Last Updated: 4/28/25 12:54 AM PST
<CLICK HERE> for this week’s email link
Important Notice: If a bill comes in later than 5PM on Fridays, check here for updates & changes! We will not be sending additional emails!
Clicking the bill number will allow you access to more information on the bill via OLIS.
IMPORTANT: You have up to 48 hours on most bills after the Public Hearing to submit your testimony. Beware, the time could be 24 hours on some, so testify now!
Clicking Submit Testimony Button below each bill in the list will allow you to fill out the testimony form online or upload pre-written testimony to OLIS.
Links are provided for more information, testimonies on various sites, including OLIS as featured testimonies.
The bill text, any submitted amendments and testimony that may have already been submitted is available in the tabs at the top of the OLIS webpage.
By Clicking the “Register to Testify” tab on OLIS, you can fill out the form to sign up to testify remotely through Microsoft Teams for the bill either via Teams Video or on the phone.
The bills below, of course, do not incapsulate all the bills for the coming week. Bills could also be added to committee agendas at any time and after the work to put this list together.
Are we missing bill? SUBMIT A BILL every Friday by 5PM for distribution in the weekly alert!
Fight for Oregon, Senator David Brock Smith, Representative Virgle Osborne, Oregon Cattleman’s Assoc., Oregon Citizens Lobby and more for providing the majority of the content of this Alert! Listed below are Bills of Concern and Bills to Support that are coming up for Public Hearings this week and/or need your voice.
Your testimonies are greatly needed in the fight for Oregon! Our goal is to make it easy for you to testify and share! Anyone can subscribe or unsubscribe to these alerts! Encourage folks to subscribe!
Visit FightforOregon.com Weekly Alerts for a more updated version of this week’s bills! We are committed to NOT inundate your email box because these are a moving target and change daily, so the latest news will be on the website!
Please Review the Schedule, bills can be added at any time for Public Hearing
https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/Committees/Meeting/List
We WILL be re-starting our Teams Meeting on Sunday evenings at 7:00 PM featuring Representative Virgle Osborne as well as our other Representatives & Senators as they are available to discuss upcoming legislation for the week ahead and answer questions during session! Please join us!
Recurring Meeting Link: <Click Here>
As a reminder, our Legislative Bills Work Day is proceeding as planned:
- Date: Tuesday, April 29
- Time: Starts at 12:30 PM
- Location: Republican HQ 827 SE Cass, Roseburg
We’re looking forward to seeing you there and appreciate your continued support. Bring a sack lunch and join us in submitting testimonies as you learn how to participate with us.
Rep. Virgle Osborne is launching a podcast! This new initiative will ultimately replace our Sunday Legislative Talks in the future. However, we’ll be sending more details about the podcast soon, so stay tuned for updates.
Register to Testify in Person or Remotely:
- Go to Overview of Bill Page
- Click on “Register to Testify” Tab on that page
- Fill out the appropriate information and submit the form for that Bill.
- If you are testifying remotely by video or phone, an email address and phone # are required. After registering and seeing a confirmation screen, you will receive an email with meeting details. (check spam folder if not).
Note: Registration ends 30 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. After that time, the registration system will close.
Monday -April 28, 2025
Bills of Concern
House Committee On Rules 8:00 am
HB 2586 A – Relating to nonresident tuition exemption for asylum seekers; declaring an emergency. Digest: The Act allows for in-state higher learning costs for students who are seeking asylum in the U.S. (Flesch Readability Score: 65.1).
Permits an asylum seeker who is a student at a public university in this state or Oregon Health and Science University to receive an exemption from nonresident tuition and fees.
Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: No instate tuition for the so-called asylum seekers, illegal aliens and/or foreign gang bangers either!
Special Message from Oregon Citizens Lobby:
Make Your Voice Heard in Salem!
The Act allows for in-state higher learning costs for students who are seeking asylum in the U.S.
Permits an asylum seeker who is a student at a public university in this state or Oregon Health and Science University to receive an exemption from nonresident tuition and fees. Declares an emergency, effective on passage. [Highlighted text was added in amendment]
People seeking asylum are supposed to be seeking it prior to entering the US. If they did not, they are here illegally.
To say this has no fiscal impact is false. Taxes supplement universities. Taxes imposed on Oregonians should go to benefit Oregonians. Noncitizens are receiving more benefits than citizens so Oregon doesn’t need to give them a break on tuition.
