts (IDA) program. The program has a 25-year history of successfully assisting lower-income participants in saving for investments that are most important to them, like home purchase and repair, small business start-up or expansion, post-secondary education, vehicle purchase, and emergency savings. Every IDA, regardless of the savings goal, is a tool for housing and economic stability. Without the $10 million funding for the 2023-2025 biennium, fewer families will have access to this vital resource. A $10 million general fund investment will ensure that 2,200 Oregonians can begin to save to meet their goals. Immigration / Refugee By Claudia Keith League Testimony HB 4085 A – Directs DHS to give grants for legal assistance to help noncitizens get lawful immigration. Fiscal $6.3M , adds 2 positions / 1.2 FTE. League testimon y, currently in J W&Ms. Feb 19 HB 4085 -1 Preliminary SMS SB 1578 A - Directs the OHA to set up a health care interpreter management system. In J W&Ms, no fiscal analysis statement until J W&Ms requests. The League may write testimony. Violence Prevention and Gun Policy By Marge Easley SB 1503 A , establishing a Task Force on Community Safety and Firearm Suicide Prevention, appears to be on a fast track for passage. The bill, sponsored by Senate President Rob Wagner, passed out of the Ways and Means Public Safety Subcommittee on February 22 and was returned to the full Ways and Means. Education By Anne Nesse HB 4161 This bill attempted to increase virtual charter school funding but failed in the House, 2/15. It attempted to increase school district student percentage enrollment limits in a virtual public charter school from 3% to 6%. Sponsors presented a complex argument to divert more funding to virtual schooling, including educational savings accounts ( hearing video ). Editor’s note: This issue may return in future sessions. LWVOR lacks a position on charter schools. The LWVOR K-12 task force will propose concurrence in 2025 with positions regarding virtual public charter schools and educational savings accounts, which are a form of vouchers. SB 1583A , attempted to strengthen the State’s ability to prohibit discrimination when selecting books and materials in school districts. It cleared the Senate Rules Committee on a close vote. We are following HB 4087-3 , directing creation of an Emergency High Acuity Youth Initiative program. The amended bill passed from House Early Childhood and Human Services and was referred to W&Ms. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Social Policies? You can help! Volunteers are needed, particularly for adult corrections, judiciary, juvenile justice, and mental health. The long legislative session begins in January 2025. Training will be offered. Please contact SocialPolicy@lwvor.org .

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

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 5/1 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Air Quality Budget/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Elliott State Research Forest Hanford Cleanup Land Use/Housing Recycling Toxics Water Wildfire By Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, and Team The House voted out two of the session’s contentious bills: HB 2002 related to health care and HB 2005 related to gun safety. They now head to the Senate where a walkout on May 3 has delayed voting on these bills. Agency budgets are moving to chambers for a vote. Policy bills had a May 5 Work Session scheduling deadline (but the bills have until May 19 to be “worked”). Now we wait for the May 17 Revenue Forecast. There are, of course, a slew of bills awaiting funding decisions in Ways and Means. Air Quality LWVOR joined with others in support of HB 3229 . The bill would modify federal air quality (Title V) operating permit program fees. The bill sits in Ways and Means without recommendation. SB 488 A , relating to the Covanta medical waste incinerator, sits in Ways and Means. Budgets/Revenue HB 5008 , the budget bill for the Columbia River Gorge Commission, was worked on May 3. Here is the LFO recommendation. A climate change position that would help implement the Climate Plan adopted by the Commission has been funded by the State of Washington but not Oregon—yet. Another reason to hope for a good Revenue Forecast! The Oregon Dept. of Energy budget, HB 5016 , with its LFO recommendation, was also worked. Then on May 4, the Dept. of State Lands budget, HB 5037 , provided one of the better natural resource agency recommendation s . All three budgets should be seen in Full W&Ms next week. Last week’s budgets were considered in Full Ways and Means on May 5. Later that day, HB 5030 , the Lottery Bonds projects budget bill had a public hearing in the Capital Construction Subcommittee. Like the General Obligation Bond bill, expect additions to the current list in this bill. A reminder: in March we learned of the state’s bonding capacity : General Fund debt capacity results in $1.94 billion issuance for each biennium, or $969 million annually ($320 million greater than 2021-23). Lottery bonds: The State’s Lottery Revenue debt issuance capacity is $506.4 million in each biennium or $253.2 million annually over the forecast period ($9 million decline from 2021-23). We await the May 17 Revenue Forecast that will be the guide for the final 2023-25 balanced budgets. From former State Senator Rick Metzger on the upcoming Revenue Forecast: “The decision is critical. It can lead to important programs unnecessarily being placed on the chopping block, or funding new initiatives that will not prove sustainable. The figure has significant consequences.” Climate By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency Report for overlaps. We encourage you to read both. Coastal Issues By Christine Moffitt/Peggy Lynch We continue to await a new proposed amendment for HB 3382 . We truly believe this bill is a serious threat to our coastal planning and could reduce or remove the opportunity for future coastal NOAA grants. If an amendment is provided, we expect that it will not “blow up” the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), is within the land use program--just a minor new change related to Goal 16, that NOAA must unofficially sign off on the idea and the other state agencies (DLCD, DSL & ODFW--and maybe DEQ) are accepting of the concept. We understand that the local tribe wants "no net loss of eel grass". We need your voices to tell your legislators to Just Say NO if these factors are not part of any amendment. The local LWV Coos County has been doing an update and study of their local Port: The International Port of Coos Bay. You might want to watch a 44-minute video of a recent history of activities around the Port: Study of International Port of Coos Bay | MyLO (lwv.org) . On April 20, the Land Conservation and Development Commission unanimously adopted an amendment to the Rocky Habitat Management Strategy , Part Three of the Oregon Territorial Sea Plan (TSP). The decision added six new management areas that reflect needs of the communities that proposed them. Rocky Habitat Management Areas focus on balancing use and conservation through the enhancement of visitor experiences with education and interpretation to limit wildlife disturbance and habitat degradation. HB 2903 A , funding continuing work on marine reserves, is in W&Ms. LWVOR supports . Columbia River Treaty Here is an update on the April 19 Listening Session about the Columbia River Treaty, including a recording . U.S. Government representatives' written remarks are at the top of the meeting: https://www.state.gov/columbia-river-treaty/ . Send comments or questions: ColumbiaRiverTreaty@state.gov . Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) SB 835 A , as amended, would require DEQ to adopt rules to clarify when a single septic system can be used for both a primary residence and an ADU. It sits in Ways and Means. LWVOR provided testimony with concerns addressed by the amendment. Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries The League provided testimony on HB 220 and testimony on SB 221 , two bills addressing a new e-permitting system and how the new system should be funded. Both are in W&Ms. Dept. of State Lands HB 2238 , originally filed to provide permission for robust rulemaking to increase fees for the removal/fill program is back! The bill was amended in the House to remove the fee increase and instead allows the Dept. of State Lands to get rid of personal property collected during clean up of DSL-owned property after 30 days. A new amendment was filed to bring back the original purpose of the bill. The League continues to support . Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) By Peggy Lynch Another Prospective Board meeting was held May 2 (the agenda ). Members struggled with how to respond to feedback from federal agencies that more protection is needed for the marbled murrelet in the proposed Habitat Conservation Plan, which would reduce the areas where logging was going to be allowed. That reduction causes an increasing gap between projected revenue and expenses as projected by OSU. The League has consistently raised this budget imbalance issue, since the OSU proposal was considered. Oregonians don’t expect the Elliott to be over logged since they helped create this new ESRF. In another wrinkle, a local tribe has suggested that the entire mapping of the forest be scrapped and instead manage the entire forest in a manner once done by the tribes. Environmental groups would find this approach disconcerting since they have worked hard with all parties to balance the uses of the forest for competing interests and felt an agreement had been reached. The Board will meet again in June. Their website provides information. The League continues to remind the Board of our continuing concern related to financial viability and hopes the Board can resolve this issue. We will continue to monitor these Prospective Board meetings. Separately, the Shutter Creek former Oregon Dept. of Corrections facility is being transferred by the federal government to the Dept. of State Lands in anticipation of the property being the home of the ESRF. There is also discussion around a tribal role for the property. SB 161 will have a Work Session May 9 in the House Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources and Water Committee with a new proposed amendment, increasing a deadline for work being done on the transfer of the Elliott to the new Authority to Dec. 31, 2023. The bill adjusts some timelines as provided by the Dept. of State Lands’ April 25 testimony . Hanford Cleanup Board The Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board will hold a virtual meeting on May 9, beginning at 10 a.m. and concluding after the public comment periodnat approximately 2:15 that afternoon. Public participation is welcomed and encouraged. See a full meeting agenda , which includes information on how to participate, with other meeting materials. Land Use/Housing By Peggy Lynch A new land use “expand into farmland” bill, SB 1096 , has been filed by Senators Meek and Anderson and referred to Senate Rules. The bill, similar to SB 1051 which the League vigorously opposed and we hoped had died, is now a topic of discussion. It continues the false narrative that simply adding land to urban growth boundaries will solve Oregon's housing crises. Many surveys and studies have shown we have enough land zoned for residential use inside our UGBs - including thousands of acres recently added to UGBs - that are sitting empty because they need infrastructure investment. The bill puts at risk urban reserve planning and wildlife protections, increases the potential for development in high wildfire risk areas, exacerbates climate change through creating more impervious surfaces and housing farther away from core areas, and more. HB 3620 is an equally concerning bill. It authorizes certain cities with a demonstrated need for housing to add land to their urban growth boundary upon meeting certain conditions. It also amends principles that the Land Conservation and Development Commission must consider in adopting rules regulating urban reserves. And another: HB 3616 would allow owners of property outside an urban growth boundary to site additional dwelling on property for occupancy by an owner’s relative. Just another way to add more housing outside areas intended for housing and breaking our land use planning program. No new news on SB 1087 , filed on behalf of a farm in Lane County where they want to add a “café” (with seating for 250-300 people) on their Exclusive Farm Use (EFU)-zoned property. The League opposes this overreach of our land use program. The bill is in Senate Rules and could be scheduled for a Work Session at any time; not as of May 3. A public hearing was held in House Housing and Homelessness on SB 1013 . The League has worked with the sponsor and Sen. Hayden to assure that, should a recreational vehicle be allowed on a rural property, sewage and clean drinking water issues would be addressed by the counties. A -2 amendment is being offered to change that counties “may” adopt this law vs. “shall”. As of May 5, a possible May 11 Work Session is scheduled. It would die if not held. HB 3442 A will allow coastal communities to develop in hazard areas under certain conditions, with a May 15 Work Session in Senate Housing and Development. The amended bill responded to League concerns on the original bill. HB 3414 would create a new Housing Accountability and Production Office in DLCD and also includes a Section 2 related to processing of variances under certain circumstances. Variances are used to address exceptions to a code’s “clear and objective standards”. It is unclear how this provision will change a community’s control over residential development. The bill was moved without passage recommendation and referred to House Rules. The League understands that a new amendment may be offered to address at least some of our concerns with Section 2. SB 70A would allow housing on acreage in Malheur County. The League provided testimony in opposition on Feb. 8. On April 3, the bill was moved without passage recommendation to Senate Rules. LWVOR still opposes it. HB 2983 A would help with manufactured housing and housing parks, in W&Ms. LWVOR supports . See the Housing Report in the Social Policy section. Reduce/Recycle By Kathy Moyd/Greg Martin On April 25, the Senate voted 26-3 to refer SB 542 A (Right to Repair) to House Rules. There it will sit until more amendments are made or until there are enough votes to pass in the full Senate. The League provided testimony in support on Feb. 14. Toxics By Paula Grisafi HB 3043 A had a public hearing May 4 in Senate Energy and Environment, The bill revises provisions relating to chemicals in children’s products. SB 546 A (toxic free cosmetics) was sent to W&Ms although there was NO fiscal for the 2023-25 session because, although the measure takes effect January 1, 2024, all substantive portions of the bill are not operative until January 1, 2027. SB 426 A (toxic free schools) was sent to W&Ms without clarity on the fiscal impact. The bill’s advocates are working to assure that the fiscal impact statement is not over inflated by agency staff. Water By Peggy Lynch A major water bill, HB 3124 , was moved to House Rules without passage recommendation. The bill is a $250 million Drought Relief and Water Scarcity package and includes some of the other bills we’ve seen this session. The League provided comments , including a list of our priorities, using our participation in the HB 5006 Work Group as our guide. HB 3163 A is a League priority. It renews the Place-Based Planning program with a Fund to help groups participate in this program and was sent to W&Ms. The League participated in a Work Group last year to help develop program sideboards and provided testimony in support. HB 3100 A , a bill addressing the Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS), is in Ways and Means. The League provided testimony when the bill had its public hearing. Then we worked behind the scenes to provide guidance as the IWRS is updated and we support the bill. HB 3207 A , related to domestic well testing and data collection, is in W&Ms. LWVOR supports . HB 2813 A creates a grant program to protect drinking water sources, is in W&Ms. LWVOR supports . HB 3125 would create a Ratepayer Assistance Fund to help low income people pay for sewer and water bills, is in Ways and Means. LWVOR supports . We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. The League supports HB 2647 A to continue to address this public health issue. It sits in Ways and Means. We have an on-going drought in many parts of Oregon and League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Oregon’s climatologist and a variety of other Oregon scientific sources provide input into the drought map. Governor Kotek has signed drought declarations under ORS 536 for the counties of Crook, Jefferson, Grant, Deschutes, Wasco and Harney counties. Lake County has now requested a drought declaration. In addition, many counties in eastern and southern Oregon have received Secretarial Disaster Designations from the US Department of Agriculture due to drought conditions. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers The Wildfire Programs Advisory Council (WPAC) met on April 14. Doug Grafe, the Governor’s Wildfire and Emergency Response Advisor, shared presentations he and Mark Bennett, WPAC Chair, have been sharing with House and Senate Committees to educate and compel them to fund the needed activities for wildfire mitigation and response. This included an update to the Council on current status of various wildfire related bills in the legislature and their financial state as known so far. Director Grafe followed this with a report on two meetings held recently with National wildfire groups. The first, hosted by WPAC in Klamath Falls, was a meeting of the Wildland Fire Leadership Council . WPAC member John O’Keefe and Chief Ruiz-Temple of the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office are members of this body, which includes a wide array of agencies including EPA, DEQ, and others. The second was a meeting of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission , which is part of the US Department of Agriculture. This is a 52-member body on which Chief Ruiz-Temple and John O’Keefe also serve. This group will be reporting to Congress and making recommendations. Director Grafe was clearly proud of the fact that Oregon is “on the map”, so to speak, in the wildfire programs space, and is looked to as a leader. (And rightfully so!) Mark Bennett led the Council through discussions on various topics: future engagement with the legislature regarding funding, particularly for Community Wildfire Risk Reduction programs, and the public process for getting more holistic and broad-based input into the current mapping process, especially meetings with county officials, a step which was neglected during the creation of the first map. It is a widely held belief that the first map, associated with SB 762 (2021), the original Wildfire Bill, was plagued by this lack of public input and there is a strong desire to “do it right” this time around. Finally, there was a discussion of the map risk categories which are currently Extreme, High, Moderate and Low. Lastly, May is Wildfire Awareness Month and is a great time for us all to refocus on what we can do to help keep ourselves and our neighbors safe. A couple of interesting articles have been published recently, a. public awareness campaign for the Wildfire Awareness Month activities and a second article discusses the passage of SB 82 in delta land what it means for homeowners insurance policies with regard to wildfire risk and related rate increases and cancellations. On May 3, Jim Wallmann, U.S. Forest Service meteorologist at the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) issued their first Western wildfire season forecast. The Western wildfire season could start late at middle and high elevations thanks to the unusually wet winter, but forecasters say the bigger concerns are rangeland at lower elevations. Fire season could be pushed back a bit, by a couple weeks at higher elevations. That would occur if the rest of spring brings conditions close to normal. Trees at middle and high elevations will hold moisture later into the season as a result of the above-normal winter snow and rain. The bigger concern is lower elevation--referring to the rangeland. Wet conditions and above-normal soil moisture “contribute to a lot more grass growth,” he said. That will result in “a higher and more continuous fuel bed in the lower elevations in grass and sage.” Fire risk at low elevations would jump when the fine fuels dry out in late June and early July. Senate Natural Resources passed HB 2522 A to the Senate floor on May 3, to create a committee to review and make recommendations related to rural fire districts and areas in Oregon where communities exist without structural fire protection. This bill seems a good first step to seeking resolution of these issues with so many of our rural areas dependent on volunteer firefighters and new small enclaves of housing in remote areas. The League provided testimony in support of funding for the Oregon Conservation Corps in HB 5025 , the omnibus Higher Education Coordinating Commission budget bill. The bill is in W&Ms. SB 80 A , the omnibus Wildfire Programs bill, is in W&Ms as is SB 509 A , which aims to scale out neighborhood collaboratives to help whole neighborhoods reduce risk. LWVOR provided support for SB 509 A. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The 2023 legislative session is halfway over. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered.

