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To contact me, please click here: Rep.AnnaScharf@oregonlegislature.gov
Dear Friends,
We held off on the newsletter in order to take the weekend to dig through bills. The mid-way point posting deadline was Friday the 21st at midnight, which means we are just about at the halfway mark for the 2025 Legislative Session.
This also means the Joint Committee on Ways and Means is hitting the road and hosting roadshows for budget input throughout Oregon. April 16th in Salem is the closest location for HD 23.
With our work session posting deadline having passed, we have a better idea of what bills are dead/alive. Below is a list of bills I thought I would share with you. It is by far only a small sampling of the thousands of bills that remain in the mix.
For those of you off to Spring Break, travel safe, and as always, please reach out to my office with any questions or concerns
Sincerely,
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 Anna Scharf
State Representative - HD 23
Friday the 21st at midnight marked the 1st of the session deadlines where bills had to be posted for a hearing and work session or they would not move forward. While this is often a reason to celebrate, it can also be a reason to raise the flag as bad bills remain alive and threaten to move forward.
Below are some of the bills being celebrated or flagged.
CELEBRATED BILLS
HB 2171 – One of my bills. It removes the requirement that County fairgrounds submit the transit lodging tax (TLT) to the state. A compromise amendment has been reached with the opposition to the bill and the result would be that the fairgrounds would still collect the TLT and report it, but they would be allowed to keep it as long as they reinvest the fund into the fairgrounds. It has a work session on 3/31.
HB 2145 – One of my bills. The -1 amendment to the bill would take it down to one concept and the existing proceeds given from the Oregon State Lottery to County fairgrounds would not be capped 1% with a not to exceed $1.53M, but would be 0.09% with no cap. This would generate much needed revenue for county fairgrounds across the state who many also act as county emergency evacuation centers. It has a work session on 3/31.
HB 2150 – One of my bills. The -1 amendment is actually the meat of the bill. A wage rate study was conducted on individuals who provide services to individuals with developmental disabilities and the study found the state has been dramatically underestimating the cost for these services. This bill will help bring that study to light and hopefully drive a larger conversation. It is scheduled for an informational hearing where the State will review the study and a public hearing on 3/27.
HB 2373 – Created a timeshare sales agent license. Too many people get suckered into the sales pitch of a timeshare by slick salespeople and then realize later they can’t get out of it for years if ever. This bill would help with that and would be regulated similarly to a real estate agent license. The bill is sponsored by. Rep. Boshart Davis and has bipartisan support. It has a work session on 3/25.
HB 2050 – Exempts from state income tax for a taxpayer who is a veteran all retirement pay or pension received for service in the Armed Forces of the United States. This a great way to help and recognize our veterans. It is scheduled for a work session 4/1.
HB 3522 – Allows homeowners to evict squatters. This is not a renter / tenant eviction bill. This is a squatter eviction bill. It is scheduled for a work session 3/24.
BAD BILLS
HB 3652 – Class size as a part of collective bargaining. This used to be a part of collective bargaining 1989-1995, but it was removed. In 2021, the Legislature made it a part of bargaining but only for Title I schools. 85% of school district budgets go to personnel costs. Tying class size to bargaining leads to the need for more staff or cuts or the worst case, strikes. As long as I have been working in HD 23 (2019), the unions have been pushing to have it brought back in. The only limitation is for district with less than 50 employees. It has a work session on 3/26.
HB 2359 – School for grades 9-12 would not start before 8:30am. OK, tell me this is not setting up a generation of kids who will not be able to make it to work on time. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/2 so hopefully it is just a late April fools’ joke.
HB 2548 – Establishes the Agricultural Workforce Labor Standards Board. This bill takes most of the authority currently granted to OSHA, BOLI and other state regulatory agencies and places it into an appointed board which will set wages, benefits, working conditions, safety standards, training requirements, etc. for all agricultural workers across the state. Oregon is already one of the most heavily regulated states in the nation for ag workers, has the one of the highest wage rates, and has one of the highest safety ratings. This bill is a work around for the unions who have failed to unionize farm workers and will put family farms out of business. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/2.
HB 3838 – Establishes the Home and Community-Based Services Workforce Standards Board. Similar to HB 2548, but this bill goes after non-profit and private adult foster homes, assisted living facilities, retirement centers, etc. It would also remove regulatory authorities from the state and place it into the hands of an appointed board who would set wages, benefits, working conditions, safety standards, training requirements, etc. for all healthcare workers in those facilities across the state. It will close those facilities down and put senior citizens on the streets who cannot pay the higher prices. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/2.
