Mar 26, 2024 | AOC Advocacy, AOC News, Governance, Revenue, & Economic Development
Following House Bill 3414’s failure during the 2023 session, the prospect of the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC)’s community development policy priority — creating a fast-track process for limited urban growth boundary (UGB) expansions that significantly increase affordable and workforce housing in all communities experiencing shortages of buildable land — looked grim. However, immediately following the 2023 session, Governor Kotek and her policy advisors convened a small group of individuals, including AOC staff, to conduct a series of work sessions. Their aim was to revisit the policy items in HB 3414 and craft a bill to address Oregon’s housing supply crisis that could pass in the 2024 session.
After numerous meetings with the governor’s office, AOC staff and county planning department directors provided input and technical assistance on proposed legislation to ensure cities and counties would be able to implement the legislation if enacted. In consideration of the pending legislative concept, the AOC Transportation and Community Development Steering Committee recommended that AOC readopt our 2023 UGB-related priority as a top priority for the 2024 session.
Senate Bill 1537, the Emergency Housing Stabilization and Production Package introduced by Gov. Kotek, was amended many times before eventually becoming law, with AOC actively involved at every stage of the process.
SB 1537 directly addresses AOC’s fast-tracked UGB expansion priority, establishing a one-time UGB expansion tool for cities that need both land supply and affordable housing. The bill requires 30% of all homes to be built as “affordable housing” and ensures the expansion aligns with the preferences and understanding of Oregonians – with a diverse array of housing choices, a mix of densities and services the residents will need, and the necessary infrastructure for long lasting, successful communities. SB 1537 requires the land to not be zoned high-value farm or forest outside of urban reserves already designated and caps the expansion at a specific number of acres based on population (100 net residential acres for cities with a population over 25,000 and a maximum of 50 net residential acres in cities with a population under 25,000; Metro is capped at 300 total net residential acres).
Cities are currently looking over the requirements that must be met to qualify for this fast-track process. With counties serving as a strong partner in this process, planning departments stand ready to work with our local government partners to begin this process when they are ready.
AOC looks forward to working with the Department of Land Conservation and Development, the governor’s office, and stakeholders throughout the state on the next area needed to address the housing supply issues Oregon continues to face.
Contributed by: Legislative Affairs Manager Branden Pursinger
Jan 25, 2024 | AOC Advocacy, AOC News, Transportation
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) and League of Oregon Cities (LOC) continued the Transportation Funding Forum meeting series in January (watch recording), featuring presentations from Governor Kotek’s transportation policy staff and transportation stakeholders in the construction industry, the environmental community, transit, and freight carriers. The discussion explored the range of interests and priorities in the future of Oregon’s shared transportation system.
The forum series will continue through 2024 to further coordination, collaboration, and shared understanding of local government interests in the future of Oregon’s transportation funding system and increase transparent, partnership-oriented communication with state agencies, stakeholders, and the legislature. Upcoming forums will take deep dives into national trends in the future of transportation funding, explore local revenue options, more specific needs related to safety, bridges, and the multimodal system.
The kickoff forum meeting in August (watch recording) provided a detailed overview of federal, state, and local funding mechanisms and how these revenue tools work together to fund the current system. The October meeting (watch recording) featured presentations from city and county road departments to demonstrate the range of local jurisdiction transportation budgets and varied regional project priorities.
Contributed by: Mallorie Roberts | AOC legislative affairs director
Jan 25, 2024 | AOC Advocacy, AOC News
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
Jan 25, 2024 | AOC Advocacy, AOC News, Governance, Revenue, & Economic Development
Among AOC’s priorities for 2024 is a bill to be known as HB 4056 that will create an orderly process to get refunds to property owners in cases where a foreclosure sale generates proceeds that exceed the property’s tax debt, penalties, and costs related to foreclosing. The bill solves logistical problems counties face in the wake of Tyler v. Hennepin County, a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that invalidated Oregon law dictating how counties handle such cases.
Most Oregonians are unfamiliar with the foreclosure process, and it has been years since the legislature made major changes to laws governing the process. Getting a bill about such a complicated topic over the finish line in a short session will be a heavy lift. For HB 4056 to win passage, dozens of legislators will need to have a solid understanding of how foreclosure works in Oregon and counties’ responsibilities surrounding it.
AOC was happy to secure time at the joint meeting of the Interim House and Senate Judiciary Committees on Jan. 12, to boost lawmakers’ understanding of the foreclosure process. AOC arranged for county subject-matter experts to present to lawmakers about what state law requires counties to do when people fail to pay their property tax on time, who tends to get caught up in foreclosure proceedings and why, what sorts of property tends to be involved, and the many ways counties work toward positive outcomes under sometimes very difficult circumstances. Marion County Assistant Legal Counsel Scott Norris, Josephine County Assistant Legal Counsel Stephanie Nuttall, Lane County Assistant County Counsel Emily Vario, Lane County Property Manager Kellie Hancock, and Deschutes County Property Manager Kristie Bollinger presented at the meeting and answered questions from lawmakers.
