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- Past Presidents | LWV of Oregon
A list of past presidents of the League of Women Voters of Oregon. / Past Presidents / Past Presidents Past LWVOR Presidents, EF Chairs, and LWVUS Board Members 1973-75 President Betty Mack 1975-77 President Wanda Mays 1977-79 President Annabel Kitzhaber 1979-83 President Norma Jean Germond 1983-84 President Linda Dinus 1980-90 LWVUS Board Member Merilyn Reeves 1982-84 LWVUS Board Member Roberta Jaffe 1984-87 President Kris Hudson 1987-89 President Sharon Little 1991-93 President Kappy Eaton 1993-95 President Cheri Unger 1995-97 President Mary Krahn 2001-03 President Beth Burczak 1997-01 President Paula Krane 1995-97 President Mary Krahn 2001-03 President Beth Burczak 1997-01 President Paula Krane 2000-04 LWVUS Board Member Rosie Stephens 2003-07 President Margaret Noel 2007-09 EF Chair Janet Calvert 2007-11 President Marge Easley 2009-11 EF Chair Jane Gigler 2011-13 EF Chair Betsy Pratt 2008-14 LWVUS Board Member Norman Turrill 2011-15 President Robin Wisdom 2013-15 EF Chair Becky Gladstone 2015-19 President Norman Turrill 2019-2023 President Becky Gladstone 2023-2023 President Alice Bartelt 2023-present Co-Presidents Rebecca Gladstone Lisa Bentson
- Legislative Report - Week of 6/2
Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Note: Education reports after January, 2024, are included in Social policy reports. Education reports prior to February, 2024, can be found HERE . Please see the Legislation Tracker for 2025 Social Policy bills . Jump to topic: Age-Related Issues Behavioral Health Criminal Justice Education Gun Policy Hate Crimes Housing Legislation Immigration Age-Related Issues by Trish Garner SB 548 has been signed into law by Governor Kotek. This bill establishes 18 as the minimum age for marriage. LWVOR testified in support. Behavioral Health By Trish Garner HB 2481A-11 passed unanimously in the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response with a do pass recommendation and referral to Ways & Means. As one might discern from the number of amendments, this is a complicated and comprehensive bill which relates to individuals charged with a crime who have been found to be unable to assist aid and assist in their defense. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley HB 3532 A , which eliminates civil statutes of limitations for sexual assault survivors, unanimously passed the House on May 29 and now awaits a hearing in Senate Rules. This bill represents a major step forward in acknowledging the importance of removing arbitrary deadlines in the reporting of sexual assault, since it often takes many years before a victim is ready to come forward. According to the press release from bill sponsor Rep. Annessa Hartman, “Under current law, adult survivors have just five years from the time they discover the connection between the assault and their injuries to file a civil suit. For child survivors, the limit is five years from discovery or until they turn 40—whichever is later. But trauma experts and survivor advocates point out that the average age at which a child sexual abuse survivor comes forward is 52.” Education By Jean Pierce The Governor has signed HB 2586A into law. The bill permits an asylum seeker who is a student at a public university to receive an exemption from nonresident tuition and fees. LWVOR filed testimony in support. The Joint Ways and Means committee on Education and the Joint Ways and Means Committee both gave Do Pass Recommendations to SB 141 A . The bill requires entities receiving money from the State School Fund to measure student academic growth in mathematics and language arts. At the same time, the bill is intended to streamline grant-reporting processes. It also prescribes requirements for tools and support through coaching from the Department of Education if those targets are not met over time. The amendment allocates over $2.6 million to the endeavor. This amount is part of the calculation for SB5516 A which also received Do Pass Recommendations from both committees. In recognition of the revenue forecast, this bill would provide for an adjusted current service level of almost $11.4 billion. The committee is anticipating that local revenues will total $5.6 billion in the next two years, so total formula resources are expected to be more than $16.7 billion for the 2025-27 biennium. This represents a 10.5% increase over the 2023-25 biennium. The funds would provide a welcome boost, though it still falls short of the 30% increase recommended by the American Institute of Research which recommended a 30% increase in funding, with more attention to equitable spending for the education of low income and high needs students. Gun Policy By Marge Easley After many iterations, SB 243 B finally made it to the Senate floor, where it passed on a party line vote following long and impassioned speeches from both sides of the aisle. Prior to the vote, Republican senators attempted to substitute a minority report for the committee report, but as expected the motion failed. It will have a first reading in the House on June 2. SB 243 B was originally a four-part omnibus bill, but over the course of the session two provisions were stripped away to lessen its fiscal impact. The final bill bans rapid fire devices, such as bump stocks, and allows cities and counties to prohibit the carrying of firearms inside buildings where public meetings are held. This prohibition includes those with concealed handgun licenses (CHLs), which was one of the main points of contention during the floor debate . The League submitted supportive testimony on an earlier version of the bill on May 12. Hate Crimes By Becky Gladstone Coalition Against Hate Crimes update, May 13, 2025 LWVOR is a CAHC member. The challenge, we want more cross-state participation. Currently it is mostly PDX based. We’re hoping the coalition can expand to cover more events around the state by redesigning the website; to be posted in a few weeks: · Homepage, a history of the coalition, the importance of reporting hate crimes · How to report! Hot lines, education about civil rights violations · List of partners, with links, awareness of the need for privacy · The 4th page is for news, upcoming events, for justice. · Link to the DoJ dashboard. Upcoming EVENTS · Join us for World Refugee Day 2025 ! Soccer, stories, and community celebration for refugee, immigrant, and low-income youth. Friday, June 20 | East Portland. Create better relations to prevent a 2020 replay, to prevent violence toward activists & PDX Police, to pull in community members. We are a Sanctuary STATE & City. Fear that local police will be deputized to ICE. · Building bridges event, at Muslim Educational TRUST. We will come together in-person, with shared human values, to work for violence prevention. Cities- Portland, Gresham, etc., with youth voices and teachers from Reynolds School District, Centennial, David Douglas, etc. They are looking for projects they can do, working with the Portland Police Bureau Equity Office, Behavioral Health, substance abuse, violence prevention, music, artistic expression. Building Bridges East Community . · From the Antidefamation League , An Audit of Antisemitic Incidents . OR DoJ Hate crime reporting Closing the data year for Sanctuary Promise on May 31st, summary due in July. We’ve seen “pretty significant” increase in public body reporting from communities. The Federal Immigration Authority is reaching out for information that would violate sanctuary privacy. We expect new VISA request info at the end of June: What does it mean to be a new Sanctuary state, how we interact with federal agencies. Confusion is real with frequent changes, conflicting messaging for sanctuary, deputizing, posse comitatus reminds us of the old wild west “posse”. Hate crime patterns, looking at particular groups targeted, for example with COVID, the AAPI, seems to be more toward LatinX now. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona SB 5011 is Oregon Housing and Community Services Department ‘s (OHCS) budget bill for the 2025-27 biennium. One aspect of the proposed bill is $6 million for eviction prevention services to address our state’s housing and homeless crisis. We have an urgent need to preserve and stabilize existing affordable homes. An Oregon Capital Chronicle May 29 article reports on our state’s eviction crisis: “Oregon sees a rise in eviction filings but rent assistance programs are working”. The article underscores the importance of eviction prevention programs to reduce eviction filings to help keep Oregonians housed. OHCS and legal aid programs such as the Oregon Law Center and Legal Aid Services of Oregon are making this possible. Bills in Progress HB 2964 : Requires the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department to award loans to non-profit affordable housing developers to cover pre-development costs of developing new housing. The bill passed the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness on April 15. It was then referred to the Senate Committee on Housing and Development, where a work session was held on May 21. A second reading was held on May 28, and on May 29, the bill was carried over to June 2 by unanimous consent. LWV testimony supports passage of the bill. HB 2735 : The House Committee on Revenue held a work session on the Independent Development Accounts (IDAs) bill on May 22. On May 29 the House Committee on Revenue recommended a do pass with amendments and the bill was referred to Tax Expenditures by order of the Speaker. The League submitted a letter in support. The Legislature created the IDAs program in 1999. The state matches participants’ savings up to 5-to-1. Money can be used to invest in the individual financial goals most important to each person’s own circumstances, such as buying a home or enrolling in higher education. The state tax credit that funds IDAs has not kept up with inflation. HB 2735-3 would raise the cap on the tax credit from $7.5 million/year to $16.5 million/year. The cap has not changed since 2009. If the Legislature does not act this session to “fix the funding” for IDAs, the program will shrink to serve 50% fewer Oregonians each year. HB 2958 : The House Committee on Revenue held a work session on the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) on May 22, and recommended passage with amendments. On May 29, the committee recommended passage of the bill with amendments and referred it to Tax Expenditures. The bill would extend the sunset date to 2032 and increase to 25 percent the EITC for families with children under three years of age. Other families with children will receive 20 percent of the federal credit. With the -2 amendment, the bill no longer extends the benefit to all childless working adults over age 18. The League submitted a letter in support. The bill, if passed, will put more money in people’s pockets and help avoid the trauma, instability, and costs to society and affected individuals that come from losing one’s home, deferring medical care, or missing meals. Immigration By Becky Gladstone and Claudia Keith Highlights - News League of Women Voters Files Brief Opposing Executive Order Attacking Birthright Citizenship | League of Women Voters A ttorney General Dan Rayfield Urges Court to Uphold Orders Blocking Trump Administration's Attack on Refugees - Oregon Department of Justice : Media Congress House budget bill cuts benefits, raises fees tied to immigration : NPR Axios: State Department seeks to create “Office of Remigration” New York Times: Afrikaners See Trump as the Ally Who “Heard Our Cries” BBC: Fleeing U.S. deportations, it took this family of asylum seekers three tries to enter Canada Hindustan Time: In Kenyan refugee camp, US aid cuts mean no period pads, no school Democracy Forward: Refugee Advocates to Court: U.S. Government is Attempting to Slam the Door Shut on People Fleeing Persecution ProPublica: Death, Sexual Violence and Human Trafficking: Fallout From U.S. Aid Withdrawal Hits the World’s Most Fragile Locations News from Homeland Security: Sanctuary Jurisdictions Defying Federal Immigration Law | Homeland Security Asylum seekers in Oregon can now qualify for in- state tuition | OPB Legislative Bulletin — Friday, May 30, 2025 - National Immigration Forum Oregon lawmakers will not move forward this year with a proposed agricultural labor standards board that would set wages and workplace conditions for farmworkers. Click Scroll Bar on Bottom of Table to View All Columns Bill # Description Policy Committee Status Fiscal M$ Chief Sponsors+ Comments SB 149 A Immigration (support services ) JWM waiting for Fiscal Y Sen Jama -3 amendment SB 599A Immig status: discrimination in RealEstate transactions Waiting for Gov to sign N Sen Campos House passes 5/19 SB 611 Food for All Oregonians - for undocumented JWM 8 Sen Campos Rep Ruiz amendment -1 SB 703 a bipartisan immigration status update funding bill JWM 6 Sen Reynolds, Rep Neron, Ruiz, Smith G Testimony HB 2548 Agricultural Workforce Labor Standards Board. H Rules PC: No recommend dation Rep Valderrama, Nelson , Munoz League Testimony HB 2976 funding for interpretation of indigenous languages. JWM 1.5 Rep Hartman HB2788 funding to nonprofits to assist w lawful permanent resident status / legal aid - HC ECHS - JWM dead Rep Neron, Ruiz, Sen Reynolds * likely end of session Reconcilation Bill HB 2586 A nonresident tuition exemption for asylum seekers. Gov Signed RepHudson, SenCampos League Testi mony HB 2543 funds for universal representation and gives funds to Oregon State Bar for legal immigration matters HC Jud dead 15 Rep Valderrama, Sen Manning Jr, Rep Walters, Andersen, McLain, Sen Campos DAS - see sb 703 HB3193A Farm Worker Relief Fund JWM 10 Rep Marsh, SenPham, RepValderrama OHA HB 5002 Oregon Worker Relief Fund (Prev yr legal rep funds eliminated) JWM WS was 5/29, passed LFO d etails Amendment Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Governance , and Natural Resources , and Revenue report sections.
