|
Hello Friends,
In my previous newsletter, I spoke about the funding and legislation we secured and legislation I sponsored that made it through the 2026 Legislative Short Session.
Click Here to read previous Newsletters and Press Releases.
Click Here to watch comments in Committees and the Senate Floor.
This newsletter will have a broader view of the 2026 Legislative Session. It will include bills that were good that we moved forward, good bills the Democrat supermajority would not allow to move forward, bad bills we were unable to stop that the Democrat supermajority moved forward and bad bills that we were able to stop. Being in the superminority means the Democrats can pass any tax increase or bill without a Republican vote. As a Senate Republican Deputy Leader, I sincerely appreciate my fellow Senate Republicans for their great work and our Senate Republican Leader Starr for his leadership. We truly have a great team of Oregon Senate and House Republicans.These are not all of the Good/Bad Bills of the session.
I also want to thank our Senate Republican Office staff for their work this Legislative Session, they are an incredible team, and we are grateful to have them.
Good Bills - That Passed
Delivered Faster Recovery for Disaster Survivors – Senate Republicans secured passage of SB 1561, to streamline the rebuilding process for families who lose their homes to wildfire, flood, or other disasters. The legislation allows homes destroyed by tragedy to be rebuilt through a straightforward administrative process instead of requiring a full land use review, reducing unnecessary bureaucratic delays. SB 1561 builds on precedent established after the 2020 wildfires and ensures greater certainty and relief for families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
2026-2-19 Oregon Senate Unanimously Passes Republican Bill to Help Families Rebuild After Disaster Strikes.pdf - SRO Press Release
Local Flexibility for Tourism Revenue – The Legislature passed HB 4148, a bill allowing cities and counties to use up to 50% of transient lodging tax revenue for critical local services like police, fire, emergency response, and road maintenance - without raising any new taxes.
Oregon Legislature votes to give cities, counties flexibility in tourism revenue - Oregon Capital Chronicle
Expanded Housing Opportunities - The Legislature passed a win for housing in Woodburn by advancing key provisions of SB 1564 in HB 4035, which the Legislature passed in the final days of session. The bill creates a clear pathway for Woodburn to move forward with a 120-acre urban growth boundary expansion, unlocking the potential for hundreds of new homes. This ensures the city can act more quickly to address housing demands while still following Oregon’s existing land use process.
Oregon Legislature passes bill to allow Woodburn expansion - Statesman Journal
Wrongful Conviction Reform – The Legislature passed SB 1515, that reforms Oregon’s compensation system for wrongful convictions and provides a path to challenge convictions based on discredited forensic science.
Oregon Legislatures passes bill to tackle 'junk science' convictions - Statesman Journal
Supporting Family Farms – The Legislature passed HB 4153, a primarily Republican bill that ensures family farms, farm stands, U-picks, and flower fields across Oregon can continue offering local agricultural experiences to their communities. HB 4153 represents a significant victory for Oregon's agricultural community, empowering farmers with greater flexibility to operate farm stores up to 10,000 square feet on exclusive farm use land, while also facilitating agritourism events and temporary structures that boost rural economies and preserve family farming traditions. This bipartisan legislation, which passed with strong support in both chambers, streamlines regulations to allow up to 25% of store space for nonfarm products, ensuring farmers can diversify revenue without compromising productive farmland. By championing property rights and reducing bureaucratic hurdles, HB 4153 underscores the Republican commitment to supporting Oregon's vital agricultural sector and fostering sustainable growth in our rural communities.
2026-3-6 Oregon Senate Passes Bill Supporting Family Farms and Local Agricultural Experiences.pdf - SRO Press Release
Expanding Access to Life Saving Epinephrine in Oregon Schools - The Legislature passed SB 1504, allows for expanded access to multiple methods of providing epinephrine in case of an emergency, so schools can provide newer less invasive nasal spray delivery as opposed to only epi pen injections. The bill also included training requirements on the administration of epinephrine and was signed by the Governor March 5th.
