2023 Oregon Legislative Summary

ENDORSED LEGISLATION

2023 Session

Click on each bill to find more information below.

HB 2918 & HB 2925: Racism is a Public Health Crisis: Round Three
SB 546: Toxic Free Cosmetics
HB 3043: Toxic Free Kids Modernization
HB 2773: Workforce Incentives Package
HB 2558/SB 704 (NOW SB 1089) Creation of the Universal Health Care Plan Governance Board 
SB 426 Toxic Free Schools
HB 3090 – Tobacco Flavor Ban 
HB 2128 – Tobacco Equity Assessment
SB 628 – PANDAS/PAN Pay Parity
SB 858 Children's Service Districts 
HB 2395 Opioid Harm Reduction Policy Package
Building Resilience Bill Package (SB 868, 869, 870, 871)
HB 3592 - Maternity Services Waiver Review

ENDORSED FEDERAL LEGISLATION

CDC Funding - Sign On Letter
Health Resources and Services Administration programs (HRSA) Funding  - Sign On Letter
CDC Funding for Gun Violence Prevention Research

HB 2918 & HB 2925: Racism is a Public Health Crisis 

HB 2918 ✖ Died in committee

HB 2925 ✓ Passed in both chambers! Legislator Report Card

In 2020, OPHA convened the Oregon Health Equity Task Force. Successes started with the declaration of racism as a public health crisis, with HR 6 and the passing of HB 4052 in 2022. Racism causes harm, trauma, illness, and death to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Oregonians. The work continues in 2023 to build the support and funds needed to implement HB 4052. The task force is convening again to create and advocate for HB 2918 & HB 2925 in the 2023 Legislative Session.

HB 2918: provides $4 million necessary to continue funding the mobile health pilot program, providing anti-racist and culturally and linguistically responsive health care to improve outcomes of Oregonians impacted by racism.

HB 2925: extends the timeline for affinity group task forces convened by The Oregon Advocacy Commissions Office and community-based organizations to meet, discuss, research and make policy recommendations that improve health outcomes of communities of color across the state from June 2023 to June 2026. Additionally, HB 2925 extends the timeline for OHA to develop recommendations on how to fund intervention programs designed to prevent or intervene in the health conditions that result in inequitable and negative outcomes.

View HB 2918 & 2925 1-Pager

Read context around HB 4052

Questions? Contact OPHA Executive Director, Elisabeth Hartner.

SB 546: Toxic Free Cosmetics

✓ Passed in both chambers! Legislator Report Card

Requires Oregon Health Authority to adopt and maintain list of designated high priority chemicals of concern used in cosmetic products and to periodically review and revise list. Requires authority to post certain information on authority's website. Requires manufacturers of cosmetic products sold in state to include on manufacturer's website notice of certain chemicals used in products, beginning on January 1, 2025. Bans manufacture, sale and distribution of cosmetic products containing certain chemicals and classes of chemicals in state, beginning on January 1, 2025. 

OLIS

SB 546 Fact Sheet

HB 3043: Toxic Free Kid's Act Modernization

✓ Passed in both chambers! Legislator Report Card

Revises provisions relating to chemicals in children's products. Becomes operative January 1, 2024. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die. 

OLIS

HB 3043 Fact Sheet

HB 2773: Workforce Incentives Package

✖ Died in committee

Requires Oregon Health Authority to provide incentives to increase recruitment and retention of local public health professionals. Directs authority to provide grants to local public health agencies that provide interns and fellows with training in, and clinical supervision of, nursing duties performed in local public health agencies. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die. 

OLIS

HB 2773 Fact Sheet

HB 2773 1-Pager

SB 1089 (used to be HB 2558/SB 704) Creation of the Universal Health Care Plan Governance Board 

✓ Passed in both chambers! Legislator Report Card

Establishes Universal Health Plan Governance Board and directs board to create comprehensive plan for implementing Universal Health Plan beginning in 2027.

OLIS 1089

1-Pager

SB 426 Toxic Free Schools

✖ Died in committee

Modifies requirements of Healthy and Safe Schools Plan related to integrated pest management. Requires Department of Education to provide technical assistance to districts and schools regarding integrated pest management plans. Requires department to establish recommendations for limiting and reducing exposure to pesticides. Directs department to convene Healthy and Safe Schools Integrated Pest Advisory Committee. Direct department to provide grants to three school districts to test applicability of pesticide applicator records system. Requires governing bodies of schools to implement certain record keeping and reporting requirements related to school integrated pest management. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die. 

OLIS

1-Pager

HB 3090 – Tobacco Flavor Ban 

✖ Died in committee

Prohibits distributing, selling, attempting to sell or allowing to be sold flavored inhalant delivery system product or flavored tobacco product in this state. Defines "flavored inhalant delivery system product" and "flavored tobacco product." Declares emergency, effective on passage. 

