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Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 1/15 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Jump to a topic: Climate Emergency Highlights Senate Energy and Environment Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust Climate Bills Volunteers Needed By Claudia Keith, Climate Emergency Coordinator and team Climate Emergency Highlights By Claudia Keith Updating Oregon statute with meaningful (to align with best available science) Greenhouse Gas Emission reduction goals continues to be a League priority. See Senator Dembrow’s Jan 13 newsletter : LC 173. [now SB 1559 , a one-pager]. This topic was eliminated from the 2023 Climate Action Omnibus bill, HB 3409. LWVOR Advocacy Climate priorities are included in the recently finalized 2024 LWVOR Legislative Prioritizes: LWV Oregon’s environmental coalition partner Oregon Conservation Network (OCN) recently published their priorities which include two Climate-related topics: “1) A Strong Climate Budget: We must continue to make progress on climate every legislative session, and this year our priority is to ensure a strong climate budget. We must continue funding the incredible climate programs we passed over the last few years. We are asking for a $50 million climate budget that prioritizes two things: 1) a $15 million investment in the Healthy Homes Program to enable urgently needed home repairs including health, safety, and efficiency upgrades, and 2) a $20 million investment in the Charge Ahead Electric Vehicle rebate program to make new and used electric vehicles more affordable and accessible for lower-income Oregonians. Together, these continued investments in successful programs that are running out of funding will lower the cost of living, improve health and resilience, and reduce climate pollution. 2) Right to Repair: You may recall this bill as part of our Zero Waste Priority bill package from the last session (SB 542). Well, the bill didn’t quite make it (largely due to the historically long Republican walkout), and we’re bringing it back this year to get it over the finish line! People should be able to repair their electronics just like they can repair their car. This will save people money and reduce electronic waste. States like New York and California have passed similar legislation, but in Oregon, our bill is poised to be the strongest version passed by any state. “ Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG)/Divest & Public Banking A Public Banking LC was mentioned in Senator Golden’s recent newsletter. It would likely be a modified bill addressing Gov Kotek’s reasons for vetoing 2023 HB2763. An LC related to the Oregon Treasury divesting coal securities was also mentioned. Treasurer Tobias Read has announced a plan to address fossil fuel investments. ‘Treasurer readies plan to get state pension fund to ‘net-zero’ greenhouse gas emissions - Another proposal from a group of Democratic lawmakers would divest the state’s retirement fund of $1 billion in coal investments’. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Climate Protection Plan As explained in OEC’s ‘ the fight is not over’ Dec. article, the court ruled unfavorably based on ‘a procedural technicality’. LWVOR plans to support several efforts to solve this technical issue. It is not clear if a bill will be introduced during the short session but there will be public testimonies provided at the EQC January 24 meeting . 2025 Long Session The following policy/budget topics are expected to move to the 2025 long session: Water, Transportation, Air, Fracking moratorium update, and likely, the data center (and crypto mining facilities) GHG emission reduction goals. Senate Energy & Environment By Greg Martin Right to Repair Chair Sollman: This is the fourth time this bill concept has come forward. A big coalition has worked on the bill since the end of the 2023 session. Four other states (including CA) passed similar measures, and 20 states are working on some form. 70% of Oregonians surveyed say if they own a piece of equipment, they should be able to fix it. Key objectives = saving families’ money, supporting small businesses, reducing litter and pollution, and closing the digital divide. Charlie Fisher, OSPIRG, outlined major changes from 2023 proposals, mainly based on enacted CA legislation: · Enforcement – private right of action (consumer lawsuits) is out, in favor of attorney general enforcement · Data security – manufacturers are not required to provide tools or software that would enable hacks · Expanded intellectual property protections – added language (from CA) to protect licensing, copyrights, patents · Third-party repair services – expanded requirements for consumer protection · Look-back period for covered devices – limited to products introduced after 1/1/2021 for smartphones, 2015 for other devices such as appliances “ Parts pairing” is prohibited (not in CA statute) Kyle Wiens, CEO, iFixit: –Wants to enable a repair economy to add “main street” jobs. Largest barrier = manufacturers block after-market. Steven Nickel, Google: Supports this concept as a common-sense repair bill to serve as a model for other states. Bottle Bill Overview Eric Chambers, Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative: Oregon’s 1971 statute is still the best in the nation. Not a lot happened in statute until 2010. Refund went from a nickel to a dime in 2017, spurring more recycling. Other beverages – water, kombucha – added in 2018. Program has a $60 million budget for infrastructure (redemption centers, drop-off sites). Consumers can now return three times as many bottles to redemption centers. Statewide redemption rate = 85% vs. national average of 35%. All plastic and glass is processed in Oregon. Oregon Dept of Energy (ODOE) Proposed Statutory Adjustments ODOE’s Christy Splitt outlined three proposed “technical fixes”: Update the statewide energy security plan in response to state and federal mandates. Federal funds have been slower than anticipated – ODOE proposes to realign its deadline to the federal September 30 deadline. N&WL provisions – HB 3409 directs OCAC (staffed by ODOE) to study natural and working lands ( N&WL) inventory, workforce and carbon sequestration goals – ODOE proposes to extend the deadlines by one year, i.e., until 2025. Community Renewable Energy Grant program (HB 2021) administrative tweaks Amendment expected: The Community Heat Pump Deployment program, created by HB 2021, requires that regional administrators run the program but only 6 of 11 regions have an administrator in place. Up to $4 million in funding for those regions could be stuck in program accounts and be unavailable for deployment. Plan B is to transfer moneys to the Oregon Rental Home Heat Pump program and earmark them to be spent for underserved regions and tribes. Update on Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program Status Rachel Sakata, Oregon Dept of Environmental Quality, (DEQ): DEQ has awarded >32,000 rebates totaling >$82 million. In 2022-23, about 25% was spent on the Charge Ahead program for low-income households (at least 20% is required by law). DEQ suspended the program in May 2023 because demand outstripped available funding. The agency has a waiting list totaling about $2 million in rebates – and anticipates lifting the suspension this spring with new funding allotments. DEQ will need another $35 million to fully meet expected demand next year. Underfunding the rebate program could impede the response to climate change via EV adoption. Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust By Claudia Keith Federal judge in Oregon denies efforts to dismiss climate lawsuit filed by young people - OPB . Here is one resource to track DEQ CPP cases. Basically, there are several active federal lawsuits , (Jan 2024 update) ‘Oregon Federal Court Said Youth Plaintiffs Could Proceed with Due Process and Public Trust Claims in Climate Suit’, some of which could assist in meeting Oregon's Net Zero GHG Emissions before 2050 targets, and other lawsuits, that challenge the current Oregon DEQ CPP policy, which would limit the use of fossil fuels, including diesel, natural gas, and propane over time. Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 70 lawsuits , mentioning Oregon. Other Climate Bills By Claudia Keith LWVOR may follow or engage with several other CE bills on a long list from Climate Solutions ; including these LC’s • LC 117: Remove Barriers to Siting Battery Storage Projects: We need to update our state’s siting processes to allow for newer technologies like stand-alone battery storage. This bill lessens barriers for a developer who wants to build a much-needed battery energy storage system by allowing them to use the state Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) process to site t he project. • LC 239: Attract Clean Tech Leadership: Oregon should lead in attracting clean energy businesses and manufacturing. With Inflation Reduction Act incentives available to clean tech manufacturing like battery and heat pump components and other states putting together incentive packages, now is the time for Oregon to grab a slice of this economic development pie. • LC 58: Harness Offshore Wind Potential: Floating offshore wind on the Oregon coast has the potential to add 3 gigawatts of clean energy into our regional grid (enough to power at least a million homes). This bill would authorize the state to develop an Oregon offshore wind “Roadmap”. This Roadmap would engage stakeholders more deeply to ensure an inclusive, robust, and transparent process in developing this renewable resource. The bill also mandates fair labor standards for component parts construction and manufacturing. Fossil Fuel Infrastructure Expansion Issues: LWVOR continues to agree with Senator Merkley leadership on opposing Ferc approved LNG capacity expansion pipelines in the PNW. Climate Emergency Team and Volunteers Needed Please consider joining the CE portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy areas: • Natural Climate Solutions, specifically Oregon Dept of Agriculture (ODA) • Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust • Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) • Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team)

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

 • CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets • Climate Migration 

 • Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment 

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

3 Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 1/16/23 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Climate Emergency Priorities Other Climate Emergency Bills Clean Energy Oregon Economic Analysis Oregon Climate-Related Lawsuits State, Regional, National, and Global CE News Local League Climate Updates Volunteers Needed Climate Emergency Priorities By Claudia Keith The League has identified six priority CE policy and budget topics. Following are updates on those topics: 1. Resilient Buildings : Refer to the Legislative Joint Task Force on Resilient Efficient Buildings Dec 13 Report . It’s unclear when the bill(s) will be posted to OLIS, or which Leg policy committee(s) will be affected. As of this week the League is an active coalition member. (Some of these building topics were included in this 2017 Executive Order 17-20: Accelerating Efficiency In Oregon’s BUILT ENVIRONMENT TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE. This EO was posted a few days before Gov Brown attended COP 23 in Bonn, Germany). 2. Natural and Working Lands : (Establishes Natural and Working Lands (NWL) Fund, carbon sequestration opportunities…): Natural Climate Solutions SB530 . The legislation includes activity-based metrics and community impact metrics for net carbon sequestration and storage in natural and working lands and establishes carbon sequestration and storage goals. Assigned to: Natural Resources Senate Committee, find Committee Bills HERE and Related, see interim NR committee SB88 ). The League continues to be an active NWL coalition member. 3. Environmental Justice: A number of 2023 Leg bills are expected to address new and ongoing related topics. A recent update EPA: ‘ EPA Releases Updated Legal Guidance on Identifying , Addressing Cumulative Impacts to Advance Environmental Justice, Equity | US EPA, clearly defines at the federal level this new foundational area. (Related to HB 4077 (2022). 4. Oregon Climate Action Commission (currently Oregon Global Warming Commission): Roadmap , SB 522 , will change "Oregon Global Warming Commission" to "Oregon Climate Action Commission." and modify membership and duties of commission and state greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets/goals. This will direct state agencies to report to the commission on progress toward achieving greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals (see SB 928 2019). Referred to the Senate E&E committee. 5. Other Governor Climate / Carbon Policy Topics: See 20-04 Executive Order topics . This area includes other GHG emission mitigation/reductions and new clean renewable energy (DOE), OHA public health, and DOT Dept of Transportation policy and funding. 6. CE related total 2023-2025 biennium budget: The governor’s budget* is scheduled to be available in Feb. There is now expected > $70M in CE related state agency POPs and new Legislative funding. (* budget items will come from over 22 state agencies including 14 NR agencies, OHA, DAS, ODOT, ODOE, etc.) Other CE Bills By Claudia Keith The League may support or just follow these bills. (This is a preliminary list; many bills are not yet posted to OLIS.) Natural Working Lands: See Rep Pham’s urban forestry bill, HB 3016 , Rep Holvey’s severance tax bill, HB 3025 to replace the harvest tax, and ODF’s Regular Harvest tax bill, HB 2087 . SB 88 climate smart Ag increases net carbon sequestration and storage in natural and working lands. Requested: Senate Interim Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire Recovery. See Keep Oregon Cool, Natural Working Lands. Greenhouse Gas Emission Mitigation : HB 2816 High Energy Use Facility - Required GHGE reduction, Chief Sponsors: Dembrow and Marsh. Fossil Fuel (FF) Divestment : HB 2601 Oregon FF Divestment … Requires State Treasurer to address the urgency and risk associated with FF energy investments. Chief Sponsors: Rep Pham K, Senator Golden, Rep Gamba. Green Infrastructure: HB 3016 community green infrastructure, Rep Pham K, Senator Dembrow, Rep Gamba. Public & Green Banking: SB501 Bank of the state of Oregon Sen Golden. HB2763 Create a State public bank Task Force, Rep Gamba, Sen Golden, Rep Walters Clean Energy By Kathy Moyd, Greg Martin Legislation for the 2023 Session A quick review of the almost hundred bills posted for H Climate, Energy, and Environment and Senate Energy Environment showed that most of the bills have some connection to climate change action both with respect to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions or adaptation to extreme climate events already occurring. Some of these will be under the Natural Resources Portfolio. Since greenhouse gasses are frequently associated with air toxins, some air quality bills may be considered under both portfolios. Some of these bills have been submitted in both committees and some of them are obvious placeholders for which amendments may be submitted later in the session. Of course, not all will actually be passed or even given a public hearing. In addition, those requesting funding will have more difficulty this year and may not get out of the Ways and Means Committee. The League will be working over the next few weeks to determine which of these bills we should actively follow, including giving testimony. Oregon Global Warming Commission The Oregon Global Warming Commission (OGWC) and the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) have been working for a year to develop the Roadmap to 2035 through the Transformational Integrated Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction (TIGHGER) project , aiming to identify decarbonization actions that can reduce GHG emissions while continuing to grow Oregon’s economy and enhance equity and quality of life. The commission devoted all or part of nine meetings to TIGHGER-related topics during 2022. At the OGWC meeting on January 13, draft recommendations seemed to be nearly in place. The League will consider providing comments if there is a public review. At the beginning of the meeting, Sen. Dembrow referred to two related bills: SB 522 , updating the GHG reduction goals, restructuring and renaming the OGWC and clarifying its role in climate action; and SB 530 , natural climate solutions (N&WL). He said both will involve expenditures and thus will go to W&M late in the session. House Committee on Energy, Climate and Environment Jan 18, 3pm Meeting, Claudia Keith Find Meeting Highlights HERE and link to video HERE Meeting Agenda: Invited Speakers Only House Bill 2021 (2021) Implementation:Christy Splitt, Government Relations Coordinator, Oregon Department of EnergyMegan Decker, Chair, Public Utility CommissionThomas Burns, Vice President Resource Planning and Acquisitions, Pacific Power Kristen Sheeran, Director of Resource Planning and Sustainability, Portland General Electric (Kristen was Gov Browns Climate/Carbon policy advisor for 4+ years)Jennifer Hill-Hart, Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board Bob Jenks, Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board Energy Markets Overview: Adam Schultz, Lead, Electricity & Markets Policy Group, Oregon Department of Energy Scott Bolton, Senior Vice President Transmission and Market Development, Pacific PowerNicole Hughes, Executive Director, Renewable NW Oregon Economic Analysis By Claudia Keith The next Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast is scheduled for mid-Feb. It is unclear how the very volatile security market and banking issues / risk will develop. The last State of Oregon quarterly forecast assumed a likely mild recession in 2023. Climate Emergency Financial Risk: The Fed wants climate risk analysis from 6 largest U.S. banks by July 31 2023 | Reuters The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis has never conformed to what is now recommended in the SEC Climate Risk disclosure rule. SEC Plans to Finalize Two Dozen Rules in 2023 | Thomson Reuters. See supportive LWVOR-initiated LWVUS Testimony , June 2022. Related: ‘ESG Watch: Why this year could be a watershed moment for investors on nature-related risk | Reuters. The Status of Two Pending Rules That Would Require Disclosure of Climate Risks| Environmental Leader. Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read has changed his Fossil Fuel risk perspective. Oregon investments will be affected by ESG reporting. 5 banking trends to watch in 2023 | Banking Dive, “Harsher penalties, a fiercer fight over ESG philosophy and a more urgent push to regulate crypto appear poised to roil the finance sector this year.” Oregon Climate Related Lawsuits By Claudia Keith Be reminded there are numerous lawsuits challenging Oregon’s DEQ CPP regulations. Here is one example of how to track them. Basically, there are a number of active state and federal lawsuits , (Jan 12, 2023 update) some which could assist in meeting Oregon's Net Zero GHG Emissions before 2050 targets and other lawsuits which challenge current Oregon DEQ CPP policy which would limit the use of fossil fuels, including diesel, natural gas, and propane over time. A national perspective: ‘Environmental cases to watch in 2023 | Reuters State, Regional, National, and Global CE News By Claudia Keith New report highlights opportunities to mitigate and adapt to climate change in Oregon – OPB. Central Oregon Community College: Aiming for a Carbon-Neutral Future | The Source Weekly - Bend, Oregon. Clean energy bill could spell trouble for Oregon datacenters . The Register. Environment Oregon's 2023 Legislative Agenda. 2023 Outlook: US power sector trends to watch | Utility Dive. What Does the War in Ukraine Mean for the Climate ? - The New York Times. Climate Goals Are Still Doable With More Renewables And Secure Financing| Forbes. Energy & Environment — Biden energy chief pushes back on GOP bill | The Hill. Why Europe Is Fuming Over America’s Green Subsidies - The Washington Post. Biden's climate agenda has a problem: Not enough workers | Reuters. European Executives Eye US Green Plan With Envy in Davos – Bloomberg. A Chart: China Dominates the Rare Earth Market | Statista. BlackRock’s Larry Fink Says ESG Narrative Has Become Ugly , Personal – Bloomberg. Federal Reserve Board – PR 1/17/2023: provides additional details on how its pilot climate scenario analysis exercise will be conducted and the information on risk management practices that will be gathered over the course of the exercise.... “ Climate scenario analysis is distinct and separate from bank stress tests . The Board's stress tests are designed to assess whether large banks have enough capital to continue lending to households and businesses during a severe recession. The pilot climate scenario analysis exercise, on the other hand, is exploratory in nature and does not have capital consequences….”. SEC aims to set climate risk , cybersecurity rules before May | CFO Dive. The EU’s pioneering carbon border tax | Financial Times. Why (Some) Central Banks Are Acting on Climate Change - The Washington Post. How Climate Catastrophe Could Be Averted If World Bank Helps Wall St – Bloomberg. Taiwan central bank to incorporate climate change risks into forecasting | Reuters. Global oil demand set to reach record high as China reopens, IEA says | Financial Times. Key sustainability trends that will drive decision-making in 2023 | S&P Global The Nature Conservancy: 10 Places to Watch in 2023 : PERSPECTIVES The world just signed a new deal for nature—now it's time to put it into action. Local League Climate Updates By Claudia Keith Request to Local Leagues; please let us know your climate, resilience, or sustainability advocacy actions. Volunteers Needed By Claudia Keith Please consider joining the CE portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy areas: Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture/ODA ODOT Transportation & DLCD/LCD Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities Efficient Resilient Buildings Public Health Climate Adaptation Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team) State Procurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services) CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment Climate and Environmental Justice. We all collaborate with Natural Resource Action members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics. Volunteers are needed: The 2023 legislative session began Jan 17. If any area of Climate Emergency interests you, please contact Claudia Keith , CE Coordinator. Orientation to Legislative and State Agency advocacy processes is available.

