|
If you're having trouble viewing this message, please visit my legislative web page at http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/prozanski/, click "News and Information" on the left.
Dear friends,
On June 27, the 83rd Legislative Assembly adjourned sine die. We concluded a successful session that saw a number of policy and budgetary achievements, with extra urgency against the backdrop of a federal administration violating individual rights, refusing to defend workers, and shirking responsibilities to protect consumers. My Democratic colleagues and I prioritized legislation to ease the cost of living, create economic opportunity, improve public safety and protect Oregon consumers. Highlights of these accomplishments are below. Future editions of my monthly e-bulletins will feature –– by topic area –– more detailed summaries of key legislation that passed.
Unfortunately, the Legislature was not able to pass the comprehensive "transportation package" (HB 2025) that I discussed in last month's e-bulletin. A special committee held public hearings throughout the state in 2024, receiving input from the public and stakeholders to address maintenance and safety needs of state roadways, bridges and transit systems that Oregonians rely on. The package also would have provided stable funding to cities and counties to invest in their transportation infrastructure. Lastly, it would have modernized the state's transportation funding model by establishing a per-mile "road-usage charge" for electric vehicles and hybrids. This change would have ensured that those vehicles contribute equitably to help pay for wear-and-tear they do to roads. (This would be an offset to Oregon's existing gas tax framework for road maintenance and bridge repairs.)
I would be remiss not to share why the package did not pass: Since HB 2025 was a revenue bill, it required 18 "yes" votes, not just a simple majority of 16 in the Senate. Seventeen of the 18 democratic senators were ready to "go up the hill" to pass the measure, but the 18th member, Senator Mark Meek (SD 20 - Oregon City/Happy Valley) refused to support the bill. That meant the Senate President had to secure a Republican vote for the package, which he did.
Even though I wished Sen. Meek would have supported the bill, I respected his opposition. That said, I do not support how he expressed that opposition. After rightfully speaking out against the bill on the eve of the vote, he resorted to social media and posted the following, directed at Senate Republicans: "You could walk out tomorrow and kill this transportation bill for good. But you won't. Because you cut a deal." You read that right: Sen. Meek challenged the Senate Republicans to walk off the job and not provide a quorum! This was wrong. No one should encourage or challenge an elected official to not show up for work and to not do their job. After Sen. Meek taunted our Republican colleagues, we lost the one Republican vote we needed to pass the bill.
Please "save the date" for a Eugene-Springfield legislative delegation town hall on August 23, when my colleagues and I will discuss the 2025 session. I'll provide notice with details once arrangements are finalized.
Click here for a listing of Lane County Fourth of July community events. With dry summer conditions, please exercise care to prevent wildfires by avoiding use of open flames, fireworks and driving in grass. It's quickly turning dry outside!
Finally, please note that the Oregon State Capitol will be closed starting Monday, July 7, through Sunday, August 10th. As the end of the Capitol Accessibility, Maintenance and Safety (CAMS) project rapidly approaches its conclusion with re-opening of the 1938 portion of the building to follow, there is construction work that will impact operations in the portions of the building currently open. This closure will allow crews to complete work and ensure the Capitol is ready to open this fall for visitors, school tours, and more.
Below you will find information on:
- Session Accomplishment Highlights
- School Tours Returning to the Capitol!
- Department of Energy Grant for Renewable and Energy Resilience Projects
- Eugene's Young Roots Preschool Receives Business Oregon Grant
I hope this information is helpful and informative for you or someone you know. As always, feel free to share your comments, questions or concerns with me by phone, mail or e-mail.
