Rep. Ricki Ruiz

Digest: This Act does not allow a board or a person to choose or not choose materials that are used in a school when the choice is discrimination. (Flesch Readability Score: 66.5). Prohibits discrimination when selecting textbooks, instructional materials, program materials or library books that are used in the public schools of this state. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.

Digest: The Act creates the Task Force on Improving the Safety of Behavioral Health Workers. The Act says who must be on the task force and the duties of the task force. The Act creates a program in which OHA pays persons who run places that provide mental health care or substance use care so that the persons can provide their workers with on-the-job training or other types of training. (Flesch Readability Score: 69.4). [ Digest: The Act requires each person who runs a place that provides mental health care and substance use care to have a safety plan to protect the person's workers. The Act sets out how a safety plan must be created and requires a person to submit the safety plan to OHA by a certain date. The Act puts civil penalties on persons who do not have safety plans, who do not submit the plans to OHA by the due date or who fail to comply with the safety plans. ] [ The Act creates a program in which OHA pays persons who run places that provide mental health care or substance use care so that the persons can provide their workers with on-the-job training or other types of training. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.4). ] [ Requires a behavioral health care facility to have in place a safety plan to ensure the safety of the employees of the facility. Specifies procedures for creating the safety plan that include involving the exclusive representative of any employees who are in a collective bargaining unit. Requires behavioral health facilities to submit safety plans to the Oregon Health Authority by September 1, 2025, and every two years thereafter. ] [ Requires the authority to establish a process for individuals to file a complaint regarding a violation of a safety plan and allows the authority to audit a facility for compliance with a facility's safety plan. ] [ Authorizes the authority to impose specified civil penalties. ] Establishes the Task Force on Improving the Safety of Behavioral Health Workers. Specifies the membership and duties of the task force. Requires the task force to provide a preliminary report on its recommendations for improving worker safety by September 1, 2024, and a final report by December 1, 2024, to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to health. Establishes the United We Heal Medicaid Payment Program in the Oregon Health Authority to make payments to behavioral health facilities to offer apprenticeship and training opportunities to their employee behavioral health providers. Appropriates moneys to the authority to distribute to the United We Heal Training Trust to provide grants to employers of behavioral health workers to make safety improvements. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.

Digest: Tells one of the state's agencies to make rules that say how the agency will buy products and services from companies that make clean energy technology. Lets the agency work with other government bodies to help create and keep jobs in this state. Creates a fund for another state agency to make loans and grants to companies that make clean energy technology and projects that give certain benefits to people in this state. Sets up a group to give advice to the second agency. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.3). [ Digest: Tells one of the state's agencies to make rules that say how the agency will buy products and services from clean energy companies. Lets the agency work with other government bodies to help create and keep jobs in this state. Creates a fund for another state agency to make loans and grants to clean energy companies and projects that give certain benefits to people in this state. Sets up a group to give advice to the second agency. (Flesch Readability Score: 76.5). ] Requires the Oregon Department of Administrative Services to adopt rules to govern procurements from clean energy technology manufacturing companies. Directs the department to cooperate with state agencies that have expertise in energy production and conservation and in reducing or mitigating environmental impacts. Specifies the required contents of the department's rules. Directs other state agencies to cooperate with the department in adopting and implementing rules. Permits the department to enter into cooperative procurements and intergovernmental agreements in combination with other governmental bodies in this or other states to provide incentives for clean energy technology manufacturing companies to create and retain high-skilled manufacturing jobs. Establishes the Oregon Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing Opportunity Fund and appropriates moneys in the fund to the Oregon Business Development Department. Requires the department to establish a program to make loans, grants and other expenditures from the fund to foster, attract and sustain clean energy technology manufacturing companies, and for other purposes. Requires the department to give priority in loans and grants to clean energy technology manufacturing companies that include an employment plan with an application for the loan or grant. Establishes the Clean Energy Technology Leadership Advisory Council. Specifies the council's membership and requires the council to advise the Oregon Business Development Department on decisions with respect to awarding loans and grants and to study and recommend methods of attracting, fostering and sustaining manufacturing firms and operations in this state, while maximizing additional benefits, including creating and sustaining living wage or union jobs, alleviating supply chain constraints and improving access to clean energy technologies, supporting technological innovation and diversifying the economy of this state. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Digest: The Act repeals laws related to boats and towed sports. The Act changes laws about boating safety education. The Act goes into effect 91 days after the session ends. (Flesch Readability Score: 65.7). Repeals provisions related to the towed watersports program. Provides that the minimum standard for boating safety education must include instruction relating to towed watersports safety education. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Digest: The Act funds matching deposits for IDA accounts. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.2). Appropriates moneys from the General Fund to the Housing and Community Services Department for the purpose of making matching deposits into individual development accounts. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.