SUBMIT TESTIMONY BEFORE 4/30 at 8am
EMAIL COMMITTEE
Sen.LewFrederick@OregonLegislature.gov
Sen.SuzanneWeber@OregonLegislature.gov
Sen.SaraGelser@OregonLegislature.gov
Sen.NoahRobinson@OregonLegislature.gov
Sen.JaneenSollman@OregonLegislature.gov
–Oregon Citizen’s Lobby
House Committee on Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water 8:00 am
SB 74 A – Digest: This Act makes changes to how DSL can find the state’s interest in waterways that are navigable. (Flesch Readability Score: 60.1).
[Digest: This Act tells the DSL to study how to determine that a waterway is navigable. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.8).]
[Requires the Department of State Lands to study determinations of navigability on Oregon waterways. Directs the department to submit findings to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to natural resources not later than September 15, 2026.]
[Sunsets on January 2, 2027.]
Authorizes the Department of State Lands to find in a navigability determination draft report that the state’s interest in the waterway extends to the current submerged and submersible lands within the waterway. Authorizes the department to negotiate with property owners affected by the finding and convey mineral and geothermal resource rights in a negotiated exchange of deeds. Requires the department to determine the state’s interest in portions of the waterway according to principles of accretion and avulsion if the department is unable to reach an agreement with affected property owners.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Oregon Farm Bureau Opposes!
SB 165 A – Digest: This Act amends and repeals laws about the State Land Board’s power to claim title to historically filled lands. (Flesch Readability Score: 62.8).
Amends the requirements for the State Land Board to assert title to historically filled lands or assert a right to minerals or geothermal resources in historically filled lands. Repeals, on January 2, 2029, the provisions related to assertion of title to historically filled lands by the State Land Board that are required to be completed before December 31, 2025.
Declares an emergency, effective on passage
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: This Our Land NOT the Governments!
SB 845 – Digest: Allows the PUC to order the sale of a water utility that is not able to provide service. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.6). Authorizes the Public Utility Commission to order the [acquisition] sale of an incumbent water utility [by] to another water utility or entity when the incumbent water utility is not able to provide [safe, adequate, efficient and reasonable] safe and adequate service. Requires the commission to provide the incumbent water utility reasonable opportunity to take alternative actions to the sale. Increases, from $5,000 to $100,000, the amount of fees that the commission may use to make emergency repairs to public utility plants that provide water service. Authorizes the commission to order a public utility that provides water service to make emergency repairs
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Clatsop County Commissioners Oppose
House Committee On Rules 8:00 am
HB 3838 – Digest: The Act would make new laws about a workforce standards board for some workers in the home and community-based services sector. (Flesch Readability Score: 60.6). Establishes the Home and Community-Based Services Workforce Standards Board. Prescribes the duties of the board. Directs the board to establish minimum working standards for the home and community-based services workforce. Requires the board to submit a written report to the Legislative Assembly regarding any adopted standard that is anticipated to impact the state budget. Provides that any such standard must be ratified by the Legislative Assembly before taking effect. Provides remedies for allegations of violations of the minimum standards established by the board. Requires the board to conduct a biennial comprehensive review, including a labor market analysis to inform the board’s decisions to adopt new minimum standards or revise existing standards. Permits the board to establish uniform training standards for the home and community-based services workforce and to establish a process by rule for certifying worker organizations to provide the training to workers. Requires the board to submit a biennial report to the Governor and the Legislative Assembly summarizing the results of the comprehensive review and any actions taken by the board in the prior biennium.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Living Opportunities in Medford Oppose
Senate Committee on Housing and Development 1:00 pm
HB 3035 – Digest: This Act grows OHCS’ program and lending authority. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.2).
Expands Housing and Community Services Department authority regarding homeownership housing projects and lending. Allows the department to refinance housing loans.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Statutes NEED REPEALED!
Senate Committee on Housing and Development 1:00 pm
HB 3035 – Digest: This Act grows OHCS’ program and lending authority. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.2).
Expands Housing and Community Services Department authority regarding homeownership housing projects and lending. Allows the department to refinance housing loans.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Statutes NEED REPEALED!
