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Dear friends,
I hope everyone was able to take time out of their day on Tuesday to recognize the service and sacrifice of America's veterans. More than 325,000 veterans call Oregon home. I believe we have a responsibility to recognize our service men and women. I want to thank each of them for their service and their families' sacrifices. I'm proud of efforts made by the Legislature to support them, such as passing SB 150 (2025) to prohibit charging for services connected to veterans' benefit claims.
On November 5, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained several individuals in Lane County. In response to these events, I joined Congressperson Hoyle; Senator Wyden; Speaker Fahey; Senator Manning; Representatives Fragala, Nathanson, and Lively; Lane County Commissioners Buch, Trieger, and Farr; Eugene Mayor Knudson; Eugene City Councilors Leech, Keating, Yeh, Evans, and Groves; Springfield Mayor VanGordon; and Springfield City Councilor Rodley to issue the following statement:
"We are alarmed by the reported actions carried out by ICE yesterday in Lane County, which included the violent detention of several Oregonians, and by the ongoing reports of individuals not receiving their constitutionally protected rights to due process and legal representation. This was only the most recent in a series of aggressive raids carried out across the state in recent months. We are working together with community leaders and local law enforcement to learn more and ensure that all of our constituents are accounted for.
"Every Oregonian and every person in the United States, regardless of immigration status, is entitled to the full protections guaranteed by the Constitution. We will use all tools at our disposal as representatives of this community to ensure that those protections are upheld for the individuals detained today and for any Oregonian subjected to unjust or unlawful enforcement actions by ICE."
This type of unlawful conduct and overreach by our federal employees must be called out and stopped.
On October 9, Oregon lost a true leader when Representative Hoa Nguyen passed away from cancer at the age of 41. In addition to being an effective legislator, Representative Nguyen was a daughter, sister, educator, and advocate.
Next week, the Legislature will meet in Salem for another set of "legislative days." This is an opportunity for committees to hold informational hearings in lead-up to the 2026 "short" session. The Senate Committee on Judiciary, which I chair, will meet on Monday, November 17, at 11:30 a.m. to take up issues including use of automatic license plate readers in Eugene. The Senate will convene on Wednesday, November 19, to consider the Governor's appointments to various boards and commissions. You can review committee agendas and watch live proceedings (and recordings) using the Legislature's OLIS.
On October 23, I joined other elected and public safety officials for a forum focused on a string of burglaries targeting Asian Americans in our community and across the state. You can read about the forum, here, as reported by Lookout Eugene-Springfield. Eugene Police Department Chief Skinner stated during his presentation that the newly installed license plate reader cameras provided detectives with necessary leads on the vehicle used by this theft ring that resulted in the arrest of seven individuals. After hearing from community members and officials about the problem and difficulties prosecuting such crimes even after arrests are made, I have instructed Senate Judiciary Committee counsel and Legislative Counsel to prepare a policy package to address issues involved, including additional bias crime sanctions, pre-trial security release reform (adding flight as an element for courts and jail release officers to consider), and protection of personal data and information by placing mandatory safeguards into contracts between Oregon law enforcement agencies and vendors related to license plate readers and other real-time monitoring collection equipment.
Pictured: Local and state law enforcement officials answer questions during the AAPI burglary forum on October 23. (Photo credit: Lookout Eugene-Springfield)
Below you will find information on:
- Session Accomplishments: Health Care and Human Services
- Westbound OR 126B Bridge in Springfield Getting a Winter Makeover
- Springfield's Mill Street Redesign and Improvements
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 Accomplishments: Health Care and Human Services
Following the 2025 Legislative Session, I'm sharing in-depth summaries of bills passed by subject area. Below is a comprehensive listing of accomplishments related to health care and human services — by Senate/House bill and in numeric order:
Senate Bills
SB 228 - Memory Care Residents' Right to Form Independent Family Councils: This legislation establishes the right of a resident of a memory care facility to organize and participate in an independent family council. It specifies requirements for a facility if a council is formed and prohibits a facility from interfering in a council's formation.
