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Hello Senate District 19 and beyond,
The Oregon Legislature adjourned its 2026 legislative session last Friday evening — a full two days before our constitutional deadline — and I could not be more proud with how session unfolded.
We came in with a big agenda to address the challenges facing Oregon, including the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, a federal administration targeting immigrants with violent ICE raids, and a state budget needing rebalancing after deep federal cuts.
We accomplished all that by staying focused on the needs of Oregonians and maintaining communications with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle. More than 90% of the bills that passed both the House and Senate did so with bipartisan support.
Here is just some of what we did this session:
- Cut taxes for more than 200,000 Oregon families and created a new tax credit for businesses that grow jobs in Oregon (SB 1507)
- Closed loopholes that had allowed lenders to charge as much as 100% interest on consumer loans (HB 4116)
- Cracked down on ticket scams and rip-offs (HB 4024)
- Invested to $100 million to create and preserve affordable housing (SB 5702, HB 4036)
- Gave Oregonians the right to sue federal agents or agents from another state operating in Oregon (HB 4114)
- Required law enforcement to be identifiable and unmasked (HB 4138)
- Banned landlords from disclosing immigration status and other personal information (HB 4123)
- Invested in legal services for immigrant and refugee Oregonians (HB 5204)
- Eased permitting demands for economic development (HB 4084)
- Updated the laws around recreational liability waivers to protect recreation businesses and participants (SB 1517)
- Put $10 million toward regional infrastructure for cities with populations under 25,000 (HB 5204)
- Reduced red tape for housing developments (HB 4037, HB 4082, SB 1521)
- Established the Blue Economy Task Force to support the growth of sustainable businesses while maintaining the health of Oregon's coastal ecosystems (SB 1525)
- Dedicated a steady funding stream to protect Oregon’s natural resources and wildlife (HB 4134)
- Preserved state budgets for health care, education, public safety, and economic development
As Senate President I don't have much time to advocate for my own legislation, but I was proud to partner with Sen. Suzanne Weber on Senate Bill 1504 this session, which expands epinephrine delivery options in school settings.
This bill came about thanks to a letter from Kailee Desmond, a high schooler in my district. She has severe allergies and noticed that needle injectors were the only options available for schools to administer epinephrine, despite the fact that other, less painful delivery options exist.
For children experiencing a severe allergic reaction, every second counts. This legislation will help keep kids safe in schools by reducing barriers to epinephrine and making sure staff are trained on all the options so they can respond quickly.
The bill passed through the Legislature with unanimous support in both chambers and has already been signed by Gov. Tina Kotek.
The Moda Center is a critical economic and cultural hub for the Portland region and the state of Oregon responsible for $670 million in annual economic impact, nearly 4,500 jobs, and more than 240 days of sports, community and entertainment programming every year drawing 1.6 million visitors.
However, it is also the oldest unrenovated NBA arena in the country and does not meet many modern spectator expectations, nor the needs of major concert tours. With new ownership of the Trail Blazers taking over soon and the very real possibility of team relocation, we needed to act this session to ensure the future of Oregon's Arena.
It was my biggest priority this session, and through significant conversation and compromise we created a framework for allowing the state to become a partial owner of the Moda Center, established taxpayer protections for public funds used as part of the renovations, and made a market-rate offer of public money for renovations to be paid back by taxes generated by activities at the venue.
The Moda Center is personal for me and for thousands of Oregonians. Families share memories of basketball games and concerts, businesses develop and grown in the Rose Quarter, and the surrounding Albina neighborhood is on the rise. We also have big things on the horizon with the Moda Center hosting the NCAA Women's Final Four in 2030 and the Portland Fire WNBA team tipping off in 2026.
Now was the time to invest in the renovations of Oregon's most-visited venue and I'm proud of the broad support the final proposal earned. Many thanks to everyone who helped develop this proposal, especially House Majority Leader Ben Bowman, Sen. Kate Lieber, and my chief of staff Barry Pack. There is much work still ahead of us, but this was a strong first step.
You can listen to my Senate floor speech about the importance of the Moda Center and the Trail Blazers here.
 It took a big team to make our public investment into the future of the Moda Center a reality, including those pictured here, Trail Blazers President Dewayne Hankins, Sen. Kate Lieber, Blazer legend Terry Porter, and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson.
During session I have the pleasure of meeting with many different groups and individuals who come to the Capitol to engage with the legislative process, often through sharing stories about how a new law might improve their lives or solve a problem in their communities.
I had too many meetings to count over the five-week session, but here are just a few:
Pacific NorthWest Economic Region
I met with representatives from the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (aka PNWER) to discuss how we might collaborate across state and international borders to improve economic vitality in the region. Oregon's economy is trade-dependent, which means it's all the more important during these turbulent times that we double-down on our regional and international economic relationships.
 PNWER is a critical organization for our regional economic strength and I am always pleaed to continue the relationship between the state of Oregon and our regional neighbors.
Oregon Cattlemen’s Association
I got up bright and early to join the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association members for their legislative breakfast and to discuss our session priorities. A lot of these folks drove many hours in from Central and Eastern Oregon to visit the state Capitol and share their experiences. There are real differences between daily life in rural Oregon and urban Oregon, and it is valuable as legislators that we hear from people of all backgrounds as part of the legislative process. I am proud that we were able to work with legislators from urban and rural Oregon to address challenges facing our state, including providing dedicated funding for wolf depredation efforts.
