Sep 30, 2024 | AOC Advocacy
The Oregon State Legislature met Sept. 23-25, in Salem, for interim Legislative Days committee hearings. Below are links and highlights from the hearings with particular relevance to county governance, services, and budgets. As always, your AOC Legislative Affairs department actively participated in and monitored hearings, and used the opportunity to connect with legislators, particularly around AOC’s 2025 Session Priorities while they were in Salem.
The legislature will convene for one additional set of Legislative Days before the 2025 regular session — Dec.10-12. View the 2024 Legislative Assembly Interim Calendar here.
Joint Committee on Transportation
House Interim Committee On Revenue
Chair Nathanson directed committee staff to present an update on the twenty-eight (28) bills the committee would be introducing this 2025 legislative session. Notably, three (3) legislative concepts were introduced that are of significant impact to Oregon counties:
- One (1) bill addressing CAFFA funding changes, and;
- Two (2) bills for property tax foreclosures- one that will be systems focused and one that will address additional hopes expressed by the HB 4056 (2024) workgroup.
AOC’s Legislative Affairs department is confident in their next steps having a confirmed vehicle for the governance and revenue steering committee legislative priority- stable and sustainable funding for assessment and taxation.
Senate Interim Committee on Energy and Environment
- Recycling Modernization Act Update
- Work continues to develop curbside recycling programs and a uniform list of recyclable materials statewide. The program coordinator anticipates between $226-292 million will be available for communities to implement the program in the first year, but will have updated figures at the December committee meeting.
- Program is still on target to launch July 1, 2025 with funding beginning that date and fees to producers beginning. Initial fees are being set by type of material now.
Joint Interim Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response
- Deflection Grant Rollout Overview – CJC Presentation
- HB 4002 Technical Fix Requests
- CJC gave a presentation on the beginning weeks of the deflection program response and noted that it was perhaps too early to draw any conclusions, though the early numbers of arrests for PCS-U were coming near the levels seen pre-COVID and ballot measure 110. Of the $18.4 million in county grant funding, 50% has been allocated to treatment, housing, or other support, while only 14% is earmarked for delivering deflection on the ground through law enforcement or district attorney offices.
- There was some discussion in the committee about the greater need for treatment services availability and the desire to clarify what a deflection program should look like versus one that is diversion.
Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire
A few presentations were provided to the members of this committee focusing on legislation to come in 2025.
- Oregon Department of Forestry, Office of the State Fire Marshal and Governor’s Office gave a presentation on the Wildfire Funding Work Group meetings which have been meeting monthly since June. The presentation focused on four key concepts for funding: Existing Funding Structures, General Fund Appropriation, New Sources of Revenue, and Changes to existing programs.
- Oregon Forest Industries Council and the Wild Salmon Center presented on the work that has been done on the Private Forest Accords and the need for continued funding in future sessions.
House Committee on Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources and Water
Committee members heard many presentations on issues the committee will look into during the ‘25 session.
- In addition to a similar presentation on the Private Forest Accords by OFIC and Wild Salmon Center, the committee had a robust discussion on PFAS (Polyfluoroalkyl Substances). The committee has taken an interest in this issue and will most likely consider legislation to tackle the problem.
- The committee had a discussion on the impacts climate change is having on Agricultural Producers from OSU. This presentation will serve as a ‘tee up’ for the next session’s drought package and potential work around Oregon’s Heat Dome and weather issues.
House Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment
With a focus on the need to achieve the renewable energy generation by 2040 the Legislature enacted in 2021, the committee heard many presentations around Energy Siting and Energy Demands. The Committee is set to consider legislation in the next session focused on Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs) as well as ways to make Transmission Lines easier to permit and site in Oregon.
House and Senate Committees on Judiciary Joint Meeting
The House and Senate committees met together to hear updates on several items, including civil commitment reform updates from Oregon Judicial Department and from NAMI Oregon who has a bill in process for 2025 to lower the bar for civil commitment eligibility.
House Committee on Housing and Homelessness
The committee heard updates on the sustainable shelter funding workgroup led by Rep Marsh and the Governor’s office (on which representatives from Lane, Umatilla and Washington counties sit) and on the impending loss of affordable housing units.
House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care
Over two days of hearings, the committee first heard updates from state licensing boards on their progress to improve customer service and expedite applications as well as their thoughts on entering into interstate compacts to speed recruitment of out of state health professionals. On day two, the committee received an update from OHA on implementation of the recently approved Medicaid in carceral setting benefit and updates from the Alcohol & Drug Policy Commission and System of Care Advisory Council.
