May 1, 2026 | AOC News
National County Government Month, held annually in April, provides an opportunity to recognize the vital work of counties. As part of this celebration, the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) launched a social media campaign spotlighting the critical services that counties provide to their residents. Over the course of the month, we highlighted several core services counties deliver, including:
- Managing 62% of the state’s non-federal public road system
- Operating recycling programs and educating residents and businesses about waste reduction
- Protecting our residents and communities by administering immunizations, managing communicable diseases, providing behavioral health and substance use services, and supporting first-time mothers
- Ensuring the accuracy and integrity of our democracy by maintaining ассurаtе vоtеr rеgіstrаtіоn records and ensuring thаt аll eligible voters аrе registered, preparing and mailing ballots, and collecting and counting all votes
- Operating and maintaining county detention and court facilities and responding to disasters and emergencies
Thank you to members who joined this year’s celebration and engaged with our social media content. Your collaboration helps improve the public’s understanding of the value of county government and the essential services it provides. We also would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all our members and county staff for the critical work you perform every day.
Although National County Government Month has come to a close, we are committed to highlighting the vital role counties play in shaping healthy, vibrant, and safe communities across Oregon. Moving forward, we will continue this effort by advocating for county interests, communicating their impact, and educating the public and our members on the crucial work counties perform.
Want to help elevate the important work happening in all 36 counties? Below are some helpful resources for counties to use in your storytelling efforts.
In addition, the National Association of Counties offers tools to help counties communicate the importance of county government.
- “We Are Counties” Campaign
- A three-year campaign to highlight the role counties play across every part of community life. NACo’s participation toolkit features ready-to-use “Did you know” graphics, sample social media posts, press release templates, and more.
- County Explorer Data
- An interactive mapping tool featuring the latest available data for all 3,069 U.S. counties across 14 categories, more than 100 datasets, over 1,000 indicators and more than 10 types of county and state profiles.
- County Governance Project
- A comprehensive guide to county government structure, authority, services and finances. Dig into individualized state profiles and the national database to learn about the intricacies of county governance by state, share information with policymakers and educate the public on the importance of counties.
- County Landscape Project
- Whether examining the organizational structures, financial frameworks, services or intergovernmental roles of counties, the project serves as a critical reference for understanding county government at its core.
- Counties Work Educational Game and Curriculum
- NACo, together with iCivics, has created an online game and curriculum to educate students grade levels 6-12 about the important role and functions of county government.
Contributed by: Erin Good | Communications Coordinator
May 1, 2026 | AOC News, Health & Human Services
In case you missed it: April 17 Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) on Health and Human Services (Meeting recording; Chat transcript)
Rural Health Initiatives; Catalyst Grant Applications Due May 26
The Office of Rural Health kicked off the April 17 LGAC meeting with an update on Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Workforce Recruitment and Retention/Mobile Integrated Health Programs in Rural Communities. Oregon’s 2024-2029 federal grant provides annual scholarships for EMS education, barrier removal for students, billing and coding workshops, leadership training, and other workforce development and retention costs. A new four-year ($250,000/year) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant will support the Rural Oregon Mobile Integrated Health Program consortium, including technical assistance to expand mobile integrated service capacity to more rural communities.
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) provided an update on the rollout of the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) which is slated to receive about $200 million in federal grant funds per year for the next five years. “Rural” is defined as “outside a 10-mile radius of a 40,000+ population center.”
Of note for counties, up to 80 competitive Phase I (FY 2026-2027) “Catalyst” grants will be awarded this summer, ranging from $200,000 to $499,000. Applications are due May 26 at 3 p.m. PST. Additionally, the Conference of Local Health Officials this month approved a carve out in the RHTP for local public health programs to support rural health transformation program goals.
2026 Legislative Session Debriefs with ODHS and OHA
Agency staff provided post-session summaries from the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Department of Human Services.