Session Accomplishment Highlights
The following is a listing of successful legislation championed by Senate Democrats during the 2025 Legislative Session. In upcoming e-bulletins, I'll provide more in-depth summaries by topic area. My colleagues and I:
Reigned in the cost of living
- Stopping massive energy users, like data centers, from shifting electrical costs to consumers like you (HB 3546)
- Expanding access to consumer assistance services at utilities (HB 3156)
- Requiring utility companies to slow down their rate hikes (HB 3179), show good performance along with any rate increases (SB 688), and double the amount of assistance for people struggling to pay their bills (HB 3792)
- Pushing medical debt off credit reports (SB 605)
- Outlawing surprise fees in online prices (SB 430
- Investing in affordable summer learning programs (HB 2007)
- Investing in rental assistance and down payment assistance (HB 5011)
- Extending a tax benefit to save for a down payment (HB 2087)
- Stabilizing rent in mobile home parks at 6 percent a year (HB 3054)
- Strengthening protections for renters to get deposits back (HB 3521)
- Making it easier for developers to increase the housing supply — key to improving housing affordability for everyone (SB 684, SB 974, HB 3144, HB 2138)
- Demanding accountability when construction workers serve on a project but don't get paid (SB 426)
- Leveling the playing field for workers negotiating with management during a strike (SB 916)
Increased access to health care
- Protecting patients from profit-hungry investors (SB 951)
- Investing to recruit and retain more mental health professionals in the workforce (HB 2024)
- Helping free up availability of doctors, voiding non-compete agreements that keep them idle after leaving a previous practice (HB 3410)
- Helping increase the medical workforce with licensing options for internationally trained health care providers (SB 476)
Improved public safety
- Outlawing devices like bump stocks, which are used in America’s deadliest mass shootings (SB 243)
- Making assault a more serious offense when it happens on the job (SB 170)
- Closing a loophole in sentencing in domestic violence cases (HB 2975)
- Funding mediation in family court, proven to lower stress and trauma for children involved in disputes (SB 97)
- Requiring that judges receive training on abuse dynamics and learn to handle sexual assault cases with sensitivity (SB 710)
- Strengthening a program that prevents crashes between cars and wildlife (HB 2978)
- Promoting communities working together to lower hazards of wildfire (SB 85)
- Investing in wildfire risk reduction, preparedness, and landscape resilience (HB 3940)
Defending rights and freedoms
- Protecting against age discrimination at work (HB 3187)
- Keeping immigration status off rental applications (SB 599)
- Preventing political extremists from interfering with Oregonians’ right to read (SB 1098)
- Stopping businesses from selling data you want to keep private (HB 2008 and HB 3875)
- Clarifying that it's not a crime to alert people about their rights (SB 1191)
School Tours Returning to the Capitol!
The Oregon Capitol's Visitor Services office is excited to announce return of our a school tour program for the 2025-26 school year. School tours are being booked now!
The school tour program will begin October 13, 2025, and run through May 29, 2026. Tour times are 10:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. We can accommodate one school per time period, up to 90 students. We ask that you also have adult chaperones in a ratio of at least one per 5 students, not including the teacher.
School tours are one hour in length. After spring break, schools have the option to add the tower tour (observation platform) for an additional 30 minutes. Please use this form or call 503-986-1388. (School tours are booked first-come, first-served. Please select your first three date and time options.)
In addition to the on-site tour program, Visitor Services will continue to offer a live guided virtual tour program.Virtual tours are available at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesdays for up to 100 students. If you are interested in scheduling this option, please fill out this form or call us at 503-986-1388. Upon booking, Visitor Services will give updated information about security screening, new bus parking and a new school tour staging area. I hope to see you and your students at the Capitol!
Department of Energy Grant for Renewable and Energy Resilience Projects
The Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) will soon begin accepting applications for a fourth round of funding through the agency's Community Renewable Energy Grant Program. ODOE is making $12 million available to support planning and construction of renewable energy or energy resilience projects for Tribes, public bodies, and consumer-owned utilities.
Grant dollars are available for four types of projects:
- Planning a renewable energy project;
- Planning a renewable energy project that also has a resilience component;
- Construction of a renewable energy project; and
- Construction of a renewable energy project with a resilience component.
Eligible projects include renewable energy generation systems like solar or wind, as well as energy storage systems, electric vehicle charging stations, or microgrid technologies paired with new or existing renewable energy systems. Eligible applicants are encouraged to partner with community groups, non-profits, private businesses, and others on potential projects. Previous rounds in 2022, 2023, and 2024 selected recipients for $42 million total in grant funds.
ODOE will again offer grants up to $100,000 for eligible planning projects and up to $1 million for eligible construction projects. Planning grants can cover up to 100 percent of eligible costs to develop a plan to build renewable energy and energy resilience projects. Construction grants for renewable energy projects can cover up to 50 percent of eligible costs to build the project, while construction grants for resilience projects can cover up to 100 percent.
Awards will be made on a competitive basis, and priority will be given to projects that support energy resilience and that serve qualifying communities, including communities of color, low-income communities, Tribes, rural areas, and other traditionally underserved groups. Previous planning grant awardees may return to apply for a construction grant to put their plan into action.
The Community Renewable Energy Grant Program was created by the Oregon Legislature in 2021 to support projects outside Portland city limits. An online application will be available this summer and will be due in August (exact date to be announced). All applications will be checked for completeness before going through a competitively scored review. Opportunity announcements for the four project types with additional eligibility details are available on ODOE's website. ODOE is making the opportunity announcements available early to ensure eligible applicants have time to gather materials to apply. ODOE will post application information online and send updates to the program email list.
Eugene's Young Roots Preschool Receives Business Oregon Grant
Congratulations to Young Roots Preschool in Eugene on being awarded a state Business Oregon Child Care Infrastructure Fund grant in the amount of $93,500! The grant will help fund the following improvements at the preschool:
- Parking lot repairs
- Air conditioning
- Playground repairs and additions
|