Vouchers are an internal resource for tracking expenses. / Vouchers / Vouchers Instructions for Voucher Please download the Excel Spreadsheet to fill out the voucher. Expense/Donation Voucher (Excel) After completing the form, it must be e-mailed or delivered to the person who is approving the expense. Please attach all receipts. If it is not possible to scan in receipts for e-mailed vouchers, they may be mailed directly to the office with your name and date of voucher printed on each. The person approving the expense has two options. If approving the expense by e-mail, attach the voucher and scanned receipts, if any, to an e-mail with the following statement in the body of the e-mail: I, (your name) approve payment of the voucher dated (date) for (payee’s name) in the amount of ($ to be paid). If approving the voucher by paper delivery, sign in the approval signature box and include receipts. The voucher may then be submitted with copies going to both the League office and to the treasurer. Vouchers will not be paid without approval. It is very helpful to the treasurer if vouchers are presented for payment in the month that they occur. It is imperative that all vouchers be received before the annual closing of the books on June 30th. Please contact lwvor@lwvor.org with any questions.

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 5/19 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Please see Climate Emergency Overview here. Jump to a topic: Federal Oregon Joint Ways and Means CE Funding Topics Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package Update Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment Oregon Treasury Natural and Working Lands Other Climate Bills Environmental Justice Bills Highlights of House and Senate Policy Committee Chamber Votes Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust The current administration continues to dismantle/desecrate ~ five decades of climate, energy, environmental justice and sustainability policies and related budgeting. See project 2025 for many of these preplanned executive branch and congressional politically focused directives/decisions. A very Unfavorable Revenue Economic Forecast was released 5/14 which could limit funding for climate emergency related bills and potentially existing climate/ Environmental Justice programs. Please refer to the Revenue and NR LR for details. While the primary focus of the LWVOR Action Committee is on Legislation in Oregon, what is happening at the federal level is likely to affect budgeting and other decisions in our state. These climate/energy-related Trump admin policy and budget related executive orders if implemented would drastically affect global UN COP efforts in all fifty states, including Oregon’s climate-related legislation (policy and budget), state agencies, and community climate action plans/state statutes/ targeted outcomes. Federal US House targets big climate, clean energy rollbacks in budget proposal | Reuters Energy Star program is on the chopping block, sources say | CNN Science policy this week : May 12, 2025 - AIP.ORG (American Institute of Physics AIP.ORG ) How the Trump Administration Bakes Climate Denial into U.S. Policy | NRDC Can states and cities lead on climate under Trump? » Yale Climate Connections Oregon How the Pacific Northwest’s Dream of Green Energy Fell Apart — ProPublica. 5/12/25 EPA chief Zeldin faces bipartisan anger in Senate over funding freeze, grant cancellations – OPB 5/14/25 You can track effects of federal cuts in Oregon through the Impact Project. See their interactive map . Many of the cuts listed affect climate and environmental concerns. Closed-door negotiations create hard feelings as the Oregon Capitol awaits a transportation bill – OPB DEQ announces enforcement discretion for Oregon ACT for model years 2025 and 2026 - Grace period available for 2025 and 2026 model years (5/15/25) “Today, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Director Feldon issued a memo directing the agency to use its enforcement discretion for the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule. Effective immediately, DEQ will not pursue enforcement or issue penalties to manufacturers failing to meet zero-emissions vehicle sales targets for all Model Year 2025 and 2026 Class 2b-8 vehicles. This update does not affect Oregon’s Heavy-Duty Low NOx Omnibus Rule ….” Current Week CE Action: This past week the League joined a number of organizations signing on to a Letter to support OSW Offshore wind Energy Roadmap, DLCD led study group. HB 3963. Transportation Joint Ways and Means CE Funding Topics Transportation Package Priorities (The League supports OCN and other statewide NGO budget priorities:) Increase funding above 2017 levels for public transit Increase funding above 2017 levels for a safe, complete multimodal system (i.e. GreatStreets , Safe Routes to School, Oregon Community Paths, and bike/ped both on-street and trails, etc.) Dedicated or increased revenue for light, medium and heavy-duty vehicle incentives, including for charging and purchasing of ZEVs (🡪 See NR LR for additional details) Please see Natural Resources Legislative Report on Transportation Energy Affordability and Utility Accountability The League joined a coalition sign-on letter this past week requesting funding to support building resilience. The goal is to use affordable measures to protect people from extreme weather. One Stop Shop 2.0/Energy Efficiency Navigation ( HB 3081 ): This bill would create a navigation program at ODOE to help Oregonians access federal, state, local, and utility energy efficiency incentives all in one place. Get the Junk Out of Rates ( SB 88 ): This bill would stop utilities from charging certain expenses like lobbying, advertising, association fees to customers. Protecting Oregonians with Energy Responsibility (POWER Act) ( HB 3546 ): This bill ensures Oregon households are not unfairly burdened by large energy users with grid and transmission costs. Full Funding for Climate Resilience programs Reinvesting the same amount as last biennium in three programs: Rental Home Heat Pump Program (ODOE), $30m Community Heat Pump Deployment Program (ODOE), $15m Community Resilience Hubs (OREM), $10m ( House Bill 3170 ) Disadvantaged Communities (aka Environmental Justice) Bills HB 3170 : Community Resilience Hubs and networks : Fiscal $10M Work Session 3/4, passed to JWM, DHS, Sponsors, Rep. Marsh, Sen Pham and Rep Tan. League testimony 
 
 
 
 HB2548 : establishes an agriculture workforce labor standards board, League Testimony . Work Session was held 4/9 passed 4/3, with no amendments, no recommendation and in House Rules. It is unclear why this bill is inactive. Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package Update By Claudia Keith HB 215 1: Testimony ; appears dead 
 
 HB 2152 : Testimony ; work session held 4/8 , passed, moved to Joint Ways and Means (JWM) -2 amendments , Staff Measure Summary (SMS). $1M+ fiscal 
 
 HB 2949 : T estimony ; work session held 4/8 , passed to JWM w -5 amendment new SMS .fiscal is not available, will be completed if the bill gets a hearing in JWM NR SC. 
 
 HB 3450 A Testimony , work session held, 4/8 passed adopted amendment -1 . fiscal >1M$. referred to JWM 4/11 
 
 See CEI Hub Seismic Risk Analysis (The study, Impacts of Fuel Releases from the CEI Hub, is intended to characterize and quantify the anticipated damages from the CEI Hub in the event of the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) Earthquake.) See Climate Emergency April 28: CEI emergency management package update. The Bigger Picture: ASCE's ( American Society of Civil Engineers , founded in 1852), Oregon received a C- grade Infrastructure Report Card . Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment At this point in the session, it is doubtful SJR 28 has enough support to move out of Sen Rules. SJR 28 proposed -1 amendment , Environmental Rights Constitutional amendment (ERA) S enate Joint Resolution - with referral to the 2026 ballot, public hearing was 3/26 . The League provided support with comments testimony . The bill is in Senate Rules , so the Legislative first chamber deadlines are not applicable. A Work Session is not yet scheduled. The -1 a mendment is a partial rewrite and may address the League’s concerns. Oregon Treasury: Oregon Divest/ Environmental, Social, and Governance Updates By Claudia Keith SB 681 : May be still active: Treasury: Fossil Fuel investment moratorium, in Sen F&R, PH 3/19. testimony. Sen Golden. 
 
 HB 2200 -1 , work session was 4/8, bill was requested by previous Treasury Sec Tobias and supported by Treasurer Steiner, related to ESG investing , identified as the compromise bill. League chose not to comment, could move to the floor, no JWM required. (still in H EMGGV, still awaiting transfer to desk) 
 
 HB 2966 A: Establishes the State Public Financing / public bank Task Force , Work Session 3/6/2025 passed to Joint Ways and Means (JWM), fiscal: $1.3M , League Testimony , Rep Gamba, Senator,Golden, Frederick, Rep Andersen, Evans . 
 
 HB 2081A Directs the Oregon Investment Council and the State Treasurer to take certain actions to manage the risks of climate change to the Public Employees Retirement Fund. Passed House along party lines. WS Senate Finance & Rev is 5/21. ( see HB 2200 ) PH is 5/19. At the request of: (no sponsor: at the request of House Interim Committee on Revenue for Representative Nancy Nathanson) Historically, since 2009 Public banking policy topic has been included in many Leg sessions, (go here and then use Control F to search for ‘bank’. ) 22 bills mentioning Public and Bank have died in committee over the past 16 years. Divest Oregon The Pause Act would enact a 5-year moratorium on new Public Employees Retirement Fund (PER investments in new private fossil fuel funds. March 2025 Fund Performance - Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund and graphics Published by Divest Oregon: Executive Summary and Praise for Report (see SB 681) Addressing the Risk of Climate Change: A Comparison of US Pension Funds' Net Zero Plans – Jan 2025 Natural and Working Lands HB 3489 Timber Severance Tax. House Committee on Revenue. League Testimony for original bill and for -1 Amendment . 
 
 HB 5039 financial administration of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board; JWM NR SC, League testimony 
 
 HB 3103A – work session was 3/31. Moved to JWM, Overweight Timber Harvest , League Testimony , new adopted -5 amendment . 
 
 Other Climate Bills New HB 3963 posted to OLIS 4/15, Rep Gomberg, House Rules. PH 5/19. Extends the deadline from Sept 1, 2025, to Jan 1, 2027, for the DLCD to draft and submit a report to the Legislative Assembly on the department's activities to develop an Offshore Wind Roadmap and its assessment of enforceable state policies related to offshore wind energy development off the Oregon coast. Existing HB 2566A : Stand-alone Energy resilience Projects , Work Session was 3/20, moved to JWM, Rep Gamba was the only nay. At the request of Governor Tina Kotek (H CEE), DOE presentation 
 
 HB 3365 A: climate change instruction /curriculum in public schools, 4/21 moved to Sen Ed, 4/17 passed House 32/23, work session was 4/9, moved to floor with adopted amendment -4 . House Cm Educ, WS 5/19 , League Testimony , NO Fiscal noted , Chief Sponsors: Rep Fragala, Rep McDonald , 
 
 SB 688 A: -5 , Public Utility Commission performance-based regulation of electric utilities, PH 3/12,& 3/19, work session was 3/24, updated $974K fiscal , moved to JWM , League testimony , Sen. Golden, Sen. Pham, 
 
 SB 827A : Solar and Storage Rebate , SEE Work session 2/17, Gov. Kotek & DOE, Senate voted 21-7, moves to House 3/4 first reading. 5/15 House 2nd reading HB 3546A , -3 the POWER Act , in Sen E&E , PH 4/30, 5/5, P WS was 5/14, moved with due pass. The bill requires the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to create a new rate class for the largest energy users in the state. (data centers and other high-volume users). These regulations would only apply to customers in the for-profit utility's service areas of PGE, Pacific Power, and Idaho Power. NO Fiscal, on its way to the floor. The League has approved being listed on a coalition sign on advocacy letter . 
 HB 3189 in JWM. Oregon lawmakers introduce legislation to rein in utility bills | KPTV , Citizens Utility Board CUB presentation here . 
 
 SB 1143A : -3 , moved to JWM, with bipartisan vote, PH was 3/19, Work session was 4/7 SEE, PUC established a pilot program that allows each natural gas Co to develop a utility-scale thermal energy network (TEN) pilot project to provide heating and cooling services to customers. Senator Lieber, Sollman, Representative Levy B, Senator Smith DB, Representative Andersen, Marsh. Example: Introduction to the MIT Thermal Energy Networks (MITTEN) Plan for Rapid and Cost-Effective Campus Decarbonization. 
 
 HB 3609 work session 4/8, moved to JWM. The measure requires electric companies to develop and file with the Oregon Public Utility Commission a distributed power plant program for the procurement of grid services from customers of the electric company who enroll in the program. H CEE, PH 3/11 
 
 HB 3653 in Sen E&E, PH 4/28, WS was 5/5, 6-0 vote. House vote was 51 - 9. Senate 5/15 vote passed, 26 ,1-3. Allows authorized state agencies to enter into energy performance contracts without requiring a competitive procurement if the authorized state agency follows rules that the Attorney General adopts, negotiates a performance guarantee, and enters into the contract with a qualified energy service company that the ODOE prequalifies and approves. 
 
 Environmental Justice Bills HB 3170 : Community Resilience Hubs and networks : Fiscal $10M Work Session 3/4, passed to JWM, DHS, Sponsors, Rep. Marsh, Sen Pham and Rep Tan. League testimony 
 
 
 
 Highlights of House and Senate Policy Committee and Chamber Votes By a 29-1, the Senate passed HB 3874 A , increasing the threshold for siting and approval of a wind energy facility at the county level from 50 MW to 100 MW of average electric generating capacity, before the facility must obtain a site certificate from EFSC. Either the county or the developer could elect to defer regulatory authority to EFSC. Under the bill as amended by the Senate, a county seeking to issue a permit for a facility of the specified size would have to require the applicant to provide a bonded decommissioning plan to restore the site to a useful, nonhazardous condition. HB 3336 , requiring IOUs to file strategic plans with the PUC to use cost-effective grid enhancing technologies (GETs), was scheduled for a possible Work Session in Senate E&E but the WS was postponed until Monday 5/19. Process notes: The base bill passed the House by a comfortable margin in April. Testimony in House CE&E had been overwhelmingly supportive; PGE was neutral. Shortly before the Senate E&E public hearing 2 days ago, Rep. Gamba posted a -2 amendment that he said was intended to "streamline" the siting of GETs for the IOUs. This stoked opposition from cities and counties that complained of not having had enough time to study the amendment to ensure that it did not encroach on their local siting authority. OMEU (consumer-owned utilities) also criticized the lack of prior consultation and said they were afraid the amendment could make the GETs siting provisions apply to them too. Sen. Brock Smith chewed out Gamba on their behalf. Rather than drop the -2 amendment, Gamba promised to bring the parties together to spin out a -3 amendment that would meet all concerns, as soon as LC could get around to it. As of 5/14 LC had not gotten around to it. Senate E&E voted 3-2 to move HB 3546 A-7 , the POWER Act, to the Senate floor with a do pass recommendation. This bill was the top priority on the OCN Hot List this week. It would direct the PUC to provide for a separate classification of service for data centers and crypto mining facilities. PUC would have to require IOUs to enter into a 10-year contract with these large energy users to pay a minimum amount or percentage for the term of the contract, which could include a charge for excess demand. Rates for this customer class would have to be proportional to the costs of serving them. (Currently, these users are classified as industrial customers, which pay the lowest rates for electricity.) The bill would apply only to large users that apply for service on or after the effective date of the act, or that make significant investments or incur costs after the effective date that could result in increased costs or risks to other retail customers. Rep. Marsh described the -A7 amendment as technical to ensure against double-charging direct access customers that contract independently with an electric service provider, and to clarify that the large energy users can pursue alternative pathways to compliance through green power or renewable energy tariffs. The committee declined to adopt Sen. Brock Smith's -A6 amendment that would have defined "large energy user" by excluding a long list of specific industries other than data centers and crypto operations. He and Sen. Robinson, in explaining their "nay" votes, said they don’t oppose making large users pay their proportionate share of costs, but "singling out" data centers and crypto centers in statute could have adverse economic consequences. SB 685 A , requiring a natural gas utility to notify all customers and the PUC if the utility plans to increase the amount of hydrogen blended with natural gas, was scheduled for a Possible Work Session in House CE&E 5/12. House CEE Chair Lively carried over the PWS until Tuesday 5/20. This is a Bill of Support on the OCN Hot List. Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust Here is one example of how to track ODEQ Climate Protection Program cases. Basically, there are a number of active federal lawsuits , Climate Litigation May 15 Updates Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 85 lawsuits , (active and dismissed) mentioning Oregon. There are no recent press releases or media from Our Children’s Trust. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED : What is your passion related to Climate Emergency ? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The short legislative session begins in January of 2026. Many State Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of climate or natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, or Claudia Keith Climate Emergency at peggylynchor@gmail.com Or climatepolicy@lwvor.org . Training will be offered. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report section

