  
Short Session Starts Monday!
Welcome to our final interim edition newsletter before Session begins and we go back to our weekly legislative updates! In just under 72 hours, lawmakers will take part in opening day ceremonies in the House and Senate Chambers, and hundreds of bills will be "first read" and referred to their assigned committees. From then on, the race begins, with bills having just a couple of weeks to be voted out of committee--otherwise, they're dead. But these deadlines are important to the process, keeping in mind the entire "short" legislative session is only 35 days long. Here is the timeline we are working with:
- First Day of Session: February 2
- First Post-Work Session Deadline: February 9
- First Chamber Deadline: February 16
- Second Post-Work Session Deadline: February 20
- Second Chamber Deadline: February 26
- Constitutional Last Day of Session: March 8
The big excitement yesterday was that bills actually went "live" on the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS), which is a hugely important tool for navigating the legislative process. We are still doing a deep dive on every bill, but as expected, there are quite a few bills taking aim at Federal matters, especially immigration enforcement efforts, and bills seeking to further open up our election process here in Oregon. There are also what feels like a lot of "placeholder" bills out there for a Short Session (usually drafted as a "study" bill), which could later be gut and stuffed--threats that we will have to keep a close eye on as session progresses.
This newsletter's main purpose to remind you that your Capitol is open, and much more than recent years with construction finally winding down. We encourage you to visit during the public hours of Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. (or 15 minutes after official business is being conducted). The Capitol building is not only a beautiful historical building, but is also a place for you to engage with the legislative process directly, and speak your mind about countless impending laws that will impact you and your family. So don't miss the opportunity!
Lastly, we'd be remiss not to provide an update on the transportation tax and fee hike saga. After the transportation tax and fee referendum successfully qualified for the ballot roughly one month ago, the Governor’s attitude quickly shifted. Rather than letting voters decide the fate of the most unpopular provisions of HB 3991 in the normal course of the next general election, Governor Kotek first floated the idea of having the Legislature repeal the very law she pushed through as an “emergency.” That proposal ran straight into a legal wall: once a veto referendum qualifies, a 1935 Oregon Attorney General opinion makes clear the Legislature cannot simply undo it. With repeal likely off the table, attention turned to a different tactic.
Now, the Governor and legislative leadership are pressing to move the referendum vote up to the May 2026 primary, instead of the November general election where it would ordinarily land. A memo from the Secretary of State’s office confirms this is legally possible, but only if lawmakers pass a bill with an emergency clause and the Governor signs it by late February. The practical effect would be to rush a decision on billions in new transportation taxes and fees into a lower-profile election, on an accelerated timeline, after voters have already taken the extraordinary step of forcing the issue onto the ballot in the first place. Time will tell if the majority party will be able to get their wish, and we will do our best to keep you up to date on the latest developments as they come up in the weeks ahead.
HJM 201 - Urges Congress to bring back the federal tax exemption on wildfire related settlements, which is an exemption that sun-setted at the end of last year. This exemption ensures that more awarded dollars actually go toward wildfire recovery in our wildfire impacted regions.
HB 4137 - Makes sure that previous owners of vehicles are not held liable for parking/petty citations that a buyer accumulates before registering vehicle, by mandating courts to dismiss these tickets if the previous owner of vehicle had already submitted a proper Notice of Sale form to the DMV.
SB 1553 - Protects wildfire victims by prohibiting electric companies from recovering litigation or settlement costs from ratepayers when a court or jury finds that a wildfire resulted from the utility’s negligence or higher degree of fault. It further holds negligent utilities accountable by requiring them to set aside funds to pay those they are found liable to, while directing a portion of punitive damages into a Wildfire Recovery Fund for recovery and compensation purposes.
SB 1574 - Allows 17-year-olds to vote in a primary election if they turn 18 before the general election.
SB 1593 - Enshrines "recreational immunity" into law, protecting our outdoor spaces for public use and against unfair lawsuits.
SB 1594 - Directs the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement to rapidly develop model policies guiding how public agencies handle information and interactions related to federal immigration enforcement, in an effort to push back on the Trump administration's immigration enforcement.
Immigration enforcement, budget cuts, taxes: Oregon lawmakers prepare for packed 2026 legislative session
The Oregonian/OregonLive
Oregon lawmakers will return to Salem next week for a packed legislative session in which they hope to address a projected budget deficit, strengthen the state’s economy and challenge federal immigration enforcement policies … Politically, the short session will provide top Democrats and Kotek an opportunity to redeem themselves and unify their caucus after they failed in last year’s session to pass multiple versions of a transportation funding package, a top priority for the party. Republicans will again enter the session in the minority and with new leaders in both chambers as the party continues to grapple with frequent leadership turnover. One Republican in each chamber is also running for governor, meaning the session will likely bring plenty of political grandstanding.
Oregon lawmakers can move transportation referendum date under conditions, SOS says
OPB
Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Tina Kotek have less than one month to pass a bill if they want to move a transportation funding referendum from November to May, according to Oregon’s top election officer. Deputy Secretary of State Michael Kaplan in a Wednesday afternoon memo said the Oregon Legislature may move the date of a referendum about a transportation law to May if lawmakers pass a bill with an emergency clause and Gov. Tina Kotek’s signature by Feb. 25.
Is the government shutting down? How it may affect Oregon tax refunds
Statesman Journal
Tax season began Jan. 26, but a looming partial government shutdown this weekend could impact when Oregonians receive their returns. The chance of a partial government shutdown increased on Jan. 29 after the Senate failed to advance a $1.2 trillion funding package, following Democrats' efforts to reject a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security in response to the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal agents. Taxes are due April 15. However, if the shutdown occurs, many Oregonians may see delays in their returns.
Oregon Democratic lawmakers gear up to push back on federal immigration agenda
OPB
An exchange on Wednesday over immigration policies could offer a preview of friction for the upcoming legislative session as Oregon Democrats try to push back on aggressive federal actions.
ODOT, OYA among 10 state agencies to be audited by Secretary of State
Statesman Journal
The Oregon Secretary of State's Office plans to conduct 10 audits of state agencies in the 2027 fiscal year, including the Oregon Youth Authority and the Oregon Department of Transportation. The audits were selected based on factors like if an agency had new leadership or was overspending.
Oregon population growth among slowest in the nation
The Oregonian
Oregon’s population grew at one of the slowest rates in the country last year, according to new estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Beaver State has been trudging along for population growth since the COVID-19 pandemic. Census numbers released Tuesday show the state ranked No. 12 for slowest population growth.
Gearing Up for Session!
Kicking Off the New Year!
Gas Tax & Registration Hikes Put on Hold
Transportation Taxes and What Comes Next
Governor Finally Signs Her Tax Bill into Law
| 
