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To contact me, please click here: Rep.AnnaScharf@oregonlegislature.gov
Dear Friends,
We just wrapped up another busy and chaotic week in the 2026 Legislative Session. No matter how many nights I have been waking up to send text messages at 4:30am to colleagues with another idea about how to stop a bill or how crazy my schedule gets, I am somewhat comforted by the fact that we only have three weeks left. Working 6:30am - 9:00, 10:00, 11:00pm, 7 days a week is only sustainable for so long.
I told my husband the other day, I feel like a farmer, and this is like my harvest season, but I feel like I am harvesting a crop that is dead. The crop is one planted by a political power hell bent on increasing taxes because more money is the only answer even though waste is everywhere in every state agency, and they are just as focused on looking for ways to take away more rights from Oregonians. Maybe Oregonians need to find someone different to plant the next year’s crop for them?
I hope you find the below updates helpful. As always, please reach out to my office with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
 Anna Scharf
State Representative - HD 23
Special Joint Committee Pushes Through SB 1599 to Change Date of Transportation Tax Referendum Vote
Thursday night at 6pm after the 5pm news was over and the Capitol was all but empty, I sat in my office and watched as the “Special Committee” formed just to ram through a single bill aimed at moving the gas tax referral from the November Ballot to the May ballot.
Despite Oregonians rallying together and referring the proposed transportation tax package to the ballot, Governor Kotek asked the Legislature to repeal the package in its entirety. Then when a 90-year-old Attorney General opinion was unearthed that expressly stated this violated voters’ rights, the majority party began scrambling to avoid placing a controversial ballot measure on the general November ballot. Their solution? Move the vote up to the May primary, where voter turnout is historically lower, but more importantly where it would appear on a partisan ballot next to the names of many Democrats who voted in favor of the bill BUT who have no primary challenger. This is a MUCH more favorable option than the November ballot where it would appear next to the Democrat who supported it and an alternative Republican candidate who did not.
The “Special Committee” was a joint committee, so that bypassed the lengthy process of having committee hearings in both chambers. Then ONLY two public hearings were held this week. The first being on short notice and both having technical difficulties. Over 4,600 Oregonians submitted written testimony on Senate Bill 1599, of which 98% were in opposition.
Most people who testified in opposition were demanding accountability from their government — requesting they honor the petitions they signed, which were certified by the Secretary of State. Petitions that expressly stated a vote would be held in November 2026. NOT May of 2026.
The next step…the bill will head to the Senate floor for another party line vote. Fortunately for the super majority party, it only takes a simple majority to pass (16) so they won’t have to hold on for almost a month to wait for a single member to be healthy enough to vote yes like they did with the original transportation package they passed in September.
SB 1570 - Prevents Oregon hospitals from working with federal immigration enforcement. It would put hospitals in conflict with how they treat Oregonians and illegal individuals while in the custody of Oregon law enforcement when receiving medical attention, vs. how they treat Oregonians and illegal individuals in the custody of Federal law enforcement when receiving medical attention. The penalty could be as severe as a local hospital losing the ability to operate all together. The bill is scheduled for a work session on 2/16.
HB 4079 - Directs school district boards and governing bodies of institutions of higher education to adopt policies that address how the school district or the institution of higher education will respond when a federal immigration authority enters school property or a campus. Most Oregon school district have a policy in place today and the State has a law regarding the type of warrant that is already required to enter and detain an individual in any private or public building. Work session held on 2/11. Will be on the House Floor for a vote next week.
HB 4114 - Creates a civil cause of action against Federal law enforcement agents and law enforcement agents of another state in specified circumstances. The way this is written is not ONLY about ICE. It is about all Federal law enforcement agencies (FBI, ICE, ATF, etc.) and law enforcement agencies of another state. Oregon law enforcement officers expressed concerns about the bill and how it would impact the ability for them to be able to work with Federal agencies (other than ICE) to protect Oregonians. Work session held on 2/11. Will be headed to the House Floor for a vote next week.
HB 4138 - Requires law enforcement agencies to enact policies concerning identifying information on law enforcement uniforms. This bill also contains a section that prohibits law enforcement officers, including local, state and Federal, from wearing face coverings except in certain circumstances. California became the first state to ban most law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings under a bill that was signed in September. Last week, a federal judge blocked that law from going into effect. However, the CA laws ONLY banned Federal law enforcement officers, so it was different. What is unknown, however, is if Oregon can regulate Federal law enforcement agents when they are enforcing Federal law due to the Federal Constitution, Article IV, Clause 2, The Supremacy Clause. The bill is scheduled for a work session on 2/16.