Bills to Support
Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue 8:00 am
SB 225 – Digest: Exempts from state income tax up to $17,500 in federal retirement pay or pension that is received for service in the Armed Forces by a person who is 63 years of age or older. The Act applies to tax years that start on or after January 1, 2025. The Act takes effect on the 91st day after sine die. (Flesch Readability Score: 60.6). Exempts from state income tax up to $17,500 in federal retirement pay or pension received for service in the Armed Forces of the United States for a taxpayer who is receiving federal retirement pay or pension for service in the Armed Forces of the United States and who has [not] attained 63 years of age before the close of the taxable year.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: United Veterans Groups of Oregon Support
Tuesday - April 29, 2025
Bills of Concern
Senate Committee On Labor and Business 8:00 am
HB 2125 – Digest: The Act would let the unpaid first week of an unemployment claim be waived for a worker who is away from work due to a severe weather emergency. (Flesch Readability Score: 60.5). Authorizes the Director of the Employment Department to waive the unpaid waiting week period for unemployment insurance claimants who are unable to perform services due a state-declared emergency related to severe weather. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Building Owners & Mangers Assoc Oppose!
HB 3187 – Digest: The Act changes laws with respect to discrimination based on age. The Act takes effect 91 days after adjournment. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.2). Makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to require or request disclosure of certain information regarding age and attendance or graduation dates. Provides exceptions. Removes the provision allowing age limits for the purpose of selecting apprentices to bring such conduct within the scope of the unlawful discrimination statute.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Oregon Business & Industry Oppose!
Senate Committee On Natural Resources and Wildfire 1:00 pm
HB 3342 A – Digest: The Act changes laws related to the regulation of water rights in this state. The Act goes into effect 91 days after sine die. (Flesch Readability Score: 71.2).
[Digest: The Act tells an agency to study rules about water. The Act tells the agency to report on the study. (Flesch Readability Score: 74.0).]
[Directs the Water Resources Department to study rules related to water. Directs the department to submit a report to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to natural resources not later than September 15, 2026.]
Modifies provisions of law related to the regulation and administration of water rights in this state.
Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Oregon Farm Bureau Opposes!
Bills to Support
Senate Committee On Natural Resources and Wildfire 1:00 pm
HB 3372 A – Digest: The Act allows exempt wells to use a set amount of water per day for irrigating lawns and gardens. (Flesch Readability Score: 67.3).
[Digest: The Act tells an agency to study exempt uses of water. (Flesch Readability Score: 64.9).]
[Directs the Water Resources Department to study exempt uses of water. Directs the department to submit findings to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to water not later than September 15, 2026.]
Permits certain exempt ground water users to withdraw up to 3,000 gallons of water per day for watering any lawn or noncommercial or commercial garden that does not exceed one-half acre.
Specifies that the total combined use for industrial or commercial purposes, when combined with a commercial garden, may not exceed 5,000 gallons per day
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Allows small farmers to utilize well water for their crops!
Senate Committee On Labor and Business 8:00 am
HB 2236 – Digest: The Act would make a worker leasing company elect to treat the workers it supplies to a client as either its own workers or the workers of the client for certain UI laws. (Flesch Readability Score: 60.5). Allows a worker leasing company to elect to treat the employees it furnishes to a client employer as either the employees of the company itself or of the client employer for certain purposes under unemployment insurance law.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Oregon State Chamber of Commerce Supports!