Contributed by: Mallorie Roberts | Legislative Affairs Director
Sep 25, 2024 | AOC Advocacy, AOC News, Transportation
2024 County Road Needs Study Forecasts $834 Million Annual Revenue Shortfall Statewide for County Roads
Salem, Ore. — Today, the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) presented its 2024 County Road Needs Study to the Legislative Joint Committee on Transportation, forecasting a statewide annual revenue shortfall of 59 percent over the next five years, resulting in an additional $834 million per year needed to maintain and manage the county road system in a safe and adequate condition.
“The objective of our 2024 study was to determine and demonstrate the funding required to support the county road system to meet the needs of the traveling public over the next five years,” stated AOC County Road Program Director Brian Worley, who presented the report to the lawmakers. “The report concludes that anticipated revenue will not meet even the basic road maintenance and safety needs for most counties. Over the next five years, counties anticipate a 60 percent shortfall for pavement preservation projects and a 70 percent shortfall for capital construction.”
Oregon counties are facing structural funding challenges that impact core services, including maintenance of roads and bridges.
Counties are responsible for the largest share of Oregon’s road system, with 26,744 miles under county jurisdiction, including 3,448 bridges over 20 feet in length.
“Most of the county system was constructed over a half of a century ago, and for the last four decades, county road departments have been prioritizing the maintenance, preservation, and safety of those roads,” said Worley. “However, all counties are seeing dramatic decreases in funding, and the consequences of inadequate funding are unsafe and unreliable bridges and roads.”
As noted in the study, the majority of revenue for county roads come from the State Highway Fund, which comprises 47 percent of incoming revenues on average. For some counties, especially rural areas, operations and maintenance budgets are comprised solely from state support.
“We urge legislators to consider this study in developing a transportation funding package in the 2025 session, and to uphold the 50-30-20 funding formula that supports the full transportation system through shared State Highway Fund revenues,” said Mallorie Roberts, AOC legislative affairs director, “AOC and counties will continue to partner with the state in 2025 to ensure growth and stabilization of the State Highway Fund with diverse and modernized funding mechanisms.”
The current study is an update of AOC’s 2014 study that reported the anticipated needs of road departments from 2014 to 2018. The 2024 study looks at the same road construction and maintenance activities anticipated by individual county road departments.
To read the full 2024 study, and learn more about county road, bridge, and transportation priorities and funding visit oregoncounties.org.
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About AOC
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) unites Oregon’s county governments. Founded in 1906, AOC brings county officials together to advocate with a collective voice on statewide and national policy, exchange ideas, build new leadership skills, and exercise exemplary leadership in public service, while enriching the public’s understanding of county government.
Jun 27, 2024 | AOC Advocacy, AOC News, Legislative Committee
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) policy steering committees met June 17-18, to deliberate and make recommendations to the AOC Legislative Committee for the short list of top-priority policy objectives for the 2025 Oregon State Legislative session. The AOC Legislative Committee ultimately adopted five priorities, which make up the 2025 AOC Policy Priority Platform (View PDF). The following priorities all speak to AOC’s overarching state-county partnership goal – counties provide essential public services to all Oregonians and must be supported by adequate resources and appropriate authority.
Governance and Revenue
- Sustain and protect the property tax asset to the benefit of all property owners and taxing districts through adequate, equitable, and stable funding for county assessment and taxation programs.
Health and Human Services
- Provide counties with the resources to address Oregon’s addiction and homelessness crises by removing administrative burdens and funding county public health and behavioral health services, deflection programs, and local homelessness response coordination for youth and adults.
Natural Resources
- Protect and strengthen county authority, funding, and flexibility in managing local natural resource policies.
Public Safety
- Fully fund a revised community corrections formula that accurately reflects the costs incurred by counties.
Transportation
- Ensure a comprehensive transportation funding package prioritizes investments in operations, maintenance, and safety; 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.
Over 30 hours of steering committee meetings, held between April and June, informed these priorities. State agency directors, Governor Kotek’s policy staff, state agency commission chairs, and stakeholder partners joined our members for deep dives into the issues facing Oregon’s 36 counties. Throughout these meetings, AOC steering committees identified the most pressing items with a direct impact on county governance, budgets, and services. The AOC Legislative Affairs Department will engage on hundreds of bills with potential impacts to counties during the 2025 session and will continue to bring issues forward to our membership through the AOC policy process. The next AOC day will be Monday, Sept. 9, with steering committees also meeting on Friday, Sept. 6. Stay updated on all AOC meetings and events with the calendar on AOC’s website.
Contributed by: Mallorie Roberts | Legislative Affairs Director
Jun 3, 2024 | AOC Advocacy, News
Recent state policy shifts intended to serve more Oregonians in the community instead of at the Oregon State Hospital have exposed county governments and their contracted providers to new third-party liability when individuals court-ordered to aid and assist community restoration commit additional crimes.