Their presentation is available for download here, and a video of the meeting can be viewed here (the presentation begins at the 48 minute mark).
January “Legislative Days” (Jan. 10-12) was the last opportunity to communicate with lawmakers on-the-record before Oregon’s “short” legislative session begins on Feb. 5, setting off a mad dash to move legislation before the final gavel falls a few short weeks later (March 10, at the latest).
While many of the bills to be introduced are still under wraps, some are starting to trickle out. AOC legislative staff have been furiously preparing for the sprint ahead, working to pin down details of lawmakers’ plans, and doing our best to ensure AOC priority legislation is in the best possible position to find favor with lawmakers.
Contributed by: Michael Burdick | AOC legislative affairs manager
Dec 21, 2023 | AOC Advocacy, Natural Resources
Oregon set a goal of generating 50% of the total electricity needed for Oregonians through renewable resources by 2040. As a result of this goal, found in the Oregon Renewable Portfolio Standard, wind and solar projects have been increasing across the landscape. In 2020, solar energy generation accounted for approximately 1,077,900 MWh or just shy of 3% of all the electricity generated in Oregon. Wind power makes up 11.6% of the electricity generated in the state (~8,777,254 MWh). With the evolving energy systems, such as bioenergy, geothermal, and hydropower, the demand for energy storage has grown significantly.
Legislative Committee staff invited AOC to participate in a legislative work group, whose intent was to craft language for a bill concept to introduce in the upcoming February session. It was clarified in the work group up front that county commissioners would need to see the final language before taking an official position. However, AOC staff agreed to join the group and provide input where appropriate. In addition to AOC staff, Lake County Commissioner James Williams also participated in the legislative work group.
The work group has met every few weeks since mid-September with the purpose of developing bill language to resolve an issue brought forward by some energy storage clients. Specifically, “energy storage facilities are not formally being reviewed or permitted by EFSC.” Using House Bill 2989-2 (2023) as a starting place, the work group began discussing various aspects of battery energy storage systems. A battery energy storage system is a device that would enable the energy from a renewable project like solar or wind, to be stored and then released later when the power is most needed. The work group discussed where these battery systems could or should be located, as well as how the siting and permitting process works both on a county and state level. After many discussions, the bill concept was narrowed to a few widely agreed-upon areas.
First, a definition of battery energy storage systems was necessary to place in statute. Because the Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) statutes were written before this technology was created, a definition is necessary for the EFSC to operate under. Next, a shared desire among some in the work group was the ability for counties to request a review of projects through the EFSC, similar to other energy projects, if that was how the county desired to handle the projects. Finally, there was a belief that a separate site certificate is not required if the battery energy storage system was being requested and would be subject to a site certificate for another energy facility (see language found in ORS 469.320).
The bill concept is currently being drafted in the Office of the Legislative Counsel for the 2024 session. Once draft language is available, the bill concept will be brought to the Natural Resources Steering Committee in January for discussion and consideration.
Contributed by: Branden Pursinger | AOC legislative affairs manager
Dec 21, 2023 | AOC Advocacy, Health & Human Services
Oregon counties will be undertaking critical health and human services policy work and partnership development at the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) in 2024 along three tracks.
Internally, counties are convening monthly at AOC Health and Human Services summit meetings to share and deliberate on local solutions and to develop legislative priorities for local system improvement for the 2025 legislative session. The next summit meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 22, 1 to 4 p.m., at the AOC headquarters in Salem.
To guide AOC’s legislative advocacy in the 2024 short session, our Health and Human Services Steering Committee will meet January through March on AOC Day at 8 a.m., followed by a joint Health and Human Services and Public Safety Steering Committee meeting from 9 to 11 a.m. A stand-alone Public Safety Steering Committee meeting will begin immediately following the joint meeting.
Legislative concepts with potential impacts to county government and programs slated for consideration in the 2024 session include Ballot Measure 110 reforms, local behavioral health system improvements, behavioral health and community corrections gap funding for services to mandated populations, emergency medical services modernization, treatment courts system stabilization, and jail-based medication assisted treatment for opioid addiction.
The Local Government Advisory Committee for Health and Human Services will resume its regular schedule on the fourth Friday at 10 a.m. on Jan. 26, where we look forward to welcoming the new Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Director Dr. Sejal Hathi and discussing how OHA and counties can partner more closely in 2024 on the development of community services funding proposals and legislative advocacy for system improvement.
Contributed by: Jessica Pratt | AOC legislative affairs manager
