Oregon's December Session: What got done

The Oregon Legislature met on Dec. 13 in a special session, passing a series of bills that total $400 million in new spending for a variety of needs across the state. They include:

• $100 million for additional emergency rental assistance for low-income tenants facing eviction

• $100 million to support partnerships with existing local rental assistance programs

• $40 million for farmers and ranchers who lost income due to this year’s ice storm, heat dome, and drought

• $25 million to expand the state’s Illegal Marijuana Market Enforcement Grant program and funding for local organizations to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding at those sites

• $19 million for dentists who provide services to low-income patients

• $18 million to help the 1,200 Afghan refugees relocating to Oregon find housing and jobs

• $14 million for affordable housing in 14 cities

• $14 million for irrigation districts impacted by drought

• $12 million for Klamath Basin domestic well assistance

• $10 million to reimburse landlords for tenants who can’t afford rent payments, and for other fees they accrued during the pandemic

• $10 million for agriculture workers who lost pay due to heat and wildfire smoke

• $9.7 million for drought relief on Klamath Tribal lands

• $5 million to process rental assistance applications and speed up delivery of federal funds

• $5 million for grasshopper and cricket eradication

This article appears in Dec 22-29, 2021.