Removing Financial Barriers for Women’s Health - The Legislature passed SB1527, that requires certain health plans to cover both cervical cancer screenings and follow up examinations at no cost by prohibiting cost-sharing on certain health insurance, Oregon Educators Benefit Board and Public Employees' Benefit Board coverage of these services. It received strong bipartisan support on the floor, 29-0-1, and was signed by the Governor March 5th.
Keeping Families Connected - The Legislature passed SB 1533, expands the rights guaranteed to children in foster care, summarized here., and includes their right to contact their siblings and receive notifications about their wellbeing when placement or health changes occur. Received unanimous support on the Senate floor, 30-0.
Bay Area Hospital – The Legislature passed HB 4075, a bill ensuring access to health care on the Oregon Coast. The Bay Area hospital was at risk of losing its DRG status, converting to a Type B Hospital, which would have reduced available beds to 50 or fewer and cut services, such as labor and delivery and behavioral health care. These service reductions were projected to result in an estimated 182 preventable deaths and 2,089 additional patient transfers, placing significant strain on the region’s already limited emergency medical services capacity.
HB 4075 is not a blank check. The 20-year refinancing plan simply guarantees the hospital, which has never missed a payment, will be able to keep operating at its current capacity without fear that predatory loan practices will force it to cut services or risk foreclosure.
Recreational Liability Bill - The Legislature Passed SB 1517, restoring some of the power of liability waivers, which ski areas and outdoor businesses said were critical to keeping their services affordable amid a spike in lawsuits and skyrocketing insurance costs. SB 1517, which passed overwhelmingly in both chambers this session, represents a hard-fought victory for Oregon's recreational, fitness, and sports industries by restoring the enforceability of liability waivers for ordinary negligence, helping to curb frivolous lawsuits that have driven up insurance costs and threatened access to outdoor activities like skiing, rafting, and gym use. Senate Republicans played a pivotal role in negotiating the final amendments, countering efforts by trial lawyers to weaken the bill and ensuring it provides meaningful protections for businesses while preserving accountability for gross negligence, reckless conduct, or safety violations. By passing this bill, Senate Republicans safeguarded jobs, youth programs, and local economies across the state by balancing participant rights with the sustainability of Oregon's cherished outdoor heritage.
Making childcare easier for struggling families - The Legislature Passed SB 1535, that modifies Employment Related Day Care subsidy eligibility for families under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. Also requires the Department of Early Learning and Care to study childcare and how we can bring costs down for Oregonians.
Helping Law Enforcement and Keeping Communities Safe - The Legislature Passed HB 4045A, also known as Kristil’s Law, which will reduce the time that law enforcement can receive certain records from communication providers that they have requested via a warrant. This will drastically improve law enforcement's ability to resolve cases sooner and potentially prevent more harm.
Protected Second Amendment Rights – Senate Republicans ensured that HB 4145 was amended to remove proposed new gun control regulations and instead focused on delaying implementation of Measure 114 until 2028 while court challenges proceed. The final bill protects law-abiding Oregonians from additional burdens while the courts determine the measure’s constitutionality. This outcome reflects the Senate Republican Caucus’s continued commitment to defending Second Amendment rights of responsible gun owners amid a yearslong effort by the Legislature’s Democrat Supermajority to chip away at the constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
Click Here for my Committee Testimony in the House on the First Day of Session and my advice to the committee for an amendment, that we successfully achieved in the Senate.
2026-3-5 Senate Republicans Strip Burdensome Gun Control Provisions from Gun Bill Before Final Passage.pdf - SRO Press Release
Oregon gun control Measure 114 delayed after lawmakers approve stripped-down bill - The Oregonian
Oregon Senate unanimously passes stripped-down bill modifying Measure 114 - KGW
Good Bills - That Did Not Pass
Public Safety Advocacy – SB 1573 would have prohibited needle distribution within 2,000 feet of schools and child care facilities. While Democrats blocked the bill, Senate Republicans elevated the issue statewide and forced accountability.
