You can view OSA’s report from the end of the 2019 long legislative session here.

You can view OSA’s end of session report for the 2020 short session here.

The Oregon Student Association had a successful short session passing 10 of 12 priority issues.

PASSED

Senate Bill 1563 – Tuition Equity 3.0

Removes requirement that students who are not citizens or lawful permanent residents apply for official federal identification document to be eligible for exemption from paying nonresident tuition at public universities.

Senate Bill 1557 – Military Student Support Reform

Requires community colleges, public universities and Oregon Health and Science University to provide certain rights to students ordered to federal or state active duty for 30 or fewer consecutive days.

House Bill 4141 – Student Voice and Transparency Act

Requires each public university to establish advisory body to advise university president on recommendations to governing board regarding resident tuition and mandatory enrollment fees.

Senate Bill 1528 – HECC Tax Credit Auction

Creates tax credit for contributions to Opportunity Grant Fund.

House Bill 4043 – Community College Financial Aid Advising

Requires community colleges to jointly conduct study to determine best methods for helping community college students learn about and apply for benefits.

House Bill 4150 – K12 Sexual Harassment Reform

Requires specified information to be shared with student, staff member or certain person following conclusion of investigation related to sexual harassment.

House Bill 4053 – K12 Accelerated Credit Transfer

Requires Chief Education Office to prepare annual report on accelerated college credit programs.

Senate Bill 5702 – Capital Investments

Increases amounts authorized for issuance of revenue bonds for biennium.

House Bill 4155 – Net Neutrality

Prohibits public bodies from contracting with broadband Internet access service providers that engage in certain network management activities based on paid prioritization, content blocking or other discrimination.

House Bill 4028 – Student Parent Childcare Tax Credit

Limits expenses for which dependent care income tax credit may be claimed to combination of earned income taxable by Oregon and imputed income, using lesser amount attributable to either spouse on joint return.

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

$32M Community College Funding

Obtaining $32 million for community colleges to mitigate tuition increases and expand advising services.

This was one of the hardest tasks on our agenda. Although the Oregon Community College Association was taking lead on this funding request, our organization played a huge role on moving this issue forward. The coalition requested a meeting on the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education for Tuesday, February 27^th. Nearly all members of the subcommittee were on board, including the co-chairs, and we were able to get the House Higher Education leaders to sign a letter of support. However, when requesting funds without a bill aligned, the subcommittee must get the approval of all four co-chairs (subcommittee and full committee).

This made the task difficult for us to advance. We were able to secure 3 out of 4 co-chairs. President Courtney was the missing link. A day before our planned meeting, we were informed that the President decided to not have the meeting on the 27^th. This essentially eliminated the possibility of a funding ask. Legislators in support suggested using whatever political capital they had left to get a smaller amount, but the coalition decided to save that political capital for the long session and make Community College Funding the primary goal for higher education funding allocation.

Paid Postage

Permits county, city or district to choose to permit electors to return ballot by business reply mail, with county, city or district paying cost for ballot return.

The bill was ineffective after the Sine Die. We expect this bill to be a big push during the long session.

This is a sad day for Oregon, especially the many undocumented students OSA works for. Today, the Trump administration announced the termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program. The DACA program has served as a critical lifeline for nearly 11,000 immigrants in the state of Oregon.

Thousands of young people in Oregon came out of the shadows and accepted the government’s offer in good faith and worked hard to build their lives here. Today, the government went back on their word, and threatened the lives and futures of 11,000 Oregon Dreamers.

The fate of 800,000 DACA recipients nationwide, who call this country their home, depend on the decisions of Congress. You have an opportunity to reach out to congressional representatives, such as Representative Greg Walden who holds a leadership position in the House of Representatives, and encourage them to fight for undocumented Oregonians.

This is a heartbreaking day for the immigrant community. We encourage students who are impacted to practice self care and reach out to mental health resources on their campus. The Oregon Student Association will continue to organize and fight for undocumented Oregonians.

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

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