Legislative Highlights
The road to reduced school resources is paved with bills with good intentions
February 20, 2024The Legislature is full of good ideas that OSBA supports because they will help students and improve schools. Good ideas usually require money, though, and OSBA is careful to monitor... Read More
Bills this year are starting the conversation about the State School Fund in 2025
February 12, 2024Sometimes a bill isn’t just a bill. Sometimes it’s a launching point. The Legislature’s education committees heard several bills last week that have little chance of passing. The bills’ real... Read More
Will the short 2024 session be haunted by the 2023 walkouts?
February 5, 2024The current forecast for the short Oregon legislative session, which debuted Monday, Feb. 5, might best be characterized as cloudy with a chance of missed opportunity. Hanging over the session... Read More
Legislature gets moving, pushing school funding forward
June 20, 2023The Senate Republicans reached a deal with Democrats and went back to work Thursday, June 15. Hundreds of bills that likely would have been left for dead in a special... Read More
Senate Republicans return with a deal to roar session back to life for ‘Go time’
June 20, 2023The longest legislative walkout in Oregon’s history came to an end Thursday, June 15. Minority Senate Republicans ended their 42-day walkout after striking a deal with majority Democrats on bills... Read More
As legislative session nears closing time, speculation runs rampant
June 12, 2023The 2023 legislative session is drawing toward an uncertain close. For weeks, Senate Republicans have stayed off the chamber floor, preventing votes on bills. But over the weekend, reports emerged... Read More
Education advocates face down attack on school funding
June 12, 2023The House passed a $10.2 billion State School Fund last week, generally pleasing education advocates. But the struggle to protect school funding will go on until the last gavel falls... Read More
Staggering amount of education policy work lost if walkout crashes session
June 5, 2023The legislative walkout continues with no sign of stopping. Just last week, in an interview with KGW8, Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, reaffirmed his commitment and the commitment of... Read More
Subcommittee approves Oregon Department of Education budget
June 5, 2023The State School Fund grabs the spotlight, but anyone who has looked at a school district budget knows education funding comes from many different directions. Savvy education advocates also keep... Read More
Legislative Briefs | June 5
June 5, 2023Closed captioning on televisions Senate Bill 569 What it does: Oregon grants all persons of age the right to full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of any place... Read More
Legislative committee affirms $10.2 billion State School Fund intentions
May 30, 2023The Joint Ways and Means Education Subcommittee officially bumped up the 2023-25 State School Fund to $10.2 billion on Tuesday, May 30. Education advocates are reasonably pleased because it’s far... Read More
Republican walkout is headed toward unfamiliar territory
May 26, 2023The Oregon Legislature is on the brink of an unprecedented breakdown because the Senate can’t get anything done. The Oregon Constitution requires two-thirds of each legislative chamber to be present... Read More
Legislative Briefs | May 30
May 26, 2023PERS change House Bill 2296 What it does: In 2019, Senate Bill 1049 made changes to the Public Employees Retirement System, including allowing PERS retirees to work unlimited hours. That... Read More
As policy committees shut down, contentious bill about abbreviated days moves forward
May 19, 2023Senate Bill 819, a contentious bill about abbreviated days, was amended and moved out of the House Committee on Education last week on a 4-3 partisan vote. The bill broadly... Read More
Gov. Kotek’s priority bill on education moves ahead in Senate
May 19, 2023Gov. Kotek’s education priority bill was heard and moved out of the Senate last week. The bill, SB 1045, would make distinct changes to education law to update reporting, address... Read More
Latest revenue forecast cheers education advocates
May 19, 2023Oregon’s latest positive economic forecast offers a clear formula for education advocates: A share of additional state resources + the additional corporate kicker money = at least $10.3 billion. “Students... Read More
Legislative Briefs | May 22
May 19, 2023Bill Number: HB 2806 AWhat it does: A governing body may meet in executive session to consider topics of employment, dismissal, discipline, or job performance of public officers, employees, or... Read More
The Look Ahead | May 15
May 12, 2023Monday 3 p.m.: The House Education Committee will hold a work session on: 11 a.m.: The House agenda for possible votes includes: Tuesday 3 p.m.: The House Higher Education Committee... Read More