Rep. Mark Owens

Instructs Oregon Consensus at Portland State University and Oregon State University to support a process related to water management in the Chewaucan River watershed. [ Instructs the State Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Water Resources Department to undertake certain activities related to the Chewaucan River watershed and Lake Abert. ] Appropriates moneys to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission for distribution to Oregon Consensus and Oregon State University for purposes related to the process. Declares an emergency, effective July 1, 2025.

] Removes the requirement that the amount of net proceeds from the Oregon State Lottery allocated to the County Fair Account not exceed $1.53 million annually and adjusts the percentage of net lottery proceeds allocated to the County Fair Account. Requires the Oregon Business Development Department to prepare and report a master plan for county fairground capital construction. Specifies content and procedural requirements for the report. Appropriates moneys to the department out of the General Fund for consultant services related to the report. Authorizes the issuance of bonds under Article XI-Q of the Oregon Constitution to support the use of the Oregon State Fair and Exposition Center as a regional emergency and evacuee center. Appropriates moneys to the Oregon Department of Administrative Services for water and sewer improvements to the Union County Fairgrounds. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.

Establishes the Water Workforce Program in the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to support workforce development initiatives within the water workforce. Directs the commission to award grants to local workforce development boards to administer the program. [ Requires the commission to disburse funds appropriated for the purpose of administering the program to local workforce development boards within a certain timeline. ] Requires the commission and local workforce development boards to consult with certain entities to establish a process and criteria for distributing moneys to certain subgrantees and entities that participate in certain workforce development activities. Requires the commission and the boards to establish the process and criteria within a certain timeline. 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.

Establishes an income tax credit for volunteer firefighters. 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.

Allows the Energy Facility Siting Council to issue a site certificate for a small modular reactor energy facility demonstration project in Umatilla County. Requires the demonstration project to use microgrid enabling technologies such that the project can be isolated from the electric grid and support community energy resilience. Requires the council to consult with each interested federally recognized Indian tribe with tribal lands located in Umatilla County on an application for a site certificate for a demonstration project. Directs the State Department of Energy , in cooperation with certain state agencies, to prepare a report on statutes, rules, requirements or orders that may be applicable to a small modular reactor energy facility demonstration project, and statutes and rules that may need to be adopted or modified to enable the Energy Facility Siting Council to provide oversight of a demonstration project. Directs the department to submit the report to the interim committees or committees of the Legislative Assembly related to energy not later than [ one year after the Act takes effect ] December 15, 2026 . Establishes the Umatilla County SMR Demonstration Project Report Fund. Refers the Act to the people of Umatilla County for their approval or rejection at the next regular general election.

Provides for an additional exemption against Oregon estate tax. Phases out the availability of the exemption based on the size of the estate. Applies to the estates of all decedents who die on or after January 1, 2026. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Modifies the authority of the Department of Environmental Quality to enter into agreements with regulated entities to expedite or enhance a regulatory process. Directs the Environmental Quality Commission to establish standards to guide the department in the exercise of the department's authority. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

] Directs the State Department of Fish and Wildlife to establish a program to award grants for recreational fishing facilities within an urban growth boundary. Authorizes the use of lottery bond net proceeds to fund the grants. Sunsets the program on January 2, [ 2028 ] 2033 . Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Directs education service districts to [ reimburse parents and legal guardians for fees incurred by parents and legal guardians related to ] provide and pay for examinations administered to homeschooled children.