By Representative David Gomberg, House District 10
Dear Neighbors and Friends,
Overall, I’m confident saying the short session exceeded all expectations. We addressed the big issues. We avoided the drama. And we delivered for Oregonians.
An Oregonian editorial on Sunday said, “In just over a month, lawmakers passed breakthrough legislation addressing housing, drug addiction and campaign finance reform. Longshot bills mired in controversy ultimately won broad support, reflecting the compromise that shaped the final legislation. A five-week session typically meant for small adjustments instead delivered impressively on long-session ambitions.”
Said another way, the Legislature was able to fine-tune Measure 110 in order to address our addiction crisis and balance treatment with consequences. We continued work to address homelessness and housing. We funded summer school programs for our kids and grandkids. And we completed the state’s first campaign finance limits.
That’s a lot in a limited amount of time.
Roughly a dozen years ago, Oregonians voted to begin annual legislative sessions. Previously the legislature met for six months in odd-numbered years with a series of special sessions often held throughout the 18-month interim.
The argument was that we needed a session in even-numbered years to fine-tune budget issues, end sporadic special sessions, and address pressing problems. The “short” session was limited to 35 days. And members limited themselves to only two bills each.
Of course, while the number of bills is limited, nothing limits the content of measures that members choose to introduce. That’s how we end up with proposals to start a statewide property tax to support emergency response or a bill to end time changes – neither of which passed. Short sessions are self-limiting and it is hard for bills to pass.
Short sessions are also affected by the fact they occur in election years. Legislators may be wary of controversial questions just days before the filing deadline for candidates and weeks before the May primary. A more subtle consequence of election-year politics is the possibility of ballot initiatives.
Oregon was the first state to allow petitioners to put measures before the voters. But too often, we see proposals that come from groups with the resources and money to collect the required signatures. Those proposals are not negotiated, not compromised, and cannot be amended to fix problems. And so we pass Measure 113 to discourage legislative walkouts but it has awkward language that needed to be interpreted by the Courts. And we pass Measure 110 to shift our response to drug addiction from punishment to treatment but accomplish neither.
I will review the big stories in a moment. But before we get to the headlines you may have seen elsewhere, let’s talk about bills and investments here in House District 10.
Recreational Immunity SB 1576 (Introduced by the Senate Judiciary Committee): Oregonians love their open spaces. But recent court cases increase liability for property owners by changing recreational immunity standards. As a result, cities have closed more than 20 trails and beach accesses. Listen to my OPB interview here. Our legislative fix passed in the Senate 25-2 and unanimously in the House where I carried the measure.
| Marine Reserves HB 4132B (Introduced by Gomberg and sponsored by the Coastal Caucus): In a big win for the coast and coastal communities, the measure increasing funding and implementing Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) recommendations to support our five Marine Reserves was approved unanimously in the House where I carried, and 26-3 in the Senate.
Offshore Wind HB 4080B (Chief Sponsors: Grayber and Gomberg): If and when offshore wind energy comes to the Oregon Coast, the possible benefits will only be realized if Oregon takes action to protect our coastal communities, our coastal economies, and our Tribes. This bill gives guidance to BOEM to establish strong labor standards in any wind energy leases. The bill proposes an offshore wind roadmap to engage stakeholders thoughtfully and to ensure that the consideration of offshore wind is transparent, robust, and inclusive. Conservationists, commercial fishermen, coastal residents, organized labor, the renewable energy industry, Tribes, and others will benefit greatly from clearer guidance and support from the state of Oregon. The bill passed in the House 37-21 and 17-11 in the Senate on a largely partisan vote.
