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Revenue Read Our 2025 Priorities Here LWVOR Advocacy Positions Note: these are condensed versions. See the complete positions in Issues for Action . Governance Economic Development Revenue Bonds LWVOR supports the authority to issue Economic Development Revenue Bonds by the state, ports, and cities with more than 300,000 population. 2. In addition to the Economic Development Revenue Bond program, LWVOR supports other state and local economic stimulants Fiscal Policy Evaluating Taxes —any tax proposal should be evaluated with regard to its effect on the entire tax structure. Fiscal Responsibility —local government should have primary responsibility for financing non-school local government. Local services mandated by the state should have state funding. Income Tax—i ncome tax is the most equitable means of providing state revenue. The income tax should be progressive, compatible with federal law and should apply to the broadest possible segment of Oregonians. Sales Tax— A sales tax should be used with certain restrictions Property Tax —local property taxes should partially finance local government and local services. Exemptions to the general property tax include: a. Charitable, educational and benevolent organizations, etc. b. School District Financing. The major portion of the cost of public schools should be borne by the state, which should use a stable system to provide sufficient funds to give each child an equal, adequate education. Previous Legislative Reports Next

Back to Legislative Report Education Legislative Report - September Interim Jump to a topic: Higher Education Education Updates Higher Education By Jean Pierce With repayments of federal loans restarting this month, it is important for those who incurred student debt to access information addressing their questions and concerns. Borrowers need to be aware of different repayment plans as well as pathways to loan forgiveness, and recourse if they suspect fraud. LWVOR supported the implementation of SB 485 (2021) , which addresses licensing of ombuds helping graduates navigate student loans. This legislation is consistent with the Oregon League’s position that the State General Fund should give high priority to financial aid for students. Borrowers struggling with student loan debt are encouraged to contact the student loan ombuds at DFR.bankingproducthelp@dcbs.oregon.gov or 888-877-4894. We anticipate legislation addressing Oregon’s financial aid programs’ limitations could do more to promote equitable access to higher education. The House Interim Education heard testimony relating to the League’s position: “If state funding necessitates limiting access to community colleges, such limitation should consider equity as well as financial need.” The committee heard testimony describing the Oregon Promise Grant (OPG), which covers community college tuition costs for students entering those institutions directly from high school. Seventy percent of the awards granted have been to families which have been able to contribute only $2000 or less to the costs. League members can expect legislation addressing the following issues: OPGs are only available to students who enter community colleges immediately after graduating high school. This is a problem, since the average community college student age is 26-27. OPGs only cover winter and spring semesters if a student entered in the fall. This is a problem, since many students apply when they are laid off, which could be at any time during the year. Currently, because of university grants and the broader scope of state grants for university students, out-of-pocket costs are actually higher for students attending community colleges than for students attending other institutions which cost twice as much. Costs include housing, food, and transportation are not addressed by OPG. Education Updates By Anne Nesse “A few weeks ago the Census Bureau released the poverty figures. And nationally, child poverty more than doubled — the largest increase in more than 50 years”…from OCPP. Based on policy analysts at the Oregon Center for Public Policy (OCPP), Oregon calculated the same increase in poverty of families using a more complete measure of poverty today, “the United Way’s ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) Index . Unlike the poverty line, ALICE takes into account all essentials: housing, child care, food, transportation, and more. It reflects what it actually takes to live and work in the modern economy. According to the most recent ALICE data, more than two in every five Oregonians live below that threshold.” The Human Services Committee met on 9/27/23 and included testimony on meeting needs of lower-income families with childcare needs and the official launch of the Dept. of Early Learning and Care (DELC). Alyssa Chatterjee and the operating manager introduced the new website . They have successfully launched $370M in grants and are now processing applications in 4 weeks, 84% of the time. As of November 4th, there will be a waitlist for ERDC (Employment Related Day Care). They are currently attempting to serve 14,000 families of lower incomes, with 4,000 families on the waitlist and a 52% caseload increase. There are special groups, TANF/TA/DVS (domestic violence survivors), who do not have to be on the waitlist and are given priority. Rep. Reynolds asked about how we were anticipating dealing with the increased demand and Rep. Hieb asked about prolonged phone wait times. Ms. Chatterjee stated she had notified the Budget Committee and that DELC was on track to increase the budget and decrease wait times so that hopefully no family would be turned away. House Education met on 9/27/23, addressing equity in education, health and mental health care, summer programs, as well as increasing outdoor time for students with volunteer programs, see meeting video . First on the agenda was Medicaid funding for special education and other Medicaid billable areas that no longer have limitations. This established the lack of licensed nursing practitioners in schools and the need to improve billing systems methods, along with establishing a more consistent statewide IEP system so all the health and mental health needs of our students can be better met. Measure 98 implementation was next, designed to increase graduation rates along with providing career and technical education (CTE). It was noted that although graduation rates were up to 93% in CTE programs, Oregon was still below most states on expenditures in CTE and 10X lower than Washington State. Summer learning program losses were presented by Parasa Chanrany of COSA (Coalition of Oregon School Administrators). She quantified the losses to half in a number of areas critical to providing equity for children and parents living with fewer resources. Finally Rep. Gomberg introduced The Cascade Head Biosphere Collaborative , which includes a volunteer group, encouraging more outdoor education, and is requesting funding for increased education about natural resources. The Joint Committee on Public Education Appropriations (JCPEA) met 9/8/23 and reviewed some issues the Dept. of Education faces concerning equity in education, within Oregon’s 197 school districts. See meeting materials and the meeting video . Find individual presentations by clicking on links inside the agenda, including the “Oregon School Budget 2024-25” and “what our goals in K-12 education are.” This meeting included Post-Secondary Education, as well as the Early Learning System. An Overview of the Quality Education Model, with Melissa Goff, Education Policy Advisor from the Office of the Governor, was presented. Let’s end this report with something positive in education, because some parents may soon be asking about their student’s lower test scores in reading and math. Local teachers may be questioning their profession by striking. There are current questions circulating at the Dept. of Education and the Legislature on what best represents the requirements that our students should meet for an Oregon High School Diploma. So take a moment and look back to 1969, when Mr. Rogers testified to a Federal Senate SubCommittee on Communications for increased funding. The poem he wrote with the kid’s help at the end is particularly endearing.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 6/2 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Lucie La Bonte Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Please see Natural Resources Overview here . Jump to a topic: Agriculture Air Quality Bottle Bill Update Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) Governance Land Use & Housing Oregon Environmental Restoration Council (OERS) Transportation Water Wildfire AGRICULTURE By Sandra U. Bishop The first meeting of the Farm Stand Rulemaking Advisory Committee (RAC) was held on May 16th. ( OAR 660-033-0130: Regarding farm stands in exclusive farm use (EFU) zones and agri-tourism) Staff introduced the topics and areas of endeavor that will be considered by the RAC. The online meeting was live-streamed and recorded and may be reviewed on the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) YouTube channel . The 20-member RAC is expected to meet 4 or 5 times. The public hearing will likely be in September. 2025. This is Phase 1 of the Farm Stand Rulemaking. After the conclusion of this rulemaking process, DLCD will recommend a work plan for phases of OAR changes to address agri-tourism and other commercial events, use of soils reports, replacement dwellings and non-farm dwellings. The public comment period for this rulemaking will close October 5, 2025. To submit public comment please email written comments to: farmforest.comment@dlcd.oregon.gov Comments must be in writing to be considered part of the rulemaking record. People may also make brief public comments at the RAC meetings. The next RAC meeting is Tuesday June 3rd. Rulemaking webpage AIR QUALITY SB 726 A would direct the Environmental Quality Commission to adopt rules requiring the use of advanced methane detection technology for surface emissions monitoring at municipal solid waste landfills, beginning 1/1/2027. The A7 amendment limits the bill's application to a landfill located in Benton County (e.g., Coffin Butte). May 29: The bill failed on the House floor; 29/22! However, Leader Bowman served notice of reconsideration. It will be up for another vote in the House on June 2nd. Related to this bill is HB 3794 , a bill that would create a Task Force on Municipal Solid Waste in the Willamette Valley. HB 3794 is sitting in Ways and Means. BOTTLE BILL UPDATE By Sandra U. Bishop The omnibus bottle bill SB 992 A , a conglomeration of several bills introduced this session to address problems with beverage container redemption in the Portland area, is now awaiting the Governor’s signature. BUDGETS/REVENUE By Peggy Lynch Following are the budget bills we are watching in Natural Resources. After passage by the Full Ways and Means Committee, the bills go to each chamber for a final vote and then on to the Governor. These agency budgets are moving quickly now that the Co-Chairs know the revenue they have to spend: Dept. of Agriculture: SB 5502 Dept. of Agriculture Fees: SB 5503 Both bills passed Full Ways and Means and are now headed to the Senate and then House floors for a final vote. Five bills related to department’s various fee increases also passed Full Ways and Means. HB 2805 Relating to food establishment licenses ( Meeting Materials ), HB 2806 Relating to license fees for commercial instruments ( Meeting Materials ), HB 2809 Relating to pesticide registration fees ( Meeting Materials ), SB 1019 A Relating to brands ( Meeting Materials ), SB 832 A Relating to civil penalties for laws implemented by the State Department of Agriculture ( Meeting Materials ) Columbia River Gorge Commission: SB 5508 LFO Recommendation The bill passed Ways and Means and the Senate. Now to the House chamber for a final vote and on to the Governor for her signature. Dept. of Environmental Quality: SB 5520 League testimony . The budget bill had a work session on May 21. LFO Recommendation and Meeting Materials The bill passed Full Ways and Means after a contentious discussion and now heads to the Senate and then House floors for a final vote. Oregon Dept. of Energy: SB 5518 and Oregon Dept. of Energy Fees: SB 5519 Meeting Materials . Bills passed Full Ways and Means and are now headed to the chamber floors for a vote. Among the good news is that the Oregon Climate Action Commission is being provided with one full time permanent staffer. Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: HB 5009 . Conservationists, with HB 2977 (a -2 amendment has been filed), would add 1% (or 1.5%) for conservation programs. That additional money would go to a special Fund at the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. It had a hearing in House Revenue on May 8. Work Session on HB 5009 on May 28 ( LFO Recommendation ), along with HB 2342 A ( LFO Recommendation ) Relating to fees concerning wildlife, HB 2343 A ( LFO Recommendation ) Relating to the Columbia Basin endorsement and HB 2345 ( LFO Recommendation ) Relating to Oregon hatcheries. “The recommended investments support monitoring and fish screening efforts in the Klamath Basin, fish and wildlife passage projects, monitoring and prevention of harmful algal blooms and aquatic invasive species, chronic wasting disease surveillance, climate solutions policy and projects, administration operation efficiencies, and the Private Forest Accord grant program.” Additionally, POP 125 of HB 5009 “establishes one permanent full-time Natural Resource Specialist 4 position (0.88 FTE) as a climate policy lead for the agency to integrate climate science into planning, research and implementation of programs in the Habitat Division .” POP 101 “ provides $100,000 General Fund, one-time, to support increased legal costs associated with instream water rights disputes. The Department received $100,000 General Fund, one-time, in SB 5506 (2023) to help reduce the backlog of instream water right applications under protest. Approximately 16 disputes are expected to be resolved during the 2023-25 biennium bringing the current backlog to 166. ” POP 801 provides $10 million in General Funds for implementation of the Private Forest Accord. It “ was adopted by the Oregon Legislature in 2022 to implement a negotiated agreement between the timber industry and conservation groups concerning private forestland practices and the protection of natural resources. The Oregon Forest Practices Act (SB 1501, 2022) established the Private Forest Accord Mitigation subaccount within the Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund to support projects that mitigate the impacts of forest practices. This package provides $10 million General Fund for deposit into the Private Forest Accord Mitigation subaccount, which is continuously appropriated to the Department for the PFA Grant Program” Oregon Dept. of Forestry: SB 5521 . info hearing March 10 & 11. Public hearing March 12. Meeting Materials ; See the April 15 informational meeting on the Private Forest Accord. (See the Forestry and Wildfire sections for more information.) Work Session was set for May 27 and then cancelled. LFO Recommendation as posted but may change when the bill is reposted for a Work Session. The budget recommended that payroll be transferred to the Dept. of Administrative Services. POP 801 provides funding for the Private Forest Accord and Habitat Conservation Plan work. Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI): HB 5010 Public hearing Feb. 5-6; Meeting materials LWVOR testimony Aggregate industry testified against the staffing and fee increases. LWVOR supports SB 836 , a bill that would significantly increase permit fees for mining related activities. See the agency’s presentation to understand the reasons for these increases. A public hearing was held on May 19 and the League provided verbal testimony on the proposed amendment (not posted). A Work Session was held May 28 where the -4 amendment was adopted. Sen. Golden had hoped to see an indexing of these fees so they would increase with costs over time. Sen. Manning mentioned a proposed budget note that would allow the industry more influence in these fees. The League will be paying attention to the budget note language to be sure it meets standards. The fiscal impact statement indicates a substantial increase that will allow the agency to hire more staff and maybe even do more inspections. The bill now goes to Ways and Means. Dept. of Land Conservation and Development: SB 5528 Governor’s budget DLCD Fact Sheet Public hearing Feb. 3-4; LCDC 1/24 presentation ; Meeting Materials LWVOR testimony Land Use Board of Appeals: SB 5529 Public hearing Feb. 27 LWVOR testimony . The bill passed Full Ways and Means and is awaiting votes in the Senate and House. SB 817 is a bill to request a minor fee increase. Governor signed SB 817. Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB): HB 5021 and HB 2558 A modifies the definition of "charter guide" for purposes of outfitter and guide laws and HB 2982 A , a bill that increases boating permit costs estimated to increase revenue to OSMB by about $1 million for the 2025-27 biennium, most of which will be used to address Aquatic and Invasive Species (AIS) management in partnership with the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife were considered together. Here is the Legislative Fiscal Office recommendation for each of the three bills. HB 5021, HB 2558 and HB 2982 all passed the House chamber and moved to the Senate. Dept. of State Lands: SB 5539 LWVOR testimony in support. LFO 2025-27 budget recommendation . LFO budget recommendation for SB 147. Both bills passed the Senate and now go to the House chamber for approval. 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. Work Session June 2. Water Resources Dept.: SB 5543 Governor’s budget WRD Fact Sheet Here is a summary of the Governor’s budget. Governor's Budget and Agency Request Budget documents are available online here . Info Mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 18-20. Meeting Materials . LWVOR testimony . And the fee bills: support HB 2808 (Bill moved to Ways and Means) and support HB 2803 (The - 3 amendment was adopted, reducing the fees significantly which will cause the department a revenue shortfall should the amendment stand the scrutiny of Ways and Means where it now lies.) Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: HB 5039 . Info mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 25-27 LWVOR testimony . Meeting Materials . Work Session June 2. Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board 6-Year Limitation: HB 5040 (Limits expenditures of lottery funds from the Watershed Conservation Grant Fund for local grant expenditures by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for a six-year period beginning July 1, 2025.) Info mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 25-26. Work Session June 2. Oregon Business Development Dept.: HB 5024 Info mtgs. 3/12, 13 & 17. Public Hearing 3/18. Additional informational meetings: Held April 7 and April 22. A work session is set for June 3. Oregon Dept. of Emergency Management: SB 5517 info hearing 4/7&8. Public hearing 4/09; Work Session May 21. LFO Recommendation . Also worked were SB 234 (LFO Recommendation) and SB 826 (LFO Recommendation) SB 826 transfers duties, functions, and powers from the State Chief Information Officer regarding the Oregon Statewide Communication Interoperability Plan (OSCIP) to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (ODEM). Part of the decision on this agency budget is to create a new finance division (but removing that responsibility to the DAS budget—below.) Office of the Governor: SB 5523 LFO meeting materials . April 28 Public hearing. Work Session was held May 28 where the bill was passed to Full Ways and Means. LFO Recommendation Oregon State Fire Marshal: SB 5538 info hearing 2/19, public hearing 2/20. Work Session scheduled for June 4. Oregon Dept. of Transportation (ODOT): SB 5541 info hearing 3/03-6, public hearing 3/11. The League signed on to a letter in support of increased transit funding. The Joint Committee on Transportation ended its work on May 23rd but a new committee ( Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment ) has taken over in hopes of coming to agreement on a comprehensive package before the end of session. See below for more information on the latest plans to address ODOT’s revenue needs. Dept. of Administrative Services (DAS): HB 5002 info hearings 3/03-5, public hearing 3/06. Meeting Materials Work Session May 29 and the bill was sent to Full Ways and Means. Legislative Administration Committee, Legislative Assembly, Legislative Counsel Committee, Legislative Fiscal Officer, Legislative Revenue Officer, Commission on Indian Services and Legislative Policy and Research Committee: HB 5016 Info hearings 4/29-30. Public hearing May 1st. Lottery Bonds: SB 5531 : an average debt capacity of $564 million in each Biennium. Public hearing May 9 and May 16 @ 1p. The League supported two of the requests: $160 million for preservation of rental housing and $25 million to preserve manufactured housing and $100 million Housing Infrastructure Fund in Section 14. There are over $2 billion in requests for a variety of projects around Oregon! Emergency Board: HB 5006 This bill will be populated with an amount for the Emergency Board to spend at will and amounts in Special Purpose Appropriations if needed when the legislature is not in session. General Obligation Bonds, etc.: SB 5505 : an average debt capacity of $2.22 billion per Biennium. Public hearing held April 18. Second public hearing, this time on university and community college requests, was held May 2. Six-Year Limitation/Bonds: SB 5506 (Limits for the six-year period beginning July 1, 2025, payment of expenses from fees, moneys or other revenues, including Miscellaneous Receipts, but excluding lottery funds and federal funds, collected or received by various state agencies for capital construction.) Public hearing held May 2. CLIMATE By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. There are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. COASTAL ISSUES After researching marine reserves as part of our Coastal Study , and supporting them with new League positions, it is good to see Oregonians support them. “Researchers from Oregon State University (OSU) and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) have been collecting data on local residents’ attitudes toward the state’s marine reserves for more than a decade. Their work showed these Oregonians viewed the marine reserves in an increasingly positive light over time. Residents who live near the reserves and residents of densely populated metropolitan areas had the most favorable views overall. Their new research paper presents a fresh analysis of these attitudes and how they have changed over time.” The League supports HB 3580 eelgrass stabilization LWVOR signed letter of support and HB 3587A Protection of Rocky Habitat LWVOR signed letter of support ( fiscal impact statement ). To help these bills get funded, consider LWVOR’s Action Alert . The League signed on to a letter of support for HB 3963 , a bill that extends the timeline for the Dept. of Land Conservation and Development to provide a report on offshore wind conversations from 2025 to 2027. A public hearing was held May 19. The League signed on to testimony in support. A work session was held May 29 where the bill passed committee in a partisan vote and is headed to the House floor. The Oregon Coastal Management Program (OCMP) is currently developing its 2026-2030 Program Enhancement Assessment and Strategy. Draft Strategy The OCMP has selected to focus on wetlands, coastal hazards, and ocean resources in this 2026-2030 planning horizon. See the Draft Assessment and Strategy and provide feedback during the comment period of May 12 - June 12, 2025. The draft 2026-2030 Program Enhancement Assessment and Strategy can be found on their Public Comment webpage . Please provide comments on or before June 12. Send comments: E-mail Comments: coastal.policy@dlcd.oregon.gov Written Comments: OCMP-DLCD, 635 Capitol St. NE, Suite 150, Salem, OR 97301-2540. DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch The League supports SB 830 , a bill that modifies provisions of the on-site septic system loan program to allow for grants. It also allows for the program to consider mobile home parks in need of septic upgrades. May 28: Governor signed! Now we hope that Ways and Means will pass HB 2168 to fund this program. LWVOR testimony in support. SB 1154 was filed by the Governor to address the groundwater/nitrate issue in Morrow and Umatilla counties per this OPB article . See also in the Water section for a presentation of interest. The bill is sitting in Senate Rules while negotiations continue. DEPT. OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES (DOGAMI) By Joan Fryxell The Central Oregon Geoscience Society’s presentation earlier this week, on Carbon Sequestration, by Richard Walker of DOGAMI was very interesting ( https://www.cogeosoc.org/event-5991444 ). The two things he made clear were: 1. They are definitely looking at the already fractured (and therefore permeable) zones at the flow tops and bottoms, to avoid needing to do any fracking. 2. The proposed project that is in front of the legislature this session is to drill cores and evaluate both the cores and the down-hole characteristics of the rock, and not to inject any CO2-charged fluids. They are proposing to do the background research first,so they have a very good idea of what the rocks are like before they do anything further. See above in “Budgets” information on the DOGAMI fee bill, SB 836. ELLIOTT STATE RESEARCH FOREST (ESRF) Habitat Conservation Plan adopted for the ESRF per this press release . “ The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced approval of the habitat conservation plan for the Elliott State Research Forest and issuance of an Endangered Species Act permit for implementing the plan over the next 80 years. “ FORESTRY The Board of Forestry meets June 4 and 5 per this press release . GOVERNANCE HB 3569 , a bill that would require a Chief Sponsor (legislator) of a bill to be a part of a rules advisory committee for legislation they had a hand in passing, passed the House and now goes to Senate Rules. The League provided testimony with our concerns and opposition to the bill for the public hearing that was scheduled for May 28. The hearing was postponed to June 4 and a work session set for June 5. Because the League is often engaged in rulemaking, we regularly comment on legislation that would affect changes in Oregon’s current Administrative Rules. We have provided testimony in opposition to HB 2692 , a bill that would create complicated and burdensome processes for agencies to implement legislation with their rulemaking procedures. The League joined others in sharing concerns about this bill to members of House Rules. It was pulled from the scheduled work session on May 28th. The League continues to follow the bills listed on the March 17 agenda of the Senate Committee On Rules since some of the bills relate to the process of rulemaking ( SB 437 , SB 1006 , SB 370 , SB 483 ) and SB 411 , SB 895 also in Senate Rules. HB 2454 passed House Rules with the -1 amendment and sent to Ways and Means. The bill creates a new Audits Officer (with possible additional staff). The Jt. Audits Committee would hire the Officer. It is unclear, if funded, what the relationship will be with the Secretary of State’s Audit Division and the work of the Legislative Fiscal Office staff. We are concerned with HB 3382 , since the requirements of the Secretary of State to gather ALL the state agencies’ rulemaking, including all materials would be overwhelming. Individual state agencies provide that information on their rulemaking websites. A work session was held May 28 where the -2 amendment was adopted todelay the web work and the bill sent to Ways and Means. Separately, the League was invited to a conversation among state agency rules staff on addressing concerns of the Governor and in an attempt to standardize the process statewide. The Governor has provided Rulemaking Guidance to state agencies: This document includes questions received from agencies since the Governor’s letter. This document includes additional resources for agencies including direction to post updates to the Transparency site, a website template that agencies can use (if they choose) to develop their pages, and links to other comprehensive agency rule making sites to review. There is a broader discussion to increase transparency and consistency in the state agencies’ rulemaking process. A second meeting related to the state agency rules process is set for June with an invitation to the League to continue to participate. See also the Governance section of this Legislative Report. LAND USE & HOUSING By Sandra U. Bishop/Peggy Lynch HB 2647 passed the House floor and was assigned to the Senate Housing and Development Committee where it passed the committee with the A 5 amendment and now goes to the Senate floor. HB 3921 is a bill that will allow by law land swaps for City of Roseburg/Douglas County per this preliminary staff analysis . The Governor has signed. The League provided testimony in support of HB 3939 , a bill that provides a list of infrastructure projects to fund for smaller Oregon cities so they can build more housing. We have also supported HB 3031 A (already sitting in Ways and Means) but know there might be limited dollars this session so called out that link in our letter. The -1 amendment to HB 3939 was adopted and the bill moved to Ways and Means. HB 2316 : Allows designation of Home Start Lands to be used for housing. HB 2316 -4 frees up approximately 3,500 acres of state land of which can now be used for housing production, all within the urban growth boundaries. It provides revenue to the state from the sale of the land, and it also provides revenue to our cities because the land becomes taxable for property taxes five years after purchase. The bill was sent to Revenue where a public hearing was held on May 15 and a work session was held May 27. The A6 amendment was adopted and the bill sent to Ways and Means. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. OREGON ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION COUNCIL (OERC) A new Council has been created by the Governor to administer the settlement funds from the Monsanto legal settlement: “ The Oregon Environmental Restoration Fund (OERF or Fund) was established in 2024 by Senate Bill 1561 to invest the proceeds of a historic, nearly $700 million settlement against Monsanto for long-term harm caused by the company’s polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) chemicals to Oregon’s land, water, fish and wildlife. The proceeds of the settlement will go to projects and purposes that benefit Oregon’s environment and its communities. “ “ The Fund has been set up to function similarly to an endowment. The settlement dollars will earn investment and interest income, and, on a biennial basis, the Council will authorize the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) to distribute that income to three sub-funds: The Tribal Nation Natural Resource Program Fund will distribute 25% of the disbursement to federally recognized sovereign tribal nations (Tribes) in the state of Oregon. These payments will be made in equal amounts to each of the nine federally recognized Tribes who may use funds to invest in their stewardship of natural resources. The State Agency Program Fund will receive 50% of the disbursement to support the work of state agencies whose mission has a nexus with the settlement terms. The Disproportionately Impacted Community Fund will receive 25% of the disbursement. A grant program will support projects and programs that directly benefit impacted communities. “ TRANSPORTATION A report by an independent firm finds issues at ODOT per this article by OPB. “ The Oregon Department of Transportation is beset by high staff turnover, decades-old financial software, cost overruns and delays that have eroded trust with elected leaders .” WATER By Peggy Lynch HB 3806 , a bill that authorizes the Oregon Water Resources Commission to approve a Deschutes River water bank pilot program if the charter is approved by the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and adheres to all requirements. It sunsets the pilot program on January 2, 2034, had a work session in Jt. Ways and Means Subcommittee on Natural Resources on May 29th. It was noted that funding for this pilot will be provided by the Deschutes River Conservancy. The bill passed and was sent to Full Ways and Means. LWV Deschutes County submitted a letter in support of SB 427 , a water rights transfer bill meant to protect instream water flows. A work session was held April 8 where the bill was sent to Senate Rules. SB 1153 , an alternate bill provided with help from the Governor’s office had a work session April 8 where the bill was sent to Senate Rules. After weeks of negotiations, a public hearing is set for June 3 with a work session set for June 5 on SB 1153. A -3 amendment is being proposed. Water Right Process Improvements ( HB 3342 ). A - 4 amendment was adopted and the bill passed the House. Amended by the A 8 amendment, it passed the Senate. On May 29th the House concurred with the Senate amendment and it passed the House floor. Harney Basin Groundwater Management ( HB 3800 ). A work session was held and the bill was sent to House Rules without recommendation as to passage. Water Rights and Public Interest ( HB 3501 ) A work session was held and the bill was referred to House Rules without recommendation as to passage on a 6 to 3 vote. HB 3525 is related to tenants’ right to well water testing. The League submitted testimony in support. House Rules had a public hearing April 30. A work session scheduled for May 12 has been cancelled. A number of amendments have been offered. The controversy seems to be around timelines for testing—how often—and what exactly gets tested. The League hopes to see this bill move forward, even if there are constraints. It would be a beginning and a recognition that water needs to be safe for everyone-homeowners and renters. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. An Abnormally Dry designation has increased in NE and NW Oregon and now we also see our first level of Drought (Moderate) in some of those areas. Here is a more complete website about drought in Oregon. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms (HABs). “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. As the weather gets warmer and more people and animals visit Oregon’s water bodies, it is important to watch for potentially deadly algal blooms. Information on current advisories can be found on the OHA’s cyanobacteria bloom webpage at healthoregon.org/hab . The OHA has an online photo gallery to help community members identify signs of potentially harmful blooms. As a result of concern around HABs along the coast, the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife budget includes “one permanent full-time Natural Resource Specialist 2 position (0.88 FTE) and two permanent 12-month seasonal Biological Science Assistant positions (1.00 FTE) to monitor and respond to harmful algal blooms along the coast. The revenue source is recreational shellfish license fee revenue. WILDFIRE By Carolyn Mayers Along with the transportation package, wildfire funding has been a challenge for the legislature. The Governor has weighed in on the concept of taking at least a part of the “kicker” to fund wildfire: lawmakers have an option if they can agree on a better use for the kicker money. With two-thirds supermajority vote in each chamber, they can opt to suspend the refund. That’s happened once since the policy was enacted in the late 70s. A 2/3rds supermajority vote means at least two Senate Republicans and four House Republicans would need to approve along with all legislative Democrats. Because our Rural Fire Protection Associations (RFPAs) are seeing a huge increase in their fire fees, Rep. Owens has offered the following: I introduced HB 3349 and HB 3350 to ensure our RFPAs have access to the tools they need. These bills propose establishing a dedicated funding stream to help RFPAs obtain gear from the Oregon Department of Forestry and better access federal resources. Importantly, this support does not change their volunteer status but simply gives them the resources to be more effective and safe while serving our communities. Then the House Leadership decided to move SB 83 , which would repeal the State Wildfire Hazard Map and accompanying statues related to it, to House Rules at a Work Session on May 20. It seems that the bill is now being used as trade bait to find funding for wildfire according to a news release from Sen. David Brock Smith. SB 75 A , removes the wildfire hazard map as a guide for allowing ADUs and requiring higher building codes in rural areas. The bill was moved to House Rules on May 22nd by the House Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment where it is likely to stay while negotiations continue on wildfire funding. The Oregon Capital Insider provides information on the Dept. of Forestry’s budget and what’s happening at the federal level. Here is a short report on the status of the bills mentioned last week: SB 860A The bill would allow the State Fire Marshal and an agency to take actions for fire protection and makes changes related to the Governor's Fire Service Policy Council. The Governor’s signed. SB 861 , a measure which would include grant funds, reimbursements, and moneys received from judgements and settlements as funds in the State Fire Marshal Mobilization Fund has been signed by the Governor. It requires that the Department of the State Fire Marshal submit a report to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means on the amounts in the fund and expenditures from the fund on or before March 31 of each odd numbered year. SB 85A directs the State Fire Marshal to establish a neighborhood protection cooperative grant program to help communities collectively reduce their wildfire risk. May 28: Governor signed! The Omnibus wildfire funding bill, HB 3940A , had a robust Public Hearing before the House Committee on Revenue on May 1. Legislative Revenue staff provided a table to help understand the various elements of the bill. Oregon Department of Forestry and Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office have stated the minimum annual need for wildfire funding to address the growing wildfire crisis is around $280 million. SB 1177 is still before the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue. It had a public hearing on April 7. This bill would establish the Oregon Wildfire Mitigation and Adaptation Fund and redirect the “kicker” to it, one- time, for financing wildfire-related expenses, by using the interest earned. A 5% return would yield approximately $170-180 million per year, or just over half of the aforementioned projected ongoing costs to fund wildfire mitigation and suppression. (The Governor has expressed interest in using only the amount of kicker that would go to large income earners for wildfire costs.) SJR 11 also remains before the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue after its April 7 public hearing. It would dedicate a fixed, to-be-determined percentage of net proceeds of the State Lottery to a wildfire fund created by the Legislature. Its passage would mean an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, which would have to go to the voters for approval. Finally, HB 3489 , which imposes a severance tax on owners of timber harvested from public or private forestland, had a Public Hearing April 24 before the House Committee on Revenue. The League has supported a severance tax in past sessions and provided testimony at the hearing. The League is also still following other non-funding related bills, such as SB 926 , which would prohibit the recovery of certain costs and expenses from customers that an electric company incurs as a result of allegations of a wildfire resulting from the negligence or fault on the part of the electric company. It was passed by the Senate and had a work session on May 20 in the House Committee on Judiciary where the A 10 amendment was adopted. The Speaker sent the bill to Ways and Means. HB 3666 remains in the Rules Committee. This bill would establish wildfire mitigation actions and an accompanying certification for electric utilities in an attempt to standardize their approach. SB 1051 , which transfers the authority to appoint a State Forester from the State Board of Forestry to the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation, remains in the Senate Rules Committee. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The long legislative session begins in January of 2025. