The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) legislative affairs department welcomed three new legislative affairs managers this interim – Michael Burdick, Jessica Pratt, and Branden Pursinger. Michael, Jessica and Branden join AOC Legislative Director Mallorie Roberts and Legislative Affairs Manager Tyler Janzen on the legislative affairs team. 

The AOC legislative affairs department facilitates the policy making process of AOC – team members serve as staff for AOC’s policy steering committees and advocate on behalf of the organization’s policy priorities with the governor’s office, state agencies, the Oregon Legislature, and at the federal level with national partners. Legislative affairs staff work closely with the county commissioners, chairs, and judges who chair the AOC steering committees on issues that unite counties related to governance and revenue, health and human services, public safety, natural resources, transportation and community development, and veterans policies.

Led by AOC Legislative Director, Mallorie Roberts, the department will advocate for priority policy solutions that unite counties in the 2023 Legislative Session. 

Looking to the next legislative session, AOC Legislative Director Mallorie Roberts said, “The AOC legislative affairs team and AOC membership looks forward to working with partners in the Legislature and agencies on policies that lift every corner of our state.” 

The AOC Legislative Committee began a conversation about 2023 advocacy strategies and priorities at its legislative retreat in Hermiston, Ore. on June 15. AOC steering committees are meeting on an ad hoc basis over the next three months to take a deeper dive into policy issues, with an eye toward solidifying 2023 legislative priorities at its October meeting.

“Counties represent every single Oregonian. County services and the local convening power of commissioners, chairs, and judges are critical pieces of solving many of the issues that every community in our state is facing – from housing, to mental and behavioral health, to drought and wildfire, to maintaining infrastructure to efficiently move goods and services to support local economies,” said Roberts.

The AOC legislative affairs team portfolio breakdown is as follows:

Michael Burdick – Community Development, Public Safety

  • Land use, housing and infrastructure development, broadband, telecommunications, recycling, solid waste, energy, environment, and building codes.
  • Cannabis regulation and enforcement, public safety budgets, community corrections, and emergency services.

Tyler Janzen – Governance and Revenue, Veterans

  • Contracting, procurement, labor relations, public records, public meetings, revenue, taxation, economic development, and the public employee retirement system.
  • Veterans services.

Jessica Pratt – Health and Human Services

  • Behavioral, mental, and public health services; housing services; child and family services; civil commitment; substance abuse treatment; and environmental health.

Branden Pursinger – Natural Resources

  • County forest trust land management, water regulations, wildfire, federal land policy, wildlife regulation, land use for resources lands, and agriculture.

Mallorie Roberts – Transportation

  • Roads and transportation infrastructure, transit, and county engineering and surveying.

Contributed by: Mallorie Roberts | Legislative Director