Rep. Paul Evans

Grants income tax credit to firefighters and other registered individuals who provide volunteer services, including services to rural fire protection districts or fire departments. Applies to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2032. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Directs the Department of Veterans' Affairs to develop a program under which the department, pursuant to contracts with financial institutions, provides loan or credit guarantees for qualified veterans for the purpose of refinancing existing home mortgages on veterans' primary residences. Establishes the Veterans Refinancing and Reintegration Services Fund. Appropriates moneys in the fund to the department. Prohibits the department from paying amounts due under a loan or credit guarantee agreement from any source other than available funds in the Veterans Refinancing and Reintegration Services Fund. Provides that amounts due and payable under an agreement do not constitute a debt, or a lending of credit, of the state. Authorizes financial institutions to exercise rights against the security if there are insufficient available funds to pay amounts due under a loan or credit guarantee agreement. Directs the Oregon Department of Administrative Services to include in the Governor's budget request to the Legislative Assembly for each fiscal period amounts sufficient to permit the payment of amounts due on unpaid loan and credit guarantees for that fiscal period.

Requires the Director of the Employment Department to study methods of allowing employers to pay quarterly unemployment insurance taxes over an extended period. Requires the director to report the findings to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to employment on or before September 15, 2026. Sunsets on January 2, 2027.

Directs the Oregon Business Development Department to study the cost savings and expense reductions that may result from cooperative resource sharing by small businesses. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.

Establishes the Secretary of State as the chief civics officer of this state and establishes the Division of Civic Engagement within the Secretary of State office. Directs the division to establish civics education in public schools and develop programs and outreach for adults to enhance civic engagement. Establishes the Civics Action Benchmarks Task Force to study and make recommendations on the steps to be taken to enhance the participation of Oregonians in civic affairs. Establishes the Commission on Political Rhetoric. Directs the commission to receive complaints alleging that a candidate for public office has made false statements with purposeful malice or reckless intent. Provides that if a supermajority of the commission determines that the subject of a complaint made false statements with purposeful malice or reckless intent, the voters' pamphlet and other publications containing the candidate's statements must also contain a warning statement specified by the Act. Appropriates moneys to the Secretary of State and Commission on Political Rhetoric to fund the programs established in the Act. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.

Requires health care facilities, health care providers, local public health authorities and public and private safety agencies to maintain capacity, including sufficient amounts of certain supplies, to continue in normal operation for 120 days at a 25 percent mortality rate. Defines "25 percent mortality rate." Directs the Oregon Health Authority and health professional regulatory boards to report to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. Directs the department to report annually to an interim committee of the Legislative Assembly related to emergency preparedness. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Requires certain strategically important state and local government facilities to maintain a three-week fuel supply beginning in 2031. Requires all state and local government facilities to use renewable diesel for all diesel fuel requirements beginning in 2028.

Maddy summaryHB 2897 amends Oregon law to allow corporations to serve on juries by designating an eligible individual agent. The bill adds that corporations organized under Oregon law may act as jurors in civil or criminal trials or as grand jurors, but only through a human representative who meets all standard eligibility requirements (e.g., U.S. citizenship, no disqualifying criminal history, residency). This change does not alter eligibility rules for natural persons; it specifically addresses corporate participation by requiring a qualified human agent. The bill directly affects Oregon corporations seeking jury service, while ensuring individual agents comply with existing juror qualifications.

Directs the Department of Veterans' Affairs to study and make recommendations regarding improvements to the operations of the department. Requires the department to submit a report on its findings by January 1, 2027.

Provides for additional forms of identification that may be used by a person to prove status as a veteran when applying for a veterans' recognition registration plate.