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Revenue , Governance , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Sine Die 2024 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Lucie La Bonte Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Agriculture Air Quality Budgets/Revenue Budgets 2025 Climate Coastal Issues Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Dept. of State Lands (DSL) Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) Drinking Water Advisory Committee (DWAC) Elliott State Research Forest Forestry Land Use and Housing Pesticides Reduce/Recycle Transportation Water Wildfire Volunteers Needed Agriculture The League provided comments to the Board of Agriculture as the 2024 session began. Oregon agriculture is the second most important and most stable industry in Oregon because of the hundreds of “crops” grown here. The League will be following farm advocates to protect Oregon’s farmland and support opportunities to help these lands address climate change. Air Quality The Cleaner Air Oregon (CAO) program established a prioritization protocol for calling-in existing facilities to perform their Risk Assessments. DEQ created three Prioritization Groups – with groups one and two consisting of 20 facilities each and all the remaining (about 300+) facilities in group three. DEQ began calling-in Group 1 facilities in March of 2019 and completed the call-ins for this group in March 2022. CAO has updated its website with information about Group 2call-ins. DEQ is proposing to call-in two facilities every other month beginning in April 2024. See the Prioritization website for details regarding Group 2 facilities including the proposed month and year call-in order. Budgets/Revenue By Peggy Lynch SB 5701 , the 2024 omnibus budget bill was amended at the end of the session; scan 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, amended as well. F ees adopted by state agencies since the 2025 session were approved in SB 5702 . HB 5203 modifies lottery and other revenue allocations within the resources predicted in the March 2024 revenue forecast. SB 1501 was the “program change bill”, used to address miscellaneous changes to agency programs. SB 1562 with the -1 amendment passed. It increases the limit for making contributions into the Rainy Day Fund from 7.5% to 12.5% of General Fund revenue but leaves the contribution cap unchanged at 1% of General Fund appropriations. Budgets 2025 By Peggy Lynch The 2025-27 agency budget process is beginning. The latest word is that revenue may only cover state agency Current Service Levels, the amount of money needed to fund current programs while also addressing expected cost increases, plus 1%. Look for presentations to agency Boards and Commissions. Agencies are to turn in their lists of additional funding to the Governor by April 30. The Governor’s office will consider which should be in the Agency’s Recommended Budget (ARB) by June 30. The Governor’s recommended budget is due to the legislature by Dec. 1st. The State Debt Policy Advisory Commission will provide bonding guidance in January, 2025. Below are a few of the first round of agency budget requests (Policy Option Packages—POPs) of natural resource agencies available at the publication of this report: Dept. of Environmental Quality and March 22nd presentation slides Dept. of Land Conservation and Development Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife and ODFW April 4th Presentation Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept. Oregon Water Resources Dept. with a note: “… our official general fund target from DAS for new POPs for the Agency Request Budget and have been approved to request up to $1,022,150 General Fund ….” Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board See this good video on Oregon property taxes . Cities and counties rely on property taxes for the services they provide. It’s possible that there will be property tax reform conversations in 2025. The Oregonian provides some insight into that future conversation. Climate By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. T here are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. Coastal Issues By Christine Moffitt/Peggy Lynch/ Barbara Keirnes-Young Included in the end of session SB 5701 was $572,019 in grant funding to the Oregon Ocean Science Trust . A League member attended the Trust meeting on March 22. The Board designed the beginning of a mission statement, linked to strategic priorities and the ranked priorities of the summit. There were areas important to the League: The work of the trust as significant to coastal communities, the state, the country, the world. Informing the public (not educating) will be important for engaging advocates and securing funding. There are only two trusts of this kind in the world: Oregon and California. Working together may be a path to consider. The League is encouraged to engage with the Trust, including public outreach - advertising meetings, providing space, and inviting Trust members to League meetings. Intense competition for government grants will require advocacy and support so an informed public will be a critical part of the work. League advocacy at the legislature will further the quest for funding. The League has been an advocate from the formation of the Trust and continues with on-going funding support. A new group, the Oregon Ocean Alliance, has been formed to advocate for ocean funding in multiple agencies in 2025. The League signed a letter in support of HB 4132 , Marine Reserves. The bill passed. HB 5201 Enrolled increases the uses of the bond monies 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.“ The League provided comments on HB 4080-1 that would both address union labor IF offshore wind projects happen on our South Coast and create a robust public engagement process before project approval. The bill was amended and passed with monies to the Dept. of Land Conservation and Development to develop a “road map” with broad public engagement. The public process by the federal government Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has been lacking. Oregon Congressional members provided a letter requesting additional public comment time per this Oregon Capital Chronicle article. The Coastal Caucus and the Governor also sent letters of concern around the public process and asking for a delay. Oregon's Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Plan was disapproved in 2015 under the federal Coastal Zone Amendments and Reauthorization Act. Since then, Oregon has been revising its plan. DEQ staff provided an update on Oregon's work to revise its plan and to resubmit it to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the fall of 2024. Although the Dept. of Forestry has also taken some steps to gain approval, it is unclear if these actions will help return federal funding to DEQ and to DLCD’s Coastal Program. The Oregon Capital Chronicle covered concerns around the effect of climate change on our warming oceans. Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch The League participated in an annual rules advisory committee meeting to consider increasing water quality program fees by 3%. The recommendation was approved by the Environmental Quality Commission. Dept. of State Lands (DSL) By Peggy Lynch Oregon’s land department received public input on its 10-year plan for managing state lands. The plan would increase the development of renewable energy and wildfire resiliency on state school lands and focus on maintaining and improving lands, rather than selling off land providing lower revenues. The agency’s new program on addressing Abandoned and Derelict Vessels is completing program implementation rules. On April 9, the State Land Board received an update (starting on page 112) on the work. The League has been engaged in this effort for years and was pleased by the passage of HB 2914 (2023). See also Elliott State Research Forest below for DSL’s role in that project. Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) From the Mineral Land Regulation and Reclamation Spring Newsletter : DOGAMI continues to experience an unprecedented volume of applications, inquiries, complaints, and compliance actions that has resulted in an increase in processing and response times. Drinking Water Advisory Committee (DWAC) By Sandra Bishop The League has a member on this committee . Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) By Peggy Lynch The State Land Board approved the interim Advisory Group’s recommendation of a new structural governance on April 9. See the State Land Board’s packet starting on page 94. Appointments to the new ESRF Board are expected at their June 11tth meeting. The $4 million that had been allocated to the ESRF Authority was transferred to DSL in the omnibus budget bill, SB 5701 . Work is continuing on eventual adoption of a Habitat Conservation Plan and a Forest Management Plan for the forest. Visit DSL's Elliott webpage to learn more . Environment Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) covered the Environmental legislation considered in 2024. Forestry (ODF) By Josie Koehne The Board of Forestry voted 4 to 3 to pass the proposed Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for State Forests. You can 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 address 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, greatly reducing harvest revenue. The Governor has expressed interest in this discussion in 2025. A number of bills this session were 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 Dept. of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) provided a summary of 2024 legislation. The League was engaged in a number of these bills. One, SB 1537 , was the focus of an OPB Think Out Loud program . The bill was amended with input by the League (although we continued to oppose the urban growth boundary provision) and passed. T he League supported HB 4134 , providing infrastructure project monies for middle housing. SB 1530 included monies for specific infrastructure projects as well as a number of other programs supported by the League. The Governor was considering a veto of a few of the funded projects unless they will provide housing within five years. However, after a review of the housing projects and statements from the cities that housing will happen in a reasonable timeline, she provided a signing letter withdrawing her veto threat . A news release by the Senate President explains the elements of both bills. The League worked for months on housing policy and continues to do so for 2025. The League also provided testimony on HB 4099 , a bill that would have provided a fund to help with development fees. Although this bill did not pass, a Revolving Loan Fund was provided in Section 24 of SB 1537 that will help with these costs. On Feb. 22, Rep. Hartman presented a number of housing concepts to be considered in 2025, including some water related programs, many of which the League has advocated for in the past. The Governor provided a signing letter expressing some concerns although she signed the bill. The Governor appointed a Housing Production Advisory Council (HPAC) in 2023. Their final report was submitted to the Governor in February and she will be reviewing which of the 59 ideas should be considered for the 2025 session. Her office is engaging with a wide variety of interested parties, including the League. We provided a number of comments to HPAC as they were considering these proposals. DLCD is seeking members for an Advisory Committee on Community Green Infrastructure Investment. Apply by April 28th. HB 4026 passed. The bill determines that urban growth boundary (UGB) decisions cannot be voted on and are “administrative” in nature. The League provided testimony from a governance perspective. We are 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. “. A judge is allowing the North Plains vote on their UGB expansion while the issue winds through the courts. 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. Pesticides OPB provided an article on how pesticides can rid your home of cockroaches or farm fields of unwanted insects, but they also can harm fish and potentially even people. 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. Apple recently announced it will allow used parts in the repair of its products. 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 Oregon E-Cycles rulemaking . Recycling Modernization Act of 2021 ( SB 582 ) which the League supported has a new rulemaking advisory committee with meetings posted on the Recycling 2024 website. You can attend these meetings. Transportation Look for a 2025 conversation on how to fund multiple Oregon transportation needs. This effort was last addressed in 2017. The Oregon Capital Chronicle article provided some of the challenges facing legislators. Water By Peggy Lynch The League continues to follow the concerns of Morrow and Umatilla County residents affected by nitrates in their drinking water. OPB shares the latest . KGW’s "The Story" did a series on this important public health issue the week of Nov. 13. The Oregon Water Resources Dept. (OWRD) has announced revised groundwater allocation rules . The department is providing multiple opportunities to engage. The League has been following this process. Read more in OPB’s article . We have not yet officially weighed in but expect to support the rules that require the Water Resources Dept. to approve only those groundwater permit applications where there are data to assure that the groundwater is available and will replenish when drawn down. For more context, please see the background information , informational flyer , and Frequently Asked Questions . The Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) is being updated. There was a public comment on the first 2024 draft . A second draft will be available in May after incorporating comments from the April outreach. Columbia Insight did a great article about the project. 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 was actively involved in the first two IWRS documents and supported funding for the staffer to work on this project. 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. The legislature was provided with a report on HB 2145 (2021). The League continues to work to save Oregon’s wetlands and here’s why . We expect to engage with the Governor’s Office regarding housing needs while protecting wetlands. Quagga mussels continue to be a concern per an OPB article . The League agrees. As we continue to address water shortages, it is time for each of us to take personal action per EPA's Fix a Leak Week website. “Common water leaks around your home include worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and leaking showerheads—all of which can be fixed with a little do-it-yourself effort,” said EPA Office of Wastewater Management Director Dr. Andrew Sawyers. “The average household’s leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year—the amount of water needed to wash 300 loads of laundry—and could be adding as much as 10% to your water bill.” 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 April 8th Water Report includes this information: The seasonal climate outlook indicates probabilities leaning towards below average precipitation for northwestern portions of the state and equal chances of above or below average precipitation for the rest of the state. The seasonal outlook also indicates probabilities favoring above average temperatures statewide. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers Amid welcome increased recognition this session among Legislators that the wildfire situation in Oregon is on an unsustainable trajectory in terms of funding across the board, that funding issue and the proposed solutions figured prominently, and are likely to continue to remain at the forefront in future sessions. Also, there were some notable shifts in messaging from the wildfire community. One shift was the acknowledgement that wildfires in the Western part of the State are increasing in frequency, as outlined in this KTVZ report on an OSU/U.S. Forest Service study released in February. Chief Mariana Ruiz-Temple, Oregon State Fire Marshal, throughout the session and even before it began, repeatedly stressed that Oregon is in uncharted waters with this development, calling it “alarming”, since these communities are not prepared. The other noticeable shift was more urgent language around the need for meaningful investments in funding of mitigation measures, with one expert stating, “We are not going to suppress our way out of this crisis.” Set against that background, the 2024 Short Session saw an unusually large number of wildfire related bills, including 3 very different bills, each with a different approach to addressing the lack of adequate, sustainable wildfire program funding. HB 4133 , which was supported by the Governor, SB 1593 , on which the League gave testimony in favor, and HJR 201 / HB 4075 ; however, all failed. In spite of the dire need, the right solution could not be found. This Capital Chronicle article provides a good accounting of each of the bills and their collective demise. In hindsight, perhaps a short session didn’t provide adequate time to refine any one of these very complex bills, all with good elements, to a point where any of them could garner the support needed to pass. One bit of good news is that this Budget Note was included in the SB5701 Budget Reconciliation bill, which directs the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) and the Department of the State Fire Marshal to convene a facilitated workgroup to collaborate on finding sustainable wildfire funding solutions with stakeholders representing a broad swath of interests. As suggested in the opening paragraph above, this remains a high-priority, difficult problem with no simple solution. So, the work continues. Ironically, the one bill that could have directly addressed the community wildfire mitigation issue also failed. SB 1511 would have created a Neighborhood Protection Cooperatives Grant Program, administered through the Dept. of the State Fire Marshal. It also would have directed the Dept. of Business and Consumer Services to work with insurance companies to explore the possibility of “rewarding” communities that participate in standardized risk reduction programs with more favorable rates for homeowners’ insurance. The League testified in support of this bill. One bill that did pass, as is mentioned in the above referenced OPB article, was SB 1520 . This bill provided for an income tax subtraction for settlements or judgments received by wildfire damage victims, covering payments for damages incurred as far back as 2018. The impetus for this bill was that legal settlement and judgment proceeds were being taxed at 70%, with the remaining 30% also being taxable income, and legal fees not being deductible, leaving little left with which to rebuild. California already had passed similar legislation. The passion and motivation to get this bill passed was palpable, and it did so unanimously. And in another win for wildfire victims, SB 1545 also passed, which allows counties to offer a property tax break to wildfire victims who rebuild their homes. Another bill that passed, HB 4016, was an omnibus wildfire bill which provides some technical fixes and tweaks to a prescribed fire liability program, extends the deadline for home hardening grants to wildfire victims, and requires the Department of Consumer and Business Services and the Oregon State Fire Marshal to report to natural resources-related committees of the Legislative Assembly by September 15, 2024 on a proposal for a proactive home hardening program. This would theoretically establish a program designed to support home hardening efforts in advance of wildfire events, as opposed to the current program which only applies to rebuilds of homes destroyed by wildfire. This is one of many mitigation measures homeowners could take advantage of to help mitigate wildfire damage. Speaking of the need to mitigate wildfire damage in communities, ODF recently announced that Oregon ranks the #2 state in the nation in the number of active Firewise USA sites. In 2023, Oregon added 39 new sites creating more fire-adapted communities. Jackson County with 75 sites and Deschutes County with 73 sites are 4th and 5th in the number of sites in a county. This type of neighborhood level cooperation is a key factor in limiting the catastrophic losses associated with the new reality of increasing size, number and severity of wildfire events. Finally, the reworked Wildfire Hazard map has been under development, with a draft map having been shared with Counties around the State to gather feedback. Rulemaking Advisory Committee meetings were held in March. These will be followed by more public outreach, and it is anticipated the new map should be ready for release by January, 2025, at the latest. The Governor’s Wildfire Programs Advisory Council continues to meet and will follow the mapping project as well as other wildfire policy issues. 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.

