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To contact me, please click here: Rep.AnnaScharf@oregonlegislature.gov
Dear Friends,
This was the next to the last full week of session. My policy committees had pretty much wrapped or had only a couple bills in them from the Senate which were unanimously sent over.
So, when a once in a lifetime opportunity presented itself to me, I figured out a way to make it work. I was given a ticket to attend the President’s State of the Union address. I worked my flight schedule to minimize my time away (wifi and texting capabilities on my favorite airline are great!) and made appointments on the Hill to maximize my impact for HD 23. That included personally delivering a letter of support for a Newberg Housing project Federal grant package to Senator Merkley and meeting with Congresswoman Salinas to thank her for the $850K for the McDougal interchange, discuss other HD 23 highway safety issues like HWY22, and look at ways to work on improving the SNAP program (she sits on the Congressional House Ag committee and I serve on the House Human Services committee both which deal with SNAP). The only thing I could not do from DC was vote.
Attending the event reminded me of the importance of the work we do in the Oregon Legislature and that we live in the greatest State and the greatest Nation on earth. Please take a moment to watch my full remonstrance I gave on the House Floor after my trip back East. It was a summary of the closing address by the President.
The remainder of time in the building this week was busy as well with lots of time spent on the House Floor. We have about a week left as we inch closer to the constitutional deadline of March 8th at midnight.
As always, thank you for your continued support and please contact my office with any questions or concerns.
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 Anna Scharf
State Representative - HD 23
While it was not a bill, Monday on the Floor of the House, Rep. Kropf (D-Bend) resigned his position as Chair of the Conduct Committee after pressure from the Republicans and the Public after the way that he treated Rep. Tran (D- N. Portland) during the public work session on HB 4145A (the firearms bill). He was replaced by Rep. Sanchez (D-Portland). This is a very unusual move, and NOT how it has been done in the past when a Republican member was involved. Notably, Rep. Tran was not present the day of the vote.
After that the vote on the committee change, the reading of HB 4134A and debate on the bill, Speaker Fahey (D- W. Eugene & Veneta) called for a recess so committees could meet. The Republican Caucus made the choice to take a pause and not return to floor for the remainder of the day. The constant changing of the rules by the Majority party was enough to call for a cooling off period.
They returned Tuesday and cleared the calendar of all 3rd reading bills so no business of the House or processes were delayed.
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HB 4134A – The first of two measures this session aimed at raising the transient lodging tax (TLT) narrowly passed the house on a 36/22 vote. It needed a 3/5th vote. This version of the TLT increase would raise it from 1.5 to 2.75%. The new revenue would then be distributed as follows:
0.9 percent to Recovering Oregon’s Wildlife Fund Subaccount
0.1 percent to Oregon Conservation Corps Fund
0.05 percent to the Department of State Police to combat the poaching of wildlife
0.05 percent to the Wolf Management Compensation and Proactive Trust Fund
0.05 percent the Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund
0.05 percent to the State Department of Fish and Wildlife for wildlife connectivity
0.02 percent for wildlife stewardship
0.015 percent to the Invasive Species Control Account
0.01 percent to the Department of Justice for anti-poaching & wildlife enforcement
0.005 percent to the Invasive species Council Account
The bill is now headed to the Senate.
HB 4148A – This is the second of the transient lodging tax (TLT). This bill does NOT raise the tax at all but rather changes the funding split of the revenue collected.
Here are the changes to the existing TLT in this bill:
Lowers the percent of net local Transient Lodging Tax revenue that must be used for tourism promotion from 70% to 50%
The 50% of the tourism allocation funds may now be used for tourism or tourism-related facilities, and to also fund resiliency grants for small businesses in the restaurant and lodging industries.
The other 50% will now be allocated for use by cities and counties for services include both emergency services and non-emergency services.
These changes were in response to cities that wanted more flexibility with the funding because tourism promotion dollars were restricted yet the impacts to city infrastructure that tourism caused could not be addressed with TLT funding.
This bill is scheduled for a public hearing a possible work session on 3/2 in the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee
***SPECIAL NOTE – HB 4134A and HB 4148A are competing bills. It will be interesting to see how they are reconciled before the end of session.***
HB 4138A – This is another bill that was part of the Democrat anti-ICE priority package. It passed 36/19. Among other things, it will prohibit all law enforcement officers, local, state and federal from wearing facial coverings except in certain circumstances. Ironically, I had a bill last session that said if someone wore a face covering while committing a crime with the intent to conceal their identity, it would escalate the penalty if they were found guilty. That bill could not get a hearing. It also has additional provisions where Oregon law enforcement may not engage or assist with out-of-state law enforcement. This includes other state law enforcement, the FBI, ATF, etc.
Finally, it adds a private rite of action meaning individuals will be able to sue the cities, counties and state if they feel a law enforcement officer has violated the identification portion of the law. Counties and Cities argued this could cost them millions in frivolous legal fees and clog the court systems.
