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STATUS CHECK: Where key legislative bills are on week 5
We’re tracking nearly 30 bills on education, homelessness, crime, health care, justice, the environment and other issues, showing where they are in the legislative process
The five-week session of the Oregon Legislature kicked off with lawmakers filing more than 200 bills. Those have been whittled down by House and Senate committees. Bills that didn’t pass out of committee by the end of the day on Feb. 14 died. Those that require the use of state funds must be considered by the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.
The Capital Chronicle is publishing an update on Friday.
Here is where some key bills stand:
House
Proposal: Overtime for farmworkers: House Bill 4002
Summary: Requires employers to pay farmworkers time and a half after 40 hours a week and includes tax credits for employers to offset the cost.
Action: Passed out of the House Committee on Business and Labor on Feb. 14, with 7 Democrats in favor; 4 Republicans against. Passed out of Joint Farmworker Overtime Committee on Feb. 24, with 6 Democrats in favor and 4 Republicans against
House vote: Passed on March 1 with 37 Democrats in favor and 23 Republicans against
Senate vote: Passed on March 3, with x Democrats in favor and x Republicans against
Governor signed:
Proposal: Creates intern license for nursing students: House Bill 4003
Summary: Allows qualified nursing students to work in a clinical setting under their own license and adds nurses to the Oregon Wellness Program which offers free mental health therapy sessions.
Action: Passed out of the House Committee on Health Care on Feb. 11, with 6 Democrats and 3 Republicans in favor; passed out of the Joint Ways and Means Committee on Feb. 23, with 13 Democrats and eight Republicans voting in favor, one Republican opposed.
House vote: Passed on Feb. 25, with 57 in favor
Senate vote: Passed on March 2, with 25 in favor and 2 against
Governor signed:
Proposal: Staffing grants to behavioral health facilities: House Bill 4004
Summary: Authorizes the Oregon Health Authority to give mental health and addiction treatment services grants to retain and recruit staff and increases reimbursement rates.
Action: Passed out of the the House Committee on Behavioral Health on Feb. 10, with 7 Democrats and 2 Republicans in favor; 1 Republican against; passed by Joint Ways and Means Committee, with 22 in favor
House vote: Passed on March 1 with 58 in favor
Senate vote: Passed on March 3, by 24 in favor and 2 against
Governor sign:
Proposal: Creates grants for school districts impacted by wildfires: House Bill 4026
Summary: Directs the Oregon Department of Education to award grants to school districts to cover funding losses from enrollment drops due to wildfires.
Action: Passed out of House Revenue Committee on Feb. 8, with 7 in favor; passed out of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means Feb. 23, with 9 Republicans and 13 Democrats in favor
House vote: Passed on Feb. 28 with 60 in favor
Senate vote: Passed on March 2, with 27 in favor
Governor sign:
Proposal: Creates grants, loosens restrictions to increase school staffing: House Bill 4030
Summary: Simplifies hiring and reduces requirements to encourage out-of-state teachers to work in Oregon, and creates a grant program for recruitment and retention of teachers and establishes program to reimburse substitute teachers and assistants for training costs.
Action: Passed out of the House Committee on Education on Feb. 10, with 6 Democrats and 4 Republicans in favor; passed out of the House Rules Committee on Feb. 17, with 4 Democrats and 3 Republicans in favor; passed Joint Committee on Ways and Means, with 17 in favor and 4 opposed
House vote: Passed on March 2, with 48 in favor and 11 against
Senate vote: Passed on March 3, with 24 in favor and 2 against
Governor sign:
Proposal: Expands land in Salem for transitional housing: House Bill 4037
Summary: Requires the Oregon Department of Administrative Services to lease to the city of Salem certain surplus property to use as transitional housing.
