Jul 2, 2026 | AOC Advocacy
During a two-day retreat held in Deschutes County on June 29-30, the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) Legislative Committee and steering committees convened to adopt AOC’s policy priorities and principles for the 2027-2028 legislative biennium. The gathering included commissioners, chairs, and judges from 30 counties, along with county staff, affiliates, and AOC staff, who met to address the pressing issues facing Oregon’s counties related to county budgets, services, and governance that unite all Oregon counties.
Counties serve as vital partners to the state, ensuring that critical public services are delivered efficiently and effectively to every Oregonian. These legislative priorities establish the foundation for AOC’s upcoming advocacy by emphasizing that counties require sufficient authority and resources to provide essential infrastructure and services that all Oregonians rely on.
2027-28 Legislative Session Priorities
Revenue
Ensure property taxes are administered accurately and fairly by providing adequate and stable funding for all county assessment, mapping, appeals, collection, and distribution services.
Health and Human Services
Use a combination of budget neutral solutions (reduction of administrative burden, increased flexibility) and strategic new investments in behavioral health, public health, and homeless response to maximize the capacity and efficiency of counties and thereby reduce reliance on costly state services.
Natural Resources
Protect, and grow if possible, funding and flexibility in managing local natural resource programs.
Public Safety and Emergency Management
Support state-county public safety partnerships and service delivery through sustained full cost funding. Specifically seek modernization of Oregon’s local emergency management system and develop a stable state source of revenue for disaster response, recovery, and local service delivery.
Transportation
Ensure an efficient and comprehensive transportation funding package prioritizes investments in operations, maintenance, and safety of existing transportation infrastructure; incorporates diverse and modern funding mechanisms to ensure the growth and stabilization of the State Highway Fund (SHF); maintains the 30% county share of SHF revenues; and reduces barriers to local revenue sources.
2027-28 Legislative Priorities (PDF)
Contributed by: Mallorie Roberts | Legislative Affairs Director
Jul 2, 2026 | AOC News
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC), in partnership with Oregon State University, is proud to offer Online County College — an essential, on-demand resource designed to help the public navigate and understand the vital services counties provide every day. This accessible course serves as a comprehensive guide to the complexities of local governance.
Across eight self-paced modules, participants will:
- Discover how decisions are made and how to engage effectively with their county government
- Learn about governance rules, legal authority, and ethics requirements
- Gain clarity on the budgets and revenues that fund critical local infrastructure
- Explore core services including public safety, land use planning, and public health
Sign up for all eight modules, or pick the modules with topics that match your interests!
This course is open to all, but ideal for:
- County employees seeking cross-training or leadership readiness
- Constituents interested in better understanding local government
- Community members preparing to run for public office
- Civics and government educators who wish to supplement their instruction with real-world examples of county government in Oregon
AOC encourages counties to share this course with their staff and community. To support your outreach, we have prepared a collection of marketing materials, including a flyer and graphics. Direct your community to https://workspace.oregonstate.edu/county-college to begin their journey into Oregon county government.
*Please note that this self-paced online program is distinct from the in-person County College program used to onboard new elected officials across Oregon.
Contact events@oregoncounties.org for more information on either program.
Contributed by: Jill Rees | Member Services Director
Jul 2, 2026 | Health & Human Services
In case you missed it: June 26 Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) on Health and Human Services (Meeting materials, recording, and chat transcript available here soon)
Re-visioning Public Health Modernization
The Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) to the Oregon Health Authority and the Department of Human Services met with state public health executives on June 26 for an update and discussion of its re-visioning process for public health modernization currently underway. The initial phase identified goals to update general understanding of what governmental public health provides, how partners support it, and the cost of delivering essential public health programs; to clarify public health’s role in broader health system and convene cross-sector partners to discuss opportunities for alignment/coordination; and to explore ways to diversify modernization funding, complementary models for shared service provision, and alternative funding models for Community Based Organizations. Presentation materials note “the effort will ensure we are prepared for the increased demands on public health that will come with funding reductions to other areas of the system.”
The committee also received an update on the West Coast Health Alliance and the status of Oregon’s measles prevention and outbreak response.
New Medicaid sustainability measures to be incorporated into the Governor’s Recommended Budget this fall after stakeholder input
The governor’s Medicaid sustainability workgroup is slated to release its final recommendations after the July 4 holiday weekend. The workgroup was tasked to bring forward recommendations to mitigate the destabilizing effects of H.R.1 on Oregon’s Medicaid enrollment and funding, including an estimated loss of $3.4 billion in federal funds in the 2027-2029 biennium.
Workgroup head Dr. Bruce Goldberg, along with the governor’s Senior Health Advisor Kristina Narayan, will join the July 24 Local Government Advisory Committee to hear feedback from local government partners on the anticipated impact of the forthcoming recommendations.
A public comment period will open after the final report is published.
To be added to the LGAC listserv, email jpratt@oregoncounties.org.
Contributed by: Jessica Pratt | Legislative Affairs Manager
Jul 1, 2026 | AOC Advocacy
The Oregon State Legislature met June 15-17, in Salem, for interim Legislative Days committee hearings. Highlights, links, and materials from the hearings with particular relevance to county governance, services, and budgets are listed below. As part of our ongoing advocacy, the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) Legislative Affairs team actively participated in and monitored hearings, and used the opportunity to connect with legislators while they were in Salem.
The Legislature will convene for additional sets of Legislative Days before the 2027 regular session — Sept. 8-10 and Dec. 1-3. View all legislative dates on the Legislative Assembly Interim Calendar.