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

The LWVOR Board adopted a completed restudy of the Pesticides and Other Biocides position on January 19th, 2023. Pesticides and Other Biocides 2021 About the Study The LWVOR Board adopted a completed restudy of the Pesticides and Other Biocides position on January 19th, 2023. Pesticides and Other Biocides Position - Study Completed 2021 - Position Adopted 2023 The League of Women Voters of Oregon affirms that pesticides and other biocides should be managed as interrelated parts of life-supporting ecosystems, and their use should be controlled in order to preserve the physical, chemical and biological integrity of ecosystems and to protect public health, and that agriculture policies should promote farm practices that are environmentally sound and sustainable. LWVOR Supports: • Initial pesticide and biocide testing for registration has proven insufficient for preventing harm. We recommend increased testing by governmental agencies and third parties. We must identify and weigh benefits that balance safety versus toxicity, protecting food security while safeguarding public health and the environment. • Decisions for testing should be based upon a timeframe between 5 to10 years, or as new scientific data dictates. Varying weather conditions can greatly influence pesticide drift, impacting nearby bodies of water, schools, and communities including agricultural workers. The registrant of the Pesticide or Biocide currently bears the burden of proof for safety however the current regimen of tests is insufficient. • When approving the use of a Pesticide or Biocide we must consider: Risk to humans, animals, the environment, economic harm, cost to business, impact on food security, and the spread of invasive species and disease. • Pesticide labels should be improved to include: Regulations restricting use, hazards of use, best practices of use to minimize harm. Labels should be clearly written and easy to see and understand in multiple languages and use graphics to clarify explanations. • Federal and state agencies bear the responsibility for pesticide policy, based on research by pesticide manufacturers. These government agencies should also contribute to pesticide research with support from other groups. • We support using adaptive pesticide management, focusing on continual observation of current regulatory practice outcomes. As scientific advances reveal environmental and health impacts, as well as impacts on food security, the system should include the ability to rapidly react to new risk assessment data. Pesticides and Other Biocides Pesticides and Other Biocides Study (PDF opens in new window, 73 pgs) Read the whole study here (PDF opens in new window, 73 pgs) Downloadable copy of the Pesticides and Other Biocides position Previous Next

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 1/27 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to topic: Education Immigration Public Safety Human Services and Behavioral Health Education By Jean Pierce K-12 Education Legislators were given an overview of the numbers served by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE): 547,424 students speaking more than 360 languages (’23-24 numbers) 89,249 educators Staff of color comprise 14% of teachers 14% of administrators 20% of counselors 25% of educational assistants 197 districts including 1270 schools 131 charter schools 19 education service districts ODE legislative priorities include Streamlining the reporting processes for small school districts receiving state education grants Clarifying ODE complaint and investigations processes Higher Education Legislative Committees heard presentations describing the current state of funding, and foreshadowing requests for larger allocations. Information presented by the Higher Education Coordinating Council included: Oregon has seen the 7th highest increase in appropriations since 2013, when we ranked 49th in the country. Nevertheless, Oregon’s investment in higher education still lags behind the national average. Now we rank 37th among all states, coming in at 24% less than the national average of appropriations for full time student equivalents. Meanwhile, our 2-year tuition and fees are the second highest among 17 western states. The average is $2,444, while students are paying $6,464 in Oregon. And our four-year tuition and fees are the highest in the west - $13,440 compared to an average of $10,533 Further, our institutions of higher learning are projecting costs increasing by 9.5% for universities and by 10.5% for community colleges over the next biennium. These increases are mostly driven by labor costs. Immigration By Claudia Keith “ Oregon joins lawsuit over Trump attempt to end birthright citizenship ” Washington, Arizona and Illinois are also part of the case, while other Democratic states filed a separate lawsuit” | OCC “ Immigrants in Oregon could be significantly impacted by Trump’s second term . Here’s how. From international students to asylum seekers, the new administration’s plans could affect tens of thousands of people in the state “. | Oregon Capital Chron. “ Trump won’t ban immigration arrests at churches . Now clergy are weighing how to resist…” | Oregonian Oregon governor to stand by sanctuary law despite Trump-allied group’s warning of ‘serious consequences’ | Oregonian More info Here How Oregon is responding to Trump’s crackdown on immigration | OPB Oregon Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement OIRA Immigration and Refugee News and events and Mission, Vision and VALUES “As the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement (OIRA) talks with federal, state, local and community partners, we will continue to post the most updated information we have on this web page .” Immigrants in Oregon : American Immigration Council The League has very clear immigration/refugee, human rights and other social policy positions ( state and national) and is following this currently developing situation. Find below an incomplete/tentative list of policy and or funding-related bills that may have traction. Additionally, there are a number of other bills supporting the new 2025 federal administration potential policies that, given House and Senate D super majorities, will likely not receive a public hearing. Immigration, Refugee / Asylum Bills and Budgets Bill # Description Policy Committee Fiscal M$ Chief Sponsors: Comments SB 149 Immigration Study SCJ ? Sen Jama DHS SB 599 Immig status: discrimination in Real Estate transactions SCJ Sen Campos SB 611 Food for All Oregonians - for undocumented SC HS - JWM Sen Campos Rep Ruiz SB 703 a bipartisan immigration status update funding bill SCJ Sen Reynolds, Rep Neron, Ruiz, Smith G HB 2976 funding for interpretation of indigenous languages. HC ECHS Rep Hartman HB2788 funding to nonprofits to assist w lawful permanent resident status / legal aid - HC ECHS - JWM Rep Neron, Ruiz, Sen Reynolds HB 2586 nonresident tuition exemption for asylum seekers. Rep Hudson, Sen Campos HB 2543 The Act gives funds for universal representation and the Act gives funds to Oregon State Bar for legal help for immigration matters 15 Rep Valderrama, Sen Manning Jr, Rep Walters, Andersen, McLain, Sen Campos DAS HB3193 Farm Worker Relief Fund HC LWPS 10 Rep Marsh, Sen Pham, Rep Valderrama OHA HB 5002 Oregon Worker Relief Fund JCWM-GG 7 Das Public Safety By Karen Nibler Joint Chamber Judiciary Committee meetings started with reports from the Oregon Judicial Department Court Administrators. The Judicial Department includes the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Tax Court, and 27 County Judicial Districts. The OJD plans to request additional judge positions in its budget request this biennium. Last session additional judges and staff were added but the number of cases are still increasing in family law and behavioral health. Specialty treatment courts require additional court staff time but have proven to be successful. The defense attorney shortage has also impacted the judicial schedules. OJD has developed an Electronic Court Information system for self-help for the public to access details on the court processes. The League has supported the budgets for the Judicial Department and its services. The Department of Corrections manages 12 state prisons and supports county correction services. The DOC has been fighting the presence of contraband drugs within the prison system and provides drug treatment programs within the facilities. The jail facilities are operated by counties, except for 2 counties, but the parole and probation staff are supported by the state. In the last session, drug treatment was initiated within county jail facilities. The Criminal Justice Commission started in 2018 when it provided funds for supervision and community treatment programs. In the last session, HB 4002 allocated funds for deflection programs now in 23 counties. SB 900 provided funding for organized retail theft disincentives. CJC monitors the grant process and funding management. Human Services and Behavioral Health By Karen Nibler The Director of the Human Services Department presented an overview of the major programs within the department. The One Eligibility Program has the task of determining eligibility for all the services. This includes Medicaid, Title IV E Children, and Long Term Care for Seniors and Disabled Persons. The Director discussed the goal of family preservation and services to families toward that goal. The League has been supportive of the agency budget and programs for homeless and runaway youth in past sessions. The Oregon State Hospital primarily holds persons who are unable to assist in their defense in criminal cases. Youth residential programs have been difficult to maintain. Prevention programs are needed in communities and schools.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 6/26 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to topic: Housing Gun Safety Immigration, Refugee, and Other Basic Rights Criminal Justice Healthcare Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona The consequential results of the 2023 Legislative session underscore the urgency of Oregon’s housing and homeless crisis. Near the end of the session, it was clear that legislators were committed to taking substantive steps to address the overwhelming need. They allocated resources to provide shelter for unhoused Oregonians, assist tenants in paying their rent, help lower-income households afford a home purchase, and develop and preserve affordable housing. In the House Policy Bill Passed SB 611 modifies state law related to residential rent increases. This legislation limits maximum allowable rent increases to the lesser of either 10% or 7% plus the September annual 12-month average change in the Consumer Price Index. It also limits rent increases to no more than once a year, except for units rented on a week-by-week basis. Budget Bills Passed HB 5005 limits the maximum amount of bonds and third-party financing agreements that state agencies may issue, and the amount of revenue state agencies may raise from such issuance. The proceeds from issuance of bonds are included as revenues in agency budgets (see below). HB 5006 allocates $600 million of Article XI-Q bonds for OHCS’s Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) Housing and Permanent Supportive Housing programs to acquire, construct, remodel, repair, equip or furnish real property, in which the department will take an operational or ownership interest to provide affordable housing for Oregonians with low- incomes and citizens in historically underserved communities and communities of color, as well as affordable housing that will be combined with supports to tenants and other services for low-income citizens with high needs, including persons with disabilities and persons coming out of chronic homelessness. HB 5030 authorizes the issuance of Lottery Revenue Bonds to OHCS totaling $50 million for affordable housing preservation. Omnibus Budget Passed SB 5506 is the omnibus budget reconciliation bill that implements the remaining adjustments to state agencies’ legislatively adopted budgets for the 2023-25 biennium. It includes $21 million in funding for affordable homeownership development and long-term rent assistance. In the Senate Policy Bills Passed HB 3042 provides protections for residents of housing with expiring affordability restrictions, such as limiting terminations and rent increases for three years after a tenant’s housing is withdrawn from publicly supported housing. The bill is effective on passage. HB 3309 directs OHCS to study and incentivize accessible units in OHCS-funded affordable housing units by providing financial support and increasing the quantity and quality of accessible units. HB 3395 is an Omnibus spending bill that allows affordable housing on lands zoned for commercial uses within urban growth boundaries. Local governments can extend their decision-making to develop residential structures within the urban growth boundary or to reconsider land use decisions to develop residential structures. Local governments also can site certain emergency shelters, conditioned on the latest estimates of the percentage of individuals experiencing homelessness. HB 2761 will allow OHCS to fund only the portion of mixed-use or mixed-income housing developments affordable to households earning at or below 120% of area median income. The bill grants OHCS rulemaking authority regarding the allocation of the affordable housing portion of project’s shared costs. Bills adopted by both the House and Senate HB 3215 authorizes OHCS to support the replacement, reconstruction or rehabilitation of residential units damaged or destroyed by disaster and to support the recovery of the residents. It establishes the Disaster Housing Recovery Fund to provide funding to the department for specified purposes. HB 2071 extends the sunset provisions for various tax credits and allows qualified borrowers to use the loan proceeds in connection with tax credits for affordable housing lenders, to include limited equity cooperatives under certain conditions. It also creates credit against income taxes for selling publicly supported housing to preserve as affordable housing. Applies to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2024. HB 2080 is an Omnibus property tax bill which authorizes a city or county to approve or terminate a property tax exemption for a multiple-unit housing project. It authorizes a city or county to exempt from property tax the entire structure of multiple-unit housing converted from another use. Extends the low-income rental housing property tax exemption to housing units owned by limited equity cooperative corporations. Authorizes city or county to establish a schedule in which, for 10 years, the percentage of property tax exemption granted to affordable multi-unit rental housing increases directly with the percentage of units rented to households with annual income at or below 120 percent of area median income. HB 3462 requires the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM), Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), or Department of Human Services (DHS) to ensure that temporary housing provided in response to emergencies is safe and in compliance with state and federal nondiscrimination laws. It also allows these agencies to assist community members who are otherwise ineligible to access federal resources due to their immigration status. HB 3151 limits improvements that landlords of manufactured dwelling parks may require of tenants. It expands affordable housing that is developable on nonresidential lands. It also expands the manufactured dwelling park preservation loan program to allow loaned funds to be used to develop new parks. HB 2680 requires residential landlords to refund applicants for screening charges within 30 days, subject to certain conditions. The measure requires landlords to promptly notify an applicant once the screening has taken place, their right to a refund of the screening charge, and recovery of damages if the landlord fails to provide the refund within 30 days. It also increases the damages an eligible applicant may recover to twice the amount of the screening charge plus $250, which is a total increase of $100 from current law. SB 5511 is the Oregon Housing and Community Services budget bill. The total funds budget is $2,558,608,558 and 441 positions. This is a 28.5% increase from the 2023-25 current service level. OHCS’s budget from the General Fund