September Legislative Days Highlights

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 

• Local Government Transportation Funding Needs Assessment (AOC presentation of the County Road Needs Study)

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.