Sen. Deb Patterson

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 says that at least one of the commissioners on the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission must know about public health. The Act starts when it passes. (Flesch Readability Score: 68.7). Requires at least one of the commissioners of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission to have a background in public health. 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: This Act changes the state's greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. The Act changes the term "global warming" to "climate change" in some laws. The Act declares an emergency and takes effect when it passes. (Flesch Readability Score: 68.4). Modifies state greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. Replaces the term "global warming" with "climate change" in provisions related to the Oregon Climate Action Commission. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.

Digest: Requires a majority of the members of the House and the Senate to be present to take action. (Flesch Readability Score: 66.3). Proposes an amendment to the Oregon Constitution to require a majority of each house of the Legislative Assembly to be present to conduct business. Refers the proposed amendment to the people for their approval or rejection at the next regular general election.

Digest: The Act would make state agencies pay a fee to Salem for the fire, police and emergency medical services that the city provides based on the agencies' use of state-owned land in the city. The Act would let other cities opt in to the fee program. (Flesch Readability Score: 62.1). Requires the Oregon Department of Administrative Services to pay a fee to the City of Salem for the share of the city's budget for fire, police and emergency medical services provided to state agencies. Authorizes the department to recoup the payment from state agencies according to their use of state-owned land in the city. Authorizes other cities to opt in to the fee program.

Digest: The Act funds cultural groups in Oregon. (Flesch Readability Score: 66.7). Appropriates moneys to the Oregon Business Development Department to distribute to Oregon cultural organizations in response to the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on organization finances. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.

Digest: The Act makes some forensic science workers who work for OSP police officers under PERS. (Flesch Readability Score: 63.6). Provides that forensic scientists and evidence technicians employed by the Department of State Police qualify as police officers under the Public Employees Retirement System.

Digest: The Act makes OHCS guarantee a local government's collection of a fee to be paid by a home builder on a delayed schedule. The Act goes into effect when the Governor signs it. (Flesch Readability Score: 69.5). Requires the Housing and Community Services Department to guarantee local governments' deferral of system development charges for housing developments. Becomes operative on January 1, 2025. Establishes the Municipal Development Protection Fund for such purposes. Appropriates moneys to the fund. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.

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.