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
Dec 19, 2023 | AOC Advocacy, Health & Human Services, Legislative Committee, Public Safety & Veterans
The short 35-day 2024 legislative session is expected to focus primarily on housing and Measure 110. AOC recognizes that some proposals under consideration related to Measure 110 reforms will have direct impacts on counties, and consequently our members are deeply invested in the potential outcomes. AOC is committed to elevating the county voice in these discussions and ensuring that AOC members are able to review and weigh in on concepts with direct county impacts.
In preparation for those conversations, AOC steering committees and the Legislative Committee took action at their October meetings.
AOC’s Public Safety steering committee adopted a 2024 legislative priority related to Measure 110:
- 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.
AOC’s Health and Human Services steering committee also adopted this principle:
- Support Measure 110 reforms to create a sustainable complete continuum of substance use disorder prevention, treatment and recovery capacity that matches community need and is subject to the statutory planning and oversight of local mental health authorities.
Joint AOC Health and Human Services and Public Safety Steering Committee Meetings
AOC leadership recognizes the importance of the Measure 110 reform conversations to our members, and in collaboratively evaluating both the health and public safety policy considerations. Accordingly, during the 2024 legislative session, AOC’s Health and Human Services and Public Safety steering committees will be meeting jointly to determine AOC positions on relevant 2024 legislative bills. The four co-chairs of these two committees will also meet together routinely to collaborate and direct staff.
On Oct. 27, AOC held a joint Health and Human Services and Public Safety steering committee meeting focused on Ballot Measure 110. The meeting, with over 90 individuals participating in person and virtually, focused on current data, local government perspectives and potential policy changes in the coming year. A variety of partner groups and advocates joined the meeting to share their experiences and thoughts on the future of Measure 110. A full recording of the meeting is linked here.
In the Capitol
Oregon’s legislative leadership created a new joint committee to consider Measure 110-related changes for the 2024 legislative session. The Joint Interim Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response is co-chaired by Senator Kate Lieber and Representative Jason Kropf. The committee has now met three times. At its October meeting, the committee focused on behavioral health and addiction services. At its November meeting, the committee heard from the law enforcement community on potential policies. A coalition of public safety stakeholders shared with the committee an 11-point proposal.
At its December meeting, the joint committee heard from experts on: evidence-based substance use disorder treatment; medication assisted treatment; and deflection, stabilization and alternative intervention programs. At this 4-hour long meeting, the committee also heard public testimony for the first time. Invited to provide testimony, AOC staff shared with the committee AOC’s adopted priorities and principles on Measure 110 reform, encouraging the committee to consider holistic changes with appropriate systematic funding for county services. AOC further advocated for counties to continue to be invited to the table and included in reform discussions to ensure counties can partner successfully with the state on any future changes. You can watch a full recording of the hearing here.
We expect the next meeting of the joint committee to take place during January Legislative Days.
AOC is actively engaged with legislative leaders and local system partners to discuss the ramifications of potential policy decisions, ensuring that any potential policy change is examined for county impact.
Want to join the conversation?
AOC members interested in shaping the organization’s positions on 2024 legislation affecting Oregon counties are encouraged to participate in January and February steering committees. The schedule can be found on our website.
Contributed by: Jen Lewis-Goff and Jessica Pratt | legislative affairs managers
Oct 23, 2023 | AOC Advocacy, Legislative Committee
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) Legislative Committee recently adopted eight top priorities for the upcoming 2024 legislative session. These items represent the most pressing policy issues faced by counties across the state, and have been discussed at AOC district meetings, the 2023 AOC legislative retreat in Klamath County, and during AOC policy steering committee meetings since the 2023 legislative session adjourned.
The AOC legislative affairs department, along with county commissioners, chairs, and judges, will advocate in the capitol this spring for the advancement of these priorities. “AOC looks forward to continuing our commitment to solutions-oriented advocacy and collaborating with our partners in the state legislature on policy to efficiently and effectively deliver county services to our shared constituencies,” said AOC Executive Director Gina Nikkel, PhD.
2024 Legislative Session Priorities
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.
Governance and Revenue
Address problems arising out of the Tyler v. Hennepin County decision — limit county legal liability and create a standard process for how foreclosure surplus claims are handled.
Health and Human Services
Establish a statutory process and schedule for a cost study of core behavioral health services (local services required in statute).
Mitigate liability risk shift to counties and local system providers for mandated populations (aid and assist, civil commitment, and guilty except for insanity).
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.
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.
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.
View the 2024 Legislative Priorities online (PDF)
Contributed by: Mallorie Roberts | AOC Legislative Affairs Director