SB 1501 - Major Moda Center renovation, in an effort to keep the Trail Blazers in Oregon. Is in the Senate Committee on Rules which has different deadlines than traditional policy committees. In this case I should have bought a lottery ticket. I pretty much predicted the future. When we passed HCR 40 last year I was the only NO vote on the bill. It was a Resolution recognizing the Portland Trail Blazers for their economic and cultural contributions to the State of Oregon, and urging the team's owners to keep the team in this state. Well, I called it. I submitted a vote explanation with these words:
“If I was the current or future owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, who play in an arena built in 1995 and which is located in a part of Portland that is difficult to get to, due to ODOT not completing the Rose Quarter project (promised in the 2017 transportation package), I would absolutely be coming to the Legislature to say, "You passed a resolution begging us to stay, we want a State loan to for 30 years just like you gave to the MLB for a brand new area or we are relocating out of state".
The bill is asking for income tax revenue for ALL performers (concerts, circuses, Monster Jam, etc., not just basketball players) who do ANYTHING for a pay check in the arena to be put into a special fund and that revenue along with a lot of other special money will be used to make the area more enticing to the new owners AND the STATE will take over ownership of the facility. This is just another Portland bailout paid for by the rest of the state. It has a Work Session scheduled on 2/16.
SB 1505 - Establishes the Home and Community-Based Services Workforce Standards Board. This will create unnecessary oversight that won't actually increase wages for our caregivers but will move to create a union like system for them when many of them oppose this. It was a bill heard in the 2025 session. The bill has received a public hearing but has no work session scheduled at this time. However, it is still very much alive due to the different deadlines in the Senate Committee on Rules.
HCR 201 - Celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Oregon Fire District Directors Association. This bill is very near to my heart, you can watch my testimony here.
HB 4015 - Disconnects Oregon from the Federal tax code. In 2025 as a part of the normal biennial budget process, a bill was passed to stay connected to the Federal tax code. After the passage of HR1 at the Federal level, the super majority decided that we now need to disconnect from it. Disconnecting from it WILL mean less money in Oregonians’ pockets. Especially those who receive tips, get overtime or make a payment on a car. No public hearing or work session received so far, but still very much in play as the House Committee on Revenue has different deadlines.
HB 4125/SJR 201 - "Reframes" how the surplus revenue is estimated and managed, essentially stealing your kicker. HB 4125 has had a public hearing and SJR 201 is scheduled for a public hearing on 2/18 but no work sessions so far. Both bills are alive as they are exempt from deadlines due to the committees they reside in.
HB 4134 - Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) increase for wildlife funds. Increases TLT by 1.25%. This bill was heard last session as well but did not pass. It is scheduled for a work session on 2/16.
SB 1541 - Establishes the superfund cost recovery program. This bill is about greenhouse gas reduction but there is no estimate on how much it will cost Oregonians, OR if it will have any impact. The bill passed out of committee on 2/10 and is in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means with a fiscal that is still to be determined. Meaning in a year that we are cutting budgets in areas that could affect children, seniors, homeless, etc., we could then be taking this bill and funding it for hundreds of millions of dollars to do something that we have no idea what the outcome will be.
HB 4145 - Gun legislation that will modify Ballot Measure 114. For more details about this bill, read last week's newsletter. Scheduled for a work session on 2/16.
 I was honored to receive the Friend of Oregon Wheat award from the Oregon Wheat Growers and cut the cake at their legislative reception this week. The Oregon Wheat League celebrated their 100th anniversary this week on Feb. 11th. They were recognized last year when I was one of the Chief Sponsors of HCR 12 in preparation for this big day. In 1926 The Oregon Wheat Growers League became the nation's first wheat commodity organization. My husband’s family have been proud members of the organization for generations. Thank you to them and all the wheat farmers in Oregon.
 Huge shout out to the Amity Girls Soccer team for their State Championship! The 1st Soccer State Title for Amity High School. They were able to join me on the House Floor for a courtesy this week in recognition of their great accomplishment. Thank you also to State Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis (R-Albany) for the great assist with completing the courtesy (like soccer, it takes a team). Great job girls!
 Between committee meeting, caucus meeting, and floor meetings this week, I also made time for a number of other visitors. I was able to capture pictures of a few, but not all of them. (Top left) Advocates from Cancer Awareness Day, (Top right) Advocates from the Alzheimer Association of Oregon, and (Bottom) Association of Oregon Counties lobby day, (left) Yamhill County Commissioner Johnston and (right) Polk County Commissioner Mordhorst.
More visitors (top left) Advocates from the Children's Institute, (top right) dairy farmers from around the state on Dairy Day in the Capitol, and students and representatives from the Coalition of Oregon Public Universities representing EOU, PSU, OSU, UofO and Portland State.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1423
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-387, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.AnnaScharf@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/scharf
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