Wildfire Relief SB 1520 (Chief Sponsors: Boquist, Gomberg, and others): The Echo Mountain Complex Fires devastated northern Lincon County. Many residents who suffered losses joined lawsuits seeking compensation. But should they prevail, most of those awards would go to legal fees and taxes. By one estimate, fire survivors would only receive 20% of any awards! This measure says Oregon will not collect taxes on settlements from wildfire suits between 2018 and 2026. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and in the House where I carried. I also sponsored HB 1545 which allows counties to reduce property taxes on homes rebuilt after a wildfire. That bill passed both houses unanimously. |
|
|
Reviewing the fire zone in 2020.
|
|
Local Water and Sewer Investments SB 1530B (Introduced by Senate Committee): In addition to these bills, my major efforts this short session were focused on infrastructure. Across Oregon, water and sewer projects are aging out, they’re at capacity, and in some cases, they’re falling apart. I was the lead architect of a statewide infrastructure package. This effort as part of the Housing Package funded 50 projects across Oregon including a number here on the Coast. The measures passed by overwhelming bi-partisan margins in both Chambers and I carried in the House. Specific allocations in our district include:
- Siletz – wastewater treatment plant upgrades – $3 million
- Lincoln City – wastewater infrastructure for housing – $3 million
- Toledo – water/sewer/stormwater infrastructure for housing – $640,000
- Florence – water/sewer/stormwater infrastructure for housing – $1.3 million
- Well Abandonment Repair and Replacement Fund – $1 million
In recent sessions, we also secured funding for water infrastructure:
- Monroe – water infrastructure – $1.5 million
- Waldport – industrial sewer and water storage – $5.8 million
- Port of Toledo – industrial sewer – $2.4 million
- Otis – well/water/wastewater/septic recovery – $12 million
Together, these investments will improve our quality of life and reduce our cost of living. Water and sewer may not be exciting, but they are absolutely necessary. And without this state help, small communities would be forced to increase rates or pass bonds to provide essential services.
Three other local projects were funded in the 2023 session:
Finally, while it is not specific to our district, HB 4145B (Chief Sponsor: Gomberg): creates criminal penalties for the production and sale of so-called “animal crush” videos where animals are photographed being tortured. I carried this bill in the House where it passed unanimously and it prevailed in the Senate 25-5. |
|
| According to the Oregonian, “In a remarkably bipartisan five-week legislative session, Oregon lawmakers authorized big spending on housing production, revamped the state’s controversial drug decriminalization law and voted for the first time to impose campaign finance limits”. Here is a summary from news reports on OPB, the Capital Chronicle, and the Oregonian.
Housing and Homelessness: The housing package faced little opposition, allocating nearly $370M in funding for various housing initiatives across the state. This bill includes establishing a new Housing Accountability and Production Office, granting one-time urban growth boundary exemptions, and creating the affordable revolving loan fund.
The package will allocate $75 million to subsidize the construction of middle-income housing, $106 million to operate shelters and fund homelessness prevention services, and roughly $100 million for infrastructure projects like sewer systems.
“If we can fund 50 infrastructure projects this year, I’m hoping that we can come back and start delving deeper into the list because there’s still hundreds more that are waiting their turn,” said Rep. David Gomberg, D-Otis. |
|
|
Conferring with Speaker Rayfield.
|
|
| Drug Addiction and Behavioral Health: In an effort to balance treatment with accountability and community safety, lawmakers also rolled back Measure 110, Oregon’s landmark drug decriminalization law, making minor drug possession a misdemeanor crime again and allocating money to build out addiction treatment services. The retreat from what had been the nation’s first statewide policy of treating drug use as purely a health problem and not a legal one drew national attention – and ultimately garnered widespread sign-on among both Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
The bipartisan package that emerged is expected to expand access to drugs used to treat opioid addiction, make it easier to prosecute drug dealing, and beef up penalties for selling drugs near parks, treatment centers, and shelters. The measure:
- Establishes misdemeanor for crime of possession of a controlled substance
- Requires the Criminal Justice Commission to create “deflection” programs, where those facing possession charges can instead receive treatment.
- Allows pharmacists to dispense early refills of medications used to treat opioid use disorders
- Requires Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission to study substance use disorders in the state and report by September 2025
- Establishes Joint Task Force on Regional Behavioral Health Accountability to make recommendations on improving funding for behavioral health systems in Oregon
The final version of House Bill 4002 made drug possession a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail but includes opportunities for drug users to seek treatment rather than facing penalties. The Legislature passed a separate bill authorizing $211 million for a wide range of addiction-related programs, including about $30 million for counties to set up deflection programs.
