Sen. Lee Beyer

Directs Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to study expenditure of public moneys on alcohol and drug treatment and report results to interim committees of Legislative Assembly related to judiciary on or before September 15, 2019. Appropriates moneys from General Fund to commission for purposes of study and report. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Amends Oregon Promise program to remove prohibition on awarding more than $10 million in grants per fiscal year. Makes requirement that person participating in program pay $50 per term in tuition payable by reducing amount of grant awarded, instead of requiring separate payment by person. Requires Higher Education Coordinating Commission to determine prior to start of fall term each academic year whether sufficient moneys exist to award grant to each person who qualifies. Permits commission to limit eligibility to receive grant based on expected family contribution. Permits commission to decrease total amount of grant awarded or increase amount person must pay for each term person receives grant if at any time commission determines that insufficient moneys exist to provide grant to each person who was awarded grant. Permits commission to at any time reduce or eliminate any limitation on eligibility imposed by commission due to shortage of moneys. Allows person to continue to qualify for program if, after being awarded grant, person enters into service with career and technical student organization relating to agriculture or farming that is approved by Department of Education before attending community college. Exempts person serving in Oregon National Guard from requirement to enroll in community college courses within six months of attaining previous highest level of education in order to qualify for Oregon Promise grant, provided that person enrolls in community college courses within six months of completing initial active duty training. Allows commission, upon showing of significant hardship, to waive requirement that in order to qualify for program person start attending classes at community college within six months after person completed previous highest level of education. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Directs Early Learning Division to support Relief Nursery programs statewide. Requires Relief Nursery programs to participate in statewide independent evaluation. Describes how funding to support Relief Nursery programs may be used. Excludes statutory forfeiture proceeds distributed to Relief Nursery program from calculation of amount of required matching community financial support. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Establishes Task Force on Health Care Cost Review to study feasibility of creating rate-setting process modeled on process used by Health Services Cost Review Commission in Maryland. Specifies membership. Requires report to interim committees of Legislative Assembly related to health no later than September 15, 2018. Sunsets task force December 31, 2018. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Transfers authority over court appointed special advocates and CASA Volunteer Programs from Oregon Volunteers Commission for Voluntary Action and Service to Oregon Department of Administrative Services. Prescribes duties and responsibilities of Oregon Department of Administrative Services. Authorizes department to contract with nongovernmental entity to serve as statewide coordinating entity for provision of court appointed special advocate services throughout state. Requires statewide coordinating entity to provide biannual reports to department. Requires department to report annually to committees of Legislative Assembly regarding provision of court appointed special advocate services in state. Establishes Court Appointed Special Advocate Fund and continuously appropriates moneys in fund to department for purpose of providing court appointed special advocate services in state. Requires each CASA Volunteer Program to report biannually to committees of Legislative Assembly on court appointed special advocate services. Declares emergency, effective July 1, 2017.

Prohibits insurer from imposing fee, surcharge, increase in premium or other charge on basis of certain claims history of consumer. Prohibits insurer or insurance producer from determining rate or imposing fee, surcharge, increase in premium or other charge on homeowner insurance policy on basis of certain inquiry that consumer makes of insurer. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Provides that with respect to newborn screening, Oregon Health Authority shall specify that person providing newborn screening may conduct tests for conditions listed on most recent edition of Recommended Uniform Screening Panel by United States Department of Health and Human Services. Specifies that person providing newborn screening shall test for certain condition through implementation of laboratory developed test approved by federal Food and Drug Administration, under certain circumstances. Establishes Review Committee on Newborn Screening for purposes of studying, evaluating and making proposals related to newborn screening. Sunsets committee on December 31, 2018. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Directs Department of Education to coordinate with Oregon FFA Association to increase student achievement and improve college attendance and career placement for students enrolled in agricultural education courses. Directs department to establish grant program for purpose of funding extended duty contracts to manage agricultural science and technology programs of study during summer months. Directs expenses of grant program to be paid from High School Graduation and College and Career Readiness Fund. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Directs Travel Information Council to manage roadside rest areas along interstate and state highways. Directs council to develop transition plan with Department of Transportation and State Parks and Recreation Department. Directs council to report to interim committees on transportation about transition plan no later than September 15, 2018. Becomes operative January 2, 2019.

Directs Department of Transportation to establish State Parks registration plate program for issuance of special registration plate. Imposes surcharge per year of registration. Directs that moneys from surcharge on registration plate be transferred to State Parks and Recreation Department Fund. Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Department of Transportation for purpose of initiating program. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.