Oregon Medicaid Benefits and Payments Reform
Dr. Bruce Goldberg provided an update on the governor’s Medicaid sustainability workgroup. The workgroup is currently deliberating toward a set of recommendations to mitigate the destabilizing effects of H.R.1 on Medicaid enrollment and funding, including an estimated loss of $3.4 billion in federal funds in the 2027-2029 biennium. Goldberg noted that the starting principle is to maintain enrollment, which means the remaining levers for closing the funding gap are benefits and provider payments. Ideas under consideration include strategic investments in housing to lower hospital utilization and cost containment via reduction of administrative burden.
The workgroup has identified cost drivers to be increased hospital and drug prices and increased utilization of behavioral health services, though a more precise analysis of the behavioral health utilization by provider type (out-of-state telehealth, in-state private providers, and community mental health program services, etc.) is needed. Community mental health program directors offered solutions, including greater capitalization on Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics for enhanced funding and cost containment, reduction of administrative burden to increase local service capacity and correcting OHA’s interpretation of the federal Institution for Mental Diseases (IMD) exclusion which is currently leading to treatment facility closure and preventing newly funded facilities from opening.
Workgroup members include hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Coordinated Care Organizations, physician and labor representatives, but no representatives from a local mental health authority or a local public health authority. This is surprising in light of the crucial role that community mental health programs and local public health programs play in bending the state’s health care cost curve and serving the most at risk Oregonians.
A public comment period will open after the final report is submitted to the governor in June, with the stated purpose of informing the governor’s recommended budget. LGAC is slated to invite the governor’s staff to its July 24 meeting to provide local system partner perspectives and recommendations on that work.
Upcoming Topics for Spring and Summer LGAC Meetings
Also slated for this spring and summer at the LGAC are discussions with the Department of Housing and Community Services on housing and homeless services programs coordination and operations, with the ODHS Office of Resilience and Emergency Management on preparation for the upcoming wildfire season, with OHA and ODHS on operationalizing new Medicaid eligibility requirements, and with OHA on the future of Public Health Modernization and coordinated communicable disease prevention and response.
Contributed by: Jessica Pratt | Legislative Affairs Manager
Apr 29, 2026 | AOC News
From now until May 22, Business Oregon will be accepting nomination applications for Oregon’s Opportunity Zone 2.0 program.
Oregon’s Opportunity Zone 2.0 program is designed to unlock long-term investment in communities that need it most. Building on the success of the original Opportunity Zone initiative (Opportunity Zone 1.0 or OZ 1.0), this updated program offers enhanced incentives and transparency to ensure that private capital drives real, measurable improvements in housing, jobs, and infrastructure across the state.
Business Oregon partners with local governments and stakeholders to identify eligible census tracts, guide investors, and ensure projects align with statewide economic development priorities.
Counties are encouraged to review Oregon’s eligible tract list to determine if census tracts in your community could benefit from the program. Please refer to the “How to Nominate an Eligible Tract” section of Business Oregon’s Opportunity Zone website for more information on how to participate in the process. If your county is ready to request application materials, you can begin the process by filling out this form.
Lastly, Business Oregon has been providing engagement opportunities for local governments and investors to review and participate in as Oregon prepares for the Opportunity Zones 2.0 selection process. The following webinar recordings are available:
Support is also available by attending Opportunity Zone Office Hours to ask general questions and receive guidance on the nomination process from Business Oregon staff. Upcoming office hours are below:
- Opportunity Zone Office Hours: May 6 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM PDT
- Opportunity Zone Office Hours: May 14 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM PDT
- Opportunity Zone Office Hours: May 19 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM PDT
- Opportunity Zone Office Hours: May 22 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM PDT
Contributed by: Justin Low | Legislative Affairs Manager
Apr 22, 2026 | AOC News, Public Safety & Veterans
The Statewide Resilience Forum, run by the governor’s office, is about halfway through its process for creating a Plan for a Resilient Oregon (PRO), a statewide strategy to improve community resilience to all types of disasters. It is a follow-up to the Cascadia-focused Oregon Resilience Plan from 2013. Staff from the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) are engaged in this process, as a steering committee member representing local governments.
Listening sessions and focus groups have been conducted across the state by community-based organizations contracted to get broad public input into this plan from community members, with support from Oregon State University staff. We have received the first wave of community input and seven themes have emerged as focus areas – climate change, wildfire, tribal perspective, transportation, communication, emergency response, and long-term recovery.
