The state’s short legislative session has come to an end. The most hotly-debated topic has been the re-criminalization of drug possession, but let’s take a closer look at what else lawmakers accomplished.
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Daylight Saving Time
Daylight saving time is here to stay. House Bill 1548 would have permanently placed Oregon in standard time, but it died on the House floor due to time constraints after narrowly passing in the Senate. [OPB]
✅ Coal investments
The COAL Act, aimed at divesting nearly $1 billion from coal and energy investments in the state’s $94 billion Public Employee Retirement System (PERS), passed without much opposition. House Bill 4083 will ensure PERS does not hold stocks in companies generating 20% or more of their revenue from coal production and proposes a move towards net-zero greenhouse emissions by 2050. [Oregonian]
✅ Campaign Finance
There is now a limit of $3,300 from individuals on contributions to candidates and political parties in Oregon, mirroring federal limits. The bipartisan-backed bill will also create an online system for disclosing money that is spent in support of a political candidate without that candidate’s knowledge, aka “independent expenditures” that have been deemed by the U.S. Supreme Court to be free speech and cannot be limited. The limits will go into effect in 2027. [AP News]
✅ Summer School Programs
The Legislature passed House Bill 4082, which will earmark $30 million for summer programs in school districts across the state — a boost from last year’s funding but less than initially proposed. The bill will also prioritize Title I schools serving low-income students and offers potential for long-term solutions in sustaining summer learning programs. [Oregonian]
❌ Book Ban Prohibition
House Bill 1583 would have prevented school boards and other school officials from removing library books that were written by, or about, protected classes like people of color or LGBTQ+ people, but Republican opponents delayed the vote until Saturday. The bill was dropped in lieu of working into the weekend. [Oregon Legislature]