- Legislative Report - Week of 2/9
Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 2/9 Governance Team Coordinator: Becky Gladstone and Chris Cobey Artificial Intelligence: Lindsey Washburn Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill Conflicts of Interest/Legislative Ethics: Chris Cobey CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone Election Systems: Barbara Klein Emergency Preparedness: Cate Arnold Immigration, Refugee, and Asylum: Claudia Keith Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey State Audit Working Group: Sheila Golden Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Please see Governance Overview here. Jump to a topic: Overview Elections Artificial Intelligence /Cybersecurity Privacy and Protections Overview, first week of session Rebecca Gladstone We worked on an assortment of bills this week including elections, artificial intelligence, law enforcement, privacy rights, and funding. League testimony was filed for 6 of the 20 we tagged for Governance that were heard in committees. Some amendments had not been posted. Advance hearings were set to fill anticipated agenda extensions and some bills were postponed from this busy first week. Thanks are due to our volunteers for their long hours! Rising immigration protection concerns are reflected in numerous bills, with overlap between Social Policy and Governance, so see reports in both LR sections, with privacy protection as a predominant factor. LWVOR submitted our concerns to US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), see Federal Register and details below. Elections Barbara Klein SB 1574 1 st Time Voters Act allows 17-year-olds to vote in a primary if they will be 18 by time of the general election. It’s been referred to Senate Rules. Members of the LWVOR Youth Council have drafted several testimonies; these will be shared if/when the bill is set for a hearing. Currently, there are concerns from some parties regarding whether data for these 17-year-old voters will be handled as if they were minors (thus “secret voters”) or as regular voters due to the closeness of their maturity before the general election date, generally less than 6 months. To date, the bill, sponsored by Sen.ChrisGorsek@oregonlegislature.gov ) has 4 chief sponsors, 14 regular sponsors and 19 organizational sponsors, of which the LWVOR is one. SB 1509 Uniform Faithful Presidential Electors Act is a committee sponsored bill to further protect Oregon's voters from being disenfranchised by faithless presidential electors. Heard on February 9 th in Senate Rules. League has submitted testimony . See Protect Democracy information as well as other states with strong laws . Note: Oregon already requires presidential electors to take a pledge [ ORS 248.355 ]; this legislation ensures that pledge is binding and requires the Secretary of State to ensure our elections are free and fair in regard to presidential electors. HJR 201 , a house joint resolution, was heard in House Rules. It proposes to amend the Oregon Constitution to require that primary elections are ‘open’ to all voters using the same ballot. The proposal is for a “Top Two” system that our League does not support, despite our strong endorsement of “Open Primaries.” The League has submitted Neutral testimony . Artificial Intelligence/ Cybersecurity Lindsey Washburn Notice of Artificial Output SB 1546 held a public hearing on February 5. The bill requires AI companion and platform operators to disclose that users are interacting with artificial output, implement safety protocols to detect and prevent suicidal ideation, and provide special protections for minors. Senator Aaron Woods Commission on AI and Chief AI Officer HB 4103 had a public hearing on February 6. Bill establishes the Senator Aaron Woods Commission on Artificial Intelligence to monitor AI use statewide, report on policy implications, make legislative recommendations, and be supported by a Chief AI Officer hired by the Department of Administrative Services. Incident Reporting HB 4055 had a public hearing on February 6. Bill requires a local government, local service district or special government body to notify and submit a report to the State Chief Information Officer within 48 hours of an information security incident or ransomware incident. Privacy and Protections Rebecca Gladstone We’re seeing more privacy concerns in proposed legislation. HB 4123 This privacy bill had 95% support with thoughtful testimony, to limit landlord’s disclosure of tenant’s extensive contact, financial, immigration and citizenship status, employment, medical, birthdate, victims’ programs ,and other personal information. A work session is set for Feb 10. See League testimony, in support. Comment to Customs and Border Patrol , summarized: LWVOR warns that proposed DHS traveler data collection poses significant privacy risks. Foreign visitors would face unprecedented requirements, including biometrics and DNA, 10 years of social media history, and extensive family details. Key concerns include the vast scope of data intrusion, indefinite data retention, potential for surveillance to expand, and biometric inaccuracies for non-Caucasian individuals. These measures could discourage international travel, potentially harming Oregon's tourism-dependent economy. Data collection could extend to threaten other government functions, including elections. HB 4091 this Oregon National Guard bill defines activation and authority in statute, see supporting League testimony , speaking to the mission, priorities, and concerns for conserving availability for true state emergencies, to be activated by the Governor and Adjutant General. This relates to last session, see League HB 3954 testimony . HB 4143 This state funding bill proposes a means to address federal support being withheld, in violation of court orders. Nicknamed the “recourse act” by sponsors, it has been a year in development, with broad support from democratic legislators and one republican. Our testimony described the impact of the shortfall and legal action to recover it, also a concept mentioned in hearing, the “right to offset”, used as an established financial tool by the federal and state governments. We testified as “neutral” because the catch phrase could be truncated provocatively to: Authorizes the Governor to direct state agencies to withhold moneys owed to the federal government. Given our revenue volatility, we urge to consider options, with possible bill amendments. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report sections.
- Legislative Report - Week of 5/15
Back to Legislative Report Education Legislative Report - Week of 5/15 Education By Anne Nesse On May 8 Senate President Rob Wagner spoke representing that the mission statement of public schooling ‘is to provide equity, diversity, and inclusion, based on each individual students needs, with written and informed consent by its parents,’ during the public hearing on SB 819A with -13 amendments, concerning abbreviated school days for children with disabilities. President Wagner supports this bill along with Senate leader Knopp, in a bipartisan effort. Parental rights were also discussed, and Rep. McIntire brought up the potential increased costs to our fiscal budget. Rep. Hudson assured there were some creative solutions school districts could use, and the enforcement of this law is already possible through TSPC, with a potential removal of the superintendent for non-compliant districts. Susan Allen from Oregon Classified Employees expressed some concerns over staffing shortages Kendall Mason of OEA, expressed the need for increased training and the need for the full funding of at least $10.3 Billion into our biennium school budget. May 16, the school budget was under analysis in J W&M Education, LFO recommendations. Another amendment was added on May 16 so that it could be voted out of Committee to JW&Ms. However the amount is still under funding requested initially by the Governor, and under what a number of advocates would like . Final decisions awaited the May 17 budget forecast. 5/9 in Senate Education, Sen. Dembrow pointed out there is state statute, that if a bill appears unreadable, this problem goes to a certain committee for solutions, not solved by a walk out, as some might have misunderstood. Several Bills you might be interested in were referred to the Senate floor for passage: HB 2753 A , providing rules for an optional stipend for school board members. HB 2280 clarifies terms of consent for school district sexual harassment. HB 2905 , Social studies curriculum extension to include Jewish descent, as well as already listed African, Asian, Pacific Island, Chicano, Latino, [or] Middle Eastern or Jewish descent; (iii) are women; (iv) have disabilities;(v) are immigrants or refugees; or (vi) are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. (C) involve teachers and other educators, parents of students and other citizens and shall provide ample opportunity for public comment. 5/11 Senate Education passed a number of Bills to the floor, of interest for passage: HB 3227 A , removing barriers to filling custodial services vacancies in education. HB 2618 A , determining workload requirements of speech pathologists as soon as possible for the institution during the next school year. HB 2281 A , appointing civil rights coordinator for school districts, to adequately deal with discrimination. HB 2504 A , removing barriers to enter Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) from international sources. HB 3178 A , modifies professional scholarships by HECC to include diverse teacher candidates that reflect our population.