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Interim Week 6/10 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Jump to a topic: Climate Emergency Highlights Interim Legislative Day Public Meetings Interim Senate Committee Energy and Environment News State Treasury and Oregon Investment Council Climate County, State, Federal, and Global Lawsuits Climate Lawsuit News Our Children’s Trust – Recent Press Releases By Claudia Keith, Climate Emergency Coordinator and Team Please consider joining the CE team. We have several critical volunteer openings. Natural and Working Lands Agriculture & Food Insecurity: Public Health, Fossil Fuel (FF) Infrastructure, and Regional Solutions / Community Resilience Hubs. The topic of Transportation has been moved to the Natural Resources Legislative Report. Climate Emergency Highlights LWVOR submitted Climate Protection Program (CPP) testimony to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) May 12, 2024, Proposed Rulemaking . Oregon Climate Action Commission Recruiting Members –The Oregon Climate Action Commission (OCAC was OGWC) is seeking members to support its work and advance its statutory duties. Interested Oregon residents with experience in environmental justice, manufacturing, or the fishing industry are encouraged to apply for one of the commission’s vacant voting positions. The commission is also seeking a youth member (aged 16 to 24) to serve a two-year voting member term. Applications submitted by July 17, 2024 will receive priority consideration. The Oregon Climate Action Commission will meet on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Read more about the meeting here . EQC ( Environmental Quality Commission) May Meeting: Included a formal report from DEQ Director . Interim Legislative Day Public Meetings (We lacked a League observer for these meetings, so no meeting notes are available, but links to the video recording, meeting materials and agendas are provided.) Note the interim Leg day meeting agendas are influenced by Leg leadership; likely to include future priority topics. The League continues to be disappointed that updating Greenhouse Gas Energy (GHGE) targets and structural rules changing how 60+ state agencies/entities optimize/coordinate/congruent cohesive budget for climate change planning is not listed. Interim House Climate Energy & Environment Committee The meeting covered a number of topics with meeting materials provided. The Informational Meeting: Invited Speakers and recording addressed issues dealing with where to site energy facilities. Interim House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans This meeting included topics primarily related to winter storms and wildfires Video Link , Meeting Materials Interim Senate Committee Energy and Environment Link to Video Recording and link to Meeting Materials which include reports from the Citizens Utility Board, the Public Utility Commission, and the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative. News Local climate group joins campaign to put environmental rights in Oregon Constitution - Ashland News - Community-Supported, NonProfit News Locals want environmental rights in Oregon Constitution | Environment | rv-times.com Why do we need the Oregon Coalition for an Environmental Rights Amendment? | Jefferson Public Radio 5 takeaways from the (likely) demise of the Juliana climate case By Lesley Clark | 05/30/2024 06:33 AM EDT: | EE News: The landmark youth lawsuit never made it to trial, but it left a legacy. Lawyers behind the case say the fight isn’t over yet. Giant Hail That Batters Homes, Solar Power Is Growing Weather Threat | Bloomberg As insurers around the U.S. bleed cash from climate shocks , homeowners lose | WLRN Memo: Hurricanes, Severe Weather, Climate Change, and an Unfolding Insurance Crisis - Public Citizen Poll: Majority of American Voters Favor Climate Litigation Against Big Oil – Mother Jones, NOW Rising to Meet the Climate Crisis - Part 5 Gov. Jay Inslee - YouTube More Than 200 Tribes and Four Territories Covered by Climate Action Plans with Support from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act -Key milestone reached as part of $5B Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program -May 6, 2024 | Federal EPA PR DEQ CPP Program DEQ will hold three advisory committee meetings. The public is welcome to attend all meetings virtually. There will be an opportunity for the public to give oral comments or provide written comments following each meeting. Meeting dates and tentative times are below. Instructions to attend by Zoom will be posted here. Recordings of advisory committee meetings are available upon request at CPP.2024@deq.oregon.gov . Meeting 2: May 14, 2024, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PT • Agenda • Meeting 2 Presentation Slides • CPP 2024 Cap Brief • CPP 2024 Program Elements Brief • Draft Rules • Written comments Join via Zoom 
Join by phone, dial 253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 896 2403 8879 Meeting 3: June 25, 2024, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT State Treasury and Oregon Investment Council Treasury: Oregon Investment Council: Invested for Oregon: State of Oregon April Meeting Minutes and May agenda , Public input , and audio recording . Oregon Attorney General DOJ Climate work: OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL Spotlight: Warming Climate list of a number of DOJ actions related to Climate issues) Climate County, State, Federal, and Global Lawsuits Basically, there are a number of active state and federal lawsuits , (May 2024 update) some of which could assist in meeting Oregon's Net Zero GHG Emissions before 2050 targets and other lawsuits, which challenge current Oregon DEQ CPP policy, which would limit the use of fossil fuels, including diesel, natural gas, and propane over time. Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 75 lawsuits , mentioning Oregon. Climate Lawsuit News Climate court cases that could set precedents around the world | Reuters | May 2024 KUOW / NPR- How an ambitious lawsuit reshaped environmental law — without ever going to trial – 5/22/24 Our Children’s Trust – Recent Press Releases May 22, 2024 Alaskan Youth File New Constitutional Climate Lawsuit Against State Government May 21, 2024 International Tribunal for Law of the Sea Recognizes States Must Prevent Greenhouse Gas Pollution but Falls Short on Requiring Sufficient Action to Protect Oceans May 21, 2024 Youth plaintiffs file amended complaint in climate case against U.S. EPA and OMB. May 20, 2024 Montana Supreme Court Sets Date for Oral Argument in Held v. State of Montana Rep. David Gomberg’s newsletter published on June 8, 2024

CHLOE ACOSTA (she/her) CHLOE ACOSTA (she/her) Youth Legislative Communications Director Chloe Acosta is the Legislative Communications Director for the League of Women Voters of Oregon Youth Council. She is passionate about issues facing youth and health equity. Chloe has been working with the Oregon School-Based Health Alliance since 2021. She was previously a Student Health Advocate, Legislative Advocacy Intern, and an Events and Programming Intern. Chloe was recently unanimously voted into the Board of Directors and continues to advocate for school based healthcare. Chloe is also a part of Next Up Oregon’s Community Action Team where she focuses on voter education and community events. She is also a member of the Next Up Oregon’s Participatory Budgeting Committee and the Candidate Endorsement Committee. Chloe is honored to use her advocacy skills in her local community of rural Southern Oregon with the Jackson Youth Systems of Care Network. In this role, she collaborates with 80 local community professionals on accessible, effective, community-based services and supports for youth’s health and wellbeing. Chloe Acosta is a communications and political science major at Southern Oregon University. She plans to continue working in legislative advocacy and grassroots organizing after receiving her degree. Chloe is excited to be working with the League of Women Voters of Oregon to deepen advocacy skills, especially for young rural Oregonians. youthcommunications@lwvor.org

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 4/3 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Jump to a topic: Climate Emergency Priorities Other CE Bills Interstate 5 Bridge Project Oregon Economic Analysis Oregon Treasury Climate Related Lawsuits: Oregon and… Climate Emergency Priorities By Claudia Keith, Climate Emergency Coordinator CE priority bills continue to move forward. All have moved to the floor or to JW&Ms. Find in previous LR reports additional background on each CE priority. 1. SB 530 -7: Natural and Working Lands : On 4/4 the bill moved to JW&Ms with Do pass with -7 amendment, a 3/2 partisan vote. The League continues to be an active coalition member. Fiscal . Staff Measure Summary . 2. Resilient Buildings (RB) policy package: Work sessions were held on 4/4. All four bills moved to JW&Ms, with a partisan vote. The League is an active RB coalition partner. Link to League testimonies: SB 868 , 869 , 870 and 871 . Recently posted to OLIS: SB 868 -3 staff measure summary , Fiscal and Follow-up Questions SB 869 -2 staff measure summary , Fiscal and Follow-up Questions SB 870 -4 Staff measure summary , Fiscal and Follow-up Questions SB 871 -3 staff measure summary , Fiscal and Follow-up Questions *** Mark your Calendars: The Resilient Buildings Coalition is having an in-person LOBBY Day at the Capital April 20. More details via an Alert will be published later this month. Pre-register for this Lobby Day.*** 3. Environmental Justice (EJ) 2023 bills: The League joined the Worker Advocate Coalition on 2/13. SB 593 is one of two bills the League will follow and support. The ‘Right to Refuse dangerous work’ SB 907-6 , League testimony . New on OLIS: SB 907 amendment -6 staff measure summary. 4/4 work session, moved to the floor with do pass with amendments, a unanimous vote. SB907 Coalition Sign-on Letter - LWVOR one of many organizations… 4. Oregon Climate Action Commission (currently Oregon Global Warming Commission): Roadmap , SB 522 -3 staff measure summary , fisca l, 4/4 Work Session moved, with 4/1 vote to JW&Ms. 5. Other Governor Climate / Carbon Policy Topics: See 20-04 Executive Order topics . This area includes other GHG emission mitigation/reductions (DEQ) and new clean renewable energy (DEQ & DOE), OHA public health, and ODOT (Dept of Transportation) policy and funding bills. 6. CE related total 2023-2025 biennium budget: The governor’s budget * was published Jan 31; Kotek’s budget priorities . A main funding problem concerns how the favorable ending current period balance, estimated to be >$765M, can be used. It will take a 3/5 vote in both chambers to pass this proposed change. We provided testimony on the Oregon Dept. of Energy (ODOE) budget ( HB 5016 ) and will be adding climate items to (DEQ) HB 5018 League 3/30 testimony . In both cases, our testimony will request additional agency requests not included in the Governor’s Jan budget. Another major issue, the upcoming mid-May Forecast, will likely provide new required budget balancing guidelines. Find in last week’s Social Policy LR a summary of the Governor’s recommended budget for the OHA Public Health Div. It includes Healthcare, Natural Resources, and Climate Emergency related topics. Other CE Bills By Claudia Keith HB 2763 -1: League Testimony . Creates a State public bank Task Force. Like the RB task force, the 23-member Task Force is required to recommend no later than Jan 2024. “ The report must include a recommendation for a governing structure for a public bank.” This policy topic will likely have a bill in the 2024 session -1 staff measure summary . Moved on 3/14 with recommendation to JW&Ms with - 1 amendment. Fiscal HB 3016 -2 community green infrastructure, Rep Pham K, Senator Dembrow, Rep Gamba. Work Session was 3/15 . Fiscal Moved to JW&Ms unanimously. Legislative -2 Staff Measure Summary . House CE&E 4/5/23 By Greg Martin House CE&E heard favorable testimony on April 5 for SB 545 A from Sen. Sollman and environmental witnesses. The Senate engrossed bill greatly simplifies the original, removing the detailed prescription of what the OHA rules must contain. The amended bill simply requires OHA to "adopt rules allowing for a restaurant to allow a consumer to fill a consumer-owned container with food." It also gives OHA an additional 6 months to adopt the rules, by June 30, 2024. ODA was removed from the rulemaking mandate. Senate E&E Work Session 4/4/23 Update: In addition to SB 868-871, Senate E&E reported: SB 542-7 : Right to Repair bill, minimal expenditure impact so presumably sent to the floor. SB 522-3 : Renames OGWC as the Oregon Climate Action Commission; increases membership from 25 to 35 members (13 voting), including an EJ member, a “youth representative” and a member with “significant experience in the fishing industry”; declares Oregon’s “aspiration” to reduce GHG emissions in stages, to achieve 2050 levels that are at least 95% below 1990 levels, and net zero emissions by 2050; requires the commission to track progress toward those goals; and requires DEQ to study and report on opportunities to reduce consumption-based GHG emissions through materials management or other state programs. Fiscal note projects expenditure of $776K in 2023-25 and $632K in 2025-27 for two new full-time ODOE staff and contracting for the required emissions forecast. Presumably referred to Joint W&M. SB 803-6 : Original bill would have established a CI standard for diesel fuel sold in Oregon for use in on-road vehicles, beginning in 2026. Opposition from trucking, ag, construction, et al, pared it back to a “study” bill for DEQ. Fiscal note estimates the study cost at $90K, subsequent referral to JW&Ms. House C E & E 3/29 By Greg Martin HB 3459-5 : Adjustments to the low-income electric bill payment assistance program for PGE and PP customers. Moved to the JW&Ms (6-4 vote). Fiscal note explains: Under current law, HCSD receives $20 million/yr as a base amount for bill payment assistance. In 2021, an additional $10 million was authorized for collection and deposit through December 2023. This bill reduces the supplemental amount collected to $5 million and extends the sunset through December 2025. Projected to require an additional $2.5 million for bill payment assistance in both 23-25 and 25-27. HB 3590 : Requires study of developing fuel pathways for low carbon fuels derived from woody biomass residues from forestry operations. Moved to JW&Ms by unanimous vote. Includes $3 million GF appropriation for HECC in 23-25. HB 3004-3 : Tax credit for “non-emitting” electricity generation or storage facility placed in service post 2024. Moved w/out recommendation, with referral to Tax Exp., then to W&M. Fiscal impact is indeterminate, depending on how many facilities might be eligible. HB 2571-2 : Rebates for electric bicycle purchases. Moved to the floor with prior referral to W&M. It would appropriate $6 million (!) GF for the Electric Bicycle Incentive Fund; fiscal note estimates nearly a million more needed for DEQ program administration. HB 3464-3 , the beaver protection act, had a 4/3 work session, unanimous vote, moved to floor, with do pass. No fiscal impact, and apparently, we'll still be able to call beavers "rodents" even though we can't "take" one unless it "imminently threatens infrastructure." Ducks are still fair game in season. Senate E&E 3/30 SB 582-3 : training and certification requirements for installers of EV charging systems, creating a training grant program under BOLI. Moved to floor w/ do pass recommendation, w/ referral to W&M for further fiscal analysis. SB 123-2 , study of digital labeling to convey info about recyclability claims. Moved to floor as amended w/ do pass recommendation. No fiscal impact. All other bills on the agenda, including SB 488 , 522 , 542 , 803 and 868-871, were carried over to Tuesday 4/4 for one reason or another. House CE&E 4/3 The committee moved these bills among others to the floor with do-pass recommendation and referral to Joint W&M: HB 3378-2 : As amended, sets up a $2 million grant program under ODOE to cover counties’ cost of developing optional energy resilience plans to respond to major grid disruptions. Counties could receive grants of up to $50,000 and could pool their grant money. Fiscal impact statement of $2.1 million GF includes one full-time program analyst to design and oversee the grant program. HB 2714-4 : Establishes a $15 million fund under DEQ to support rebates for purchase or lease of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Marsh put on the record, saying she hopes it will become a budget note, that if $15m isn’t available, whatever state funds do come through should go to medium-duty rather than heavy-duty trucks. Fiscal impact statement of $15.3m includes hiring two permanent full-time program analysts. HB 2170-3 : Sen. Brock Smith bill requiring ODOE to study and report to legislature on feasibility of establishing a renewable hydrogen hub at Port of Coos Bay. Rep. Pham opposed the motion. Fiscal note estimates a study cost of $200K. The committee also voted to move HB 2614 w/out recommendation as to passage, for referral to Joint Transp. The introduced bill would require transportation network companies to meet or exceed specified targets for percentage of service miles provided by ZEVs. Chair Marsh moved to punt the bill since the committee had not discussed it or the amendments since the public hearing two months ago. The committee voted to do so though Rep. Osborne objected, saying if we don’t know enough about the topic, why not just kill it. Interstate 5 (I-5) Bridge Project By Liz Stewart and Arlene Sherrett The League has identified the I-5 Bridge Replacement as a key project impacting Oregonians and anyone traveling the I-5 corridor. This extensive, multi-year, project is projected to cost between $5-7.5 billion and take until 2028 to complete. Washington and Oregon state transportation departments are jointly leading the project . • Accountability Dashboard has extensive information and resources on financial and community accomplishments in an easily digested format. • A monthly newsletter is available to track progress on the project. • The Executive Steering Group last met on March 21 and discussed funding in detail. The financial plan report was scheduled to be released at the end of March and updated around major program milestones. • Equity Advisory Group and the Community Advisory Group host regular meetings designed to educate and obtain input from the community on issues related to the IBR. • The Joint Committee on The Interstate 5 Bridge currently has no scheduled meetings. • Several bills related to tolling have been referred to Transportation and are moving forward during this session. • There are no new meetings scheduled on this project until the middle of the month. See the regular meeting calendar link (4th bullet above) for more information. Oregon Economic Analysis By Claudia Keith The Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast was released Feb 22. The next forecast is due May 17. JW&M recommended budget will use the May forecast to balance the budget. The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis has continued to ignore the recommended SEC Climate Risk disclosure rule. The Need for Climate Risk Disclosures: Emerging trends in ESG governance for 2023 | Harvard. The Need For Climate Risk Disclosures : A Case Study Of Physical Risk Of Two REITS, EQR And ARE | Forbes. See supportive SEC disclosure LWVOR-initiated LWVUS Testimony , June 2022. Oregon Treasury By Claudia Keith It is unclear how Oregon Treasury/Treasurer Tobias Read will assist with addressing the IRA $27B Federal funds, contingent on formation of an Oregon Green Bank. Up To $27B Available for NPO Clean Energy Activities . | TNPT. Oregon State Treasury Completes Nearly $1 Billion Bond Sale , Offers State Residents Opportunity to Invest In Oregon. Oregon bill to divest from coal, oil and gas peters out | National News | kpvi.com The Oregon Investment Council will meet April 19. The Council met March 8; see the meeting packet . ESG is mentioned on page 7. The formal meeting minutes still have not been posted yet. The agenda included ESG Regulatory Update Sarah Bernstein 7 Managing Principal, Meketa and Steven Marlowe, Assistant Attorney General, Oregon Department of Justice. Treasurer Tobias Read Releases First -Ever Oregon Financial Wellness Scorecard | OST. The Feb Pers Statement has yet to be posted. J an 2023 Pers Statement . Moody’s recent Oregon Bond rating rational: ‘Moody's assigns Aa1 to the State of Oregon's GO bonds; outlook stable’. Climate Related Lawsuits: Oregon and… By Claudia Keith Numerous lawsuits are challenging Oregon’s DEQ CPP regulations. Here is one example of how to track them. Basically, there are a number of active state and federal lawsuits , (March 2023 update) some of which could assist in meeting Oregon's Net Zero GHG Emissions before 2050 targets and other lawsuits, which challenge current Oregon DEQ CPP policy, which would limit the use of fossil fuels, including diesel, natural gas, and propane over time. Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 64 lawsuits with OREGON mentioned. Climate lawsuits: Oregon and NW regional News Offshore Wind Energy: Council wants current plans rescinded | News | currypilot.com . Amazon tried to kill emissions bill in Oregon despite climate pledge | The Washington Post. Oregon utility files IRP, inaugural clean energy plan | pv magazine USA. PacifiCorp wants more time to file first Oregon clean energy plan - Portland Business Journal. PGE Files for Largest Bill Increase in 20 Years | CUB Blog Volunteers Needed By Claudia Keith Request to Local Leagues; please let us know your climate, resilience, or sustainability advocacy actions. Please consider joining the CE portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy and law areas: · Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture/ODA · Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust · Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) · Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team) · State Procurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services) · CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets · Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment We collaborate with Natural Resource Action members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics. Volunteers are needed: The 2023 legislative session began Jan 17. If any area of Climate Emergency interests you, please contact Claudia Keith , CE Coordinator. Orientation to Legislative and State Agency advocacy processes is available.