 I've learned a lot through my conversations with the Oregon Cattlemen's Association and Sen. Todd Nash about what it's like to live in rural Oregon and how the state can help those communities.
Portland Community College
We welcomed a group of PCC community members to share their stories about the school and what higher education has meant to them. As someone who spent a lot of time working on behalf of students at PCC, I always love to hear from students and faculty about the impact of higher education. At the Legislature we are going to continuing doing everything we can to support students and institutions of higher learning in this state.
 As a PCC alum it's always great to see students and faculty from the college here at the Oregon State Capitol building.
Oregon Recovers
So many families in our state and across the country struggle with the effects of addiction. I was glad to meet with parents and treatment providers from my district to discuss access to addiction treatment, the importance of sufficient funding, and the broader impacts of having healthy communities, particularly for adolescents. Hearing their stories is an important reminder of the responsibility we all have to build healthier, safer communities.
 Thank you to these parents and addition treatment providers for sharing their stories.
A couple weeks ago, the Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce hosted the annual Lake Oswego Community Awards highlighting individuals who have worked to enhance our region in various ways. Ten people were awarded that evening, including Stephanie Wagner, my mom, who was honored with the Bob Bigelow Lifetime Achievement Award.
My mom moved to Lake Oswego in 1981 and has been volunteering in the community for many years, including teaching science, serving as a member of local governing boards, and working to preserve natural spaces for recreation and conservation.
I'm so proud of the legacy of service my mom has fostered over the decades and for her to receive this recognition alongside many other deserving Lake Oswego residents.
The Lake Oswego Review covered the event, including comments from several of the honorees.
I will be joining my friends Rep. Daniel Nguyen and Rep. Jules Walters for a post-session town hall on March 18 at 6:00 p.m. The community event will be at the West Linn Adult Community Center and moderated by Mayor Rory Bialostosky.
Town halls are a great opportunity for elected legislators to hear directly from residents in our district about the issues that are most important to them. Please bring your questions so we can have a wide-ranging conversation about the issues impacting Oregon today and our work during this past legislative session.
Over the course of the 2026 session, 304 pieces of legislation were introduced, and just shy of 50% of those passed both the House and the Senate. Legislators came into session with some big priorities and delivered, but with the speed of session sometimes important bills get overshadowed. So, here is a look back at just some of the legislation we passed over the last few weeks as reported by the indefatigable Oregon Capitol press corps:
The Oregonian: Bill designed to curb high-interest lending passes Oregon Senate
A bill that would more tightly enforce the state’s 36% interest rate cap on short-term consumer loans is a signature away from becoming law.
The Oregonian: Oregon Legislature approves one-year moratorium on key data center tax break
Oregon lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a one-year moratorium on data centers’ eligibility for one major property tax break this week, the first time the state has taken steps to rein in incentives for the industry.
OPB: Oregon lawmakers approve measure to prohibit ICE agents from wearing masks
Oregon state Democratic lawmakers approved a measure on Thursday that would prevent federal immigration officers from wearing masks. The measure is a response to the Trump administration’s nationwide deportation efforts.
OPB: Oregon Legislature passes bill to strengthen protections for abortion, gender-affirming care
A bill expanding Oregon’s shield laws that protect doctors, nurses, midwives, and others who provide abortions and gender-affirming care to out of state patients has passed both chambers in the Oregon Legislature.
OPB: Oregon foster kids could be guaranteed the right to see their siblings under new bill
This week, state lawmakers in Oregon strengthened what’s known as the Foster Children’s Bill of Rights, a framework of rights first passed by the Legislature in 2013.
Statesman Journal: Lawmakers approve increased Oregon hotel tax to fund wildlife programs
The Oregon Senate passed a bill March 4 to increase the hotel tax to pay for an array of wildlife conservation programs.
Statesman Journal: Bill banning Oregon from helping privatize federal lands passes
Oregon legislators have passed a bill that would prohibit public bodies from spending resources to help sell or transfer federal public lands to private interests.
Statesman Journal: Lawmakers pass liability bill to save Oregon outdoor rec industry
After nearly a decade of trying and session full of drama, Oregon lawmakers finally hammered out a compromise this week on legislation aimed at saving the state's outdoor recreation industry from an affordability crisis.
Oregon Capital Chronicle: Oregon Legislature votes to give cities, counties flexibility in tourism revenue
A bill headed to Gov. Tina Kotek would let cities and counties spend up to 50% of transient lodging tax on services.
Oregon Capital Chronicle: Oregon to nix cervical cancer diagnostic testing costs for patients, rest of US may follow suit
Oregon is set to become the first state in the country to require insurers to cover those costs for cervical cancer patients, and that policy could expand nationwide if a new federal regulation takes effect at the start of next year.
Oregon Capital Chronicle: Oregon Senate passes bill to regulate ICE in hospitals
Democratic lawmakers and the Oregon Nurses Association proposed Senate Bill 1570, which aims to help hospital staff respond when federal law enforcement arrives on site and protect sensitive information.
Replies to this message are sent to an unmonitored mailbox.
If you would like to contact the Senate President's Office, send an email or call and either myself or a staff member will assist you. If you are a constituent coming to Salem and want to arrange a meeting, I'm always happy to meet, so please let us know well in advance as my schedule fills up quickly.
email: Sen.RobWagner@OregonLegislature.gov
phone: 503-986-1600
address: 900 Court St NE, S-201, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/wagner
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