- Election Methods Study Update 2023
The LWVOR Board adopted this completed restudy on February 10th, 2023. You can find the downloadable copy of the study here. Election Methods Study Update 2023 About the Study The LWVOR Board adopted this completed restudy on February 10th, 2023. You can find the downloadable copy of the study here. At Convention 2021, LWV of Portland proposed a restudy of LWVOR's 2016 Election Methods Study. It would examine the STAR voting system and would last one year or less. The goal would be to inform League members about the benefits and limitations of the STAR voting option that is being promoted by a group of advocates. It would also be to determine whether or not the League could support or should oppose the adoption of STAR voting in Oregon. The LWVOR Board adopted this completed restudy on February 10th, 2023. You can find the downloadable copy of the study here . In May 2023, LWVOR issued a statement regarding STAR (Score Then Automatic Runoff) Voting. Election Methods Position - Adopted 2017 The League of Women Voters of Oregon recognizes that election methods affect how voters participate in our democracy, who can run for office, and who can get elected. Therefore, the League supports election methods that: Encourage voter participation and voter engagement. Encourage those with minority opinions to participate. Are easy to use. Are verifiable and auditable. Promote access to voting. Promote competitive elections. Promote sincere voting over strategic voting. Discourage negative campaigning. Prevent political manipulation (e.g. Gerrymandering). Are compatible with vote-by-mail elections. The League of Women Voters of Oregon does not believe that plurality voting is the best method for promoting democratic choice in all circumstances. For single-winner systems, the League supports ranked-choice voting; we do not support range or approval voting. The League of Women Voters of Oregon supports election systems that elect policy-making bodies–legislatures, councils, commissions, and boards–that proportionally reflect the people they represent. We support systems that promote stable government, but we do not support systems that protect the two-party system. The League of Women Voters of Oregon supports enabling legislation to allow local jurisdictions to explore alternative election methods. If an alternative election method is adopted, then funding for startup and voter education should be available. The League of Women Voters of Oregon does not support nonpartisan elections for state legislators. (Previous position) Adopted 2009 The League of Women Voters of Oregon believes that any election method should be evaluated on its ability to: Promote voter participation. Be simple and easy for voters to understand. Be verifiable and auditable. Promote access to voting. Promote competitive elections. Prevent political manipulation. Be compatible with vote-by-mail elections. The League supports enabling legislation to allow local jurisdictions to explore alternative election methods, e.g. instant runoff or fusion voting. If a local jurisdiction adopts an alternative election method, that jurisdiction should bear the costs of startup and voter education. Only after experience and evaluation at the local level should the state consider alternative election methods for statewide adoption. The League does not support nonpartisan elections for state legislators. Election Methods Study Update Election Methods Study Update , PDF, 52 pages Links Positions From Other Leagues – Election Methods Update (7 pgs; pdf) 2008 – Election Methods Executive Summary (3 pgs; pdf) Previous Next
- Youth Vote Strategist
OLIVIA HAN (she/her) OLIVIA HAN (she/her) Youth Vote Strategist Olivia is a junior at Sunset High School in Beaverton, Oregon. She is part of the International Internship Program for Advocacy through Leadership Initiatives, she is the Youth Voter Strategist for the League of Women Voters Youth Council Oregon, she was a two time international conference qualifier for her school’s Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), received a Scholastic Arts and Writing silver key award for poetry and photography, is a published poet, has a blog about systemic injustice, wrote a published research paper about art and political discourse, is in the Carnegie Institute youth scholar program, and is Education Co-Lead on the National Student Advisory Council for Work2BeWell (Providence Healthcare). She is excited to see what junior year will bring her and is especially excited to participate in the IB Diploma Program. Outside of her academic pursuits, Olivia is an avid supporter of voter education and awareness, she strives to elevate others and express the importance of voting. She has written numerous speeches, papers, and studies about voter suppression in the United States and hopes to one day create steps towards equality in voting. This is Olivia’s first year participating in LWVOR Youth Council, and she has her eye on making civic participation a smoother experience for everyone. Through leading workshops and registering young voters, she hopes to make her community (and the world) a better place. She is excited to advocate for voters across Oregon as a member of the LWVOR Youth Council and can be contacted at youthoutreach@lwvor.org . youthoutreach@lwvor.org
- Fall Workshop | LWV of Oregon
Event page for the LWVOR Fall Workshop. Event is closed. Fall Workshop 2023 Thank you for attending LWVOR's Fall Workshop! Please let us know about your experience at the event. Submit your evaluation form here . Agenda 10:00 AM Welcome from Board and guest speakers, coffee and pastries 10:10 AM LWV Liaison for Oregon: Alexis Juday-Marshall 10:20 AM Membership and Leadership Development (MLD) Update 10:30 AM Voter Service Update: Peggy Bengry, Ballot Measure Chair 10:45 AM Outreach Circle presentation (virtual) 11:15 AM Lunch 11:30 AM Keynote Speaker (Elections Director Molly Woon) through Lunch (virtual) 12:30 PM Youth Council / Oregon Student Mock Election / Youth Outreach Workshop + Facilitated Q&A 1:45 PM Closing remarks Program Printable program available here , featuring speaker bios and full event agenda. Keynote and LWVUS Speaker Biographies Molly Woon (she/her) - Elections Director Molly is the Elections Director and is responsible for the administration of Oregon's vote by mail elections system by working closely with state agencies, 36 counties throughout Oregon, and the division’s dedicated staff. She oversees the state initiative, referendum and candidate processes, as well as campaign finance regulations and state voting resources. Born and raised in the Northwest, this is Molly’s second stint working in the Secretary of State's Office. In 2015 and 2016, she served as the Communications Director for Oregon Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins, overseeing communications for implementation of the Oregon’s first-in-the-nation system of automatic voter registration, Oregon Motor Voter. Read more. Alexis Juday-Marshall (she/her) - LWV Liaison to Oregon Alexis Juday-Marshall joined the League of Women Voters in late 2018. During her time in the Washington State League, Alexis was a member of the Observer Corps, which presented an opportunity to see government in action and to promote transparency and accountability in government processes. As a climate action guide and co-chair of the Environmental Committee of King County/Seattle, she collaborated with other members and local officials to increase public engagement on climate change matters. She also served as a Delegate for the LWVUS for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland. Read more. Luana Chaires (she/her) - LWVUS Digital Relational Organizing Manager Luana Chaires is a digital relational organizing manager with the League of Women Voters where she is using her direct-service and advocacy experiences to increase equity in democracy by working closely with League affiliates. Additionally, Luana works directly with state and local Leagues to strengthen their digital organizing muscle and oversee the development and rollout of League In Action nationwide. You can learn more about Luana and her colleagues' work here . Luana holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from St. Edward’s University. Throughout her undergraduate career, Luana became committed to better understanding the principle of fair equal representation. As a Ronald McNair scholar, Luana focused her undergraduate research on evaluating the impact of independent redistricting commissions have on voter turnout and level of competition in congressional elections. Read more. Youth Council Speaker Biographies Celine Ioffe (she/her) - LWVOR Youth Council President Celine is a high school senior in Portland and LWV Washington County member who is passionate about reproductive justice and our legal system. She is actively involved in Columbia Willamette Teen Council, a peer education and leadership program where members learn medically accurate and inclusive sexual health information, lead classroom presentations and organize events in schools and their communities around sexual health awareness. Celine interned for a DUI and domestic violence law firm last summer, and plans to attend university and law school after graduating in summer of 2024. She will be leading a diverse team of Youth Council members to build effective power in their communities to achieve their goals. Read more. CHRIS WALKER (he/him) - LWVOR Off-Board Liaison and Youth Council Vice President Chris Walker is a Legislative Scholar advocating for more affordable higher education at the University of Oregon while majoring in Planning, Public Policy and Management, with a minor in Business Administration. Chris ran a nonprofit serving disadvantaged Oregon youth, has interned in Congress, and on Friday, February 10th, 2023 he was appointed to a ground-breaking role as a strong, influential voice as the League of Women Voters of Oregon Youth Liaison. Chris feels a definite stake in the commitment of our state and local Leagues to encourage youth leadership, and is mentoring a new LWVOR Youth Council inviting youth across Oregon to get connected and involved by emailing him at youthcrew@lwvor.org or messaging on their Instagram at @lwvoryouthcouncil Read more. NIVEDITA GIANI (she/her) - LWVOR Youth Council Advocacy Chair Nivedita Giani is attending Sunset High School and is a member of the League of Women Voters of Portland. She is passionate about advocating for climate justice, reproductive rights, and workplace equity. She is currently the national delegate for Sunrise PDX, an organization committed to combating climate change. She is actively involved in a local campaign as well as a national campaign to help make public transportation more accessible and widespread. She is a staunch advocate for the Green New Deal due to the prospect of decarbonization and sustainable good paying union jobs for all. Read more. DEENIE BULYALERT (they/she) - LWVOR Youth Council DEIJ Co-Chair and Events Chair Deenie is the DEIJ co-chair and Planning and Events Chair of the League of Women Voters of Oregon Youth Council and they are excited to build effective civic engagement in Oregon communities. They are passionate about nonprofit work and advocacy for marginalized communities, specifically LGBTQ+, BIPOC and disabled youth. Deenie believes in the fight for improved mental health access for all and runs a coalition to support their efforts in these areas. Read more. MILANA SLOAN (she/her) - LWVOR Youth Council DEIJ Co-Chair and Youth Vote Committee Mila Sloan is attending University of Oregon majoring in Public Planning, Policy and Management and is a member of the League of Women Voters of Oregon. She is passionate about social justice for marginalized communities and has active volunteer and nonprofit experience with HIV Alliance in Eugene with formal training on Diversity, Equity, Harm Reduction, and Inclusive Language in relation to sexual orientation and health. Read more. DEIJ Toolkit A DEIJ Resource for League Members Learn more about DEIJ practices for your League and community. Get the Toolkit Youth Council Slides Learn more about Youth Council Book a Youth Council speaker! Youth Council Fall Workshop presentation slides Outreach Circle/League In Action Resources More about League In Action/OutreachCircle Thank you to our sponsors and supporters! Members of the League of Women Voters
- Testimony | LWV of Oregon
Read testimony from the League of Women Voters of Oregon. Search Testimony Filter by Year Filter by Category Search Reset SB 1538 A - Provide Education for Immigrants - Action Alert View letter Feb 24, 2026 HB 4134 A - Increases State Transient Tax by 1.25% to pay for Wildlife - Action Alert View letter Feb 24, 2026 HB 4018 A - “Technical fixes” to Campaign Finance Law - Action Alert View letter Feb 24, 2026 HB 4138 A - Requires IDs and Prohibits Face Coverings for Law Enforcement Agents - Action Alert View letter Feb 24, 2026 HB 4153 A - Use of farm land for commercial stores - Action Alert View letter Feb 24, 2026 HB 4114 A - Rules for Operations of Federal Agents or Agents from Another State in Oregon - Action Alert View letter Feb 24, 2026 SB 1507A - Partial Disconnect from Federal Taxes - Action Alert View letter Feb 24, 2026 SB 1526 A - FORGE, Fund for Oregon Resilience, Growth, & Energy - Action Alert View letter Feb 24, 2026 SB 1598 - Immunizations - Action Alert View letter Feb 24, 2026 SB 1586 - Omnibus Land Use, Tax Credits and Changes in Permitting - Action Alert View letter Feb 24, 2026 SB 1509 A - Faithless Electors - Action Alert View letter Feb 24, 2026 HB 4145 A - Modifies Firearm permit provisions of Ballot Measure 114 - Action Alert View letter Feb 24, 2026 1 2 3 ... 84 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 ... 84
- Start a League Unit | LWV of Oregon
Learn more about starting a League Unit in your community. / Join / Start a League Unit / Start a League Unit No League in your community? Start one! You can use the LWV “Member-at-State” (MAS) Unit process to begin empowering voters and defending democracy in your community! With LWV MAS Units, administrative functions like financial management, by-laws, membership management and incorporating are initially handled by LWVOR, and you will have a mentor to help each step of the way. Individuals without a local League or Unit are welcome to join our State League. Learn more about join ing Getting Started as a Member: Easy as 1-2-3 Chat 1. We welcome you to JOIN the League of Women Voters of Oregon. Edit 2. Sign up for free LWVOR communications and Legislative Reports (during session). Mail 3. Email membership@lwvor.org for questions and connection to mentors. Initial steps for becoming a state League Unit 1. The idea for forming a new League arises, either through citizen inquiry or board initiative. 2. A nucleus of interested citizens is recruited and become League members. 3. State mentors are appointed and confer (in person when possible, by phone and online) with the interested group. 4. An informational planning meeting is scheduled, and the decision to proceed is made to: connect with experienced League mentors to play a key role helping your group plan an organizational community meeting send an important signal about the League's commitment to reflecting concerns of all citizens give the group an opportunity to share leadership chart the League's future with diverse community members to bring about positive change 5. Preparations commence with mentoring and an organizational meeting is held. 6. League members complete requirements for recognition as a state League Unit with: ✔ Five or more current League members ✔ Leadership Team selected (Unit Coordinator or Co-Chairs, etc…) ✔ Geographic Area to be served is identified to incorporate into Unit name ✔ Nonpartisanship policy established - see Appendix I 7. The LWVOR Board organizes/recognizes the state League Unit. Starting Point for New League Units For more information review our new unit formation guidelines: Starting Point for New League Units
