Dates Worth Following this September

September Legislative Days 

September had a handful of key legislative dates to be aware of. First, September Legislative Days took place September 8th-10th. Below you will find key topics and themes throughout Legislative Days that intersect with fire issues.

Firefighter Cancer Presumption

Alan Ferschweiler of the Oregon State Firefighters Council, Fire Chief Mike Caven, and Dr. Danny Wu presented on expanding Oregon's presumptive cancer coverage to all cancers, ahead of anticipated 2027 legislation. Grayber confirmed the issue will proceed through the formal Management-Labor Advisory Committee (MLAC) process, with hearings held August 6 and scheduled October 1.

2026 Wildfire Season Update

State Fire Marshal Ruiz Temple, State Forester Kacey KC, and Doug Grafe, Wildfire Programs Director for the Governor’s Office, provided updates on the 2026 wildfire season.

Committee members expressed strong appreciation for the firefighters and emergency personnel who worked to protect communities during Oregon’s largest fire season on record.

Housing & Building Codes

Updates were provided on the Local Residential Development Process Improvement (LRDPI) Study, along with presentations from the Department of Consumer and Business Services, including the Building Codes Division and Division of Financial Regulation.

Housing will remain a priority for the fire service, with several workgroups continuing discussions on building codes, elevators, and single-stairway designs.

Prosperity Council Recommendations

The Prosperity Council Co-Chairs presented the Council’s report and 10 recommendations, which were developed following six months of statewide listening sessions. The Council held approximately 65 sessions and received input from 35 of Oregon’s 36 counties. The Council concluded that Oregon is at an economic inflection point and called for near-term action.

Core recommendations included:

• Modernizing Business Oregon’s economic development tools.
• Establishing a state permitting “shot clock.”
• Reducing regulatory burdens.
• Aligning Cap and Invest policies with neighboring states.
• Providing $250 million in infrastructure and site-readiness bonding.
• Modernizing SB 100 and Oregon’s land-use framework.

Strategies to Prevent the Spread of Wildfires

Representative Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville), Senator Todd Nash (R-Enterprise), landowner Tom Norton, and Union County Commissioner Paul Anderes presented wildfire prevention strategies to the House Committee on Emergency Management and Veterans, including thinning, grazing, adding ponds to managed lands, and improving access to water.

They also discussed a near-critical jet fuel shortage at the La Grande air tanker base. A legislative concept based on SB 1035 A would expand fuel storage capacity to help prevent future shortages.

LC Request Deadline

In addition to Legislative Days, September 11 was the LC request deadline. Both leading up to and in the days following the deadline, we have been in discussions regarding potential concepts that may be introduced that we want to monitor, as well as engage on, for the 2027 Legislative Session. 

Resuming Alliance Legislative Meetings

The Alliance has officially resumed its Legislative Committee meetings this month. Through the end of the year, the Committee will meet monthly. Beginning in the new year, we will return to weekly meetings throughout the 160-day Legislative Session.

Round Two: Kotek and Drazen Square Off Again

With Election Day on November 3 approaching, Oregon's gubernatorial contest has become one of the more closely watched races in the West. Democratic Governor Tina Kotek is seeking a second term against Republican State Senator Christine Drazan of Canby, the same matchup as 2022. It is Oregon's first gubernatorial rematch since 1978. Here’s an update on the race:

Where the Race Stands

The most recent public poll shows a statistical tie. The DHM Research survey of 600 likely voters, conducted September 3–9, found Drazan ahead of Kotek by 2 points, within the poll's 4-point margin of error. It was funded by Grow Oregon, an advocacy nonprofit backed by business groups friendly to Drazan. The topline was 45% to 43%, with Pacific Green Party candidate Brett Smith at 4% and 13% of voters still undecided. Prediction markets see it differently. As of September 23, Polymarket gave Kotek roughly an 87% chance of winning, which points to a gap between current polling and expectations about the final result. History may explain some of that confidence: polls showed Drazan ahead in 2022 until the final month, and Republican Knute Buehler initially polled better than Governor Kate Brown in 2018. In both cases, the Democrat won on a late surge. Even so, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report shifted its rating of the race from “likely Democrat” to “lean Democrat” on September 10.

What we do know is voters are frustrated. DHM's long-running tracking put the share of Oregonians who say the state is headed in the right direction at a record low of 22% in July. Affordability topped voter concerns at 87%, followed by K–12 education at 85% and housing affordability at 78%, with taxes and homelessness each at 77% and crime at 73%. Transportation issues, including roads, the gas tax, and ODOT's budget, also appear among the concerns voters raise.

Competing Strategies

Kotek's campaign is working to tie Drazan to President Trump, whereas Drazan is running on the state's record, focusing on the economy, government accountability, and taxes. Kotek has more money for the final push. She has raised nearly $12 million since the start of last year and has approximately $8.2 million on hand. Drazan has raised $9.4 million but has just $2.4 million on hand. Significant funding continues to come through on both races. 

Turnout and the Unaffiliated Voter

Nonaffiliated voters are now Oregon's largest voter bloc. They make up 37.3% of the state's 3.09 million registered voters, up 10.2 points since 2016. Democrats account for 31.8%, down 6.2 points, and Republicans for 23.8%, down 3.9 points. These voters turn out much less reliably than partisans. In the 2022 midterm, turnout was 82.8% among Republicans, 78.5% among Democrats, and just 44.5% among nonaffiliated voters. Whether either campaign can motivate this group may decide a close race.