Sen. Kate Lieber

Digest: The Act requires the OHA to study the problems in getting mental health care and substance use care in this state. The Act requires the OHA to send a report on its findings to the legislature. The section is repealed on January 2, 2026. (Flesch Readability Score: 65). Requires the Oregon Health Authority to study access to behavioral health treatment in this state. Directs the authority to submit findings to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to health not later than September 15, 2025. Sunsets January 2, 2026.

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: The Act allows DHS to license adult foster homes with up to seven residents. The Act sets out the requirements for licensing an adult foster home with six or seven residents. (Flesch Readability Score: 60.1). Authorizes the Department of Human Services to license adult foster homes serving up to seven residents if the home meets specified criteria and pays the appropriate fee. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Digest: The Act requires the Oregon Health Plan to pay for certain health services for people with mental deficits. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.6). Requires medical assistance reimbursement of cognitive assessment and care planning for recipients who experience the signs or symptoms of cognitive impairment.

Establishes Universal Health Plan Governance Board. Specifies membership, powers and duties. Requires board to appoint executive director. Requires board to create comprehensive plan to finance and administer Universal Health Plan that meets specified requirements and is consistent with specified values and principles. Directs board to present comprehensive plan for implementation of Universal Health Plan to interim committees of Legislative Assembly related to health and to Governor no later than September 15, 2026. Declares 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.

Allows specified persons to distribute and administer short-acting opioid antagonist and distribute kits. Defines "kit" and "short-acting opioid antagonist." Allows pharmacist to prescribe kit. Allows Public Health Officer or physician employed by Oregon Health Authority to issue standing order to prescribe kit to specified persons, and allows person that obtained kit to possess, store, deliver or distribute kit and administer short-acting opioid antagonist. Provides that person is immune from criminal and civil liability when acting in good faith. Allows owner of building or facility to which public has legal access to store kits for use by member of public. Provides that building or facility owner and staff are immune from criminal and civil liability related to use of kit stored in building or facility. Directs State Board of Education to adopt rules for administration of short-acting opioid antagonist to any individual on school premises. Directs school district board to provide to parents or legal guardians of minor students specified information about short-acting opioid antagonists. Requires school district board to ensure parent or legal guardian of minor student is immediately notified when short-acting opioid antagonist is administered to student. Allows school administrator, teacher or other school employee to administer, without written permission and instruction from parent or guardian, short-acting opioid antagonist to student who experienced or is experiencing opioid overdose. Provides criminal and civil immunity for school administrator, teacher, other school employee, school district and members of school district board for actions related to administration of short-acting opioid antagonist. ] Prohibits person from maintaining action for injury, death or loss against school administrator, teacher, other school employee, school district or member of school district board resulting from certain administration of short-acting opioid antagonist except if person administering short-acting opioid antagonist was grossly negligent. Removes protection for school administrator, school nurse, teacher, other school employee, school district and members of school district board from criminal or civil liability for administration of short-acting opioid antagonist. Allows minor to obtain outpatient diagnosis or treatment of substance use disorder by mental health care provider without parental knowledge or consent. Provides that mental health care provider is immune from civil liability for diagnosis or treatment. ] Prohibits providing single-use drug test strips or drug testing tools to minor under 15 years of age unless strips or tools are part of minor's substance use disorder treatment and provided by mental health care provider. Exempts from definition of "drug paraphernalia" certain items designed to prevent or reduce potential harm associated with use of controlled substances. Prohibits selling or giving pipe to minor unless minor demonstrates lawful need for pipe and obtains parental consent to possess pipe. Defines "pipe." Allows administrator of Oregon Prescription Drug Program to undertake bulk purchases of short-acting opioid antagonists. ] Requires Oregon Health Authority to provide guidance for communication among local mental health authorities related to certain deaths. Directs district medical examiner or medical-legal death investigator to notify local mental health authority if death of individual is suspected to be result of opioid or other overdose. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Requires Department of Education to study matters related to ventilation and energy efficiency in schools. Requires department to submit findings to interim committees of Legislative Assembly related to education not later than September 15, 2024. ] Requires school districts undertaking HVAC infrastructure improvements for which state and federal funds are made specifically available to expend such funds on certain activities aimed at improving indoor air ventilation quality in schools. Requires that school district require contractor performing work on school HVAC infrastructure improvements to meet certain standards. Requires school district that completes ventilation adjustments, improvements or repairs recommended by mechanical engineer to submit HVAC verification report to Department of Education. Requires department to retain copy of report for five years. Provides that verification report is subject to public inspection under public records laws.

Broadens public contracting preference for businesses that service-disabled veterans own to include all veteran-owned businesses. Defines "veteran" and "veteran-owned business." Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.