The next steps for the forum members and PRO staff are to dive into the specific feedback and prioritize areas for budgetary development and legislative concepts. One of the overarching goals for the PRO is to build resilience planning into the state budget development process for executive branch agencies, so that they will think about items like asset management or disaster preparedness when building out their funding requests. The full report is due in September, followed by an October resilience forum to advance the report.
As the frequency and intensity of all-hazards disasters continue to increase across the state and as we head into what is likely to be a very difficult wildfire season, this plan is an opportunity to prioritize preparedness and resilience throughout the state and drive investment decisions in both communities and infrastructure. More information can be found on the PRO website.
Contributed by: Tim Dooley | Legislative Affairs Manager
Mar 2, 2026 | AOC Advocacy, AOC News
Thursday, Feb. 26 was the 2026 legislative session second chamber deadline. Bills that were not voted out of their second chamber policy committee on Thursday and referred to the chamber floor, Joint Committee on Ways and Means, or committees on Rules or Revenue will not move forward this session. Policy committees have largely closed for the session and focus has shifted to several big-ticket bills in the Rules and Revenue committees and finalizing the state budget. The session must adjourn sine die by Sunday, March 8.
A deficit in the state general fund caused by H.R. 1, the federal budget bill passed in late 2025, required the Legislature to rebalance the state budget during the 2026 short session. The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) lobbied legislative budget writers in a series of meetings and written feedback urging the preservation of core services by seeking savings through the least disruptive measures and avoiding cuts that reduce funding for mandated state-county shared services or shift cost burdens to county governments.
Rebalance proposals were made public over the weekend in several budget bills – on initial review, it appears that county budgets avoided direct cuts or cost shifts. The rebalance will be achieved largely through vacancy savings and cuts to services and supplies. Our advocacy was successful this session, but AOC and counties should be prepared for several biennia of challenging budget conversations as the overall state general fund revenue paradigm continues to shift.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 204, honoring the role of counties and AOC’s 120th anniversary, passed both chambers unanimously and now awaits the governor’s signature. SCR 204 was introduced at the request of AOC by Senate President Rob Wagner and was sponsored by House Speaker Julie Fahey, and 27 bipartisan and bicameral legislators. Unanimous support for SCR 204 is a testament to the Legislature’s appreciation of AOC’s vital role and the essential services provided by counties.
AOC is tracking around 130 of the 300 total bills introduced this session for their potential impact to county budgets, services, or governance. Our team has analyzed and submitted fiscal impact statements for about 140 bills and amendments, at the request of the Legislative Fiscal Office, on behalf of counties. As always, AOC Legislative Affairs staff continue to diligently track and defend against unfunded mandates and policy proposals with a negative impact to county governments.
Please mark your calendars to attend the March 6 and 9 AOC steering committee and legislative committee meetings – these AOC day meetings will include comprehensive debriefs of AOC’s priorities and newly passed legislation impacting county budgets, services, or governance. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out to your AOC Legislative Affairs team.
Below are high level updates from AOC steering committee policy portfolios.
Governance and Revenue
AOC’s primary governance and revenue goals this session are to continue making progress on County Assessment Function Funding Assistance (CAFFA)-related objectives, including securing a statewide study from the Legislative Revenue Office and protecting against Department of Revenue agency reductions that harm local government revenues. Staff have received commitments from the House and Senate Revenue chairs to get a CAFFA study produced, and members of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means legislators have been informed about the importance of keeping DOR programs that help maintain the property tax asset.
House Bill 4148, local transient lodging tax reform, is AOC’s top policy priority this session. The bill had a very successful public hearing with many county officials testifying in person and passed the House floor with 40 “yes” votes. HB 4148 awaits a work session in the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue.
Health and Human Services
AOC’s health and human services objectives this short session are to preserve all funding for public health, developmental disabilities and behavioral health services, prevent and reduce administrative burden and liability, and maintain the local public health and local mental health authority of county governments. These objectives are well aligned with legislative leadership’s priorities to maintain or grow core community services to resolve federal court sanctions related to the Mink-Bowman lawsuit and long wait times for forensic admissions to the Oregon State Hospital. AOC is working with bill sponsors and partners to meet these policy objectives and significant progress is being made.
