The Oregon legislature is now in full swing.

Restore Oregon staff and our expert volunteers on the Policy & Advocacy Committee have already reviewed close to 2,500 bills introduced in the first three weeks of the session!

Based on our adopted legislative agenda, we have already submitted testimony for funding and are tracking a whole slew of bills where we believe historic preservation can make a difference and where we will likely engage to bring positive change, and funding, to the forefront for historic preservation.

Here are the key bills we support in association with our legislative agenda:
Advocate for critical funding to the Oregon cultural sector and Main Street grants. 
  • HB 2459 (Rep Nosse) - provides $50M to Oregon cultural organizations in response to the negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on organization finances. RO submitted testimony in SUPPORT of this bill to the House Committee On Economic Development and Small Business.
  • HB 2498 (Rep Nosse) - Creates a Cultural Impact Program with $200M in bonds to provide grants via county/tribal coalitions.
  • HB 2911 (Reps. Gomberg, Owens, Greg Smith, Marsh) - provides $20M for rural Oregon in the form of grants to Oregon cultural organizations and support businesses in response to the negative impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.
  • *NEW* HB 5030 (Gov Kotek’s Recommended Budget) - proposes $20 million in lottery bond dollars to fund the Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant for the 2023-2025 biennium. Thank you Governor Kotek for your support of Oregon's diverse heritage in our Main Street Program communities!

In addition to advocacy activity for these bills, Restore Oregon will be participating in an exciting new way to engage with our elected officials as they launch the first-ever Oregon Arts and Culture Caucus. Coordinated by Rep. Rob Nosse (D-Portland), the Arts and Culture Caucus’ inaugural membership includes Sen. Dick Anderson (R-Lincoln City), Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-Clackamas), Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-Portland), Rep. David Gomberg (D-Otis), Sen. Bill Hansell (R-Athena), Rep. John Lively (D-Springfield), Rep. Pam Marsh (D-Ashland), Sen. Deb Patterson (D-Salem). Members of the Arts and Culture Caucus are considering legislative concepts and bills put forward by the Arts Commission, the Oregon Cultural Trust, and the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon (of which RO is an organizational member). 

Champion the value and need for historic preservation financial incentives. 
  • HB2079 (House Interim Committee on Revenue for Rep Nathanson) - Requires Legislative Revenue Officer to study the potential of implementing tax credit and direct grant programs to encourage the preservation of historic property.
  • SB 149 (Senate Interim Committee on Finance and Revenue) - extends the current historic property Special Assessment Program to 2031.
  • HB 2084/SB 154 (House Interim Committee on Revenue for Rep Nathanson) - both bills provide the same language to “study the calculation of maximum assessed value when a taxable property becomes newly eligible for, or is disqualified from, exemption or special assessment program.” This applies to any special assessment program, not just to historic properties. RO is monitoring this to learn the larger intent of the bill.
Support the reuse of existing structures as they can generate new AND preserve existing housing units while simultaneously helping address the housing crisis and carbon reduction goals.

There are many bills we are currently assessing and monitoring before declaring our support, but we have a clear advocacy voice that we will bring to the table on the priority issues of this session.  

Advocate for capital funding for Oregon's State Forester Headquarters in Salem, a WPA-era National Register-listed cultural landscape of statewide significance. Because of our past work to study and educate Oregonians about the valuable resources from this time period, we will work to educate our elected officials about this particular historic resource and its need for capital investment as the emblem of so many resources from this era that need to be preserved.

If you’d like to learn more about any of these bills or what’s happening in the 2023 Legislative Session, the online system used by the Oregon Legislature (OLIS) can help you explore, track and understand the bills and the process.  (Webpage for 2023 Session)

Photo: Dan Meyers