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 4/7 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Please see Climate Emergency Overview here. Jump to a topic: Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment Environmental Justice Bills Climate Priority Advocacy Groups Climate Priorities with League Testimony , League Endorsement Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package Energy Affordability and Utility Accountability Package Climate Treasury Investment Bills Natural and Working Lands Other Priorities Priority Bills That Died In Policy Committee Transportation Climate Emergency JWM Budget Concerns House and Senate Energy Climate Committee Notes House CE&E - March 25 Summary of Northwest Energy Coalition (NWEC) News and Commission Meetings Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment SJR 28 now with -1 amendment , Environmental Rights Constitutional amendment S enate Joint Resolution - with referral to the 2026 ballot, public hearing was 3/26 . The League provided support with comments testimony . The bill is in Sen Rules , so the Legislative deadlines are not applicable. A Work Session is not yet scheduled. The a mendment is a partial rewrite and may address the League’s concerns. LWVUS has provided guidance since over 26 states have - or are in the process of having green / environmental rights constitutional topics or initiatives. These usually take the form of a legislation–referral to the people. The New Mexico green amendment campaign focuses on racial justice. News: Oregonians ask Legislature to let voters decide on constitutional right to healthy climate ‘A hearing for Senate Joint Resolution 28 was packed with children and seniors asking legislators to refer to voters a constitutional amendment enshrining climate rights’| OCC Oregon Capital Chronicle. Environmental Justice Bills HB2548 : establishes an agriculture workforce labor standards board, League Testimony . Work Session is now 4/7. 
 Climate Priority Advocacy Groups For the first time, this year most of our priorities are included in the bipartisan 2025 Legislative Environmental Caucus Priorities , Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Priorities and/or Oregon Conservation Network (OCN) priorities . OCN is the only formal environmental lobby coalition group in the capitol. Consequently, for some of these bills (especially those in a package) the League may just join coalition sign-on letters rather than providing individual testimony. Climate Priorities with League Testimony with League Endorsement and Still Alive HB 3170 : Community Resilience Hubs and networks : Work Session 3/4, passed to JWM, DHS, Sponsors, Rep. Marsh, Sen Pham and Rep Tan. League testimony 
 
 
 Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package The following four bills are part of a package which was the subject of public hearings February 27 and March 6 in the House Energy Management, General Government, and Veterans Committee: HB 215 1: Testimony ; appears dead HB 2152 : Testimony ; work session now 4/8 HB 2949 : T estimony ; work session now 4/8 HB 3450 : Testimony , work session now 4/8, see also CEI Hub Seismic Risk Analysis CEI energy storage transition plan, HEMGGV. Energy Affordability and Utility Accountability Package HB 3081 ( League testimony ) work session 4/8, creates an active navigator to help access energy efficiency incentives all in one place 
 SB 88 ( League testimony ) work session was 3/24, limits the ability of utility companies to charge ratepayers for lobbying, litigation costs, fines, marketing, industry fees, and political spending. 
 Moved to Sen Rules. In addition to our testimony, LWVOR joined the Oregon Conservation Network, coordinated through the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, in sign-on letters supporting both HB 3081 and SB 88. PH 3/4 Climate Treasury Investment Bills SB 681 : Dead: Treasury: Fossil Fuel investment moratorium, Senate Finance and Revenue, PH 3/19. testimony. Sen Golden. 
 HB 2200 work session now 4/8 requested by Treasury Sec Tobias ESG investing, identified as the compromise bill. League – NO Comment, HC EMGGV, PH was 3/13. 
 HB 2966 A: Establishes the State Public Financing Task Force, Work Session 3/6/2025 passed to Joint Ways and Means (JWM), Representative Gamba, Senator Golden, Frederick, Representative Andersen, Evans , House Commerce and Consumer Protection (H CCP) 
 League Testimony 
 
 
 
 Natural and Working Lands HB 5039 financial administration of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board; JWM NR SC, League testimony 
 
 
 
 HB 3103A – work session 3/31. Moved to JWM, Overweight Timber Harvest , , League Testimony , new adopted -5 amendment . 
 Other Priorities HB 2566A : Stand-alone Energy resilience Projects , Work Session was 3/20, moved to JWM, Rep Gamba was the only nay. At the request of Governor Tina Kotek (H CEE), DOE presentation 
 
 
 
 
 HB 3365 : work session 4/7, climate change instruction /curriculum in public schools, House Cm Educ, PH was 3/12, League Testimony , Chief Sponsors: Rep Fragala, Rep McDonald , Rep Andersen, Gamba, Lively, Neron, Senator Patterson, Pham, Taylor. 
 
 SB 1187 new Climate cost recovery Liability interagency bill , PH 4/7, possible work session 4/9, Sen. Golden, Senate Energy and Environment 
 
(Replaces SB 679 and SB 682 : 
 SB 680 : Climate Science/Greenwashing , Sen. Golden and Manning, moved to Judiciary , no recommendation, (SJ) PH was 2/26 Campos, Frederick, Gorsek, Patterson, Prozanski, Taylor 
 
 SB 688 A: -5 Public Utility Commission performance-based regulation of electric utilities, PH 3/12,& 3/19, work session was 3/24, $500K fiscal, moved to JWM , League testimony , Sen. Golden, Sen. Pham, 
 
 
 SB 827 : Solar and Storage Rebate , SEE Work session 2/17, Gov. Kotek & DOE, Senate voted 21-7, moves to House 3/4 

 first reading. 
 referred to H CEE 3/10 
 HB 3546 , the POWER Act , work session 4/8, PR was 3/6, The bill requires the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to create a new rate class for the largest energy users in the state. (data centers and other high-volume users). These regulations would only apply to customers in the for-profit utility's service areas of PGE, Pacific Power, and Idaho Power. The League has approved being listed on a coalition sign on advocacy letter . 
 
 
 Oregon lawmakers introduce legislation to rein in utility bills | KPTV , Citizens Utility Board CUB presentation here . 
 
 
 SB 1143 : NEW bill , PH was 3/19 and Work session now 4/7 SEE, PUC established a pilot program that allows each natural gas Co to develop a utility-scale thermal energy network (TEN) pilot project to provide heating and cooling services to customers. Senator Lieber, Sollman, Representative Levy B, Senator Smith DB, Representative Andersen, Marsh. Example: Introduction to the MIT Thermal Energy Networks (MITTEN) Plan for Rapid and Cost-Effective Campus Decarbonization. Priority Bills that died in policy committee Some of these related to funding may appear in the end of session reconciliation (Xmas tree) bill. HB 3477 : Update to Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Goals. League testimony . House Climate, Energy, and Environment (CEE), Sponsored by Rep GAMBA, Sen Frederick, Golden, Patterson, Pham K, Taylor 
 
 
 SB 54 : Work Session was cancelled. The bill required landlords provide cooling for residential units . The League endorsed and added our name to a OJTA Oregon Justice Transition Alliance, sign-on letter . 
 Transportation Oregon Democrats unveil $1.9 billion transportation funding plan The plan includes raising the state gas tax to 60 cents per gallon, higher DMV fees, higher bike taxes and more. | *OCC. ODOT answers to budget presentation questions an 18-page document dated March 13. ODOT budget presentation package detail materials can be found Here. The League is concerned with federal guidelines: “McLain and Gorsek said they’re confident in Oregon’s ability to continue to receive federal transportation grants, despite directives from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that federal funding should go toward states with high marriage and birth rates, no vaccine or mask mandates and that are committed to working with the federal government to enforce Trump’s immigration policy — all areas that don’t apply to Oregon.” See OCC article . KGW NEWS: What it could cost you to rescue Oregon's transportation funding | The Story | April 4, 2025 Climate Emergency JWM Budget Concerns In order to stay on track, the Legislature must prioritize investments for vital environmental justice, climate and community protection programs (CPP). Without additional appropriations this session, the following existing successful climate, CPP and environmental justice programs may run out of funding: Community Renewable Energy Grant Program (ODOE) 
 
 Rental Home Heat Pump Program (ODOE) 
 
 Community Heat Pump Program (ODOE) 
 
 Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program/Charge Ahead (DEQ) 
 
 Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicles Rebates + Infrastructure Grants (DEQ) 
 
 Community Resilience Hubs and Networks (ODHS) 
 
 Climate Change Worker Relief Fund (DAS) 
 
 Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program (ODOE) 
 
 Natural & Working Lands Fund (OWEB) (excerpt from OCEN network message) 
 
 House and Senate Energy Climate Committee Notes The Senate E&E Committee moved SB 726-3 to the House floor with a do pass recommendation. The bill would direct the EQC to adopt rules requiring the use of advanced methane detection technology for monitoring surface emissions at municipal solid waste landfills. The advanced technology is estimated to cost $20,000 per year for each landfill operated by a local government. The committee voted unanimously to move SB 1160-1 to Joint W&M with a do pass recommendation. It would require ODOE, assisted by the PUC, to study the financial costs and benefits of developing qualifying small power facilities under state and federal law, as well as small-scale renewable energy projects of 20 MW or less, and report to the interim energy committees by Sept. 30, 2026. ODOE expects to contract with a third party to support the study at an estimated GF cost of $250,000. Senate E&E has a dozen Possible Work Sessions scheduled for April 7, along with a public hearing on SB 1102 carried over from the April 2 meeting. The proposed -2 amendment to SB 1102 would authorize the PUC to impose a fine on an electric utility that fails to comply with statutory clean energy targets or to demonstrate continual improvement. It would set a new interim target for greenhouse gas emissions reduction at 50% below the baseline emissions level by 2028. The committee posted a Possible Work Session for this bill on April 9, as well as for the pro-nuclear bills SB 215 and SB 216 and for SB 1187 , establishing the Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program. The House CE&E Committee moved HB 3336 to the House floor with a do pass recommendation. It would require electric utilities to file strategic plans with the PUC for using grid enhancing technologies (GETs, defined in the bill) where doing so is cost-effective, and update the plans every two years. A utility would have to carry out its first filed strategic plan by January 1, 2030. The committee moved the following bills to Joint W&M: HB 2370 would increase the statutory cap on the fee PUC may charge public utilities from 0.45% to 0.55% of a utility’s gross operating revenues in Oregon in the preceding calendar year. If the PUC were to adopt the full 0.55% rate, Other Funds revenue could increase by $13.6 million in the 2025-27 biennium. The PUC would need legislative approval to implement a fee increase. HB 2067-2 would require ODOE to establish a rebate program to incentivize commercial contractors, landscape construction professionals, and landscape contractors to buy battery-powered leaf blowers to improve energy efficiency and reduce noise pollution. It would appropriate $2 million GF for deposit into the new Commercial Landscape Equipment Rebate Fund. LFO says it will prepare a more complete fiscal analysis for Joint W&M. The committee moved HB 3747 to Revenue. It would create a refundable income tax credit for the purchase of battery energy storage systems and solar photovoltaic electric systems. Further fiscal analysis is required. The committee has 28 Work Sessions and Possible Work Sessions scheduled for April 8. No Work Session was scheduled for HB 2064 , so it died in committee. The bill would have required the PUC to take certain actions to support the operations of microgrids and community microgrids. HB 3927 also died; it would have required ODOE to study the need to expand electric transmission infrastructure in Oregon. Proposed amendments would have appropriated $1.6 billion to $8 billion over the next five biennia for deposit in the Oregon Electric Transmission Expansion Fund. House CE&E March 25 HB 3823 Revenue without recommendation. The bill would provide a property tax break for personal property used by a business to generate or store energy for consumption by the business on its premises. Rep. Gamba asked for the record that Revenue clarify whether diesel generators installed at data centers would also be included in the exemption – he believes they are real property and thus would still be taxed -- and whether the exemption would apply to actual battery storage systems. Chair Lively carried over work sessions on the following bills because expected amendments are not ready yet: HB 3336 – Declares state policy for electric utilities to a. Meet the required clean energy targets set forth in ORS 469A.410; b. Develop sufficient resources to meet load growth; c. Create efficiencies and resilience in the transmission system; and d. Maintain energy affordability. Utilities would have to file strategic plans with the PUC for using grid enhancing technologies (defined in the bill) where doing so is cost-effective and to update the plans every two years. A utility would have to carry out its first filed strategic plan by January 1, 2030. HB 2961 – Increases the percentage of electrical service capacity for EV charging that must be installed in parking garages or other parking areas of new multifamily and mixed-use buildings with privately owned commercial space and five or more residential dwelling units The committee voted unanimously to move HB 2063-1 to Joint W&M with a do-pass recommendation. It would create the Agrivoltaics Task Force staffed by DLCD. Fiscal impact estimate is $238,978 for 0.75 FTE to manage the project. The committee held a work session on HB 2961 , which would raise the percentage of EV charging capacity that must be installed in parking garages or other parking areas of new multifamily and mixed-use buildings with privately owned commercial space and five or more residential units. The proposed -4 amendment would raise the threshold for installation from 5 residential units to 10, a concession to rural communities. Rep. Osborne strongly opposed the bill, saying it will raise the cost of housing, and pushed the -2 amendment, which would delay the mandate until criteria for new housing construction, housing costs, homelessness, and electricity rates are met for four consecutive years. The committee could not agree on whether to vote on the amendments. Chair Lively said more amendments are not feasible as “we’ve overloaded Lege Council.” He carried over the WS to allow more discussion offline. The chair also carried over another half dozen work sessions on bills for which amendments and/or fiscal impact statements were not available. These included HB 3336 , requiring electric utilities to file strategic plans with the PUC for using grid enhancing technologies (GETs), which had been carried over previously. Summary of Northwest Energy Coalition (NWEC) By Robin Tokmakian Oregon Mtg of Apr 1, 2025 Major OR Leg. Bills watched by NWEC Wildfire related concern from NWEC that there is not a balance between who pays the costs … ie. —- what is “fair share" HB 3917 Utility Wildfire Fund - the bill creates the Catastrophic Wildfire Fund to pay for property damage (80%) and noneconomic damages (capped at $100k) claims arising from catastrophic wildfires that are ignited by the facilities of a public utility. See U tility wildfire guidance. https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/03/31/pacificorp-involved-in-bills-in-oregon-western-states-limiting-utility-wildfire-liability-damages/ HB 3666 - this bill would create applications of utility wildfire safety certificates for Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs) and Consumer-Owned Utilities (COUs) under the Public Utility Commission (PUC). Ratepayer cost related HB 3546 – POWER Act: bill to ensure data centers and crypto pay their fair share instead of the rest of us subsidizing their energy costs. HB 3792 - increases the amount of the energy assistance charge designated to reduce disconnections. Allows the PUC to review the charge in relation to rate increases over the previous two years and adjust it upwards if they deem it necessary. * HB 3179 & SB688 are “paired” HB 3179 – Fair Energy Act: bill helps keep energy bills low by allowing regulators to set the lowest possible rates and shifting increases away from winter when usage is highest. It also improves transparency and gives utilities flexibility to use low-cost financing to minimize customer impacts. See: https://oregoncub.org/news/blog/new-amendments-to-the-fair-energy-act/3112 2. Environmental Rights bill needs more support from Enviro Groups (one Dem legislator withholding support until he sees more support) 3. Utilities and PUC Pacific Corp (PAC) is slowly walking various items it needs to get down to comply with HB2021 (Clean energy and climate goals.). Extending coal plants’ lives in Idaho and Utah (from which OR maybe getting electricity). It is writing its Integrated Resource Plan as a 6-state plan and submitting the same plan for all 6 states (OR, WA, ID, CA, UT, and WY). PAC will take longer now to transition to clean energy 4. Wildfire Webinar sponsored by NWEC will be recorded.. Wildfire and Utilities: This webinar will cover the intersection between wildfire and utilities, policymakers, and communities. Increased fire risk is threatening communities as utilities work to mitigate risk and policymakers are deciding how to regulate them. We will explore this intersection, and the role advocates can play in the development of utility regulations, legislation, and wildfire mitigation plans that will do the most to protect Northwest communities. Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/o2eW2lFPQpOzbJhjCN7oTg#/registration 5. Bonneville BPA LWV OR/WA/ID/MT BPA is pushing to approve joining an investor-led “day-ahead energy market”. NWEC is opposed to their choice and supports the alternative market. See This letter from the US Senators of WA and OR News and Commission Meetings Oregon Climate Action Commission to Meet Virtually on April 11, 2025 — Energy Info Climate Solutions : Thermal Energy Networks win win : 
 Carbon sequestration/storage: See DOGAMI Agency Budget– Geologic Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Interactive Map | U.S. Geological Survey ( usgs.gov ) .
 (see Natural Resources Legislative Report which covers both these topics and Geothermal Drilling. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 2/27 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Carbon Investments Clean Energy Carbon Investments By Anne Nesse Informative hearings were held concerning our State Treasury, and a proposed plan to decrease carbon-intensive investments in favor of a cleaner energy economy. On Thursday, 2/16, LWVOR submitted written testimony on HB 2601 . I delayed posting this, as our virtual testimony was delayed, due to the number of persons testifying, and then delayed due to the winter storms. The committee chair has promised to hear all previously registered virtual testimony. A copy of our written testimony is linked here . Rep. Pham, a Chief Sponsor of the Bill, presented a convincing case for support, recorded here . Her testimony included graphs on the increased performance of non-fossil fuel related stocks, creating increased returns for our State Treasury, and increased PERS benefits. Rep. Pham ended with the statement that current fossil free investments are showing returns on investment 5X greater than more carbon intensive investments. Rep. Golden, and Rep. Gamba testified in support, as well as a coalition of representatives from the organizing group, Divest Oregon, which includes the OEA and 100 other state groups. Only a few testifiers were not in support, or suggested amendments. This bill also brought support from the former New York Controller, Tom Sazillo, testifying on how well New York State was proceeding in its transition towards a fossil free economy, within its investment portfolio. Clean Energy By Kathy Moyd HB 3196 -1 a uthorizes the Environmental Quality Commission to establish by rule a fee to be paid by community climate investment entities. The funds come from the purchase of Community Climate Investments by the covered fuel suppliers. It establishes a Community Climate Investment Oversight Account. The League provided written and verbal Testimony .

