Sen. Michael Dembrow

Directs Department of Consumer and Business Services, in consultation with State Forestry Department, Oregon Forest and Industries Council, Oregon Small Woodlands Association, Oregon State University , and ] Oregon Prescribed Fire Council and representative of insurance industry , to study liability for prescribed fires. Requires Department of Consumer and Business Services to report to appropriate committee or interim committee of Legislative Assembly on results of study no later than July 1, 2022. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Authorizes Public Utility Commission to consider differential energy burden and other inequities of affordability in rates. Authorizes public utilities to enter into agreements to provide financial assistance for organizations to represent in regulatory proceedings before commission interests of low-income residential customers and residential customers that are members of environmental justice communities. Provides that total aggregate financial assistance available to all such organizations may not exceed $500,000 annually. Requires commission to establish process for evaluating and approving agreements. Requires commission to report by September 15, 2025, to interim committees of Legislative Assembly related to energy on implementation and impacts of new authorization to provide such financial assistance. Authorizes certain measures to address mitigation of energy burdens. Requires costs of measures to be collected in rates of electric company through charges paid by all retail electricity consumers.

Allows public charter school to implement weighted lottery that favors historically underserved students when number of applications for enrollment exceeds capacity of program, class, grade level or building. Allows public charter school to give enrollment preference to students who were enrolled in public preschool or prekindergarten program operated by public charter school and to students who are at risk because of economic or academic disadvantage that requires special services or assistance. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Allows school districts to use moneys distributed from Student Investment Account for payment of student fees, costs and instructors of career and technical student organization programs. Establishes policy goal that students in career and technical education program have counselor or mentor assigned to student to assist student in navigating through program. ].

Allows student enrolled in program provided by school district or education service district to earn General Educational Development (GED) certificate to participate in interscholastic activities. Declares emergency, effective July 1, 2021.

Requires each community college and public university to hire benefits navigator to assist students in determining eligibility and applying for federal, state and local benefits programs. Requires community colleges and public universities to establish statewide consortium to enable benefits navigator to coordinate with benefits navigators at other institutions and to develop best practices. Requires community colleges and public universities to develop internal process to enable students to provide feedback and recommendations on how institution can better assist students in determining eligibility for benefits programs and applying for assistance under benefits programs. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Directs Department of Corrections and Oregon Health Authority to establish healthcare navigator pilot program within Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. Directs department, in consultation with authority, to develop health assessment for persons entering facility. Establishes standards for provision of health care to persons in custody. Requires that person in custody be offered copy of medical records upon release. ] Establishes healthcare navigator positions for employment within Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. Specifies duties of healthcare navigators. Provides that healthcare navigator salaries are paid by Oregon Health Authority. Appropriates moneys to authority to fund positions. ] Establishes Task Force on Corrections Medical Care. Directs task force to conduct review of Department of Corrections medical care grievance process, medical care standards of care and adoption of electronic health records system. Directs task force to submit report and recommendation for prioritized list of medical care to Legislative Assembly no later than September 15, 2022. Directs Department of Corrections to regularly report to Legislative Assembly concerning health data ] medical care and health outcomes of persons in custody and results of survey of pilot program participants ]. Sunsets program ] task force and reporting requirement on June 30, 2023. Declares emergency, effective July 1, 2021.

Repeals ] Modifies statute authorizing law enforcement officers to command dispersal of unlawful assemblies and arrest participants who do not disperse. Removes requirement to go among persons unlawfully assembled and arrest persons. Authorizes arrest for unlawful activity constituting offense.

Directs Housing and Community Services Department to study issues relating to adequacy of buildings in this state and report to appropriate committee or interim committee of Legislative Assembly on or before September 15, 2022. ] Sunsets January 2, 2023. ] Prohibits Department of Consumer and Business Services from outlawing in state building code certain uses of specific refrigerants authorized under federal law.

Directs State Department of Fish and Wildlife to adopt by rule and administer program for authorizing voluntary projects for stream restoration and habitat improvement through construction of environmental restoration weirs. Exempts authorized projects from removal-fill permit. Exempts authorized projects from fish passage requirements in certain circumstances. Authorizes department to require fish passage as part of authorized project in certain circumstances. Authorizes department to require modification of environmental restoration weirs if found to adversely impact transportation infrastructure or planned transportation infrastructure. Authorizes department to require third-party monitoring of authorized projects. Provides that certain riparian work as part of authorized project is not subject to riparian management requirements under Oregon Forest Practices Act. Requires department to adopt rules establishing program in time for rules to become operative no later than one year after effective date of Act. Requires department to submit, no later than December 31, 2027, report to interim committees related to environment and natural resources of Legislative Assembly on extent and impact of program. Requires department to submit, no later than September 15, 2032, report to interim committees related to environment and natural resources of Legislative Assembly on assessments of conditions of qualifying streams affected by authorized voluntary projects and make recommendations for legislation. Declares emergency, effective on passage.