The recriminalization bill was spurred by the threat of a ballot measure. A coalition with backing from some of the state’s richest people was vowing to ask voters to repeal most of 2020′s Measure 110. Polling suggested Oregonians were eager to do so.
|
|
 Members of the Oregon House wave across the hallway to members of the Oregon Senate immediately after the Legislature adjourned Thursday. The five-week session was marked by notable bipartisanship in contrast to recent ones marked by walkouts and partisan rancor. Dave Killen / The Oregonian |
|
| Campaign Finance: Oregon has some of the most liberal campaign finance limits in the nation and there is no limit at all on how much an individual can contribute to office seekers as long as it is all publicly reported.
In the closing days of the session, a campaign finance bill passed that set limits on political contributions from wealthy individuals, corporations, unions and other groups. The proposal also would create a new system for forcing disclosure of “independent expenditures,” money that is spent in support of a candidate without the candidate’s knowledge or blessing.
The bill emerged partway through the session in response to competing ballot proposals from good government groups and unions that likely would have forced the issue in November. Business lobbyists and labor unions, who often disagree, came together to convince lawmakers to take up the issue to avoid a ballot fight.
Beginning in 2027, the bill caps contributions from individuals at $3,300, the same as federal limits. Committees formed by labor unions and nonprofits created by business and advocacy groups would have far higher limits.
Education and Kids: Lawmakers approved more funds for subsidized childcare, summer school, and some higher education priorities.
Oregon school districts will get $30 million for summer school. Other education bills include a pilot program to bolster success for foster students, spending for immigrant and refugee students and an effort to admit graduating seniors directly into Oregon colleges and universities. |
|
| Oregon lawmakers headed home Thursday night, three days earlier than required.
The five-week session, which saw Democrats and Republicans come together to pass bipartisan bills, was a departure from the vitriol that defined the 2023 session when Senate members walked out for six weeks and ground the Legislature to a halt.
Lawmakers were in good spirits as they pushed through a series of final bills and staff tried to fill their bingo cards over the unending drone of construction equipment from an ongoing nearly-$600 million construction project meant to better prepare the building for earthquakes.
Bingo cards??
With most of their work done and waiting for bills to move through the two chambers, legislative staff distributed cards with common phrases, events, or occurrences. It allowed them to have some fun while paying close attention through the long hours that brought the session to a close. |
|
|
Our district benefitted from exceptional work from my staff this session. Megan Davis and Luke Harkins made sure policy was intact, our bills moved, thousands of letters were answered, and their legislator was on schedule. They made me proud and more important, made a real difference for the residents of our district.
|
|
On a final note, I was humbled to be recognized by several groups for our work this session and in 2023. And I should add, this was unusual. I would be proud to receive one award. I was frankly stunned to receive four.
- Wine Leadership Award from the Oregon Winegrowers for my work on wine labeling fraud, smoke taint, research, and funding for the industry.
- Shining Star Award from the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association for my work funding meat inspection and processing. I laughingly call it the “Steer of the Year” award.
- Humane Legislator of the Year from the Humane Society of the United States for work on puppy mills, primate research, funding space for pets in homeless shelters, and criminalizing animal torture videos.
- Legislator of the Year from the Oregon Fairs Association for my work helping sustain county fairs and our state fair.
|
|
| With the session concluded, I’m back in the district.
We finished on March 7 and Susie and I spent Friday, March 8 with friends. It was International Women’s Day and we went to a woman-owned restaurant to listen to women perform while enjoying women-made art.
Saturday we attended the Habitat for Humanity Home and Garden Show.
Earlier today I flew to Washington DC with a delegation from Newport to meet with our Senators and Representatives about water funding. I’ll be back by Thursday for the Lincoln County Economic Summit. I’m planning a ribbon cutting in Southbeach on Friday. And then Saturday I’ll be at a Town Hall with US Senator Ron Wyden in Lincoln City and then dress up for the black tie Samaritan/CAC Gala at Chinook Winds. Next Monday I’ll be touring the NW Natural Gas Sherwood facility with other Lincoln County leaders.
Please take a few minutes to listen to my Double R Show interview last week.
I’m not missing the early morning drive to Salem and actually relish the variety of events across our sprawling district. Hope to see you out there soon!
email: Rep.DavidGomberg@oregonlegislature.gov
phone: 503-986-1410
address: 900 Court St NE, H-480, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/gomberg |
|
|
