Introduction
On 7/7/17 the Oregon Legislature passed resolutions to Sine Die, otherwise known as adjourn session. This report is a snapshot of the student victories and missed opportunities.
Students were at the center of Oregon politics and were represented at the capitol every day. We have over 150 students at our lobby days, over 130 in person student testimonies, over 150 written student testimonies and over 350 calls to legislative offices. The power of this advocacy has helped us to advance our agenda as an association. Here are some of the results of student advocacy:
Priority Policy Issues
SB 762 – Survivor Amnesty PASSED
Summary: Exempts sexual assault victims and persons assisting sexual assault victims from arrest or prosecution for offense related to purchase or possession of alcoholic beverage by person under 21 years of age if evidence of offense was obtained because of contact with law enforcement agency or emergency medical services to report assault or obtain assistance.
SB 231- Mental Health & Neurodivergancy Research PASSED
Summary: Establishes Task Force on Student Mental Health Support.
HB 2845 – Ethnic Studies Standards PASSED
Summary: Directs Department of Education to convene advisory group to develop statewide ethnic studies standards for adoption into existing statewide social studies standards for public kindergarten through grade 12.
HB 2864 – Cultural Competency PASSED
Summary: Requires each community college and public university to establish process for recommending, and providing oversight for implementation of, cultural competency standards for institution and institution’s employees.
HB 2355 – End Profiling PASSED
Summary: Directs Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to develop method for recording data concerning officer-initiated pedestrian and traffic stops. Also trains mandates cultural competency trainings of all Oregon law enforcement officers and reduces drug felonies to misdemeanor for the first 2 offenses.
HB 2673 -Gender Documentation PASSED
Summary: Creates alternative process for persons seeking to change name on vital record for purpose of affirming gender identity.
Priority Budget Issues
| OSA’s budget ask | Governor’s Recommended Budget | Co-Chair’s Framework | Actual allocation | % increase from 2015 | |
| Public University Support Fund | $765M | $667M | $683.4M | $737M | 10.5% increase |
| Community College Support Fund | $636M | $550M | $556.3M | $570M | 3.6% increase |
| Oregon Opportunity Grant | $155M | $151M | $140M | $146M | 4.3% increase |
| Oregon Promise | N/A | $40M | $5M | $40M | 300% increase |
Missed Budget Opportunities
HB 2830 – Oregon Education Reinvestment Act FAILED
Summary: Increases corporate activity tax rates. Would secure $250M for higher education budgets.
Other Student Priorities
| Bill Name | Bill Summary | Bill URL | PASSED or FAILED | Priority | Position | Desired outcome? |
| HB 2666 | Gives community college recognized student government authority to establish process and allocate mandatory student-initiated fees, subject to refusal under certain circumstances by board of education of community college district or president of community college. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2666/Enrolled | PASSED | 2 | Support | YES |
| HB 2729 | Establishes official name of open resources program as “Oregon’s Open Educational Resources (OER) Program.” Requires Higher Education Coordinating Commission to regularly convene faculty, staff and librarians from public universities and community colleges for purpose of coordinating program in specified manner. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2729/B-Engrossed | PASSED | 2 | Support | YES |
| HB 2972 | Prohibits public university, community college or Oregon-based private university or college to use threat or imposition of student discipline or other sanction to influence decision of victim of alleged incident of sexual assault, domestic violence or stalking regarding whether to report alleged incident or participate in investigation or adjudication of alleged incident. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2972/Enrolled | PASSED | 2 | Support | YES |
| HB 2998 | Requires community colleges and public universities to establish foundational curriculum or foundational curricula for first year of coursework at public post-secondary institutions of education and establishes requirements for foundational curricula. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2998/Enrolled | PASSED | 2 | Support | YES |
| HB 3078 | Modifies eligibility for Family Sentencing Alternative Pilot Program. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB3078/B-Engrossed | PASSED | 2 | Support | YES |
| HB 3170 | Extends collective bargaining rights to certain faculty members of public university with academic rather than administrative focus. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB3170/Enrolled | PASSED | 2 | Support | YES |
| HB 3391 | Requires health benefit plan coverage of specified health care services, drugs, devices, products and procedures related to reproductive health. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB3391/Enrolled | PASSED | 2 | Support | YES |
| HB 3408 | Clarifies that person may register to vote or update voter registration by having other person deliver voter registration card to designated agency or official. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB3408/Enrolled | PASSED | 2 | Support | YES |
| HB 3464 | Prohibits public body from disclosing specified information concerning person unless required by state or federal law. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB3464/Introduced | PASSED | 2 | Support | YES |
| HB 2565 | Changes how priority enrollment system is applied to continuing qualified students and new qualified students. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2565/Enrolled | PASSED | 2 | Support | YES |
| SB 143 | Directs Department of Veterans’ Affairs to develop and implement one or more grant programs statewide to expand and enhance existing campus veteran resource centers and employ campus veteran resource coordinators on campuses of community colleges and public universities to help veterans successfully transition from military service to college life, succeed in college, complete educational goals and transition from college to workforce and community. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB143/Enrolled | PASSED | 2 | Support | YES |