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 2/13 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Climate Emergency Priorities Other CE Bills Clean Energy Oregon Economic Analysis Oregon Treasury Climate Related Lawsuits: Oregon and… Volunteers Needed Climate Emergency Priorities By Claudia Keith The League has identified six priority CE policy and budget topics. Find in previous LR reports additional background on each priority. Following are updates on those six topics: 1. Natural and Working Lands : Establishes Natural and Working Lands (NWL) Fund, carbon sequestration opportunities…: Natural Climate Solutions SB 530 . Public Hearing was 2/15/23 in SEN E&E . Josie Koehne is leading this effort. The League provided supportive testimony . Sen Dembrow and OGWC Chair MacDonald testified . Here are the meeting materials . 2. Resilient Buildings (RB): Refer to the adopted Legislative Joint Task Force on Resilient Efficient Buildings (REB) Dec 13 Report . The League is an active RB coalition partner. BR campaign guiding principles . SB 868 , 869 , 870 and 871 were posted 2/9. They seem to be placeholders, watch for amendments. 3. Environmental Justice (EJ): 2023 Leg bills. The League joined the Worker Advocate Coalition on 2/13 and SB 593 is one of a number of bills the League will follow and likely support. The ‘Right to Refuse‘ dangerous work bill LC has not been posted yet. 4. Oregon Climate Action Commission (currently Oregon Global Warming Commission): Roadmap , SB 522 , will change "Oregon Global Warming Commission" to "Oregon Climate Action Commission" and modify membership and duties of commission and state greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets/goals. Find more about this Bill in Clean Energy LR below. SB 522 public hearing is Tuesday Feb 21 in Sen E&E . The League will provide supportive testimony. See OGWC Feb 3 Final Draft Roadmap Recommendations , the Roadmap Next Steps Commission Subcommittee’s final review of report is due February 21-24. The Roadmap is scheduled to be published and delivered to the Legislature by March 1. 5. Other Governor Climate / Carbon Policy Topics: See 20-04 Executive Order topics . This area includes other GHG emission mitigation/ reductions and new clean renewable energy (DOE), OHA public health, and DOT Dept of Transportation policy and funding bills. 6. CE related total 2023-2025 biennium budget: The governor’s budget * was published Jan 31; Kotek’s budget priorities . A main funding problem concerns how the favorable ending current period balance, estimated to be >$765M, can be used. It will take a 3/5 vote to pass this proposed change. ‘Kotek proposes spending $765M from reserves on homeless , other crises’| Statesman Journal. Other CE Bills - Supporting By Claudia Keith House Committee On Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans Feb 16 2023 Hearing includes these climate related bills with League testimony. HB 2601 Oregon FF Divestment: The League provided supportive testimony for Fossil Fuel (FF) Divestment: … Requires State Treasurer to address the urgency and risk associated with Fossil Fuel energy investments. Chief Sponsors: Rep Pham K, Senator Golden, Rep Gamba. HB 2763 Create a State public bank Task Force, Rep Gamba, Sen Golden, Rep Walters. The League provided testimony . Other CE Bills – May Support By Claudia Keith The League may support or just follow these bills. This is a preliminary list; a number of bills are not yet posted to OLIS. Natural Working Lands: See Rep Pham’s urban forestry bill, HB 3016 , Rep Holvey’s severance tax bill, HB 3025 to replace the harvest tax, and ODF’s Regular Harvest tax bill, HB 2087 . SB 88 climate smart Ag increases net carbon sequestration and storage in natural and working lands. Requested: Senate Interim Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire Recovery. See Keep Oregon Cool, Natural Working Lands. Green Infrastructure: HB 3016 community green infrastructure, Rep Pham K, Senator Dembrow, Rep Gamba. Public & Green Banking: SB501 Bank of the state of Oregon Sen Golden. Interstate 5 Bridge Legislation: Interstate Bridge Replacement Program (IBRP) factsheet ODOT and WDOT . 12 Things the Oregon Legislature Should Know About IBRP - Just Crossing Alliance. It is likely policy and or just funding bills will be heard and likely moved by this IBRP Legislative Joint Committee . The goal: ‘Replacing the aging Interstate Bridge with a modern, earthquake resilient, multimodal structure is a high priority for Oregon and Washington…. ‘. Clean Energy By Kathy Moyd Activity Last Week and Next Week. There were no Clean Energy bill Public Hearings during the period prior to 2/14.Two Clean Energy bills have public hearings between 2/14 and next week. Oregon Economic Analysis By Claudia Keith The next Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast is scheduled for Feb 22. It is unclear how the congressional debt ceiling issue, security market volatility, inflation – Fed/banking issues and other global risks will develop. The last State of Oregon quarterly forecast assumed a likely mild recession in 2023. Oregon Bond rating continues to be above average. The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis has never conformed to what is now recommended in the SEC Climate Risk disclosure rule. SEC Plans to Finalize See supportive LWVOR-initiated LWVUS Testimony , June 2022. Oregon Treasury By Claudia Keith It is unclear how Oregon Treasury / Treasurer Tobias will assist with addressing the $27B Federal funds, which are contingent on formation of an Oregon Green Bank. New York, California, and Connecticut Green Bank; some are a function of the State Treasury. EPA outlines $27B 'green bank' for clean energy projects | AP News. EPA giving out $27 billion in 'green bank' loans | Fortune. Related News: Why your company may soon be hiring an 'ESG controller' | Fortune. SEC weighs making 'adjustments' to controversial climate risk disclosure rule , Chairman Gensler says| CNBS. Investors should not expect much relief from volatility | Financial Times. Rescuing ESG from the Culture Wars | HBR. It's concerning to the League how these major issues will affect Oregon’s economy. Climate Related Lawsuits: Oregon and… By Claudia Keith Numerous lawsuits are challenging Oregon’s DEQ CPP regulations. Here is one example of how to track them. Basically, there are a number of active state and federal lawsuits , (Feb 2023 update) some of which could assist in meeting Oregon's Net Zero GHG Emissions before 2050 targets and other lawsuits, which challenge current Oregon DEQ CPP policy, which would limit the use of fossil fuels, including diesel, natural gas, and propane over time. Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 60 lawsuits with OREGON mentioned. A Lawsuit Against Big Oil Gets Personal - The New York Times Oregon and National News: Oregon city's gas ban continues spread across the West | Energy News Network. Possible oil pipeline expansion on the table in Oregon | KTVL. Rogue Valley residents call for more input on Northwest pipeline expansion – OPB. Why officials in the Pacific Northwest are only now deciding how to regulate crypto mining – OPB. Alert! Tougher Reporting Mandates Ahead for Data Centers | Data Center Knowledge | News and analysis for the data center industry. Oregon State University researcher to help lead $25 million nuclear forensics project | Oregon State University. Tolls are coming to Portland-area freeways , and even tolling fans worry they’ll stack up - oregonlive.com . Interstate Bridge Design Could Change to Single Level | WW. 3 Alarming Threats To The U.S. Energy Grid – Cyber, Physical, And Existential Events| Forbes. Utility Explores Converting Coal Plants into Nuclear Power - Scientific American. FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Standards and Major Progress for a Made-in-America National Network of Electric Vehicle Chargers - The White House Volunteers Needed By Claudia Keith Request to Local Leagues; please let us know your climate, resilience, or sustainability advocacy actions. Please consider joining the CE portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy and law areas: Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture/ODA Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team) State Procurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services) CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment We collaborate with Natural Resource Action members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics. Volunteers are needed: The 2023 legislative session began Jan 17. If any area of Climate Emergency interests you, please contact Claudia Keith , CE Coordinator. Orientation to Legislative and State Agency advocacy processes is available.

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of December 1 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Please see Climate Emergency Overview here. Jump to a topic: 2026 Legislative Short Session Potential 2026 Policy LC’s / Bills News Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust 2026 Legislative Short Session (Feb 2 to March 9) The primary climate/carbon issues during the 2026 short session will be related to budget issues primarily caused by Federal funding and policy decisions. All state agencies have been asked to provide 5% reduction options by program. The revenue / economic forecast due Feb 4 will likely reset budget reconciliation guidelines –> favorably or unfavorably. Additionally, this funding situation and Gov Kotek’s 2025/2026 executive orders including prioritizing implementation of clean energy projects and resilience coexist in a very challenging short session. Potential 2026 Policy LC’s/Bills A bipartisan group of lawmakers is actively working on creating a new carbon market cap and trade proposal . ‘ Can Oregon and Washington Price Carbon Pollution? ‘- The Climate Trust Published: September 30, 2025 by Gloria Gonzalez, Ecosystem Marketplace's Carbon Program Environmental and social justice groups, such as the Sierra Club and Oregon Rural Action, plan to continue advocating for environmental justice during the 2026 session, focusing on issues like clean truck rules, utility rate fairness, and addressing nitrate contamination in communities of color. Make Polluters Pay: Climate Resilience Superfund : The concept is the same as SB 1187 (2025) which was introduced by Sens Golden, Pham and 9 other legislators. The policy is based on similar legislation passed in New York and Vermont. Major greenhouse gas emitters who extract or refine fossil fuels would need to pay for the impacts to Oregon of their past emissions (from 1995 to 2024). Virtual Power Plant / Distributed Energy (“VPP”): Planned bill will promote “virtual power plants” (VPPs) or distributed power plant programs, built from distributed energy resources (DERs) such as home and business batteries, smart thermostats, EV chargers, and other controllable devices. Senator Neron Misslin Columbia Riverkeeper Data Center Nov 13 View recording of Webinar Unpacking the Impacts of Data Centers .” Kelly Campbell (Policy Director, Columbia Riverkeeper), Environmental Coordinator Kate Valdez with the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and Equity Analyst & Advocate Sarah Wochele with Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board (CUB).. Much of the information in this webinar was adapted from Columbia Riverkeepers’ September 2025 background brief on data centers (DCs). Kelly Campbell, policy director: DCs require intensive cooling systems, consuming millions of gallons of water per day. Over a year, a 100-Mw DC will consume 100 million gallons of water, enough for 2,500 people’s domestic use. Unfortunately, DC systems that are more energy-efficient require more water for cooling. To improve our understanding of DCs’ water use and how it relates to energy consumption, we need accurate and timely reporting. If using power generated from natural gas, that 100-Mw DC will generate CO2 emissions equal to that of 60,000 cars. DC expansion is dramatically increasing electricity consumption, jeopardizing the clean energy transition. Utilities are turning to unspecified fossil power instead of renewable energy. Tech companies are pushing small modular nuclear reactors as a “clean” energy source, but it will take at least 15 years for these to become operational. In the meantime, the DCs will continue to use natural gas-fueled power. Policy strategies need to focus on transparency, accountability, and oversight. Very little information is available to the public on data center size, energy and water use, etc. DC development in Oregon has proceeded with virtually zero public input, with closed-door negotiations between elected officials and tech companies. Google and Amazon have consistently resisted transparency demands from citizens and lawmakers. The Washington governor’s work group is developing legislation to address this. Kate Valdez, tribal nations representative reported that increased peak loads are detrimental to salmon runs, which are already dangerously low. Fish operations are disrupted in “emergency” situations such as blackouts, when water flow over dams is cut off. Unsustainable growth of power demand threatens grid reliability that affects all Oregonians. DCs should pay the costs of the new infrastructure they are demanding. We need to ensure that DCs have sufficient energy and transmission availability before they begin operating, and we need closer scrutiny of tax revenue gains and losses before extending current tax incentives. Sarah Wochele, CUB, noted that Oregonians are unfairly subsidizing DCs through their monthly energy bills. Electricity is becoming “luxury priced,” threatening food security, housing affordability, etc. DC load growth is making it more difficult for Oregon to meet its clean energy targets on time and achieve a just energy transition. DCs are an unprecedented type of new utility customer. A single DC requires enough energy to power a city of 56,000 homes. The distribution system is changing, but ratepaying models are not. DCs are responsible for 94% of PGE’s recent load growth. Without their demand, PGE’s overall electric load would be declining. Investments in energy efficiency have largely been funded by residential households, while the benefits have flowed mostly to DCs. The 2025 POWER Act (HB 3546) took a step toward greater accountability by requiring the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to create a DC-specific rate class. PUC’s implementation effort has begun with its UM 2377 proceeding for Portland General Electric (PGE). Columbia Riverkeeper has intervened with a coalition of climate and energy advocates, represented by the Green Energy Institute. CUB finds PGE’s proposal seriously lacking, as it calls for residential customers to pay 42% of the investment costs of serving DCs. A complicating factor is that consumer-owned utilities not regulated by PUC serve 37% of Oregon’s electricity demand. Parties in UM 2377 will present testimony to PUC through early December. The docket is open for public comment on the importance of protecting our climate and water from DC proliferation. Columbia Riverkeeper is asking PUC to require water use reporting from DCs so we can begin to develop solutions to improve DC efficiency without harming the surrounding environment. House Interim Committee On Climate, Energy, and Environment 11/17/2025 12:00 PM Video Recording Stakeholder Comments on the State Energy Strategy Jennifer Joly, Director, Oregon Municipal Electric Utilities AssociationTucker Billman, Director of Government Relations, Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative AssociationChloe Becker, State Legislative Affairs Manager, Portland General ElectricMary Moerlins, Director of Environmental Policy and Corporate Social Responsibility, NW NaturalNora Apter, Oregon Director, Climate Solutions Meeting materials Stakeholder Comments on the State Energy Strategy - Jennifer Joly (testimony) Jennifer Joly, Director, Oregon Municipal Electric Utilities Association Stakeholder Comments on the State Energy Strategy - Tucker Billman (testimony) Tucker Billman, Director of Government Relations, Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association State Energy Strategy - Janine Benner, Edith Bayer (presentation) Janine Benner, Director; Edith Bayer, Energy Policy Team Lead, Oregon Department of Energy News ODOE to Release Draft Land-Based Net Carbon Inventory Report with Webinar, Comment Period November 24, 2025 | DOE Energy Strategy Update November 2025 To meet growing energy demand, Oregon is ‘nuclear curious,’ mostly cautious • Oregon Capital Chronicle Editorial: Oregon has a roadmap to divorce from fossil fuels | The Bulletin Environmental Advocates Remind Portlanders: Clean Energy Fund Essential to Climate Justice; Rerouting Not an Option | Sierra Club Who’s Ready to Think About Blocking Out the Sun? - The Atlantic ( The idea of artificially lowering the planet’s temperature is gaining supporters and hitting political opposition.) DEPARTMENT OF THE FUTURE - The Strange and Totally Real Plan to Blot Out the Sun and Reverse Global Warming ( A 25-person startup is developing technology to block the sun and turn down the planet’s thermostat.) The stakes are huge — and the company and its critics say regulations need to catch up. - Politico Magazine Oregon Climate Action Commission - OCAC The Oregon Climate Action Commission will meet virtually online on Dec. 12, 2025. Log-in information and meeting materials will be added. Oregon Climate Action Commission Virtual Meeting Nov. 14, 2025 Meeting Materials: Agenda , Meeting Recording , Meeting Presentations , Governor’s Executive Order 25-26 on Resilience of Natural and Working Lands , Glossary for the Land-based Net Carbon Inventory , Public Comments on TIGHGER 2.0 , Response to Public Comments on TIGHGER 2.0 . OCAC Reports 2025 Special Meeting of Oregon Environmental Quality Commission This meeting was held by Zoom only . Monday, Nov. 24 Variances for Air Quality Programs to Address Fuel Availability (Action) 
DEQ proposed that the commission consider issuing variances from certain requirements as allowed by ORS 468A.075 to support continued fuel delivery through alternative methods in Oregon. Presentation Slides . Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust By Claudia Keith November 12, 2025 Our Children’s Trust Submits Friend of the Court Brief to Ecuadorian Constitutional Court Underscoring that Fossil Fuel Development on Indigenous Lands is an Internationally Wrongful Act | Nov 12 2025. A Federal Court Dismissed A Youth-Led Legal Challenge To Trump’s Fossil Fuel Orders. Now What? | Climate in the Courts Numerous lawsuits are challenging Oregon’s DEQ CPP regulations. Here is one example of how to track them. Basically, there are several active state federal lawsuits , (Nov 2025 update) some of which could assist in meeting Oregon's Net Zero GHG Emissions before 2050 targets and other lawsuits, that challenge current Oregon DEQ CPP policy, which would limit the use of fossil fuels, including diesel, natural gas, and propane over time. Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 91 lawsuits , mentioning OREGON . VOLUNTEERS NEEDED : What is your passion related to Climate Emergency ? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The short legislative session begins in January of 2026. Many State Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of climate or natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, or Claudia Keith Climate Emergency at peggylynchor@gmail.com Or climatepolicy@lwvor.org . Training will be offered. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report section