The bill has already moved to the Senate and been amended in the Senate Rules Committee and will be Sent to the Senate Floor for a vote. If it passes it will come back to the House for Concurrence
HB 4145A - Despite its questionable process and public intimidation of a committee member by the Chair of the committee, the House passed HB 4145 on Wednesday on a 33/19 vote. However, there was plenty of fervent debate despite knowing that the bill would pass along mostly party lines (there were two Democrats that voted against it).
As a little refresher, HB 4145 essentially resurrects Ballot Measure 114, which has been tied up in courts since it was passed by voters in 2022. You can read more about the bill from my previous newsletters.
If this bill passes the Senate, it also will likely get held up in court as it is constitutionally questionable.
The bill had it’s first public hearing in the Senate Committee on Rules on 2/27. Thank you to everyone who continues to show up to fight this bill.
SB 1507 - On Wednesday the House passed SB1507 on a 34/12 vote, and it is already on its way to the Governor's desk. It will eliminate $311 million in federal tax breaks that Democrats mischaracterized as a tax relief package. The bill takes the federal tax cuts provided in HR1 and cancels them at the state level.
I hear from my constituents daily, and the issue they raise most often is affordability. Oregonians pay some of the highest income taxes in the country. At 9.9%, the top rate of Oregon’s income tax kicks in at a marginal income of $125,000, whereas the top rates in California, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C., are on marginal income above $25 million.
But it’s not just individuals that I hear from. Since 2019, state business taxes have increased by a staggering 77% to $3.4 billion. In 2016, Oregon slid to 35th in general tax competitiveness and 49th in corporate tax competitiveness.
This is a bad bill for Oregonians and a bad bill for Oregon businesses. In addition to that it runs counter to the Governors Prosperity Council which is supposed to be looking at ways to attract and retain businesses in Oregon. I wonder if the Governor will think about that before she signs the bill. After all She herself said “Oregon’s prosperity is not a given. We have to act with intention to be more competitive”.
HB 4115A – I am so happy this passed the floor this week on a unanimous vote. It is one of the bills I worked on during the interim and was a chief sponsor on. You can read more here from a previous newsletter. It will streamline the background check process for many healthcare workers as well as save the state money without compromising patient safety. The bill is on its way to the Senate for a vote next.
HB 4065A – This is one of my two bills and I am so happy to report that it received unanimous support out of the Senate Natural Resources and Wildfire Committee and is on its way to the Senate floor. A special thank you to Emily Woodcock and Dayna Paratore for testifying in both the House and the Senate on the bill and the all the grass seed farmers who supported the bill in various ways. While we know this is not the solution to the challenges that face the grass seed industry, it is a start. I was also encouraged by the questions asked by the members of the Senate Natural Resources Committee during the hearing. They seem to understand that grass seed farmers need commodity crop alternatives, contract payment protections and indicated that they were willing to assist with ideas and solutions moving forward. Here is a link to the full hearing. The bill is on its way to the Senate for a vote next.
SB 1599 - The bill to push the transportation tax repeal up to the May Primary rather than the November General election is scheduled for a vote on the floor Monday March 2nd.
Towards the end of January, the Oregon Secretary of State, Tobias Read, sent leadership a memo indicating the legislature would need to pass SB 1599 by Feb. 25th. He said this date would ensure that Oregonians had a fair and equal chance to participate in the voters’ pamphlet process, should the referendum be moved up to May.
Obviously, Feb. 25th has passed, but SB 1599 is still scheduled for a floor vote.
Now, however, we are hearing that the Secretary of State’s office is reconsidering their position on their 1/28/26 letter and that they can make virtually any date work before the end of session. They say they will waive the fee as to remove the barrier of the 500-signature collection time. How is that possible? There is a law that states:
ORS 251.255 - Filing arguments for or against measure
(1)Not sooner than the 120th day and not later than the 70th day before a general election or the 68th day before a special election held on the date of any primary election at which a state measure is to be voted upon, any person may file with the Secretary of State an argument supporting or opposing the measure.
(2) Intentionally left blank
(a) A person filing an argument under this section shall pay a fee of $1,200 to the Secretary of State when the argument is filed or may submit a petition in a form prescribed by the Secretary of State containing the signatures of 500 active electors. Each person signing the petition shall subscribe to a statement that the person has read and agrees with the argument.
This feels like the Secretary of State moving the goal posts and playing partisan politics? The SOS is supposed to be a non-partisan office? SB 1599 is NOT a non-partisan bill. It is 100% party politics, and he is playing along.
People ask me what’s the big deal, vote now or vote in November as long as we get to vote. Here is why this is a major issue and one that could change the way Oregon allows voters to have a voice in Salem decisions.