Google workspace tutorials from the LWV of Oregon. Google Workspace Tutorials Here you'll find everything you need to start using Google Workspace apps like Gmail, Docs, and Drive in the context of League work. Get Started 01 Google Workspace Learning Center The Google Workspace Learning Center offers tutorials and walkthroughs of all Google products and apps. Below you can find direct links to the top Google products used at the League: Google Doc Sharing Basics Excel and Google Sheets Best Practices Get Started With Goo gle Ca lendar Learn About Google Groups How to Reply to Google Reviews (Tips & Examples) 02 Zoom Tutorials and Meeting Recordings Links to Zoom tutorials. Learn how to get started on Zoom! Google Workspace Office Hours July 2024 03 Interactive Resources and Guides The State League (and local Leagues) use a resource called Scribe to produce play-by-play image tutorials of many League functions. We offer several Scribe tutorials on a variety of Google subjects below: Uploading a document to Google Drive Moving a document in Google Drive Google Workspace: Getting Started Set Up Your Google Calendar Navigating Google Drive Uploading Google Doc to a Drive Have a topic you want to see covered in a tutorial? Get in touch! Please send any requests for tutorial topics via this form. First Name Last Name Email Topic Request Send Thanks for submitting!

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 4/21 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: Environmental Justice Bills Climate Priority Advocacy Groups Climate Priorities with League Testimony , League Endorsement Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package Energy Affordability and Utility Accountability Package Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment Climate Treasury Investment Bills Natural and Working Lands Other Priorities Other Climate Bills: New Priority Bills That Died In Policy Committee Transportation Climate Emergency JWM Budget Concerns Highlights of House and Senate Chamber Votes Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust The Federal admin (executive branch of government) response to Judicial (judiciary branch of government) court orders is at best case worrisome/concerning/questionable. News: ‘Judge orders federal agencies to release billions of dollars from two Biden-era initiatives’– OPB 4/14/25. (These 2+ initiatives address a number of energy/climate/carbon/ emergency management and community resiliency portfolios.) Like with many funding and policy issues affecting many state agencies, the League is very concerned; it’s unclear at this point if the Trump administration will respectively/lawfully respond to any Court orders. The normal situation would have DOJ step in, but with the current situation it’s unclear which federal law enforcement agency will enforce the court orders. Related, the Leagues Judiciary Study and new national position is scheduled to be approved prior to the 2025 June LWV Council meeting. You can track effects of federal cuts in Oregon through the Impact Project. See their interactive map . Many of the cuts listed affect climate and environmental concerns. 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. 
 Climate Priority Advocacy Groups For the first time, this year most of our priorities are included in the bipartisan 2025 Legislative Environmental Caucus Priorities , Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Priorities and/or Oregon Conservation Network (OCN) priorities . OCN is the only formal environmental lobby coalition group in the capitol. Consequently, for some of these bills (especially those in a package) the League may just join coalition sign-on letters rather than providing individual testimony. Another statewide organization is also advocating for many Climate / Energy Legislative bills. SEE Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network (COIN) resource page. News: The Ashland Chronicle: Oregon Indivisible Network Update 4/15/25 . Climate Priorities with League Testimony with League Endorsement and Still Alive HB 3170 : Community Resilience Hubs and networks : Work Session 3/4, passed to JWM, DHS, Sponsors, Rep. Marsh, Sen Pham and Rep Tan. League testimony 
 
 
 
 Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package Update By Nikki Mandell Four CEI bills are part of a package which was the subject of public hearings February 27 and March 6 in the House Energy Management, General Government, and Veterans Committee: OPB: ‘ Portland councilors discuss safety of storing oil in an industrial hub sitting on a quake zone’, 3/18/25. S ee 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.) CEI energy storage transition plan 
, The Bigger Picture: ASCE's ( American Society of Civil Engineers , founded in 1852 ) , Oregon C- grade Infrastructure Report Card . Three of the four CEI Hub-related bills introduced in January are still alive (listed below). They passed through the House Committee on Emergency Management on Tues., April 8. All three have costs associated with them, so they’ve been referred to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means (aka Budget Committee), where they’ll be further assigned to a Ways & Means subcommittee. Then, the very uncertain budget situation, in combination legislators’ different priorities and horse-trading will take over. The outcome of Ways & Means’ work may not be known until the last few days of the legislative session (targeted to end June 18, but constitutionally will end no later than June 29) HB 2152 : calls on OR Dept. of Energy to develop a plan for geographically diverse storage of fuels for disaster response. HB 2949 : calls for a risk bond requirement for all bulk fuel storage facilities that are currently regulated by DEQs Fuel Tank Seismic Stability program (SB 1567, 2022) HB 3450 : calls on OR Dept. of Energy to develop a transition plan for the CEI Hub to ensure the state’s “energy resiliency” A bit more info about what is in the versions of these bills that have now passed on to the Ways & Means Committee: HB 2152 passed through Rep. Tran’s committee with the -1 amendment. The amendment expanded the list of required stakeholders to be consulted to include federally recognized tribes and labor (passed with all 4 Dems voting Aye, and all 3 Repubs voting nay) HB 2949 passed through Rep. Tran’s committee as the -5 amendment. This bill is significantly different from what was introduced in January. The initial bill called for a study of the viability of a risk bond requirement. At the strong urging of Multnomah County, with support from community advocates, and weeks of back and forth involving the county, community advocates, and industry lobbyists, the bill now calls on DEQ to establish a risk bond regulation. It’s not a perfect bill, but it avoids the years-long delay of a study bill, has strong provisions for determining the level of financial responsibility, allows DEQ to fine, suspend or close down operations for non-compliance, and gives local govt.s and community members a combined 2/3 representation on the rules-making advisory committee. On the not-perfect side, the bill sets a cap on the level of risk bonding that can be required during the first three years, makes it possible for the rules to allow (or disallow) self-insurance; and preempts local govt.s from passing a separate risk bond requirement (passed through the committee unanimously!) HB 3450 passed through Rep. Tran’s committee with the -1 amendment. There is a more comprehensive -2 amendment posted in OLIS that incorporates the public testimony of community supporters. Rep. Tran could not muster enough support on the committee to bring this -2 amendment forward. In order to keep the concept alive, she asked for a vote on the -1 amendment. (passed through the committee with all 4 Dems voting Aye- one expressing deep reservations; and all 3 Repubs voting nay). Rep. Tran has committed to doing what she can to amend the CEI Hub Transition Plan bill (HB 3450) to be closer to the more comprehensive -2 amendment version. I'll be meeting with her next week to explore the options. The big lift going forward will be to advocate with members of the Ways & Means sub- and full committee, and with Democratic caucus leadership for CEI Hub legislation. Energy Affordability and Utility Accountability Package HB 3081A ( League testimony ) work session held 4/8, adopted -1 amendment, in JWM, creates an active navigator to help access energy efficiency incentives all in one place 
 
 
,‘on stop shopping’. SB 88 ( League testimony ) work session was 3/24, limits the ability of utility companies to charge ratepayers for lobbying, litigation costs, fines, marketing, industry fees, and political spending. 
 Moved to Sen Rules on 3/28. 
 In addition to our testimony, LWVOR joined the Oregon Conservation Network, coordinated through the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, in sign-on letters supporting both HB 3081 and SB 88. PH 3/4 3/4 Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment At this point in the session, it is unclear if SJR 28 will 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. LWVUS has provided guidance since over 26 states have - or are in the process of voting on green / environmental rights constitutional topics or initiatives. These usually take the form of a legislative referral to the people. The New Mexico green amendment campaign focuses on racial justice. Climate Treasury Investment Bills SB 681 : Dead: Treasury: Fossil Fuel investment moratorium, Senate Finance and Revenue, 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 – NO Comment, could move to the floor, no JWM required. 
 (still in H EMGGV, 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), 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 have died in committee over the past 16 years. Natural and Working Lands HB 5039 financial administration of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board; JWM NR SC, League testimony 
 
 
 
 
 HB 3103A – work session 3/31. Moved to JWM, Overweight Timber Harvest , , League Testimony , new adopted -5 amendment . 
 
