top of page
Back to All Legislative Reports
Climate Emergency

Legislative Report - Week of 6/30

Climate Emergency Team

 

Coordinator: Claudia Keith​

  • Efficient and Resilient Buildings: Bill Glassmire

  • Environmental Justice: Nancy Rosenberger

  • Environmental Rights Amendment: Claudia Keith

  • Natural Climate Solution - Forestry: Josie Koehne

  • CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers

  • Community Resilince & Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone 

  • Transportation: Claudia Keith

  • 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:


The session ended Jun 27 with mixed CE portfolio results; only about half policy and or funding priority bills passed or were fully/partially funded. 


The League is pleased that Oregon now joins a few other states addressing Climate related risk investments, referring to Treasurer Steiner supported, Oregon Investment Council HB 2081. ‘Oregon Passes Bill to Manage Climate Change Risks’. This bill encourages the Oregon State Treasury and the Oregon Investment Council to actively manage and report on climate-related financial risks to the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). This bill, introduced by State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner, aims to align PERS' investment strategies with the state's climate goals and requires the fund to be fully carbon neutral within the next 25 years. Be aware the current SEC has not implemented the League supported Climate Risk Disclosure law and this will likely negatively affect optimal investment performance outcomes.


We are hopeful that Transportation Climate Friendly funding issues will be addressed in a likely September special session. 


Additionally,  Critical Energy infrastructure, Natural Working Lands, and other Climate CE failed priorities could reappear in the 2026 short session. 


Note: The final Legislature-  and Governor-approved outcomes will not be known until July 26; until then the Governor can choose to veto any policy and or budget bills.



Additional Climate/Energy End of Sessions News/Reports


What climate policies did – and didn’t – pass the Oregon Legislature – TOL OPB


2025 End of Legislative Session Wrap Up - 350PDX: Climate Justice


Lawmakers consider slate of bills regulating private utilities, costs for Oregonians • Oregon Capital Chronicle



CE passed priority Funding & Policy Bills, including End of Session Reconciliation fiscal line items


  • HB 3546 Enrolled, POWER Act, new GIS. 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, The League is listed on a coalition sign on advocacy letter. 

  • HB2548: Environmental Justice agriculture workforce labor standards PSU and OSU study, League Testimony.


  • HB 3179 (FAIR Energy Act): This bill passed and aims to curb fast-rising utility rates. It requires more transparency from utilities regarding rate increases and prohibits price hikes during winter months.

  • HB 3365A: climate change instruction /curriculum in public schools, League Testimony, NO Fiscal noted, Chief Sponsors: Rep Fragala, Rep McDonald, 
  • SB 688:  Public Utility Commission performance-based regulation of electric utilities, $974K fiscal, League testimony

  • HB 3336 Enrolled Grid Enhancing Technologies will help existing electricity transmission lines become more efficient, more wildfire safe, and updated to existing technologies, which reduces the need to build new transmission lines.

  • HB 3792  ‘Oregon lawmakers pass bill to strengthen the state’s energy assistance program ‘ – OPB. Increases from $20 million to $40 million the minimum amount to be collected from the customers of electric companies for low-income electric bill payment and crisis assistance.


The End of Session Reconciliation HB5006 Includes: Detail descriptions


  • EBA $150M Special Purpose Appropriation: natural disaster prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. (Related to HB 3170 Resilience Hubs and Networks, League Testimony)

  • DAS $10M, Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council: Central Oregon Ready, Responsive, Resilient (CORE3) emergency coordination

  • DAS $3M Warm Springs Community Action Team: Warm Springs Commissary Project.

  • $2 million for Farmworker Disaster Relief, Environmental Justice Bill (see HB 3193 A) This funding allows farmworkers to take days off while still receiving pay when there is poor air quality from wildfire smoke or in cases of extreme weather.


Other Climate Bills that Passed


  • SB 827A: Solar and Storage Rebate, Governor signed 

  • SB 685: Hydrogen Oversight & Public Notice Act Ensures customer information and recourse regarding utility experiments with hydrogen blending.

  • HB 3963 Offshore Wind: Offshore Wind Roadmap and its assessment of enforceable state policies related to offshore wind energy development off the Oregon coast. 





  • HB 3653 Enrolled: Gov signed 5/27 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.






  • HB 2065 A and HB 2066 A: Microgrid Package budget 

  • HB 3336 A  House repasses grid-enhancing technologies bill

  • Funding for Heat pumps: HB 2567, related to heat pump programs, passed and was signed into law, making changes to and extending the Oregon Rental Home Heat Pump Program and the Community Heat Pump Deployment Program. 


Key details about the heat pump programs in Oregon:  

  • Federal Funding: In 2024, Oregon was awarded $197 million in Climate Pollution Reduction Grant funds through the federal Inflation Reduction Act.

  • Heat Pump Purchase Program (HP3): The Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) will disburse this funding through HP3 in two rounds, one in 2025 and one in 2027. These rounds will offer incentives for heat pump installations in owner-occupied homes, rental properties, and new construction, up to $2,000 per residence.

  • HB 2567: This bill, now law, extends the sunset of the rental home heat pump program from 2026 to 2032 and allows the ODOE to provide additional incentives for contractors installing heat pumps in rural or frontier communities.

  • Community Heat Pump Deployment Program: This program provides grants through Tribes and community partners to help income-qualified households install heat pumps, prioritizing environmental justice communities.

  • Existing Programs: There are also existing heat programs in Oregon, including those administered by the Oregon Department of Energy and Energy Trust of Oregon. 


In summary, the Oregon legislature did pass legislation in 2025 that affects heat pump programs, including extending existing programs and preparing to utilize federal funding for additional heat pump purchase incentives. AI Google


Priority Climate Emergency Bills that died in Committee



Forestry Climate

By Josie Koehne


The LWVOR provided testimony in support of an additional $5 million in the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB)'s budget bill HB 5039 to support the Natural Working Lands Fund. Unfortunately, this item was not included in the adopted bill

with the -2 amendment by Ways and Means as was  in the Governor’s requested budget. Money in the existing fund for ODF went to pay for a guidebook for forest land managers and professional advisors on Climate Smart Forestry that will be

completed and published in December. The League has been attending and provided input on the guide which includes new forest management practices to increase resilience in the face of increasing temperatures due to climate change. These

practices include longer forest rotations, planting mixed species and age classes within a stand and leaving more space and gaps between trees. Although the guide provides technical assistance geared to Washington County, it is intended as a model that can

be adapted for use in other counties. This budget bill awaits the Governor’s signature.



VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:  What is your passion related to Climate Emergency ?  You can help. Volunteers 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


bottom of page