Back to Legislative Report Revenue Legislative Report - Week of 3/9 Revenue Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch REVENUE Patricia Garner, Josie Koehne, Peggy Lynch The short session is over. The Governor still has to decide if she’s signing the legislation. And the work is not done. There was not enough revenue to fund the 2025-27 budget without cuts and new legislation as shared below. The Feb. 4 Revenue Forecast guided the spending for the 2026 legislative session. Carl Ricidonna, Oregon’s State Economist, provided his report, along with Michael Kennedy, Senior Economist. See pages 17 and 20 for the important numbers. And the Legislative Revenue Office’s Forecast Summary . LWVOR participated with several other volunteer and non-profit organizations in the unofficial Oregon Revenue Coalition that worked together to find ways to preserve Oregon revenue in the light of lost federal income from Congress’s passage of H.R.1 which would cut major sources of funding for Medicaid, SNAP and many other services. ( Signed on to letter in January.) We focused on a bill to limit the damage caused by Oregon’s rolling connection to federal income tax law, since legislation to disconnect from the federal law failed in the 2025 long session. This session SB 1507 A passed (Senate (17-13) on Feb. 16 and House (34/21/4/1) on Feb. 25 ) that disconnected from certain sections of the federal code that the Legislative Revenue Office (LRO) reported would save Oregon $311.6 million in revenue this biennium and $313.9 million in the 2027-29 biennium, while providing increased funding for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) at a cost of $26.2 and $52.7 million per biennium respectively. The League has long supported an increase in the EITC. Summaries of the 44-page bill and its amendments can be found here . LWVOR testimony in support. At least one legislator is considering collecting signatures to place portions of the bill on the ballot per this Oregonlive article. Of concern is that the referral process allows petitioners to select parts of the bill. In this case, they could leave off the increase in the EITC while only asking voters to stop the disconnect—which, in part, is expected to pay for that EITC increase. HB 5204 is the final bill that balances the budget as required by state law. In the bill, the legislature made over $128 million in cuts , mostly in agency services and supplies and by not filling vacancies and shifting remaining funds around to fill in some gaps. This was fewer cuts than anticipated at the start of the session. But they also funded or rebalanced some agency programs and staff. The -2 amendment was adopted . See the 4 Analysis documents for the budget additions and reductions, Budget Notes and final LFO recommendation. Passed the House and Senate Mar. 6. Oregonlive article and the Oregon Capital Chronicle addressed the 2025-27 budget rebalance. The Oregonian did a final budget review . SB 1601 was the Program Change bill. The -3 amendment was adopted and includes rebalance of ODOT’s programs in Section 11-23 and clarifies the 1% of lottery monies for county fair upgrades and repairs. Passed the Senate and House Mar 6. SB 5701 amends the limits established during the 2025 legislative session for the maximum amount of bonds and other financing agreements that state agencies may issue. The proceeds from the issuance of bonds are included as revenues in agency budgets. The -2 amendment and the LFO Recommendation includes increases in general obligation and lottery revenue bonds authorized. Bond sales are not anticipated until the spring of 2027. Passed the Senate and House Mar. 6. SB 5702 : Establishes and modifies limits on payment of expenses from specified funds by certain state for capital construction . Capital Construction 6-year limitation. -1 amendment LFO Recommendation Mar. 5 passed Senate. Mar. 6 passed House. SB 5703 : Modifies amounts allocated from the Administrative Services Economic Development Fund, Veterans' Services Fund, Criminal Fine Account, Oregon Marijuana Account and Fund for Student Success. Mar. 5 passed Senate. Mar. 6 passed House. HB 5203 : Approves certain new or increased fees adopted by state agencies. The bill includes the Dept. of State Lands Wetlands processing fees set forth during rulemaking for which the League engaged. Fee Ratification. LFO Recommendation Mar. 6 Passed the House and Senate. SB 1510 : Updates the terminology used to describe certain income earned by multinational corporations to reflect a change in the term used in federal law a bill. This omnibus bill, with amendments, would provide an opportunity to explore additional tax policy for consideration in the 2027 session. It is easier to understand the many provisions of SB 1510 by reviewing the summary provided by the Legislative Revenue Office of the bill and its -4 amendments . Feb. 24: Passed the Senate (28/1/1). Passed the House Mar. 4. HB 4014 : Establishes the Task Force on Taxation of International Income with the amendments. -2 amendment replaced the “study” bill. Staff Measure Summary . Due to this complicated tax policy, parties agreed to use the interim to consider impacts on this federal tax policy on Oregon revenue. Passed the House floor (32/26/2). On to the Senate floor at adjournment. Business interests want to have this conversation behind closed doors rather than an open public Task Force. The bill died but the conversation will continue. SB 1511 : A bill modifying the estate tax that would have increased the $1 million exemption to the estate tax to $2.5 million failed this session. The tax rates would have been greatly increased for the highest valued estates but fewer estates would pay an estate tax. For the first biennium, the revenue would have been about the same as our current estate tax SB 1511 . The revenue staff provided this analysis on the A -3 amendment that was approved by the Senate) with no expected revenue loss for this biennium, but $35 million by 2029-31. The bill did not pass out of House Revenue by end of session, but may be back in the long session. Two bills focused on increasing tax incentives for economic development faced intense debate and scrutiny, and one , SB 1586 , was withdrawn on March 3 due to much public outcry about tax breaks for data centers and the expansion of the Metro’s Urban Growth Boundary into land zoned as rural agricultural land, in violation of the 2014 Grand Bargain. OPB provided an article on this contentious bill. LWVOR testimony in opposition to the bill and additional testimony opposing the -7 amendment . The bill remained in Senate Finance and Revenue at the end of session, but is likely back in some form in 2027. The other economic development bill, HB 4084 A introduced by Governor Kotek, would fast track the permitting process for certain new business development t o be completed within 120 days, by means of a specially appointed Joint Permitting Council to oversee the each permitting agency’s permitting process. This section of the bill aligns with a federal program: Permitting Council’s FAST-41 Assistance for States. In addition, in the bill as introduced, all local property taxes abatements for Enterprise Zones were to be extended. This bill was also controversial because of these extensions since it would allow data centers which are hotly contested throughout the US, and which are the primary recipients of these tax credits, to not pay local property taxes for many years. After several amendments, three were incorporated into the final bill. LWVOR comments . The final bill included these provisions as summarized by LRO: Removes the $40 million General Fund appropriation to OBDD for deposit into the Industrial Site Loan Fund. (However, HB 5204 included $10 million for the Regional Infrastructure Fund, $5 million to support horse racing events at county fairgrounds, $5 million cash and $10 million bonds into the Industrial Site Loan Fund, and $10 million in lottery bond funds. The bonding bill provided targeted investments in sewer and water projects statewide to help with increased housing development demands.) Modifies SB 1507 (2026) to limit the tax credit for job creation to certain specified qualified industries. To qualify for the tax credit, a taxpayer must receive an attestation-based certification from Business Oregon, who will develop the tax credit application process, establish job creation determination methodology, and further define the term “qualified industry” through rulemaking. Excludes any qualified property of an authorized business in an enterprise zone with an operating data center from entering into a written agreement with the enterprise zone sponsor to 1) extend the period during which the qualified property is exempt from taxation beyond the allowable three years; 2) agree to flexible hiring timelines; and 3) approve alternative performance criteria. Prohibits data center properties from authorization as an eligible business firm prior to 90 days after the adjournment of the 2027 legislative session. An amendment was added at the end that puts this one-year moratorium on all new data center development certifications by Business Oregon, starting three months after the close of session. This allows the Governor’s Oregon Data Center Advisory Committee time to consider the various impacts of data center development on Oregon, and to report back to the Legislature with their recommendations. It also limits the existing Standard Enterprise (for urban areas) tax break to three years, but allows all other currently operating data centers, including those in rural areas of the state, to continue to receive tax breaks through the extended time periods as outlined in the bill. Oregonlive provided a great analysis of the impact of data centers. Oregonlive update on data centers in this legislation. Oregon data center operators will save nearly a half-billion dollars in local property taxes this year through three different incentive programs. Kotek’s legislation, House Bill 4084 , would expand the fastest growing of those three programs. HB 4148 : Allows city and county services for which net local transient lodging tax revenue may be used to be provided either directly by the city or county or indirectly by a special district. The -7 amendment adopted that changes the percentage to 50/50 and passed the House floor Feb. 25 (40/12/4/4). Mar. 5 Passed the Senate (23/6/1). SJR 201 : Kicker Reform: Proposed an amendment to the Oregon Constitution to require a portion of surplus revenue that would otherwise be returned to personal income taxpayers to be used for funding public kindergarten through grade 12 education, community colleges and wildfire prevention and suppression, if surplus revenue exceeds a certain threshold. OPB covered a story about the bill . T he League has long supported kicker reform but we also note that, with our new state economist, another kicker is not expected in the near term. The bill did not get a Work Session. HB 4136 : Disallows, for purposes of personal income taxation, a mortgage interest deduction for a residence other than the taxpayer’s principal residence , unless the taxpayer sells the residence or actively markets the residence for sale. The bill had one public hearing on Feb. 16 and died in committee. The League is hopeful that a version of this bill will return in 2027. HB 4125 : Prescribes methodology for the preparation of revenue estimates used in the budgeting process and as applicable to the surplus revenue refund process — potential kicker reform. Public Hearing Feb. 2. The bill died in Committee . On Feb. 20, the US Supreme Court declared that President Trump does not have authority to impose widespread tariffs under a specific federal statute. Oregon’s Attorney General, Dan Rayfield, led the coalition of states arguing that the President did not have this authority. HB 4061 B passed that provides monies to help Oregon businesses hurt by these tariffs. Budget Report . The bill passed the House on Mar. 3 and passed the Senate Mar. 6. On Thursday Mar. 5, Rayfield and officials from 23 other states filed a lawsuit against the new tariff at the U.S. Court of International Trade, with Oregon again leading the way. “Budget aftershocks from the Trump cuts to Medicaid and SNAP will keep hitting Oregon in future years,” said Senator Jama. “Oregon lawmakers must continue working together to make resources stretch and to help families thrive.” As we await the May 20th Revenue Forecast, we watch for data that may change the forecast. Oregonlive reports that Oregon exports are down. Then we now have a war with Iran that, so far, has increased gas and diesel prices. That increases costs to state agencies, local governments, Oregon businesses and individuals. Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain — supply more than a third of the world’s urea, an important nitrogen fertilizer, and nearly a quarter of another one, ammonia. And they all use the Strait of Hormuz to export their products. So that means less food production and an increase in food prices. The February national jobs report was not good (loss of almost 100,000 jobs) and the national unemployment rate rose to 4.4%. (In Oregon, we’re at 5.2%.) As we watch the U.S. and Oregon’s economy, we note the Oregon Capital Chronicle Jobs Report article , of special concern as Oregon is an income tax state. According to this Oregonlive article , Oregonians are working the fewest hours since 2010. Oregon workers are spending less time on the job, another indication that the state’s labor market continues to sag. The average Oregonian worked less than 33 hours a week in December, according to federal data. That’s the lowest number since 2010, when the state was still digging out from the Great Recession — even worse than the sharp decline that accompanied the pandemic. As we continue to be concerned about the economy, we note a study related to AI: Brookings Institution study on AI job losses and adaptability points out metros most at risk – Portland Business Journal Roughly 30% of workers displaced by artificial intelligence will struggle to find new jobs, according to a new report from the National Bureau of Economic Research and Brookings Institution. While 70% of highly AI-exposed workers would likely be able to transition to another job, the rest may have trouble adapting “due to limited savings, advanced age, scarce local opportunities, and/or narrow skill sets. ”What’s more, of the displaced workers in low-adaptive jobs, 86% are women. The League will continue to work with the Oregon Revenue Coalition and others as we address the need for increased revenue to pay for the services Oregonians need. The Ways and Means Co-Chairs warn of increased demand and federal funding cuts for the 2027-29 and 2029-31 biennia. It's time to work with state agencies as they develop their 2027-29 budgets. Here’s some budget guidance that agencies have received: 2027-29 Budget Guidance: Governor's Letter and CFO 2027-29 Budget POP Guidance . Bottom line: The Governor has asked state agencies to provide a “neutral” budget. If they want to add a program or staff, they need to find a program or staff to remove from their budget request. You can contact the agency you want to engage with as they work to provide proposals to the Governor around June. See other sections of the Legislative Report for information about specific agencies or areas of concern.
