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To contact me, please click here: Rep.EdDiehl@oregonlegislature.gov
Friends,
We’re now dealing with a host of really bad bills scheduled for a work session in committee. I won’t be detailing them all (there are so many!) and I will surely miss one you think I should have highlighted, but here goes my short list. I encourage all of you to reach out to your legislators and urge them to oppose these bills!
House Bill 3197 introduces a gradually increasing retail sales tax on malt beverages, cider, and wine in Oregon, starting at 2% in 2026 and reaching 8% by 2032. Small breweries with limited production and sales are exempt when selling directly to consumers. Retailers collect and report the tax quarterly, keeping 2% as compensation.
Oregon already has a tax on alcohol, but only 3% of it goes toward behavioral health programs. Instead of creating a new sales tax on alcohol, why not just use more of the existing alcohol tax revenue for behavioral health programs? This approach avoids raising prices, which could hurt small businesses and lower-income consumers, while making better use of the money Oregon already collects.
The Treasurer claims that House Bill 2200 is needed to protect our environment and improve pension returns. Unfortunately neither is true. As the investment counsel’s own long-time financial advisor recently stated during their meeting “Decarbonization of your portfolio is not decarbonization in the air. And in fact, they’re not linked at all,” and "If the goal is having a better, cleaner environment, that may have nothing to do with how you deal with certain types of investments." Furthermore, the evidence shows that ESG investing like this reduces pension returns. Protect PERS, stand up for taxpayers, and urge a NO vote.
Senate Bill 916 is beyond hypocritical. The same public union leadership that says legislators shouldn’t be allowed to walk out is saying that not only do they have the right to walk off the job, they should collect unemployment while doing it. I don’t even think the rank and file union membership likes this bill.
House Bill 2548 diminishes legislative authority and oversite by giving power over farm wages, hours, benefits, and working conditions to an unelected board, accountable only to the Governor. It will be devastating to Oregon’s small family farms. This bill will lead to farm consolidation and workforce disruption. It’s not good for the farmers or the farm workers. And as I recently said on the floor of the house, “if you mandate factory-style labor standards on farms, you will end up with factory farms.” This is simply a terrible bill and completely disconnected from the realities of Oregon farm life.
Not only will House Bill 2688 raise project costs for Oregon taxpayers, it creates a huge mess for many small businesses that do public and non-public work when building modules or subassemblies. This will reduce the number of bidders, driving out competition and increasing cost. It also creates a logistical nightmare for BOLI to enforce this bill. This is just one more Oregon small business killer.
House Bill 3838 is a blatant attempt to apply broad collective bargaining capability to workforce that isn’t part of a public union. And based on the outpouring of opposition, the workforce doesn’t want this bill! It is another small business killer, taking autonomy away from the many home and community based businesses that we rely on to care for some of the most vulnerable in our community. Why is the Democrat leadership, again, trying to cede legislative authority to an unelected and unaccountable board! We already know that these workers are underpaid, the legislature can act this session to provide fair wages for these workers.
House Bill 3075 imposes very restrictive and, in my opinion, unconstitutional, limits on Oregonians 2nd Amendment rights. It turns many law-abiding gun owners into criminals facing up to a year in jail and steep fines, simply for possessing certain commonly used firearms.
Measure 114 was narrowly approved by voters in 2022 and has been stuck in court ever since. The bill requires local law enforcement to give you permission to by a gun, with a steep price on the permit process. It also bans magazines over 10 rounds, which would include most handguns and many commonly used rifles. And, in an egregious violation of our rights, requires any challenge to the bill to be commenced in Marion County Circuit Court instead of the county the plaintiff resides in. This one is another huge NO, and is just one of many terrible gun bills this session.
18 year olds can go to war and fight for our country, but Senate Bill 697 would make it a crime for them to possess a firearm outside of their military duties.
Enough said, this is a big NO.
These bills deserve immediate scrutiny. Act now by urging legislators to reconsider these bills and prioritize solutions that support local businesses, protect individual freedoms, and use existing resources more effectively. Your voice can make a difference—reach out today!
It is easy to testify, virtually, in person or in writing, to support or oppose a bill.
Learn more here: Citizen Engagement Home
Testifying on a bill gives you a voice in Oregon’s legislature. The voice of the people is the cornerstone of democracy! Let yours be heard today.
Yours truly,
 Representative Ed Diehl
House District 17
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1417
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-378, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.EdDiehl@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/diehl
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