SB 230 - Intake Screenings in the Veterans Dental Program: This legislation requires swift intake screenings in the Veterans Dental Program. The Veterans Dental Program is run by Oregon Health Authority (OHA), and it provides the same dental benefits as those for enrollees in the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), without corresponding copayments, deductibles, or cost sharing, to veterans who are Oregon residents, not eligible for OHP, and who have income up to 400 percent of the federal poverty guideline. It states that when a veteran in the program contacts a dental care provider under the program, the provider must complete an intake screening within 60 days.
SB 296 - Improves Long-Term Care Eligibility and Coverage: In hospitals across Oregon, patients who no longer need hospital-level care are stuck waiting to be discharged to the next care setting, such as long-term care or community-based care. This creates delays and increases costs throughout the system. This legislation represents the first phase of a multi-year, multi-session plan to reduce delays across Oregon's care settings. It directs the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and OHA to improve timeframes for eligibility determinations for long-term services and supports, to expand medical assistance coverage for skilled nursing and medical respite, and to study the regulatory frameworks for facilities that care for people with complex health or behavioral health needs.
SB 465 - Individual Development Accounts Capped at $20,000 in Matching Funds: This legislation removes the annual limit on matching funds that may accrue in an individual development account (IDA) and replaces it with a maximum limit of $20,000 in matching funds that may be accrued in an IDA.
SB 550 - Expanding Right to Repair for Mobility Devices: This legislation expands Oregon's existing Right to Repair law to include electric wheelchairs and complex rehabilitation technology. It mandates that manufacturers provide owners and independent repair providers with access to the same tools, parts, and documentation available to authorized service providers. This change aims to reduce repair delays and costs, enhancing mobility and independence for Oregonians who rely on these devices.
SB 690 - Prioritizes Housing Stability for Parents of Young Children: Families with children are twice as likely to be evicted as those without and Oregon has the highest rate of unsheltered children in the nation. This legislation is designed to support stability for infants and their families in a vulnerable time. Under it, a family with a baby 12 months old or younger cannot be evicted for nonpayment of rent if they been approved for rental assistance in Oregon's Health Related Social Needs program, but they have not yet received the funds to pay overdue rent. SB 690 also directs the Oregon Housing and Community Services department to prioritize families with babies aged zero to 12 months whenever possible in allocating existing rent assistance.
SB 692 - Expands Access to Community-Based Perinatal Services: This legislation directs the Oregon Health Plan and commercial health insurance policies to offer members at least 24 hours of doula or lactation services before or after the birth a baby, as well as during a birth. It also lowers administrative barriers to accessing the services, removing requirements for referrals from doctors or prior authorization. To support the workforce doing this, SB 692 also sets payment standards for doulas and lactation professionals and establishes a grant program to fund training, outreach, or technical assistance for the workforce.
SB 699 - Expands Coverage for Prosthetic and Orthotic Devices: This legislation expands requirements for individual and group health insurance plans to cover medically necessary prosthetic and orthotic devices, including their repair and replacement.
SB 729 - Mental Health Access Protections Expanded to All Public Bodies and Ages: This legislation expands an existing prohibition against denying access to mental health services on the basis that an individual has an intellectual or development disability that currently applies to the Oregon Health Authority, education providers, licensed medical providers and practitioners, community mental health programs, and coordinated care organizations to include all public bodies. It expands the prohibition to apply all individuals regardless of age, rather than individuals up to age 21.
SB 739 - Strengthens Oversight of Residential and Memory Care Facilities: This legislation modifies the requirements and procedures for ODHS to enforce regulations and investigate reported licensing violations and other deficiencies in residential care facilities and memory care facilities. It modifies the processes for ODHS and OHA to inspect and issue licenses for residential facilities and adult foster homes. SB 739 also requires facilities to notify certain persons and entities about regulatory actions and abuse findings.