 Other Priorities 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: 4/17 passed House 32/23, work session was 4/9, moved to floor with adopted amendment -4 . climate change instruction /curriculum in public schools, House Cm Educ, PH was 3/12, League Testimony , NO Fiscal noted , Chief Sponsors: Rep Fragala, Rep McDonald , Rep Andersen, Gamba, Lively, Neron, Senator Patterson, Pham, Taylor. 
 
 
 
 SB 688 A: -5 , Public Utility Commission performance-based regulation of electric utilities, PH 3/12,& 3/19, work session was 3/24, $500K 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 
 HB 3546A , -3 the POWER Act , work session was 4/8, bipartisan vote, moved , House vote 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 . 
 
 
 
 
 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. 
 
 Other Climate Bills: New 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 work session 4/8 passed unanimous, 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. 
. Priority Bills that died in policy committee Some of these related to funding may appear in the end of session reconciliation (“Christmas tree”) bill. HB 3477 : Update to Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Goals. League testimony . House Climate, Energy, and Environment (CEE), Sponsored by Rep GAMBA, Sen Frederick, Golden, Patterson, Pham K, Taylor 
 
 
 
 
 SB 54 : Work Session was cancelled. The bill required landlords provide cooling for residential units . The League endorsed and added our name to a OJTA Oregon Justice Transition Alliance, sign-on letter . 
 Energy Trust of Oregon neutral testimony includes a presentation slide deck posted to OLIS on March 19, 2025. “ Energy Trust of Oregon does not support or oppose SB 54, and this is in accordance with Energy Trust’s contract with the Oregon Public Utility Commission which prohibits Energy Trust from lobbying. We are a neutral party per agreement with PUC.” 
 SB 1187 new Climate cost recovery Liability interagency bill , PH 4/7, Sen. Golden, Senate Energy and Environment 
 
(Replaces SB 679 and SB 682 : 
 
 
 SB 680 : Climate Science/Greenwashing , Sen. Golden and Manning, moved to Sen Judiciary , no recommendation, S NRWF PH was 2/26, sponsors: Campos, Frederick, Gorsek, Patterson, Prozanski, Taylor 
 
 
 
 
 
 Transportation This ODOT video gives a good short overview of the history and current status /challenges with Transportation funding and management strategic issues. Oregon Democrats unveil $1.9 billion transportation funding plan The plan includes raising the state gas tax to 60 cents per gallon, higher DMV fees, higher bike taxes and more. | *Oregon Capital Chronicle (OCC). ODOT answers to budget presentation questions an 18-page document dated March 13. ODOT budget presentation package detail materials can be found Here. Oregon transit agencies warn lawmakers of service cuts without a funding hike – OPB 3/28/25. The League is concerned with federal guidelines: “McLain and Gorsek said they’re confident in Oregon’s ability to continue to receive federal transportation grants, despite directives from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that federal funding should go toward states with high marriage and birth rates, no vaccine or mask mandates and that are committed to working with the federal government to enforce Trump’s immigration policy — all areas that don’t apply to Oregon.” See OCC article . KGW NEWS: What it could cost you to rescue Oregon's transportation funding | The Story | April 4, 2025 Climate Emergency JWM Budget Concerns In order to stay on track, the Legislature must prioritize investments for vital environmental justice, climate and community protection programs (CPP). Without additional appropriations this session, the following existing successful climate, CPP and environmental justice programs may run out of funding: Community Renewable Energy Grant Program (ODOE) 
 
 
 
 Rental Home Heat Pump Program (ODOE) 
 
 
 
 Community Heat Pump Program (ODOE) 
 
 
 
 Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program/Charge Ahead (DEQ) 
 
 
 
 Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicles Rebates + Infrastructure Grants (DEQ) 
 
 
 
 Community Resilience Hubs and Networks (ODHS) 
 
 
 
 Climate Change Worker Relief Fund (DAS) 
 
 
 
 Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program (ODOE) 
 
 
 
 Natural & Working Lands Fund (OWEB) 
 
 See Natural Resources Legislative Reports for budget league testimonies including climate topics in over 12 agencies. Highlights of House and Senate Chamber Votes By a vote of 41-14, the House passed HB 3874 (Helm), which would increase the threshold for siting and approval of a wind energy facility at the local 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. Wind turbines have a relatively small footprint, and technological improvements have more than tripled the generating capacity of a single wind tower. Farmers and other landowners have found that wind facilities can provide additional income while maintaining the overall productivity of their lands. 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. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to Legislative Report Education Legislative Report - Week of 5/8 Education By Anne Nesse Of interest last week was a public hearing on HB 3199A , in the Senate 5/4, already passed the House, limiting PE requirements by the state that were unattainable by many school districts. This outdated law had caused a number of Oregon school districts to be in non-compliance with state law. In a bipartisan effort, Rep. McIntire and Rep. Bowman as bill Chief Co-Sponsors, spoke together with others on the need to be more creative in giving students “brain breaks”, increased recess, increased extracurricular sports, increasing creativity in the design of outdoor time, and other new future efforts to increase student learning. The goal is to keep our students healthier physically and mentally. This law was represented as a beginning, to start this process statewide. In an unfortunate sign of our times, HB 3584 nears complete passage, already passing the House, now going on to the Senate floor, directing schools or school districts to provide electronic communication to parents and guardians of students attending, and to school district employees employed at, school at which a safety threat action occurred. Senate Education met 5/2 and 5/4,to send several House bills to the floor. The following is a list of a few nearing complete passage: HB 2669 , Declares children who are deaf, hard of hearing or deaf-blind have the same rights and potential as children who are not deaf, hard of hearing or deaf-blind. HB 2740 A , Establishes a uniform method for calculating eligibility of part-time faculty member of community college or public university for certain health care, retirement and other benefits. Modifies method for calculation of hours of employment of academic employees of community colleges and public universities for purposes of Public Employees Retirement System. House Education met 5/3 only, to send several Senate Bills to the floor, previously passed in the Senate. The following is a list of ones that are nearing complete passage you might be interested in: SB 218 , Requires DOE and law enforcement agencies to make available to TSPC certain information received during investigation of suspected sexual conduct or child abuse. SB 238 A , Directs OHA, State Board of Education and Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission to collaborate on developing curricula supplements related to dangers of certain drugs and to laws that provide immunity or other protections related to drug or alcohol use. SB 756 A , Requires school district employees assigned to work with students with specialized needs to have access to specified records related to students, to be consulted when an education plan for a student is reviewed or revised and to be provided with adequate training. SB 767 A , Limits scope by which public charter schools may conduct operations in a school in a district that is not a sponsor of the public charter school. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Back to Legislative Report Education Legislative Report - Week of 1/30 By Anne Nesse Senate Education Committee heard two bills of significance this week. The first was about the use of Corporate Tax Kicker (not personal income tax kicker), and the second was about virtual and brick and mortar public charter schools. SB521 , public hearing was held on 1/31,“For purposes of implementing Article IX, section 14 (3), of the Oregon Constitution, if revenues received by the General Fund from the corporate income and excise taxes during the biennium exceed the amount estimated to be received from such taxes for the biennium by two percent or more, the Legislative Assembly shall appropriate an amount equal to the total amount of the excess [to the State School Fund established by ORS 327.008 for apportionment as provided in ORS 327.008] to provide additional funding for kindergarten through grade 12 public education.” And as Sen. Dembrow explains this change in law, would allow us to use these funds for many one time expenditures: like better ventilation systems, air conditioning, other long overdue infrastructure repairs, summer learning programs, or inservice education of our K-12 instructors. SB767 , public hearing was held on 2/2, l imit ing “the scope by which public charter schools may conduct operations in a school district that is not a sponsor of the public charter school”. This Bill presented a complex picture of public charter schools that are near small school districts, or near boundaries of a specific school district. The Bill, as was stated, requires more discussion and amendments. It was apparent from the testimony, that we are approaching a time when “equity in public education” is competing with “school choice in public education”? We are facing a major discussion among parents, for the rights of their individual child, how we include special needs children, and how to solve that problem within the public school model? At least two testifiers expressed their anger at the current public school system in Oregon: including students using drugs within the school population, student violence within the school population, and teachers being sometimes overworked with large class sizes in addition to low pay and lack of monetary support in general. House Education Committee heard one significant public hearing on pay increases HB2690 , “requiring school districts to pay certified educator salary of not less than $60,000 per year or, if certified educator provides education to students with individualized education program or who are enrolled in special education, not less than $63,000 per year”. Kendall Mason from OEA gave a thorough presentation on how low educational pay in general is throughout Oregon, being the 31st in the nation. And the fact that 60% of state funds for education now rely on the much more volatile income tax, and property taxes. Business managers from school districts testified that this Bill presents monetary challenges, and could easily lead to elimination of many staff positions, defeating the purpose of the Bill. It was pointed out in the hearing that the Governor’s current budget could not fund this Bill, leading to an increased ask of up to 9.9 Billion dollars. House Committee on Early Childhood Education dealt primarily with human services legislation this week.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce After-School Care and Children’s Service: Katie Riley Behavioral Health: Trish Garner Education: Jean Pierce Equal Rights for All: Jean Pierce, Kyra Aguon Gun Safety and Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith, Becky Gladstone Higher Education: Jean Pierce Immigration/Refugee/Asylum: Claudia Keith Health Care: Christa Danielsen, M110 Public Safety, Justice Issues: Karen Nibler School-Based Health Centers: Chloe Acosta, Anai Beng Housing: Debbie Aiona, Nancy Donovan Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner Note: Education reports after January, 2024, are included in Social policy reports. Education reports prior to February, 2024, can be found HERE . Please see the Legislation Tracker for 2025 Social Policy bills . Jump to topic: Behavioral Health Education Gun Policy Housing Legislation Immigration Behavioral Health By Trish Garner HB 2005 - Dash 4, 5 Amendments In this Session the legislature has been working on significant changes about when and how mental health care is provided to those experiencing serious mental health issues. While the resulting bills certainly involve increased funding, there has also been a clear effort to bring a wide array of stakeholders together to examine the practicalities and details of treatment rather than just appropriating funds. There has also been a recognition that there is a need for comprehensive, rather than piecemeal, action to deal with Oregon’s interrelated mental health care systems. The infrastructure set out in this legislation seeks to help people get the help they need and to do so more quickly in order to avoid escalation to higher needs for care and use of resources. Much of this action likely reflects the pressure that US District Judge Adrienne Nelson has exerted on Oregon with her imposition of fines for noncompliance with her order that Oregon take “all reasonable steps” to admit criminal defendants to the state hospital within 7 days of being determined by a court to be unable to “aid and assist” in their defense due to mental incompetence. [ OPB article about court ruling ] These are the patients who currently represent over 95% of patients currently in the Oregon State Hospital. This bottleneck complicates the treatment of those who are or should be civilly, or involuntarily, committed. Judge Nelson set the fines at $500.00 per day per “aid and assist” individual. In a move that is likely related to this pressure from Judge Nelson’s order, two bills relating to mental health treatment were just combined and packaged into one 142-page omnibus bill ( HB 2005 - Dash 4 and 5 Amendments ). One of these bills is HB 2467 - Dash 3 Amendment which addresses civil commitment. HB 2481 - Dash 11 Amendment takes on the “aid and assist” process. HB 2005 also requires local governments to allow licensed residential treatment facilities within an urban growth boundary without requiring a zone change or conditional use permit for certain properties. HB 2005 – Dash 5 Amendment has passed the Joint Ways & Means Committee with a “do pass” recommendation. For more detail, HB 2005 incorporates HB 2467’s definitions of the specific factors that a court can consider when determining whether someone should be civilly committed., i.e. danger to self or others, or being unable to provide for basic personal needs. A person is dangerous to self if their mental disorder resulted or likely will result in “serous” physical harm to self in the “near future.” Dangerousness to others is similarly defined but there is no requirement for the harm to be “serious.” Importantly, “near future” clarifies the current legal standard that the harm be “imminent.” The bill also outlines court procedures for determining incapacity. HB 2481’s contribution to HB 2005 (beginning at p. 92) is an itemization of factors that courts may consider when determining whether defendants are mentally competent to proceed in their defense. These include, for example, prior evaluations, evidence of a prior diagnosis by a certified evaluator or qualified mental health practitioner, prior commitments, and/or the defendant’s conduct as observed in court. It also requires courts to appoint counsel for these defendants and if the defendant is unable to afford counsel, the court will appoint one at state expense. HB 2481 places specific limits of the amount of time a person can be involuntarily committed to a facility such as OSH depending on the nature of the crime and the interface with community treatment. The Judicial Department is also mandated to study the interactions between the state and tribal entities regarding behavioral health treatment and involuntary commitment procedures in these communities. The HB 200A-5 – Amendment appropriates $5,400,000 to the OR Health Authority for payments made to community mental health programs regarding civil commitments and $1,100,000 to the OR Public Defense Commission to provide public defense to financially eligible persons. This appropriation is part of the effort to make a make a greater impact on mental health treatment. Other bills, including HB 2015, 20224, 2059, described below, also add funds to this process. HB 2015A - Dash 4 Amendment seeks to modify current practices in residential treatment facilities such as those relating to early transition programs, nurse staffing and grouping patients who have similar needs for services in the same facilities and thereby optimize care. It passed the full Ways and Means Committee with a “do pass” recommendation and an appropriation of $2,250,000. With one negative vote (Senator Daniel Bonham) the full Ways & Means Committee passed HB 2024A - Dash 6 Amendment with a “do pass” recommendation. The bill establishes a grant program that supports the recruitment and retention of behavioral health workers at treatment facilities. The appropriation was initially set at $45,000,000 but the final bill provided for $7,000,000. The full Ways & Means Committee passed HB 2059A - Dash 4 Amendment with a “do pass” recommendation. It appropriates $65,000,000 to increase access residential health care services. OHA is directed to establish a unit that will develop plans and provide funding for the construction and staffing of these facilities in collaboration with regional partners and practitioners. At the time of this report (6-19-25) HB 3294 - Dash 3 Amendment was passed in the House with only one “nay” vote (Representative Jami Cate) and its First Reading has taken place in the Senate. It proposes changes to previous laws regarding hospital staffing plans and minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. Education By Jean Pierce SB 1098 , the Freedom to Read bill, was signed into law by the Governor. LWVOR provided testimony in support. Senate Bill 5516 is headed to the Governor for a signature. The bill will increase the budget for Oregon’s State School Fund by more than 11% from the last biennium. Unfortunately, this increase is needed simply to keep funding at current service levels. According to the American Institute on Research (AIR), in order to provide adequate funding for education, Oregon would need a 30% increase, with more attention to equitable spending for the education of low income and high needs students. SB 5525 -3, the Higher Education Coordinating Commission budget, was approved by the Senate and received a Do Pass Recommendation from Ways and Means. For the most part, the proposed budget maintains the Current Service Level, (CSL). It is important to note that the Oregon Opportunity Grant and Benefits Navigators would at least be maintained at CSL, but legislators expressed concern that funding for the Outdoor School Program would be cut. The allocation is 6.2% below the last biennium, so this bill does nothing to address the fact that Oregon has been ranked 46th in the nation for state investment in higher education. They recognized that in future sessions, the thinking needs to shift from CSL to setting a higher target. How the Federal Reconciliation Bill May Affect Oregon K-12 School Vouchers: The Senate version of the Reconciliation bill retains the House provision that households earning at or below 300% of a given area's median gross income could receive a $5000 tax credit for private school tuition. The League of Women Voters opposes using public funds for private education. If this federal budget is passed, $20 billion will go to funding tuition credits for private schools and will not be available for public education. According to edtrust.org , the total 2025 Estimated Federal Education Budget for Oregon is over $1.8 Billion. Higher Education – Student Loans: Sameer Gadkaree, president of The Institute for College Access & Success, released the following warning about current provisions of the Reconciliation BIll : “The proposed overhaul of the student loan repayment system would take the unprecedented step of eliminating existing protections for borrowers. It would implement an overly complex plan that departs from decades of precedent by forcing the lowest-income borrowers to make unaffordable payments and extending the repayment term to 30 years. Taken together, this will likely drive many more borrowers into default, which comes with severe penalties, including the seizure of Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit refunds and wage garnishment.” According to the Student Borrower Protection Center , there are currently more than 530,000 Oregonians with federal student loan debt, owing more than $23 billion to the federal government. In January of this year, with a 15% borrower delinquency rate. According to the Attorney General’s office , “ The average Oregon student loan borrower owes over $36,091 by the time they graduate.” Gun Policy By Marge Easley SB 243 C was passed by the Joint Ways and Means Committee on June 20. This newly amended version of the bill will ban rapid-fire devices, allow cities and counties to ban firearms in public buildings, and stipulate March 15, 2026, as the implementation date for Measure 114 (2022). HB 3076 A , which creates an Oregon gun dealer licensing program, was passed out of the Joint Ways and Means Committee on June 20 with a A-5 Amendment. At least two of the votes were “Courtesy Yes-es,” to permit the bill to receive a hearing on the floor. The amendment states that licensing will be required of large-scale gun dealers starting July 1, 2027, and will be expanded to all dealers the following year. It also provides a sliding scale for the licensing fee based on the average annual firearm sales of the dealer during the previous three years. Passage of this bill has become increasingly important with the announcement that the number of federal gun dealer inspectors, under the auspices of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, will soon be slashed by two-thirds. A recent Capital Chronicle article by Daniel Webster, a highly respected researcher at Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, provides strong justification for Oregon to have its own gun dealer licensing program. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona Bond Funds for low-income housing preservation and development The Oregon Housing Alliance is urging the Legislature to dedicate General Obligation bonds in SB 5505 for the following: LIFT Affordable Rental Housing Program: $600 million LIFT Affordable Homeownership Program: $100 million Permanent Supportive Housing Program: $80 million Preservation of existing affordable homes: $100 million Significant effort is being devoted throughout Oregon to moving unsheltered individuals and families into housing. Meeting with success is particularly challenging because of the overwhelming shortage of housing affordable to extremely low-income households. These investments are key to making more permanent housing available to people most in need. Lottery Bonds -- SB 5531 Housing Infrastructure Fund: $100 million Stabilize affordable housing and manufactured home parks: $185 million Low-income housing developers identify the cost of building the infrastructure to support their developments as a barrier to producing more housing units. These lottery bonds would be deposited in the Housing Infrastructure Fund for the purpose of providing grants to support key community infrastructure investments including transportation, water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure that will make feasible development of affordable housing for households with very low, low, or moderate incomes. Lottery bonds would also be used to provide financial assistance to aid in the acquisition, renovation, or maintenance of existing regulated low-income housing undergoing significant recapitalization, to publicly supported housing, or to preserve affordability of manufactured dwelling parks. Homelessness Prevention Funding A recent Oregonian article highlighted concerns about the impact of the significant cut to the Governor’s proposed budget for eviction prevention. According to the article, the cuts would reduce the number of people the program could assist with emergency rent assistance, legal aid, and other services from 27,713 over the last two years to 4,331 in the upcoming biennium --Source: Legislative Fiscal Office. Advocates and providers make the point that shelter beds are much more expensive than providing rent assistance. Maintaining a shelter bed for a year can cost up to $50,000. The article states that in Multnomah County, the average annual cost is more than $21,000. Prevention services, such as rent assistance, cost $11,000 per person served in Multnomah County in the last fiscal year. In addition to the cost, keeping people in their homes avoids trauma and disruption. Bills passed HB 2964 A Enrolled requires OHCS to award loans for the predevelopment costs of affordable housing and a grant to assist nonprofits receiving grants or loans. The bill passed the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness on April 15. It was then referred to the Senate Committee on Housing and Development. On June 13, the speaker signed the bill and the Senate president signed it on June 16. It is awaiting the Governor’s signature. LWVOR testimony supported passage of this bill. HB 3054 A Enrolled will limit rent increases and sales constraints by a landlord in a home park or marina, which can threaten residents’ ability to stay in their homes. It creates an exception for certain infrastructure upgrades approved by a vote of the tenants. It will fix at six percent maximum rent increases for rental spaces in larger facilities and will limit to 10 percent the maximum increase in rent paid by the purchaser of a dwelling or home in a facility. It will prohibit a landlord from requiring aesthetic improvements or internal inspections as conditions of sale. The bill passed the House, and the Senate Committee on Housing and Development held a work session on May 19 and recommended passage. On June 16, both the speaker and Senate president signed the bill. It is awaiting the Governor’s signature. LWVOR submitted a letter in support. HB 3521 is now headed to Gov. Kotek’s desk for her signature. It will allow Oregon renters who haven’t signed a lease agreement to have their deposits returned if the home has mold, unsafe electrical wiring, or other defects making it uninhabitable. With so few rentals available for prospective tenants, “hold deposits” can help renters secure a home. However, some landlords have taken advantage of the system to pressure renters to accept residences that do not meet health and safety standards. Landlords will have five days to return deposits or face a fee equivalent to the deposit they charged or more. The bill passed the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness on April 17 in a 33-18 vote, and on June 12, it passed the Senate Committee on Housing and Development in a 20-8 vote. When enacted, the bill will apply to deposits received on or after Jan. 1, 2026. Bill Progressing The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held a work session on SB 829 B on June 13 and recommended passage by a 21–0–2 vote with an -A3 amendment. It passed the Senate on June 18 by a 24–5 vote. The third House reading was scheduled for June 20. The bill would require the Department of Consumer and Business Services to establish an Affordable Housing Premium Assistance Fund to help eligible entities with the costs of paying property insurance or liability insurance premiums for affordable housing, shelters and other facilities. It also requires the department to study the feasibility of creating and operating a state reinsurance program or devising another solution to support price stability in the market for insurance to cover affordable housing. Immigration By Becky Gladstone and Claudia Keith The League is hopeful that it is likely some existing immigrant related agency social service programs will receive additional funding at the end of the session reconciliation bill. Highlights Refugees and Asylum Seekers - American Immigration Council A Trump Executive Order Could Affect Ukrainian Refugees in Iowa - The New York Times 5th asylum seeker detained after immigration hearing in Portland | kgw.com Legislative Bulletin —Wed June 18 , 2025 - National Immigration Forum Oregon Legislature BIPOC Caucus - Social Media Link Oregon Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement Click Scroll Bar on Bottom of Table to View All Columns Bill # Description Policy Committee Status Fiscal M$ Chief Sponsors+ Comments SB 149 A Immigration (support services) JWM waiting for Fiscal Y Sen Jama -3 amendment SB 599A Immig status: discrimination in RealEstate transactions Gov Signed Eff 5/28/2 5 N Sen Campos SB 611 A Food for All Oregonians - for undocumented JWM 8 Sen Campos Rep Ruiz amendment -1 SB 703 a bipartisan immigration status update funding bill JWM 6 Sen Reynolds, Rep Neron, Ruiz, Smith G Testimony HB 2548 Agricultural Workforce Labor Standards Board. Study Bill, see -7 amend JWM moves 0.6 Rep Valderrama, Nelson , Munoz League Testimony Fiscal -7 Amendment HB 2976 funding for interpretation of indigenous languages. JWM 1.5 Rep Hartman HB2788 funding to nonprofits to assist w lawful permanent resident status / legal aid - HC ECHS - JWM dead Rep Neron, Ruiz, Sen Reynolds * likely end of session Reconcilation Bill HB 2586 A nonresident tuition exemption for asylum seekers. Gov Signed RepHudson, SenCampos League Testi mony HB 2543 funds for universal representation and gives funds to Oregon State Bar for legal immigration matters HC Jud dead 15 Rep Valderrama, Sen Manning Jr, Rep Walters, Andersen, McLain, Sen Campos DAS - see sb 703 HB3193A Farm Worker Relief Fund JWM 10 Rep Marsh, SenPham, RepValderrama OHA HB 5002 Oregon Worker Relief Fund (Prev yr legal rep funds eliminated) JWM WS was 5/29, passed LFO d etails Amendment Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Governance , and Natural Resources , and Revenue report sections.