- Governance | LWV of Oregon
LWVOR follows governance-related policy in the state legislature. Governance Overview The League of Women Voters of Oregon is actively working toward a more accessible government, better educational resources, statewide privacy protections and more. Read More Governance Reports Mar 9, 2026 Legislative Report - Week of 3/9 Though the session has concluded, our work continues as bills that succeeded or failed influence upcoming policy and budget considerations. Read More Mar 2, 2026 Legislative Report - Week of March 2 League governance work is intensifying and focusing on campaign finance, with legislative drama also around the gas tax referendum. Only one week remains in this short session. Read More Feb 23, 2026 Legislative Report - Week of 2/23 The editorial board of the Oregonian featured the League opposition to HB 4018 8, which revokes campaign finance reforms, “Editorial: A complete betrayal on campaign finance”, Feb 22, 2026. Read More Feb 16, 2026 Legislative Report - Week of 2/16 We have filed testimony on more than half of the governance bills we’re following. Informational hearings in Joint Committee Information Management Technology are well worth watching, this week for protecting local journalism and data breach policy. Read More Feb 9, 2026 Legislative Report - Week of 2/9 We worked on an assortment of bills this week including elections, artificial intelligence, law enforcement, privacy rights, and funding. League testimony was filed for 6 of the 20 we tagged for Governance that were heard in committees Read More Feb 2, 2026 Legislative Report - Week of 2/2 Catch up on interim news and highlights of some of the 40 governance bills we've identified, out of 700 bills so far this session. We’re preparing testimony for seven of them in the session’s first two days so expect more individual reports next week. Read More Jan 26, 2026 Legislative Report - Week of January 26 The Joint Committee for Information Management and Technology (JCIMT) will focus for the 2026 session on a comprehensive strategy to strengthen digital transparency and public infrastructure against evolving technological threats, by modernizing state AI and data security policies. Read More Dec 1, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of December 1 LWVOR has a hand in LWV litigation, and Governance is observing. Read More Oct 21, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of October 13 Federal pressure on Oregon resonated throughout legislative hearings and made news for national guard activation against small peaceful ICE protests. Read More Aug 11, 2025 Legislative Report - Sine Die - Week of 8/11 This sine die report summarizes the Governance portfolio work that took place over the 2025 Legislative Session. Read More Jun 30, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 6/30 In the last few days of the legislative session, we saw extraordinary machinations on campaign finance reform. Read More Jun 23, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 6/23 HB 3954 was revived last week after a League letter called for action on the bill, for the Adjutant General to not allow the Oregon National Guard to be called to active service, except for certain reasons. This bill became more relevant with the California National Guard being called to action by the President in Los Angeles, overriding the Mayor and California Governor. Read More Jun 16, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 6/16 HB 3954 tells the Oregon Adjutant General not to allow the Oregon National Guard to be called to active service, except for certain reasons, timelier now with the California National Guard in the news. HB 3954 had a May 5 public hearing, but no subsequent work session. We wrote a commenting letter and sent it to the Governor's staff, the Attorney General, Chair and House Rules Committee members, and bill sponsors, to urge action on this bill, considering amending if it is needed. Read More Jun 9, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 6/9 HB3936 A bans the use of AI on state assets if the AI is developed or owned by a covered (foreign) vendor. It has already passed the House 52 to 0. It is now scheduled for a final debate and vote on the Senate floor on June 9. Read More Jun 2, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 6/2 The Elections Division of the Secretary of State is asking the public for feedback on draft administrative rules that would implement HB 4025 (2024). It has also appointed a Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) to work on these new administrative rules. Read More May 26, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 5/26 The Elections Division of the Secretary of State is asking the public for feedback on draft administrative rules that would implement HB 4025 (2024). It has also appointed a Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) to work on these new administrative rules. Read More May 19, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 5/19 HB 3766 had a second public hearing in the Senate Judiciary after passing unanimously from the House Floor. League testimony supported the bill as written to allow civil action against an adult who, unbidden, digitally sends intimate images (cyber-flashing) with the intent to harass, degrade or humiliate. Updated League testimony was filed and presented to address amendments quantifying defendant age and limiting damages to $10,000. We recommended reading Criminalising Cyberflashing. Read More May 12, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 5/12 We are following numerous bills relating to campaign finance, privacy/consumer protection, elections, and artificial intelligence. Read More May 5, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 5/5 HB 3392 is said to be the vehicle for a gut and stuff of the technical fixes for HB 4024 (2024). This bill is currently a study of campaign finance by the Secretary of State. Amendments are under discussion but not yet posted on OLIS. Read More Apr 28, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 4/28 Bills with League testimony are progressing, reported here, and several not addressed in the first chamber will be considered for testimony in the second chamber. Read More Apr 21, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 4/21 SB 1180: Requires the Secretary of State to submit to the Legislative Assembly, by November 1 of each odd-numbered year, a list of each prospective statewide initiative petition that has been filed for the next general election. Read More Apr 14, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 4/14 The League continues to follow the bills listed on the March 17 agenda of the Senate Committee On Rules since some of the bills relate to the process of rulemaking. After legislation is passed, agencies are required to implement those laws. That action often requires rulemaking to clarify the details around that implementation. But the League is concerned when legislators “get a second bite at the apple” by relitigating the legislation when rulemaking is only meant to implement, not change policies. Read More Apr 7, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 4/7 We are following numerous bills relating to initiatives, rulemaking, and elections. Read More Mar 31, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 3/31 We are following numerous bills relating to initiatives, broadband/vote-by-mail privacy, and elections. Read More Mar 24, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 3/24 We are following numerous bills relating to redistricting, broadband/vote-by-mail privacy, elections, government ethics, and rulemaking. Read More Mar 17, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 3/17 We are following numerous bills relating to redistricting, broadband/vote-by-mail privacy, and elections. Read More Mar 10, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 3/10 We are following numerous bills relating to campaign finance and elections, courts and privacy, and government ethics. Read More Mar 3, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 3/3 We are following numerous bills relating to campaign finance and elections, courts and privacy, government ethics, and revenue. Read More Feb 24, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 2/24 We are following numerous bills relating to campaign finance reform, federal concerns and privacy, and government ethics. Read More Feb 17, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 2/17 We are following numerous bills relating to campaign finance reform, immigration, bias and hate crimes, and government ethics. Read More Feb 10, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 2/10 We are watching for AI and further cybersecurity and privacy bills, welcoming two new volunteers who will have AI bill reports soon. Read More Feb 3, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 2/3 We are following numerous bills relating to immigration, discrimination, bias and hate crimes, including as they relate to privacy. Read More Jan 20, 2025 Legislative Report - Week of 1/20 A CFR workgroup called by Rep. Fahey that began in June is still working to identify technical adjustments needed to ensure successful implementation of HB 4024 (2024), to recommend legislative fixes for 2025, and to consider broader policy improvements for future sessions. Read More Dec 20, 2024 Legislative Report - December Interim 2024 The House and Senate Rules committees met during the interim days last week. Read More Oct 1, 2024 Legislative Report - September Legislative Days The House and Senate Rules committees met during the interim days last week. Senate Rules met Sept. 24 to consider various executive appointments. Read More Jun 10, 2024 Legislative Report - Interim Week 6/10 The House and Senate Rules committees met during the interim days last week. House Rules met May 31 to hear from representatives of the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy. Senate Rules met May 20 to consider various appointments. Read More Apr 22, 2024 Legislative Report - Sine Die 2024 Since this was a short session things seemed to move quickly. In the beginning there seemed to be adequate notice on hearings and bills to be heard, changing as the session progressed. Read More Mar 4, 2024 Legislative Report - 3/4 An amazingly historic thing happened with campaign finance reform as explained here in the Capital Chronicle. Read More Feb 26, 2024 Legislative Report - Week of 2/26 During the 2/29 public hearing on the -3 amendment to this placeholder bill, HB 4024, good government groups severely criticized the amendment for leaving huge loopholes for special interest organizations to still make 6-figure campaign contributions. Read More Feb 19, 2024 Legislative Report - Week of 2/19 A placeholder bill, HB 4024, is being pressed into service from unusual partners, labor (which is otherwise promoting IP 42 against IP 9), and business. Read More Feb 12, 2024 Legislative Report - Week of 2/12 SB 1538 is an election law clean-up bill that makes many changes, was amended in several details and passed out of the Senate Rules Committee on 2/15. Read More Feb 5, 2024 Legislative Report - Week of 2/5 For the first week of session, this news includes committee bills we’re working on / watching and news from the quarterly EPAB Meeting. Read More Jan 15, 2024 Legislative Report - Week of 1/15 The Interim Senate Rules and Executive Appointments Committee met 1/10/24 and introduced three legislative concepts (LCs) for the Public Records Advisory Council (PRAC) to study public records requests fees charged (LC 196); make youth sporting events grants available (LC 195); and to make many changes in an election law clean-up bill (LC 194). Read More Nov 13, 2023 Legislative Report - November Interim The LWV of Oregon has endorsed and is actively circulating IP 9 on Campaign Finance and IP 14 on Redistricting. Read More Oct 2, 2023 Legislative Report - September Interim The LWV of Oregon has endorsed and is actively circulating IP 9 on Campaign Finance and IP 14 on Redistricting. We urge you to download, print, sign and return petitions by mail from Honest Elections for IP 9 and People Not Politicians for IP 14. Read More Aug 18, 2023 Legislative Report - Sine Die In the final days of the legislative session only one bill, SB 166, the SoS’s omnibus elections bill, passed that included any campaign finance provisions. Read More Jun 26, 2023 Legislative Report - Week of 6/26 In the final days of the Legislative session, only one bill, SB 166 Enrolled, passed that included many subjects. Read More Jun 12, 2023 Legislative Report - Week of 6/12 The OR Senate walkout from May 3 finally ended on June 15, with a quorum present. 394 bill actions were scheduled including 40 from the House, which suspended rules to increase by 10. 144 bills have already been signed by the Governor. Read More Jun 5, 2023 Legislative Report - Week of 6/5 The June 8 House Rules Committee finally saw some CFR action, starting at ~1:20 in the video. Speaker Rayfield’s staff explained some history, concepts, and complications of crafting a CFR bill. Read More May 29, 2023 Legislative Report - Week of 5/29 Hopes for breaking the Senate walkout logjam seem slim, now in the sixth week. The singular focus on HB 2002 is likely to kill many critical bills as processing time vanishes, including critical cybersecurity bills carried over from 2022. Read More
