The 82nd Oregon Legislative Assembly will convene on Monday, Feb. 5, for a 35-day session. Legislators will return to the Oregon State Capitol, still under major construction, with the historic wings remaining closed. Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) members are encouraged to join policy steering committee meetings on Feb. 2, and Feb. 5, to learn about and weigh in on legislative concepts impacting counties. Members can expect email communications from AOC’s legislative affairs department with timely updates and action alerts related to high priority bills.  

The AOC legislative affairs department and membership will focus their advocacy during the 5-week session on the following top policy priorities identified by the AOC Legislative Committee.

Community Development

  • Advocate for 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. (LC 19 – Governor Kotek’s housing bill)

    Contact: Legislative Affairs Manager Branden Pursinger, Natural Resources and Land Use,     bpursinger@oreogncounties.org

Governance and Revenue

  • Address problems arising out of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Tyler v. Hennepin County  — limit county legal liability and create a standard process for how foreclosure surplus claims are handled. (HB 4056 – introduced by Representative Conrad)

    Contact: Legislative Affairs Manager Michael Burdick, Governance and Revenue,     mburdick@oregoncounties.org

Health and Human Services

  • Establish a statutory process and schedule for a cost study of core behavioral health services (local services required in statute). (LC 115 – introduced by Representative Nosse)
  • Mitigate liability risk shift to counties and local system providers for mandated populations (aid and assist, civil commitment, and guilty except for insanity).

    Contact: Legislative Affairs Manager Jessica Pratt, Health and Human Services,     jpratt@oregoncounties.org

Natural Resources

  • Protect and enhance county authority, funding, and flexibility to support management policies and locally focused policy making processes across the Natural Resources portfolio.

    Contact: Legislative Affairs Manager Branden Pursinger, Natural Resources and Land Use,     bpursinger@oreogncounties.org

Public Safety

  • Increase state investment in community corrections funding for the remainder of the 23-25 biennium.
  • Elevate the county voice in Measure 110 reform, supporting policy modifications that prioritize engagement in substance abuse treatment, provide sufficient funding for county services, and strengthen tools the criminal justice system can use to fight illegal drug use and sales.

    Contact: Legislative Affairs Manager Jen Lewis-Goff, Public Safety and Veterans,     jlewisgoff@oregoncounties.org

Transportation

  • Advocate for 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 1566 – Joint Committee on Transportation committee bill)

    Contact: Legislative Affairs Director Mallorie Roberts, Transportation,     mroberts@oregoncounties.org