includes the following: · $111.2 million to continue shelter and rehousing services that were funded in HB 5019 in response to the Governor’s emergency declaration on homelessness. · $24.1 million to provide operating support to existing shelters. · $55 million for rental assistance. · $6 million for services to tenants. · $10 million in down payment assistance. · $2.5 million for the decommissioning and replacement of manufactured housing. · $9.7 million capitalizes a predevelopment loan program within the Department, and expenditure limitation and position authority were added to revamp the process the Department will use to approve affordable housing finance applications from developers. · $136.8 million is allocated for wildfire recovery efforts, supported by a $422 million federal grant. Gun Safety By Marge Easley The compromise version of HB 2005 , limited to prohibiting the sale, manufacture, and possession of undetectable and unserialized firearms, frames, and receivers (“ghost guns”), passed the Senate and will soon be signed by the Governor. Violations are punishable as a Class A Misdemeanor for possession and a Class B Felony for the sale and manufacture. According to the Oregon Department of Justice, ghost guns are the weapons of choice for gun traffickers, and recent data from California states that 50% of guns used in crimes are ghost guns. HB 2572 , which defines and places severe restrictions on paramilitary activity in Oregon, will also soon be signed into law. The bill, strongly opposed by the Oregon Firearms Federation, will allow the Oregon Attorney General to bring civil action against those who engage in any of the paramilitary activities listed in the bill. SB 348 , which set out the implementation process for permit-to-purchase under Measure 114, unfortunately died in committee this session. However, the end-of-session Christmas Tree bill did include an allocation of $7.6 million to the Oregon State Police (OSP) to conduct background checks for people who are purchasing firearms. This would presumably be used to deal with the increased OSP workload to set up a new permit-to-purchase system with safety courses for applicants purchasing firearms. Immigration, Refugee and Other Basic Rights By Claudia Keith HB 2905 : Approved: Expands the list of individuals whose histories, contributions and perspectives are required to be included in social studies academic content standards and in related textbooks and instructional materials. House Speaker and Senate President signed this bill June 24. Passed unanimously. SB 610 A : Did not move from JW&Ms. It would have Established Food for All Oregonians (regardless of documentation status) Program within Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Fiscal, Staff Measure Summary. The fiscal may show up in the end-of-session budget balancing bill. Recent News: ‘ Dozens of advocacy groups disappointed food assistance bill fails’ – Oregon Capital Chronicle End of Session Full JWM Budget Reconciliation Bill HB550 A tentative list of Immigration/Refugee + related line items: - $2M OHA Healthcare Interpreter - universal representative fund / Oregon worker relief $8.6M DAS. Section 264 and 265 - Universal rep (legal) and legal services…. $4.8M section 85 & 86 - Language interpretation services $.5M section 76 - Latino Comm Ctr Pdx/Gresh. $4.1M - Immigration legal Services Oregon State Bar $800K - Migrant Bilingual educ team $2.2M - Afghan Refugee $2.5M Supreme Court immigration ruling allows Biden's deportation policy | Washington Post, https://wapo.st/430UGzQ League of Women Voters of the US on social media - June 23, 2023: “This SCOTUS decision rightly leaves in place guidelines that do not target undocumented immigrants for arrest & deportation if they don't threaten public safety. LWV stands with immigrants & partners to support policies to provide a path to citizenship.” Criminal Justice By Marge Easley and Karen Nibler Criminal justice bills that passed during the last week of the session include: · SB 212 maintains confidentiality of communications during peer check-ins at the Oregon Youth Authority or county juvenile facilities. · SB 339 requires sex offender treatment as a probation condition if the offense involved a touching offense. · SB 473 requires the Department of Education to integrate the identification and prevalence of sex trafficking into academic standards. · SB 321 establishes the process for post-conviction relief for those convicted by a nonunanimous jury. · SB 337 creates the Oregon Public Defense Commission under the jurisdiction of the judicial branch. · HB 2372 adds several goals for the Youth Development Council, including prevention of justice system involvement, respect for culturally specific and traditional practices, and prevention of and intervention in gang community violence and involvement. · HB 2635 increases penalties for fentanyl possession. · HB 2719 requires certain defendants to submit to testing for HIV and other communicable diseases. · HB 3275 provides that supervision of certain misdemeanor offenders reverts to the Department of Corrections if a county is unable to provide services. Healthcare By Christa Danielson HB 2395 Allows specified person to distribute and administer short acting opioid antagonists and distribution kits. Will expand the ability of these life saving medications to get to the people who need them. Also known as the Opioid harm reduction bill. Passed both houses. Will go to the Governor’s desk. SB 420 Sets up an area in the Department of Human Services for Navigation and support of those who have had a Brain injury. LWVOR testimony provided . Passed both houses and signed. Will go to Governors desk. SB 1089 (changed from SB 704) Sets up a Governance board for Universal Health Care. The board would create a plan to finance and administer Universal Health Care for Oregonians. LWVOR testimony .

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 3/6 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Gun Safety Criminal Justice Housing Immigration/Refugees and Other Basic Rights Gun Safety By Marge Easley SB 551 , a bill that directs OHA to provide information on safe storage of firearms and prescription drugs to school districts for dissemination on their websites and social media, was heard in Senate Education on March 7. League testimony in support included data on child deaths related to access to harmful drugs and firearms and the alarming rise of suicide among children and teens. There is talk of combining several gun safety bills into an omnibus bill that will appear later in the session, but no bill number has been assigned yet. Concepts include the banning of “ghost guns,” allowing gun sellers to require purchasers to be at least 21 years of age, expanding the number of public areas where firearms can be banned, and establishing a state income tax credit for buying a gun safe or lock. Measure 114 Update: There have been three new case filings in the Harney County lawsuit against the State of Oregon that challenges the legality of Measure 114 (permit-to-purchase and ban on large capacity magazines). State attorneys are urging the courts to set May or June trial dates for both the state and federal cases in order to resolve the issue as promptly as possible so as not to create ongoing uncertainty for Oregonians. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley & Karen Nibler Two League-supported bills that will have a positive impact on incarcerated individuals at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility were scheduled to have a work session on March 9 in House Judiciary. HB 2535 establishes a doula program for pregnant and postpartum individuals, while HB 2731 provides continuing funding for the Family Preservation Project. Bills related to studies and data collection are plentiful this session. Heard in Senate Judiciary on March 8 were bills authorizing studies on organized retail theft ( SB 318 ) and recidivism rates of persons convicted of felony property crimes ( SB 340 ). That same day House Judiciary heard HB 2719 , authorizing a study on services to crime victims, and SB 234 , which allows the Chief Justice to make rules for gathering data on disparities and impacts in Oregon’s criminal justice system. Senate Republicans are behind a series of bills related to increased penalties for sex crimes and are ramping up efforts to get them heard soon in Senate Judiciary. SB 986 raises the statute of limitations on rape from 12 years to 20 years. SB 1022 makes changes to Oregon’s sex-offender risk level assessment process and methodology. SB 1023 clarifies the term ‘victim’ when the Oregon State Police is required to release sex offender information. In a similar vein, Senate Democrats are having better luck with SB 745 , which passed out of Senate Judiciary on March 8. It requires that youth taken into custody receive sex trafficking screenings. W&Ms Public Safety has been reviewing the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) Budget and related bills this week. SB 5512 , the budget bill for expenses for the Supreme Court, Tax Court, Court of Appeals, and 27 Judicial Districts, asks for an appropriation of $705 million. The budget covers the salaries of 197 judges and 1428 court staff, plus the court facilities in Salem and in the counties. The OJD did a county courthouse facilities assessment in 2016 and still uses that assessment in plans to repair or replace judicial facilities. Each biennium the OJD Budget process has included upgrades or new construction of courthouses. League testimony on the overall OJD budget is here . Separate bills: SB 230 reviews the Interstate Compact, SB 233 covers judicial compensation, SB 234 concerns data gathering, SB 235 asks for new judicial positions, and SB 1029 supports family law training. HB 2224 asks for increases in juror compensation. HB 2467 offers student loans for public defense training, and HB 2497 covers rural courthouse assessments. The agency budget carries many policy option packages for pretrial diversion, protective proceedings, expunction, self-representative assistance, data expansion, technology positions, and equipment replacements. One major concern was judicial compensation due to high turnover and a recommended 10% salary increase in 2023 and 2024. Additional judges were recommended in Clackamas, Jackson, and Washington County Courts. Specialty Court Coordinators were recommended to facilitate specialty court programs through the Criminal Justice Commission grants. Each session the budget includes Capital Improvement Projects and Replacements and the bonds to finance them. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona Oregon lawmakers are closing in on two big housing priority bills of the 2023 session. Critically needed housing resources are being considered to support Oregonians who face a severe shortage of affordable housing and available shelter space. HB 5019 - Governor’s Emergency to Reduce Unsheltered Homelessness On Feb. 28, Gov. Tina Kotek testified before members of the Oregon House Committee on Housing and Homelessness at a hearing on HB 5019 to encourage lawmakers to pass a $200 million package to assist unsheltered Oregonians, build and preserve needed affordable housing, prevent evictions, and increase homeownership statewide. The funding includes $85.2 million to support local plans to address homelessness in emergency areas through expanding shelter capacity and rapid rehousing initiatives. A targeted $33.6 million for eviction prevention is anticipated to avoid homelessness for 8,750 households statewide. $26.1 million will address homelessness through increased shelter capacity, rapid rehousing initiatives, and sanitation services in communities within the Balance of State Continuum of Care. $200,000 will support the development and design of a statewide, long-term rent assistance program for individuals who are rehoused with state investments. The League provided testimony in support on HB 5019. A public hearing and work session was held on March 7 by the Subcommittee on Transportation and Economic Development. The housing package awaited consideration by the Joint Committee on Ways and Means at a 9:30 am work session on March 10. HB 2001 A-14 - Oregon Housing Needs Analysis Also, as part of the funding package is a related bill HB 2001 A -14, which establishes the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis (OHNA), within the Housing and Community Services Department (OHCS). The needs analysis will extend the notification requirement for the termination of residential rental agreements for nonpayment; provide funding for modular housing development, agriculture workforce housing, and moderate-income housing pre-development loans. The Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) and OHCS will assist the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) in carrying out the requirements. All three agencies will receive funding to carry out specific components of the OHNA. Also, DAS will conduct an annual statewide housing analysis to estimate the needed housing by region. The agency is to establish six-year housing production targets for cities with populations greater than 10,000 and unincorporated urbanized areas within Metro, and eight-year housing production targets for cities greater than 10,000 or unincorporated urbanized areas outside of Metro. DAS may adjust the allocation of needed housing to accommodate people experiencing homelessness and underproduction. The Subcommittee on Transportation and Economic Development held a work session on the housing package on March 7. The Joint W&Ms was slated to hold a work session on the bill at 9:30 am on March 10. Housing Production Advisory Council: Governor Kotek announced the members of her new Housing Production Advisory Council. The council is charged with developing an action plan to meet the production target of 36,000 additional housing units at all affordability levels per year as set in the governor’s executive order ( 23-04 ). Members include a range of housing leaders, local government representatives, bipartisan legislators, a Tribal member, and relevant state agency directors The Council held its first meeting on March 10, and is scheduled to provide a recommended framework for their action plan by April 1, 2023. More information is available on the website . Immigration/Refugees and other Basic Rights By Claudia Keith Bill Summary 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 was 2/22 , League Testimony supports. 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 to JW&M. Public Hearing 3/8 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. Public Hearing was 2/27. Legislative Summary May partially 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 summary . Chief Sponsor: Senator Meek, Patterson, Hansell. Public Hearing 2/27 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 : 2/27 Public Hearing with -1 amendment . 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 Public Hearing 2/28 with -1 amendment . Preliminary SMS Fiscal $20M grant fund. Requires professional licensing boards to provide culturally responsive training to specified staff members, publish guidance on pathways to professional authorization for internationally educated individuals and waive requirement for English proficiency examination for specified internationally educated individuals…. Sen Labor & Business. Senator Jama, Dembrow, Frederick, Campos, Manning Jr, Woods, Representative Chaichi, Nguyen H. Other SB 613 : Creates Commission for Indigenous Communities. SB 216 Passed out of SCHC 3/1 , on Senate Presidents Desk - Awaiting Disposition. 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).. HB2905 Expands list of individuals whose histories, contributions and perspectives are required to be included in social studies academic content standards and in related textbooks and instructional materials. Passed out Committee with Unanimous Vote Floor Third Reading 3/13 SB 421 establishes a youth advisory council. Prescribes membership and duties of youth advisory council. DOE to establish a work group to establish standards for the selection process of members of the youth advisory council. PH 2/28 Staff Measure Summary HB 2458 : Prohibits conversion therapy. Public Hearing 2/24 . No League testimony.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 4/17 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to a topic: Housing Healthcare Criminal Justice Social Policy Housing By Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan April is Fair Housing Month. