One of AOC’s priority bills, House Bill 4069, did not make it over the finish line but did see some movement in the final days of the 2018 legislative session. Sponsor, Rep. John Lively (D-Springfield) helped champion the bill until the very end. After convening negotiations with the Lottery Department and Department of Administrative Services to ensure our bill language executed the intended outcome – ensuring counties receive their statutorily directed 2.5 percent of video lottery net receipts – the bill did not advance out of the Ways and Means Committee in bill format, but was attached to the final budget rebalance bill, HB 5201. The bill contains a budget note directing fiscal staff to prepare a report to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means comparing the amount transferred to counties under current allocations and the amount that should have been allocated under ORS 461.547.
While not exactly what we were hoping for, valuable conversations took place during the 2018 Session and AOC has increased our field of legislative champions to ensure counties receive their statutorily directed 2.5 percent video lottery receipts for economic development. A special thanks to Sen. Bill Hansell and Sen. Betsy Johnson. Additional work during the interim is necessary as well as further reconsideration about reintroducing HB 4069 in the 2019 session.
Video lottery dollars were also part of the Governors PERS unfunded actuarial liability (UAL) bill – which initially proposed to sweep all funds above forecasts to pay down the UAL. As adopted, the final bill does not redirect any video lottery dollars.
AOC remains committed to making this issue a priority and will continue the hard work already begun. Thank you to all the Commissioners who lent your support to your local legislators in support of HB 4069 and especially to Lane County for boots-on-the-ground support with Alex Cuyler.
Contributed by: Amanda Dalton | AOC Consultant