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To contact me, please click here: Rep.MarkOwens@oregonlegislature.gov
Hello friends and neighbors,
We are now just 51 days away from the constitutional sine die, and I want to take a moment to sincerely thank everyone from House District 60 who has been involved in the legislative process this session—especially those who traveled to Salem and provided testimony at Friday’s public hearing. Your voices matter, and they make a real difference.
As we head into the weekend, I also want to wish a very Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, grandmothers, stepmoms, and mother figures out there. Thank you for your strength, love, and the many ways you hold families and communities together. Your role is irreplaceable, and you are appreciated.
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I’m also glad to share a positive update for Harney County following recent flooding. The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) has made $500,000 in immediate relief funding available, and that support should be reaching the community very soon. Additional funding is expected to be included in post-session budget bills, providing more long-term support.
Looking ahead, I’ll be hosting a virtual town hall with Rep. Court Boice on May 22. This is a great opportunity to hear updates and ask questions—you’ll find the registration link here and more information in this newsletter.
I also want to congratulate Sandy Volle, who received a Substitute Teacher Award and took time to visit the Capitol this week—thank you, Sandy, for your work in education and for staying engaged. And a big thank-you to my incredible intern Katelyn, whose hard work and dedication throughout this session have been outstanding. I’m grateful for all she’s done behind the scenes to help keep things moving.
We’ve got a lot happening at the Capitol—from major budget conversations to key bills that impact our rural communities. Read on for updates about where things stand and what’s ahead.
Stay Safe,
Watch the weekly Moments with Mark video update.
 Budget Update: Continuing Service Level
There’s been an ongoing conversation between the presiding officers and the co-chairs of Ways and Means about moving forward with a Continuing Service Level (CSL) Budget—and only that—for this session.
To clarify, there’s a difference between a base budget and a CSL budget:
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Base Budget: Funds programs at the same level as last session.
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Continuing Service Level Budget: Includes the base budget, plus the additional funding required to continue existing programs (factoring in inflation, caseload growth, etc.).
Given that 30% of Oregon’s state budget is dependent on federal funding, and with several critical needs still unfunded, there’s discussion of possibly returning in September for a special session to address any remaining gaps—including a potential transportation package.
We still need to fund lottery bonds and general obligation bonds—and we’re watching those conversations closely. Next week will be key as major budget decisions are expected to unfold.
Key Upcoming Deadlines
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May 9: Work session posting deadline for policy committees. If your bill was in a second-chamber policy committee and wasn’t posted by Friday —it is now officially dead.
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May 14: State Budget Forecast will be released.
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May 23: Second chamber policy committee deadline—all bills must be voted out of committee by then. The Joint Transportation Committee is impacted by this deadline.
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Remember: Non-policy committees not impacted by the May 23 deadline are: Joint Committee on Ways and Means, other joint committees, the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue, the House Committee on Revenue, the Senate Committee on Rules, the House Committee on Rules, the Senate Committee on Conduct and
the House Committee on Conduct.
This legislation modernizes how we register deaths in Oregon. It expands current reporting requirements to all facilities—not just hospitals with ten or more deaths annually—while maintaining exemptions for home burials. This bill passed the House unanimously and recently had a public hearing in the Senate, it has hit a temporary roadblock, I am working to move this forward as it is critical to keep the needs of Oregonians front and center.
HB 3103, 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. This bill is bipartisan and should not have been placed on the conservation hot list and I'm working on an op-ed with some colleagues. It maintains compliance with the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) while supporting active forest management.
This bill addresses voluntary water agreements in the Harney Basin. We're pausing this bill for now to see what comes out of next week’s Division 512 RAC (Rules Advisory Committee) meetings. I want to thank my community in Harney county for their participation in these ongoing difficult conversations as we work towards a path forward.
This legislation will fund Rangeland Fire Protection Associations (RFPAs). We’re pushing to ensure they are included in the CSL budget—it’s essential support as we head into fire season. I'm sorry to have missed their annual meeting in Burns last week, and thank every member for the time and dedication they have put into this legislation including making time to travel to Salem back in March to testify and meet with Governor Kotek who voiced her support for funding.
Status: Passed unanimously out of Senate committee; headed to the Senate floor next week. Watch my testimony in the Senate Natural Resources Committee.
Under current Oregon law, Oregonians who use domestic wells to grow and sell products—such as flowers or vegetables—on less than half an acre are technically breaking the law if they don’t have a water right, even if they’re just selling at a roadside stand or farmers market.
Meanwhile, that same domestic well is allowed to pump up to 5,000 gallons per day to water a lawn.
HB 3372-A fixes this inconsistency by allowing up to 3,000 gallons per day to be used for small-scale commercial gardens on ½ acre or less—bringing much-needed clarity, fairness, and support for:
🔍 How We Got Here: A Legal Timeline
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1953: Oregon statute allowed commercial gardening use of domestic wells, stating explicitly that wells could be used for "watering of lawns and gardens for profit, not exceeding one-half acre in area."
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1955: The Groundwater Act was passed, and the new ORS (537.545) removed the reference to “for profit,” allowing only noncommercial use of wells on small gardens/lawns. Commercial gardening was now excluded from exempt use.
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2008: A legal case reaffirmed that commercial irrigation was not included in the exemption.