OLIS

1-Pager

HB 2128 – Tobacco Equity Assessment

✓ Passed in both chambers! Legislative Report Card

Replaces escrow deposit system required of tobacco product manufacturers who are nonparticipating manufacturers for purposes of Master Settlement Agreement with requirement of direct payments to state. Amends findings to state policy to include statement of intention to hold all tobacco product manufacturers liable for cigarette-related health care costs, regardless of status under Master Settlement Agreement. Applies to certifications submitted on or after January 1, 2025. Takes effect on 91st following adjournment sine die. 

OLIS

1-Pager

SB 628 – PANDAS/PAN Pay Parity

✓ Passed in both chambers! Legislative Report Card

Requires health benefit plan and health care service contract coverage of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome.

OLIS

SB 858 Children's Service Districts 

✖ Died in committee

Authorizes formation of children's service districts. Authorizes children's service districts to levy property taxes to fund programs that offer children's services. Defines "children's services" as services that support children's total health and well-being provided outside of school hours to individuals not more than 18 years of age. Provides that, if action is filed by taxpayer for real property located within children's service district asserting valid claim that revenue funding project is subject to compression under $5 per $1,000 of real market value cap for purposes of Ballot Measure 5 (1990) as revenue funding project constituting educational services, children's service district shall discontinue project and shall use revenue for project that does not constitute educational services. 

OLIS

1-Pager

HB 2395 Opioid Harm Reduction Policy Package

✓ Passed in both chambers! Legislative Report Card

Background
Accidental deaths and hospitalizations stemming from the use of opioids have dramatically increased since 20191. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl has emerged as a key driving force behind this tragic increase in morbidity and mortality. We must expeditiously and effectively take action as a state to address this threat to the health and safety of Oregonians. This policy package is informed by professional medical experience as well as conversations with a variety of community stakeholders including emergency room physicians, first responders, harm reduction experts, public health professionals, students, educators, community-based organizations serving people suffering from substance use disorder and family members of people lost due to accidental overdose.

Solution
This omnibus bill seeks to address current barriers to harm reduction efforts to start saving lives as soon as possible. These are not silver bullets but rather concepts to uplift harm reduction as part of the treatment continuum. See 1-pager for details.

OLIS

One-Pager

Building Resilience Bill Package (SB 868, 869, 870, 871)

These bills were put together in a large omnibus bill, HB 3409, which passed! Legislative Report Card

Building Resilience Fact Sheet

OLIS: SB 868, SB 869, SB 870, SB 871

SB 868: Healthy Heating and Cooling for All

Heat pumps are the most efficient heating and cooling technology available. Coupled with heat pump hot water heaters and weatherization, installing these efficient appliances can cut energy waste and household energy bills significantly. Strengthening our state’s energy-efficiency programs for existing homes and buildings, and streamlining efforts to distribute heat pumps to the communities that need them most will be critical to leveraging unprecedented federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes billions of dollars in incentives and rebates for households to install efficient, all-electric appliances.

OLIS: SB 868

SB 868 One-Pager

SB 869: Build Smart From the Start

New homes and buildings must be prepared to protect us from the climate crisis and help us save on energy bills. Our communities are growing rapidly and housing is in high demand. Constructing clean, efficient, resilient buildings will be a continuous need and a big job creator. Approximately a third of buildings that will exist in Oregon in 2050 have yet to be built, and most last for 50-100 years. Improving our state’s base building code can ensure that new construction and major renovations reduce both climate footprint of materials and operational energy waste. This will save families and businesses money on utility bills while maximizing benefits for low-income communities, renters, rural and BIPOC communities.

OLIS: SB 869

SB 869 One-Pager

SB 870: Building Performance Standard

Cutting energy waste from some of our state’s largest and most energy-intensive buildings can lower energy bills and significantly cut air and climate pollution. A Building Performance Standard for existing buildings would establish specific performance levels that buildings must achieve over time, and can be designed to target improvements in a variety of building aspects, including energy use, water use, and emissions.

OLIS: SB 870

SB 870 One-Pager

SB 871: Lead by Example

State and local governments have an important role to play in the transition to healthy, resilient buildings powered by clean energy, and can lead by example by adopting policies to improve the energy efficiency of and reduce pollution from state-owned and publicly financed buildings. This is especially important when it comes to improving air quality and reducing energy costs in public schools.

OLIS: SB 871

SB 871 One-Pager

HB 3592 - Maternity Services Waiver Review 

✖ Died in committee

Requires general hospital licensed in Oregon to provide maternity services subject to exemption that Oregon Health Authority may allow under criteria prescribed by rule.

OLIS: HB 3592