Digest: The Act would give money to two state agencies to support some types of child care providers in this state. (Flesch Readability Score: 76.5). [ Digest: The Act would give money to a state agency to help develop or improve child care in the state. (Flesch Readability Score: 76.2). ] [ Establishes the Home and Small Center Child Care Fund. ] [ Directs the Oregon Business Development Department to administer a grant program to provide financial assistance to child care facilities that serve a maximum of 75 children for the purpose of establishing or expanding child care infrastructure. ] [ Appropriates moneys to the department for deposit in the fund to carry out the program. ] Appropriates moneys from the General Fund to the Oregon Business Development Department for deposit in the Child Care Infrastructure Fund to provide financial assistance to certain child care providers or organizations that support those child care providers. Appropriates moneys from the General Fund to the Department of Early Learning and Care to provide technical support to child care providers or organizations that receive financial assistance under the Act. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.

Digest: The Act would impose a new tax on the gross proceeds from the sale of unprocessed timber cut on private land larger than 500 acres held in common ownership. The Act would provide funding to counties and to protect homes, neighborhoods and water supplies from wildfire damage. The Act would repeal the current forest products harvest tax. The Act will be referred to the people at the 2024 general election. (Flesch Readability Score: 63.3). Imposes a new tax on the gross proceeds from the sale of unprocessed timber harvested on private land in excess of 500 acres held in common ownership in this state. Repeals the current forest products harvest tax regime. Refers the Act to the people for their approval or rejection at the next general election.

Digest: The Act makes district attorneys police officers under PERS. The Act lowers the age at which some police and firefighters can retire. The Act makes a new class of employees in PERS for people who work in hazardous positions. The Act allows those people to retire earlier with higher pensions. (Flesch Readability Score: 63.8). Provides that district attorneys qualify as police officers under the Public Employees Retirement System. Lowers the normal retirement age for police officers and firefighters under the Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan. Establishes a new class of hazardous positions under the Public Employees Retirement System and provides increased retirement benefits to members employed in hazardous positions.

Digest: Makes BOLI study on-the-job training programs for youth. Makes BOLI submit reports on the findings of the study. The Act goes into effect when the Governor signs it. (Flesch Readability Score: 67.4). Directs the Bureau of Labor and Industries to conduct a comprehensive study of youth apprenticeships in the United States. Requires the bureau to submit an initial report not later than June 30, 2024. Requires the bureau to submit a final report to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to business and labor not later than November 15, 2024. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.

Requires State Department of Agriculture to study water. Directs department to submit findings to interim committees of Legislative Assembly related to natural resources not later than September 15, 2024. ] Directs Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board to establish program to provide grants to water suppliers. Establishes Community Drinking Water Enhancement and Protection Fund for purposes related to program. Makes certain changes related to purposes for which moneys in Water Well Abandonment, Repair and Replacement Fund may be used. Directs Legislative Policy and Research Director to report, on or before January 15, 2024, on water infrastructure-related benefits for low-income persons. Directs Water Resources Department to take certain actions on or before October 1, 2024, related to implementing 1998 Stewardship and Supply Initiative. Directs Oregon Consensus at Portland State University to establish collaborative process related to Chewaucan River watershed. Makes certain changes related to integrated state water resources policy. Directs Oregon State University Extension Service and Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station to jointly establish agricultural water management technical assistance program. Directs Oregon State University Extension Service and Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station to jointly prepare annual reports related to program and climate-related impacts on agricultural producers. Establishes Place-Based Water Planning Fund and authorizes Water Resources Director to award grants from fund. Makes certain changes related to requirements for certification as water right examiner. Directs Department of Environmental Quality to take certain actions related to water reuse or recycled water programs and projects. Directs Oregon Department of Administrative Services to enter into contract with Oregon Association of Water Utilities for certain purposes. Authorizes Water Resources Department to require certain reporting related to water use. Makes certain changes related to loans and grants from Water Supply Development Account. Directs Oregon Business Development Department to establish Aquifer Recharge Due Diligence Grant Program and Aquifer Recharge Testing Forgivable Loan Program and annually report on programs. Establishes Aquifer Recharge Fund for purposes related to programs. Directs Oregon Department of Administrative Services to provide grants related to treatment of western juniper. Directs Oregon State University to take certain actions related to assisting grant recipients. Appropriates moneys to certain state agencies for purposes related to water. Establishes maximum limits for certain payments related to water. Declares emergency, effective on passage.