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

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Sine Die - Week of August 11 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Please see Climate Emergency Overview here. Jump to a topic: Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package State, Federal and UN News and Reports Climate Lawsuits/Our Children's Trust As of Aug 8th the governor ‘s deadline to veto bills has passed and no Climate related bills were affected. See June 30 CE LR for complete list of all Climate League advocacy legislation. One of many Federal Executive Branch actions affecting policy and Funding that unfavorably affects Oregon Climate Action Plans: The White House took down the nation’s top climate report. You can still find it here - OPB Inside Trump’s campaign to censor climate science - Grantham Research Institute on climate change and the environment - LSE. How Trump Is Transforming the U.S. Government’s Environmental Role - The New York Times The expected Transportation budget special session will start Aug 29. Gov. Tina Kotek calls for special session , delays ODOT layoffs | OPB. The League expects the Transportation Climate Friendly funding issues will be addressed . Additionally, Critical Energy infrastructure, Natural & Working Lands, Environmental Justice, Nuclear Energy Safety, Community Resiliency and other Climate CE failed policy and budget priorities could reappear in the 2026 short session. Find additional Climate legislation in the NR Leg Report. Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package By Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers None of the CEI bills which the League supported advanced this session. HB 215 1: LWVOR supported HB 2151’s expansion of the permitted purposes for which monies in the Seismic Risk Mitigation Fund could be spent. Testimony ; HB 2152 would have directed the Department of Energy to create an action plan based on the Energy Security Plan, including strategies to increase geographic diversity of liquid fuel storage by region, strategies to improve statewide liquid fuel reserves, and a prioritized list of locations for expanding storage capacity at existing storage sites or developing storage capacity elsewhere. Testimony ; HB 2949 would have directed the Department of Energy to assess the potential for requiring owners of terminals located in the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub to obtain risk bonds (i.e., financial assurance for costs associated with catastrophic releases after an earthquake) T estimony ; The League submitted comments on HB 3450 , saying LWVOR agreed with the urgent need for a transition plan for the storage of bulk oils and liquid fuels held in the CEI Hub. However, the bill needed amendments to clarify both the objectives of such a plan and the process used to achieve those objectives. For instance, it would help to identify what is meant by “resilience of the energy sector”. Testimony , In July, the Risk Bond Coalition agreed that the current goal is to file and enact a risk bond bill similar to HB 2949 and a forward placement bill similar to HB 2152 in the 2026 legislative session. The group has a strategy and is implementing first steps now. State, Federal, and UN News and Reports Federal Environmental Justice Tracker – Environmental and Energy Law Program | EELP Law Harvard Governor Kotek Releases Statement in Response to Climate Danger Rollback | Gov Kotek Press Release Oregon: 2025 Energy and Climate Policies Recap | 7/16 CETI Oregon’s 2025 Legislative Session: Climate Wins, Losses , and the Road Ahead | 7/3, Climate Solutions, World Court says countries are legally obligated to curb emissions, protect climate | 7/23, UN News New law to bring climate education to classrooms across Oregon | 7/24, OPB Merkley, Senate and House Colleagues Fight for Children's Fundamental Right to a Healthy , Livable Planet | 7/16 , Sen Merkley 2025 Legislative Session Debrief | 7/9, Oregon Environmental Council See How Oregon is Addressing Environmental Justice and Environmental Justice for Farmworkers | EJ State by State .org Youth and DC Lawmakers Rally Behind Climate Rights Resolution | Bloomberg A Fresh Look at Eastern Oregon Issues - Pac/West Lobby Group Detailed Clean Energy and GHG Emission Mitigation Topics The momentum of legislation to advance Oregon’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction programs and goals slowed further in the 2025 regular session. Climate advocates often found themselves “playing defense” to prevent existing beneficial programs or policies from being rolled back or defunded. Some key bills were shelved or weakened. Notably, HB 3477 again failed to advance, as in 2024. This bill would have modernized Oregon’s woefully outdated statutory goals for reducing GHG emissions, updating the 2050 goal and replacing the outdated interim goals with new goals for 2030 and 2040, in line with current science aimed at limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The measure became a “sacrificial lamb” in 2024 deliberations and evidently retained that status this year. The trucking industry mounted a concerted campaign to delay, if not kill outright, Oregon’s Clean Truck Rules , which are aimed at incentivizing the shift from production and use of gas- and diesel-powered trucks to cleaner electric- or hydrogen-powered options. The industry-backed HB 3119 sought to delay implementation of the rules by an additional year to 2027. It likely would have passed but became moot when DEQ pledged to use “enforcement discretion” to provide temporary relief to manufacturers that face challenges in meeting their ZEV sales targets . On July 10, the EQC formally voted to delay implementation. The outlook for these rules beyond 2027 is highly uncertain. The trucking industry seems likely to keep seeking to kill the program, especially as the U.S. EPA has revoked the federal waivers that allowed California, Oregon, and other states to implement stricter emissions rules for heavy-duty trucks. HB 2961 would have increased the percentage of electrical service capacity for EV charging that must be installed in parking areas of certain new multifamily and mixed-use buildings in the Portland metro area. The bill died in the Rules Committee. Utility regulation, rate affordability, and transmission issues captured more attention and support. Bills that passed with the support of LWVOR and our advocacy partners included: The FAIR Energy Act (HB 3179 ), limiting how often utilities may raise billing rates, and prohibiting residential rate increases during peak winter months; Performance-Based Regulation of Electrical Utilities (SB 688) , creating tools for the PUC to ensure that utility profits align with actual performance outcomes—wildfire safety, grid reliability, and lower bills for ratepayers; HB 3792 , requiring investor-owned electric utilities to collect at least $40 million per year for low-income electric bill payment and crisis assistance, double the minimum amount in current law; The POWER Act (HB 3546) , signed by the governor, directing the PUC to hold large energy users such as data centers, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence facilities accountable for paying for their share of electricity costs; HB 3336 , signed by the governor, requiring investor-owned utilities to file strategic plans with the PUC to use grid-enhancing technologies where cost-effective, reducing the need to build new transmission lines; The Hydrogen Oversight & Public Notice Act (SB 685) , signed by the governor, ensuring that natural gas customers are informed about, and have an opportunity to comment on, a utility’s plans to increase the amount of hydrogen blended with natural gas; HB 2066 , requiring the PUC to establish a regulatory framework for allowing the ownership and deployment of microgrids and community microgrids within electric utilities’ service territories. The gloomier than expected budget outlook stifled advocates’ ambitions for state spending on clean and renewable energy. In addition, the failure of the major Transportation package derailed efforts to invest in clean transportation. Lawmakers authorized no additional funding for existing ODOE programs offering grants and rebates for clean and renewable energy projects. HB 2567 , s igned by the governor, extends the Residential Heat Pump program and fund through 2032, and allows ODOE to provide additional incentives for contractors installing heat pumps in rural or frontier communities, but the final budget contains no additional dollars to support the program. HB 2566 would have made stand-alone energy resilience projects eligible for ODOE's Community Renewable Energy grants, and HB 3081 would have provided support for ODOE to launch One Stop Shop 2.0 to help users navigate the diverse funding sources available to make home energy upgrades more affordable. Both bills died in Joint Ways and Means. These programs are likely to run out of funding soon if they haven’t already, while the Trump administration seeks to gut key climate investments authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Oregon and other states have benefited enormously from federal dollars over the past three years to support clean energy development, electric vehicle infrastructure, rebates for home electrification, and frontline community resilience. Unless the state steps up to fill some of the funding gap, the blow to Oregon’s clean energy transition could be severe. At times, the sheer volume of bills moving through the 2025 legislature threatened to paralyze the system and created confusion as to the most salient legislative priorities. HB 2006 would have addressed this by limiting the number of bills that state agencies and officials, policy committees, and individual lawmakers could ask the Legislative Council to prepare in a session beginning in an odd-numbered year. The measure died in committee. Climate Lawsuits/Our Children's Trust Here is one example of how to track ODEQ Climate Protection Program cases. Basically, there are a number of active federal lawsuits , Climate Litigation July 11 Updates Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 86 lawsuits , (active and dismissed) mentioning Oregon. July 16, 2025, Congressional Resolution * — Our Children's Trust LWVOR has requested LWV to provide congressional advocacy and approval to LWVOR to lobby Oregon’s Congressional team concerning Congressional * Children's Fundamental Rights to Life and Stable Climate System resolution, supporting the principles underpinning Lighthiser v. Trump , the new case brought by 22 young Americans challenging the Trump administration’s pro-fossil fuel and anti-climate science Executive Orders. The resolution is sponsored by Senator Merkley, Representatives Schakowsky, Jayapal, and Raskin. Find major progress on climate related litigation at Our Children’s Trust website. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED : What is your passion related to Climate Emergency ? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The short legislative session begins in January of 2026. Many State Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of climate or natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, or Claudia Keith Climate Emergency at peggylynchor@gmail.com Or climatepolicy@lwvor.org . Training will be offered. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report section

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 6/2 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Please see Climate Emergency Overview here. Jump to a topic: Federal Oregon Current Week CE Action Joint Ways and Means CE Funding Topics Environmental Justice Bills Natural and Working Lands Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package Update Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment Oregon Treasury Other Climate Bills Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust Highlights of House and Senate Policy Committee Chamber Votes The League joined many other organizations this past week to oppose the Transportation Budget Cap and Trade proposal. The League is open to the idea that a west coast cap and trade solution may be viable in the future; however, the details related to this idea and how it affects CPP Climate Protection Plan, still need a robust public process. Refer to last week's CE LR and the sign on letter for details. We understand that there will be further discussion about this topic after the session ends. It will likely come up during legislature interim days. See also Transportation in the Natural Resources Legislative Reports. Federal While the primary focus of the LWVOR Action Committee is on Legislation in Oregon, what is happening at the federal level is likely to affect budgeting and other decisions in our state. These climate/energy-related Trump admin policy and budget related executive orders if implemented would drastically affect global UN COP efforts in all fifty states, including Oregon’s climate-related legislation (policy and budget), state agencies, and community climate action plans/state statutes/ targeted outcomes. Federal Register: Withdrawal of National Environmental Policy Act Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change Supreme Court curbs scope of environmental reviews required by NEPA - The Washington Post Science policy this week : May 26, 2025 - AIP.ORG (American Institute of Physics AIP.ORG ) 
 How the Five Pillars of U.S. Climate Policy are Threatened – Environmental and Energy Law Program | Harvard On ‘Laudato Si’ anniversary, Trump policies threaten progress on climate change | America Magazine Oregon In May 2025, Oregon's climate policy is undergoing significant discussions and adjustments. Specifically, lawmakers are considering transitioning from the state's current Climate Protection Program (CPP) to a cap-and-trade system, potentially linking it with other West Coast states. There's also an ongoing debate about the Clean Truck Rules, with enforcement delays and potential federal interference. Additionally, the state is actively working on climate justice initiatives and addressing rising utility bills. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ] Here's a more detailed look at the key aspects of Oregon's climate policy in May 2025: 1. Transitioning to a Cap-and-Trade System: Lawmakers are exploring replacing the CPP, which currently funds projects reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with a cap-and-trade system. [ 1 , 1 ] This new system would likely be linked with other states, potentially including Washington and California, according to Oregon Capital Chronicle. [ 2 ] The CPP, which sets a declining cap on emissions from fossil fuels, is designed to reduce emissions by 50% by 2035 and 90% by 2050. [ 7 , 7 ] The current CPP revenues are invested in projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. [ 1 , 1 ] 2. Clean Truck Rules and Federal Interference: The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently announced a two-year delay in enforcing its Advanced Clean Trucks Rules, which require manufacturers to increase sales of zero-emission vehicles. [ 3 , 4 ] This delay came after the Trump administration signed an executive order that could hinder state and local efforts to enforce climate laws. [ 8 ] Some Oregon lawmakers, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting, fear that federal Republicans could further derail these efforts, potentially axing the rules altogether. [ 4 ] 3. Climate Justice and Utility Bills: The state is actively working on climate justice initiatives, including addressing rising utility bills and supporting community resilience. [ 5 , 5 , 6 , 6 ] The Oregon Environmental Council, according to its website https://oeconline.org/our-work/policy/ , is pushing for policies that boost community resilience, speed up clean energy adoption, and enhance the state's economy. [ 9 , 10 ] There are also ongoing efforts to ensure utilities can't pass certain costs, like advertising or political spending, onto ratepayers, according to the Sierra Club. [ 11 , 11 ] 4. Other Notable Climate Policy Discussions: The Sierra Club reports on various bills related to energy efficiency, utility rates, and renewable energy. [ 11 ] The Oregon Environmental Council is advocating for stronger climate policies, including removing barriers to clean energy and expanding clean energy infrastructure. [ 9 ] The state is also working on a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan, due in December 2025, to identify more opportunities to reduce climate pollution. [ 12 ] 5. Ongoing Challenges and Opportunities: Oregon's climate policy is facing challenges from federal actions and fossil fuel industry pressure. [ 4 , 13 ] Despite these challenges, the state is committed to continuing its climate action efforts and transitioning to a clean energy economy. [ 8 , 13 ] The state is also exploring ways to leverage federal funds to support climate initiatives but recognizes the need for ongoing state funding to ensure their sustainability. [ 5 , 9 ] [1] https://www.opb.org/article/2025/05/22/oregon-lawmakers-cap-and-trade-salem-pollution-greenhouse-gas-emissions-bridge/ [2] https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/05/22/oregon-lawmakers-look-to-reshape-cap-and-trade-program-to-pay-for-transportation-needs/ [3] https://oregonbusinessindustry.com/may-19-2025-capitol-connect/ [4] https://www.opb.org/article/2025/05/28/oregon-clean-truck-rules-environment-trump-republicans/ [5] https://www.climatesolutions.org/article/2025-01/climate-solutions-2025-oregon-legislative-agenda [6] https://www.olcv.org/tell-oregon-lawmakers-we-need-a-strong-climate-justice-budget-in-2025/ [7] https://www.oregon.gov/deq/ghgp/cpp/pages/default.aspx [8] https://www.opb.org/article/2025/04/10/trump-oregon-climate-laws-executive-order/ [9] https://oeconline.org/our-work/policy/ [10] https://oeconline.org/our-work/policy/ [11] https://www.sierraclub.org/oregon/blog/2025/05/may-update-2025-legislative-session [12] https://www.oregon.gov/deq/ghgp/pages/climate-pollution-reduction-planning-grant.aspx [13] https://www.climatesolutions.org/article/2025-05/midpoint-momentum-climate-progress-update-oregons-2025-legislative-session Oregon Citizens Utility B oard : ‘ CUB Goes to Washington , D.C. | Latest News | News | Oregon CUB | posted 5/20/25 ‘Calling In: Tell Oregon lawmakers to invest in our transportation future TODAY!‘ | Climate Solutions | posted 5/30/25 COIN: Consolidated Oregon Indivisible - CEE Legislation 5/30 update Our energy grid needs help fast . Contact your legislator today! | Climate Solutions. 5/30/25 Current Week CE Action The League joined two sign-on letters this week: ( support) A Bipartisan microgrid package ( clean energy and community resilience) HB 2065 and HB 2066 . ( oppose) the Transportation Budget Cap and Trade Joint Ways and Means CE Funding Topics Transportation Package Priorities The League supports OCN and other statewide NGO budget priorities: Increase funding above 2017 levels for public transit
 
 Increase funding above 2017 levels for a safe, complete multimodal system (i.e. GreatStreets, Safe Routes to School, Oregon Community Paths, and bike/ped both on-street and trails, etc.) 
 
 Dedicated or increased revenue for light, medium and heavy-duty vehicle incentives, including for charging and purchasing of ZEVs (🡪 See NR LR for additional details) 
 
 News release: Report: Oregon Department of Transportation plagued by delays, staff turnover, cost overruns - OPB Please see Natural Resources Legislative Report on Transportation Energy Affordability and Utility Accountability The League joined a coalition sign-on letter in April requesting funding to support building resilience. The goal is to use affordable measures to protect people from extreme weather. One Stop Shop 2.0/Energy Efficiency Navigation ( HB 3081 ): This bill would create a navigation program at ODOE to help Oregonians access federal, state, local, and utility energy efficiency incentives all in one place Get the Junk Out of Rates ( SB 88 ): This bill would stop utilities from charging certain expenses like lobbying, advertising, association fees to customers. Protecting Oregonians with Energy Responsibility (POWER Act) ( HB 3546 ): This bill ensures Oregon households are not unfairly burdened by large energy users with grid and transmission costs. Full Funding for Climate Resilience programs Reinvesting the same amount as last biennium in three programs: 
 Rental Home Heat Pump Program (ODOE), $30m 
 
 Community Heat Pump Deployment Program (ODOE), $15m 
 
 Community Resilience Hubs (OREM), $10m ( House Bill 3170 ) 
 
 Environmental Justice Bills. (disadvantaged communities) HB 3170 : Community Resilience Hubs and networks : Fiscal $10M Work Session 3/4, passed to JWM, DHS, Sponsors, Rep. Marsh, Sen Pham and Rep Tan. League testimony 
 
 
 
 HB2548 : new 5/23 amendment and new SMS now. An agriculture workforce labor standards study,HR PH was 5/29. New -7 amendment changing the bill to a study with $616K fiscal. League Testimony . House LWS Work Session was held 4/9 , with no amendments, no recommendation . Natural and Working Lands HB 3489 Timber Severance Tax. House Committee on Revenue. League Testimony for original bill and for -1 Amendment . 
 
 
 
 HB 5039 financial administration of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board; JWM NR SC, League testimony 


 
 HB 3103A – work session was 3/31. Moved to JWM, Overweight Timber Harvest , League Testimony , new adopted -5 amendment . 
 
 
 
 Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package Update By Claudia Keith HB 215 1: Testimony ; appears dead 
 
 
 
 HB 2152 : Testimony ; work session held 4/8 , passed, moved to Joint Ways and Means (JWM) -2 amendments , Staff Measure Summar y (SMS). $1M+ fiscal 
 
 
 
 HB 2949 : T estimony ; work session held 4/8 , passed to JWM w -5 amendment new SMS. Fiscal is not available, will be completed if the bill gets a hearing in JWM NR SC. 
 
 
 
 HB 3450 A Testimony , work session held, 4/8 passed adopted amendment -1 . fisca l >1M$. referred to JWM 4/11 
 
 
 
 See CEI Hub Seismic Risk Analysis (The study, Impacts of Fuel Releases from the CEI Hub, is intended to characterize and quantify the anticipated damages from the CEI Hub in the event of the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) Earthquake.) See Climate Emergency April 28: CEI emergency management package update. The Bigger Picture: ASCE's ( American Society of Civil Engineers , founded in 1852), Oregon received a C- grade Infrastructure Report Card . Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment At this point in the session, it is doubtful SJR 28 has enough support to move out of Sen Rules. SJR 28 proposed -1 amendment , Environmental Rights Constitutional amendment (ERA) S enate Joint Resolution - with referral to the 2026 ballot, public hearing was 3/26 . The League provided support with comments testimony . The bill is in Senate Rules , so the Legislative first chamber deadlines are not applicable. A Work Session is not yet scheduled. The -1 a mendment is a partial rewrite and may address the League’s concerns. The OCERA coalition appears to be planning a ballot initiative campaign. ‘ Supporters of Oregon Green Amendment rally at the Oregon State Capitol ‘ | Salem Statesman Journal. Oregon Treasury: Oregon Divest/ Environmental, Social, and Governance Updates By Claudia Keith HB 2081A : Senate Finance and Revenue WS 6/2. Directs the Oregon Investment Council and the State Treasurer to take certain actions to manage the risks of climate change to the Public Employees Retirement Fund. Passed House along party lines. WS Senate Finance & Rev is 5/28. At the request of; (no sponsor: at the request of House Interim Committee on Revenue for Representative Nancy Nathanson) 
 
 HB 2200 -1 , House work session was 4/8, bill was requested by previous Treasury Sec Tobias and supported by Treasurer Steiner, related to ESG investing , identified as the compromise bill. League chose not to comment. 

