With supermajority in both chambers of Oregon Legislature, Democrats announce agenda

This week, Oregon began its 83rd Legislative Session with the swearing in of elected representatives. Democrats secured a supermajority of three-fifths in both chambers of the Legislative Assembly with the addition of one seat in the Senate and one in the House of Representatives.

Legislators began to set their agendas with the introduction of about 2,300 bills, many of which are unlikely to make it out of committee. Governor Tina Kotek and the legislature’s majority have placed housing and homelessness as a top priority.

Local Representative Pam Marsh, an esteemed champion of housing initiatives, environmental protections and food security in Southern Oregon, will chair the Housing and Homelessness Committee along with her other committee roles. She outlined various initiatives in a recent dispatch, including extending emergency housing options for people with addictions, affordability for residents of manufactured home parks, and supporting innovation for new affordable housing construction in Oregon. 

Other priorities on the session’s agenda include environmental bills that would require large energy consumers to pay their fair share, support for beaver habitat, and continue to fund resilience hubs and networks. Other bills would provide new funding for structural recovery from wildfires, workers’ and consumers’ protections and planning for child care facilities. 

According to Rep. Marsh, “Core policy areas that I will focus on in this session include affordable housing, climate resilience, wildfire recovery, broadband access, and… beavers!”

Oregon House Democrats published a Participation Guide, in light of continued construction forcing the closure of much of the Capital, to support public involvement in many processes. Similar information for engaging in public processes is available from those working in the 30-member Oregon Senate chamber.