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To contact me, please click here: Rep.MarkOwens@oregonlegislature.gov
Friends and Neighbors,
We’re moving full speed ahead in this long session, and the pace continues to pick up. Some of my committees have extended their meeting times to accommodate more public hearings, and on some days, I’ve testified on three different bills—on top of my already full schedule. Next week, we start House Floor sessions daily as we head to the next deadline just two weeks away. The deadlines can be a good thing, allowing us to focus on bills that made it out of committee.
Have you ever wondered what a typical day looks like for me as your legislator? Here’s a quick snapshot:
6:00 AM – Arrive at the Capitol, dive into emails, and have early morning conversations with colleagues and staff.
7:00 AM – Begin meetings with staff, stakeholders, and fellow legislators—squeezing in two or three before committees start.
8:00 - 9:45 AM – First committee of the day.
9:45 - 11:00 AM – Caucus meeting.
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM – House floor session: debating and voting on bills. If we wrap up early, I grab a quick bite.
1:00 - 3:00 PM – More meetings with legislators, stakeholders, and visiting constituents.
3:00 - 4:30 PM – Final committee of the day.
4:30 - 6:00 PM – Additional meetings, emails, and preparation for the next day—often working late into the evening.
It’s a demanding 160 days, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent you. If you have questions about legislation or need assistance with state-related matters, please reach out.
Looking forward to staying connected.
 Representative Mark Owens
House District 60
The latest in my weekly videos, I discuss bills of interest from this past week and what is coming up next week.
 Public Hearings from this Week
🔹HB 3103 – Predictive Harvest Levels in State Forests
On Monday, a public hearing was held on HB 3103, which focuses on establishing predictive harvest levels in state forests. The goal is to have the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) set these levels for a 10-year period to provide better stability and governance. This bill will help many counties plan for future timber harvests with greater certainty. Some amendments are still in progress, but I’m hopeful we can all work together to pass this important legislation.
🔹HB 3346 – Solar Panel Siting in Critical Groundwater Areas
A public hearing was also held on HB 3346, which addresses the siting of solar panels in areas where pivots are not irrigating. These lands are classified as critical groundwater areas, and this bill would streamline the process from an exception-based approval taking years to a conditional-use process that takes months. While a final policy may not be in place until 2026 or later, I am working with the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) and other stakeholders to keep the conversation moving forward.
🔹HB 3666 – Wildfire Liability Concerns for Utilities
Last week, I participated in the House Judiciary Committee’s informational hearings on HB 3666. We heard testimony from the Public Utilities Commission, Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, Portland General Electric, the Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association. This bill is important for House District 60, where most residents are served by community-owned utilities. I joined this discussion because I want to ensure these non-profits are protected and that their community-based concerns are addressed.
Floor Votes
🔹HB 3127 – OVERS Death Registration Expansion
This week, the House unanimously passed HB 3127, which will require facilities to register deaths in Oregon’s OVERS system. Currently, only hospitals with 10 or more deaths annually must comply. The bill maintains an exception for home burials. Now, it moves on to the Senate for consideration.
🔹HCR 12 – Recognizing Oregon Wheat Day
HCR 12, which designates February 11, 2026, as Oregon Wheat Day, was also on the House floor this week. This resolution celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Oregon Wheat Growers League, established in 1926. Next week, the bill will be heard in the Senate.
Upcoming Public Hearings
🔹HJR 11 – Initiative Petition Signature Requirements
Public Hearing: March 10
A public hearing for HJR 11 is scheduled for Monday. Currently, initiative petition signatures can be collected from anywhere in Oregon, often concentrated in larger cities like Portland, Eugene, and Salem. This bill proposes a change to require signatures to be gathered across all Congressional Districts, ensuring broader geographical representation.
🔹HB 3104 – Virtual Rural Resource Center
Public Hearing: March 10
Also up for a public hearing on Monday is HB 3104. This bill proposes the creation of a virtual rural resource center to assist counties and cities that lack professional capacity to develop and implement projects. This center would complement, not replace, existing Economic Opportunity Development Districts (EODD), providing additional support where needed.
Next week, we are seeing the BIGGEST THREAT agriculture has ever faced in the Oregon Legislature.
