Oregon Democrat Caucus laid out their 2025 “Oregon Forward” agenda focusing on increasing prosperity, making Oregon safer and healthier, and protecting our rights and freedoms.

Senate Majority Leader Kayse Jama (D - E Portland & N Clackamas County) thinks “Oregonians want their elected officials to work together to make our state the best place to live, work, and raise a family.” However, what has happened is behind closed doors, which provides no evidence that leadership is willing to be bipartisan.

House Majority Leader Ben Bowman (D-Tigard, Metzger, & S. Beaverton) said, “The legislature’s job is to improve Oregonians’ lives. Solving Oregon’s most important problems means our government has to work effectively. We believe that every Oregonian should feel safe and at home in our state, and the values-driven leaders in our caucus will work hard to deliver results for working people.”

How does their proposed legislation stand up to their priorities so far?

1. Keeping more money in Oregonians’ pockets and growing opportunity/Delivering a Roadmap Forward

• Keep watching for a return bill to establish a statewide property tax and raising other taxes while promising to make Oregon more affordable.
• SJR 15 abolishes Kicker Refund (Senator Lew Frederick, D-Portland)
• SB 682 retroactively taxes fossil fuel entities for 30 years for releasing greenhouse gas emissions. ORS 250.105, and the Oregon Constitution, Article IV, Section 1, laws are not allowed to be retroactive. It is also double taxation after these entities have already purchased credits in compliance with “cap-and-trade.” (Sponsored by 14 Democrats)
• HB 2370 increases the maximum annual fee that the PUC may assess on the gross operating revenues of regulated utilities from the current cap of 0.45% to 0.55%. (At request of Governor Kotek)
• HB 2977 increases hotel tax from 1% to 2.5% to pay for wildlife program. (Sponsored by 7 Democrats)

2. Prioritizing affordable housing and the homelessness crisis

• SB 78 restricts rebuilding after a disaster making it more difficult for property owners to rebuild and provide adequately for their growing family or their livelihood. (Committee chair Senator Jeff Golden, D-Ashland)

3. Promoting community safety and improving the justice system

•HB 2640 legalizes more crimes including theft, protecting criminals and doing all they can to make you less safe by crushing what’s left of your Second Amendment rights. There will be no negotiating, no bargaining in good faith to meet their goal to end the future sales of firearms and restrict and punish gun owners who play by the rules. (Committee bill)
• HB 2543 Appropriates $15 million from the General Fund to the Universal Representation Fund to defend illegal criminals. (Sponsored by 22 Democrats)
• SB 599 Prohibits landlords from inquiring or rejecting an applicant due to immigration status, or disclosing immigration status, includes “prove lawful presence”, which extends to illegal criminal activities. (Sponsored by 17 Democrats)
• HB 3075 bypasses courts to implement Measure 114 making changes to the gun permit and transfer processes. (Sponsored by Rep. Jason Kropf)
• SB 429 mandates a 3-day wait when purchasing a firearm. SB 696 creating crime for possessing a rapid fire activator. SB 698 extends concealed handgun ban areas. (5-8-8 Democrat sponsors)
• SB 697 restricts firearms possession to age 21 with exceptions. Named the Russell Paul Evans Act. (Sponsored by 7 Democrats)

4. Maintaining Oregon’s transportation system/Making Oregon work

• HB 2931 Interstate 5 bridge replacement project allowing other tolling, outside of the bridge, to pay for the project. (Sponsored at request of the Governor)
• SB 569 grants minority businessowners priority in violation of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Chevron. (Sponsored by Sen. Aaron Woods)

5. Increasing access to care for all Oregonians/Protecting Basic Rights and Freedoms

• HB 2010 Extends the assessment on earnings from health plan premiums, the assessment on payments by the Oregon Health Authority to managed care organizations, the assessment on hospitals and the Oregon Reinsurance Program. (Rep. Julie Fahey, D-Eugene)
• SB 697 makes it illegal to sell a firearm to adults under 21, but they still want them to die for our country. (Sponsored by 7 Democrats)
• Multiple restrictions on firearms: SB 698 extends concealed handgun ban areas, SB 697 restricts firearms possession to age 21, SB 696 creates crime for rapid fire activators, SB 429 mandates 3-day wait when purchasing a firearm.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

6. Protecting our environment and our future – climate change reducing greenhouse gas

• SJR 28 mandates a healthy environment, determined by court making laws without representation. (Sponsored by 22 Democrats)
• HB 2961 increases the percentage of electric vehicle charging stations that must be installed to 50% for main level parking spaces and 20% in upper levels in garages or parking areas of newly constructed commercial buildings, multifamily buildings with five or more units and mixed-use buildings consisting of privately owned commercial space and five or more residential dwelling units. (Sponsored by 3 Democrats)

7. Improving outcomes for students, teachers, and families/Making Oregon Work

• SB 867 prevents religious schools from school choice funding violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or Article I, section 5, of the Oregon Constitution. When, in fact, the bill violates the constitution by restricting religious freedom. It is the religious schools that have helped make public schools look better by taking in difficult students that public schools refuse. (At request of Governor Kotek)

8. Safeguarding our freedoms and holding government accountable

• HB 2640 Reduces to equivalent of a traffic violations changing crimes to offenses the failure to appear in a violation proceeding, failure to appear in the second degree, criminal trespass in the second degree, criminal mischief in the third degree, failure to carry a license or to present a license to a police officer and, under specified circumstances, failure to appear on a criminal citation, theft in the third degree, failure to report as a sex offender, driving while suspended and failure to perform the duties of a driver when property is damaged. (Sponsored by Committee)
• SB 599 prohibits landlords from asking immigration status. (Sponsored by 17 Democrats)
• HB 2200 directs the Oregon Investment Council and the State Treasurer to reduce the carbon intensity of state investments and address certain investment risks relating to climate change by 2050. (Ar request of Secretary of State Tobas Reed)
• HB 2525 Expand the Oregon Political Tax Credit from $100 (joint filers) to $500 and from $50 individuals to $250 (single tax filers). (Sponsored Rep. Paul Evans)

Most of the above bills can be found on Oregon Citizens Lobby including response options.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2025-01-30 22:10:13

Last Update: 2025-01-31 00:40:39