Oregon PSR's 2021 Legislative Session Wrap-Up

In many ways, the state of Oregon has been at a crossroads: amid the unprecedented and traumatic crises of COVID-19, wildfires, and white supremacy, our state has been faced with choices between the status quo or a bold path forward towards a healthy and livable future. We cannot afford to go “back to normal” when “normal” wasn’t working for far too many people. Instead, our lawmakers have the opportunity to lay a foundation for a world where everyone is treated fairly, lives in a healthy home, and has a bright future.

Under challenging circumstances, Oregon PSR united with our partners to push for a bold state legislative agenda in 2021. We celebrated the clean-sweep victory of the Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity campaign to advance environmental justice, chart a course towards 100% clean electricity, and provide energy relief for families who need it most. We also made some progress on addressing the public health crisis of mass incarceration, halted three ill-advised nuclear power exemption bills, and advanced progress on gun violence prevention, police accountability, and racial justice.

Here's where the legislation we supported ended up.

Oregon PSR’s 2021 State Legislative Agenda - Results

Bills we supported, which passed:

Bills we supported that did not pass:

Criminal Justice/Ending the Public Health Crisis of Mass Incarceration:

Racial Justice:

Environment/Climate:

  • House Bill 2495 - the 2021 Toxic-Free Kids Update Act
    • Read our testimony in support
    • Despite this bill's bipartisan vote in support in the House of Representatives, it did not gain traction in the Oregon Senate. We hope lawmakers will make these much-needed updates to the 2015 Toxic Free Kids Act law.
  • House Bill 2348Requires hospitals and long term care facilities to make available plant-based meals and beverages  

Police Accountability and Gun Violence Prevention:

  • House Bill 2543 - Gun Violence Prevention: Close the Charleston Loophole
  • House Bill 2510 - Gun Violence Prevention: Safe Storage [NOTE: this bill was incorporated into SB 554, which passed the House & Senate)
  • Senate Bill 604 - Gun Violence Prevention: Permit and Training Required to Purchase a Firearm
  • Senate Bill 396 - Gun Violence Prevention: Ban Undetectable and/or Untraceable Firearms (such as guns made by 3D printing)

Bills we opposed, that did not pass:

Nuclear Power Exemptions:

  • Senate Bill 360 - Exempting small modular nuclear reactors from Oregon's current ban on nuclear power generation
  • House Bill 2332 - Repeals requirement for Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council to find a viable permanent storage site for nuclear waste before being able to consider siting a nuclear power facility in Oregon
  • House Bill 2692 - Exempts small modular nuclear reactors from Oregon's current requirement for them to be approved by voters before receiving a site certificate from the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council.

Our Healthy Climate Program Director Damon Motz-Storey was invited to present to the Oregon House Committee on Energy & Environment about the importance of keeping Oregon's protections against nuclear power in place.