Senate Committee On Labor and Business 8:00 am
HB 3823 – Digest: The Act would give a property tax break to a business that generated or stored energy for its own use. The Act would exclude utilities from the tax break. The Act would give a property tax break for property installed at a residence to generate or store energy for use there. (Flesch Readability Score: 65.1). Exempts from property taxes personal property used by a business to generate or store energy for consumption by the business on its premises. Provides that the exemption does not apply to the personal property of utility businesses. Exempts from property taxes property installed at a residence to generate or store energy for consumption at the residence.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: No supporting testmony submitted at this writing
Wednesday - April 30, 2025
Bills of Concern
House Committee On Labor and Workplace Standards 3:00 pm
SB 916 – Digest: The Act would repeal the law that denies UI benefits to a person who is unemployed due to an active labor dispute. The Act would make it so that striking workers have an extra unpaid week before they qualify for benefits. The Act would require benefits to be paid back if they are overpaid due to the worker’s later receipt of back pay. The Act would make a school district deduct from future wages benefits received by an employee during a labor dispute. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.4). [Digest: The Act would repeal the law that denies benefits to a person who is unemployed due to an active labor dispute. (Flesch Readability Score: 60.6).] Provides that an individual otherwise eligible for unemployment insurance benefits is not disqualified for any week that the individual’s unemployment is due to a labor dispute in active progress at the individual’s place of employment. Provides that individuals unemployed due to a strike are disqualified for benefits for one week before eligibility begins, with the usual unpaid waiting week. Provides for the collection of benefits overpaid during a strike due to the later receipt of back pay. Requires a school district to deduct from an employee’s future wages benefits received during a labor dispute.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Grants Pass Chamber of Commerrce Opposes
Senate Committee On Energy and Environment 3:00 pm
HB 3546 – Digest: Tells the PUC to provide for a class of service for facilities that use large amounts of energy. (Flesch Readability Score: 66.3). Directs the Public Utility Commission to provide for a classification of service for large energy use facilities. Requires any tariff schedule adopted for the class to allocate the costs of serving large energy use facilities to the facilities and mitigate the risks to other classes of retail electricity consumers. Defines “large energy use facility.” Directs the commission to require an electric company to use a contract when providing electricity service to a large energy use facility. Requires the contract to meet certain requirements and conditions. Directs the commission to report each even-numbered year to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to energy on trends in load requirements and other implications from large energy use facilities. Sunsets January 2, 2035. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: No Opposing Testimonies at this writing.
House Committee On Judiciary 3:00 pm
HB 2819 – Digest: The Act relates to fire protection. The Act allows citations on certain bases. (Flesch Readability Score: 63.5).
Authorizes [persons who enforce fire protection laws] the State Forester or a person authorized by the State Forester to issue citations if there are reasonable grounds to believe violations have occurred
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Administrative Tyranny Needs to Stop!
Bills to Support
House Committee on Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water 8:00 am
SB 777 A – Digest: The Act tells the State DOA to change the methods used to determine wolf attack loss grants. The Act requires counties to report to the DOA and the DOA to report to the legislature on payments made. (Flesch Readability Score: 76.2).
[Digest: The Act provides that payments for injury to livestock or working dogs must be based on fair market value and other factors. The Act caps payments. The Act removes payment for lost livestock. (Flesch Readability Score: 70.9).]
[Provides that compensation for injury to livestock or working dogs under the wolf depredation compensation and financial assistance grant program must be based on fair market value and other factors. Caps compensation at $25,000 per animal. Removes the provision authorizing compensation for missing livestock.]
Directs the State Department of Agriculture to modify the methodology under which participating counties award grants for wolf depredation compensation. Establishes reporting requirements for counties and for the department to report to the Legislative Assembly on financial assistance provided under the program.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: White Sage Land and Cattle Supports!
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Bills of Concern
Senate Committee on Labor and Business 8:00 am
HB 2944 A – Digest: The Act makes changes to the PECBA. The Act creates penalties for violating certain provisions of the PECBA. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.4). Directs the Employment Relations Board to impose civil penalties against a public employer that has a history of failing to comply with certain requirements under the public employee collective bargaining act. Permits the board to consider extenuating circumstances when determining the amount of the civil penalty to impose.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Association of Oregon Counties Oppose!
House Committee On Energy and Environment 8:00 am
SB 726 A – Digest: This Act tells the EQC to make landfills test and fix methane gas leaks. (Flesch Readability Score: 95.9). Requires the owner or operator of a municipal solid waste landfill to conduct surface emissions monitoring and report data as specified in the Act.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Poor Focus of Legislators Vote NO!
House Committee On Revenue 3:00 pm
HB 3940 A – Digest: The Act raises and moves money to pay for wildfire costs. The Act makes certain changes to laws related to forests and fire protection. (Flesch Readability Score: 74.8). Places a surcharge on sales of beverage containers for purposes of wildfire prevention and response. Directs insurance retaliatory tax revenue to wildfire prevention and response. Transfers one-half percent of General Fund appropriations per biennium to funds for wildfire prevention and response. Transfers 50 percent of the amount held in the Oregon Rainy Day Fund to funds for wildfire prevention and response. Makes certain changes related to the forest products harvest tax, forest protection districts, minimum assessments and surcharges, the Emergency Fire Cost Committee, forestland acreage assessments, zones for fire protection in certain areas and rural fire protection districts. Authorizes certain transfers from the State Fire Marshal Mobilization Fund. Requires the Legislative Assembly to make moneys available to the State Forestry Department and the Department of the State Fire Marshal to repay loans from the State Treasurer for wildfire suppression costs. Creates an offset against fire protection costs for certain forestland.
