The 2023 Legislative Session is underway, and new bills continue to be introduced. Below are bills in the current billstack that the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) legislative affairs team have identified as impacting AOC’s legislative priorities for the Session.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PRIORITY
Systemic Solutions to Statewide Housing Shortages – advocate for state investments that boost local government permit processing staff and capacity, and a fast-track process for limited urban growth boundary expansions that significantly increase affordable and workforce housing in all communities experiencing shortages of buildable land.
RELATED BILLS
- LC 2044 will be introduced by Representative Pam Marsh (D-Ashland) as part of a suite of bills aimed at this priority, this concept provides state investments in local government permitting staff capacity ($45 million), land use system education ($1.1 million), and creates regional housing coordinators ($3.6 million).
GOVERNANCE & REVENUE PRIORITY
Support adequate funding of county assessment and taxation services.
RELATED BILLS
- HB 2088 is meant to provide sustainable funding for assessment and taxation services. Historically, the state has provided about 33 percent of the funding, but after 2007, the state’s share has been reduced to around 12 percent. HB 2088 holds back three percent from all taxing districts to pay counties for their assessment and taxation funding. The bill as written is not expected to move, but a workgroup convened by the committee chair will be meeting to address the structural funding deficit. On Jan. 25, the House Committee on Revenue heard HB 2088. AOC President Derrick DeGroot testified on behalf of AOC and spoke strongly in favor of the concept and offered support from AOC for any work that results in sustainable funding for the counties assessment and taxation services.
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES PRIORITY
End liability risk shift to counties and local system providers for mandated populations (aid and assist, civil commitment, and guilty except for insanity).
- SB 319 provides that a person who contracts with a public body to provide services for purposes of community restoration or to restore fitness to proceed is a state officer, employee, or agent for purposes of indemnification under Oregon Tort Claims Act. This concept, filed by Senator Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene) as a Senate Judiciary Committee bill, is a safety line for community providers and counties while longer term solutions are crafted and put in place. It is supported by a coalition including the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association; Disability Rights Oregon; NAMI Oregon; Oregon AFSCME; Oregon Council for Behavioral Health; the Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs; Clackamas, Lane, Multnomah and Washington counties; and the Association of Oregon Counties.
NATURAL RESOURCES PRIORITY
Enhance county role across the natural resources – protect and enhance county funding and flexibility to support management policies and locally focused policy making processes for wildfire resiliency efforts, place-based planning efforts, and drought resiliency, as well as sound land management.
- SB 80 is a wildfire placeholder bill. The concept should include the resources and capacity necessary for counties to implement the wildfire preparation, mitigation, and defense measures in SB 762 (2021) on an ongoing basis.
- LC 3292 is a water planning concept by Representatives Ken Helm (D-Beaverton) and Mark Owens (R-Crane). The concept will lift the sunset on place-based water planning and allocate funding to the Oregon Water Resources Department.
- LC 1895 is a drought resilience concept. This forthcoming package by Representatives Ken Helm (D-Beaverton) and Mark Owens (R-Crane) will help address drought resiliency and support efforts to mitigate this persistent issue facing Oregon counties.
PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITY
Increase state investments in district attorney salaries and address the widening pay gap between elected district attorneys.
- HB 2308/POP 101 provides for state funding for pay equity, the elimination of the two tiers ($1.5 million).
- HB 2311/POP 102 – provides for state funded increases in district attorney salaries ($3.48 million).
- HB 2392/POP 104 – provides for state funding for processing digital evidence and body cams ($14.4 million).
- HB 2391/POP 105 – provides for state funding for district attorney crime victim services ($25.5 million).
- LC 970/POP 106 – provides for state funding for indigent defense discovery ($6 million).
- POP 107 – provides for state funding for recording grand jury proceedings ($384,000).
TRANSPORTATION PRIORITY
Advocate for fair and sustainable funding to effectively and efficiently manage counties large and diverse road systems by:
Preserving the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) State Fund Exchange Program
- HB 2101 is a Joint Committee on Transportation committee bill that would codify the STBG Fund Exchange program and create long term stability for the program. AOC is in negotiations with the Oregon Department of Transportation on an amendment.
Creating the statutory authority for counties to charge cost-recovery fees for permits issued to utilities for work in the county road right of way.
- SB 635 is chief co sponsored by Senator Lew Frederick (D-Portland) and Senator Lynn Findley (R-Vale), reintroduction of HB 3049 (2021)
ADDITIONAL AOC PRIORITY BILLS
- HB 2261 ensures that the 2.5 percent of dedicated video lottery proceeds reach Oregon counties and continues key investments in local economic development.
- SB 460 provides General Fund backfill for revenue losses from Ballot Measure 110 in the amount of $34.8 million to impacted counties ($34.8 million to cities)
The AOC legislative affairs team looks forward to ongoing conversations with Governor Tina Kotek and legislative leadership to strengthen the state-county partnership on critical services and functions for all Oregonians.
Contributed by: The AOC Legislative Affairs Team
- Anna Braun (503.901.7023), Contract Lobbyist, Governance, Revenue, & Veterans
- Michael Burdick (503.522.9743), AOC Legislative Affairs Manager Public Safety & Community Development
- Jessica Pratt (503.515.6884), AOC Legislative Affairs Manager Health & Human Services
- Branden Pursinger (503.320.3579), AOC Legislative Affairs Manager Natural Resources
- Brian Worley (503.810.9902), AOC County Road Program Director Transportation