It appears at this time that local public health, behavioral health, and intellectual and developmental disabilities program budgets, as well as homelessness prevention and response are being held harmless. A $15.5 million reduction in Behavioral Health Resource Network funding in Senate Bill 5703-1 is simply a reconciliation of the state budget with the recent reduction in the marijuana tax revenue forecast and not a new cut.
Natural Resources
Efforts in this portfolio are focused on ensuring that natural resources state agency budget reductions do not impact county programs and budgets. Initial budget reduction proposals included potential impacts of $40 million to county programs including wildlife services, place-based water planning, invasive species, and wildfire protection. AOC’s direct advocacy for the preservation of natural resource-related programs and budgets was successful – programs and funding on which counties rely were protected and even increased. Several notable increases include direct allocation for the Land Owner Offset in the Department of Forestry Budget ($11.6 million), additional funding for the Wolf Depredation Grant Program ($1 million) and funding for the Japanese Beetle Eradication Program ($1.8 million).
Public Safety
AOC has focused on budgetary issues and protecting public safety programs from cuts – and with the release of today’s budget bills, county public safety has been held harmless. AOC has also been heavily involved in negotiations around the federal accountability agenda from the majority party. Staff worked with legislators and partners to mitigate risks and costs to counties from concepts related to employment law, law enforcement masking, county liability, and task force participation.
Transportation
AOC’s primary objective in the transportation policy portfolio this session is to ensure that the measures necessary to fill the nearly $300 million operations and maintenance budget gap at the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) do not negatively impact county road department budgets. The ODOT rebalance proposal transfers unobligated State Highway Fund dollars toward agency operations and maintenance including dollars in the Connect Oregon and Safe Routes to Schools programs, redirects some federal funding, and leaves around 100 jobs vacant.
ODOT’s budget rebalance has no impact on the 50/30/20 funding formula, Local Bridge Program, or the Fund Exchange Program. AOC also thwarted earlier attempts to address ODOT’s budget gap with measures that sweep and undermine the State Highway Fund distribution.
Contributed by: Mallorie Roberts | Legislative Affairs Director
Mar 2, 2026 | AOC News
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) kicked off its 120th anniversary celebration with two key events in Salem on Feb. 9 and 10, bringing the unified voice of Oregon’s counties to the state capital. These events included a legislative reception, held in the newly reopened Capitol Galleria, and County Day in the Capitol.
The legislative reception proved to be an overwhelming success, attracting a large attendance of legislators and their staff following a busy day of legislative work and committee hearings. This annual event provided a relaxed and informal environment that fostered networking and strengthened relationships with key figures, including Gov. Tina Kotek, state agency directors and staff, legislators, legislative staff, and various partners.
More than 30 members gathered in the Capitol the following day for County Day at the Capitol to network and advocate on behalf of county budgets, county services, and county governance. Highlights included visits from Senate President Rob Wagner and House Speaker Julie Fahey, a private tour of the extensive Capitol building renovations, a special event honoring counties and AOC on the Senate floor, and afternoon meetings with legislators. AOC’s Executive Committee carried the county message of partnership and collaboration in highly productive discussions with Wagner, Fahey, caucus leaders, and the co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.
AOC continues to strengthen the state-county relationship by consistently delivering the message that counties are the state’s partner in delivering critical public services and infrastructure to every Oregonian. To aid in this messaging, AOC recently released several publications, including a redesigned State-County Shared Services Chart, a new role of counties one-pager, and AOC priority issue briefs and talking points. Members are encouraged to use these resources to illustrate the essential services and programs counties provide.
“The success of the legislative reception and County Day at the Capitol reaffirms our commitment to proactive engagement with the Legislature,” said Executive Director Gina Nikkel. “AOC remains dedicated to its founding mission of advocating for county governments, strengthening intergovernmental collaboration, and ensuring counties have the necessary resources to effectively serve their communities across Oregon.”
Contributed by: Erin Good | Communications Coordinator