A new report highlights how this third-party liability has rendered Oregon’s local behavioral health safety net uninsurable and vulnerable to bankruptcy.
The report, funded by SB 5506 in the 2023 legislative session, was presented to the House Behavioral Health and Health Care Committee at its Thursday meeting during May legislative days (minute 2:21:32).
Staff from the Department of Administrative Services and select members of the study’s work group, City/County Insurance Services General Counsel Kirk Mylander, Lane County Assistant County Counsel Marcus Vejar, Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs Executive Director Cherryl Ramirez, and Options for Southern Oregon Executive Director Karla McCafferty, presented the report findings and recommendations.
Assistant County Counsel Marcus Vejar, testifying on behalf of the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC), recommended that public and nonprofit entities providing aid and assist community restoration services be included in liability protections equivalent to those for other court-ordered community-based services to individuals experiencing behavioral health challenges and that the $2.9 million reserve fund created by SB 5506 to cover defense costs of any future civil suits be carried over to next biennium until those liability protections are in place.
Contributed by: Jessica Pratt | Legislative Affairs Manager
May 28, 2024 | AOC Advocacy, AOC News
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) policy steering committees and the Legislative Committee will meet June 17-18, in Salem, to consider and adopt the policy priority platform for Oregon’s 2025 legislative session. AOC’s priority policy items represent pressing issues with a strong nexus to county budgets, services, and functions that unite all Oregon counties.
Since the legislature adjourned sine die in March, AOC steering committees have met for nearly 40 hours of collective deep-dive information gathering and dialogue in preparation for the priority setting meetings. AOC steering committee co-chairs invited stakeholders, AOC affiliate and associate organizations, governor’s office representatives, and state agency directors and staff for presentations and in-depth Q&A sessions.
The AOC Legislative Committee adopts official positions on policy proposals, principles, and biennial priorities as recommended by AOC steering committees and thereby directs the legislative activities of the executive director and AOC legislative affairs team. Membership of the AOC Legislative Committee includes the AOC Board of Directors, one additional member from each of the eight AOC districts, the chair and vice chair of each AOC steering committee, one district attorney designated by the Oregon District Attorneys Association, and any additional members that the board of directors choose to appoint, such as a county not otherwise represented. Action is taken with 67% approval of voters present.
AOC steering committees analyze policy proposals, formulate policy solutions, discuss best practices, and advise the AOC legislative committee on policy positions, policy principles, and biennial priorities. Steering committees are co-chaired by county commissioners appointed every year by the AOC President and meetings are open to all AOC members. Every AOC member present at an AOC steering committee meeting can vote on action items and help shape AOC’s policy platform.
AOC steering committee recordings, agendas, and supplemental materials can be found on the AOC website within each policy portfolio:
Contributed by: Mallorie Roberts | Legislative Affairs Director
Mar 29, 2024 | AOC Advocacy, AOC News, Health & Human Services
This year’s short legislative session was remarkably successful, as the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC)’s health and human services priorities largely aligned with those of legislators on both sides of the aisle. The following policy and funding bills, effective upon the governor’s signature, will better equip counties to address the state’s dual homelessness and substance abuse crises.
HB 4092 addresses AOC’s top health and human services policy priority, and requires a mandatory cost study to be conducted every five years for services that our community mental health programs are statutorily mandated to provide. The study is aimed to capture the true cost of the service delivery array, correcting for inflation-based increases as well as unfunded mandates. The first study is due in December 2024 and because of the short timeframe, will be limited to court-mandated services. A full study will be conducted in 2025.
HB 4092 also mandates and funds a workgroup to recommend measures to reduce the administrative burden on community mental health programs and their local contracted providers. The report is due at the end of the year. A survey of local providers estimates that 40% to 60% of every clinician’s day is spent on administrative work rather than direct care. Any reduction in this burden will immediately increase Oregon’s public behavioral health services capacity.
HB 4002 (Measure 110 reform policy bill) establishes local jail-based and mobile medication for opioid use disorder programs through grants from the Criminal Justice Commission. The bill requires at least 10% of total grant awards to be awarded to facilities in rural areas.
HB 5204 (omnibus funding bill for Measure 110 reform and related programs) provides:
- Gap funding for specialty courts, aid and assist community restoration services, and jail diversion
- Start-up funding for county deflection (pre-arrest diversion) programs
- Start-up funding for the medication for opioid use disorder program
- Behavioral health workforce development funding at Oregon universities to attract and support students acquiring degrees and certifications
HB 4001 establishes an interim task force that will recommend specialty court system improvements and sustainability measures for consideration in the 2025 session. There are two seats on the task force for county government.
Contributed by: Legislative Affairs Manager Jessica Pratt