 Refer: Divest Oregon The Pause Act would enact a 5-year moratorium on new Public Employees Retirement Fund (PER investments in new private fossil fuel funds. 
 March 2025 Fund Performance - Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund and graphics 
 Published by Divest Oregon: 

 Executive Summary and Praise for Report 

 (see SB 681) Addressing the Risk of Climate Change: 

 A Comparison of US Pension Funds' Net Zero Plans – Jan 2025 
 Oregon Public Financing/BANK HB 2966 A: Establishes the State Public Financing / public bank Task Force, Work Session 3/6/2025 passed to Joint Ways and Means (JWM), fiscal: $1.3M , League Testimony , Rep Gamba, Senator, Golden, Frederick, Rep Andersen, Evans .

 
 Historically, since 2009 Public banking policy topic has been included in many Leg sessions, (go here and then use Control F to search for ‘bank’. ) 22 bills mentioning Public and Bank have died in committee over the past 16 years. Other Climate Bills HB 3963 Offshore Wind: House Rules WS was 5/29, passed. Extends the deadline from Sept 1, 2025, to Jan 1, 2027, for the DLCD to draft and submit a report to the Legislative Assembly on the department's activities to develop an Offshore Wind Roadmap and its assessment of enforceable state policies related to offshore wind energy development off the Oregon coast. HB 2566 A : Stand-alone Energy resilience Projects , Work Session was 3/20, moved to JWM, Rep Gamba was the only nay. At the request of Governor Tina Kotek (H CEE), DOE presentation 


 HB 3365 B: climate change instruction /curriculum in public schools, 4/21 moved to Sen Ed, PH 5/7, WS was 5/21 passed, awaiting transfer. League Testimony , NO Fiscal noted , Chief Sponsors: Rep Fragala, Rep McDonald 


 SB 688 A: -5 , Public Utility Commission performance-based regulation of electric utilities, PH 3/12,& 3/19, work session was 3/24, updated $ 974K fiscal , moved to JWM , Sub Cmt Natural Resources. League testimony , Sen. Golden, Sen. Pham SB 827A : Solar and Storage Rebate , SEE Work session 2/17, Gov. Kotek & DOE, Senate voted 21-7, moved to House 3/4, House passed, 5/20. Governor signed 5/28 HB 3546AB , -3 the POWER Act , in Sen E&E , PH 4/30, 5/5, P WS was 5/14, moved with due pass. Sen 2nd reading, carried over. 6/2. The bill requires the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to create a new rate class for the largest energy users in the state. (data centers and other high-volume users). These regulations would only apply to customers in the for-profit utility's service areas of PGE, Pacific Power, and Idaho Power. NO Fiscal, on its way to the floor. The League has approved being listed on a coalition sign on advocacy letter . 

 HB 3189 in JWM . Oregon lawmakers introduce legislation to rein in utility bills | KPTV , Citizens Utility Board CUB presentation here . 
 
 
 SB 1143A : -3 , moved to JWM, with bipartisan vote, PH was 3/19, Work session was 4/7 SEE, PUC established a pilot program that allows each natural gas Co to develop a utility-scale thermal energy network (TEN) pilot project to provide heating and cooling services to customers. Senator Lieber, Sollman, Representative Levy B, Senator Smith DB, Representative Andersen, Marsh. Example: Introduction to the MIT Thermal Energy Networks (MITTEN) Plan for Rapid and Cost-Effective Campus Decarbonization. 
 
 
 HB 3609 work session 4/8, moved to JWM. The measure requires electric companies to develop and file with the Oregon Public Utility Commission a distributed power plant program for the procurement of grid services from customers of the electric company who enroll in the program. H CEE, PH 3/11 


 HB 3653 in Sen E&E, PH 4/28, WS was 5/5, 6-0 vote. House vote was 51 - 9. Senate 5/15 vote passed, waiting for Gov signature. Allows authorized state agencies to enter into energy performance contracts without requiring a competitive procurement if the authorized state agency follows rules that the Attorney General adopts, negotiates a performance guarantee, and enters into the contract with a qualified energy service company that the ODOE prequalifies and approves. 
 
 

 Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust Here is one example of how to track ODEQ Climate Protection Program cases. Basically, there are a number of active federal lawsuits , Climate Litigation May 30 Updates Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 85 lawsuits , (active and dismissed) mentioning Oregon. Our Children’s Trust. ‘ 22 Youth Sue Donald Trump Over Executive Orders That Escalate Climate Crisis ’ 5/29 Press Release Media Coverage: May 29, 2025 - E&E News Youth sue Trump admin over efforts to ‘unleash’ American fossil fuels May 29, 2025 - Montana Right Now Youth-led lawsuit challenges Trump's energy policies in new case May 29, 2025 - Bloomberg Law Youth Launch New Climate Lawsuit Against Trump’s Energy Orders May 29, 2025 - Barron’s Youths Sue Trump Over US Climate Orders May 29, 2025 - Common Dreams Youth Sue Over Trump Executive Orders That 'Escalate' Climate Crisis May 29, 2025 - Montana Public Radio Young people sue Trump administration over climate change May 29, 2025 - The New York Times Youth Climate Activists Sue Trump Administration Over Executive Orders May 29, 2025 - The Guardian Trump violating right to life with anti-environment orders, youth lawsuit says Highlights of House and Senate Policy Committee and Chamber Votes 5/28 Senate E&E Information Meeting The meeting focused on two topics, first Rep. Gamba’s HB 3609 , now in Joint W&M after being reported out favorably by House CE&E. It would require each investor-owned electric utility to develop a distributed power plant (DPP) program for procuring grid services from distributed energy resources—small-scale generation and storage systems located on the consumer’s side of the meter that connect to the electric grid, such as rooftop solar photovoltaic units, smart thermostats and water heaters, and battery storage. A utility customer could enroll in the utility’s DPP program directly or through a third party, and the utility could recover in rates any prudently incurred costs. The PUC would have to develop and adopt five-year procurement targets and performance incentives for utilities to meet the targets. The bill carries an estimated fiscal impact to PUC of $993,015 in Other Funds and 3 positions (2.63 FTE) in the 2025- 27 biennium, and $839,946 in Other Funds and 3 positions (3.00 FTE) in 2027-29. The measure may have an as yet undetermined fiscal impact on special districts. If LFO receives requested information, it will issue a revised fiscal impact statement. Gamba said the coming "load avalanche” will require us to develop multiple solutions before new transmission lines and power sources can be up and running. Rolling blackouts due to excessive peak loads could come as soon as this summer. This bill would aggregate many behind-the-meter sources that can “shave” those peak loads. An OSSIA rep said scaling up DPPs will let utilities use existing energy devices that customers have already invested in to address issues with the power grid. This is the cheapest energy on the market. The bill would not require massive new investment, but would require statutory directives and timelines for DPP deployment. Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs) oppose the bill, saying their demand-response programs, compensating customers who adjust their usage patterns, have succeeded in shifting electricity usage away from peak hours, and they don't need a mandatory program directed by PUC. Second topic was a Climate Protection Program update. DEQ's Collin McConnaha and Nicole Singh covered the familiar background of the CPP since 2020, leading to the 2024 rulemaking in response to the program's temporary shutdown. The first 2 years of program experience saw significant reductions in GHG emissions from fossil fuel use, largely due to replacement by biofuels and electricity. DEQ's 2024 rulemaking drew more than 10,000 public comments and more input from industry through the RAC. Industry contributed greatly to the rulemaking and were responsible for many program changes, notably more flexible compliance options and protections for Emission-Intensive Trade-Exposed Industries, which will have no compliance obligations in the first 3 years. DEQ will also collaborate with PUC in tracking the impact of the CPP on natural gas rates. The Community Climate Investment (CCI) program has been retained as a cornerstone with improved accountability and transparency. During Q&A, Sens. Brock Smith and Robinson grilled DEQ on the meaning of "equitable" in the context of the CE transition, nuts and bolts of the CCI program, compliance instrument prices, and overall CPP cost projections. Robinson put his climate change denial on record again and expressed skepticism that the CPP's public health benefits could possibly balance the costs to consumers and industry as projected in DEQ's fiscal impact statement. The topic of the "cap and pave" mechanism being developed in Joint Transportation did not come up. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED : What is your passion related to Climate Emergency ? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The short legislative session begins in January of 2026. Many State Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of climate or natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, or Claudia Keith Climate Emergency at peggylynchor@gmail.com Or climatepolicy@lwvor.org . Training will be offered. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report section

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 2/16 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Please see Climate Emergency Overview here. Jump to a topic: Climate Priorities Senate Committee on Energy and Environment News Oregon Treasury Climate Lawsuits/Our Children's Trust Many Climate Emergency priority policy and or funding bills the league supports are expected to move to JWM or the floor. The deadline for posting work sessions for most first chamber policy committees was Monday Feb 16, find details below. (note: bills in any joint, rules or revenue committees have no deadlines) Climate Priority Bills The League may have testimony and/or join coalition letters. SB 1541 A Make Polluters Pay (MPP), new SMS , Senate Energy and Environment , PH 2/5 and work session 2/10 , - 2 amendment , moved to Joint Ways and Means (JWM) . LWVOR submitted testimony . Creates the Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program to assess financial impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and recover costs from responsible entities. Multiple state agencies are involved including, Department of Land Conservation and Development, Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon Health Authority, and Land Conservation and Developmet Commission. The oversight body is Environmental Quality Commission (EQC). The League has joined the Make Polluters Pay Campaign . This climate legislation is a national effort covered today by the New York Times , reporting that a number of other states are in the process of passing and/or implementing. SB 1526 A, new SMS , Fund for Oregon Resilience, Growth, and Energy, work session was 2/9, Senate Energy and Environment (SEE) moved the bill to JWM, League testimony . Creates financing tools, including a revolving loan fund, to provide more affordable, accessible long-term financing for clean energy and resilience infrastructure projects in Oregon. This is modeled on a number of other states’ legislation , some as "green" banking nonprofits. SB 1582 , Community-Based Power: Distributed Power Plants, SEE possible work session 2/16. Distributed power plants (DPPs) bring together customer resources like rooftop solar, battery systems, and smart thermostats to help maximize grid efficiency by using energy sources already connected to the grid to balance grid loads. This bill requires each investor-owned utility to develop a DPP program and file it with the PUC, which would adopt annual procurement targets for DPP grid services, along with annual performance incentives for the utilities to achieve those targets. HB 4046-2 , Nuclear Study Bill, House Climate, Energy, and Environment (HCEE), work session 2/12, moved to JWM unanimously as amended. New SMS , directs the Oregon Department of Energy, subject to the availability of funding, to conduct a study on nuclear energy, including advanced nuclear reactors. The -2 amendment, a substantial rewrite of the original bill negotiated with opponents, seemed to satisfy committee members that the study could be unbiased as to nuclear energy issues. HB 4031 A : new SMS , first reading in Senate 2/16, House passed on 2/12. Exempts a renewable energy facility from needing a site certificate from the Energy Facility Siting Council if the facility qualifies for certain federal renewable energy tax credits and construction is scheduled to begin on or before December 31, 2028. HB 1597 SEE PH 2/4 , possible WKS 2/16. A number of amendments will be considered. Makes a power provider disclose the costs to store the waste made from making any electric power. SMS Senate Energy and Environment 2/11 The meeting started 15 minutes late with Sen. Sollman announcing that the scheduled work sessions for SB 1582 (Virtual Power Plant programs), SB 1588 (Upgrade and Save) and SB 1597 (nuclear waste storage costs) were carried over to Mon. 2/16, the final day for 1st chamber passage. Instead, attendees were treated to an informational meeting on the nuclear energy study bill HB 4046. Other bills we are following: Work sessions: • HB 4029 - Requires a solar energy contractor or person that installs a solar energy system to have a license appropriate for the scope of work the solar energy contractor or person will perform. (Carried over from 2/5) • HB 4144 - Requires producers of batteries or battery-containing products to join a battery producer responsibility organization and implement a battery producer responsibility program for the collection and recycling of batteries. • HB 4080 - Allows a retail electricity consumer to install and use portable solar photovoltaic energy devices with up to a total maximum generating capacity of 1,200 watts. • HJM 201 - Urges Congress to pass legislation to permanently extend federal tax cuts for wildfire victims. Public hearings: • HB 4077 - Authorizes a public utility, upon approval by PUC, to issue bonds and securitize debt for costs and expenses incurred or to be incurred by the public utility associated with a self-insurance or captive insurance program. (Carried over from 2/5) • HB 4046 - Directs ODOE, subject to the availability of funding, to conduct a study on nuclear energy, including advanced nuclear reactors. News Other states follow Oregon’s lead in targeting data centers ’ energy costs | OregonLive Oregon Treasury & Oregon Divest New 2025 Treasury : Climate-Positive Investing : Invested for Oregon Report Tracking Net zero climate positive investment strategies . Oregon pension shows climate progress , private markets drive emissions | Private Equity Stakeholder Project.org Oregon State Treasury should engage or divest from companies fueling a new era of resource conflicts. (Divest Oregon . ORG) Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust There are a number of active federal lawsuits. Columbia University Law ( CUL) Climate Litigation Jan 30 Updates . Another source: CLU - Sabin Climate DB lists 97 lawsuits , (active and dismissed) mentioning Oregon. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED : What is your passion related to Climate Emergency ? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The short legislative session begins in January of 2026. Many State Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of climate or natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, or Claudia Keith Climate Emergency at peggylynchor@gmail.com Or climatepolicy@lwvor.org . Training will be offered. · Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture · Transportation and ODOT state agency · Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s TrustDA · Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) · Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team) · State Pr ocurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services) · CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets · Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report section

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of March 2 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Please see Climate Emergency Overview here. Jump to a topic: Priority Bills Other Bills Senate Energy and Environment News Oregon Treasury Climate Lawsuits Sine die is 3/8 -now just around the corner. Very few policy only bills passed this session. The deadline for 2nd chamber for most policy bills was 2/26. A number of Climate bills with fiscals are in JWM or Rules, the League is not clear if any of these bills will move. (please see last week’s LR for how to advocate for those bills) and refer to the League's recent ALERT . Priority Bills SB 1541 A - Make Polluters Pay - Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program. New SMS , Senate Energy and Environment , PH 2/5 and work session 2/10 , - 2 amendment , moved 2/12 to Joint Ways and Means (JWM) . LWVOR submitted testimony . Creates the Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program to assess financial impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and recover costs from responsible entities. Multiple state agencies are involved including, Department of Land Conservation and Development, DLCD, Department of Environmental Quality, DEQ, Oregon Health Authority, OHA, and Land Conservation and Development Commission. LCDC, the oversight body is Environmental Quality Commission (EQC). The League has joined the Make Polluters Pay Campaign . This climate legislation is a national effort covered today by the New York Times , reporting that a number of other states are in the process of passing and/or implementing similar legislation. Please see the League’s Action Alert. SB 1526 A - FORGE: Fund for Oregon Resilience, Growth, and Energy - New SMS , work session was 2/9, Senate Energy and Environment (SEE) moved the bill to JWM, League testimony . Creates financing tools, including a revolving loan fund, to provide more affordable, accessible long-term financing for clean energy and resilience infrastructure projects in Oregon. This is modeled on a number of other states’ legislation , some as "green" banking nonprofits.
 Please see the Action Alert. Other Bills the League is following: HB 4046A Nuclear Study Bill, work session was 2/12, moved to JWM 2/17, unanimously as amended. New SMS , directs the Oregon Department of Energy, subject to the availability of funding, to conduct a study on nuclear energy, including advanced nuclear reactors. The -2 amendment, a substantial rewrite of the original bill negotiated with opponents, seemed to satisfy committee members that the study could be unbiased as to nuclear energy issues. 
 
 HB 4031 A : new SMS , 2/27 on its way to the governor . Exempts a renewable energy facility from needing a site certificate from the Energy Facility Siting Council if the facility qualifies for certain federal renewable energy tax credits a nd construction is scheduled to begin on or before December 31, 2028. 
 