Oregon’s agriculture industry is already grappling with the aftermath of the recent agricultural overtime law, HB 4002 (2022). Now, House Bill 2548 proposes a sweeping, one-size fits-all mandate that could force many family farms and ranches out of business.
Unions and trial attorneys introduced House Bill 2548, which creates a workforce standards board for agriculture. Special interests do not want to spend the time or money to unionize farm by farm, so they are proposing a “workforce standards board” to bargain the workforce all at once.
House Bill 2548 includes two provisions that effectively “unionize” farm work at the industry level:
- Creates an unelected governing body with the authority to set increased regulations for Oregon farms at least EVERY TWO YEARS.
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Eliminates at-will employment for agriculture and dictates how farm employers can terminate workers, creating significant challenges and litigation risk for agricultural employers.
Make no mistake: This legislation will result in the shutdown of multigenerational operations and loss of farm jobs. This is one of those moments where the VOLUME of responses matter.
Instructions For Taking Action:
Send comments to the House Committee on Labor & Workforce Standards OPPOSING House Bill 2548 by Wednesday, March 12th.
- Submit your written testimony through this link.
- Sign up to testify verbally through OLIS (click “Register to Testify”). Please know that time will be limited. It’s perfectly okay to testify virtually. We just need people to show up (in writing and for the hearing) and speak up!
Click here for a list of existing farmworker protections (some of the most stringent in the country).
Click here for more information on House Bill 2548.
Malheur County Emergency Information and Disaster Preparedness
Documents to help with citizen recovery.
 Free Class: DIGITAL MARKETING ESSENTIALS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO INCREASE VISIBILITY FOR YOUR BUSINESS
This 5-part series will begin by familiarizing you with the primary social media platforms, their uses and how to get them setup for your business. It will move into setting up a website, from standard sites to e-commerce platforms. Finally, we will cover the fundamentals of building a following, engaging with an audience and how to understand the integration between social media, websites, paid ads, and selling your products or services.
Thank you to those who have taken the time to stop by the office, I enjoy visiting with you, especially those who take the time to come from House District 60
The Joint Committee on Ways and Means will tour the state for six public
hearings to hear directly from Oregonians regarding the 2025-2027 budget
Gresham | Saturday, March 22 (10:00am – 12:00pm)
Mt. Hood Community College, College Theater
26000 S.E. Stark Street, Gresham, OR 97030
Members of the public can register to testify here
Astoria | Friday, March 28 (5:00pm – 7:00pm)
Liberty Theatre Astoria
1203 Commercial Street, Astoria, OR 97103
Members of the public can register to testify here
Warm Springs | Friday, April 4 (5:00pm – 7:00pm)
Old Warm Springs Elementary School
1112 Wasco Street, Warm Springs, OR 97761
Members of the public can register to testify here
La Grande | Friday, April 11 (5:00pm – 7:00pm)
Eastern Oregon University, Hoke Union Building #339
1 University Boulevard, La Grande, OR 97850
Members of the public can register to testify here
Salem, Statewide Virtual Testimony Prioritized | Wednesday, April 16 (5:00pm – 7:00pm)
Oregon State Capitol Building, Hearing Room F
900 Court St NE, Salem, OR 97301
Members of the public can register to testify here
Klamath Falls | Friday, April 25 (5:00pm – 7:00pm)
Klamath Community College, Building 4 Commons
7390 South 6th Street, Klamath Falls, OR 97603
Members of the public can register to testify here
Cherry Blossom Day at the Capitol was created to celebrate the cherry blossom trees on the Capitol Mall, and organically became a celebration of the Japanese cultural influence in Oregon due to the significance of the cherry blossom (Sakura) to their community. Cherry Blossom Day on March 15 kicks off two weeks of events celebrating cherry blossoms at the State Capitol State Park.
On Cherry Blossom Day, March 15 there will be free and family-friendly activities in State Capitol State Park on the Capitol Mall (directly across Court Street from the Capitol) between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Perfectly aligned on each side with Akebono cherry trees, the mall makes an amazing backdrop for the celebration and for thousands of photographs that visitors take annually.
Stay In Touch
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1460
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-475, Salem, OR 97301
Capitol Email: Rep.MarkOwens@oregonlegislature.gov
Capitol Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/owens
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