HB 3018 – Requires entities that cook, assemble, process, serve or sell food to recover and dispose of food waste as specified in the Act. The mandatory composting bill. What the bill does NOT do is recognize there are NOT locations across the state that are readily available to large food manufacturers for them to use to compost at. It also does not recognize that not everything is compostable….fur, bone, shells, bones, may not be readily compostable. In addition, it also does not recognize that recalled, spoiled or contaminated food should NOT be composed with other composted food. So far there are no amendments to correct the flaws in the bill. It is scheduled for a work Session on 4/3.
HB 2557 – Prohibits a person from raising octopus for the purpose of human consumption or participating in the sale or offer for sale of octopus that was raised for human consumption. The fact that this bill is getting a work session is ridiculous. 1. Almost all the testimony was from out of the state. 2. If it was a threat to the Oregon Dungeons Crabbing industry they would have testified; they did not. 3. The Oregonian followed up on at least one of the statements made in testimony about an octopus escaping at the Seaside aquarium and it was false. This bill just needs to die. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/2.
HB 3075 – This bill looks to codify into law the provisions of BM114 including the permit to purchase and firearms transfer process. It is scheduled for a work Session on 4/2.
HB 3076 - The measure directs the Department of Justice to establishment a state gun dealer licensing program. This would be in addition to the current federal FFL program. It would not only cover guns but ammunition as well. It is scheduled for a work Session on 4/2.
SB 696 - Creates the crime of unlawful transport, manufacture or transfer of a rapid fire activator. This includes items like bump stocks, trigger cranks, and other devices that can be used to modify firing rates. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/7.
SB 697 - Prohibits a person under 21 years of age from possessing firearms with specified exceptions. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/7.
SB 698 – Allows for certain public entities that control public buildings to set policies, ordinances, or regulations limiting the right to conceal a firearm in a public building. A public hearing and work session is scheduled 4/7.
SB 429 – OMNIBUS BILL FOR SB 696, SB 697, SB 698 – This bill is an attempt to stuff SB 696, SB6 97, and SB 698 into a single bill! It will be receiving an amendment that rolls the other gun bills (SB 696, SB 697, and SB 698) into it. This is a deceitful tactic to threaten our 2nd Amendment rights, and will take all of our efforts to block. The bill currently prohibits a gun dealer from transferring a firearm or unfinished frame or receiver until 72 hours have elapsed from the time the gun dealer requested a criminal background check, and the gun dealer has received the background check approval number from the Department of State Police. It is scheduled for a public hearing and a possible work session on 4/7.
HB 3800 - Renames the "Greater Harney Valley Groundwater Area of Concern" the "Harney Basin Groundwater Management Area. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/7.
HB 2808 – Increases certain fees relating to wells, including applications, licenses, examinations, etc. A work session is scheduled 4/7.
HB 2165 - Appropriates moneys from the General Fund to the Water Resources Department for costs related to well construction and compliance. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/7.
HB 2803 – Increases fees relating to water, including appropriations, submitting protests, irrigating, and more. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/7.
HB 3544 – Directs the Water Resources Department to study rules related to water and make recommendations to the legislature. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/7.
HB 3484 – Directs the Water Resources Department to study rules related to water and make recommendations to the legislature. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/7.
HB 3342 – Directs the Water Resources Department to study rules related to water and make recommendations to the legislature. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/7.
HB 2801 - Allows the Water Resources Department to approve leases or temporary transfers of certain water rights in the Upper Klamath Basin until a court issues a final water rights decree. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/7.
HB 2988 - Instructs the Water Resources Department to take certain actions related to aquifer recharge and aquifer storage and recovery. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/7.
HB 3501 - Prohibits the consideration of whether certain changes related to water rights would impair or be detrimental to the public interest. It is scheduled for a work session on 4/7.
 I had the privilege of giving the Amity High School Girls' Basketball team a courtesy on the House Floor for their State Championship! Congratulations on your 30-0 season!
Although these pictures are featured from the Oregon FFA State Convention in Redmond, I made sure to give a courtesy on the House Floor beforehand to congratulate 22 of Oregon's finest youth from HD 23 on receiving their State Degrees!
Pictured with two great former legislators that are still passionate about Oregon's future. They were at the Capitol to testify on HB 3838 which will affect them as residents at Capital Manor.
- On the right - John Schoon; Oregon House of Representatives 1979-1995 from HD 34. John was my State Representative when I was a kid!
- On the left - Gene Derfler; Oregon House of Representatives 1988-1994, Oregon Senate 1994-2002, Majority Leader 1991-1999, and Senate President in 2001.
We really have an amazing community of people and businesses in HD 23. Pictured at the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce Gala Awards with Jeri Turgesen, Newberg City Council (also grew up in Perrydale), Sarah King, FOFF Farmer Advisory Board Member, Elise Yarnell Hollman, Newberg City Council, and Bill Rosaker, Newberg Mayor.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1423
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-387, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.AnnaScharf@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/scharf
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