/ Join / Donating to LWVOR / Donating to LWVOR Your contributions to the League of Women Voters of Oregon, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. There are multiple ways you can donate to LWVOR: Donate via our secure online form . Set up a monthly checking account deduction. If you name LWVOR as a beneficiary of your IRA or 401(k), your distribution will not be taxed. Beneficiary forms are available from your account administrator. Leaving a bequest to the LWVOR in your Will or Trust may lower estate taxes, although we recommend consulting with an estate planning professional. Notifying the League of your plans will ensure that we follow through with your wishes. Designate a percentage of your life insurance policy to benefit the LWVOR. Donating stocks, bonds, or mutual funds to the LWVOR is tax deductible and may reduce your capital gains taxes. Giving our League an endowment is pivotal to the continuance of LWVOR’s 100+ years of influence on voting rights and voter education in Oregon. Your generous gifts can create a perpetual revenue stream for the League. Investing $25 can give the League $1 annually, based on 4% expected market gains. The Oregon Community Foundation manages close to 450 endowments for the benefit of communities throughout Oregon and is now celebrating its 50th year.

/ Advocacy / Legislative Priorities / Legislative Priorities 2025 Legislative Priorities We continue to protect democracy and our representative government. Our priority emphasis is on education, housing, health, safety, community resilience, environmental protection, and safety net services for the most vulnerable. It is important that Oregon generate adequate revenue for essential services. ASSURE ADEQUATE REVENUE for all levels of government to provide essential services while promoting equitable and progressive tax policy. Access federal funds for infrastructure and other Oregonians’ needs. PROTECT DEMOCRACY by expanding automatic voter registration and funding up-to-date, efficient and secure election software that can support alternative voting methods. Protecting elections against artificial intelligence mis-, dis-, and mal-information. Ensuring cyber security. SUPPORT NATURAL RESOURCES agency budgets that address water, land use and wildfire from border to border. Support policies that protect and enhance Oregon's natural bounty on land, sea and air. ADDRESS THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY by supporting 2017-2021 Carbon/Climate Executive Orders, net zero greenhouse gas emissions before 2050 while ensuring environmental justice with a just transition for workers and impacted communities. SUPPORT HOUSING STRATEGIES THAT INCREASE INVESTMENTS in rental assistance, new affordable rentals, home ownership, and permanent supportive housing. Goals include preserving existing affordable housing; adding homeless shelters, staffing navigation centers; and providing state support for infrastructure and for pre-development expenses for affordable housing projects. SUPPORT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH/ADDRESS ADDICTION: Expand accessibility to behavioral health services focused on addiction and treatment. PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY. Seek strategies to achieve a fairer and more equitable criminal justice system, to enact effective gun policy laws, and to successfully implement violence prevention and reduction programs. SUPPORT ADEQUATE AND EQUITABLE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION. Include funding for early childhood, child care, after school and summer care, as well as higher education. Advocate for coordination and transparency in funding. Find our 2025 Issues for Action here ! Jean Pierce, LWVOR Legislative Action Chair, along with our team of volunteers listed below, are available to provide clarifications on League positions. Contact us at lwvor@lwvor.org . Call our office at (503) 581-5722 or directly contact portfolio chairs in specific areas listed below. LWVOR Action team members are experienced, unpaid volunteers . Our advocates focus on the broad areas of Climate Emergency, Governance and Protecting Democracy, Human Services, Public Safety, Health Care, Housing, Natural Resources, Education, and Revenue. Advocacy Sub-Categories Find our 2025 Legislative Priorities here! Advocacy Leadership Our volunteers continue to monitor and work on all these issues. We mentor and add new volunteers with more issues, too. We encourage you to contact our office at 503-581-5722 or lwvor@lwvor.org and to reach out directly: Advocacy Chair & LWVOR 2nd Vice President: Jean Pierce Access Coordinator: Paula Krane Climate Emergency Coordinator: Claudia Keith Governance Coordinator: Norman Turrill Natural Resources Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Social Policy Coordinator: Jean Pierce Past President: Becky Gladstone Access Ensure the public have access so that they can participate in the process. Paula Krane Climate Emergency Using the best available climate science to ensure future generations’ stable climate systems (return to < 350 C02 PPM and < 1.5 Degree Celsius warming by 2100). LWVOR supports Our Children’s Trust/Crag Environmental Law Center federal lawsuits. We oppose fossil fuel infrastructure expansion. 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 Resilience & 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 Governance Support ethics, efficiency, public records law, and contemporary privacy and technology issues. Our focus on election policies includes laws and administrative rules, campaign finance, redistricting, and alternative voting methods. Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone Election Systems: Barbara Klein Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Natural Resources Improve air quality, combat climate change, and support coastal management, clean energy, proper disposal of hazardous materials and solid waste, conservation, land use, parks, clean and abundant water supply for all, wetlands protection and other resource preservation, and Oregon’s 14 natural resource agency budgets. Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone, Lily Yao Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Social Policy Support housing, adult corrections, judiciary, juvenile justice, public safety, gun safety, violence prevention, health care, mental health, immigration and refugees, foster care, social services, gender-related issues, age discrimination, and reproductive health. LWVOR actively lobbies for anti-poverty programs to help low income and those at-risk move toward financial stability. After-School Care and Children’s Service: Katie Riley; Behavioral Health: Karen Nibler, Stephany Aller Education: Jean Pierce Equal Rights for All: Jean Pierce, Kyra Aguon Gun Safety and Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith, Becky Gladstone Higher Education: Jean Pierce Immigration/Refugee/Asylum: Claudia Keith Health Care: Christa Danielsen, M110 Public Safety, Justice Issues: Karen Nibler School-Based Health Centers: Chloe Acosta, Anai Beng Housing: Debbie Aiona, Nancy Donovan Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 1/27 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Lucie La Bonte Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Air Quality Agriculture Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Department of State Lands (DSL) Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Land Use & Housing Pesticides Recycling Water Wildfire Air Quality Bills we are watching: SB 726 Requires the owner or operator of a municipal solid waste landfill to conduct surface emissions monitoring and report data as specified in the Act. LWVOR to support. HB 3244 : Replaces the requirement that an owner or operator of a municipal solid waste incinerator conduct continuous monitoring or sampling of specified air contaminants with a requirement that the monitoring or sampling be conducted annually. LWVOR would oppose. The bill relates to the Reworld facility out of Keiser and League members have testified of their concerns in past years. Agriculture By Sandra Bishop How to protect productive agricultural ground and forests by determining what uses should and shouldn’t be allowed on private agricultural and forest land in the state is top of mind as the 2025 session of the Oregon Legislature gets underway. Senator Jeff Golden, chair of the Senate Committtee on Natural Resources and Wildfire , was first out the gate leading the charge on addressing issues related to the loss of agricultural land and forest land in Oregon. The first meeting of the Committee this session on January 21st was an informational presentation on the history, challenges and the need for legislation to address problems with incompatible uses and continued threats to the viability of agricultural and forest land. Speakers at this informational presentation included land use experts Hilary Foote, Farm/Forest Specialist with Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) and Jim Johnson, Working Lands Policy Director, 1000 Friends of Oregon. Foote gave a concise, yet comprehensive history of Oregon land use laws related to farm and forest land. While acknowledging the importance of the agricultural and timber economies she put the preservation of high value resource land in a broader context; the reality of a finite land base and the Oregon values of conserving and using it wisely. Foote’s presentation was dense with facts and figures and specifics to help orient the members of the committee to look at the multifaceted consequences of the use of ag and forest land in the state. Co-benefits such as air, water, habitat, and sequestration of carbon are some of the factors to recognize when considering the conversion of agricultural and forest lands. (The DLCD report was linked in our last legislative report.) Jim Johnson, who retired in Nov 2024 after more than twenty years with the Oregon Department of Agriculture where he served as Land Use and Water Planning Coordinator, is an expert in farmland preservation and protection. As the new 1000 Friends of Oregon Working Lands Director, Johnson gave a presentation to the committee members with a realistic assessment of Oregon’s standing in the nation as being top in protecting farmland, but showing signs of weakening in that regard. He stressed the diversity of high-value crops produced in the state and the danger of the cumulative impact on ag land of not only the actual loss of farmland but the shadow conversion effect of impinging uses that adversely affect the ability to operate. He gave details such as conversion or loss of land by county, which reveals that renewable energy projects such as solar are a significant factor in land conversion. The third speaker in the information panel was a representative from the Oregon Farm Bureau who indicated OFB will advocate for increased agri-tourism, value-added activities such as events and direct-to-consumer activities. The statement was made that there will be opposition to any non-voluntary forfeiture of farmland. Chair Jeff Golden announced four specific Senate bills that will be considered by the committee: SB 78 – Replacement dwelling bill; SB 77 – home occupation reform bill; SB 73 – Spot zoning reform; and SB 79 – prohibits certain dwellings on resource lands. LWVOR will watch and may support with our strong positions on protection of Oregon’s valuable agricultural lands. Budgets/Revenue By Peggy Lynch From the State Debt Policy Advisory Commission on Jan. 16: The State’s General Fund revenues are forecasted to provide for $8.9 billion of new General Fund debt capacity for the upcoming four biennia, with an average debt capacity of $2.22 billion per Biennium. Lottery Revenue continues to be heavily dependent on video gaming, which is reliant on access to bars, restaurants and gaming facilities and showing signs of weakness vs expectations. Projected Lottery Revenue provides $2.25 billion of new Lottery Revenue debt capacity for the upcoming four Biennia, with an average debt capacity of $564 million in each Biennium over the forecast period. The Advisory Committee discussed the need to sell bonds over the 2-year budget period instead of at the end of the 2 years, which has been the practice recently. But that has consequences because of the timing of debt service costs reducing monies for other purposes in the session. If you want to learn how the Ways and Means Subcommittees work, including their policies and procedures, each will hold orientation meetings this week to provide members with guidance before they begin hearing individual agency budgets the week after. Following are the budget bills we are watching in Natural Resources: Dept. of Agriculture: SB 5502 Dept. of Agriculture Fees: SB 5503 Columbia River Gorge Commission: SB 5508 DEQ: SB 5520 . Governor’s budget DEQ Fact Sheet Public hearing tentative set for mid-March Oregon Dept. of Energy: SB 5518 Oregon Dept. of Energy Fees: SB 5519 Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: HB 5009 Oregon Dept. of Forestry: SB 5521 Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: HB 5010 Dept. of Land Conservation and Development: SB 5528 Governor’s budget DLCD Fact Sheet Public hearing Feb. 3-4; LCDC 1/24 presentation Land Use Board of Appeals: SB 5529 Oregon State Marine Board: HB 5021 Oregon State Parks and Recreation Dept.: HB 5026 Public hearing tentative set for March 8 Dept. of State Lands: SB 5539 Water Resources Dept.: SB 5543 Governor’s budget WRD Fact Sheet Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: HB 5039 . Tentative public hearing Feb. 23-24 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. Oregon Business Development Dept.: HB 5024 Oregon Dept. of Emergency Management: SB 5517 Office of the Governor: SB 5523 Oregon State Fire Marshal: SB 5538 Dept. of Transportation: SB 5541 Dept. of Administrative Services: HB 5002 Legislative Administration Committee, Legislative Assembly, Legislative Counsel Committee, Legislative Fiscal Officer, Legislative Revenue Officer, Commission on Indian Services and Legislative Policy and Research Committee: HB 5016 Lottery Bonds: SB 5531 : an average debt capacity of $564 million in each Biennium Emergency Board: HB 5006 General Obligation Bonds, etc.: SB 5505 : an average debt capacity of $2.22 billion per Biennium Six-Year Limitation/Bonds: SB 5506 Limits for the six-year period beginning July 1, 2025, payment of expenses from fees, moneys or other revenues, including Miscellaneous Receipts, but excluding lottery funds and federal funds, collected or received by various state agencies for capital construction. 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 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 It was good to read in Rep. Gomberg’s newsletter his support for issues mentioned in last week’s legislative report: “I will have a bill to better protect rocky nearshore habitat and our eelgrass meadows. I’m working to ensure funds already allocated to the Department of Fish and Wildlife for Marine Reserves are not diverted for other purposes. And I’m continuing to support marine science and research with funding for the Oregon Ocean Science Trust.” President Trump signed an Executive Order on Jan. 21: “We aren’t going to do the wind thing,” Trump said Monday. Minutes later he signed a sweeping order that seeks not only to stop new offshore wind lease sales but also to potentially “terminate or amend” existing leases. Oregon is continuing meetings on Offshore Wind. For more information, please visit the DLCD webpage here: Offshore Wind Roadmap . Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch The House Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment had a presentation on the many programs of the DEQ on Jan. 21st. There was also a presentation on the Oregon Dept. of Energy (ODOE). As we have concerns about the current federal administration related to our environment, the Oregon Capital Chronicle provided this reminder : “In 2019, the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 2250 , which requires that the Environmental Quality Department evaluate changes to federal environmental laws and determine whether the changes result in less protective measures than previously established federal standards. If new federal changes undermine established ones, the agency must inform the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission and recommend action to continue enforcing the previous standards.” Nitrates in the Lower Umatilla Basin worsened in the last 10 years as reported in an article by OPB. “Wednesday’s report documents tests at 33 wells monitored by DEQ across the large geographic area. The majority of those wells are for domestic use, though two are used for irrigation purposes and one is used for commercial business. Overall, the tests showed the nitrate problem has become notably worse in the past decade, even as Gov. Tina Kotek and other state officials in recent years have said they want to act on the problem .” Here is the Onsite Wastewater Management Program 2025 Rulemaking webpage . Because of the League’s work on SB 391 (2021) and additional bills in 2023, a League member is serving on the rules advisory committee to address sewer availability and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) issues. There are two additional meetings set for Feb. 13 and 26. You are welcome to Sign up for email updates about this rulemaking via GovDelivery . The League supports SB 830 , a bill that modifies provisions of the on-site septic system loan program to allow for grants. It also allows for the program to consider mobile home parks in need of septic upgrades. The League will again serve on an annual rulemaking advisory committee on water quality fee increases. Department of Geoology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) By Peggy Lynch On Jan. 28th at 8a, the House Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment will receive a presentation on the proposed pilot project on Geologic Carbon Sequestration Potential in Oregon. Agenda. Department of State Lands (DSL) By Peggy Lynch The Director of DSL published a proposed increase in permit fees for Removal/Fill program: “Oregon’s Removal-Fill Law helps protect wetlands and waters by requiring permits to remove or add materials in wetlands, rivers, streams, lakes, and other waters of the state.” A League member served on the rulemaking advisory committee . “The statutory Common School Fund heavily subsidizes Oregon’s removal-fill permitting process .” “Visit the DSL website to see a draft of the proposed rules and program fees, all related materials from the rulemaking process, and the online comment form: www.oregon.gov/dsl/Pages/rulemaking.aspx . The comment deadline is February 17th at 5:00 p.m.” The next State Land Board meeting is Feb. 11. Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) By Josie Koehne SB 404 directs the State Board of Forestry to convey certain state forest lands to a county that determines that the county would secure the greatest permanent value of the lands to the county and requests conveyance. LWVOR will oppose See also the Wildfire section of this report below and the separate Climate section. Land Use & Housing By Peggy Lynch Both the House Housing and Senate Housing Committees have presentations on their agendas that members might find of interest on Jan. 27th. Unfortunately, both begin at 1p. However, it’s a good thing that the meetings are recorded and you can listen later! The following is a beginning list of land use (and housing-related) bills we are following: HB 3013 : Details the process by which a permit or zone change that is based on provisions of a comprehensive plan or land use regulation that fail to gain acknowledgment is voided and any resulting improvements or uses are removed or revoked. LWVOR may support. HB 3062 : Requires local governments to map sensitive uses as part of a comprehensive plan. LWVOR may support. HB 2138 : Expands allowable middle housing and expands middle housing requirements to include urban unincorporated lands. LWVOR may have comments. Some provisions we support; others not so much. HB 3145 : Allows the Housing and Community Services Department to use Local Innovation and Fast Track Housing Program Fund moneys for factory-built housing. LWVOR should support. Not sure if in our Housing portfolio or Land Use. HB 2316 : Allows designation of Home Start Lands to be used for housing. LWVOR will oppose. HB 2347 : Authorizes the Department of Land Conservation and Development to provide planning assistance for housing production to federally recognized Indian tribes and makes other technical changes to laws relating to land use planning. A -1 amendment will be considered at a public hearing on Feb. 5th in House Housing. SB 462 : Requires the Oregon Business Development Department to establish an education course for land use planners for local governments, special districts and state agencies. LWVOR supports educational efforts but there are other training opportunities so this proposal might be redundant. SB 525 : Amends expedited land division criteria and processes. LWVOR has concerns. May need to oppose. There is a bill to update Goal One and Public Participation being sponsored by Oregon’s American Planning Association that the League is interested in, but will need to review before taking a position. Awaiting a bill number. Pesticides HB 2679 directs the State Department of Agriculture to classify certain pesticides containing neonicotinoids as restricted-use. The League has supported a similar bill in past sessions. Recycling The Senate Energy and Environment Committee heard invited testimony on the extent and effects of microplastics in Oregon’s waterways and marine environment. Celeste Meiffren-Swango, state director of Environment Oregon, told the committee that her organization’s survey of 30 scenic rivers and lakes in Oregon found at least one form of microplastic in all 30. Microplastic fiber from textiles and clothing was the most prevalent form found in these waterways, some of which also contain large concentrations of tire particles. Microplastics can wind up in human hearts, livers, brains, and other body parts. We are only beginning to understand the health impacts. A slide presentation by Elise Granek , professor of environmental science and management at Portland State University, is a data-rich summary of PSU’s research on microplastic particles in the edible tissue of West Coast seafood species, including oysters, razor clams, pink shrimp, lamprey, Pacific herring, and other species. Salmon, lamprey, and razor clams in particular are culturally important to some Oregon tribes. Updates to Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act ( SB 582 , 2021) that LWVOR supported , effective later this year, will help to reduce plastic pollution by making recycling easier for the public to use, expanding access to recycling services, and upgrading the facilities that sort recyclables. Producers and manufacturers of packaged items, paper products and food service ware will pay for many of these improvements. Consumers can also make a difference by choosing alternative products that use less plastic. On Jan. 27th, the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment will hear a report on Oregon’s Bottle Bill program. The League has been engaged in this program since its inception but we have no Recycling volunteer to follow this issue in 2025. Water By Peggy Lynch The League provided our first natural resources area testimony on HB 2168 on Wed. Jan. 22nd at the House Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water Committee, joining a wide group of interests supporting the programs. The bill requests $5 million for the on-site septic loan program, another $5 million for the Well Water Repair and Replacement Fund and monies to help the Oregon State Extension Service reach out to potential recipients. On Jan. 23rd the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire held a discussion on “Foundational Information on Groundwater and Water Right Transfers Policy” with staff from the Governor’s Office. On Jan. 24th, Reps. Helm and Owens held three briefings on 1) Water Use Measurement and Reporting, 2) OWRD Funding Program Improvements (LC 3240), and 3) Water Right Transaction Process Improvements attended by a broad group of water interests, including LWVOR (over 50 attendees), to present potential legislation. More to come when bills are officially filed. HB 2988 : Instructs the Water Resources Department to take certain actions related to aquifer recharge and aquifer storage and recovery. HB 3108 : Requires the Water Resources Department to implement additional rules and requirements for the review of limited license applications for an aquifer storage and recovery permit HB 2803 : Increases certain fees related to water. LWVOR will support. Expect amendments. Needed to provide current service level staffing at WRD. Another bill, SB 830 , that the League will also support when posted, would allow for grants in the on-site septic program and extend the opportunities to low-income mobile home parks with failing septic systems. The League is proud to have been a part of advocating for many of these 2021-2024 Oregon Water Resources Dept. Investments . But there is more to do. The League has been invited to participate in discussions on a new Water Stewardship and Supply Initiative with its updated scope . LC 3542 has been filed, and this work will flesh out the proposed bill which “Directs the Water Resources Department to study the use of water resources in this state. Directs the department to report to committees or interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to natural resources no later than September 15, 2026.” League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Here is a more complete website about drought in Oregon. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers The League is excited to see SB 85 , a bill that directs the State Fire Marshal to establish a neighborhood protection cooperative grant program. We look forward to testifying when it is scheduled for a public hearing. We also are pleased to see HB 3172 related to home hardening. It provides policy direction and funding to the Oregon State Fire Marshal to establish the Wildfire Prepared Structure Program to provide financial incentives to individuals rebuilding after a wildfire, and to assist existing homeowners in the wildland urban interface (WUI) to retrofit current dwellings. Upgrades will reduce the likelihood of structural destruction during wildfires and protect our low income, vulnerable households. Monday Jan. 27: Senate Energy and Environment work session on SB 334 (Brock Smith), requiring the Dept. of Consumer and Business Services to study the financial impacts of wildfires. The bill is simply being moved to another committee on Monday. There will possibly be a future public hearing in that new committee. Tuesday, Jan. 28: Senate Natural Resources and Wildfire will have a presentation on wildfire insurance risk. Wednesday Jan. 29: Senate Finance and Revenue SB 545 , establishes an income tax credit for volunteer firefighters. The bill will be subsequently referred to the Committee on Tax Expenditures. Lastly, OPB shares information about a youth program to help with wildfire mitigation. 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.

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

Learn more about the Oregon Student Mock Election and Youth Council programs. / Civics / Civics Civics Education Program Oregon Student Mock Election Our classroom ready materials help students gain the knowledge they need to participate in our democracy. Read More Youth Engagement and Activities Youth Council Build power for yourself and your community on the LWVOR Youth Council. Read More

Back to Legislative Report Education Legislative Report - Week of 3/6 By Anne Nesse, Education Portfolio Testimony on Bipartisan HB 3235 , in House Early Childhood and Human Services 2/27, attempts to create refundable child tax credit in Oregon of up to $1,200.00 per child under age 18, based on family income. Watch the House Early Childhood hearing , for HB 3235, called the “Oregon Kids Tax Credit”, particularly at the beginning, Rep. Valderrama, Rep. Greg Smith, Sen. Campos, and Rep. Grayber, gave moving testimony on why giving a tax credit to low income families in Oregon was the ethical way to govern and prevent the many long term effects of childhood poverty, for as many children as we could. View a copy of our LWV testimony here. Our verbal testimony was based on research, that living in poverty has a profound negative effect on children’s development, even as our teachers are working hard to educate them. And as many others had testified, simply giving these families even a small amount of extra money, helped the children develop more normally. Also heard in this Committee on 2/27, a pilot study bill HB 2726 for Jackson and Josephine Counties, would coordinate national, state and local services, to combat childhood poverty, ages 0-5. Former Governor and MD John Kitzhaber spoke in support. It was stated by Rep. Marsh that this study could be a model for the whole state on completion, to avoid the effects of generational poverty. On 2/27 House Education held an informational meeting on how school districts calculate their budgets and submit their requests for monies to the State School Fund. The recording is here of Mike Wiltfong, Director of School Finance. The documents in his slide show are difficult to read, without a finance background, but they did make many things clearer. In the past, school funding was calculated with 1/3 of the funds coming from the state, and 2/3 of the funds coming from local sources. Today, because of Measures 5, 47, and 50, our state’s costs have increased, requiring the State School Fund to adjust its funding, and attempt to create a degree of equity throughout our state. HB 2710 was also introduced by Rep. Valderrama, and Sen. McLain in House Education, 2/27. The hope is that this Bill will give the public more transparency on exactly what our public education money is being spent on. OEA is neutral on the Bill, based on the possible financial impact, as written. Amendments, or a technical work group, may be necessary according to some testimony. Senate Education 2/28, finished up technical fixes on several bills SB 819A (applying only now to students with recognized disabilities), SB 767 -4, SB 281 , SB 292A , and SB 129 and the -2 amendment, which will end the auction program for opportunity grants. All were sent to the Floor with Do Pass Recommendations. Sen. Wagner presented SB 3 -1. The Bill has a graduation requirement for one credit of future planning, and financial knowledge. The Bill has some bi-partisan support. Sen. Thatcher, stated in written testimony that students need instruction in savings and intelligent spending habits. It is interesting to me that many students will need a certain amount of maturity to understand these concepts. 3/1 in House Education, HB 3177 was introduced, a $20 Million expenditure bill for recruiting and retaining teachers, as well as mentoring projects. The “grow your own educator” project was discussed, allowing teachers’ aides or other staff, who were naturally talented at education, to apply for scholarships in training to become a licensed teacher. Reed Scott-Schwalbach, OEA Pres., also spoke on HB 3178 -1, expanding scholarships for aspiring counselors and other staff to increase racial diversity in the educational workforce. Rep. McIntire asked a pertinent question about how these scholarships would work for those living in poverty or in rural areas. On 3/1 in the Early Childhood Committee, HB 2872 , the Imagination Library Project was presented, with much positive testimony about the reading readiness this fostered, to have 60 books sent to homes with children, from ages 0-5. This is a $2.5 Million investment, and both Washington State and California aim to fully fund their programs by 2024, 1/2 funded by the Dolly Parton Foundation. Here is a copy of our testimony by Marge Easley. A public hearing on HB 2717 -1 was also heard in Early Childhood that day, on establishing all day outdoor preschool programs, to increase the availability of care centers for the preschool age group. Washington State reports better school readiness and safety ratings than the average preschool. The pictures of the kids in colorful rain suits and the reports of the children’s imagination, storytelling, and living outdoors with nature, made you want to be with them all day, to discover what they were learning! On 3/2 in Senate Education, SB 523 was introduced by Rep. Patterson to allow community colleges throughout the state to begin a plan to offer Bachelor of Science Degrees in Nursing Programs, to assist with the current shortages of skilled nurses in our state. Currently about 55% of our working nurses are 55 and older, and we have the 3rd fewest graduate nurses per capita nationally. Rep. Patterson stated that we have more students who are qualified to enter nursing careers, than we currently have places to educate them. The testimony in opposition was written by current university programs, while many community colleges and hospitals support this plan.

Read more about the positions of the League of Women Voters. / Our Positions / Our Positions We advocate on policy issues. Our testimony, actions, and campaigns are based on League of Women Voters principles and League positions formed through studies and member consensus at the local, state, and national levels. Statements of position are expressions of general agreement, affirming a basic philosophy in general terms. See our Position Index .

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 6/23 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: Federal Oregon Joint Ways and Means CE Funding Topics Oregon Treasury Other Climate Bills Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust There are less than 7 days until the end of session and a number of bills and state agency funding priorities are still waiting to move. The League expects some funding for existing agency climate programs in the reconciliation bill. Transportation Legislation HB 2025 is a major topic these last 14 days. ‘2 Oregon Democrats balk at transportation bill as session nears its end’, | OPB. The nearly $2 B package needs a majority vote for it to advance out of committee and to the floor of the legislative chamber. To pass out of each chamber the bill requires a 60% majority. We expect new bill amendments to be posted on Monday that include negotiated inputs from both parties. Special Session? The League is aware of a possible special September session that could address a number of significant Federal Admin policy funding issues. Federal ‘Set up for failure’: Trump’s cuts bring climate and energy agencies to a standstill, workers say - POLITICO How Trump’s assault on science is blinding America to climate change - E&E News by POLITICO Federal agency cuts freeze climate research, stall disaster prep, and disrupt clean energy projects June 16, 2025 - Bloomberg Law | Youth Plaintiffs Urge Court to Block Energy Executive Orders June 16, 2025 - E&E News | 22 climate activists request emergency injunction to stop Trump EOs The Trump administration's workforce reductions and budget restrictions are hobbling key federal agencies, stalling climate research, disaster preparedness... | The Daily Climate Science policy this week : Jun 16, 2025 - AIP.ORG (American Institute of Physics AIP.ORG ) 
 How the Five Pillars of U.S. Climate Policy are Threatened – Environmental and Energy Law Program | Harvard Oregon Oregon Legislature sends clean-energy investment bill to governor | Pensions & Investments Carbon-neutral public retirement plan closer to becoming law in Oregon - oregonlive.com Joint Ways and Means CE Funding Topics By Claudia Keith Energy Affordability and Utility Accountability The League joined a coalition sign-on letter in April requesting funding to support building resilience. The goal is to use affordable measures to protect people from extreme weather. The League supports full funding for the following 8 JWM priority budget topics: 1). Transportation ODOT Package HB 2025 The League supports OCN and other statewide NGO budget priorities: Increase funding above 2017 levels for public transit




 Increase funding above 2017 levels for a safe, complete multimodal system (i.e. GreatStreets, Safe Routes to School, Oregon Community Paths, and bike/ped both on-street and trails, etc.) 




