HB 3342: Relating to water; and prescribing an effective date. - Oregon

B-Engrossed → Enrolled · 5 edits · Jun 9, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was finalized as an enrolled version, removing editorial summaries and formatting notes while adding sponsor information. The substantive policy content regarding water rights regulations remains largely unchanged from the B-Engrossed version, with minor formatting adjustments and one additional provision added to Section 537.252 regarding public notice procedures for land inclusion changes.

Scope change

None - the substantive scope of the water rights legislation remains the same; only the document format and presentation changed from B-Engrossed to Enrolled status.

TECHNICAL

Added sponsor names (Representatives HELM, OWENS) and removed editorial summary section

Changed document header from 'B-Engrossed' to 'Enrolled' indicating final legislative version

Removed bracketed editorial notes explaining how to read amended sections

Minor formatting adjustments to section numbering and spacing throughout the document

REQUIREMENT

Added new subsection (3) to ORS 537.252 requiring public notice publication in department's weekly public notice when districts propose land inclusion changes

A-Engrossed → B-Engrossed · 3 edits · May 27, 2025

MINOR

The bill was amended from House to Senate version, updating the ordering date and adding Senate amendments to the official record. The substantive policy content regarding water rights regulation, electronic document submission rules, and hydroelectric permit procedures remains largely unchanged between versions.

Scope change

No substantive change to the bill's scope or applicability; only procedural updates to the bill's versioning and ordering dates.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill's ordering date from April 15 (House) to May 16 (Senate) and added Senate Amendment dates to the official record.

Reformatted the bill digest section by removing bracketed explanatory text while keeping the core summary of the Act's purpose and effective date.

Adjusted line numbers and formatting throughout the document to reflect the Senate version's pagination and markup conventions.

Introduced → A-Engrossed · 5 edits · May 27, 2025

MODERATE

This bill was amended to expand its scope from a simple study directive to a comprehensive water rights reform package. The original version only required the Water Resources Department to study water rules, while the amended version now includes specific amendments to multiple Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) chapters governing water rights, electronic document submission, and hydroelectric permitting.

Scope change

The bill's scope significantly expanded from a single study requirement to include substantive amendments to 27 different ORS sections covering water rights regulation, electronic document handling, and hydroelectric project permitting procedures.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the bill's purpose from requiring a study of water rules to directly amending existing water rights laws and creating new provisions for electronic document submission.

Added new ORS 536.045 provisions allowing the Water Resources Commission to adopt rules for electronic document submission, including verification methods and fee waivers for electronic documents.

Modified ORS 537.145 to change how hydroelectric permit applications are published, shifting from newspaper publication to the department's weekly public notice.

Modified ORS 537.252 to clarify conditions under which water right certificates can include additional land not originally described in permits, including requirements about beneficial use and district boundaries.

TIMELINE

Removed the repeal provision that would have ended the bill's requirements on January 2, 2027, suggesting the changes are now intended to be permanent.

Relating to water; and prescribing an effective date.

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