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the passage of the 1968 Fair Housing Act. Fair housing includes the rights of all people to choose housing free from unlawful discrimination based on "protected class status.” Three of the bills below focus on issues related to equality of opportunity. Regardless of race, sex, national origin, religion, family situation, or level of ability, everyone has the right to a safe and stable place to call home. SB 702 : This bill would require training to be adopted by the Appraiser Certification and Licensure Board for real estate appraisers and appraiser assistants to comply with state and federal fair housing laws. At the present time, appraiser education requirements do not include provisions specifically covering racial bias or appraiser responsibilities under state or federal fair housing laws. Appraisal training can be completed online or in person. The League submitted testimony in support of the bill. A Public Hearing was held by the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness on April 18. SB 893 A : In 2021, the Legislature passed HB 2021 that directed Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) to form a Task Force on Homelessness and Racial Disparities. There are significant disparities in the homeless population in Oregon. The share of homeless Native Oregonians in 2020 was four times higher than their share of the general population. The rate of homelessness among Black Oregonians is three times higher than their share of the population at-large. In its January 2022 report, task force recommendations included identifying needs of housing-insecure individuals, understanding agency capacity issues, adjusting funding structures, and modifying contracting processes. SB 893 A requires OHCS to modify the state’s homeless programs and funding structure so that they are more culturally responsive. It allows OHCS to create committees to work on rules and a policy framework that accomplishes that goal. The bill passed out of the Senate on April 11 and there will be a public hearing on April 20 in House Housing and Homelessness. HB 3443 : Prohibits any landlord from terminating lease or taking other specified actions due to the status of a tenant as a victim of a bias crime. The bill would make changes to the bias crime laws and aspects of the Oregon Department of Justice's (DOJ) Bias Response Hotline. The measure expands the confidentiality of reports. It would make victims of bias crimes and incidents eligible for the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Address Confidentiality Program, which would allow victims to break a lease without penalty and have protected leave from work. The measure mandates automatic issuance of a no contact order against the defendant at the time of booking, release officer decision, or arraignment to a defendant accused of a bias crime. A work session is scheduled on April 24 in Senate Housing and Development. SB 976 : Mortgage Interest Deduction Reform bill has received a lot of interest because, if passed, the state’s largest housing subsidy would see some of the savings redirected away from higher earning homeowners and would instead benefit low- and moderate-income home purchasers. In addition, resources resulting from reducing the subsidy would be used for homelessness prevention. The League submitted testimony in support of the reform. Senate Finance and Revenue will hold a work session, April 19 at 3:00 PM. HB 3151 would institute several provisions related to manufactured home parks. It would limit the types of improvements or repairs a landlord could require in a rental contract. It also would allow manufactured home park loan funds to be used for development of new parks and require local governments to allow siting those parks in certain non-residential zones. Senate Housing and Development will hold a work session, April 26. Health Care By Christa Danielson SB 420 : Directs Department of Human Services to provide resource management services to Brain injury individuals and to Convene Brain Injury Advisory Committee. Testimony submitted in favor on 1/23/2023. Referred to W&Ms HB 2395 A Allows wider distribution, education and administering of short acting opioid antagonists. Passed through the house on 3/6/2023. Referred to Senate Health Care. Testimony submitted in favor for public hearing on 4/24/2023. SB 1089 Establishes a Universal Health Plan Governance Board. This is a path forward for Oregon Measure 111-right to healthcare amendment. Testimony submitted in favor to Senate Rules for 4/20/2023. HB 3012 Requires Pharmacy Benefit Managers to annually report costs and rebates of prescription drugs to enrollees to the Department of Consumer and Business Services. No hearing set as yet. Referred to Rules. HB 3157 Establishes Health Insurance Mandate Review Board. Passed the house, referred to W&Ms. No hearing set as yet. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley The slowdown on the movement of bills has necessitated hard decisions as to which ones are priorities for passage this year and which can be put off until a future session. Here are some criminal justice bills that were scheduled for public hearings or work sessions in House Judiciary on April 19 and 20: SB 234 authorizes the Chief Justice to establish rules for gathering data to identify disparities and impacts in the justice system. SB 306 A allows non-attorney associate members of the Oregon State Bar to practice law within a certain scope of practice. Four bills relate to the Oregon Youth Authority (OYA): SB 212 A assures confidentiality of communications during peer support check-in sessions. SB 902 allows those 20 or older who are resentenced to continue temporary assignment to youth corrections. SB 903 allows collection of OYA demographic data in order to see disparities between youths and employees. SB 904 A modifies criteria for the maximum allowable population of youth correctional facilities.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 6/12 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to topic: Housing Gun Safety Immigration, Refugee, and Other Basic Rights Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona On June 6, the Legislative Fiscal Office and the Joint W&Ms issued their recommended budget to the Transportation and Economic Development Subcommittee on SB 5511 , the Housing and Community Services Department (OHCS) budget: Legislative Fiscal Office's analysis . The Subcommittee recommends a total OHCS budget of $2,558,608,558 with the addition of 441 positions, a 28.5% increase from the 2023-25 current service level. The suggested budget includes: $111.2 million in General Funds to continue OHCS’s shelter and rehousing services that was funded in HB 5019 in response to the Governor’s emergency declaration on homelessness. $24.1 million in General Funds to provide operating support to existing shelters. $55 million for rental assistance, and $6 million for services to tenants. $10 million in General Funds for down payment homeownership assistance. $2.5 million for decommissioning and replacing manufactured housing. $9.7 million in General Funds to capitalize OHCS’s predevelopment loan program and revamp the process to approve affordable housing finance applications from developers to shorten the time between project approval and construction, while helping smaller developers and projects. $136.8 million in Federal Funds expenditure related to wildfire recovery efforts, supported by a $422 million federal grant. Housing advocates are concerned that this recommended budget bill does not fully support the Governor’s end-of-session investments of an estimated $1 billion in bonding for new affordable housing developments to move the state towards reaching the goal of producing 36,000 in new housing units per year. Their priorities include: New rental and homeownership: $770 million in Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) bonds to Oregonians transitioning out of homelessness, seeking to buy their first home, or just needing an affordable place to live. This is especially true in rural areas that lack housing affordable to workers who provide critical services like education, public safety, and firefighting. HB 5005 and HB 5006 Market Cost Offset Fund: to increase housing production in support of the Governor’s request of up to $40 million in LIFT bonding to recapitalize the Market Cost Offset Fund (MCOF) for projects that have faced cost overruns due to market volatility. Permanent Supportive Housing: $130 million to LIFT for new construction, rental assistance, and wrap-around service delivery designed to reduce chronic homelessness. HB 5005 and HB 5006 Preservation of expiring regulated housing: $100 million in Lottery Funds to save and reinvest in some 163 apartment projects with 7,735 units that are at risk of losing affordability due to the expiration of 30-year affordability restrictions. The people who live in these homes are seniors, people experiencing disabilities, and families just starting out. HB 5030 New homes for homeownership: $100 million in LIFT and the General Fund to affordable homeownership developers who need a combination of LIFT bonds and general fund resources to build homes in all parts of the state. General fund dollars paired with LIFT will ensure that mission-driven developers can build hundreds of homes for first-time buyers, directly addressing the persistent racial homeownership gap. Acquisition and rehab of manufactured housing parks: $35 million in Lottery funds. HB 2983 Gun Safety By Marge Easley As part of the compromise agreement for the Republican’s return to the Senate chamber, the three-part gun safety bill, HB 2005 B , was considerably altered at a Senate Rules work session on June 15. The -B12 amendment was adopted, which includes only the ban on unserialized firearms (“ghost guns”) and removes the provisions raising the minimum age of firearm purchase to 21 and the ability of cities to establish gun-free zones. The bill is now in the Senate for passage. The compromise agreement also included the stipulation that a workgroup will be established to study policy solutions to gun violence and suicide prevention and $10 million will be invested in the Community Violence Prevention program. Immigration, Refugee and Other Basic Rights By Claudia Keith SB 610 A : Now in JW&Ms. Establishes Food for All Oregonians ( regardless of documentation status) Program within Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Fiscal , Staff Measure Summary . The fiscal may show up in the end of session budget balancing bill. Recent News: ‘Dozens of advocacy groups disappointed food assistance bill fails’ – Oregon Capital Chronicle HB 2905 : Expands the list of individuals whose histories, contributions and perspectives are required to be included in social studies academic content standards and in related textbooks and instructional materials. At Senate Desk awaiting Third Reading.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - September Legislative Days 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 Legislative Report Interim Technology, Cybersecurity Governance By Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator, and Rebecca Gladstone The House and Senate Rules committees met during the interim days last week. Senate Rules met Sept. 24 to consider various executive appointments. House Rules met Sept. 25 to hear testimony about some 1259 errors made at the Dept. of Motor Vehicles in forwarding records for non-citizens to the Secretary of State for voter registrations. The good news was that only 9 of these people actually voted (out of more than 3 million registered voters), and none of them affected the results of any election. The mistakes were made by the DMV, not by the SoS, nor by the non-citizens. The DMV has stated that the errors have been corrected, will not impact the November election, and will not happen again. Campaign Finance A CFR workgroup called by Rep. Fahey began meeting via video conferencing June 3. The work group’s goals are to identify technical adjustments needed to ensure successful implementation of HB 4024 (2024) , to recommend legislative fixes for 2025, and to consider broader policy improvements for future sessions. The workgroup includes most of the groups from business, labor and Honest Elections that negotiated on HB 4024. The LWVOR is represented by Norman Turrill. Honest Elections representatives have been disappointed that the other workgroup members have so far been unresponsive to suggested changes to HB 4024. Legislative Report Interim Technology, Cybersecurity By Becky Gladstone This section addresses this volunteer’s current projects and a few interim topics from the Joint Committee on Information Management & Technology, JCIMT , for AI, linked to cyber and election security. Oregon GEOHub app exploration: Rep. Gomberg submitted a legislative concept at our request, to resemble our Vote411.org for incumbents, like our printed They Represent You. This could be more comprehensive than the LWV Find Your Elected Officials or the OLIS Find Your Legislator . Importantly, it could help facilitate data compatibility improvements between various stakeholders we’re working with in the DoR Tax Districts workgroup, for ORMAP Tools . OLIS video navigation buttons. The League is requesting the insertion of 10 or 15 second forward and back navigation buttons for OLIS video recordings, since we listen carefully, to cite deliberations accurately, and toggling the time bar is awkward. Staff will request these OLIS video player buttons from the 3rd-party vendor. They suggest we cite OLIS users' support for this improvement, from legislative staff to lobbyists to interested citizens. Watch for more information. A few Interim Technology topics: See the JCIMT agenda , materials , and video . This ambitious, well-run, compatible committee has excellent grounding from Co-Chairs with relevant professional experience, to a highly engaged, diverse membership. Sean McSpaden, Committee Admin, serves as Oregon’s representative to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Taskforce on Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Privacy , where states are collaborating to improve cyber defenses. They will be working on the following subjects heading into the 2025 session, including anticipating our bill on a GEOHub app to Find Your Legislators. An AI update, HB 4153 Enrolled (2024) : AI is expanding our abilities, to better present existing data, for example augmenting wildfire monitoring, with cameras up 99% of the time, supporting human observers. See the OSU Wildfire Map . We recommend subscribing to Watch Duty for fires and Shake Alert for quakes. AI is more of a discipline than a technology, note the 2024 OR Cyber Resilience Summit theme, Cybersecurity in an AI World . The vigorous Oregon Cyber Advisory Council has compiled 78 recommendations, aware of concerns that AI could replace humans and ensuring that humans be in these loops, more freed from tedium to improve public service access. Cyber attacks: AI might become helpful to protect against false information blasts, against elections work and media, and cyber attacks. Think “big data” sized attacks. The WA Employment Division breach was mentioned. Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment ( BEAD ) funding: Challenges include workforce and supply chain shortages and permitting complexities. A common state permitting app, across all Oregon governments, is a candidate’s hope. A cyber placeholder bill, expect another, no mention of data centers yet. Protective phone and tablet settings for minors, change to opt-out instead of opt-in settings.