February 1, 2022 marks the first official day of the 35-day, 2022 Legislative Session. During this expedited session, lawmakers in Salem will review hundreds of bills, debate and move critical policy, and adjust agency budgets. While only 35 days, the session is expected to be fairly active with several legislator retirements announced, changes to leadership, continued COVID-19 and emergency response efforts, and an extra $700 million in the state coffers highlighted during the December 2021 state Revenue Forecast.

Policy

The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) legislative affairs team will be active in critical policy discussions that impact counties and advocating for AOC priorities throughout the session. 

Discussions are heating up around solutions to the housing crisis, natural resource management issues, marijuana taxes, and cyber security, with action anticipated on efficient distribution of funding from the federal infrastructure package, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Changes to Leadership

Dynamics have shifted quickly in Salem, with several changes in leadership announced over the course of the last year. These changes mean shift in priorities, changing political landscape, and new relationships that AOC will continue to foster with legislators.

Senate President/Senate Majority Office

To date, the Senate leadership has remained unchanged. However, Oregon’s longest serving lawmaker, Senate President Peter Courtney will retire after this year, which means, leadership will change at or before his retirement.

Current leadership was elected in November of 2020:

  • Senator Peter Courtney (D-Salem) – Senate President
  • Senator James I. Manning Jr. (D-Eugene) – Senate President Pro Temore
  • Senator Rob Wagoner (D-Lake Oswego) – Senate Majority Leader
  • Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward (D-Portland) – Senate Deputy Majority Leader
  • Senator Lew Frederick (D-Portland) – Senate Majority Whip
  • Senate Senator Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis) – Senate Majority Whip
  • Senator Michael Dembrow (D-Portland) – Senate Assistant Majority Leader
  • Senator Kate Lieber (D-Portland). – Senate Assistant Majority Leader

Senate Minority Office

In October of 2021, Senator Fred Girod (R-Lyons) stepped down as Republican Leader. Senator Tim Knopp (R-Bend) was elected as the new Senate Republican Leader. 

The rest of the leadership team was unchanged and is as follows:

  • Senator Chuck Thompsen (R-Hood River) – Deputy Leader
  • Senator Lynn Findley (R-Vale) – Assistant Leader
  • Senator Dennis Linthicum (R-Klamath Falls) – Whip

Speaker of the House/House Majority Office

Following the announcement that Representative Tina Kotek (D-Portland) would step down from her role as Speaker of the House and Representative Barbara Smith Warner (D-Portland) to step down as Majority Leader, the House Democratic caucus held elections for caucus leader and speaker nominee.

Announced January 16, 2022, House Democrats nominated Representative Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis) to serve as Speaker of the Oregon House and elected Representative Julie Fahey (D-West Eugene, Junction City) as Majority Leader. 

The full House will vote on the Speaker during organizational days, and given the democratic majority, Representative Rayfield is expected to be confirmed. Should Representative Rayfield be confirmed, the House will also need to appoint a new Joint Committee on Ways and Means Co Chair.  

Additionally, the caucus elected the following members to serve in caucus leadership roles:

  • Representative Rob Nosse (D-Portland) – Majority Whip
  • Representative Andrea Valderrama (D-Portland) – Deputy Majority Whip
  • Representative Karin Power (D-Portland) – Assistant Majority Leader

The following members of leadership remain in their positions from a caucus election held in September of 2021:

  • Representative Paul Holvey (D-Eugene) – Speaker Pro Tempore
  • Representative Pam Marsh (D-Ashland) – Assistant Majority Leader
  • Representative Jason Kropf (D-Bend) – Assistant Majority Leader
  • Representative Ricki Ruiz (D-Gresham) – Assistant Majority Leader
  • Representative Zach Hudson (D- Troutdale, Fairview, Wood Village, Gresham, Portland) – Assistant Majority Leader

House Minority Office

Following a November 30, 2021 announcement from Representative Christine Drazan (R-Canby) that she would step down as House Republican Leader, the caucus elected Representative Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville) to serve as the new House Republican Leader.

On December 7, 2021 additional leadership positions were announced:

  • Representative Kim Wallan (R-Medford) – Deputy House Republican Leader
  • Representative Lily Morgan (R-Grants Pass) – House Republican Whip
  • Representative Shelly Boshart Davis (R-Albany) – Assistant Leader
  • Representative Rick Lewis (R-Silverton) – Assistant Leader
  • Representative Mark Owens (R-Crane) – Assistant Leader
  • Representative David Brock Smith (R-Port Orford) – Assistant Leader
  • Representative Greg Smith (R-Heppner) – Assistant Leader
  • Representative Duane Stark (R-Grants Pass) – Assistant Leader

Retirements and New Members

Senate District 15 (Cornelius, Forest Grove, North Plains, and most of Hillsboro)

Retirement: Senator Chuck Riley (D-Hillsboro) 

Appointment: Senator-designate Janeen Sollman (D-Hillsboro) *House seat vacated for appointment. 

Senate District 16 (Clatsop and Columbia counties and parts of Multnomah, Tillamook, and Washington counties.)

Retirement: Senator Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose) 

Appointment: Senator-designate Rachel Armitage (D-Warren) 

Senate District 18 (Tigard, Portland)

Retirement: Senator Ginny Burdick (D-Tigard) 

Appointment: Akasha Lawrence Spence (D-Portland) 

House District 21 (Salem)

Retirement: Representative Brian Clem (D-Salem) 

Appointment: Chris Hoy (D-Salem) 

House District 23 (Adair Village, Amity, Aumsville, Corvallis, Dallas, Dayton, Falls City, Independence, Jefferson, Monroe, Sheridan, Willamina)

Expelled: Representative Mike Nearman (R-Polk County)

Appointment: Representative Anna Scharf (R-Amity)

House District 25 (Keizer, St. Paul, and Newberg)

Retirement: Representative Bill Post (R-Keizer)

Appointment: Representative Jessica George (R-Keizer)

House District 30 (Banks, North Plains, Hillsboro, and Beaverton)

Vacated: Representative Janeen Sollman *Appointed to Senate seat.

Appointment: To be determined.

 House District 44 (Portland)

Retirement: Representative Tina Kotek (D-Portland)

Appointment: To be determined.

With additional retirements of long-time legislators looming, including: Senator Lee Beyer (D-Eugene), Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem), Senator Michael Dembrow (D-Portland), Senator Chuck Thompson (R-Hood River), Representative Teresa Alonso Leon (D-Woodburn),  Representative Ron Noble (R-McMinnville), Representative Jeff Reardon (D-Happy Valley), Representative Andrea Salinas (D-Lake Oswego), Representative Brad Witt (D-Clatskanie), combined with the expiring term of Oregon Governor Kate Brown (D), AOC anticipates legacy legislation may be advanced. 

Shape of Lobbying at the Capitol

Entering the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic and with ongoing construction in the Capitol, legislative leadership announced access to the Capitol and the legislative process has shifted. For this session, the Capitol will remain open to the public, a change from the 2020 and 2021 regular and special legislative sessions; however, committee meetings will continue to be scheduled virtually. The AOC team continues to connect with legislators in a virtual capacity, and will continue to be a strong voice elevating the work and issues of importance to counties in the Capitol.

Contributed by: Megan Chuinard | Public Affairs Associate