2026-3-6 Senate Democrats Say “No Way” to Advancing Bill Banning Needle Distribution Near Schools.pdf - SRO Press Release
2026-2-12 Public Safety Takes a Backseat as Tina Kotek’s Allies Kill Bipartisan Bill Protecting Kids from Needles Near Schools.pdf - SRO Press Release
Education Reform – SB 1572 would have restored classroom discipline authority, strengthen literacy expectations, and ensure diplomas reflect real academic achievement. Senate Democrats refused to move the bill forward. Despite strong evidence of failing discipline policies in Oregon schools, Senate Republicans introduced SB 1572–an Education Omnibus– to empower teachers with tools to maintain safe, effective classrooms and restore essential academic standards for high school graduation and third-grade reading proficiency. Drawing from successful models like Mississippi's Literacy-Based Promotion Act, the bill aimed to reverse the detrimental effects of prior laws such as HB 2192 and SB 553, which have led to increased disruptions, higher exclusionary discipline rates for Black and Hispanic students, and graduation rates that mask poor postsecondary readiness—evidenced by Portland Public Schools' 84% graduation rate but only 69.1% readiness for the class of 2024. By prioritizing real skills over "watered-down degrees," SB 1572 sought to ensure equity through accountability, not leniency, while explicitly complying with federal laws protecting students with disabilities.
Oregon Democrats and unions killed SB 1572, ignoring empirical data from studies like the 2021 Institute of Education Sciences report showing these progressive policies backfired on the very students they claimed to help. Critics falsely claimed conflicts with federal law without specifics and framed retention as punishment rather than intervention, but Republicans countered that true compassion means equipping students for success, not promoting them unprepared. This defeat highlights Democrats' refusal to address chronic classroom crises, from teacher no-confidence votes in Gresham to widespread verbal and physical outbursts, leaving Oregon's education metrics lagging nationally and underscoring the need for Republican-led reforms in future sessions.
Housing Affordability Solutions – SB 1566 would have clarified prevailing wage laws and potentially reduce the cost of building affordable housing and childcare by 10–20%. Democrats declined to advance the bill.
2026-2-25 Oregon Democrats Block Common-Sense Reform to Build More Affordable Housing Amid Crisis.pdf - SRO Press Release
Prevailing wage bill leaves Oregon Dems caught between cheaper affordable housing production and unions - oregonlive.com - The Oregonian
Vice Chair of Oregon Senate Housing Committee Seeks Prevailing Wage Reforms - Willamette Week
Increase Religious Freedoms- SB 1560 would have removed certain barriers placed on places of worship that were given to local municipalities. Democrats never even let the bill be heard.
Accountability for Drug Treatment - SB 1583 would have established the Behavioral Health and Deflection Committee within the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission. It would have directed the committee to administer grant programs for Behavioral Health Resource Networks and deflection programs for drug treatment to the counties, for contract and MOU's to treatment providers to establish transparency and accountability for treatment dollars.
Protecting Infants Born Alive - SB 1554 would have required common sense humane actions when a child is “born alive” by requiring healthcare practitioners to provide the proper degree of care to preserve the health and life of a child, regardless of whether the birth was the result of an induced abortion. In a state that allows abortions at will through the third trimester, this is necessary and makes sense. On March 5th a motion was made on the Senate Floor to pull this bill to the floor for debate and discussion since it did not receive a public hearing in committee but was defeated along party lines, 18-12 by the Democrat super majority that is beholden to the abortion industry.
Growing Salmon and Streamlining Economic Development - SB 1584 would have directed the Department of State Lands, in consultation with the State Department of Fish and Wildlife, to develop a salmon credit pilot program to encourage the voluntary restoration of salmonid habitat in the Coquille and Coos watershed basins. It would have established the Salmon Credit Trust Fund and directed the Department of State Lands and the State Department of Fish and Wildlife to consult with the United States Army Corps of Engineers for federal approval for a bank instrument and authorization of activities that occur in navigable waters of the United States to create salmonid habitat on marginalized land that voluntarily entered that program. A huge, missed opportunity to streamline economic development and grow salmonid habitat while voluntary landowners would receive dividends from investments from the salmon credit fund in perpetuity.