SB 810 - Employment Support Expanded for Oregonians with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: This legislation directs ODHS and the Department of Education (ODE) to appoint statewide and regional Employment First advisory committees to make recommendations to ODHS regarding opportunities for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) to obtain competitive integrated employment (CIE). It directs DHS and ODE to annually collect and report employment outcome data to the state advisory committee. SB 810 requires DHS to ensure that employment services and vocational rehabilitation are designed to help individuals obtain CIE and do not take place in sheltered work settings and directs DHS to collaborate with other state agencies to establish a State as Model Employer program. SB 810 modifies statutory definitions and provisions relating to employment and vocational services for individuals with IDD.
SB 846 - Improving Children's Access to Care in CCOs: This legislation directs OHA to monitor work with communities and community programs to improve access to care for children in coordinated care organization (CCO) service areas and directs OHA to report findings to the Legislature by December 31 of each even-numbered year.
SB 874 - Defines Traditional Eastern Medicine: This legislation defines "Traditional Eastern medicine" as the practice of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, regulated by the Oregon Medical Board.
SB 920 - OSU Extension to Lead Behavioral Health Promotion Project: This legislation directs the Oregon State University Extension Service to administer a behavioral health promotion project.
SB 945 - Extends Medical Assistance to Former Foster Youth: This legislation provides medical assistance eligibility to individuals under age 26 who live in Oregon, have aged out of foster care, and were previously enrolled in medical assistance in any state. It directs OHA to seek federal matching funds for the costs of providing medical assistance to this population.
SB 1016 - ODHS Banned from Using Trash Bags for Foster Child Belongings: This legislation directs ODHS to permanently procure, distribute, and maintain an inventory of appropriate carriers for child welfare case workers to use when transporting the personal effects of a foster child. It prohibits ODHS from using trash bags to transport a foster child's personal effects and specifies.
SB 1161 - Licenses and Regulates Organ Transport Vehicles: This legislation directs OHA to issue licenses for the operation of organ transport vehicles, sets criteria for an organ procurement organization to obtain a license, establishes standards for drivers of an organ transport vehicle, and grants privileges to organ transport vehicles including the use of lights and sirens.
House Bills
HB 2005 - Reforming Oregon's Civil Commitment Laws: This legislation updates Oregon's civil commitment laws, refining when and how individuals with mental illness may be committed for treatment. It clarifies key definitions, strengthens court procedures, and allows treatment diversion before hearings. It also sets new rules for health facility stays and community restoration. HB 2005 impacts both OHA and Public Defense Commission, with expected increases in caseloads and funding needs to support improved care, oversight, and legal representation for vulnerable individuals.
HB 2024 - Behavioral Health Workforce Recruitment and Retention: Oregon has only about 30 percent of the mental health providers the state needs and more than 1.3 million Oregonians live in areas designated by the Department of Health and Human Services as mental health care professional shortage areas. This legislation invests in retention and recruitment programs to grow our state's behavioral health care workforce and sets up safety standards for workers. It directs OHA to establish grant and incentive payment programs for behavioral health workers at eligible entities and makes changes to the United We Heal Medicaid Payment Program.
HB 2205 - Standardizes and Extends CCO Contract Terms: This legislation specifies that contracts between the OHA and coordinated care organizations (CCOs) shall be for an initial term of no less than five years and that the contract length shall be the same for all CCOs. It clarifies that OHA may extend CCO contracts that are set to expire on July 27, 2023, to December 31, 2026, or unless further extended by OHA.
HB 2385 - Prohibits 340B Drug Access Restrictions by Manufacturers: This legislation makes it an unlawful trade practice for drug manufacturers to take specified actions that limit or interfere with a pharmacy's ability to acquire or dispense 340B drugs.
HB 2387 - OHA Limits Data Sharing, Regulates Psilocybin Program Licensing: This legislation restricts OHA from sharing certain kinds of information obtained in an investigation of a psilocybin training program, licensee, or applicant. It permits health care providers, as defined in ORS 127.505, to conduct preparation and integration sessions while providing health care or behavioral health services. HB 2387 also requires applicants for licensees to submit fingerprints and permits OHA to deny applications for failure to pass a criminal background check.