- Donation FAQs | LWV of Oregon
Frequently asked questions about donations to the League. / Donation FAQs / Donation FAQs Donate Online You can participate in smaller monthly giving programs to the League of Women Voters of Oregon by clicking on the appropriate button at the top right of this page. Mail If you wish to mail a check, please print this donation form, fill it out, and then mail to the LWVOR office. Checks should be made out to LWVOR. Planned Giving Planned Giving offers a variety of tools to provide supp ort for the League of Women Voters of Oregon: For more information please download our Planned Giving brochure pdf . Corporate LWVOR urges corporate leaders and small business owners to join with other civic-minded individuals and groups to help us empower Oregon citizens to participate meaningfully in the democratic process. Sponsorship opportunities are available, and include acknowledgment in our publications. All gifts to the League are fully tax-deductible to the extent provided by law. Contact LWVOR for more information on any of the above or ask about stock contribution donations. Donations to LWVOR are tax-deductible and support the following: Your Action Team – League members who follow the Capitol and Legislature carefully and take action when position and support allow. The Action Team also reports to membership through publication of Legislative Reports provided during the annual sessions. Legislative Report production and publication Promotion of good government practices through testimony and other methods. Good government practices include: Fiscal responsibility of state government Adequate funding of government services Citizen involvement in the legislative process Administration of services to local Leagues and League members Voters’ Guide production, printing and distribution Statewide studies & Comprehensive, unbiased reports Oregon Student Mock Election Unbiased, nonpartisan citizen information Litigation to help clarify laws in the public interest And more…
- Revenue | LWV of Oregon
Revenue Read Our 2025 Priorities Here LWVOR Advocacy Positions Note: these are condensed versions. See the complete positions in Issues for Action . 2026 Legislative Priority ASSURE ADEQUATE REVENUE from all levels of government to provide essential services while promoting equitable and progressive tax policy. Address changes in federal taxation. Consider new revenue to fund services Oregonians need. Positions 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
- Legislative Report - Week of 2/17
Back to All Legislative Reports Social Policy Legislative Report - Week of 2/17 Social Policy Team Coordinator: Jean Pierce • After School and Summer Care: Katie Riley • Behavioral Health: Trish Garner • Criminal Justice/Juvenile Justice: Marge Easley / Sharron Noon • Education: Jean Pierce / Stephanie Engle • Equal Rights for All Ballot Measure: Jean Pierce Kyra Aguon • Gender-Related Concerns, Reproductive Health, Age Discrimination: Trish Garner • Gun Safety & Gun Issues, Rights for Incarcerated People: Marge Easley • Hate and Bias Crimes: Claudia Keith/ Becky Gladstone /rhyen enger • Health Care: Christa Danielsen • Housing: Debbie Aiona and Nancy Donovan Jump to topic: Behavioral Health Child Care Criminal Justice Education Housing Immigration, Refugee, and Asylum Public Safety Behavioral Health By Stephanie Aller On February 10, the House Committee on Education held a work session on HB 2596 (Interstate Licensure Compact for School Psychologists). The Committee voted to move the bill to the floor with a “Do Pass” recommendation. Rep. Neron will be the carrier of the bill on the floor. On February 11, the House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care held public hearings on HB 2013 and HB 2041 . HB 2013 would amend ORS 743A.168 to include outpatient treatment clinics that employ certified alcohol and drug counselors (CADCs) as providers for purposes of mental health insurance coverage. Phil Broyles of Teras Intervention and Counseling testified that most private insurers will not reimburse CADCs for doing the same care as other providers. This has limited access to care because CADCs are a significant part of the workforce for substance use disorder treatment. HB 2041 would require insurers to reimburse mental health providers at the same rate as physicians and other medical providers when performing the same services. Representatives from insurance companies testified in opposition to the bill stating that it would drive up costs. The representative from the Oregon Psychological Association (OPA) testified that OPA was neutral on the bill but stated that the problem of low reimbursement rates is the major factor limiting access to care. Due to the low reimbursement rates, behavioral health providers opt out of participating in the insurance networks. HB 3185 was scheduled for a hearing on February 13, but the hearing was cancelled due to the weather. The bill involves a pilot program for students from Portland State University and Eastern Oregon University. The students receive a tuition reduction and placement at a non-profit . HB 3185 would prioritize those students whose studies focus on underserved fields such as behavioral health, housing insecurity, and K-12. On February 11, the Senate Committee on Health Care began a public hearing on SB 140 . At the hearing, behavioral health executives from hospitals testified about their reimbursement rate problems and discussed ways to better coordinate care and streamline processes in the system. The hearing was carried over to February 13, but that was cancelled due to the weather. Child care By Katie Riley The Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education held an informational meeting on Monday, February 10 to review the Oregon Department of Education's (ODE) three reports on the results of the 2024 Legislative session on HB4082 which provided $30 million for 2024 summer learning and set up a task force to plan for the future of summer and after school. They include a Final Report on the task force as well as a report on the process of implementing funding and a participant survey . The ODE review in the legislative committee was glowing about the results of summer school activities; however, the Oregonian reported concerns about inadequate and uneven tracking of goal outcomes. In addition, there was no split between summer school outcomes and after hours care spending and outcomes. Reporting on the use of community-based organizations did not differentiate between care and enrichment organizations, and there was no attempt to look at their effectiveness. Funding is key to providing adequate care during non-school hours. SB896 was heard the previous week. It would allocate funds for after-school care. HB3039 which provides for summer funding has not been heard yet. Neither bill has a funding amount attached at this time although the Governor has proposed $78.5 million for summer funding. ODE’s HB4082 final report included $50 million per year for the next two years. League Testimony supported HB3011 which Establishes the Early Childhood Education Workforce Development Fund and appropriates moneys in the fund to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to provide funding to community colleges and public universities in this state that offer early childhood education degrees and certificates. No funding was attached to the bill. Potentially, these funds could also support afterschool staff. Criminal Justice By Marge Easley The League submitted supportive testimony on February 13 for HB 2233 , which continues funding for a legal services program at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. The Re*Membering program, established by the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, provides legal assistance to adults in custody or those newly released for civil matters that are barriers to successful reentry into the community, such as child custody, divorce, domestic abuse, debt, housing, employment, or property. Education By Jean Pierce Testimony was prepared for two bills which were scheduled for a Public Hearing in the House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development on February 13. But since all committee meetings were cancelled due to inclement weather, the testimonies will be filed at a later date. HB3182 directs the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide affordable housing support to low-income students. A 2023 survey of Portland Community College students revealed that 56% were dealing with housing insecurity. HB3183 would appropriate money to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission for the Open Educational Resources Program which provides no-cost, low-cost textbooks and course materials for higher ed students. A single textbook can cost as much as $600, so a 2022 survey of students at Oregon State University revealed that 61% had not purchased textbooks due to the cost. Open Oregon Educational Resources data collected over six years from Community College students in the state have revealed that “the average materials cost for the two-year Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer degree in 2021 was $1,143.62, a 47% drop since the study began in 2015”. Housing By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona Public hearings have been held on several housing-related bills to address our state’s low homeownership rate. According to Census data, Oregon’s homeownership rate is approximately 64%, ranking Oregon 43rd in the nation [ American Census Survey Homeownership Data ]. In addition, of the 74% of Oregonians who rent, 48% consider achieving homeownership a top priority. These numbers are even higher among younger generations, Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X (81-88%), and Black, Indigenous, Latino/a/x, and People of Color (96%). Oregon Realtors Statewide Housing Survey . Listed below are housing priorities of the statewide Housing Alliance, of which our League is a member. HB 2090 currently in the House Committee on Revenue is proposing to extend the manufactured dwelling park closure tax credit for displaced residents. The bill would mitigate the cost to manufactured dwelling park households who are forced to move due to market forces, development, or landlord closure. The tax credit sunset would be extended from 2026 to 2032 and allow for a refundable income tax credit of $5,000 for residents of manufactured dwellings who rent space and are displaced when a park closes. HB 3236 is a housing tax credit for lending for affordable homeownership. It expands the Affordable Housing Lender Fund to provide funds for origination and servicing of mortgage loans and related costs for eligible homebuyers. The state Department of Revenue is to allow a tax credit against taxes to a lending institution that makes a qualified loan to the Lender Fund to assist eligible home buyers. HB 3235 The state Housing and Community Services Department would award grants to organizations to support first-time home buyers to purchase residential property to build equity ownership in the residential property through below market interest rates and accelerated loan terms. This program would provide a new resource for homebuyers by blending private bank capital with state funding. HB 2698 sets a goal of attaining a statewide homeownership rate as determined by the American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau. It requires the Housing and Community Services Department to track goal progress as part of the Housing Needs Analysis. It is required to update a publicly available statewide housing production dashboard of progress toward the homeownership goal based on the homeownership rate and in the aggregate, and by race and ethnicity. Immigration By Becky Gladstone We are researching this immigration-related bill, not yet scheduled for a hearing. SB 703 directs DHS to give service providers grants to help noncitizens change their immigration status. Public Safety By Karen Nibler The House Early Childhood and Behavioral Health Committee scheduled a hearing for HB 3079 , which would require the Department of Human Services and the Housing and Community Services Department to study options for allocating 30 percent of their respective budgets in the 2027-2029 biennium toward reducing the number of youth aging into adult homelessness. Due to cold weather, the February 13 hearing will be rescheduled. The newly-emancipated youth at 18 can rarely afford to pay current rents without family or agency assistance. Those without family support require highly-paid jobs to afford current rent prices. Those in college programs can apply for rental assistance, but those without resources are not able to pay current rents. The Joint Addictions Subcommittee heard testimony on SB 782 on February 12, 2025. This bill is a follow-up on HB 4002 (2024) which provided funds for deflection programs within county mental health programs. However, those who testified reported that the initial funds through the Criminal Justice Commission grants were not sufficient to operate county-wide programs for housing, jail space and behavior health treatment programs. These programs are needed for those charged with alcohol and drug offenses and subsequently supervised by county probation staff and state parolee staff.