Protecting Oregonians from Convicted Felons – Senate Republicans moved forward common-sense public safety proposals supported by the vast majority of Oregonians. The Senate Democrat Supermajority voted against our proposed minority reports, demonstrating that they would rather release noncitizen convicted felons of crimes against a person, back into our communities instead of allowing federal law enforcement to potentially remove them from our country when they are about to be released from an Oregon prison.
2026-2-24 Senate Democrats Reject Proposal Requiring Cooperation with Federal Authorities to Remove Illegal Immigrants with Felony Convictions.pdf
2026-3-5 Senate Democrats Reject Proposal Requiring Coordination with Federal Authorities to Remove Illegal Immigrants Convicted of Felonies with Victims.pdf
2026-3-5 Senate Democrats Reject Another Narrow Proposal Allowing Coordination with Federal Authorities to Remove Noncitizens with the Most Serious Criminal Offenses.pdf
Transparency on Transgender Medical Treatments for Minors – Senate Republicans moved forward a proposal that would be supported by at least 60% of Oregonians, according to reputable polling. Our minority report commissioned a study on the long-term impacts of transgender medical procedures on minors. The Democrat Supermajority rejected the proposal while expanding legal protections for providers through HB 4088.
2026-3-5 Senate Republicans Call for Study on Long-Term Effects of Transgender Medical Treatments on Children.pdf
Bad Bills - That Passed
Defending the Referendum Process – Senate Republicans adamantly opposed SB 1599, which moves the transportation tax referendum election to the May 2026 primary election after the referendum had already qualified for the November general election. In only a few days, thousands of Oregonians submitted testimony in opposition to SB 1599. Lawsuits are still underway. Some of SB 1599’s worst aspects included:
- Undermining voter turnout and the will of the people. Moving the referendum from the high-turnout November general election to the lower-turnout May primary disenfranchises voters and manipulates the process to favor the unpopular tax hikes. This rushed change ignores the will of over 250,000 Oregonians who signed the petition to challenge the transportation package. These signatories were told when they signed, they can expect a November vote and the SOS certified it for November.
-
This was an overtly political maneuver by Democrats: SB 1599 is a desperate attempt by Democrats to protect a political agenda with minimal public support, bypassing standard election norms to shield massive tax increases from broader scrutiny.
-
ODOT’s budget was balanced: The Democrats attempted to claim that they needed to accelerate the vote on this measure so the agency can have certainty in its budget. This talking point of the Democrats is completely undermined by the fact that Senate Republicans successfully identified waste in the ODOT budget for the short session, made the proper cuts, and the agency now has a balanced budget no matter when the vote on the referendum took place.
-
Legal and procedural concerns: Republicans filed a lawsuit to block this measure, highlighting potential violations of election laws and the improper use of an emergency clause to fast-track the change. There will be no racial and ethnic impact statement. Democrats refused to sign onto having this done by the CJC and the BIPOC caucus ignored Republicans' call to make this happen. The bill significantly diminished voters' ability to have their voice heard in the voters' pamphlet statement. The Democrats wrote the voter explanation and the financial estimates bypassing a fair and neutral process.
-
Sets a dangerous precedent: Allowing lawmakers to arbitrarily shift referendum dates retroactively after certification erodes public trust in the legislative process and could encourage future manipulations of voter initiatives for partisan gain.
