Rep. Mike Nearman

Directs Department of Environmental Quality and State Forestry Department to study opportunities for state actions to promote carbon sequestration and to include in study consideration of regional approaches for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through carbon sequestration. Requires departments to report to interim committee of Legislative Assembly related to natural resources by September 15, 2019. Sunsets January 2, 2020.

Modifies funding mechanism for public employees' health care benefit to avoid excise tax under Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Requires local governments and school districts to participate in modified health care benefit plan. Permits public employees to redirect funds from health care premiums to other benefits. Dedicates portion of health care benefit costs to future health care costs and to critical services. Requires Public Employees' Benefit Board and Oregon Educators Benefit Board to assist employees in selecting benefit options. Excludes collective bargaining for specified health insurance benefits. Prohibits Public Employees' Benefit Board and Oregon Educators Benefit Board from self-insuring. Establishes Task Force on Flexible Benefits for Public Employees to monitor implementation of new benefit plans. Sunsets task force December 31, 2022. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Provides that fixed percentage of certain forecasted video lottery revenues be transferred to counties for economic development. Provides that disbursals to counties from video lottery revenues be adjusted to compensate for differentials between previous biennium's forecasted revenues and actual revenues. Provides that amount transferred to counties from video lottery revenue must be calculated as if certain transfers of lottery revenues to Public Employees Retirement Fund were not made. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Requires school district to obtain approval from Department of Education before entering into funds diversion agreement for payment of debt service on pension obligation bonds. Provides that department may not approve funds diversion agreement unless annual debt service on pension obligation bonds of school district is no greater than 25 percent of state school moneys available to school district in current fiscal year, or if state school moneys available to school district constitute less than 25 percent of funding for school district in current fiscal year. Requires State Treasurer to provide relevant data to department. Becomes operative July 1, 2020.

Establishes standards for expansion of state airport on land zoned for exclusive farm use. Directs Oregon Homeland Security Council to prioritize state airports for resiliency investments.

Requires Oregon Health Authority to recover, in three calendar months after effective date of Act, all overpayments to coordinated care organizations. Requires Governor to order independent investigation into causes of and persons responsible for overpayments or any other mismanagement of medical assistance funds. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Prohibits performance of late-term sex-selective abortion.

Provides that member of Public Employees Retirement System may not accrue pension benefits for future service. Requires member and employer to each contribute four percent of member's salary to individual account program of Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan. Provides for direct review of provisions by Supreme Court.

Provides that "eligible location," for purposes of certain property tax benefits, includes location not formerly used for industrial purposes. Provides that "eligible property" may be property appraised either by county or by Department of Revenue. Provides that "eligible property" includes property constructed or installed at brownfield that is being cleaned up and cost of initial investment may include remaining cleanup costs. Clarifies definition of "rural area." Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Creates Task Force on Public Assistance Reform to study steps taken in Maine and Kansas to reduce public assistance expenditures. Directs task force to report findings, including recommendations for legislative changes, to interim committees of Legislative Assembly related to human services by September 15, 2019. Declares emergency, effective on passage.