SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Oregon Legislature wrapped up its month-long “short session” three days before the deadline Thursday night, with Democrats, Republicans and Gov. Tina Kotek expressing satisfaction with what got done on Measure 110 fixes, major housing funding and other issues, in contrast to last year’s GOP walkout-hobbled session.

Here’s what each had to say in statements issued after the gavel came down at “sine die” — that means adjournment, including Gov. Kotek’s announcement that she does plan to sign the Measure 110 bill, working with those concerned about its impacts.

Isabella Warren will be reaching out to Central Oregon lawmakers Friday to see how they feel it all went and about major successes or misses from the condensed time in Salem.

Senate Democrats Turn Oregon’s Shared Challenges into Shared Solutions in 2024 Session

Statement from Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber on adjournment of the 2024 Legislative Session

SALEM, OR – Oregon’s 82nd Legislative Assembly adjourned the 2024 Legislative Session today having delivered major victories for the people of Oregon. This session, Senate Democrats worked to turn Oregon’s shared problems into shared solutions. Lawmakers prioritized taking action on the most urgent issues impacting all Oregonians: reducing homelessness, increasing affordable housing, improving public health and safety – including real solutions to the drug crisis – and strengthening our schools and the economy.

Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber (D – Beaverton & SW Portland) issued the following statement on the major wins Senate Democrats delivered for the people of Oregon:

“Oregonians are the winners of this legislative session.

“I’m so proud of the job our caucus did this year, taking on our state’s toughest challenges to make a real, positive difference in peoples’ lives. I’m proud of the way we worked together, with our fellow Democrats and Republicans, to deliver meaningful progress Oregonians’ biggest priorities, including major investments in the homelessness and housing emergencies and common-sense solutions to the drug crisis.

“This responsibility is never easy, and we had to make some really hard decisions this session, but I’m confident that Oregon’s future is brighter because of the victories we secured for communities in every corner of our state.”

Senate Democrats’ 2024 Uniting Oregon Agenda focused on bringing people together to solve our state’s most pressing problems with the goal of making life better for all who call Oregon home. Legislation passed to accomplish this goal includes but is not limited to:

HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS

SAFE, HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

• Oregon Drug Intervention Plan (HB 4002, HB 5204)
• Urgently Expanding Drug Treatment in Oregon (HB 4151, HB 4001, HB 4023, HB 4092)
• Protecting Oregonians on Public Transit (SB 1553)
• Strengthening Support for Survivors of Child Abuse, Domestic and Sexual Violence (HB 4140, HB 4146, HB 4156)
• Improving Government Accountability and Transparency (SB 1533, HB 4117)
• Building on the Success of Oregon’s Marine Reserves (HB 4132)
• Modernizing Oregon’s Emergency Medical Services (HB 4081)
• Protecting Kids Getting On and Off School Buses (HB 4147)
• Safeguarding Oregon’s Economic and Environmental Future (HB 4083)
• Making Prescription Drugs More Affordable for Oregonians (HB 4113)
• Keeping Insulin, Prescriptions Affordable for Oregonians (SB 1508)
• Managing Monsanto Settlement to Protect Oregon’s Environment (SB 1561)
• Defending Voters, Elections from Artificial Intelligence (SB 1571)
• Task Force on Community Safety and Firearm Suicide Prevention (SB 1503)
• Human Services Omnibus to Improve Systems of Care (SB 1521)
• Ensuring Access to Mental Health Care for Youth Under 21 (SB 1557)
• Legislature Passes Bipartisan, Practical Limits on Money in Politics (HB 4024)

STRONG SCHOOLS, STRONG ECONOMY

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2024 SESSION RECAP: Senate Republicans Prioritized Emergencies Like Measure 110 and Housing Supply; Lowered Costs for Oregonians, Protected the Kicker

SALEM, Ore. – This evening, the 2024 Legislative Session adjourned sine die. Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp (R-Bend) released the following statement:

“Since the first day, Senate Republicans have been consistent: this 35-day short session must be focused on bipartisan work to tackle emergencies, fine tune technical fixes, and make reasonable budget adjustments. With few exceptions, the 2024 short session met these criteria. I am proud our Caucus remained dedicated to delivering on these promises by recriminalizing hard drugs, giving law enforcement the tools necessary to crack down on drug dealers, unleashing builders and funding critical infrastructure to boost housing production, strengthening services for children who are victims of abuse, and giving needed financial relief to wildfire victims.”

