Sen. Mark Meek

Digest: Removes EFSC power over a project that makes clean power or is a power line, is only on U.S. lands and is reviewed under NEPA. (Flesch Readability Score: 63.0). Prohibits the Energy Facility Siting Council from exercising jurisdiction over or requiring a site certificate for an energy facility that is a renewable energy facility or transmission line, is sited wholly within federal lands and is subject to review under the National Environmental Policy Act. Requires the person seeking federal approval for the energy facility to consult with local governments within whose jurisdiction the facility is proposed to be located or whose jurisdiction adjoins the proposed facility on potential impacts.

Digest: The Act requires ODOT to study a section of U.S. Highway 30. ODOT must make a report of the study and share its findings with the JCT. ODOT may start work on the study 91 days after sine die. (Flesch Readability Score: 69.9). Requires the Department of Transportation to conduct a review of a specific portion of U.S. Highway 30 and present a report to the Joint Committee on Transportation no later than September 15, 2025. Sunsets on January 2, 2026. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Digest: The Act directs an agency to expand programs related to wildlife illness. The Act directs an agency to perform a review. The Act directs an agency to establish a program for living with wildlife. The Act makes changes related to wildlife paths and roads. The Act gives moneys for related purposes. The Act goes into effect when the Governor signs it. (Flesch Readability Score: 63.3). Directs the State Department of Fish and Wildlife to expand programs related to wildlife disease. Directs the Invasive Species Council to undertake a review of council programs and activities. Directs the department to establish a wildlife coexistence program. Makes certain changes concerning a program to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions. Appropriates moneys out of the General Fund for implementing the expansion, review, new program and changes to wildlife programs. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.

Digest: Exempts awards from and legal fees paid in wildfire suits from income tax. (Flesch Readability Score: 76.5). Creates an Oregon tax subtraction for amounts received in settlement of civil actions arising from wildfire. [ Allows ] Creates an Oregon [ itemized deduction ] tax subtraction for wildfire-related legal fees paid by plaintiffs. Allows taxpayer to amend return to claim refund for earliest tax year in which a subtraction is allowed. Applies to wildfire emergency declarations and executive orders issued on or after January 1, 2018, and before January 1, 2026, and to amounts received , losses incurred and legal fees paid in all tax years beginning on or after January 1, [ 2020 ] 2018 . Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

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: For the part of the state in the Pacific Time Zone, stops the one-hour change of time in the spring and fall of each year and keeps the zone at standard time year-round if CA and WA states do the same within 10 years. (Flesch Readability Score: 64.1). [ Digest: For the part of the state in the Pacific Time Zone, stops the one-hour change of time in the spring and fall of each year and keeps the zone at standard time year-round. (Flesch Readability Score: 73.3). ] For the part of the state located in the Pacific Time Zone, abolishes the annual one-hour change in time from standard time to daylight saving time and maintains the Pacific Time Zone portion of Oregon on standard time for all 12 months of the calendar year , if California and Washington make the same change within the next 10 years. Restores current time standards if California and Washington do not make the standard time change within 10 years .

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 removes an exception to the state law concerning pay equity requirements. The Act changes the law to add to the list of factors that an employer can use as a reason for a pay differential. The Act becomes effective when the Governor signs it. (Flesch Readability Score: 64.3). Provides factors upon which compensation differentials may be based for an employer to lawfully pay employees who perform work of comparable character at different compensation levels. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.