2026-3-3 Tina Kotek Signs Democrats’ Unpopular Bill to Manipulate Gas Tax Referendum Election into Law.pdf
2026-2-25 With Deadline Missed, Senate Bill 1599 Should Be Considered Dead.pdf
2026-2-12 Democrat Supermajority Shows Total Disregard for the Will of Oregon Voters, Advances Bill to Rig Referendum Election Process.pdf
Making Oregon a Sanctuary State for Transgendering Kids and Abortion - HB 4088: Oregon Republicans unanimously opposed HB 4088, viewing it as a dangerous expansion that positions Oregon as a sanctuary state for minors seeking gender-affirming treatments and abortions without parental involvement or oversight from their home states. The bill declares a state policy to shield providers and patients engaging in these activities, prohibits Oregon agencies from cooperating with federal or out-of-state investigations into lawful in-state care, blocks extradition for related charges, and enhances confidentiality for records, including sealing court files for name and gender changes. This framework effectively invites out-of-state runaways—some as young as 14 under Oregon's minor consent laws—to access irreversible procedures like hormone therapy or surgeries in secrecy, while barring parents or authorities from intervening through subpoenas or legal channels. By prioritizing ideological protections over interstate accountability, HB 4088 undermines family structures and could inadvertently facilitate exploitation, such as coercion or trafficking, under the guise of "protected health care."
Senate Republican opposition stems from deep concerns about parental rights, child safety, and the lack of evidence-based safeguards for vulnerable youth. Oregon already allows minors 14 and older to consent to mental health treatments—including those for gender dysphoria—without parental knowledge, and this bill's non-cooperation mandates make it nearly impossible for out-of-state families to locate or access records about their children. Recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings, like Mirabelli v. Bonta, affirm parents' constitutional role in guiding their child's upbringing, yet HB 4088 risks conflicting with these principles by enabling state-sanctioned secrecy. Furthermore, by rejecting Republican amendments to address abuse or coercion, Democrats have prioritized partisan agendas over bipartisan protections, potentially exposing minors to long-term health risks like infertility or regret, as highlighted by international reviews in the UK, Finland, and Sweden that question the efficacy of youth transitions. Republicans stand firm in defending families and demanding transparency, not turning Oregon into a haven for unaccountable medical tourism.
Standing With Taxpayers – Senate Republicans stood with businesses and taxpayers and opposed SB 1507, a bill that disconnects Oregon from tax breaks in Federal H.R. 1. This results in a $311 million tax increase on businesses, farmers, and manufacturers, at a time when Oregon is competing with - and losing to - other states for business. The vast majority of testimony submitted on SB 1507 was in strong opposition, proving once again that Republicans are the ones who stand with taxpayers and stand for affordability, while Democrats continued to do the opposite.
Click Here for my comments in opposition in Committee.
Click Here for my comments in opposition on the Senate Floor.
2026-2-16 Senate Democrats Advance Bill That Would Raise Taxes by $311 Million, Breaking Their Promise on Affordability.pdf
Fewer options for financially struggling Oregonians - HB 4116 takes away the ability for financially struggling Oregonians to make their own decision on taking out a short-term loan to pay for an emergency expense. The bill passed, opening the state to extensive and expensive litigation.
Restricting future youth employment - HB 4013, Makes Oregon’s already restrictive child labor laws even tougher. This can lead to potentially dramatic impacts for the family-owned businesses and the agricultural sector.
Prioritizing Planned Parenthood over Primary Care- HB4127 Pours millions of tax dollars into Planned Parenthood for reproductive health services that will no longer be covered under H.R. 1, despite the fact that many more Oregonians are denied access to primary care due to provider shortages. Democrats are prioritizing their political allies over delivering the care Oregonians deserve. The bill passed along party lines in both the House ( March 3) and Senate (March 6).
Centering Oregon to bypass the CDC - SB 1598, sets Oregon preventive health and vaccine coverage to the federal rules in effect prior to passage of HR 1 anchoring preventive health to rules effective June 30,2025. Allows Oregon’s Public Health Officer to establish state centric recommendations regardless of federal policy. Passed out of committee 3-2 and passed along party lines on the floor (17-11-2 Excused) before heading to the House where a minority report was proposed but failed along party lines 39-18-1.
HB 4079- Requires public schools and colleges to adopt policies requiring notice when federal immigration authorities enter school property for enforcement purposes. This bill places an unnecessary burden on our local school districts and universities to get involved in federal immigration activities. Not only will this lead to unclear rules across the state, it potentially places these educational bodies in jeopardy by hindering or obstructing legal and lawful federal law enforcement activities. Ultimately, this will lead to confusion and likely harm Oregon law enforcement when they are mistaken to be Federal.