 Dedicated or increased revenue for light, medium and heavy-duty vehicle incentives, including for charging and purchasing of ZEVs 
 (Please see Natural Resources Legislative Report on Transportation) 
 2. One Stop Shop 2.0/Energy Efficiency Navigation ( HB 3081A ): In JWM: This bill would create a navigation program at ODOE to help Oregonians access federal, state, local, and utility energy efficiency incentives all in one place 3. Get the Junk Out of Rates ( SB 88 ): still in Senate Rules: Not likely to move . This bill would stop utilities from charging certain expenses like lobbying, advertising, association fees to customers. 4. HB 3546: Protecting Oregonians with Energy Responsibility (POWER Act) Governor signed 6/16. This bill ensures Oregon households are not unfairly burdened by large energy users with grid and transmission costs. 5. Full Funding for Climate Resilience programs. (It is likely these programs will get a portion of the original ask.) Reinvesting the same amount as last biennium in three programs: 
 
 
 Rental Home Heat Pump Program (ODOE), $30m 
 
 
 
 
 Community Heat Pump Deployment Program (ODOE), $15m 
 
 
 
 
 Community Resilience Hubs (OREM), $10m ( House Bill 3170 ) 
 
 
 
 
 6. Environmental Justice Bills. (disadvantaged communities) HB 3170 : Community Resilience Hubs and networks : Fiscal $10M Work Session 3/4, passed to JWM, DHS, Sponsors, Rep. Marsh, Sen Pham and Rep Tan. League testimony 
 
 
 
 . HB2548 : in JWM SC CC WS 6/20 . An agriculture workforce labor standards PSU and OSU study, HR PH was 5/29. New -9 amendment changing the bill to a study with $667K fiscal. League Testimony . 7. Natural and Working Lands: HB 5039 A financial administration of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board; passed out of House 6/13 and Senate 6/19 , League testimony 


 
 
 
 
. Budget report and measure summary lists all budget details. See -2 amendment for 6/6 changes. These NWL bills appear not to be moving out of committee. HB 3489 Timber Severance Tax. House Committee on Revenue. League Testimony for original bill and for -1 Amendment . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 HB 3103A – work session was 3/31. Moved to JWM, Overweight Timber Harvest , League Testimony , new adopted -5 amendment . 
 
 
 
 
 
 8. Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package Update, it is unlikely these bills will be moving this session. HB 2152 : Testimony ; work session held 4/8, passed, moved to Joint Ways and Means (JWM) -2 amendments , Staff Measure Summar y (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 . fisca l >1M$. referred to JWM 4/11 . 2 bills are still viable. The fate of these bills is, first of all, dependent on what happens with the transportation package. It seems that there are two or three options on that front: (a) The Dems fail to get a transportation package that brings in revenues from new sources. In this case, they’ll need to fund ODOT from the general fund and there will be NO monies available for the many policy bills that were referred to Joint Ways & Means. The CEI Hub bills along with many others will not be funded. (b) The Dems succeed in passing a transportation package that brings in new revenues to fund ODOT. In this case, a select number of policy bills will be quickly considered and funded. Some weeks ago, leadership asked Committee Chairs to provide a prioritized list of bills. Those at the top of the priority lists are the most likely to be funded. Two CEI Hub bills are in this category, see below. (c ) third scenario, the Republicans walk out of one of the chambers now that there are less than 10 days to the constitutional end of session, June 29. Two CEI Hub bills are among the top priority bills: HB 2949 – Risk bond requirement. Rep. Tran ranked this as her committee’s top priority bill. She is in conversation with DEQ about ways to lower the cost of the bill (the bill passed through committee without a $ figure, but apparently DEQ has now provided Rep. Tran’s office with a $ figure). One cost-cutting change is to remove the requirement that DEQ report to the legislature. Not sure how this cuts costs, since any committee can call on an agency to report during a public hearing, but it apparently does. They are discussing other options for reducing the cost to the general fund. I was assured that none of these change the substance of the risk bond requirements. Notably, the WSPA/industry lobbyist has been in the building in recent weeks talking with legislative leadership in support of HB 2949. Apparently, they are most intent on preventing multiple jurisdictions setting multiple risk bond requirements. HB 2152 – geographical distribution of fuels for disaster response. This bill seems likely to be folded into a bill that Rep. Paul Evans ranked as his number one priority, thus elevating it to the top tier for consideration. This brings one substantive change: ODOE would be required to do this planning, but funding for the larger Evans bill kicks in in two years. Not ideal, but better than no bill; and having the policy mandate in place makes funding more likely. The changes described above and some still in the works won’t be filed as amendments until it’s clear whether and how leadership ultimately decides to assign bills to Ways & Means Capital Construction Subcommittee . So, they don’t appear in OLIS. Given the many uncertainties, I asked what we can do at this point to support these bills. In the meantime, staying tuned in to the fate of the transportation package is our best way of knowing whether these CEI Hub bills will be considered for funding this session. For latest developments, see today’s article in the Oregon Capital Chronicle, here . Bills that are unlikely to pass: HB 3492: Hazmat release study bill – as far as I know it wasn’t put forward as a top priority bill by any committee or committee chair. HB 3450: CEI Hub Transition Planning – the version that passed out of committee was so weak that we asked Rep. Tran to not push for enactment. Definitely dead: HB 2151: expand the possible uses of the Seismic Risk Mitigation Fund – this bill did not pass out of committee Oregon Treasury: Oregon Divest/ Environmental, Social, and Governance Updates By Claudia Keith HB 2081A : Passed House and Senate, speaker and president have signed on its way to the governor. Directs the Oregon Investment Council and the State Treasurer to take certain actions to manage the risks of climate change to the Public Employees Retirement Fund. Oregon Public Financing / BANK

 HB 2966 A: Establishes the State Public Financing / public bank Task Force, Likely to die in committee. Work Session was 3/6/2025 passed to Joint Ways and Means (JWM), fiscal: .94M League Testimony Other Climate Legislation Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment Likely dead, at this point in the session, it is doubtful 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 OCERA coalition appears to be planning a ballot initiative campaign. ‘ Supporters of Oregon Green Amendment rally at the Oregon State Capitol ‘ | Salem Statesman Journal. Other Climate Bills - Active SB 827A : Solar and Storage Rebate , Governor signed 5/28 HB 3546 Enrolled , POWER Act , House Speaker and Senate president signed 6/9. 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 . 
 HB 3963 Offshore Wind: in Senate, 2nd reading 6/20. Extends the deadline from Sept 1, 2025, to Jan 1, 2027, for the DLCD to draft and submit a report to the Legislative Assembly on the department's activities to develop an 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, In House – third reading 
6/23, HB 2065 preliminary budget 6/17 and Preliminary HB 2066 Budget 6/17 HB 2566 A : Stand-alone Energy resilience Projects , Work Session was 3/20, moved to JWM, Rep Gamba was the only nay. Fiscal $169K At the request of Governor Tina Kotek (H CEE), DOE presentation 


 
 
 
 The House concurred to Senate amendments and repassed HB 3336 A by a vote of 41-12. House repasses grid-enhancing technologies bill Inactive Bills: likely will end session in committee: Study of Nuclear Energy ( HB 2038 ) in JWM: This measure proposes that the Oregon Department of Energy study nuclear energy and waste disposal. 
 
 
 
 SB 688 A: -5 , Public Utility Commission performance-based regulation of electric utilities, PH 3/12,& 3/19, work session 3/24, updated $ 974K fiscal , moved to JWM, Sub Cmt Natural Resources. League testimony , Sen. Golden, Sen. Pham 
 
 
 HB 3189 in JWM . 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. Senators 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. 
 