 SB 1597 A in H Rules PH 2/27. Sen chamber vote 2/23 17,12. Makes a power provider disclose the costs to store the waste made from making any electric power. New SMS 
 
 Bill that died in Policy Committee SB 1582 , Community-Based Power: Distributed Power Plants, SEE Senate E&E Committee PH Notes Senate Energy and Environment 2/23/26 The committee held public hearings and work sessions on the following bills, and voted to move all three to the Senate floor with a do pass recommendation. HB 4031 A (expedited site review for renewable energy projects) -- 5-0 HB 4025 (winter rate increases for non-gas, non-electric public utilities) -- 5.0 HB 4029 A (consumer protection for solar installation customers) -- 4-1 (Robinson, concerned about restraint of competition) Chair Sollman postponed the WS for HB 4102 (third-party contracting for environmental permitting) to Wednesday 2/25. With a vote of 17-12 2/25/26 The committee voted 3-1-1 (Pham nay, Brock Smith excused) to move HB 4102 to the Senate floor with a do-pass recommendation. Sen. Golden: This bill has been more of a "voyage" than he imagined it would be. Senate E&E has focused mainly on Sen. Pham's proposed -2 amendment dealing with labor rights and good governance. He would have preferred to move the bill with the one-sentence -3 amendment requested by Rep. Dobson: “Before contracting with a third party to provide services pursuant to this section, the department shall consider the third party’s potential or actual conflicts of interest with the applicant, permittee or regulated entity.” However, time limitations of the short session make amending the bill at this point problematic. "Very likely we will be privatizing some of the permit process and other processes going forward" -- we would prefer that staff working for the taxpayers would do this work but we recognize that we have delays that we need to address. He wants to state on the record "triple underscored" the committee's intent that when DEQ hires a third party for permit processing, they will commit to be very vigilant in their research about conflicts of interest. Sen. Robinson: Supports the bill as a "bandaid" measure to expedite permitting whereas the larger need is to "reform DEQ." Sen. Pham: Regretful "no" as she believes the bill as introduced lacks adequate guardrails vs. conflicts of interest and fails to address important labor issues. Chair Sollman: House passed the original bill unanimously and she doesn't want to take the chance of killing the measure by sending it back amended. News Regulators to Hold Public Hearing on Large Increase for Cascade Home Gas Bills and What to Expect at Cascade Gas’s Public Hearing | Latest News | News | Oregon CUB - Citizens Utility Board Eugene groups propose climate tax to mirror Portland’s - OPB How Oregon is building back smarter after wildfire • Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon Adopts New Building Codes to Reduce Energy Costs and Increase Energy Efficiency in Newly Constructed Homes – CleanTechnica Oregon’s New Building Codes Are a Win for Home Energy Resilience - Oregon Environmental Council Oregon lawmakers seek to shine a light on balcony solar, but safety issues linger - OPB Oregon DOE Feb Press Releases – a number of updates… Oregon State Treasurer Steiner Joins 15 Other State Fiscal Officers in Warning That Immigration Enforcement Operations Threaten Economic Stability and State Revenues February 5, 2026Oregon State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner MD joined fifteen other state fiscal officers in a joint letter to President Donald Trump expressing … Oregon Treasury & Oregon Divest Building on Oregon Treasury’s 2025 Progress toward Net Zero Emissions - Part 1 (Divest Oregon ORG) New 2025 Treasury : Climate-Positive Investing : Invested for Oregon Report Tracking Net zero climate positive investment strategies. Oregon pension shows climate progress , private markets drive emissions | Private Equity Stakeholder Project.org Climate Lawsuits and Our Children’s Trust Columbia Law - Sabin Climate Center Blog – Feb 2026 updates There are a number of active federal lawsuits. Columbia University Law ( CUL) Climate Litigation Jan 30 Updates . Another source: CLU - Sabin Climate DB lists 97 lawsuits , (active and dismissed) mentioning Oregon. Our Children’s Trust - In the News: February 19, 2026 - E&E News Enviros, health groups are first to sue over Trump’s big climate rollback February 18, 2026 - The Guardian Environmental groups sue Trump’s EPA over repeal of landmark climate finding February 18, 2026 - The New York Times E.P.A Faces First Lawsuit Over Its Killing of Major Climate Rule February 18, 2026 - Climate in the Courts Environment and Public Health Groups, and Youth, Sue Over Trump Administration’s Elimination of Climate Protections February 18, 2026 - Inside Climate News Healthcare Professionals, Scientists and Children Sue the EPA for Backtracking on Greenhouse Gas Regulation February 18, 2026 - Bloomberg Law Endangerment Finding Rollback Draws First Legal Challenges (1) VOLUNTEERS NEEDED : What is your passion related to Climate Emergency ? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The short legislative session begins in January of 2026. Many State Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of climate or natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, or Claudia Keith Climate Emergency at peggylynchor@gmail.com Or climatepolicy@lwvor.org . Training will be offered. · Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture · Transportation and ODOT state agency · Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s TrustDA · Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) · Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team) · State Pr ocurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services) · CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets · Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report section

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

Back to 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.

Born and raised in Grants Pass, Oregon, civic engagement runs deep for Evan. He was raised by a nurse and a teacher, whose guidance strongly shaped his life trajectory. His parents’ strong support for democracy and the rule of law was part of daily life during his upbringing. These values stuck with him, leading to involvement in multiple political movements in Grants Pass. After graduating from Grants Pass High School in 2022, Evan began studying Political Science and Legal Studies at the University of Oregon. He has been heavily involved in the University through the Young Democratic Socialists of America Club, Oregon Pit Crew, and Students for Justice in Palestine. In Spring 2023, Evan was selected to attend the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights at Oxford University, studying human rights from leading activists and scholars in the field. In his second year he began working as the Civic Engagement Program Assistant for the Holden Center for Leadership and Community Engagement, where he develops and facilitates civic discussions, and registers students to vote. Evan began his involvement with the League of Women Voters of Oregon in 2023, where he was a co-founder of the League’s Youth Council, taking on the role of the Youth Voter Strategist, where he aided in the development of outreach strategies to keep youth civically engaged. In 2024, he was elected as the President of the Youth Council, and became a Board Director for the state League. Evan Tucker Youth Director Born and raised in Grants Pass, Oregon, civic engagement runs deep for Evan. He was raised by a nurse and a teacher, whose guidance strongly shaped his life trajectory. His parents’ strong support for democracy and the rule of law was part of daily life during his upbringing. These values stuck with him, leading to involvement in multiple political movements in Grants Pass. After graduating from Grants Pass High School in 2022, Evan began studying Political Science and Legal Studies at the University of Oregon. He has been heavily involved in the University through the Young Democratic Socialists of America Club, Oregon Pit Crew, and Students for Justice in Palestine. In Spring 2023, Evan was selected to attend the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights at Oxford University, studying human rights from leading activists and scholars in the field. In his second year he began working as the Civic Engagement Program Assistant for the Holden Center for Leadership and Community Engagement, where he develops and facilitates civic discussions, and registers students to vote. Evan began his involvement with the League of Women Voters of Oregon in 2023, where he was a co-founder of the League’s Youth Council, taking on the role of the Youth Voter Strategist, where he aided in the development of outreach strategies to keep youth civically engaged. In 2024, he was elected as the President of the Youth Council, and became a Board Director for the state League.

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 3/13 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: vacant Energy Policy: Claudia Keith Environmental Justice: vacant Natural Climate Solution Forestry: Josie Koehne Agriculture: vacant Community Resilience & Emergency Management: see Governance LR: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: see NR LR Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Climate Emergency Priorities Other CE Bills Clean Energy Resilient Building Equity and Environmental Justice Interstate 5 Bridge Project Oregon Economic Analysis Oregon Treasury Climate Related Lawsuits: Oregon and… Climate Emergency Priorities By Claudia Keith, Climate Emergency Coordinator The League has identified six priority CE policy and budget topics. Find in previous LR reports additional background on each priority. All these priority bills were likely to have work sessions scheduled by 3/17, the session First Chamber Policy Committee Deadline. Following are updates on those six topics: 1. Natural and Working Lands : SB 530 LWVOR Alert : Establishes Natural and Working Lands (NWL) Fund, carbon sequestration opportunities…: Natural Climate Solutions SB 530 . Public Hearing was 2/15/23 in SEN E&E . The League provided supportive testimony . Read Oregon Chapter American Planning Association testimony . Sen Dembrow and OGWC Chair MacDonald testified . Here are the meeting materials . The fiscal has not been posted. 2. Resilient Buildings (RB): LWVOR Alert : The League is an active RB coalition partner. BR campaign guiding principles . Informational Hearing was 3/14 , PH is 3/16 . Link to League testimonies: SB 868 , 869 , 870 and 871 . The fiscals have not yet been posted. 3. Environmental Justice (EJ): 2023 Leg bills. The League joined the Worker Advocate Coalition on 2/13 and SB 593 is one of two bills the League will follow and support. The ‘Right to Refuse dangerous work’ SB 907 , PH 3/16 . SB 907 League Testimony. See below for more details. 4. Oregon Climate Action Commission (currently Oregon Global Warming Commission): Roadmap , SB 522 , will change "Oregon Global Warming Commission" to "Oregon Climate Action Commission" and modify membership and duties of commission and state greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets/goals. League Testimony . PH was 2/21, highlights: Sen Dembrow’s “ OGWC Modernization Presentation “ and American Planning Association testimony. 5. Other Governor Climate / Carbon Policy Topics: See 20-04 Executive Order topics . This area includes other GHG emission mitigation/reductions and new clean renewable energy (DOE), OHA public health, and ODOT (Dept of Transportation) policy and funding bills. 6. CE related total 2023-2025 biennium budget: The governor’s budget * was published Jan 31; Kotek’s budget priorities . A main funding problem concerns how the favorable ending current period balance, estimated to be >$765M, can be used. It will take a 3/5 vote to pass this proposed change. We provided testimony on the Oregon Dept. of Energy (ODOE) budget ( HB 5016 ), requesting additional agency requests that were not included in the Governor’s budget. Other CE Bills - Supporting By Claudia Keith HB 2763 Creates a State public bank Task Force, Chief sponsors: Rep Gamba, Sen Golden, Rep Walters. The League provided testimony . Work Session was scheduled for March 9 w -1 amendment . Partisan 4-3 vote moves the bill to JWM . HB 2087 . Forest Products Harvest Tax League Testimony . See Keep Oregon Cool, Natural Working Lands. Other CE Bills – Following - May Support By Claudia Keith HB 3016 community green infrastructure, Rep Pham K, Senator Dembrow, Rep Gamba. Work Session 3/15 Clean Energy By Kathy Moyd HB 2530 -1 Directs State Department of Energy to, where appropriate, seek and apply for federal funds, and support other applications for federal funds, to be used to support development and deployment of renewable hydrogen and green electrolytic hydrogen. Directs department to provide education and increase awareness regarding renewable hydrogen and green electrolytic hydrogen. Defines "renewable hydrogen" and "green electrolytic hydrogen." Passed the House Climate, Energy, and Environment Committee with a 6 -3 bipartisan vote. HB 3196 Authorizes the Environmental Quality Commission to establish by rule fee to be paid by community climate investment entities (part of the Climate Protection Program). Establishes Community Climate Investment Oversight Account. The League provided verbal and written Testimony . HB 2534 -1 Requires the State Department of Energy to develop a comprehensive state energy strategy that identifies optimized pathways to achieving state's energy policy objectives. Requires department to engage with state agencies, federally recognized Indian tribes and stakeholders in developing state energy strategy. Permits the department to convene an advisory work group. Requires department to periodically update state energy strategy. Directs the department to produce a report regarding state energy strategy and submit a report to the Governor and appropriate interim committees of the Legislative Assembly no later than November 1, 2025. Passed the House Climate, Energy, and Environment Committee with a unanimous vote. Resilient Buildings By Arlene Sherrett We’re in the process of gathering support for the Resilient Buildings legislation hearings. Amended text was rolled out for SB 868-1 , 869-1 , and 870-1 (SB 871-1 still lags behind the others) this week and an informational hearing was held March 14, 2023. Members of the task force that worked on the foundation of the bill appeared to testify for it and other members attended in support. Committee members had questions about costs; one answer was that it is still unknown exactly how much federal money will be coming, but it is lots. Generally, support was expressed for passing the bills with one notable exception: Northwest Natural expressed some ongoing concerns with the bills but did not elaborate on what they were at the hearing. At this point nearly all written testimony supports the bills. Refer to the adopted Legislative Joint Task Force on Resilient Efficient Buildings (REB) Dec 13 Report for more background. Information from the Oregon Conservation Network on each bill is available at the Building Resilience website . Access to the task force mailing list is through Nora Apter at noraa@oeconline.org . HB 3166, a whole-home energy savings program offering rebates for installing various electric energy high-efficiency devices and establishing a one stop for much needed information on incentives and technical assistance, was heard and is now waiting for referral to W&Ms. This bill dovetails with SB 869-1 (above). The only amendment was language declaring an emergency. HB 3056-3 extending funding for the heat pump grant and rebate program, was adopted by the House Climate, Energy and Environment Committee. The Fiscal Impact Statement shows a cost of $20.8M to be spent in the 2023-25 biennium. HB 3152 - 2 relates to residential gas utility ratepayers’ responsibility to pay or not pay for gas utility line extensions. The bill seeks to make sure that PUC regulations align with greenhouse gas emissions reduction requirements, do not delay timely implementation of greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and mitigate energy burden and risks of stranded assets for residential utility customers. A panel of speakers presented arguments for and against and over 50 pieces of written testimony came in, with approximately two thirds opposing. Two Public Hearings 3/1 and 3/13 . CE Equity and Environmental Justice By Arlene Sherrett SB 852 was up for a work session in the Senate Energy and Environment 3/7 and moved to JW&M. The bill directs the Department of Energy to establish a program especially for EJ communities to provide assistance with energy projects and activities. Fiscal $315K. HB 3196 PH 3/8 includes special provisions for Environmental Justice Communities but may not be exclusively targeted to the needs of those communities. How to navigate the online legislative website: Start here: Citizen Engagement Home (oregonlegislature.gov) Just about everything you need to know is on this page: attend a virtual committee meeting, attend a meeting at the capitol, look up a bill, follow updates on bill progress or receive email news from a Legislator. And much more, with more topics to click on down the left-hand sid. Interstate 5 (I5) Bridge Project By Liz Stewart and Arlene Sherrett Still in the analytical stages of the project. Stakeholders have been identified and engaged in the process of understanding the need to replace the bridge and options for what could responsibly replace it, as well as financial, environmental, cultural and community costs and risks of the project to ensure we get the best solution possible in bridge replacement. Washington state has committed to $1 billion for the project. The first appropriation is expected by July 2023. The remaining allocations to take place in progress appropriate amounts every two years until bridge completion. Oregon congressional and senate stakeholders are being lobbied to obtain their firm commitment to $1 billion. Draft Environmental Impact Statement to be released early this fall. It will have a 45–60-day comment period once that is released. Final environmental impact decision anticipated in 2024. Finance plan will be released in March and updated annually. Section 106 impacts (historical, cultural, archeological) are in process of being identified and stakeholders engaged. An online public open house is planned for April. The project team has held meetings to discuss the cost estimate, including scope, funding, and economic impacts. They are working with local and national equity leaders to create a framework for development of the tolling projects that result in benefits for communities that have traditionally been disproportionately negatively impacted by transportation decisions. The Equity and Mobility Advisory Committee (EMAC) has worked to help identify strategies to improve outcomes and access to travel choices for all demographics. They continue to explore equitable strategies used in other parts of the country, including reduced or free transponders, cash payment options for unbanked individuals, rebates or discounts for different income levels, and integrating benefits between travel modes, such as transit passes that accumulate toll credits. Oregon Economic Analysis By Claudia Keith The Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast was released Feb 22. The next forecast is due May 17. JW&M recommended budget will use the May forecast to balance the budget. The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis has continued to ignore the recommended SEC Climate Risk disclosure rule. Recent Bank Failures May Indicate Problems with Going Concern Standards, Liquidity Risk Disclosure Rules| Reuters. “… Focus on Traditional Financials: In addition, Baumann had some criticisms that the SEC may be too focused on non-traditional disclosures, such as environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters. “The SEC is very interested in new climate disclosures, but fundamental things like risks in the financial statements of a bank, and understanding those financial statements, maybe some of the fundamentals, and blocking and tackling, some of those things may have been ignored,” he said. “I’m not opposed to ESG; I’m just saying maybe there is excessive focus on climate related disclosures versus issues like bank liquidity and asset liability duration risk. ESG isn’t going to take down our country, but inadequate disclosure of banking liquidity risks may.”.…” SEC Chair Responds to Questions on Potential Lawsuit on Climate Disclosure , Fast Paced Rulemaking | Reuters. See supportive SEC disclosure LWVOR-initiated LWVUS Testimony , June 2022. Oregon Treasury By Claudia Keith It is unclear how Oregon Treasury/Treasurer Tobias will assist with addressing the $27B Federal funds, contingent on formation of an Oregon Green Bank Up To $27B Available for NPO Clean Energy Activities . Green Bank's Public-Private Partnership Secures Carbon Credits for EV Charging Systems. The Economic Tides Just Turned for States | RMI. Treasurer Tobias Read Releases First -Ever Oregon Financial Wellness Scorecard| OST. HB 2601 Oregon FF Divestment: The League provided supportive testimony for Fossil Fuel (FF) Divestment: … Requires State Treasurer to address the urgency and risk associated with Fossil Fuel energy investments. Chief Sponsors: Rep Pham K, Senator Golden, Rep Gamba. Bill Calls for Oregon to Divest From Fossil Fuels | Chief Investment Officer CIO. ESG Battlegrounds: How the States Are Shaping the Regulatory Landscape in the U.S. | Harvard Climate Related Lawsuits: Oregon and… By Claudia Keith Numerous lawsuits are challenging Oregon’s DEQ CPP regulations. Here is one example of how to track them. Basically, there are a number of active state and federal lawsuits , (March 2023 update) some of which could assist in meeting Oregon's Net Zero GHG Emissions before 2050 targets and other lawsuits, which challenge current Oregon DEQ CPP policy, which would limit the use of fossil fuels, including diesel, natural gas, and propane over time. Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 62 lawsuits with OREGON mentioned. Climate lawsuits: Hawaii Supreme Court Unanimously Rejects Big Island's Hu Honua Power Project - Honolulu Civil Beat. Older Swiss women take government to court over climate | Climate News | Al Jazeera Our Children’s Trust: March 15, 2023: Judge Denies 18 Republican Attorneys’ General Request to Intervene in Constitutional Climate Case Juliana v. United States . Oregon and PNW News Oregon eyes mandate for climate change lessons in schools | AP News. Oregon’s uncertain electric future - oregonlive. NW Natural in existential fight as Oregon eyes electrification - oregonlive.. What Oregon lawmakers propose to make buildings more energy-efficient | Northwest | ncwlife. U.S. Senate panel probes how crypto mining increases energy consumption – Oregon Capital Chronicle National & Global Here are the most and least disaster-prone states | The Hill. Alaska's Willow oil project is controversial. Here's why . | AP. Climate bright spot: Building sector decarbonization is well underway | The Hill. Opinion : What if climate change meant not doom — but abundance? By Rebecca Solnit | WP. Larry Fink (BlackRock Chairman and CEO) finds way to dodge ESG crosshairs | Reuters. Biden Wants Climate Change, Approves Willow Oil Drilling Project – Rolling Stone. FACT SHEET: President Biden’s Budget Lowers Energy Costs, Combats the Climate Crisis, and Advances Environmental Justice | The White House Volunteers Needed By Claudia Keith Request to Local Leagues; please let us know your climate, resilience, or sustainability advocacy actions. Please consider joining the CE portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy and law areas: Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture/ODA Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team) State Procurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services) CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment We collaborate with Natural Resource Action members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics. Volunteers are needed: The 2023 legislative session began Jan 17. If any area of Climate Emergency interests you, please contact Claudia Keith , CE Coordinator. Orientation to Legislative and State Agency advocacy processes is available.