Bill passes to require Oregon schools, colleges to send ICE alerts- Salem Stateman Journal
HB 4111 - Aims to prevent retaliation, rendering someone's immigration status generally inadmissible in civil proceedings. The bill also adds immigration status to Oregon's existing anti-profiling law. This bill, like all the Democrat immigration bills this session, is another attempt to virtue signal to their supporters without making any real changes. The only negative change this bill creates that will put our local Oregon law enforcement in more jeopardy, is it prohibits the profiling of an individual based on their immigration status. It is unclear how someone can be profiled based on immigration status, what is clear is this will lead to more lawsuits against Oregon police for doing their jobs.
HB 4114- Makes it easier for people to sue federal or out-of-state law enforcement agents who unlawfully enter private property. Language requiring agents to give local police notice before an operation was removed. This bill is another virtue signaling bill as it is already against the law as laid out in the 4th amendment of the US Constitution for law enforcement to conduct searches without a warrant and without any other exceptions as laid out by current law.
BIPOC lawmakers take aim at federal immigration agents in Oregon – Salem Statesman Journal
HB 4138 - Requires all law enforcement officers in the state to visibly display their name or badge number and agency information and restricts the use of face coverings. The bill exempts undercover agents or agents wearing a mask for medical purposes. This bill is the most redundant of them all and does the most harm to local law enforcement. Oregon law enforcement showed up and testified they already do all these things, and Oregon Democrats said we do not care. We will continue to create rules, regulations, and liabilities that you will have to adhere to even though we are attempting to target Federal Law Enforcement.
Bill takes next step to bar officers from wearing masks in Oregon - Salem Statesman Journal
“The demonization of public safety officers is something that has a deep impact that reverberates across our citizenry," State Senator David Brock Smith said after voting against the bill. “There are individuals that riot and dox these public safety individuals.”
States seek to unmask federal immigration agents -- and their own police – Associated Press
SB 1570 - Adds a person's country of birth or immigration status to the list of protected health information. The bill also requires health care facilities to identify nonpublic areas and prohibits retaliation against a worker who shares "Know Your Rights" materials. This bill places an unnecessary burden on our local hospitals to get involved in federal immigration activities. Not only will this lead to unclear rules across the state, it potentially places these healthcare bodies in jeopardy by hindering or obstructing legal and lawful federal law enforcement activities. Ultimately, this will lead to confusion and likely harm Oregon law enforcement when they are mistaken to be Federal.
Legislature passes bill to protect immigrants at Oregon hospitals – Salem Statesman Journal
SB 1587 - Would bar public bodies from selling personal information to a data broker unless they first give written attestation that the information will not be sold or transferred to any entity that will use it for federal immigration enforcement. This bill is just another attempt to virtue signal to Democrat voters and ultimately have no real impact. It, like all the others, simply requires Oregon law enforcement to be even more careful so they do not accidentally fall into the new prohibitions that Democrats passed to target Federal law enforcement agencies.
SB 1594 - Directs the Oregon Department of Justice to consult the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement when developing or revising policies tied to Oregon’s sanctuary law. The aim, Democrats said, is for the OIRA to have a formal role in advising policymakers and ensuring lived experiences are reflected in policy development. Another bill that diverts the focus from state government away from state issues and towards issues that Oregon cannot impact.
Bad Bills - That Did Not Pass
Stopped the Climate Superfund Bill – SB 1541 would have created a Climate Superfund, establishing a program that imposes retroactive financial liabilities on utilities and other companies based on past, lawful activities with no clear cap, resulting in higher cost for everyday necessities with impacts to Oregon families, seniors, rural communities, and small businesses across the state. As the longtime Vice Chair of Energy & Environment, we worked hard to stop this bill.
