Oregon Legislation

Oregon Senate Bill 1524 aimed to use lottery money to support horse racing events and facilities in the state. If passed, it would have created a consistent funding source for these activities starting on July 1, 2027. However, the bill ultimately failed to advance.

Oregon SB1526 aimed to create a new nonprofit organization to finance clean energy and resilience projects. The State Department of Energy would have applied for grants to cover the costs of forming this entity and carrying out necessary activities. If successful, the nonprofit would have been responsible for overseeing these projects and reporting to the state legislature.

Oregon Senate Bill 1528 aimed to require drug manufacturers to report more information annually about their patient assistance programs starting in 2028. It also directed the Oregon Health Authority to study health care and report findings to legislative committees by September 2027. However, the bill ultimately failed to pass.

Oregon Senate Bill 1529 aimed to require the Oregon Health Authority to conduct a study on health care. The findings from this study were to be submitted to legislative committees by September 15, 2027, and the bill would end on January 2, 2028. However, the bill ultimately failed to pass.

Oregon Senate Bill 1530 aimed to make it a crime to threaten public officials, specifically by causing them alarm. If passed, it would have expanded the definition of aggravated harassment to include these threats, with penalties of up to five years in prison and fines of up to $125,000. The bill declared an emergency, meaning it would take effect immediately upon the Governor's approval.

Oregon SB1531 aimed to have the Oregon Health Authority study how to fund emergency medical services (EMS) through a universal health care system. The findings were to be reported to legislative committees by September 15, 2027, with the bill set to expire on January 2, 2028. However, the bill ultimately did not pass.

Oregon SB1534 aimed to improve the welfare of young people in care by changing rules about how child-caring agencies are licensed and how children can be placed out of state. It also sought to enhance protections against abuse for children in these settings. The bill was declared an emergency measure, meaning it would take effect immediately upon passage, but ultimately it did not pass.

Oregon Senate Bill 1536 aimed to have the Department of Education study the tests used in public schools to evaluate their effectiveness. The findings were to be reported to legislative committees by September 15, 2027, and the bill would end on January 2, 2028. However, the bill ultimately failed to pass.

Oregon SB1537 aimed to update rules for community college boards. It required board members to have official email addresses posted online and included a student as a nonvoting member. The bill also outlined new procedures for filling board vacancies and required the board to report on its compliance with these changes. However, the bill ultimately failed.

Oregon Senate Bill 1540 aimed to require insurance companies to share details about how they assess wildfire risk for properties. It also sought to inform policyholders about actions they could take to reduce their risk scores and potentially receive discounts on their premiums. The bill included provisions for appealing property classifications and disputing premium adjustments.

Oregon SB1541 aimed to create a program to recover costs associated with climate change. It proposed the establishment of a Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program that would assess the financial impact of greenhouse gas emissions and hold responsible entities accountable for these costs. The program was to be managed by the Department of Land Conservation and Development and included the creation of a dedicated funding account.

Oregon Senate Bill 1542 aimed to improve transportation planning by requiring the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) to create a 10-year capital investment plan. This plan would include a way to score and prioritize projects for the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and mandate the Department of Transportation to report on highway conditions. Additionally, the OTC was instructed to provide more information on its website.

Oregon Senate Bill 1543 aimed to change how the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) manages debt for road projects. It required the Department of Transportation (ODOT) to get approval from the OTC before requesting bonds from the State Treasurer. The bill also intended to modify the membership of the OTC and establish a policy for managing debt related to highway projects.

Oregon Senate Bill 1545 aimed to allow people to cross from one piece of public land to another without being considered trespassing. It would have protected individuals from legal action for trespassing when corner crossing and also offered immunity to landowners from negligence claims related to corner crossing. The bill was declared an emergency measure, meaning it would take effect immediately upon passage.

Oregon SB1548 aimed to regulate cannabis edibles by requiring them to be sold in single-unit packages and limiting the strength of each edible to 10 milligrams for adult use. It also sought to ensure that cannabis products included health information to protect minors from potential harm. The bill was designed to enhance public health and safety around cannabis use.

Oregon Senate Bill 1549 aimed to increase the tax credit individuals could receive for donating money to political parties or candidates. This change would have applied to tax years starting from January 1, 2026, to January 1, 2028. However, the bill ultimately did not pass.

The bill aimed to improve how authorities investigate deaths suspected to be caused by suicide, overdose, or accidents, especially in cases involving domestic violence or child abuse. It required law enforcement to review evidence and interview family members before determining the cause of death, and mandated autopsies in certain situations. Additionally, it sought to protect the decedent's body until proper investigations were completed.

Oregon Senate Bill 1552 aimed to require county clerks to inform property owners when a document affecting their property's title is filed, with certain exceptions for documents submitted by financial institutions, insurers, attorneys, or their agents. The bill was intended to enhance transparency for property owners regarding changes to their property titles. However, it ultimately failed to pass.

Oregon SB1553 aimed to prevent electric companies from charging customers for costs related to wildfires caused by the company's negligence. If a company is found responsible for a wildfire, it would need to set up a fund to compensate affected individuals. The bill also proposed a new fund to support wildfire recovery, funded by a portion of punitive damages awarded in lawsuits against electric companies.

Oregon SB1554 aimed to ensure that any infant born alive, regardless of the circumstances of their birth, would receive the same level of medical care as any other child needing life-saving treatment. It also proposed legal actions against healthcare practitioners who failed to provide this care and included protections for the identities of individuals involved in such cases. The bill ultimately did not pass.

Oregon Senate Bill 1555 aimed to change how the state reports on funding for public education. It proposed using a new cost model to determine the necessary funds to meet educational quality goals and made adjustments to the definition of what constitutes a standard school district. The bill also sought to eliminate a joint committee and a commission focused on education funding.

Oregon SB1558 aimed to change hospital nurse staffing laws by requiring hospitals to adopt staffing plans created by nurse committees. It proposed increasing the number of patients assigned to a nurse in medical-surgical units and allowed some hospitals to vary from standard staffing ratios. The bill also included provisions for penalties for non-compliance, which would benefit local public health authorities.

Oregon Senate Bill 1559 aimed to require the Oregon Health Authority to conduct a study on health care. The findings from this study were to be presented to legislative committees by September 15, 2027. The bill was set to expire on January 2, 2028.

Oregon Senate Bill 1560 aimed to restrict county regulations on how churches can use their properties. The bill sought to ensure that local governments could not impose limitations on activities taking place within places of worship. Ultimately, the bill did not pass.