| SB 802 | Allows person who is at least 16 years of age to register to vote. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB802/Enrolled | PASSED | 2 | Support | YES |
| SB 253 | Requires institutions of higher education to provide to each applicable student information detailing amount of education loans received, amount of tuition and fees student has paid to institution, estimate of total payoff amount of education loans student has received, estimate of amount student will have to pay each month to service loans and percentage of borrowing limit student has reached for each type of federal loan. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB253/Enrolled | PASSED | 2 | Support | YES |
| SB 274 | Requires each post-secondary educational institution that provides housing for students to provide to each student enrolling or registering at institution for first time information on vaccine-preventable diseases known to occur in individuals between 16 and 21 years of age. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB274/Enrolled | PASSED | 2 | Support | YES |
| SB 318 | Directs Department of Education to provide technical assistance and support to school districts and community colleges to prevent and respond to interpersonal violence. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB318/Introduced | FAILED | 2 | Support | NO |
| SB 350 | Prohibits public schools from using Native American mascots. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB350/Introduced | FAILED | 2 | Support | NO |
| SB 683 | Requires state to pay for ballot return envelopes that can be returned by business reply mail for each election held in this state. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB683/Introduced | FAILED | 2 | Support | NO |
| SB 1001 | Permits each student enrolled at community college or public university to request, at no cost to student, evaluation to determine whether student should have section 504 plan or review of student’s existing section 504 plan. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB1001/Introduced | FAILED | 2 | Support | NO |
| SB 1006 | Directs certifying agencies to certify to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, within specified time, victim helpfulness in detecting, investigating or prosecuting certain criminal activity. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB1006/Introduced | FAILED | 2 | Support | NO |
| SB 1011 | Requires Higher Education Coordinating Commission to conduct study and develop recommendations regarding most effective voter registration methods for students attending public universities and community colleges. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB1011/Introduced | FAILED | 2 | Support | NO |
| HB 2782 | Authorizes issuance of bonds under Articles XI-G and XI-Q of Oregon Constitution to finance expansion of Oregon State University-Cascades campus. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2782/Introduced | FAILED | 2 | Support | NO |
| HB 2693 | Establishes grant program under which Department of Education awards grants to school districts for percentage of certain student transportation costs for which school district does not receive any amount in distributions from State School Fund. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2693/A-Engrossed | FAILED | 2 | Support | NO |
| HB 2004 | During first nine months of occupancy, prohibits landlord from terminating month-to-month tenancy within 60 days of receiving from tenant request for repairs to correct certain building, health or housing code violation or unhabitable condition. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2004/B-Engrossed | FAILED | 2 | Support | NO |
| HB 2668 | Requires governing board of public university to obtain approval from Legislative Assembly or Higher Education Coordinating Commission in order to increase tuition and mandatory enrollment fees by more than four percent annually. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2668/Introduced | FAILED | 2 | Support | NO |
| SB 196 | Provides that part-time faculty member at public institution of higher education who qualifies for health care benefits will pay 10 percent of insurance premiums, with remaining 90 percent paid by state. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB196/A-Engrossed | FAILED | 2 | Support | NO |
| HB 2921 | Preempts city or county from adopting rule, ordinance or policy related to immigration. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2921/Introduced | FAILED | 4 | Oppose | YES |
| SB 443 | Requires that at least 25 percent of Oregon Opportunity Grant moneys be awarded to students committed to majoring in science, technology, engineering or mathematics fields. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB443/Introduced | FAILED | 4 | Oppose | YES |
| SB 540 | Requires community college or public university to expel any student convicted of riot. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB540/Introduced | FAILED | 4 | Oppose | YES |
| HB 2145 | Establishes lower minimum wage for work-study students, adjusted annually for inflation. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2145/Introduced | FAILED | 4 | Oppose | YES |
| HB 2378 | Allows employer to pay 85 percent of minimum wage to employee under 21 years of age for initial 90 days of employment. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2378/Introduced | FAILED | 4 | Oppose | YES |
| HB 2915 | Allows employer to pay federal minimum wage to youth employee during employee’s initial period of employment. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2915/Introduced | FAILED | 4 | Oppose | YES |
| HB 2917 | Requires state agencies and persons that contract with state agencies to use federal E-Verify employment verification system to verify employment eligibility of job applicants. | https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2917/Introduced | FAILED | 4 | Oppose | YES |