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - November Interim Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Agriculture Air Quality Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) Dept. of State Lands (DSL) Drinking Water Advisory Board Elliott State Research Forest Forestry Land Use Radioactive Waste Reduce/Recycle Regional Solutions Water Wildfire Volunteers Needed By Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, and Team Volunteers are still needed to cover important issues like Air Quality, Recycling and Toxics. The League needs your voices! Training provided. The Ford Family Foundation’s 2023 "Oregon by the Numbers" provides data that may be helpful for all areas of state and local policy work. HCR 38 (2023) sets the process for the February 2024 short session that runs Feb. 5 through March 10th. The legislative calendar is posted on the Oregon Legislature website . There were three days of legislative meetings Nov. 6-8 and one more set of interim days January 10-12. Agriculture On Oct. 11 th , Governor Tina Kotek appointed Lisa Charpilloz Hanson, current Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) Executive Director, to lead the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA). The Oregon Senate will take up her confirmation as permanent director in January. “Oregon faces complex natural resources challenges across our state that require data-driven, resilient solutions,” Governor Kotek said. “Lisa Charpilloz Hanson brings decades of experience working with natural resource communities to meet the needs of Oregonians across the state. I look forward to seeing her great work and leadership at the agency.” The League looks forward to working with Lisa in her new role while we will miss her excellent leadership at OWEB. Having been Deputy Director at ODA, we are confident she knows the many responsibilities of ODA. Air Quality DEQ invites public input on proposed permanent rule amendments to chapter 340 of the Oregon Administrative Rules to increase Title V operating permit fees as authorized by HB 3229 which the League supported . The proposed fee increases are necessary for DEQ to provide essential services associated with Oregon’s Title V permitting program. DEQ will propose the rules to the EQC in January 2024. DEQ is seeking public comment on the proposed rule amendments. More information, including the draft rules, can be found on the Title V Fee Increase 2023 Rulemaking web page . DEQ will only consider comments on the proposed rule amendments that DEQ receives by 4 p.m., on Dec. 1, 2023. Budgets/Revenue By Peggy Lynch 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%. On Nov. 15, the House and Senate Revenue Committees heard the latest Revenue Forecast. The net General Fund and Lottery resources are up $790.3 million (2.3%) from the 2023 Close of Session estimate. A new bonding capacity report is due mid-January. The next revenue forecast is Feb. 7th and that will be the number used for 2024 budgeting. Here is the Legislative Revenue Office report and here are the Office of Economic Analysis slides. Those slides included information about Oregon’s population, employment and housing. One piece of good news was that the poverty rate for all Oregonians has decreased. In Nov. 2023, only half of the school bond or levy measures passed. We still don’t have the statistics of other money measures since final results won’t be available until the end of November. Here is a good video on property taxes in Oregon. Oregonlive provided an article on the status of PERS for 2025: “The Oregon Public Employees Retirement System ended last year with a $28 billion unfunded liability to meet its projected pension obligations. Cutting the deficit would require some combination of higher investment returns or raising the amount of money contributed by employers like schools, libraries and local governments. Based on the financial picture at the end of 2022, Milliman told the board that it could expect average contribution rates for the system’s 900-plus employers to rise by 1.7% of payroll, pushing the average rate above 27 cents in every payroll dollar. That would be their highest levels ever and require an extra $1.3 billion in contributions from employers in the next two-year budget cycle – money that would otherwise be available to spend on public services.” This information is important as state agencies and others calculate their 2025 budget needs. 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 Coos County LWV sponsored an informational program at the Egyptian Theatre on estuaries as part of their educational programs as they approach opportunities to update the Estuary Management Plan ( AM-22-005 ) for the Coos Bay Estuary. The program is available on their YouTube channel. There have been many meetings with regional DLCD staff, county and city planners regarding the estuary management plan. LWV Coos members provided information to planners and they plan to provide testimony for the final hearings. Oregon State University received a grant to study attitudes on offshore wind. The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) received comments related to proposed ocean energy sites offshore from Brookings and Coos Bay, even extending the public comment period as requested by the tribes. Information is available on the BOEM Oregon state activities page . Rep. David Gomberg attended the State of the Coast event held Nov. 4 in Newport that provided an educational opportunity on several research updates: Oregon State University - State of the Coast 2023 - YouTube . The morning session recording has an update by Karina Nelson at 1:14 in the video on offshore wind. Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) By Peggy Lynch The League continues to follow the Grassy Mountain Gold Project in Malheur County, using a streamlined permitting process. On Oct. 4, the multi-agency Technical Review Team approved the Grassy Mountain Consolidated Permit Application as complete! There is still at least another year of process before the project begins—a long time since the first application back in 2012. There have been ownership changes and a number of incomplete applications, making this process longer than it might otherwise have been. Here is the latest on this project. See page 2 of this DOGAMI newsletter for a report on the Grassy Mountain Gold Mine application. “This is the first consolidated mining permit application in Oregon.” The League will be seeking feedback from the state agencies and the applicant regarding how this process worked for each of them and for Oregon. We hope to hear from the general public as well related to their view of the process because, if perceived as successful, this consolidated permitting process may be used in the future for complicated projects that need multiple permits. Dept. of State Lands (DSL) By Peggy Lynch Oregon’s Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Workgroup will meet Nov. 21 st and Dec. 5 th . An Oregon Capital Chronicle article explains the potential environmental damage and the need to create a long term plan with on-going financing. See DSL’s website for more information, including public engagement opportunities. The League has been engaged in funding for this project for many years. Drinking Water Advisory Committee By Sandra Bishop The Drinking Water Advisory Committee (DWAC) met Oct 18 with approximately 25 people attending to discuss the process and expected procedures for public water systems to complete the federally required Lead Service Line Inventory. The object is for public water systems to identify and remove lead and downstream galvanized pipe. Training will be offered specific to what and how to report. How to prioritize disadvantaged districts was part of the discussion. EPA’s main objective is removal of lead service lines. In Oregon, most water systems do not currently have lead lines and many have never had lead service lines. (However, pipes in older houses may have lead—a personal expense to address.) It was pointed out that even for the larger systems, if there are no records, it is very difficult to show there was no lead. How do you provide documentation of something that doesn’t exist? The American Water Works Association (AWWA) Water Utility Council is meeting to discuss this. Recruitment is underway for seven staff positions. Five new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) positions were approved by the 2023 Oregon Legislature. Four of them are waiting for Dept. of Administrative Services (DAS) to approve job descriptions and salary ranges. Positions to be filled include program, fiscal, and research analyst positions; a Natural Resource Specialist and a Regulatory Manager. This is partially driven by the need to track and account for federal funds. The final PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) regulations will come out at the end of the year. The state will have up to two years to develop regulations after the rule is final. Implications of this rule include possibly requiring treatment costing approximately $50 billion. At last determination there were 25 public water systems with measurable PFAS detected in Oregon; 20 exceed EPA proposed MCLs (maximum contaminant levels), and two exceed Oregon HALs (Health Advisory Levels of 30 ppt). One well continues to be used under public advisory notice. It was noted that two years is likely not enough time for the Oregon rulemaking process, after development of federal rules. It is expected to be the same for all states. Cybersecurity was discussed. Following a lawsuit filed in several states, EPA withdrew a memo containing an interpretation of cybersecurity in sanitary surveys. Another concern raised was about OHA collecting data without a clear indication of what will be done with the data, as in the case of capacity assessments. First year funding for Lead Service Line Replacement has declined because there were no projects. Second year funding is available. Water systems can ask for partial funding. Outreach is ongoing for this. Funding will not be received before inventories are completed. There are small, disadvantaged under-served systems with compliance problems; many are priority non-compliers (PNCs). These are systems out of compliance for longer than six months. A total of 800 very small systems often lack financial and technical assistance. There is some good news. The Warm Springs Tribe has been awarded a small grant and EPA has approved larger funding for work on their water system. The Annual Drinking Water Protection Report is on DEQ’s webpage. Oregon Water Enhancement Board (OWEB) is gearing up for grants for land purchase to protect land permanently to enhance drinking water protection. Public water systems over 3,300 must address potential contamination sources in Emergency Response Plans. It was pointed out that drinking water protection areas often have mental and physical co-benefits such as walking trails, wetlands, and other beneficial uses. The next DWAC meeting is January 17th. Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) By Peggy Lynch A Nov 14 bombshell announcement from DSL Director Vicki Walker! “Yesterday, Oregon State University President Jayathi Y. Murthy informed the State Land Board and the Department of State Lands that OSU is no longer in a position to participate in management of the Elliott State Research Forest. The Elliott remains a public forest under DSL’s oversight, and the State Land Board has provided clear desire and direction for the creation of the Elliott State Research Forest.” The League has been engaged in the Elliott since well before 2016 when we provided this Op Ed to Oregon newspapers. In 2020, we supported the OSU proposal with concerns around governance and finance. In Feb of 2022, we supported SB 1546 that created the new Elliott State Research Forest Authority—a new state agency to begin January 1, 2024, that established a mission, governance and management policies for the agency with deadlines for accomplishing the various tasks in the bill. This bill addressed our concerns around governance, but the fiscal issues have not been addressed, the issue that has caused OSU to back away: their research proposal required an increase in harvest beyond what the public had assumed. Until the issue around finance is addressed, the forest continues to be in jeopardy. The legislature gave the "new" agency $4.1 million as a budget for the next 18 months and will need to go through the budget process for the 2025-27 session. A prospective Board was appointed, many of whom had been part of an advisory committee for years prior, and will meet again on Dec. 4 th to discuss these new developments. (Paul Beck and Dr. Jennifer Allen resigned in October.) Oregonians need to thank this dedicated group as they work to make the Elliott a great place where it will “continue to contribute to conservation, recreation, education, indigenous culture, and local economies as a research forest.” Visit DSL's Elliott webpage to learn more . Meeting videos are posted to the DSL YouTube channel and meeting notes are posted to DSL's Elliott website . Work is continuing on eventual adoption of a Habitat Conservation Plan and a Forest Management Plan for the forest. Forestry We hope Oregonians helped shape the future of Oregon’s forests by participating in an Oregon’s Kitchen Table survey. Look for a story with results of the survey in an upcoming report. Per Oregon Capital Chronicle : “The federal researchers found “unequivocally” that forested land provides the cleanest, most stable water supply of any land type.” The League was pleased to see this quote resembling one in our 2009 Water in Oregon- Not a Drop to Waste Study. Fire Season has come to an end: Year to date, there have been 975 fires on ODF-protected lands resulting in 17,968 acres burned. Three ODF Type 1 Incident Management Teams (IMT) were deployed this season: one to the Golden Fire in the Klamath-Lake District, and two to the Tyee Ridge Complex in the Douglas Forest Protective Association district. Statewide to date, regardless of jurisdiction, there have been 1,909 fires that have burned 190,507 acres. ODF protects about 16 million acres of private, county, state and federal forest and grazing lands in Oregon. Forty-nine homes and 78 structures burned around the state. It was the third-highest number since 2015. So far, state and federal agencies have spent $484 million on the 2023 wildfires, and that number is likely to increase as fire teams submit their final bills. It's the third-most expensive season since 2015 and by far the most expensive per acre season in the same period. For more information, see the Wildfire section of this report below. Land Use & Housing By Peggy Lynch The League continues to engage with the Governor’s Office and legislators as we work to address needed housing for all Oregonians. We first need to address the underproduction of housing from past years—with a majority of housing unit needs for Oregonians whose income is 80% or lower AMI (average median income). The League will continue to focus on policies that address this need. While Natural Resources works on the land use side where infrastructure is needed to provide buildable lots, our Housing Team will be working on funding and housing policies for those Oregonians. DLCD provided information on Goal 10 and the UGB process to Senate Housing on Nov. 6 th . The Governor’s Housing Production Advisory Council continues to meet and will deliver a final report to the Governor in December (or January!). The League has always supported our statewide land use planning program with local implementation. We are seeing that local element eroded by some of the recommendations. See the LWVOR testimony website where the plethora of our testimony is posted. Subscribe for notices of HPAC meetings. We continue to work with partners, with the Governor’s Office and legislators, as we expect bills in the 2024 session that we may want to support or oppose. The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) is seeking volunteers to serve as a member of the state’s Citizen Involvement Advisory Committee (CIAC). CIAC members are appointed by LCDC to provide advice on community engagement in land use planning. The current CIAC recruitment is for one member representing Oregon's first Congressional District, which covers Clatsop, Columbia, Washington, and Yamhill Counties and portions of SW Portland in Multnomah County. Applications are due by 9am November 22, 2023. They are also providing an information session on the CIAC on Dec. 8 th via zoom. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. Radioactive Waste By Shirley Weathers The Energy Facilities Siting Commission (EFSC) held the required public hearing on proposed rules revisions for OAR 345-050 relating to radioactive waste on October 19, 2023. LWVOR submitted comments dated October 23, 2023. EFSC will consider the rules and public comment at its November 17, 2023 meeting . Of interest is that ODOE staff noted in their Background and Summary Statement to the Commission that LWVOR submitted the only written comment on the proposed rules. They outlined a central concern and recommendation to the Commission as it takes action. Additional materials can be found on the ODOE website (scroll down to Radioactive Waste Materials). The LWVOR Advocacy Committee and Board of Directors thank Shirley Weathers for her many hours of work on this and other important issues. We will miss her and wish her all the best as she leaves Oregon and will, we are sure, engage in League at her new home. Reduce/Recycle The White House held a comprehensive highly informative webinar to talk about the national landscape for repair legislation in late October. Watch here . In Oregon, in the 2024 short session, Sen. Sollman is bringing back the Right to Repair concept, focusing on consumer electronic equipment like cell phones and laptops, and household appliances. The League supported the 2023 Right to Repair bill, SB 542 , which did not pass. The fourth Recycling Modernization Act Rulemaking Advisory Committee meeting has been scheduled for Jan. 31 st , 2024. The Zoom meeting registration link has now been posted to the Recycling 2024 webpage: Register via Zoom . To learn more about this rulemaking and the advisory committee, view the rulemaking web page: Recycling Updates 2024 . Regional Solutions The Regional Solutions Team ( November 14 th report ) is working hard across the state. Great news is the infrastructure work both listed and being worked on across the state. With increased infrastructure, we may see more housing. Water By Peggy Lynch The League continues to be concerned about our fellow Oregonians in Morrow and Umatilla counties where well water may be unsafe for drinking. Because many homes are for agriculture workers who speak other than English and whose culture causes wariness of government, Oregon’s Oregon Health Authority needs to find better ways to reach out according to the Oregon Capital Chronicle : The nitrate pollution stems in part from agricultural fertilizers and animal manure used on nearby farms. Nitrate-laced water is unsafe to drink above 10 milligrams per liter, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency and can cause serious health effects if consumed over long periods. Update Oct. 31 st : DEQ and Port of Morrow settle permit violations”… $1,933,721 to support safe drinking water efforts in the area, including water testing, treatment, and delivery, and pay a $483,430 civil penalty to the state treasury.” KGW’s "The Story" did a series on this important public health issue the week of Nov. 13. OWRD anticipates releasing a draft of the updated Integrated Water Resources Strategy for public review and comment in early January. For more information about this process, please visit the IWRS page . OWRD is considering new Groundwater Rules because “many of Oregon’s 20 groundwater basins are being sucked dry faster than water can naturally be replaced, according to the agency,” per a November Oregon Capital Chronicle (OCC) article . The League is watching this work closely and looks forward to the Water Resources Commission adoption of this first set of updated rules which can then lead to updated Critical Groundwater designations as the data determines it necessary. Meanwhile, many Oregonians are experiencing dry household wells. In another OCC article , the League was pleased to see a quote similar to one in our 2009 Water Study : “The federal researchers found “unequivocally” that forested land provides the cleanest, most stable water supply of any land type.” The League again asked Congress to expand the Smith River National Recreation Area. 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 advisories have been issued or lifted for specific water bodies. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor Map , 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 and Lincoln counties. On Nov. 7 th , the Governor declared a drought in Morrow County through Executive Order 23-25 and directed state agencies to coordinate and prioritize assistance to the region. The forecasted El Nino weather pattern may mean a reduced snowpack this winter in the north while we may see a greater snowpack in southern Oregon. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers The League observed a number of informational meetings and updates relating to wildfire, on November 6 and 7, covering a variety of topics. The common thread through all the meetings was funding, or lack thereof, and the potential consequences of that reality. Investments in wildfire suppression resulting from SB 762 - the sweeping 2021 wildfire legislation, had a significant impact on the effectiveness of response during the 2023 wildfire season. The recent sizable funding reductions threaten to reverse much of the progress made. “Landscape Resiliency” was also a major theme, with a repeated message that suppression is becoming increasingly difficult with increases in fire behavior unpredictability and the buildup of fuels. Western Oregon was a new focus since there were a number of what would be considered “unusual” numbers of wildfires there due to a dry lightning event and other factors. Details and links to additional information may be found below. The Senate Natural Resources and Wildfire met first on November 6. Mike Shaw, Chief of Fire Protection for Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), provided a 2023 wildfire season review : Lauded the ODF wildfire personnel fire suppression efforts. Highlighted the role the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s (OFSM) department played, especially in early response and limiting structure losses. Pointed out “suppression isn’t going to be the answer,” stressing the need to manage the heavy load of fire fuels in forests as a critical part of long-term wildfire mitigation strategy. Expressed the “efficient” (not in a good way) nature of dry lightning storms in northwestern Oregon as a unique feature of this fire season, with the reasonable expectation of it repeating in the future. Yet, in spite of nearly 500 fires started by the lightning event, total acreage burned across Oregon was held to 15% of the 10-year average in spite of a near-average number of fires, with significantly higher cost per acre. Most wildfires this season were human-caused. Next up were Derrick Wheeler, ODF Legislative Coordinator, and Brandon Pursinger, Legislative Affairs Manager for Natural Resources Policy for the Association of Oregon Counties, who gave a detailed update on the Wildfire Hazard Map and the process undertaken to ensure that public input is appropriately considered as required by SB 80 , the 2023 wildfire legislation. Meetings were held with County officials throughout the State, and the process continues until the ultimate release of the new map sometime in 2024. OSFM Chief Mariana Ruiz-Temple spoke briefly about how it is important to continue to build on the “framework” that SB 762 laid out for Community Risk Reduction. She described how her department has rolled out an educational campaign and is conducting Defensible Space assessments around Oregone. OFSM has launched a Defensible Space website . Enter your home address for a multitude of resources to help make your home more resilient in the face of increasing wildfire risk, including the ability to schedule a home assessment. She closed by saying it will take decades of public education work to make a dent in overall risk reduction. Doug Grafe, the Governor’s Wildfire and Military Advisor, followed with a bleak overview of the state of wildfire programs’ funding, current vs. previous. He also emphasized, “We cannot suppress our way out of this.”, while stressing the importance of community preparedness (which lost 90% of its funding), landscape resiliency and fuels reduction. Dylan Kruse, Vice President of Sustainable Northwest, also covered funding and long-term strategy in his presentation , pointing out that while California provides $1.3 billion in wildfire programs funding, and Washington, $118 million, Oregon only spends $42 million, which is not nearly enough to sustain any progress made, let alone make further progress. He emphasized the need for “sufficient, consistent funding”. Members of the Governor’s Wildfire Programs Advisory Council (WPAC) were next with outgoing Chair Mark Bennettlisting what he saw as priorities, among them public health-related investment to help deal with smoke events: Fire Adapted Communities/Firewise programs to enhance community preparedness, wildfire recovery and several other items. He was followed by Dave Hunnicutt, incoming WPAC Chair, who expressed extreme disappointment in the funding situation, and how reducing funding for defensible space/community preparedness is the opposite of what needs to be done, since defensible space can reduce risk to a home by as much as 80%. Mary Kyle McCurdy, incoming Vice-Chair, closed by pointing out that much of SB 762 funding was one-time funding. She also revealed that a new WPAC focus will be on much-needed and previously largely overlooked evacuation and emergency response planning as part of regional transportation planning. See the Council’s Annual Report . Later on November 6, the House Climate and Energy heard a presentation by Doug Grafe and Senator Elizabeth Steiner that outlined the Wildfire Funding Workgroup work. This group was formed to look for solutions to the overly complex current funding structure for landowner fire protection assessment rates, and the offsets to them that lost $15 million in funding in the last session. Sen. Steiner said these partnerships are a cornerstone of “our highly functioning response”, and not funding the offsets risks “dismantling the system if the protection district charges don’t get funding.” She relayed they were making excellent progress in spite of widely differing views among participants because they share the common goal of fixing the system and getting it funded. November 7, OSFM Chief Ruiz-Temple presented a 2023 Wildfire & Conflagration update to the Senate Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs, pointing to the OSFM Biennial Wildfire Report for additional information. Regarding the dry lightning storms, she stated, “…one of the most alarming indicators is more fires on the west side”, and that “these communities are not prepared.” She repeated her concern from October informational meetings, for the decrease in volunteerism among firefighters and that there was a need to assist local fire departments with capacity. She also repeated the sentiments of Mike Shaw, ODF, saying, “Wildfires are outpacing our capacity to suppress.”, and we need to focus on prevention. She closed by urging the Committee to provide funding for investment in communities and resilient landscapes, and that those investments would save billions of dollars over the long run. Finally, Chief Ruiz-Temple presented another wildfire update to House Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans. Much of the content was largely a repeat of the previous presentation, including another commentary on the dangers of the new reality of fires in western Oregon. She emphasized “These communities don’t have the tools that other communities have.”, and they are “…not used to living with wildfire. See her presentation . California has passed a law requiring a 5-foot defensive space around homes in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), effective 2025. There are currently potentially fewer than 100,000 tax lots that may be considered in Oregon’s WUI. Oregon is focusing on helping Oregonians address defensible space on their properties with no current requirements. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The short 2024 legislative session is Feb. 5-March 10. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources interests you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 3/4 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Dept. of State Lands (DSL) Elliott State Research Forest Forestry Land Use and Housing Reduce/Recycle Water Wildfire Volunteers Needed By Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, and Team Budgets/Revenue By Peggy Lynch SB 5701 , the omnibus budget bill for 2024 was amended at the end of the session. The League was pleased with the breadth of programs funded as well as the policy bills that were also funded. But there were disappointments, too. Scan the amended bill for items of interest to you. Included in the amendments were eleven budget notes : instructions to agencies to collaborate on projects, to report back on how monies were spent and to study issues such as how to fund wildfire programs. HB 5201 and HB 5202 are the bonding bills and were amended as well. F ees adopted by state agencies since the 2025 session were approved in SB 5702 . SB 1501 was the “program change bill”, used to address miscellaneous changes to agency programs. The agency budget process for 2025-27 is beginning. Look for presentations to agency Boards and Commissions soon. Quarterly revenue forecasts will be provided on May 29 and August 28. Then the November 20 th forecast will be the basis of the Governor’s Recommended Budget to be presented on December 1 st. Climate By Claudia Keith and Team The Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. Coastal Issues By Christine Moffitt/Peggy Lynch HB 5201 as amended in Section 5 (2) increases the uses of the bond monies that have been deposited in the Oregon Business Development Department Coos Bay Channel Fund in previous sessions not only to “deepen and widen the Coos Bay Federal Navigation Channel” but also “for the design, engineering, permitting and land acquisition efforts related to the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port project.“ Oregon has a pilot mapping tool to better understand carbon storage in Oregon estuaries, in hope of s upporting long-term goals to preserve them. Dept. of State Lands (DSL) By Peggy Lynch DSL has a new website: Oregon.gov/DSL The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is working with DSL to identify In Lieu lands (part of the 1,400 acres of land still owed Oregon on statehood). Click here to view the BLM Proposed Classification Decision , and a public notice that two forestland properties in Linn County have been identified for some of those In Lieu lands. Learn more . Provide public comment through April 9th . Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) By Peggy Lynch Work is continuing on eventual adoption of a Habitat Conservation Plan and a Forest Management Plan for ESRF. Visit DSL's Elliott webpage to learn more . A recommendation with structural governance may be before the State Land Board on April 9. If approved, look for appointments to the new ESRF Board at their June 11 tth meeting. The $4 million that had been allocated to the ESRF Authority was transferred to DSL in the omnibus budget bill, SB 5701. Forestry (ODF) By Josie Koehne The Board of Forestry met March 6 and 7. State Forester Cal Mukumoto has recommended staying the course on the Habitat Conservation Plan per Board packet .pages 116-118. On Thursday, March 7, State Forester Cal Mukumoto proposed passage of the recommended state Western Habitation Conservation Plan (HCP). Everyone acknowledged the great amount of passionate public testimony that has already been heard on both sides - in support and in opposition - to the plan over the past five years. Public comments were made about the harm that will be done to the logging community with less timber harvest on western state forest land and stated that more mills will close. Arguments in support centered on the necessity to meet the federal requirement to preserve habitat for endangered species and avoid potential lawsuits. Delay in starting over (up to 4 years) and evaluating other HCP options will further endanger protected species and other wildlife. You can watch the meeting and read more in this OPB article . Part of the challenge in making this decision is that certain western Oregon counties and local jurisdictions have relied on the timber harvest income and have not increased their local property taxes or found other economic development opportunities to plan for this income loss. There have been discussions at the legislature around how to increase that revenue ever since the severance tax was eliminated, leaving only the Forest Products Harvest Tax and greatly reducing harvest revenue. We can expect this discussion to continue in 2025. There are a number of bills this session around funding ODF and fighting wildfire with some bills increasing timber harvest revenue without increasing the actual harvest. For information on the various bills, s ee the Wildfire section of this report below. Land Use & Housing By Peggy Lynch The Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities rules adopted by the Land Conservation and Development Commission were appealed to the Oregon Court of Appeals and a ruling was handed down on March 6 th . Most elements of the rules were upheld. HB 4026 passed and is awaiting the Governor’s signature. The bill determines that urban growth boundary decisions cannot be voted on and are “administrative” in nature. The bill is retroactive, so the measure will stop a vote in North Plains this May, although we expect that it is possible this legislation may be challenged in court. The “relating to elections” clause of the bill allowed the legislature to “gut and stuff” the bill with this provision. The League provided testimony and is concerned that “ the amendment would take away voters’ rights to the referendum process. Furthermore, changing the constitutional referendum process and making the amendment retroactive are likely to be unconstitutional and invite a lawsuit. “ The Citizen Involvement Advisory Committee is recruiting for a new member from Oregon’s Third Congressional District. Applications are due by March 18, 9 a.m. 