HB 2748 - Prohibits Nonhuman Entities from Using Nursing Titles: This legislation prohibits nonhuman entities from using specified titles used by licensed
professionals in the practice of nursing.
HB 2940 - Establishes Real-Time Hospital Alert System for Hemoglobinopathies: This legislation requires OHA, subject to the availability of funds, to implement a program to provide real-time notifications in hospital emergency departments that identify patients with hemoglobinopathies and provide information on how to contact a hematologist.
HB 2948 - Clarifies School Nurse Role and Supervisory Limits: This legislation specifies that a school nurse, or registered nurse with school nursing coordination responsibilities, must coordinate school nursing activities to the extent that the care is within the nurse's scope of practice. Clarifies that an administrator or other staff member may supervise or direct a nurse's work only for purposes related to the nurse's role as a school employee, but they may not direct the nurse in the practice of nursing.
HB 3224 - ODHS to Review and Streamline Background Check Requirements: This legislation directs the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) to review statutes and rules to identify instances of background checks of subject individuals, study similarities and differences in background checks, and review options to consolidate the number of different background checks. It also requires ODHS to study methods to ensure a person does not have to undergo an additional background check for certain purposes if they have passed a background check in the previous 12 months. HB 3224 requires ODHS to submit reports on the studies to the Legislative Assembly by specified dates.
HB 3294 - Clarifies Hospital Staffing Law Enforcement and Reduces Administrative Burden: In 2015, the Legislative Assembly passed SB 469, updating Oregon's nurse staffing laws, including requiring hospitals to establish hospital nurse staffing committees to develop and approve hospital nurse staffing plans. This legislation clarifies certain aspects of the requirement that hospitals establish staffing committees and adopt staffing plans for specified employee groups, including nurses. It aims to support hospitals, protect workers, and maintain access to quality patient care across Oregon.
HB 3560 - Child Care Centers Allowed in Multiunit Residential and Commercial Zones: This legislation changes zoning requirements to allow for childcare centers on land zoned for multiunit residential use, for use as a school or place of worship, or for commercial use. It requires local governments to update local plans and land use regulations with the new zoning requirements within one year of the measure’s effective date. It moves statutory provisions for the siting of child-care facilities to the chapter of Oregon Revised Statutes relating to comprehensive land use planning.
HB 3727 - Authorizes Out-of-State Telemedicine for Patients: This legislation permits a physician or physician associate to use telemedicine to provide health care service to a patient who is temporarily out of state.
Westbound OR 126B Bridge in Springfield Getting a Winter Makeover
(Information from ODOT)
The westbound OR 126B Main Street Bridge is getting more than a simple glow-up this winter! ODOT is:
- Making repairs;
- Replacing joints; and
- Repaving a section on the east side of the bridge and adding a bike ramp.
This month, you'll see crews in the area setting up the work zone. Drivers can expect:
- Crews working mostly at night;
- Lane and shoulder closures for the duration of construction;
- Flaggers directing traffic when crews are setting up cones and barrels;
- Construction noise and delays;
- Businesses to remain open during construction;
- A three-week-long full bridge closure with detours.
Drivers can expect a full Main Street Bridge closure for about three weeks with detours starting as early as December 2025. During the closure:
- Both directions of traffic to use the South A Street Bridge;
- A new temporary connection from South A Street Bridge to the roundabout for westbound traffic;
- A new temporary traffic pattern in the roundabout with lane closures to ensure that traffic can use it safely; and
- Pedestrians and bicyclists to use South A Street Bridge.
Local freight and passenger vehicles can use South A Street Bridge or detour around the work zone using Pioneer Parkway and OR 126. Larger freight and oversized vehicles can use OR 126 / Bob Straub Parkway to get around the Main Street Bridge closure.
Springfield's Mill Street Redesign and Improvements
The City of Springfield has completed the work on extensive improvements to Mill Street. Besides replacing underground infrastructure and rebuilding the roadbed, the street has been redesigned to include traffic calming, sidewalks and parking and bicycle lanes. It was officially opened on October 31, just in time for Halloween activities in the area.
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