Note:  Education reports after January, 2024, are included in Social policy reports. Education reports prior to February, 2024, can be found HERE.

Please see the Legislation Tracker for 2025 Social Policy bills.

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• After School and Summer

• Age Discrimination

• Education

• Healthcare

• Housing Legislation

• Immigration

After School and Summer

By Katie Riley

The summer learning bill, HB 2007  and its funding companion, HB 5047, which provides $35 million have now passed both the House and the Senate and are waiting for the Governor to sign,  which she has promised to do.  ODE held a webinar for interested school and community representatives on April 18th in which they noted the importance of the passage of HB 2007 in establishing a permanent recognition of summer learning by the legislature and the opportunity to prepare further ahead than a year-to-year last-minute scramble to plan and implement summer programs.  In contrast with previous summer learning funding, the bill emphasizes literacy and the need to assess the amount of learning that occurs whether it be in reading or content areas for credit recovery.  Participating districts need to partner with at least one community based organization; however, they cannot subcontract the entire grant to another organization-- a partnership needs to be established.  The slides from the webinar provide additional information as well as links to a sample application form and resource materials. Further information, including eligibility of school districts, tribes, and ESD's will be available in the next two weeks after the bill has been signed. Priority will be given to participating sites where reading is below grade level.  ODE representatives are available to answer questions.  The Capitol Chronicle published a good article about the bill. The League provided testimony commenting on the bill.

Age Discrimination

HB 3187A passed the House.  As amended, the bill prohibits an employer from requiring or requesting disclosure of an applicant’s’ date of birth or date of graduation unless a conditional offer of employment is made or age is a job qualification. The League provided testimony.

Education

By Jean Pierce

Bills of interest which passed the House:

HB 2251 which directs school districts to adopt a policy that prohibits the use of student personal electronic devices during the school day  passed the House with bipartisan support. It would be up to districts how to implement the policy. 

HB 2682 Directs the Department of Education to establish an advisory committee to study and develop recommendations to modernize the adequate service levels for early intervention and early childhood special education in this state. (Currently the League has no position addressing Special Education. This is being proposed in the K-12 Study.)

Impact of federal actions in Oregon

K-12

The Oregon Department of Education is publishing information about how schools and districts are impacted by federal actions. The page includes a link to Guidance for schools upholding rights of immigrant students.  

The National Education Association has published a resource showing how federal dollars support students and educators in public schools in each state. The same page has links to the data for each Congressional District.

Although the federal government has cut funding for the National History Day Competition, the event will proceed as planned in Oregon due to the generosity of private donors.

Higher Education 

In March it was revealed that the University of Oregon is one of about 50 universities under investigation by the Trump administration for alleged racial discrimination,  Recently, faculty at U of Oregon passed a statement regarding resisting pressure from the Trump administration. However, they have not yet joined with other Big !0 Universities which are forming a Nato-style Mutual Academic Defense Compact. The Compact states that  “preservation of one institution’s integrity is the concern of all and an infringement against one member university of the Big Ten shall be considered an infringement against all”.

Healthcare

By Christa Danielson

SB 951A prohibits a management service organization from making decisions about patient care. The bill also prohibits non-compete, non-disparage employment clauses in medical work’s contracts. This will allow caregivers to speak out without fear of reprisal if they feel there is a safety issue at the workplace involving patient care. It was passed by the Senate and will be heard in House Behavioral Health and Health Care on May 1.  

Housing

By Nancy Donovan and Debbie Aiona

LWVOR has submitted testimony on a number of housing-related bills during the session. Following is a status report on the bills we supported: 

• HB 2735 A: Increases cap on tax credits for donations made to the state-selected agency that administers Oregon’s Individual Development Account program. LWV testimony supports passage of the bill. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Revenue on April 8 and scheduled for a House Committee on Revenue public hearing on April 22.

• HB 2964: Requires Oregon Housing and Community Development to award loans to non-profit affordable housing developers to cover pre-development costs of developing new housing. LWV testimony supports passage of the bill.  The bill passed the House on April 15 and was referred to the Senate.

• SB 973: Requires landlords of publicly supported housing to notify applicants when the affordability contract will expire. Also extends from 20 months to 30 months the minimum notice landlords must give tenants when affordability restrictions will expire. LWV testimony supports passage of this bill. The bill passed the Senate on April 2. The House Committee on Housing and Homelessness will hold a public hearing on April 23. 

• SB 814 A: Expands eligibility for Oregon Housing and Community Services long-term rent assistance program to youth under the age of 25 exiting Oregon Youth Authority or child care facility. League testimony supports passage of the bill. It passed the Senate 30 – 0 on March 6.  Public hearing was held in the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness on April 16. 

• HB 2958: Increases the amount of the earned income tax credit. Provides that the credit is available to all adults over the age of 18, including childless adults. LWV testimony supports passage of this bill.  The House Revenue Committee held a hearing on February 25.  

• SB 1155: Directs Oregon Housing and Community Services to establish a pilot project to assist pregnant persons and their immediate family to attain stable housing. LWV testimony supports passage of the bill. Referred to Senate Housing and Development Committee on March 3 and then to Ways and Means. 

• HB 3507: Directs Oregon Housing and Community Services to expand eligibility for its homeownership downpayment assistance program to include moderate-income households and individuals, including first-generation homebuyers. Assistance would be offered by culturally-specific organizations. LWV testimony supported passage of this bill. 

• This bill will not advance. 

• SB 722: Prohibits residential landlords from using certain software to set rents. Reduces from 15 years to seven the number of years new dwelling units would be exempt from caps on rent increases. LWV testimony supported passage of this bill.  SB 722 will not advance. 

• HB 2968: Oregon Housing and Community Services would guarantee a housing developer’s payment of system development charges until 180 days after the certificate of occupancy has been issued.  LWV testimony supported passage of this bill.  HB 2968 was referred to Ways and Means on 3/28.

Immigration

By Becky Gladstone and Claudia Keith

 Many Latinos in Oregon are hesitant to draw attention to themselves. So some cities are cancelling Cinco de Mayo celebrations this year. Earlier in April, ICE authorities released a Venezuelan man who was being detained unlawfully in Oregon. This week the Supreme Court temporarily blocked deportations of Venezuelans held in northern Texas.

Please refer to to Legislative BIPOC Caucus for additional INFO:

Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency, Governance, and Natural Resources, and Revenue report sections.