- Support the Advocacy Fund | LWV of Oregon
Support the Advocacy Fund of the League of Women Voters of Oregon. / Advocacy / Support the Advocacy Fund / Support the Advocacy Fund About the LWVOR Advocacy Fund The League of Women Voters of Oregon Advocacy Fund (LWVORAF) is a 501(c)(4) grassroots political organization that is run through the generosity of our donors and the hard work of volunteers. It allows us to support petitioning, ballot measures and other campaigns that are not allowed for the 501(c)(3) LWVOR organization. Donations made to the LWVORAF are not tax deductible. Donate
- Calendar | LWV of Oregon
Upcoming events happening around Oregon. Check registration details. / Calendar / Calendar Meetings, Holidays, and Other Events Our events, meetings, and online/in-person opportunities can be found in our VOTER monthly newsletter in the NEWS section . Contact lwvor@lwvor.org if you have any questions or require a meeting link. Note: Many events are open to League members only. You can sign up for League communications here. Email membership@lwvor.org or call us at (503) 581-5722 for more information. Join or renew League membership online here .
- Convention 2023 | LWV of Oregon
Event information about Convention 2023. This event is closed. LWVOR CONVENTION 2023 Registration for delegates and observers now open! Presidents, please register your delegates here . Observers can register independently. **NEW** Registrations are now open for non-League members to attend our speakers and workshops! Register here. FIRST CALL TO CONVENTION Is the biennial State Meeting of the League of Women Voters of Oregon, which is held on alternate years to the S tate Council. First Call is issued so that local Leagues can begin to plan and discuss matters that will be presented at the convention. TIME & PLACE The 2023 State Convention will be held Friday through Sunday, May 19-21, 2023 in Eugene, OR at The Graduate Hotel. HOSTS League of Women Voters of Lane County PURPOSE The convention shall consider changes to the Bylaws; shall consider and authorize for action a program; shall elect the president, first vice-president, secretary, three directors (two-year terms), and a chair and two members of the nominating committee; shall adopt a budget for the ensuing year; and shall transact such other business as may be presented. DELEGATES The convention shall consist of the Board of Directors of the LWVOR and delegates chosen by members through the local Leagues. Each local League shall be entitled to two delegates for the first 40 members or fewer. If possible, one delegate should be the President. An additional delegate is allowed for every 20 additional members or major fraction (10 or more) thereof belonging to the local League as of January 31, 2023. Each approved State Unit of members-at-large (MALs) shall be entitled to one delegate. For those MAL’s not in an approved unit, MAL representation at convention shall be one delegate for every 20 MALs or major fraction (10 or more) thereof. If there are fewer than 10 MALs, the interest of the MALs shall be represented by the LWVOR Membership Chair. OBSERVERS Any member of the LWVOR (in a local League, a State Unit, or as a general MAL) may attend as an observer. Observers may not vote, but may, upon recognition of the Chair, have the privilege of the floor. All League members are urged to exercise this privilege, and members are encouraged to register as observers. BASIC COSTS Registration payments can be made here. In-person delegate: $200/person for registration, all events, lunch Saturday, and dinner Saturday. Additional costs include parking and hotel room. Virtual delegate: $130/person for registration, all A/V events. In-person observer: $200/person for registration, all events, lunch Saturday, and dinner Saturday. Additional costs include parking and hotel room. Virtual observer: $130/person for registration, all A/V events. Guests for banquet: $65/person for dinner banquet attendance. (Optional, but please feel free to bring your partner!) We accept Paypal, credit cards, and debit cards for registration. Please enter your Delegate/Observer, In-Person/Virtual information in the "Designation" field. (Example: "Delegate Registration - In-Person.") Hotel reservations can be made online or by phone: Call 844-888-4723. Use BOOKING CODE: 0519WV. Use this booking link: League of Women Voters of Oregon – Guestrooms CAUCUSES Please register your caucus here . CONVENTION SCHEDULE Proposed Order of Business ***DRAFT *** Friday May 19, 2023 3:30 pm - Registration and Dine Around sign-up - 2nd floor Mezzanine 4:00-4:30 - LWVOR Board Meeting 4:30 - Shelton McMurphey Johnson House tour and wine tasting 6:00-8:00 - Dine Around 8:00 - Caucuses Saturday May 20, 2023 Attendees: Breakfast on your own 8:00am - Registration opens - 2nd floor Mezzanine 8:00am - Parliamentary Procedure Workshop (optional) - Studio A 9:00-10:15am - Opening and Business Session I - Vista Room Flag ceremony Greetings from Local Dignitary Introductions Roll Call of Local Leagues Reports of Credentials Committee Chair – Lisa Bentson Adoption of Convention Rules Adoption of Order of Business (Agenda) Committee Appointments (Credentials Committee, Minutes Committee, Elections Committee, Resolutions Review Committee, Timekeeper) Review of 2022 Council Minutes Summary – Rebecca Gladstone 10:15-10:30am - Break 10:45-11:45am - Business Session I continued - Vista Room President’s Report – Rebecca Gladstone Treasurer’s Annual Report – Kermit Jensen Presentation of Proposed 2023-2024 Budget – Kathleen Hersh Questions on Budget Presentation of Proposed Program – Anne Goldner Notice of intent to move not-recommended items by local Leagues Bylaws Committee Report – Alice Bartelt Nominating Committee Report – Libby Medley Action Committee Recognition Announcements End Business Session I 12: 00pm - Lunch Box - Vista Room Pickup 12: 30-12:45pm - Honoring Past Presidents & Board Members - Vista Room 1:00-2:00pm - Regina Lawrence, PhD; Agora Journalism Center, University of Oregon - “The Decline of Local News: What’s Happening to Local Journalism in Oregon and How It Matters” 2:00-2:15pm - Break 2:15-5:00pm - Workshops 2:15 - 3:35pm - Youth Engagement - Studio A 2:15 - 3:35pm - 1st Amendment Panel - Studio B 3:50 - 5:00pm - Nomination Taskforce - Studio A 3:50 - 5:00pm - Climate Change - LWVUS Activities - Studio B 5:00-6:00pm Break 6:00pm - No host Cocktail Party - 2nd floor Mezzanine; Vista Room 6:30-7:15pm - Plated Dinner Served - Vista Room 6:35pm - Announcements Entertainment - Professional Harpist David Helfand 7:00-8:00pm - Speaker: Lee Zaitz -Owner/Editor Malheur Enterprise and Salem Reporter 8:30pm - Presidents Reception 9:00pm - Caucuses Sunday May 21, 2023 Breakfast on your own 7:15pm - Local League President’s Breakfast (bring breakfast) - Vista Room 8:30-10:30pm - Business Session II - Vista Room Credentials Report Unfinished Business Proposed Bylaws Changes Proposed Program Proposed Budget 10:30-11:00pm - Break & Check out 11:30-12:30pm -Business Session II continued Vista Room Resolutions and Other Business Election of Officers and Directors Presentation of New Board Remarks of Incoming President Thank the outgoing Board Directions to Incoming Board Announcement of Silent Auction Winners Announcement - Host of 2024 Council Photo Op 12:30pm - Adjourn 12:45pm - LWVOR Board Meeting - Director’s Room
- Board Resources | LWV of Oregon
STATE BOARD MEETING MATERIALS Filter by Date April 2023 LWVOR Board Meeting Materials April 2023 June 2022 LWVOR Board Meeting Materials June 2022 July 2023 LWVOR Board Meeting Materials July 2023 January 2023 LWVOR Board Meeting Materials January 2023 July 2022 LWVOR Board Meeting Materials July 2022 June 2023 LWVOR Board Meeting Materials June 2023 December 2023 LWVOR Board Meeting Materials December 2023 September 2023 LWVOR Board Meeting Materials September 2023 November 2023 LWVOR Board Meeting Materials November 2023 October 2022 LWVOR Board Meeting Materials October 2022 October 2023 LWVOR Board Meeting Materials October 2023 August 2023 LWVOR Board Meeting Materials August 2023
- ChapterSpot Resources | LWV of Oregon
League resources for the transition to the membership platform ChapterSpot. / ChapterSpot Resources / ChapterSpot Resources LWVOR is offering monthly office hours to discuss ChapterSpot and Stripe questions. Contact lwvor@lwvor.org for more information. ChapterSpot Updates for Leagues and Units Table of Contents ChapterSpot Member FAQs Membership Fees Structure New Membership Model - How it Will Affect Your League Individual Membership Change to Household and Student Membership Dues, Donations, and Tax-Deductible Percentages LWV Member Portal Administrator Guide ChapterSpot Member FAQs Not all members have received the invitation to join ChapterSpot yet. If this includes you, don’t worry! You will receive an invitation email soon. The email will come from transformation@lwv.org or kringkamp@lwv.org. Please check your spam or junk email folder as some members found theirs there. As we transition to the new portal, we want to address a few common concerns and provide clarity to ensure a smooth and stress-free experience for all members. 1. Checks are always accepted Checks are always accepted with our new system and members who prefer to pay by check can absolutely do so. To pay by check: Step 1: Make check payable to LWVUS Step 2: Include a note with your name and the purpose of payment. Step 3: Mail or give to your local League (for units, the LWVOR office) 2. Personal questions are optional We understand concerns about privacy and we want to reassure everyone that answering personal questions when setting up your ChapterSpot account is completely optional. When you first log in, you may see questions about sex, pronouns, birthdate, etc. However, each of these fields has a “Prefer not to answer” option - you just need to click the field to see it. To skip these questions: Step 1: Click the box for any question you’re not comfortable answering. Step 2: Select “Prefer not to answer” from the dropdown menu. Step 3: Continue with the setup process. More FAQs will be added here in the coming days and weeks. Check back soon! LWVOR FAQs More Information Membership Fees Structure: In the new Chapterspot system, dues are set as follows: ‘Pay what you can’: Any individual may join the League for one year by paying any amount equal to or greater than $20. The suggested amount will be $75. Member Types are only Individual or Life: There is no longer a Household membership type - though multiple league members at the same address are welcome to join and renew pay-what-you-can There is no longer a Student membership type - though some Leagues may choose to subsidize members to pay below the $20 minimum to further remove barriers to joining Persons who have been league members for 50 years are Life Members and will continue to have their member dues waived Payment and Renewal Payment information is stored by Stripe, a trusted payment processor. Payment information is not visible to anyone at any level of LWV. Auto-Renew: League Members will have the option to sign up for automatic renewal Don’t use online credit card or ACH payments? No problem! Checks for dues and donations will always be welcome, though they will have to be written on two separate checks. Starting in February 2025, donations by check intended for your local or state league must be made out to your local or state league. However, renewal/joining dues checks must be made out to LWVUS and given/sent to your local League treasurer address or for state/unit members, mailed to LWVOR at 1330 12th St SE, Suite 200, Salem OR 97302. Your local league or LWVOR will mail your check with a deposit slip to LWVUS to process. New