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. 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. The bill passed both chambers and is awaiting the Governor’s signature. DEQ is conducting rulemaking to clarify and implement HB 3220 (2023) , which updates and makes necessary changes to the statewide electronics recycling program, Oregon E-Cycles. To learn more about this rulemaking and the advisory committee please visit the Oregon E-Cycles rulemaking web page . The meeting agenda and materials for the sixth Recycling Modernization Act Rulemaking Advisory Committee has been posted on the Recycling 2024 website. The meeting will be held 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., March 14. To attend please Register via Zoom . DEQ staff will be providing updates about previously- presented rule concepts and will be introducing new topics about: defining limited-sort facilities, commingled materials and reload facilities, outbound contamination rates and certification for out-of-state commingled recycling processing facilities. Water By Peggy Lynch The Oregon Water Resources Dept. (OWRD) announced that the draft of Oregon’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) is accepting initial public review and comment, March 5 through April 5. 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 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 2012 and 2017 IWRS documents. This new draft takes an entirely new slant from the current IWRS. It will be important that the original documents not be invalidated but instead enhanced by this proposal. OWRD has announced revised groundwater allocation rules . The department is providing multiple opportunities to engage. OWRD will be hosting informational sessions before each public hearing where staff will review the proposed rules. Public comments will not be accepted at the information sessions but will be accepted at the public hearings following each session . For more context, please see the background information , informational flyer , and Frequently Asked Questions . The omnibus budget bill, SB 5701, included an allocation of $1 million General Fund added to the Water Well Abandonment, Repair and Replacement Fund . The League was engaged in helping create this fund in 2021 and supports this allocation. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers Things have wound down for the 2024 Short Session of the Legislature, during which hopes for a solution to the lack of sustainable funding for wildfire programs were officially dashed. The League continued following Representative Marsh/Senator Steiner’s HB 4133 , the last of the three bills which attempted to address the wildfire funding issue. It had been scheduled for a Work Session before the Joint Subcommittee on Capital Construction, but was pulled at the 11th hour due to a technical issue with the funding structure, and is dead. The Capital Chronicle published this article on March 7, with a summary of the fates of most of the wildfire-related bills, including the other two funding bills which had already failed. OPB also covered this story. For the Oregon Dept. of Forestry, a major issue is cash flow since, when they fight fires, the money for contractors goes out, but reimbursement from FEMA and others often takes months or years. Some other wildfire-related bills succeeded. Representative Marsh’s Prescribed Fire Liability and Home Hardening Grant Program bill passed. Also, two bills which address taxes on wildfire victims both passed. The first, SB 1520 , allows wildfire victims to take income tax subtractions for settlements and judgements related to wildfire damages, as well as attorneys’ fees. SB 1545 allows counties to offer a property tax break to wildfire victims who rebuild their homes. Among highlights in SB5701 , the Budget Reconciliation Bill, $8 million was allocated for the Department of the State Fire Marshal to support prepositioning, readiness response, and cash flow constraints for the 2024 fire season. Also, a Budget Note was included, which directs the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) and the Department of the State Fire Marshal to convene a facilitated workgroup to collaborative on finding sustainable wildfire funding solutions with stakeholders representing a broad swath of interests, in a clear recognition that this remains a high-priority, difficult issue. The money ODF received was really a fund shift, so there is $10 million from the General Fund for landscape resilience, but it was just money allocated in 2023 that had been placed in a different fund. SB 1552 , Sections 40-42, allocated $300, 000 for a study of forestry workforce. Advocated by the Association of Oregon Loggers, the study is to be inclusive of many groups, including youth groups, currently involved in workforce training and forestry experiences. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The long legislative session begins in January of 2025. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered.

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

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 5/5 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 Please see Climate Emergency Overview here. Jump to a topic: Federal National Science Policy Oregon Legislative Environmental Caucus Update Other Caucus Priority Bills Advanced Clean Trucks Testimony Environmental Justice Bills Other Climate Priorities with League Testimony or public Endorsement and Still Alive Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment Climate Treasury Investment Bills Natural and Working Lands Other Climate Bills Priority Bills That Died In Policy Committee Highlights of House and Senate Policy Committee Chamber Votes Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust While the primary focus of the LWVOR Action Committee is on Legislation in Oregon, what is happening at the national level is likely to affect budgeting and other decisions in our state. These climate/energy related Trump admin policy and budget executive orders and congressional caucus requests if implemented would drastically affect : global efforts , UN COP efforts and all fifty states including Oregon’s (climate related legislation, state agencies and community climate action plans / state statutes / outcomes. Federal May 2, 2025 : What Trump's budget cuts could mean for the environment and climate change | AP News May 2, 2025: Trump budget proposes slashes to renewable energy, farms, EPA | Reuters May 2, 2025: 38 Republicans call for ‘full repeal’ of Democrats ’ energy tax credits | TheHill Apr 29, 2025: US dismisses all authors of N ational Climate Assessment , | Reuters May 2, 2025: Trump, GOP confront state climate plans on two fronts | Axios May 1, 2025 Justice Department sues Hawaii, Michigan, Vermont and New York over state climate actions - OPB Trump administration, NOAA minimized climate findings of record CO2 growth - CNN At Bonneville, DOGE cuts are having a ‘compounding effect’ on staffing the grid - Latitude Media National Science Policy A number of federal government science policy and budget decisions are and will continue to affect Oregon’s Climate / Carbon Policy Programs. See this resource for UpToDate changes: National Science policy this week : April 28, 2025 - American Institute of Physics AIP.ORG (FYI / Newsletter is an authoritative source for science policy news and analysis trusted by policymakers and scientists nationwide.) Oregon Apr 29 2025: “Oregon Climate Action Commission (was OGWC) , press release: Environmental Quality Commission approves delay to Clean Fuels Program CPP deadlines . Related Greenhouse Gas Reporting and Climate Protection Program extensions, The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality ODEQ has confirmed that the 2024 annual report deadline for the state's Clean Fuels Program will be delayed until May 30 due to a cyberattack which resulted in an extended outage of the Oregon Fuels Reporting System.” May 1, 2025; Climate advocates push for passage of Energy Affordability and Resilience legislative package – OPB “A coalition of more than 50 climate, environmental and energy affordability groups (including LWVOR) is asking Oregon legislators to pass a handful of bills that aim to lower energy costs and continue funding state programs that provide affordable access to energy efficient heating and cooling systems. “The Energy Affordability and Resilience legislative package is a compilation of seven bills that seeks to increase accountability, affordability and transparency from utilities. The bills seek to create more transparency about how rate payer’s funds are spent, revamp when rate increases take effect and prohibit utilities from using ratepayer funding for certain activities like marketing or political activity. They’ve met with a mix of pushback and support from utility companies. “The package also focuses on keeping afloat energy efficiency state programs that have run out of state funding due to their popularity. ‘The goal is twofold — lower energy bills in the short term while increasing energy efficiency in homes in the long term,’ nonprofit advocacy group Climate Solutions’ Oregon Buildings Policy Manager Claire Prihoda said. “ ‘It’s an opportunity for the state to take seriously the concerns that Oregonians are raising about cost of living, the cost of energy and the real need, as we’re facing climate disasters, climate change impacts in our communities, to help folks in their homes and in their communities be resilient to climate harms,’ she said. “Over the past five years, most Oregonians have seen their energy bills climb by more than 50%. According to Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, a utility watchdog group, in 2024 nearly 70,000 households were disconnected by for-profit utilities for nonpayment. This year, NW Natural is asking for a 7% increase . Since 2021, its customers’ rate has increased 40%. “‘Folks are struggling under the weight of these rising costs, especially when they’re added to other rising costs across our economy,’ Prihoda said.’They’re also struggling to adjust to harsh extremes in weather and disasters that are being driven by climate change.’ “The bills in the Energy Affordability and Resilience legislative package are: House Bill 3179, the FAIR Energy Act, which moves when rates are increased until after winter, require more disclosure about how ratepayer money is spent, and would require state regulators and utilities to consider how customers are affected when raising rates. Senate Bill 688, Performances Based Ratemaking, updates how rates are set, and tells state regulators to create incentives for utilities to focus on energy efficiency and reliability. House Bill 3546, the POWER Act , would create a new customer category for large industrial users like data centers, so they can be charged for the amount of power they use. Senate Bill 88, Get the Junk Out of Rates , would require utilities to justify their spending, and prohibit them from using ratepayer money for marketing, political and other purposes. Instead, those expenses would have to be paid from the share of rates that companies can otherwise use for profits. House Bill 3081, One Stop Shop 2.0, would expand efforts to create a streamlined page or direct assistance program to help Oregonians know what energy efficiency incentives they qualify for. House Bill 3792, Oregon Energy Assistance Program, would double the amount ratepayers are charged to help low-income customers avoid losing power for nonpayment, a cost of an additional 60 cents per month. House Bill 3170, Community Resilience Hub, would allocate $10 million to the Oregon Department of Human Services to provide grants to create safe spaces for residents during an extreme weather event. The coalition backing this legislation is also asking for additional funding for two state programs*.” | OPB. (* Reinvesting the same amount as last biennium in two program Rental Home Heat Pump Program (ODOE), $30m, and Community Heat Pump Deployment Program (ODOE), $15m) Legislative Environmental Caucus Update (It is unclear to the League if any of the OCN suggested Climate friendly Transportation topics will be included. Legislature leadership may be considering a minimized stripped-down version as a negotiated compromise with the minority party. ) Environmental Caucus Transportation Package Proposal This year, the Oregon Legislature will be considering a transportation package that will provide ongoing funding for the Oregon Department of Transportation. (ODOT). Emissions from transportation make up over one-third of Oregon's total emissions . This session provides an opportunity for the Legislature to increase access to multi-modal transportation and expand options for all Oregonians to get around without a car. The Environmental Caucus is championing a package that prioritizes transit, safety, and climate accountability. Transit services are facing potential service cuts without increased funding. Nearly one third of Oregonians don’t drive , and a majority of Oregonians said they would take transit if it were added or improved in the area where they live. Increased transit improves our transportation system for everyone. It allows for more independence for older Oregonians, reduces road congestion for all users, and improves public health outcomes. The Environmental Caucus is requesting an increase in funding for public transit that will maintain current services levels and increase access to transit statewide. Funding for safety programs like Safe Routes to School, Great Streets, the jurisdictional transfer program, and Community Paths regularly face demand up to 2-5 times more than the funds that are available. These programs improve safety on Oregon's roads for all types of users, but especially for pedestrians, bikes, micro-mobility, and public transit users. The Environmental Caucus is requesting at least $400 million dedicated to these existing safety programs. Climate accountability for ODOT projects must be a consideration for any new projects ODOT undertakes. Similar to what states like Colorado and Minnesota have done, the Environmental Caucus is supporting a policy that requires ODOT to model expected changes to greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled for each new project. Any project that increases either of those must mitigate them with alternative transportation or other buildouts. This policy benefits Oregonians by curbing spending on needless expansions and providing the public with information on project impacts. Other Caucus Priority Bills SB 726 requires landfill operators to use advanced monitoring of methane and report their results to DEQ. (refer to NR LR) Advanced Clean Trucks Testimony The Department of Environmental Quality is holding another public hearing on the state's adoption of Advanced Clean Trucks rules. Written comment will be accepted through Wednesday, May 7. For some background on the proposed policy, check out this OPB article from earlier this month. Additional Environmental Justice Bills HB2548 : establishes an agriculture workforce labor standards board, League Testimony . Work Session was held 4/9 passed 4/3, with no amendments, no recommendation and referred to House Rules. It is unclear why this bill is inactive. Other Climate Priorities with League Testimony or public Endorsement and Still Alive By Claudia Keith Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package Update HB 215 1: Testimony ; appears dead HB 2152 : Testimony ; work session held 4/8 , passed, moved to Joint Ways and Means (JWM) -2 amendments , Staff Measure Summary (SMS). $1M+ fiscal HB 2949 : T estimony ; work session held 4/8 , passed to JWM w -5 amendment new SMS .fiscal is not available, will be completed if the bill gets a hearing in JWM NR SC. HB 3450 A Testimony , work session held, 4/8 passed adopted amendment -1 . fiscal >1M$. referred to JWM 4/11 See CEI Hub Seismic Risk Analysis (The study, Impacts of Fuel Releases from the CEI Hub, is intended to characterize and quantify the anticipated damages from the CEI Hub in the event of the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) Earthquake.) See Climate Emergency April 28: CEI emergency management package update. The Bigger Picture: ASCE's ( American Society of Civil Engineers , founded in 1852), Oregon C- grade Infrastructure Report Card . Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment At this point in the session, it is unclear if SJR 28 has enough support to move out of Sen Rules. SJR 28 proposed -1 amendment , Environmental Rights Constitutional amendment (ERA) S enate Joint Resolution - with referral to the 2026 ballot, public hearing was 3/26 . The League provided support with comments testimony . The bill is in Senate Rules , so the Legislative first chamber deadlines are not applicable. A Work Session is not yet scheduled. The -1 a mendment is a partial rewrite and may address the League’s concerns. Climate Treasury Investment Bills SB 681 : May be still active: Treasury: Fossil Fuel investment moratorium, in Sen F&R, PH 3/19. testimony. Sen Golden. HB 2200 -1 , work session was 4/8, bill was requested by previous Treasury Sec Tobias and supported by Treasurer Steiner, related to ESG investing , identified as the compromise bill. League chose not to comment, could move to the floor, no JWM required. (still in H EMGGV, still awaiting transfer to desk) HB 2966 A: Establishes the State Public Financing / public bank Task Force , Work Session 3/6/2025 passed to Joint Ways and Means (JWM), fiscal: $1.3M , League Testimony , Rep Gamba, Senator,Golden, Frederick, Rep Andersen, Evans . Historically, since 2009 Public banking policy topic has been included in many Leg sessions, (go here and then use Control F to search for ‘bank’. ) 22 bills mentioning Public and Bank have died in committee over the past 16 years. Natural and Working Lands HB 3489 Timber Severance Tax. House Committee on Revenue. League Testimony for original bill and for -1 Amendment . HB 5039 financial administration of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board; JWM NR SC, League testimony HB 3103A – work session was 3/31. Moved to JWM, Overweight Timber Harvest , , League Testimony , new adopted -5 amendment . Other Climate Bills HB 2566A : Stand-alone Energy resilience Projects , Work Session was 3/20, moved to JWM, Rep Gamba was the only nay. At the request of Governor Tina Kotek (H CEE), DOE presentation HB 3365 A: climate change instruction /curriculum in public schools, 4/21 moved to Sen Ed, 4/17 passed House 32/23, work session was 4/9, moved to floor with adopted amendment -4 . House Cm Educ, PH was 3/12, League Testimony , NO Fiscal noted , Chief Sponsors: Rep Fragala, Rep McDonald , SB 688 A: -5 , Public Utility Commission performance-based regulation of electric utilities, PH 3/12,& 3/19, work session was 3/24, updated $974K fiscal , moved to JWM , League testimony , Sen. Golden, Sen. Pham, SB 827A : Solar and Storage Rebate , SEE Work session 2/17, Gov. Kotek & DOE, Senate voted 21-7, moves to House 3/4 first reading. referred to H CEE 3/10, PH 4/22 , work session 5/1. HB 3546A , -3 the POWER Act , in Sen E&E , House vote was 4/21. The bill requires the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to create a new rate class for the largest energy users in the state. (data centers and other high-volume users). These regulations would only apply to customers in the for-profit utility's service areas of PGE, Pacific Power, and Idaho Power. NO Fiscal, on its way to the floor. The League has approved being listed on a coalition sign on advocacy letter . HB 3189 Oregon lawmakers introduce legislation to rein in utility bills | KPTV , Citizens Utility Board CUB presentation here . SB 1143A : -3 , moved to JWM, with bipartisan vote, PH was 3/19, Work session was 4/7 SEE, PUC established a pilot program that allows each natural gas Co to develop a utility-scale thermal energy network (TEN) pilot project to provide heating and cooling services to customers. Senator Lieber, Sollman, Representative Levy B, Senator Smith DB, Representative Andersen, Marsh. Example: Introduction to the MIT Thermal Energy Networks (MITTEN) Plan for Rapid and Cost-Effective Campus Decarbonization. HB 3609 work session 4/8, moved to JWM. The measure requires electric companies to develop and file with the Oregon Public Utility Commission a distributed power plant program for the procurement of grid services from customers of the electric company who enroll in the program. H CEE, PH 3/11 HB 3653 in Sen E&E, PH 4/28, House vote 51 - 9. Allows authorized state agencies to enter into energy performance contracts without requiring a competitive procurement if the authorized state agency follows rules that the Attorney General adopts, negotiates a performance guarantee, and enters into the contract with a qualified energy service company that the ODOE prequalifies and approves. Highlights of House and Senate Policy Committee and Chamber Votes Senate E&E moves wind facility siting bill. The committee voted unanimously to move HB 3874-1 to the Senate floor with a do pass recommendation. It would increase the threshold for siting and approval of a wind energy facility at the county level from 50 MW to 100 MW of average electric generating capacity, before the facility must obtain a site certificate from EFSC. Either the county or the developer could elect to defer regulatory authority to EFSC. The committee amendment would state that a county seeking to issue a permit for a facility of the specified size must require the applicant to provide a decommissioning plan to restore the site to a useful, nonhazardous condition. The plan would have to include bonding or other security as financial assurance. By a vote of 26-2 (Linthicum, Robinson), the Senate passed HB 2567 B , modifying the Heat Pump Deployment Program's eligibility criteria, funding distribution, and rebate structures. It would change “EJ” community to “disadvantaged” community; remove the 15% cap on administrative and marketing expenses and allow ODOE to set the cap by rule; provide for an additional incentive of up to $1,000 for contractors who install rental heat pumps in rural or frontier communities, limited to 5% of available funds; and extend the sunset date to 2032. It would provide no additional funds for the rebate program. The Senate amendment to the House engrossed bill (passed unanimously in March) states that if additional funds become available, ODOE may award additional grant moneys to an eligible entity using an existing performance agreement. PUC would have to require investor-owned utilities to enter into a 10-year contract with those users to pay a minimum amount or percentage for the term of the contract, which could include a charge for excess demand. Rates for this customer class would have to be proportional to the costs of serving them, including for transmission, distribution, and capacity. IOUs would have to mitigate the risks to other customer classes of paying for the utility’s increased load requirements. The bill would apply only to large users that apply for service on or after the effective date of the act, or to existing users that make significant investments or incur costs after the effective date that could result in increased costs or risks to the IOU's other retail electricity consumers. April 22 Senate By a vote of 20-9, the Senate passed SB 685 A , a bill of support on the OCN hot list. It would require a natural gas utility to provide notice to affected customers and the PUC if the utility plans to increase the amount of hydrogen that is blended with natural gas so that the ratio of H2 to natural gas exceeds 2.5%. At least 60 days before beginning to blend H2, the utility would have to notify each affected customer and file notice with PUC explaining the reason for the increased amount of H2. The utility would have to maintain information about the blending program on its website and enable customers to communicate with the utility about it. The Senate engrossed bill is scaled back from the introduced bill, which would have prohibited a utility from developing or carrying out a project involving H2 production or use without first obtaining PUC approval. Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust Here is one example of how to track ODEQ Climate Protection Program cases. Basically, there are a number of active federal lawsuits , Climate Litigation Updates (April 10, 2025) Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 85 lawsuits , (active and dismissed) mentioning Oregon. There are no recent press releases from Our Children’s Trust . Oregon Treasury: Oregon Divest/ Environmental, Social, and Governance Updates 2025 Climate Risk Review: No Place to Hide - May 2025 Published by Divest Oregon: Executive Summary and Praise for Report (see SB 681) Addressing the Risk of Climate Change: A Comparison of US Pension Funds' Net Zero Plans – Jan 2025 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED : What is your passion related to Climate Emergency ? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The short legislative session begins in January of 2026. Many State Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of climate or natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, or Claudia Keith Climate Emergency at peggylynchor@gmail.com Or climatepolicy@lwvor.org . Training will be offered. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report section

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

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 5/26 Governance Team Coordinator: Becky Gladstone and Chris Cobey Artificial Intelligence: Lindsey Washburn Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill Conflicts of Interest/Legislative Ethics: Chris Cobey CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone Election Systems: Barbara Klein Emergency Preparedness: Cate Arnold Immigration, Refugee, and Asylum: Claudia Keith Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey State Audit Working Group: Sheila Golden Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Please see Governance Overview here . Jump to a topic: Campaign Finance General Governance, Privacy, and Consumer Protection Artificial Intelligence Rule Making Campaign Finance and Initiatives By Norman Turrill The Elections Division of the Secretary of State is asking the public for feedback on draft administrative rules that would implement HB 4025 (2024). It has also appointed a Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) to work on these new administrative rules. SB 1180 would require the Secretary of State to send to the Legislature for odd-numbered year sessions a list of prospective initiative petitions. The purpose is said to provide the Legislature a better chance to consider initiatives. The League will probably comment that the list of initiatives is readily available on the SoS website, and that the Legislature can now do any oversight of initiatives that it wants to do. In other words, this bill is likely a waste of money. General Governance, Privacy, and Consumer Protection By Becky Gladstone SB1191 Enrolled has now been signed by both the Senate President and the House Speaker. The bill states that informing someone about their civil or constitutional rights cannot be construed as obstructing justice. The League submitted testimony and asked members to speak to the bill on our Lobby Day. Thanks to legislators for unanimously passing HB 3875 Enrolled for car makers to comply with Oregon’s privacy laws in controlling and processing the personal data that our cars collect from us. Oregon Senate Expands Protections Over Personal Data Collected By Your Car . Privacy Protections for Oregonians Are Stronger Under Legislation Passed Today in the State Senate . We regret missing HB 3875 before now. We can use volunteer help for many of our issues. This Governance portfolio section is pleased to have recently added specialists in AI, emergency preparedness, and general governance issues. HB 3569 A : We are researching comments of concern for a second public hearing for this amended bill, to (basically) invite a sponsoring legislator onto the bill’s Rules Advisory Committees, as a non-voting member. SB 473 A passed a second, House Judiciary, work session, to create a crime of threatening a public official, with amendments to include those elected, appointed, or filed to serve an established office, adding numerous judicial branch roles. See League testimony in support. SB 952 to consider interim US Senator appointments, passed a second work session in House Rules on a partisan vote, after passing on the Senate floor along nearly partisan lines, 26 to 13. See League testimony in support. SB 430 B : Our League testimony in support was filed and comments abridged for hearing brevity, addressing the extensive amendments that broadly address business transparency for consumer protections. The bill passed a second work session in House Commerce and Consumer Protection. The initial bill, for online transaction cost disclosure to improve transparency passed in Senate Labor and Business on partisan lines, similarly passing on partisan lines on the Senate Floor, 18 to 11. SB 1121 A passed a second chamber work session, almost unanimously, to create a new Class B misdemeanor crime of unlawful private data disclosure. We are following up on the dissenting vote based on conflating property destruction with personal crimes. Amendments edited for doxxing, timing to protect “basically OPB”, and adding as a provision to the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act. League testimony was filed and presented, supporting the bill, including the amendment relating to data broker issues. HB 3382 is up for a May 28 work session in House Rules, directing the Secretary of State to maintain an online Rulemaking Information system. We are watching HB 3382 based on Sen Sollman asking about the concept of a central state rulemaking site in the context of the HB 3931 coordinated state portal Task Force proposal presented here earlier. See League testimony . HB 2006 would limit long session bill requests to 25 bills from legislators to legislative counsel. We are preparing, watching for a 5/29 public hearing in House Rules, which will also consider a -7 amendment. HB 3569 A has a second public hearing, scheduled for 5/28 in Senate Rules, after passing not quite fully on partisan lines in House Rules, similarly on the House floor. SB 5537 , the SoS budget bill, is up for a 5/28 first work session after the 5/9 public hearing in Joint General Government. We are watching for opportunities to follow up on highlighted issues. Artificial Intelligence (AI) By Lindsey Washburn The Governor has signed HB 2299 Enrolled , which modifies the crime of unlawful dissemination of an intimate image to include the disclosure of digitally created, manipulated or altered images. Rule Making By Peggy Lynch A number of bills related to agency rulemaking and the role of the legislature, many of which are listed below, are getting work sessions. The League and others have concerns about many of these bills. The legislature’s job is to set policy. The agencies are responsible for implementing that policy. That action often requires rulemaking to clarify the details around that implementation. But the League is concerned when legislators “get a second bite at the apple” by relitigating the legislation when rulemaking is only meant to implement, not change policies or facilitate an agency’s mission. Blurring those lines is problematic. HB 3569 , a bill that would require a Chief Sponsor (legislator) of a bill to be a part of a rules advisory committee for legislation they had a hand in passing, passed the House and now goes to Senate Rules. 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. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report sections.