April 9th, First Chamber Deadline Officially Hits:

Wednesday, April 9th marked the First Chamber Deadline, signaling the halfway point of the 2025 Legislative Session. While the number of active bills dropped significantly following the deadline, a substantial volume remains in play, and many major issues are still unresolved. It’s clear that, despite reaching the midpoint, this session is far from over—it’s a marathon with a long road still ahead.

Roughly 3,400 bills were introduced this session. As of now, just over 1700 remain active, many of which are currently in the Revenue, Rules, or Ways and Means committees.

Fire Chiefs Bill Numbers:

Prior to the deadline, we had tracked 517 bills for the Alliance. After the April 9th deadline, we are now tracking approximately 280.

Bill Watch – Where Are the Key Pieces of Legislation Now? 

So far in the 2025 Legislative Session, we’ve provided written and verbal testimony on over 20 bills, participated in panel discussions, and shown our support for legislators and partners by attending key hearings in uniform. A big thank you to everyone who has dedicated their time and energy—whether by testifying, attending legislative meetings, or showing up at hearings. Your involvement truly makes a difference.

As mentioned earlier, the number of active bills this session has dropped significantly. Attached, you’ll find the latest bill tracking reports along with a schedule of hearings for the upcoming week - Round two, here we go!

While we've been tracking and discussing many bills throughout the session (and the attached reports reflect those updates), I want to take a moment to highlight a few notable ones and where they currently stand. If you have questions on specific bills, please send them over and we will give you an update on where they are at.

Wildfire Funding & Forestland Classification

• HB 3940 – Passed out of the House Committee on Climate and Energy, and is now in the House Committee on Revenue. 

EMS Modernization & Volunteer Tax Credit 

• HB 3572 and HB 3380 – Representative Grayber’s EMS modernization package, HB  3572, passed out of committee and is in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. HB 3380 Increases the tax credit allowed to rural volunteer emergency medical services providers from $250 per tax year to $1,000 per tax year. HB 3380 will be a part of the overall EMS modernization package, and is currently residing in the House Committee on Revenue.

Balance Billing

• HB 3243 – Passed out of committee and is in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.

Peer Support Confidentiality

• HB  3929 – The bill passed out of committee and is headed to the floor for a vote.

Resolution Prioritizing Firefighter Health and Urgently Addressing Cancer-Causing Chemicals in Gear

• HCR2 – Enrolled

Events on Lands Zoned for Exclusive Farm Use in Eastern Oregon

• SB 788 – The fire service had concerns with this bill as it related to building code. The Alliance submitted neutral testimony on the bill expressing our concerns. The bill died in committee.

Fees on the Transportation of Oil by Rail

• HB 2384 – This bill passed out of committee and is headed to the floor for a vote.

UAS Bills

• HB 3426 – Representative Boice’s bill that expands offenses relating to the use of an unmanned aircraft system to interfere with official duties to include firefighting and search and rescue efforts. This bill, with the -3 amendment, passed committee and is on its way to the floor for a vote.

• SB 238 – This bill expands the use of drones by law enforcement. This bill passed out of committee and is headed to the floor for a vote.

Halfway Through the Session, Big Questions Remain:

Lawmakers are grappling with a daunting list of challenges: a growing housing crisis, a crumbling public defense system, gaps in mental health care, aging infrastructure, and rising wildfire costs the state can barely keep up with.

But as the 160-day legislative session crosses its midpoint, there’s little clarity on how — or even whether — the Legislature will tackle any of it. Some proposals are gaining momentum, while others are still stuck in limbo. And looming over all of it: uncertainty about how decisions in Washington, D.C., might reshape Oregon’s financial outlook.

Here’s where things stand.

A Fragile Truce in the Capitol:

Tensions in the House are starting to surface. Republicans have begun using procedural delays — like forcing bills to be read aloud in full — to signal frustration. It’s a well-worn move, but one of the few tools available to the minority party.

House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, said the GOP is speaking out both because partisan bills are advancing and because others with bipartisan backing are stalled. Among the more controversial proposals: one that would extend unemployment benefits to striking workers — which Republicans see as a gift to labor unions. On the flip side, a bill to ease restrictions on cities managing homeless camps and delay mandatory electric truck sales hasn’t moved. 

Major Issues Still Unresolved:

Two and a half months in, lawmakers haven’t made significant progress on some of the state’s biggest problems — the same ones that loomed large when the session began on Jan. 21. Key questions remain unanswered:

• How will Oregon fund billions in basic transportation maintenance?
• What’s the fix for the worsening crisis in public defense?
• Will the state finally move the needle on housing?
• Can Oregon find a sustainable way to pay for wildfires?

In fairness, big-ticket items like tax hikes for infrastructure or sweeping policy shifts usually take time — and the budget, the Legislature’s main task this session, always comes near the end. But the sheer volume of unresolved issues this year is striking.

So far, the most notable accomplishment is a relatively non-controversial extension of existing taxes that will unlock billions in federal Medicaid funding — a rare win with bipartisan support.

Federal Uncertainty Clouds Budget Planning:

As usual, lawmakers are looking to maximize federal matching dollars — Washington D.C. money typically makes up about a third of Oregon’s budget. But this year, budget writers are watching the federal landscape with increasing anxiety.

Spending cut proposals from the Federal Administration have sparked real concern that Oregon could lose major funding streams — particularly for education and health care.

A budget outline released by the Legislature’s powerful Ways and Means Committee paints a stark picture: a 10% cut in federal support could blow a $2.5 billion hole in the state’s budget.

All eyes now turn to May 14, when the state’s chief economist will release the next revenue forecast — the blueprint lawmakers will use to finalize their budget. If the numbers hold steady, there may be enough to maintain core services and invest in top priorities like housing and behavioral health. But if the forecast falls short, painful cuts could define the rest of the session.

Still on the Table:

• Transportation funding
• Public defense reform
• Affordable housing solutions
• Wildfire budget stability
• Civil commitment reforms
• Federal funding impact
• Government accountability

Although we are halfway through session, we are still running a marathon. 😊

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s any way we can support you. It’s a privilege for both of us to represent the Alliance!