Maddy summaryHB 2295 modifies Oregon's landowner immunity laws to protect property owners from liability for injuries occurring during recreational activities, gardening, woodcutting, or harvesting special forest products. It shifts the focus from a visitor's *intended purpose* for entering land to the *actual activities and location* where the injury occurred. For example, a landowner wouldn't be liable if someone is injured while hiking (a recreational activity) even if they were on the land for unrelated reasons. The bill also clarifies that immunity generally applies unless the landowner charges more than $25 annually for gardening use or explicitly charges for specific recreational activities with proper notice. This affects landowners and users engaging in outdoor activities on private or public land in Oregon.
Sponsored bills
Requires the Secretary of State to establish an electronic filing system to allow a candidate for nomination or election to a county or city office held at a primary or general election to file a portrait and statement electronically with the secretary if the candidate cannot have the portrait and statement printed in the county voters' pamphlet. Requires the Secretary of State to post a candidate portrait and statement on the secretary's website. Requires the applicable state voters' pamphlets and county voters' pamphlets to include a list of all offices whose candidates may post portraits and statements on the Secretary of State's website and the website address where the portraits and statements will be posted.
Allows certain photovoltaic solar power generation facilities on lands zoned for exclusive farm use to operate alongside farm or allowed nonfarm uses on a tract.
Provides that members of the Legislative Assembly and legislative branch employees who have a valid concealed handgun license have an affirmative defense to a charge of possessing a firearm within the Capitol, and may not be arrested or charged for the offense while in possession of the license.
Prohibits a public utility from increasing the public utility's rates or schedules of rates if the public utility has, for a period of three or more years, outstanding or contingent liabilities arising out of wildfire-related litigation. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.
Prohibits the recovery from customers of certain costs and expenses that an electric company incurs if a court or jury finds that a wildfire resulted from the negligence or a higher degree of fault on the part of the electric company. [ Prohibits an electric company from paying or distributing dividends, income, interest or profits or paying, distributing or repurchasing stock or other ownership interest to any person or individual with an ownership or beneficial interest in the electric company if the electric company owes any debt on an outstanding judgment that is based on a finding by a court or jury that a wildfire resulted from the negligence or a higher degree of fault on the part of the electric company. ] [ Sets the rate of interest on the judgment at nine percent per annum to accrue from the date the wildfire was ignited if a plaintiff establishes that a wildfire resulted from the negligence or a higher degree of fault on the part of the electric company. ] [ Provides that an electric company is liable for all taxes that may be owed by a prevailing party on a judgment that the electric company has not satisfied by January 1, 2026, for a judgment that is based on a finding by a court or jury that a wildfire resulted from the negligence or a higher degree of fault on the part of the electric company. ] Requires an electric company to request that the Public Utility Commission open an investigation if the electric company owes more than a certain amount of debt on an outstanding judgment or judgments that are based on a wildfire that resulted from the negligence or a higher degree of fault on the part of the electric company and the electric company plans to make a payment, distribution or repurchase related to dividends, income, interest, profits, stock or other ownership interest. Directs the commission to suspend the payment, distribution or repurchase during the investigation and allows the commission to issue a final order that imposes restrictions, requirements or conditions. Allows a plaintiff to file motions in a civil action based on a wildfire caused by an electric company to require the electric company to file a security or bond if the electric company has been found to be liable to other plaintiffs for damages, losses or other harms resulting from the same wildfire, to have prejudgment interest accrue from the date the wildfire caused damages, losses or other harm and for a supplemental judgment for any additional tax liabilities that the plaintiff may owe on the underlying final judgment. Requires an electric company to apply for a wildfire safety certification. Directs the commission to issue a certification if the applicant is implementing a wildfire protection plan and meets certain requirements. Provides that a certification establishes that the applicant has implemented wildfire policies and practices consistent with wildfire safety standards. Provides that a certification does not establish immunity against claims for damages resulting from a wildfire. Directs the commission to commission a study to examine issues related to catastrophic wildfire risk and recovery and develop scenarios for a balanced solution. Directs the commission to provide an interim report on the study's findings and recommendations to the committees of the Legislative Assembly related to energy and environment during the 2026 regular session and provide recommendations for a stakeholder process to follow the final study report. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
Removes the percentage cap on the amount of moneys that are distributed from the State School Fund to school districts for students eligible for special education as a child with a disability. Directs the Department of Education to prepare and submit a report related to special education funding and expenditures. Appropriates moneys from the General Fund for transfer to the State School Fund. Declares an emergency, effective July 1, 2025.
Increases the tax credit allowed to rural volunteer emergency medical services providers from $250 per tax year to $1,000 per tax year. Requires the Office of Rural Health to annually submit to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to health care and to the Emergency Medical Services Program a report that includes the number of taxpayers eligible for the tax credit. Extends the tax credit sunset to January 1, 2030.
Provides that an operator may require a person who engages in a sport, fitness or recreational activity in various ways to release the operator from claims for ordinary negligence. Directs the Oregon Business Development Department, with the assistance of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, to study issues facing the recreation industry and report to a committee of the Legislative Assembly related to the environment no later than September 15, 2026. Appropriates moneys for study. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
] Directs the State Forester to determine the available state forestland, establish sustainable harvest levels for harvesting timber on state forestland and [ develop a timber inventory model to inform sustainable harvest levels ] manage available state forestland . [ Directs the State Forester to offer timber for sale at the sustainable harvest level, annually report on sales of timber relative to the sustainable harvest level and address any deficit in timber sales. Confers standing on certain persons to challenge a failure to address a deficit. ] [ Directs the State Forester to adopt sustainable harvest levels, forest management plans and related significant policy documents by rule. Establishes certain requirements for judicial review of the rules. ] [ Makes certain changes concerning forest management reports by the State Forester. ] Allows certain persons to seek an injunction if the State Forester fails to establish sustainable harvest levels or manage available state forestland. Appropriates moneys to the State Forester out of the General Fund for [ developing a timber inventory model and ] adopting a sustainable harvest level. [ Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die. ] Declares an emergency, effective on passage.