 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 June 13 Updates Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 85 lawsuits , (active and dismissed) mentioning Oregon. 2025 Congressional Resolution * — Our Children's Trust LWVOR has requested LWV to provide congressional advocacy and approval to LWVOR to lobby Oregon’s Congressional team concerning Congressional * Children's Fundamental Rights to Life and Stable Climate System resolution, supporting the principles underpinning Lighthiser v. Trump , the new case brought by 22 young Americans challenging the Trump administration’s pro-fossil fuel and anti-climate science Executive Orders. The resolution is sponsored by Representatives Schakowsky, Jayapal, and Raskin. They are also working with Senator Merkley’s office. Press releases from Our Children’s Trust June 14, 2025: Youth Plaintiffs Seek Emergency Court Order to Halt Trump’s Fossil Fuel Executive Orders 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 Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 3/4 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 Jump to a topic: Climate Emergency - Mitigation and Adaptation Climate Litigation and Congressional Climate Resolution Climate News DEQ Deadlines Volunteers Needed Climate Emergency - Mitigation and Adaptation The session ended with a compromise as well as reasonable funding, especially in SB 1530 (>$21M) and end of session omnibus SB5701 (>125M) but no update to Greenhouse Gas Emission targets approved in 2007 nor improvement to Climate Change coordination and accountability across agencies. Find a detailed list of many Climate-related funding items here (file downloads). It’s unclear if Oregon has proactively managed access / opportunities to many federal funds available, including The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 . Additionally, considering last session, the governor may choose to veto any passed bills within executive branch statutes : “ The governor may sign the bill, veto it or let it become law without signature. The governor may also veto line items of appropriation bills, but may not veto an act referred for a vote of the people or an act initiated by the people.” However, these two bills do reflect Oregon among a few other states leading on these policy topics: 1) Coal Act: HB 4083 Requires Oregon Investment Council and Treasury to divest from Thermal Coal investments. Passed, waiting for the Speaker's signature. League Testimony . 2) Right to Repair: SB 1596 adopted. See discussion in NR Leg Report, League Testimony , passed, on its way to the governor. Other Climate Emergency Bills HB 4080 Enrolled . Off-Shore Wind: HB 4080 , League Testimony, passed. See discussion in NR Leg Report. (waiting Speaker signature) HB 4112 Clean Tech Leadership Bill. League Testimony . Funding is $20M. Died in J W&M. HB 4155 Infrastructure funding study bill- Rep Gamba and Sen Golden – in J W&Ms. Died in committee. HB 4102 Enrolled . Funding mechanism for Natural and Working Lands Fund (carbon sequestration) passed, on its way to the governor. No Fiscal. The bill related to EV rebates died in committee but DEQ did recently announce funding effective April 2024 . Climate Litigation and Congressional Climate Resolution Juliana v Gov: 3/1 Press Release from Our Children’s Trust: “ Department of Justice latest stonewalling in Juliana climate case denied; youth plaintiffs plan response to continued delays....…The Biden administration has two options. One: let America’s youth have access to their courts and exercise their constitutional rights. Or two: continue to undemocratically wield the power of the federal government to silence them, deny their rights and deny their access to justice. This administration and this DOJ are not using these extreme tactics in any other case in the nation. They owe America’s youth justice. They can and must stop this abuse of process being wielded by the DO J.” February 2024 Updates to the Climate Case Charts | Columbia University Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Oregon Cases – 73 as of Feb 2024 Congressional Children’s Fundamental Rights and Climate Recovery Resolution: LWVUS’ Lobby Corps is currently having targeted Hill meetings on the Children’s Fundamental Rights and Climate Recovery Resolution to continue bipartisan conversations about the climate crisis and resolution and to maintain League visibility on this vital issue federally. LWVUS re-endorsed the resolution upon its reintroduction and maintains a related Action Alert on the website, asking folks to contact their Members of Congress. Climate News State of the Union: Biden's climate assignment – POLITICO, Environmental Groups Decry SEC’s Climate Disclosure Rule as Too Weak – Bloomberg, Nearly Half the States Sue E.P.A. Over New Limits on Deadly Pollution - The New York Times, Amid record high energy demand, America is running out of electricity - The Washington Post, The surge in AI is straining the U.S. power grid | fast company, The world is not moving fast enough on climate change — social sciences can help explain why | The Conversation. A Superfund for climate? These states are pushing for it. - E&E News by POLITICO, No More One-Size-Fits-All Approach to State Climate Targets – RMI, Europe is not prepared for rapidly growing climate risks | EEA, The worst wildfire in Texas' history has a complex link with climate change | BBC, Oregon court rejects cities’ request to toss climate rules – OPB, Oil Trains Pose Potential Hazard to Central Oregon | Central-Oregon-daily | centraloregondaily.com , Legislature passes bill to rid Oregon’s Public Employee Retirement System of coal investments • Oregon Capital Chronicle, Oregon forester approves controversial habitat conservation plan for state lands - OPB DEQ Deadline Department of Environmental Quality : Climate Pollution Reduction Planning Grant : Action on Climate Change: State of Oregon Resilience Hubs and Networks Grant- info sessions Two Oregon Department of Human Services information sessions are available to answer questions about the grant and application, and to talk about the rules before they are final: March 12, 2024 from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. - Join the March 12 meeting To call in (audio only): +1 971-277-2343, ID: 334 941 998. A February 29 meeting recording is available. Climate Emergency - Volunteers Needed Please consider joining the Climate Emergency portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy areas: • Natural Climate Solutions, specifically Oregon Dept of Agriculture (ODA) • Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust • Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) • Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team • State Procurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services • CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets • Climate Migration • Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment We collaborate with LWVOR Natural Resource Action Committee members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics. Volunteers are needed: Training for Legislative and State Agency advocacy processes is available. Please contact lwvor@lwvor.org if you have any questions or wish to become involved with Climate Emergency issues.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce After-School Care and Children’s Service: Katie Riley Behavioral Health: Trish Garner Education: Jean Pierce Equal Rights for All: Jean Pierce, Kyra Aguon Gun Safety and Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith, Becky Gladstone Higher Education: Jean Pierce Immigration/Refugee/Asylum: Claudia Keith Health Care: Christa Danielsen, M110 Public Safety, Justice Issues: Karen Nibler School-Based Health Centers: Chloe Acosta, Anai Beng Housing: Debbie Aiona, Nancy Donovan Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner Note: Education reports after January, 2024, are included in Social policy reports. Education reports prior to February, 2024, can be found HERE . Please see the Legislation Tracker for 2025 Social Policy bills . Jump to topic: Age-Related Issues After School and Summer Behavioral Health Child Care Education Gun Policy Housing Legislation Immigration Age-Related Issues By Patricia Garner The House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services unanimously approved HB 3497 - Amendment 1 which requires 14-plus State agencies to consider the effects of their actions on older adult populations. It also establishes a Shared Future Oregon Task Force to develop a comprehensive framework to promote healthy aging and intergenerational connections, to prepare for the growth of Oregon’s older population and move Oregon towards becoming an age-friendly state. The bill now goes to Ways & Means for further consideration. After School and Summer By Katie Riley This past week was extremely busy as HB 3039 was dropped. It which would have appropriated moneys from the General Fund to the Department of Education and required the Department of Education to study methods for increasing the availability of summer and after-school academic and enrichment programs. HB 200 7 which would modify requirements for the summer learning program to emphasize literacy and accountability was amended to HB 2007-A and heard in the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education, and the Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education where it was passed. The accompanying funding bill HB 5047-A was also heard at the same time and passed. HB 5047 provides $35 million for summer 2025 and $47 million in 2026 and 27. It also funds the bill with a special summer learning grant fund outside the general fund; thereby, establishing a sustainable funding source that allows for advance planning. It is disappointing that the funding for HB 2007 will be tightly focused on literacy and testing and will not go to all districts; however, it is encouraging that funding will be provided for summer learning, the funding is being established in a separate source outside the general fund, and it will be provided over three years to allow for advance planning. It is hoped this bill will set a precedent for future allocations that will include specific funding for after school hours care with enriched programming that allows more opportunity for children to enjoy their time outside regular school hours while being inspired to pursue academics toward interesting career paths. HB 3941 , which was introduced to allocate $4,990,000 for a grant program to establish up to 5 community schools at $170,000 per year in matching funds, was scheduled for a work session on April 7th but it has been removed from the schedule. It is now dead. SB 1127 , which would have provided for grants to develop and provide educational activities during recess, lunch or after school for Title I elementary schools, was voted down in the Senate Committee on Education. It was noted that school foundations might be a better source of funding for these activities. Behavioral Health By Stephanie Aller and Patricia Garner SB 527 , which would provide grants to train high school students for entry-level behavioral health careers, was passed on April 3 and was referred to Ways and Means. HB 2056 - 1 , which appropriates $64,800,00 for community mental health programs, passed unanimously in the House Behavioral Health and Health Care Committee. It now heads to Ways & Means. HB 2059 (Behavioral Health Facilities), for which the League submitted testimony , will have a work session on April 8. The bill as amended provides $90 million for residential behavioral health facilities. HB 2467 - 3 : On April 3, 2025, the House Judiciary Committee held a Public Hearing on HB 2467 – Amendment 3 which seeks to define when and how a person can be civilly committed. These changes were submitted by the Forensic Health Work which was convened by the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Oregon (NAMI) and was chaired by Representative Jason Kropf. This Work Group included a wide group of individuals, organizations, elected officials, and judicial and legal officials. The changes are largely in line with those suggested in a proposed Amendment 1 which was discussed in a LWVOR Legislative Social Policy Report dated March 24, 2025, but was not formally filed. As stated in the Work Group Report, the ambiguity and breadth of current civil commitment standards has led Oregon courts to require a significant degree of acuity before authorizing civil commitment. Amendment 3 articulates specific factors which can support civil commitment on the basis of danger to self, danger to others and the inability to meet essential needs. It also provides guidance to courts by specifying what factors they “shall” and “may” consider. Critically, the bill acknowledges the importance of anosognosia which impairs individuals’ ability to recognize they have a mental illness, making them unlikely to seek or comply with treatment. Amendment 3 also authorizes courts to consider whether it is reasonably foreseeable that a person will engage in behavior that results in or is likely to result in harm to self or others, or fail to provide for basic personal needs in the near future, even if such behaviors are not “imminent.” A Work Session on the bill has been scheduled for April 8, 2025. Child Care By Katie Riley and Patricia Garner HB 3011 , which establishes the Early Childhood Education Workforce Development Fund and appropriates moneys in the fund to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to provide funding to community colleges and public universities in this state that offer early childhood education degrees and certificates will have a work session on April 8th in the House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. Testimony was submitted earlier in support of this bill. HB 2593 which would direct the Department of Early Learning and Care to study the impact on student parents and working parents who are on the Employment Related Day Care subsidy waitlist (currently over 10,000) is scheduled for a possible work session on April 8th in the House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services. HB 3835 - with Amendments 1 and 2 passed unanimously in the House Early Childhood and Human Services Committee and was sent for further consideration to Rules. Chair Hartman and Representative Rob Nosse made it very clear that they sent this bill to Rules with the understanding that it was being transferred for further discussion and not to die in the Committee. It is important to note that a bill addressing the same issues ( SB 1113 ) whose Chief Sponsor is Senator Gelser Blouin is scheduled for a Work Session on April 8, 2025. HB 3835 proposes significant changes in the use of restraint and seclusion of children in schools and child-care settings, as well as out-of-state placements of children. As it relates to schools, the bill defines these terms while also clarifying that wrongful restraint or seclusion does not include age-appropriate disciplinary measures aligned with the child’s development state and individual needs. Corporal punishment, wrongful restraint or wrongful seclusion are prohibited. Involuntary seclusion is permitted only if the student’s behavior poses a risk of imminent serious physical harm to the student or others, including animals, and there is not a less restrictive intervention which will reduce the risk. The OR State Board of Education is directed to adopt rules regarding investigations related to restraints and seclusions. Child-care settings include child caring agencies; proctor, foster, certified and adjudicated foster homes; and developmental disabilities residential facilities. The bill defines abuse of a child in these settings, including such acts as wrongful restraint, seclusion, involuntary servitude or trafficking, as well as failing to make reasonable efforts to protect the child from abuse, willfully inflicting physical pain or injury, verbally abusing a child by threatening significant physical or emotional, misappropriating money from any account held jointly or singly by a child in care, engaging in sexual abuse or harassment, and permitting a child to be photographed, filmed or taped in a manner that depicts sexual conduct or contact. Physical intervention in these settings is permitted if intervention is necessary to break up a physical fight or to effectively protect a person from an assault, other serious physical harm or sexual contact. There are a number of provisions regarding the process for releasing records regarding restraint or inclusion. Out-of-state and congregate care placements of children by the Department of Human Services (DHS) are allowed if the child requires specialized services and treatment and no suitable child-caring agencies are available in Oregon. The treatment provided by the placement must have rules consistent with those established by Oregon Health Authority (OHA). OHA may not place a child in an out-of-state placement unless it has verified that the placement is in good standing with the out-of-state’s licensing authority. DHS and the OHA are required to establish rules for the out-of-state placement approval process. DHS is permitted to place a child in a congregate care residential setting that is not a qualified residential treatment program and to extend the length of placement in a residential care facility or shelter-care home if certain standards are met. Both DHS and OHA are required to submit quarterly narrative reports to the Oregon System of Care Advisory Council. Education By Jean Pierce Federal Actions affecting Education in Oregon It is well-known that Governor Kotek has been focusing on literacy instruction, proposing $100 million more grant funding in the budget and urging passage of HB3040, which would study methods for improving early literacy outcomes. However, this week the Oregon Department of Education ended 5 math and literacy projects because the U.S. Department of Education terminated more than $2.5 million of funding 10 months ahead of schedule. The money had been approved by Congress in response to needs identified during the pandemic. The suspended programs include: Math Instructional Framework - Development of a math instructional framework to ensure students across the state are receiving the highest quality math instruction to support their learning and boost their outcomes. Oregon Literacy Practitioners Network - Establishment of a network of Oregon literacy ambassadors sharing best practices among educators to improve the quality of literacy instruction students receive around the state. Oregon Adolescent Literacy Framework Professional Learning Resources - Development of training modules, a collection of research and other literacy resources, as well as practical tools to support educators implementing the newly released Oregon Adolescent Literacy Framework for grades 6-12 in their classroom instruction. Instructional Framework - Development (including research and engagement) of a statewide instructional framework so that regardless of zip code Oregon students can count on excellent instruction. Regional In-Person Training For Educators - In partnership with Oregon’s Education Service Districts, provide five summits throughout the state (along with a communication campaign) for teams to use the new instructional resources in Early and Adolescent Literacy and prepare to bring this learning into their schools and classrooms. On April 4, the Supreme Court agreed – on a temporary basis - to permit the federal administration to suspend $65 million in teacher-training grants that the government contends promote diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Oregon has been receiving money through both of the grant programs affected –the Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) program and the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP). Oregon's focus with SEED funding has been to increase the size and diversity of the workforce. TQP grants supported training teachers for high-need schools and subject areas. Ban on Book Bans Based on Discrimination SB1098 : This bill passed the Senate with no amendment.The measure prevents licensed teachers, schools, and school districts from prohibiting the selection, retention, or use of library materials, textbooks, or instructional materials on the basis that the materials contain perspectives, stories, or are created by individuals or groups that are members of protected classes under Oregon's anti-discrimination law. A minority amendment and report which would have gutted provisions pertaining to discrimination failed to pass on the Senate Floor. Testimony supporting the bill far outweighed that in opposition.The floor discussion of the bill is captured on the recording beginning at 57:47. Other bills of interest: HB2009 / SB141 , which requires the Department of Education to study the adequacy of public education in this state, will have public hearings and work sessions on April 7 in both, the House and the Senate Education Committees HB 2251 , which directs school districts to adopt a policy that prohibits the use of student personal electronic devices, will have a work session in House Education on April 7. Testimony is mainly in support of the bill. HB 2729A - 6 , which appropriates $7,000.000 to increase school-based health care services, passed on a party line vote in the House Judiciary Committee. It was referred to Ways & Means. HB3004 , which directs the Youth Development Division to establish a statewide community violence prevention program, has a work session scheduled for April 7 in the House Committee on Education. HB3037 , which is designed to reduce the burden on small districts applying for grants, received a recommendation of Do Pass from the House Education Committee, which referred it to Ways and Means. SB1126 which prohibits withholding recess as a form of punishment, will be heard in Senate Education on April 7. Higher Education This week the House Higher Education Committee heard from leaders of public colleges and universities, who testified once again that Oregon is in the lowest quintile for state funding for higher education, and consequently the state ranks in the top fifth for tuition. Accordingly, our graduates have higher student debt than those from any of our surrounding states. The Oregon Council of Presidents is requesting $1.275 Billion for the Public University Support Fund this biennium, but that would still be 3-4 times less than needed in order to bring us up to average state spending on higher education. And, of course, higher ed institutions are currently experiencing much uncertainty regarding the future of federal grant monies, which pay for a number of faculty positions in the state. Gun Policy By Marge Easley As committee deadlines loom, gun bills are stacking up, and ambitious House and Senate agendas currently list hearings and/or work sessions for ten bills related to firearms on either April 7 or 8. There are lots of moving parts at the moment, and we will soon see whether some may have amendments, are folded into one omnibus bill, or fall by the wayside. House Judiciary Work sessions on HB 3884 (allows a firearm licensee to store a firearm temporarily for an individual), HB 3075 (implementation of Measure 114) and HB 3076 (licensing of gun dealers) in House Judiciary are slated for April 7. A public hearing and possible work session on HB 3074 is slated for April 8. We have just learned that the -1 amendment of this bill will replace SB 203 —a study of extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) that aims to increase their frequency of use in Oregon. Senate Judiciary On April 7, public hearings and possible work sessions are scheduled for SB 696 - ban on rapid fire devices- ( League testimony );, SB 697 -age 21 to purchase a firearm- ( League testimony ); SB 698 - expand “gun-free zones” in public spaces- ( League testimony ); and SB 429 -72-hour wait to transfer a firearm- ( League testimony ). They will also hear SB 243 and its amendments which combine some or all of the previous four bills. SB 1015 (establishes a grant program for community violence reduction) is on the agenda for April 8. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona On April 2, the Senate Committee on Housing and Development scheduled a hearing on SB 1155 aimed at assisting pregnant persons and their families attain stable housing . Under this legislation, Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) would create a program targeted towards low-income pregnant persons and their families that would help them obtain safe, accessible and affordable housing. Owners of rental housing projects financed by OHCS would be allowed to set aside housing units designated for program participants. OHCS would give priority to the rental housing development applicants by modifying their existing scoring criteria. The housing would be subject to a state affordable housing covenant, in which housing affordability for low-income households is maintained for at least ten years. The housing must be sized to meet the needs of the family and located in proximity to employment, schools, community and health services, commercial centers, and other community assets to benefit family members. Without the challenges of housing instability, this pilot program will help low-income households pursue goals for their future. The League wrote testimony in support of this bill. Immigration By Becky Gladstone and Claudia Keith Bill # Description Policy Committee Status Fiscal M$ Chief Sponsors+ Comments SB 149 Immigration Study SCJ PH & WS 4/7 Y Sen Jama DHS SB 599A Immig status: discrimnation in RealEstate transactions H Judiciary Sen Campos SB 611 Food for All Oregonians - for undocumented SC HS - JWM Work Sess 4/8 Y Sen Campos Rep Ruiz SB 703 a bipartisan immigration status update funding bill JWM 6 Sen Reynolds, Rep Neron, Ruiz, Smith G Testimony HB 2548 Agricultural Workforce Labor Standards Board. HC LWPS WS 4/7 Rep Valderrama, Nelson , Munoz League Testimony HB 2976 funding for interpretation of indigenous languages. JWM Rep Hartman HB2788 funding to nonprofits to assist w lawful permanent resident status / legal aid - HC ECHS - JWM dead Rep Neron, Ruiz, Sen Reynolds * likely end of session Reconcilation Bill HB 2586 nonresident tuition exemption for asylum seekers. Sen Ed RepHudson, SenCampos HB 2543 fundsfor universal representation and gives funds to Oregon State Bar for legal immigration matters HC Jud ? 15 Rep Valderrama, Sen Manning Jr, Rep Walters, Andersen, McLain, Sen Campos DAS - see sb 703 HB3193A Farm Worker Relief Fund JWM 10 Rep Marsh, SenPham, RepValderrama OHA HB 5002 Oregon Worker Relief Fund JCWM-GG ? 7 Das Public Safety By Karen Nibler The Public Defense Services Consortium has been in front of the Ways and Means Public Safety Committee recently. Since it has been reorganized, the presentations by the staff have been detailed with attorneys working under the new system giving their perspective. The new agency operates under the Executive Branch. The House Judiciary Committee listened to proposals for public defenders in County Circuit Court Districts. HB 3376 proposes an office of district defender in each county court. The Early Childhood and Human Services Committee heard testimony on HB 3835 which deals with restraint and seclusion practices within foster care placements and special education programs. The testimony was extensive and the bill will undoubtedly be amended. Look for new developments. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Governance , and Natural Resources report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 3/3 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce After-School Care and Children’s Service: Katie Riley Behavioral Health: Trish Garner Education: Jean Pierce Equal Rights for All: Jean Pierce, Kyra Aguon Gun Safety and Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith, Becky Gladstone Higher Education: Jean Pierce Immigration/Refugee/Asylum: Claudia Keith Health Care: Christa Danielsen, M110 Public Safety, Justice Issues: Karen Nibler School-Based Health Centers: Chloe Acosta, Anai Beng Housing: Debbie Aiona, Nancy Donovan Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner Note: Education reports after January, 2024, are included in Social policy reports. Education reports prior to February, 2024, can be found HERE . Please see the Legislation Tracker for 2025 Social Policy bills . Jump to topic: Behavioral Health Education Gun Policy Healthcare Housing Behavioral Health By Stephanie Aller HB 2596 (School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact) was passed by the House and had its first reading in the Senate on February 25. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Education. The League presented testimony supporting a related bill, HB 3351 , which lets licensed counselors from other states work in Oregon. The League of Women Voters of Oregon submitted testimony in support of HB 3129 , the Higher Education Behavioral Health Workforce Expansion Fund. The bill will help to address the behavioral health workforce crisis by funding students and investing in faculty and program resources. The House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a public hearing on HB 3129 on February 25. Rep. Nosse, a chief sponsor of the bill, testified that many behavioral health educational programs at public institutions are at full capacity. They do not have the funding to expand enrollment. Other institutions would like to start new programs to train behavioral health providers but also lack funding. SB 527 is scheduled for a public hearing on March 13 before the Senate Committee on Early Childhood and Behavioral Health. The bill directs the Oregon Health Authority to start a grant program to establish behavioral health workforce training programs for high school students. Education By Jean Pierce On February 26, the Education Committees of both chambers met together to hear a presentation from authors of the American Institute for Research (AIR) report analyzing School Funding in Oregon. AIR has found that funding would need to be increased by $5074 per student if Oregon were to reach the level of adequate performance to which it aspires. But it is up to the legislature to determine whether that is the level they are willing to fund. They also noted that increasing funding to achieve equity is only the first step. The next step would be to analyze how some districts are doing more with less, with an eye to providing guidance for how schools and districts should use the resources provided in order to achieve better outcomes.. Specifically addressing special education funding, the authors of the AIR report noted that there was an increase of 21.5% in funding per student between 2018 and 2023, and yet that was only an increase of 4.3% in inflation-adjusted figures. Over that same time period - there was a 27.6% increase in students with moderate or high-cost disabilities and a 7.2% decrease in low-cost disabilities in the state. The one-size-fits all Special Education weight that is part of the State School Fund does not accommodate this shift. Oregon is one of only eight states which use a single weight. AIR recommends that our state use a system more like that of 21 other states which group categories into tiers according to the cost of services needed. In addition, the research group recommends eliminating the State School Fund cap on special education funding. They noted that 88% of school districts have exceeded the cap, but the waiver which is available to those districts covered only 30% of the amount of funding which they received for students under the cap. Accordingly, they reported that districts with more high-need students are receiving less money than needed. Further, since public schools are required to accommodate these students’ needs, they must make cuts in other programs. LWVO R submitted t estimony for SB 1098 , which prohibits discrimination when selecting or retaining school library materials, textbooks or instructional materials or when developing and implementing a curriculum. The League submitted testimony for HB 3182 , which directs the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide affordable housing support to low-income students in higher education. This bill is addressing a serious problem in Oregon. A 2023 survey of Portland Community College students revealed that 56% were experiencing housing insecurity LWVOR submitted testimony for HB 3183 , which would appropriate money tothe Higher Education Coordinating Commission for purposes of the Open Educational Resources Program. The funds would continue to provide no-cost, low-cost textbooks and course materials across Oregon’s colleges and universities. This is a significant problem, since a 2022 survey of students at Oregon State University revealed that 61% had not purchased textbooks due to the cost. Gun Policy By Marge Easley The League has signed on to the legislative agenda of the Alliance for a Safe Oregon , which includes the following gun policy bills: HB 3076 : institutes state licensing of firearm dealers SB 696 : places a statewide ban on rapid-fire devices, such as bump stocks HB 3075 : allocates resources for Measure 114 implementation SB 1015 and HB 5014 : funds community violence intervention programs SB 697 : raises the minimum age from 18 to 21 to purchase a semi-automatic rifle SB 429 : requires a 72-hour waiting period before the transfer of a firearm SB 203 : strengthens Oregon’s Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) law The Alliance will hold its Advocacy Day at the Capitol on March 4. A joint informational session of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees has been scheduled for the week of March 10, with hearings on several of the bills tentatively scheduled for March 17 and March 20. Links to League testimony on these bills will appear in upcoming Legislative Reports. Meanwhile, the Trump administration will have a significant impact on gun policy at the federal level, as was made clear by the issuance of the February 7th executive order on “Protecting Second Amendment Rights.” Newly named FBI Chief Kash Patel has also taken the reins of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and a bill has been introduced in the House to eliminate the entire agency. Health Care by Christa Danielson HB 2010 A : LWVOR presented testimony for this bill, which funds the state portion of the Oregon Health Plan. The bill continues the assessments on health insurance and hospitals that have been in place for the last five years. One half of all children and one fourth of the population of Oregon have the Oregon Health Plan as their health insurance. The bill passed the House with bi-partisan support, and is currently in the Senate Committee on Health. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona Governor Kotek’s Statewide Shelter System Proposal On February 24, Governor Kotek testified before the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness to present her proposal for a statewide shelter system. HB 3644 would create the system, which would be administered by Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS). The bill appropriates $218 million to reduce unsheltered homelessness and transition people into stable housing. It codifies the structure established by the Governor’s statewide housing emergency declared at the beginning of her term in office. The proposal is the product of a Sustainable Shelter Work Group created by the Governor and Representative Pam Marsh. The bill calls for dividing the state into regions. Each region will have a regional coordinator responsible for planning, funding, and services. OHCS will enter into five- or six-year agreements with each region. They will be required to submit an annual report outlining progress on their regional plans. The proposal would move Oregon away from one-time emergency funding for shelters towards a stable outcomes-based system. At least 70 percent of the funds would go towards low-barrier shelters with the remainder available for recovery-based shelters. Programs will be open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. In order to accommodate regional differences, shelters eligible for the program include congregate and non-congregate shelters, safe temporary emergency sites that meet health and safety standards for vehicular camping, and basic freestanding structures that are sound, weatherproof, and have locking doors. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Governance , and Natural Resources report sections.