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2024: The issue resurfaced when OWRD began sending letters—particularly in Lane County—to residents using domestic wells for small commercial agriculture, warning they were operating without a valid water right and the legislature was alerted on the issue.
💬 Why This Matters
This bill was brought forward because a constituent in my district reached out, after receiving grant funding to grow produce for low-income residents, schools, and seniors in a food desert—only to discover well use might be illegal under current law.
HB 3372A is about fixing an outdated law that unintentionally punishes the very people we say we want to support: small, local growers feeding their communities.
I know this legislation has stirred debate, and it’s unfortunate it became political. But the intent is simple: provide clarity, fairness, and support for small farms and rural economies.
Thank you to everyone who reached out to share your perspective—whether in support or concern. It's conversations like these that shape good legislation.
I hope you will join me on Thursday, May 22, along with Representative Court Boice from House District 1 (along the Oregon coast in Coos Bay and Gold Beach) for a virtual town hall from Salem. We will give updates from Salem, what we've been working on and take your questions. Registration is required, and please submit questions when you register.
This past week I gave two floor courtesies. One for Sandy Volle, a substitute teacher in Crane who was in Salem to receive the Substitute Teacher of the Year Award. Thank you for coming to Salem and thank you for all of your dedication to students in House District 60 and Oregon.
I also gave Katelyn, our wonderful intern from Willamette University a courtesy this week. Katelyn is headed back home for the summer, but she will still help with projects from home until sine die. Katelyn is the mastermind behind "Moments with Mark" the weekly video series this session and editing them. She also created a tour of the Capitol for Mrs. Owens and her students this session, has written countless committee briefs and even had worked on some potential legislation. Thank you for your hard work this session Katelyn!
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I had the chance to meet with student Benefits Navigators at the Capitol this week and hear firsthand how they’re helping students succeed. I supported the original legislation in 2021 (HB 2835) to create these positions, and I’m proud to continue that support. This year alone, they’ve helped over 15,000 students—many of them in rural and underserved areas—connect with housing, food, and other basic needs. That’s why I’m backing the Student Basic Needs program to ensure they have the funding and resources needed to keep doing this critical work.
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had the opportunity to meet with students from the Oregon Ocean Alliance this week, and I want to thank them for coming to the Capitol to advocate for HB 3580 and HB 3587—both of which passed unanimously out of my committee. These bills support Oregon’s rocky habitats and eelgrass meadows, which are vital to our coastal biodiversity, economy, and climate resilience.
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STATE FIRE MARSHAL ENCOURAGES OREGONIANS TO CREATE DEFENSIBLE SPACE |
News Release from Oregon State Fire Marshal Posted on FlashAlert: May 5th, 2025 9:27 AM
SALEM, Ore. – Last year, Oregon had one of the most destructive wildfire seasons in its history—1.9 million acres burned, communities were tested, and lives were changed. But amid the devastation, there were also stories of resilience: homes that stood strong because they had defensible space.
As May marks Wildfire Awareness Month, the Oregon State Fire Marshal is urging Oregonians to act now. With the possibility of another challenging fire season ahead, preparing your home could make all the difference.
“For the last several years, we’ve been proactively working to boost staffing at local fire agencies, modernizing response equipment, and investing in wildfire resiliency projects across the state,” State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “But we can’t do it alone. We need every Oregonian to rise to this challenge. Creating defensible space around your home is one of the most effective ways to protect your property and your community.”
Start with small changes that have a big impact:
- Space and prune trees to prevent fire from climbing into canopies.
- Remove leaves, pine needles, bark mulch, and other debris within 100 feet of structures or up to your property line.
- Clean roofs and gutters of flammable debris.
- Move combustible materials—like mulch and firewood—away from your home.
- Keep plants trimmed and clear of dead material, especially near the house.
- Avoid planting directly under eaves; leave at least a five-foot buffer.
For a detailed guide on how to create defensible space, check out www.oregondefensiblespace.org.
As you clean up your yard, be mindful about disposal. Consider chipping, composting, or recycling. If burning is necessary, always follow local rules. Debris burns that get out of control are the leading cause of human-caused wildfires in Oregon.
This May, the Oregon State Fire Marshal—alongside fire service partners—is calling on everyone to get ready, stay aware, and believe in fire safety. Together, we can reduce wildfire risk and protect what matters most.
Find tips, resources, links to our partner agencies, and more at the OSFM’s Wildfire Awareness Month webpage or preventwildfires.oregon.gov.
About the Oregon State Fire Marshal The Oregon State Fire Marshal became an independent state agency in July 2023. The Oregon State Fire Marshal is dedicated to protecting people, property, and communities from fire and hazardous materials. The agency works in partnership with local fire agencies, communities, and other partners to strengthen fire prevention, preparedness, and response statewide. Please note: the Oregon State Fire Marshal is no longer an office.
Contact Info: OSFM Public Affairs osfm.publicaffairs@osfm.oregon.gov
Spring is arriving and farmers markets are opening! Shopping at a farmers market is a great way to find the freshest food for your family, while supporting our local farmers and small businesses. One program that helps make farmers markets affordable and accessible for all is Double Up Food Bucks. This program matches SNAP benefits, dollar for dollar, for the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables. Double Up is also available at participating small grocers, farm stands, and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs.Check the map here for locations that participate in our district. Happy eating!
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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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