House Interim Committee on Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water
- Task Force on Emergency Drought Response: Larry O’Neill, State Climatologist, along with staff from the Oregon Water Resources Department and the Department of Environmental Quality, gave a presentation on the Drought Response Task Force Report and Recommendations originally developed in 2016.
- Juniper Management: The Legislature has appropriated funding the past few bienniums for the removal of juniper in Central Oregon. This presentation was to report on how funds had been spent.
House Interim Committee on Housing and Homelessness
- Urban Growth Boundary Land Trades Updates: Overview of local governments that used this process, which are looking into using, and what changes need to be made to ensure the land trade option is appealing and practical for cities.
- Affordable Housing Stabilization
- Rental Assistance
- Senior Housing Initiative and Healthy Homes
- Home Cooling and Heat Resilience
House Interim Committee on Transportation
- Update on Governor Kotek’s Rebuilding Our Transportation Vision Workgroup: Umatilla County Commissioner Dan Dorran joined the governor’s office and the workgroup’s chair, Grace Crunican, for the House Committee update.
Senate Interim Committee on Transportation
- Update on Governor Kotek’s Rebuilding Our Transportation Vision Workgroup.
Senate Interim Committee on Judiciary
- Presentation on Community Resolution Centers which operate mediation services programs for community members and dispute resolution in things like landlord-tenant disputes.
- The Committee also heard a presentation from advocates who would want a more holistic process for the Department of Corrections (DOC)’ planning for a replacement for the Oregon State Penitentiary, which is beyond end of life, as well as DOC’s plans to construct a geriatric facility. AOC staff will track this conversation as there are potential implications for jails and community corrections systems from these conversations.
House Interim Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services
House Interim Committee on Judiciary
- House Bill 2005 (2025) Implementation Update: The Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) gave a joint update on the implementation of the revised standards for aid and assist and civil commitment cases following the Jan. 1, 2026 implementation of HB 2005, which AOC supported in the 2025 session. Though it is early to draw conclusions, civil commitments are flat to slightly up from historical numbers, while there has been a small, but steady increase, in aid and assist cases for criminal defendants. The ongoing Mink/Bowman federal litigation looms large over this field, as the federal courts have further limited which defendants can be committed to the state hospital, and restricted extensions of treatment time for serious cases. Since the imposition of time limitations on state hospital stays, the percentage of defendants restored to competency to stand trial has dropped from 73% to 54%.
Senate Interim Committee On Health Care
- PFAS and Environmental Health
Senate Interim Committee on Housing and Development
- Oregon Housing Needs Analysis Update
- State-Funded Affordable Housing Development
House Interim Committee on Health Care
- Coordinated Care Organization Finance and Rate Setting Overview
- Rural Health Transformation Program Update
- ACA Overview and 2027 Insurance Market Preview
Senate Interim Committee on Human Services
- H.R. 1 (2025): Medically Frail Definition and Work Requirements
Joint Meeting With the House Interim Committee on Behavioral Health and the Senate Interim Committee on Early Childhood and Behavioral Health
- Overview of the Oregon State Hospital
- Overview of Civil Commitment
House Interim Committee on Revenue
- Oregon’s Revenue System Interdependencies: The Legislative Revenue Office (LRO) shared about the various revenue streams that feed into state and local governments, and the percentage of which come from own source funds versus pass-through funds and shared revenues.
- Revenue Impacts of Creating a New Taxing District: LRO and Lane County shared about the impacts on a property tax base when a new taxing district or optional levy is approved and added to the tax rolls.
Senate Interim Committee on Finance and Revenue
- Nicotine Pouch Tax Collections: The Department of Revenue (DOR) presented on current implementation of HB 3940 (2025), subsequent collections of nicotine pouch taxes, enforcement of the new law, and preliminary distributions for wildfire resiliency funds.
- Tax Expenditure Reports: Both DOR and LRO shared an update on existing state and local tax credits and exemptions, as well as a report on credits and exemptions that will be sunsetting between 2027-2029.
House Interim Committee on Labor and Workforce Development
- Update from Employment Relations Board (ERB): The ERB Board Chair presented on historical context and legislative updates related to the ERB, PECBA, and how public employers, employees, and unions go through dispute resolution.
- Update from Oregon Employment Department (OED): The OED director shared about updates and improvements they are making to the workforce strategies and services that they offer individuals seeking work and employers looking to hire.
House Interim Committee on Economic Development, Small Business, and Trade
- Implementation of 2026 Legislation: Business Oregon staff reported about ongoing implementation of 2026 legislation, including HB 4084, economic development incentives, and industrial land readiness funds and policies.
Emergency Board Allocations
- Joint Emergency Board Interim Subcommittee on Human Services
- The Legislative Fiscal Office presented their analysis and request — increase federal funds expenditure limitation for the Oregon Health Authority by $1,492,712 for the expenditure of federal grant funds awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to support administrative costs and implementation of systems associated with H.R. 1.
- Joint Emergency Board Interim Subcommittee on Public Safety
- The Legislative Fiscal Office presented their analysis and request — fund the next contract payment for the Genasys EVAC software used by county emergency managers to draw evacuation zones and communicate to the public. The Oregon Department of Emergency Management will assume responsibility for the administration of this contract from the Oregon Department of Human Services. The Joint Emergency Board allocated $1.13 million for the next year of this contract. AOC wrote a joint letter with the Oregon State Sheriffs Association in support of this funding request.