Moving the election from May to November on this issue has long term implications which could (and will) affect the next issue. If it happens this time, it will happen every time there is one party, (this is not a supermajority bill vote) that does not want their partisan bill repealed by the voters through a citizen initiative process. They will simply move the goal posts. SB 1599 could have moved the date to March or December or even 2028. Obviously, what was on the petitions, November 2026 election did not matter. Obviously, what is in ORS215.255 does not matter. The rule of law, the democratic process and the integrity of our citizen initiative process is what is at stake with SB 1599. It is WAY bigger than just this measure.
You can read Secretary Read’s letter below:
On January 28th, my office shared with you a memo about the process to reschedule a qualified ballot measure to the May 2026 primary election. I have attached it again to this email for your reference. I am writing to remind you about today’s deadline for SB 1599 to be passed and signed into law. This is the deadline our team recommended to ensure that Oregonians have a fair and equal chance to participate in the voters’ pamphlet process related to the referendum, should it be on the ballot in May.
Yes, you can still reschedule the referendum to May after today; however, every day that passes makes it more challenging for my office to provide Oregonians with a free alternative to paying a $1,200 fee to file statements about the referendum in the voters’ pamphlet. This could impact Oregonians’ ability to make their voices heard. This signature gathering alternative makes sure money is not a barrier between Oregonians and their democracy. That’s an Oregon value I know you all agree with. A shortened timeline for signature gathering and verification also creates a burden for the Elections Division — it will take a significant amount of staff time to verify these signatures before the March 12th deadline.
I strongly advise you to work with urgency to resolve this issue.
TJR
March 4th - HPV Awareness Day
HB 4135 passed unanimously on the House Floor, designating March 4th of each year as HPV Awareness Day in Oregon.
The bill encourages statewide efforts to increase awareness about HPV testing, routine cervical cancer screening, and vaccination.
As I said on the House Floor, in 2024, I had my own HPV related cancer scare, but I was one of the lucky ones. It was detected early, and it was benign. However, HPV risk does not go away, and I will continue to monitor it annually and for as long as I live. If HB 4135 helps raise awareness for just one person and they get screened, and also get lucky, it’s worth it.
I was honored to support the Chief Sponsor of the bill, Rep. Annessa Hartman (D-Gladstone), who was diagnosed with Stage 3 cervical cancer last year.
You can watch my floor speech here.
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FFA Give Day
Oregon FFA State Officer, Henry Bennette, joined me on the House Floor today in honor of Give FFA Day.
Since 2019, the Oregon Legislature has funded FFA in every corner of the state - both rural and urban. It is my utmost hope the Oregon Legislature continues to invest in this program as it is an investment in our future.
FFA is a community service driven program focused on developing leadership skills. This program is invaluable as we truly invest in shaping the future of our youth who in turn want to serve our communities.
You can watch my courtesy here and learn why FFA Give Day is so important.
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The Dallas School District Bands
 I always love it when House District 23 brings talented performers to the Opening Ceremonies at the Capitol. This is the second time we've had the honor of hearing the Dallas School District Band perform on the House Floor and I hope they are able to return next year as well. You can watch their performance here. Unfortunately, I missed their live performance this year because as I mentioned previously, I was in DC. However, I was able to watch online, and I greatly appreciated Rep. Elmer (R-McMinnville) for properly introducing this wonderful group after their performance.
Honorary Pages This Week
I was so disappointed to miss the HD 23 honorary pages this week while I was away. It is such a wonderful program giving our youth the opportunity to spend the day at the Capitol and time to get to better know the process. This week HD 23 welcomed:
Dash McNett (Dallas High School)
Dash holds a remarkable 4.13 GPA. He is active in the National Honor Society, Yearbook staff, worked as an intern in the Dallas Youth Garden, and has earned 5 varsity letters in swimming and track.
Led by his experience in 4-H and FFA agriscience competitions, Dash plans to attend Oregon State University to pursue a degree in food science after graduation.
Skylar Remington (Amity High School)
Skylar is a junior at Amity High School and is actively involved in FFA and in 4-H. She is also in her second year competing on the Amity High School Equestrian Team and has been selected as one of this year’s team captains. Through her leadership, dedication, and commitment to agriculture, Skylar aspires to become a veterinarian. She is also the daughter of my cousin Caleb and his wife Chelsey Remington.
A message from ODOT
As ODOT approaches our 2026 summer construction season we wanted to continue the notification about an upcoming road closure and detour. During the summer there will be an active construction project at the intersection of OR99W at Bethel Road.
For approximately 3 weeks Bethel Road east of the highway will close with a signed detour. There will be pinned hard barrier along OR99W extending across Bethel Road during this time. ODOT’s signed detour includes utilizing OR221 (Wallace Rd.) and OR153.
The project is scheduled to be awarded to a contractor in late April or early May. We will not know the exact dates of the closure until after that time. We will keep you posted as to the actual dates as we get them.
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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