Stopped - SB 1588 would have made costly mandates forcing Oregon utilities to finance customers' energy upgrades and renewables through on-bill programs, with PUC-set savings standards and incentives—shifting costs to all ratepayers, inflating bills, crowding out private financing, and entangling utilities in risky government-directed lending. Republicans rejected this bureaucratic overreach that burdens families and businesses with higher prices instead of promoting deregulation and market-driven, affordable energy. As the longtime Vice Chair of Energy & Environment, we worked hard to stop this bill.
Stopped - Playing Politics with Oregon National Guard - HB 4091, would have sought to severely restrict the Oregon National Guard’s ability to support federal missions. The bill would have limited the Adjutant General’s authority to facilitate or coordinate mobilization under Title 10 or Title 32 of the U.S. Code, except for a narrow list of approved purposes such as congressionally authorized military operations, declared national disasters, or routine training, while explicitly prohibiting assistance for law enforcement or immigration enforcement activities. It also barred National Guard units from other states from entering Oregon for those purposes without the Governor’s permission. The Democrat bill failed to pass the full Legislature. In doing so, it exposed a clear attempt to play politics with the Oregon National Guard by inserting state-level barriers between the Guard’s dual state-federal mission. This would have placed the Adjutant General and our troops in an awkward and untenable position, forced to navigate conflicting directives from the Governor and the President as Commander-in-Chief. Had the bill passed it would have jeopardized critical federal funding streams essential for Guard readiness, equipment, and Oregon’s ability to respond to both state emergencies and national security needs.
Eliminates the personal income tax deduction on mortgage interest for a second home - Stopped - HB 4136, This bill was another attempt by Democrats to increasingly tax Oregonians. This change would have made it more expensive to own property in the state while simultaneously moving the new tax revenue away from the General Fund.
Stopped - HB 4143 - Senate Republicans secured a significant accomplishment by successfully halting HB 4143, which sought to authorize the state to withhold certain payments owed to the federal government in response to perceived federal funding abuses. We secured legal opinions from legislative counsel indicating that the bill was most likely unconstitutional and contravened the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, our caucus prioritized adherence to the Constitution and the rule of law, preventing potential escalation of intergovernmental conflicts and safeguarding Oregon's fiscal stability amid a short session marked by Democrat extremism.
Stopped - SJR 203 - Would have asked Oregon voters to approve a constitutional amendment establishing the right to be free from “secret police.” The measure's language was notably broad, simply stating, "The people of Oregon have a right to be free from enforcement of the law by secret police," without providing any statutory definition for the term, which is absent from both federal and state laws. This ambiguity raised significant concerns among stakeholders, including potential implications for prohibiting undercover police operations, as the undefined phrase could be interpreted to encompass any non-identifiable law enforcement activities essential for public safety and investigations. Ultimately, Senate Republicans were able to halt the bill and it did not advance beyond the Senate Committee on Rules, preventing the risks posed by its overly expansive wording.
Stopped - SJR 201 - Would have reallocated a portion of the Oregon “kicker” tax refund to the state school fund. SJR 201 represented a direct assault on Oregon's cherished kicker refund, a vital mechanism that returns surplus tax revenues to hardworking Oregonians when state collections exceed projections by 2% or more. By proposing to siphon off half of any kicker exceeding $300 million for allocation to public education and wildfire efforts, this Democrat-led measure would have stripped millions from taxpayers' pockets, undermining financial relief in an era of skyrocketing living costs where families rely on these rebates for essentials like groceries, utilities, and emergency savings. Worse, it eroded a key accountability tool that curbs excessive government spending and over-taxation, potentially fueling unchecked bureaucratic growth at the expense of individual prosperity. Thanks to the steadfast opposition from Senate Republicans, bolstered by overwhelming public outcry—evidenced by 97% of submitted testimony rejecting the bill—we successfully halted SJR 201 in committee, preserving the full kicker for Oregonians and delivering a resounding victory for fiscal responsibility and taxpayer rights.
Stopped - Increased Regulation by OHA- SB 1528 - Expands drug manufacturer annual reporting requirements to include all patient assistance programs offered or funded by the manufacturer that provided assistance to consumers in this state in the previous calendar year.