Action: Passed House Housing Committee on Feb. 14, with 11 votes in favor; passed Senate Housing Committee on Feb. 23 with 3 Democrats and 2 Republicans in favor
House vote: Passed Feb. 16 with 54 in favor and 3 Republicans against
Senate vote: Passed on Feb. 25 with 23 in favor
Governor sign:
Proposal: Creates grants to prevent violence: House Bill 4045
Summary: Directs the state Department of Administrative Services and Oregon Health Authority to fund community violence prevention and intervention services.
Action: Passed out of the House Committee on Health Care on Feb. 14, with 6 Democrats and 4 Republicans in favor; passed out of Joint Ways and Means Committee on Feb. 23, with 21 in favor and 1 Republic
House vote: Passed on Feb. 28, with 57 in favor and 1 against
Senate vote: Passed on March 2, with 25 in favor a 1 against
Governor sign:
Proposal: Creates two mobile health units for underserved communities: House Bill 4052
Summary: Requires Oregon Health Authority to create a pilot program consisting of two culturally and linguistically specific mobile health units to provide care in underserved communities.
Action: Passed out of the House Health Care Committee on Feb. 14 with 6 Democrats and 4 Republicans in favor; passed out of Joint Ways and Means Committee, with 22 in favor
House vote: Passed on Feb. 28, with 49 in favor and 11 Republicans against
Senate vote: Passed on March 2, with 22 in favor and 3 Republicans against
Governor sign:
Proposal: Allows prefabricated homes to be put in mobile home parks: House Bill 4064
Summary: Standardizes definitions to allow for prefabricated homes to be placed in mobile home or manufactured dwelling parks, including parks that are cooperatively owned.
Action: Passed out of the House Committee on Housing on Feb. 9, with 7 Democrats and 3 Republicans in favor and 1 Republican against; passed out of Senate Committee on Housing on Feb. 23 with 3 Democrats and 2 Republicans in favor
House: Passed on Feb. 14, with 40 in favor and 12 Republicans against
Senate vote: Passed on March 2, with 49 in favor and 10 Republicans against
Governor sign:
Proposal: Eases voter registration: House Bill 4133
Summary: Allows residents to register to vote online using the last four digits of their Social Security number.
Action: Passed House Rules Committee on Feb. 10, with 4 Democrats in favor and 3 Republicans against.
House vote: Passed on Feb. 16, with 33 Democrats in favor and 23 Republicans against.
Action: Passed the Senate Rules Committee on Feb. 22 with 3 Democrats in favor and 2 Republicans against.
Senate vote: Passed Feb. 24, with 18 Democrats in favor and 7 Republicans opposed
Governor sign:
Proposal: Creates penalties for Oregon’s public meetings law: House Bill 4140
Summary: Gives the Oregon Government Ethics Commission the authority to investigate and fine individuals for violations of the state’s public meetings law.
Action: Hearing held Feb. 10 in the House Committee on Rules
Now in: House Committee on Rules
House vote:
Senate vote:
Governor sign:
Proposal: Makes an attack on a hospital employee a crime: House Bill 4142
Summary: Makes an intentional or reckless injury of a hospital employee a third-degree assault.
Action: Passed out of of the House Committee on the Judiciary on Feb. 10, with 6 Democrats and 2 Republicans in favor; 1 Republican against; passed House Rules Committee on Feb. 25, with 6 in favor and 1 against
House vote: Passed on March 1, with 53 in favor and 7 against
Now in: Senate
Senate vote:
Governor sign:
Proposal: Lets people in prison vote: House Bill 4147
Summary: Allows people serving time for felony convictions to vote, using their address prior to incarceration as their residence address.
Action: Referred to the House Rules Committee; motion to withdraw from the House Rules Committee failed on March 3, with 57 against and 2 in favor
Now in: House Committee on Rules
House vote:
Senate vote:
Governor sign:
Senate
Proposal: Requires adoption of the Private Forests Accord: Senate Bill 1501
Summary: Directs the Oregon Board of Forestry to adopt one set of rules by Nov. 30 to implement the Private Forest Accord which sets new standards for the management of 10 million acres of private forests in the state and updates the Forest Practices Act.