Read Testimonies
Featured Testimony: Oregon Wine & Disbributor Assoc Opposes!
Bills to Support
Senate Committee on Labor and Business 8:00 am
HB 2380 – Digest: The Act tells the BOC to make rules to let a person who has a provisional certificate do supervised work. (Flesch Readability Score: 63.8). Directs the Board of Cosmetology to adopt rules to allow the holder of a provisional certificate to perform in a cosmetology field of practice under the supervision of a practitioner in the same field of practice under certain circumstances. Establishes requirements for a practitioner to act as a supervisor. Directs the board to adopt rules for the Health Licensing Office to issue a provisional certificate. Provides that, upon application for certification, a provisional certificate holder may submit evidence of supervised practice in order to meet the educational requirements.
Read Testimomies
Featured Testimony: Bill Makes Total Sense!
House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services 8:00 am
SB 1099 – Digest: This Act requires cities and counties to allow preschools on church properties. (Flesch Readability Score: 60.7). Requires cities and counties to allow lands where worship is allowed to be used for preschool.
Read Testimomies
Featured Testimony: Oregon Property Owners Assoc Supports!
Friday, April 11, 2025
Bills of Concern
Keep Watch Alert!
The proposed Oregon Transportation ReInvestment Package – “TRIP 2025”, is like more like a “psychedelic tax TRIP” for Oregonians. Here is what it really says.
BUYING AND LICENSING A CAR – NOT DRIVING IT YET….
- DMV FEES – Increase Title fees by $90 or around 100%. Current fees range from $90 to $190.
- Increase Vehicle registration FEES – Increase fees by $66. Current vehicle registration fees for gas powered passenger vehicles range from $126-$156. EV’s pay $316 unless they are registered in the OreGo program.
- New Car TAX (also known as the privilege tax passed in 2017 in HB2017 – ironically the last transportation package). Increases the tax applied to new vehicles from 0.5% to 0.8% or a 60%.
- The “New” Car TAX – Which will apply to all new and used cars and be in addition to the privilege tax. It will be a “one time fee of 1% of the vehicle price.
- Tire TAX – Brand new tax that will be 3% for all tires purchased.
ACTUALLY DRIVING
- Weight Mile TAX – Increase it by + 16.9%. These are the fees that trucks pay instead of the fuel tax. Former Senator Boquist and I called for a Special session on this issue in December of 2023 because the weight mile tax was already constitutionally out of balance with the fuel tax.
- Fuel TAX – Raise the current fuel tax of $0.40 per gallon to $0.60 per gallon. The Oregon gas tax was raised last year by 5%. Oregon has the nation’s 10th highest gas tax.
- ***FUTURE FUEL TAX INCREASES WOULD BE INDEXED AND TIED TO INFLATION – NO LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL, NO VOTE, NO INPUT, JUST AUTOMATIC INCREASES***
- Road Usage CHARGE for cars and pickups – pay per mile. Currently this is an optional program for EV vehicles in lieu of higher registration rates. The new program would eventually apply it to ALL vehicles.
- July 2026: Existing EVs
- July 2027: Newly purchased EVs
- July 2028: Plug-In Hybrids
- July 2029: New vehicles rated at 30 MPG or greater (starting with model year 2030).
DON’T DRIVE? – THERE IS A TAX FOR THAT TOO
- Delivery FEE – Businesses with 10 medium duty vehicles (10,000-26,000 pounds – Amazon vans, UPS, Fed Ex, Service providers like Cintas and Aramark, Batteries Northwest, Snap-on Tools, etc.) would be assessed a per mile fee somewhere in between the weight mile rate (which they do not pay today; they pay the gas tax most likely) and the road usage charge.
- Bike TAX increase — Currently the bike tax is $15 this would raise it to $24.9 for all bikes over $200. That is a 63% increase.
- Payroll wage TAX increase – Payroll tax is currently at 0.1%. The increase would take it to 0.18% an 80% increase.