Stopped - SB 1528 A - would have increased reporting requirements by pharmaceutical manufacturers in the Drug Price Transparency Program which remains under litigation, shifting tax dollars to the DOJ versus spending them on healthcare. The bill received a 3-2 vote in Senate Healthcare, and a Senate Republican Minority Report was filed.
Stopped - SB 1529 would have increased regulation and legal spending by providers and plans by requiring state regulated health plans and providers to agree to participation in mediation and binding arbitration under certain conditions. It received strong opposition from healthcare stakeholders such as the Hospital Association of Oregon, Independent Medical Coalition, Providence, Oregon Academy of Family Physicians at the public hearing and pulled back by the Chair and did not receive a work session.
From District to the Capitol
 It was an incredible honor to receive the first ever award from the Oregon Small Woodlands Association, for my SB 485 that exempts small forestland owners from estate tax. I sincerely appreciate all of their hard work and dedication, and my colleagues unanimous support.
 I always enjoy an opportunity to host students in the Senate Chambers and give them a tour of their Senate District 1 Office. These are great bunch of youth from Sutherlin High School that came to visit their Capitol.
 Press Conference pushing back on the Democrats misinformation and denigrating law enforcement
  The Umpqua Fishery Enhancement Derby are incredibly dedicated residents, and their partnership is critical as we continue to support our Rock Creek Hatchery and Umpqua River fisheries. Thank you for another great year and Mr. Beck will be greatly missed.
 It is an honor to represent my district and the entire State of Oregon on the state’s budget committee, the Joint Ways & Means Committee.
  Umpqua Community College is doing some remarkable things for our communities and I sincerely appreciate their leadership, staff and students for all of their efforts, as well as the generous community for their support.
 Cyrus Stratton and Donovan Loy-Steiner from Roseburg High School joined me on the Senate Floor as Honorary Pages for the day. These two young men are great students and highly involved in FBLA, National Honor Society and more. I appreciated them taking their time to join me at their Capitol.
 Quality Education is foundational, and I appreciated the opportunity to join my legislative colleagues, school board members, and school administrators for a Curry and Coos meeting to hear about their challenges and success, so that we could work towards solutions.
 Derek LeBlanc and I at the Capitol taking a moment away from battling bad gun legislation. I appreciate him and all the Oregonians that engaged in helping us stop HB 4145 this session. Click Here for my Committee Testimony in the House on the First Day of Session and my advice to the committee for an amendment, that we successfully achieved in the Senate.
 As a former County Commissioner, I know all too well how important our counties are to the State of Oregon and our shared services to residents. I appreciate our County Commissioner’s Hollinger and Farmer joining us at the Capitol to celebrate the 120th Anniversary of the Association of Oregon Counties and all the partnerships with our County Commissioners.
   It was an honor to attend President Trump’s State of the Union. The energy of the House Chamber in the United States Capitol was incredible. I definitely brought that energy back to Oregon with me to finish our legislative session.
 Generations of crab fishermen joined us on the Floor of the Senate and I am grateful for their work. Our crab fishermen were under attack and we came together, with the Legislative Coastal Caucus and our ODFW Commission and pushed back hard. I look forward to our continued work together for this important fishery, our coastal economies and their communities that are so important to us all.
 And that’s a wrap! Sine Die, the end of the 2026 Oregon Legislative Short Session.
If you would like to read more information about my work for you, please Click Here.
If you would like to watch some recorded testimony in committee and comments from the Senate Floor, please Click Here.
It continues to be truly an honor and privilege to work with and for the residents, their businesses and communities of our district and our beloved State of Oregon as your Senator.
As always, please be safe and God Bless you, your family and your neighbor.
Yours Truly,
 Senator David Brock Smith
Together, We Will Build a Better Oregon
 Senate District 1
Curry, Coos, and Douglas Counties
Southwest Oregon’s Fish, Farm, and Forestry District.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1701
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, S-316, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Sen.DavidBrockSmith@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/smithd
| 