Action: Passed out of Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire Recovery Feb. 8, with 3 Democrats and 1 Republican in favor; passed Joint Committee on Ways and Means on Feb. 26, with 17 in favor and 5 opposed.
Senate vote: Passed on March 2 with 22 in favor and 5 against
House: Passed March 3, 43 in favor and 15 against
Governor sign:
Proposal: Omnibus bill on police searches and probation: Senate Bill 1510
Summary: Requires police officer to inform a person they stop of the right to refuse to be searched and, if consent is obtained, requires the officer to obtain written, video or audio record that the consent to search; prohibits a police officer to initiate a traffic stop based solely on certain traffic violations; requires parole and probation officers to receive continuing education in trauma-informed care; and includes other requirements.
Action: Passed out of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and Ballot Measure 111 Implementation on Feb. 8, with 4 Democrats in favor and 3 Republicans opposed; passed out of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means on Feb. 24, with 12 Democrats in favor and 10 Republicans opposed
Senate vote: Passed on March 1, with 16 Democrats in favor and 11 Republicans opposed
House vote: Passed March 3, with 34 in favor and 24 against
Governor sign:
Proposal: Allows new trials for people convicted by non-unanimous juries: Senate Bill 1511
Summary: Creates a process enabling a person convicted or found guilty except for insanity by a non-unanimous jury to file a petition for post-conviction relief within one year and includes other provisions.
Action: Passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Feb. 14, with 4 Democrats in favor and 3 Republicans opposed
Now in: Joint Committee on Ways and Means
House vote:
Senate vote:
Governor sign:
Proposal: Protects superintendents from being fired in some circumstances: Senate Bill 1521
Summary: Prohibits school boards from firing a superintendent for following a law or executive order and requires they give 12-months notice to a superintendent who will be fired “without cause”
Action: Passed out of the Senate Committee on Education on Feb. 8, with 3 Democrats in favor and 1 Republican opposed; passed out of House Education Committee on Feb. 22, with 6 Democrats in favor and 4 Republicans opposed
Senate: Passed on Feb. 10, with 16 in favor and 7 Republicans opposed
House: Passed on Feb. 25 with 31 in favor and 25 against
Action: Governor sign:
Proposal: Creates campaign finance limits: Senate Bill 1526
Summary: Establishes limits on campaign contributions that may be accepted by candidates and political committees.
Action: Public hearing held in the Senate Committee on Rules
Now in: Senate Committee on Rules
House vote:
Senate vote:
Governor sign:
Proposal: Requires insurers to cover infertility treatments: Senate Bill 1530
Summary: Requires certain insurers to cover for in vitro fertilization, exempts insurers who are currently exempt from covering certain reproductive health services and directs the Oregon Health Authority to study inequities in assisted reproduction for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or who another minority gender identity.
Action: Passed out of the Senate Health Care Committee on Feb. 14, with 3 Democrats in favor and 2 Republicans against
Now in: Senate Rules Committee
House vote:
Senate vote:
Governor sign:
Proposal: Includes various measure to increase cooling options: Senate Bill 1536
Summary: Allows tenants to put in window air conditioners, establishes a rebate program for heat pumps in rental units and earmarks $1 million to help landlords create cooling spaces.
Action: Passed out of the Senate Committee on Housing and Development on Feb. 14 with 3 Democrats and 2 Republicans in favor; passed out of Joint Ways and Means Committee on Feb. 26, with 17 in favor and 5 against; passed out of House Rules Committee on March 3, with 5 in favor and 2 against
Senate vote: Passed on March 2, with 22 in favor and 5 against
House vote: Passed March 3, with 49 in favor and 9 against
Governor sign:
Proposal: Creates pilot programs to help homeless students: Senate Bill 1539
Summary: Establishes grants for school districts with a significant population of homeless students to help pay for their transportation so they can get to school.