Membership Model - How it Will Affect Our League Individual Membership Most of our league members will not need to renew their annual memberships around the February 1, 2025 cutover date. Every current member of Oregon leagues/units who have an email address in our system will receive an email in early 2025 directing you to log in to the ChapterSpot portal for the first time to “claim your membership.” This just means that you will log in and be given the opportunity to fill out any membership information asked by your League and to verify and update your data if needed in the LWVUS National League member database (ChapterSpot), even though your membership may not yet be up for renewal. Watch for this email. The LWV contract with ChapterSpot affirms that all data is owned and exclusively safeguarded for LWV purposes only. ChapterSpot is not authorized to use it for anything other than fulfilling its service to our organization. For those league members who cannot access the internet to claim their Chapterspot account, all League Membership Coordinators can maintain/update their membership information in Chapterspot and continue to track years of league membership as they do now. Change to Household and Student Membership Although renewals will not happen all at once, the change of member status will happen in early 2025 to all Household and Student membership levels. With the new ChapterSpot system, Household and Student membership types will be discontinued and everyone not a Life Member will be changed to Individual. Then, when your annual membership expiration approaches, you will receive an email renewal notice. This is a change from current practice of household renewal emails sent to the individual (primary) member, which includes the household member. When the Individual (Primary) member in your household receives their renewal notice, the individual member will have the option to renew on behalf of another member in your household as well, though a unique email will be requested for your household member. They should be aware that the notices are coming and that they have the option to renew on their own. Your email address is your username for ChapterSpot, so it’s important that you include one, even if you’re only an occasional internet user. This is the way you will receive renewal reminders and forgotten password emails. Because your email is your username, you won’t be able to have the same one as someone else. Any member can unsubscribe from some types of messages, such as fundraising emails or optional newsletters. As a member of our organization, some messages, such as those about your membership, are not optional. Dues, Donations and Tax-Deductible Percentages Any portion of dues or donations going to a 501(c)(3) are tax-deductible. Members can still donate directly as desired via their local or state league website “Donate” button, or by check. If your local and/or state League dues are going to a 501(c)(3), that will be identified in your confirmation email, which can be used as a tax receipt. An increase to 20% of dues will go to the local League, an increase to 47% of dues will go to the state League, and a decrease not to exceed 33% will go to LWVUS, in order to increase support for local and state voter education and advocacy efforts. Mem Fees New Mem Model Change Student Dues Donations 🔗 LWV Member Portal Administrators’ Guide LWV Guide
- Legislative Report - November Interim
Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - November Interim Governance Team Coordinator: Becky Gladstone and Chris Cobey Artificial Intelligence: Lindsey Washburn Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill Conflicts of Interest/Legislative Ethics: Chris Cobey CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone Election Systems: Barbara Klein Emergency Preparedness: Cate Arnold Immigration, Refugee, and Asylum: Claudia Keith Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey State Audit Working Group: Sheila Golden Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Jump to a topic: Campaign Finance and Redistricting County Elections challenges, EPAB-Broadband Equity, SCR, and Capitol update Election Methods Election Signs for Sale By Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator, and Team Campaign Finance and Redistricting By Norman Turill The LWV of Oregon has endorsed and is actively circulating IP 9 on Campaign Finance and IP 14 on Redistricting. Petitions can be downloaded, printed*, signed and returned by mail from the Honest Elections website for IP 9 and the People Not Politicians website for IP 14. Both initiative petition filings are due to the Secretary of State by July 5, 2024. *Be sure to print both sides! County Elections challenges, EPAB-Broadband Equity, SCR, and Capitol update By Rebecca Gladstone Legislative efforts reported here tend to be large projects better addressed in long sessions, so short sessions are often for urgent needs or to adjust and implement the Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) into Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR). Elections manuals are up for review and multiple election rulemaking hearings are set for December. Recent interim news includes: Oregon’s county elections staffing study Recommendations to House Rules included improving support with direct communications between the Elections Division, the Oregon Association of County Clerks (OACC) and the clerks themselves. As law enforcement i nvestigated elections office threats around the country, including in Lane County, House Rules heard a county elections staffing study presentation that found county elections working intensely for at least 8 months in even years, with inadequate and uneven funding to address more complex rules, technology, and safety efforts. Unusually heavy public records requests accompanied abuse, threats, and harassment. Retirements and unusually high resignation rates make understaffing worse. Pay is low for the stress and public scrutiny in the antagonistic political environment, “…the In-N-Out Burger across the street can out-pay me”. LWVOR has called for local Leagues to reach out in appreciation to their county election offices and is inquiring to LWVUS advocacy, as they discuss pushing the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee to increase support to protect elections workers . This LWVOR testimony includes lists of earlier support: SB 166 , ( testimony ) to protect elections workers SB 167 , ( testimony ) elections procedural updates HB 3073 , ( testimony ) home address privacy HB 3111 , ( testimony ) personal information privacy HB 4144 , ( testimony ) home address privacy HB 3047 , ( testimony ) doxing, harassment and injury SB 293 , ( testimony ) elevate state government privacy, confidentiality and data security The House Rules meeting materials included experts we consulted for our LWVOR Elections Methods studies. See the updates in 2023 , 2016 , and the 2008 in our archives. Oregon Data Literacy Framework Work Group update From the Dept of Administrative Services (DAS), the data literacy framework and final report is open to accept comments until January 31, 2024. The Chief Data Officer and Oregon Data Literacy Work Group and Chair will review comments to inform future implementation, expansion, and/or adjustments to the overall framework. SCR, Senate Commemorative Resolution for Alice Bartelt Senate President Rob Wagner requested League support in compiling and processing a resolution commemorating Alice Bartelt, our recently deceased LWVOR President. The draft was submitted to Legislative Counsel and will be presented during the 2024 session. The Capitol Accessibility, Maintenance, and Safety (CAMS) Project An update was presented to the Joint Legislative Administration Committee, describing completed work, what should be done in time for the 2025 session, and work continuing on after the 2025 session. For the 2024 session: Both chambers will be in use and accessible from the wings as during the 2023 session. Hearing Rooms A-F, 170 & 174 will be in use for committees. All three entrances on State Street and both garage entrances will be available. EPAB, Oregon Digital Equity Plan The Oregon Electronic Portal Advisory Board ( EPAB ) November quarterly meeting included a broadband equity report. The Oregon Broadband Office (OBO) has issued a Oregon Digital Equity Plan Report , with Strategy 1–Put People First, to identify Oregonian’s digital government needs and to continue updating the Oregon.gov platform. OBO welcomes all to submit comments on the draft via the OBO Public Comment Portal by 5pm PST, December 16, 2023. The draft Oregon Digital Equity plan: Addresses Oregon’s digital equity challenges. Will be submitted for implementation funding to the National Telecommunication & Information Administration (NTIA), with multiple E-Government Program and EPAB references. Describes the program services scope. Includes statewide Accessibility Guidance for Oregon.gov websites. Is an Enterprise accessibility testing/quality assurance tool for websites. Is a collaboration with PSU Hatfield School of Government to study online needs for Oregonians (2022) and the state’s communities of color (2023). BACKGROUND: OBO maintains an online, interactive map of Oregon broadband availability , created in 2009 with a new version launched in 2019. Data layers include service providers, broadband technologies, service speeds, service availability reported by providers to the FCC, population density, and anchor institutions. Oregon has funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and with OSU partnership, the map will be upgraded to include an application portal, dig once map, and data submission portal. The map has several information layers to enable OBO to support Oregon’s Digital Equity Plan. New upgrade layers include a map of maximum available download speed, locations lacking service, and separate layers for each of the following community anchor institution categories: community support (government and non-government), library, hospital, fire station, law enforcement, school (K-12), higher education, inclusive of a covered population layer. EPAB advises the State Chief Information Officer about Oregon’s web services, websites and e‑commerce. Rebecca Gladstone is the appointed public member. The Capitol Accessibility, Maintenance, and Safety (CAMS) Project An update was presented to Joint Legislative Administration, describing completed work, what should be done in time for the 2025 session, and work continuing on after the 2025 session. For the 2024 session: Both chambers will be in use and accessible from the wings as during the 2023 session. Hearing Rooms A-F, 170 & 174 will be in use for committees. All three entrances on State Street and both garage entrances will be available. Election Methods By Barbara Klein No bills were taken up during this interim legislative session that relate to election systems. There were rumors of some efforts to oppose Ranked Choice Voting via legislation or the ballot, but as of yet, it is unclear whether this will materialize. Due to the decision of the legislature in June 2023, Ranked Choice Voting will be on the 2024 general ballot (for implementation in 2028). Election Signs for Sale The LWV of Umpqua Valley has 3 different kinds of signs. They are double-sided, printed on sturdy paper, coated to make them rain-proof, and 18 inches by 12 inches (not self-standing). See LWV Umpqua Valley for more information and photos of the signs: 1) End Gerrymandering Now and on the back #Fair Maps 2) Vote411 and on the back Register to Vote 3) Voting is People Power and it’s blank on the backside The signs are $5 each plus UPS shipping. Contact them at info@lwvuv.org .