Republican accomplishments include:

Boosting Housing Production

SB 1564: Allows cities who do not have the bandwidth to create and administer their own model ordinance codes to adopt a code created by DLCD that is aligned with that city’s population.

HB 1530, HB 1537: A bipartisan package of housing bills aimed at boosting housing production, funding critical infrastructure in communities across the state, developing an innovative revolving loan fund, and focusing on workforce housing levels.

Addressing Drug Addiction, Homelessness, and Crime

HB 4002, HB 5204: A bipartisan proposal to give law enforcement, district attorneys, and local government leaders many of the tools they say are needed to get people off the streets and into life-saving addiction treatment. It signifies an end to the nationwide decriminalization movement.

SB 1579: Begins the work of funding and expanding access to underserved, historically marginalized, low-income areas of the state while offering needed services to children who have been abused through Child Advocacy Centers. This critical investment will help ensure equitable access and services for children who have been abused and neglected. It will give all of Oregon’s CACs the opportunity to be accredited with the standards and best practices of the National Children’s Alliance, leading to better standards of care and services.

Defending the Kicker, Growing the Economy, Lowering Costs

SB 1520: Allows Oregon wildfire victims to recover and rebuild their lives without the additional strain of taxation or settlements related to their wildfire losses. The measure proposes to exempt legal settlements from state income taxes for wildfire occurring after January 1, 2020, that were declared state and federal emergencies.

SB 1545: Authorizes a county to allow a homestead rebuilt by the same owner on the same lot to replace the homestead destroyed by the September 2020 wildfires to have a specially assessed value equal to the destroyed homestead’s real market value for the 2020-2021 property tax year, to the extent of the square footage of the destroyed homestead.

SB 1562: Increases the limit for transferring funds from the General Fund to the Rainy Day Fund from 7.5 percent to 12.5 percent of revenue received in the prior biennium. This will allow the state to increase the reserves in Rainy Day Fund as compared to current law.

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Legislative Session 2024: Governor Kotek Issues Statement on Housing and Homelessness, Education, Campaign Finance Reform, and House Bill 4002 

Salem, OR – Today, after Oregon lawmakers concluded the 2024 legislative session, marking continued progress on critical issues facing Oregonians, including housing and homelessness, education, and more, Governor Tina Kotek issued the following statement:

“I commend lawmakers for a productive session with bipartisan successes and a strong focus on the top issues facing Oregonians.

“Oregon will now have more tools to meet the urgent demand for all types of housing, in all parts of the state. Senate Bill 1537 will help stabilize housing costs by increasing housing production through cutting red tape in permitting processes, establishing some of the strongest affordability standards for new construction in the country, and other critical reforms. Combined with investments in Senate Bill 1530, I look forward to ensuring that every dollar advances housing production.

“Our students will have more educational supports this summer to offset the learning loss between school years, and we are on track to make budget information that the State already collects from school districts more accessible and easier to understand.

“This session also marks the historical passage of campaign finance reform with strong bipartisan support. I applaud all those who came to the table to find compromise and deliver a policy that will strengthen transparency and confidence in Oregon’s elections. I want to thank legislative leadership for their commitment and urgency in getting it done this session.

“Finally, reforms to Measure 110 will start to take shape, as I intend to sign House Bill 4002 and the related prevention and treatment investments within the next 30 days. As Governor, my focus is on implementation. My office will work closely with each implementing authority to set expectations, specifically in response to the Criminal Justice Center’s Racial Equity Impact Statement, which projected disproportionate impacts to communities of color and the accompanying concerns raised by advocates. House Bill 4002 will require persistent action and commitment from state and local government to uphold the intent that the legislature put forward: to balance treatment for individuals struggling with addiction and accountability.”