Action: Passed out of the Senate Committee on Education on Feb. 8, with 3 Democrats and 1 Republican in favor; motion to move it out of the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee on March 3 failed, with 18 against and 9 in favor
Now in: Senate Finance and Revenue Committee
House vote:
Senate vote:
Governor sign:
Proposal: Appropriates money for instant firearm background checks: Senate Bill 1540
Summary: Appropriates $2.6 million to the Oregon State Police to fund the Firearms Instant Check System to address a backlog.
Action: Passed out of the Senate Judiciary and Ballot Measure 110 Implementation Committee on Feb. 8, with 4 Democrats and 3 Republicans in favor
Now in: Joint Committee on Ways and Means
House vote:
Senate vote:
Governor sign:
Proposal: Earmarks $200 million for workplace training programs: Senate Bill 1545
Summary: Uses state and federal funds to create grant programs aimed at helping women, low-income residents, people of color, rural residents, veterans, people with disabilities, members of tribes and others gain skills to find jobs in construction, health care and manufacturing.
Action: Passed out of the Senate Committee for Labor and Business on Feb. 11, with 3 Democrats and 1 Republican in favor; passed out of Joint Ways and Means Committee on Feb. 24, with 17 in favor and 5 against
Senate vote: Passed on March 1, with 23 in favor and 3 against
House vote: Passed on March 3, with 48 in favor and 10 against
Governor sign:
Proposal: Creates voucher program to increase low-income rental units: Senate Bill 1557
Summary: Creates one-year $900,000 voucher program for the Salem Housing Authority and the Housing Authority of Washington County to help keep low-income tenants in housing that used to be publicly supported.
Action: Passed out of the Senate Committee on Housing and Development on Feb. 9, with 3 Democrats in favor and 2 Republicans against
Now in: Joint Committee on Ways and Means
House vote:
Senate vote:
Governor sign:
Proposal: Requires seismic assessments for fuel terminals: Senate Bill 1567
Summary: Requires owners or operators of oil and liquid fuel terminals in Columbia, Multnomah and Lane counties to conduct and submit seismic vulnerability assessment to the Department of Environmental Quality.
Action: Passed out of the Senate Committee on Energy and the Environment on Feb. 14, with 3 Democrats in favor; 1 Republican in favor; passed out of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means on feb. 24, with 16 in favor and 6 opposed
Senate vote: Passed on March 1, with 23 in favor and 2 against
Now in: House
House vote:
Governor sign:
Proposal: Creates pathway to release for medically ill people in prison: Senate Bill 1568
Summary: Creates a means for an ill person who’s incarcerated, provided they haven’t committed certain crimes, to apply for early medical release from custody and includes other provisions.
Action: Passed out of the Senate Judiciary and Ballot Measure 110 Implementation Committee on Feb. 14, with 4 Democrats in favor and 3 Republicans opposed
Now in: Joint Committee on Ways and Means
House vote:
Senate vote:
Governor sign:
Proposal: Allows Education Department to investigate discrimination allegations: Senate Bill 1578
Summary: Allows the Education Department rather than school districts and boards to investigate and resolve allegations of discrimination that violate state and federal laws or could result in physical harm or lost class time for a student
Action: Passed out of the Senate Committee on Education on Feb. 10, with 3 Democrats and 1 Republican in favor; sent to Joint Committee on Ways and Means
Now in: Bill was killed by Ways and Means Committee
House vote:
Senate vote:
Governor sign:
Proposal: Allows a person who was wrongfully convicted to charge the state: Senate Bill 1584
Summary: Allows people who were wrongfully convicted to charge the state $65,000 for every year they were incarcerated, on probation, on post-prison supervision or forced to register as sex offenders.
Action: Passed out of the Senate Committee On Judiciary and Ballot Measure 110 Implementation on Feb. 9, with 4 Democrats and 2 Republicans in favor; passed out of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means on Feb. 24, with 22 in favor
Senate vote: Passed on March 1, with 25 in favor
Now in: House
House vote:
Governor sign:
Reporters Alex Baumhardt and Julia Shumway contributed to this status check.
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