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

Click here to read the Mid Session Review!

Click here to read OSA’s media statement on proposed revenue plan.

Priority Issues

Cultural Competency HB 2864

The association has been focusing much of its legislative capacity towards cultural competency in the last couple weeks. We have been working with the Universities and community colleges on agreeing on a cost for the components of the bill and closing out policy negotiations. At this point universities have agreed to to report a minimal fiscal impact for this biennium if change the effective date of the bill to the end of 2019. After we get the amendment back HB 2864 will be scheduled for a work session. We should expect to see it scheduled within the next week.

End Profiling HB 2355

HB 2355 passed out of House Judiciary 8-2-1 with a few amendments. These amendments came forth after the speaker’s office and law enforcement negotiations completed. The coalition accepted these amendments in an effort to keep law enforcement on the table and keep the drug portion intact. At this point we will start to shift our efforts to Ways and Means so that it gets fully funded. The amendments include:

All residue cases are misdemeanors and will not count towards your number of charges to a felony.

3 strikes you’re out- after someone receives 2 drug misdemeanors charges, they will receive a felony charge on their 3rd conviction.

Lowering the amount of time someone can receive jail time for a drug misdemeanor.

Data collection on drug charges in Oregon.

Survivor Amnesty SB 762

We have finalized the amendments for SB 762 and we are looking to have a work session scheduled the second week of April. The amendment expands the protection to bystanders who are calling for medical assistance.

Ethnic Studies HB 2845

HB 2845 is scheduled for a work session April 10th. Since the hearing we have worked with Representative Parrish on an amendment to include someone who is an expert of Middle Eastern or Jewish studies.

Mental Health Taskforce SB 231

SB 231 is scheduled for a hearing and possible work session April 3rd where it is expected to be voted out and sent to Ways and means. There, we will have to opportunity to adjust the bill if necessary to ensure the bill is costing Oregon a substantial amount of money.

Gender and Name Change Documentation HB 2673

Now that HB 2673 is on the Senate side, we are waiting for the Senate to finish considering all of the Senate bills, which they are expected to wrap up by April 18th. After that the Senate will start to hear house bills.We have joined Basic Rights Oregon in efforts to provide organizing capacity to the bill when needed. BRO Lobbyist will be joining us for our O-Board lobby day to go over the bill and messaging.

Other Policy highlights

Stable Homes

Voted out of committee 5-4 on a party line vote with . Scheduled for a floor vote on in the house chamber April 4th.

Veterans Resource centers

Work Session Scheduled April 4th.

Student Fee Autonomy for community colleges

Work Session Scheduled April 6th.

Reproductive Health Equity

Seeking a work session date.

Undocumented survivor Protections

Public Hearing and Work Session scheduled April 4th.

Open Educational Resources

Referred to Ways and Means March 31st

Budget Priorities

Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education

Currently, the Ways and Means subcommittee on education is currently going through an educational series on Higher Education Budgets.They have also scheduled a set of public hearings where they hope to hear from students. The dates are as follows:

April 4th Public Hearing for Financial Aid

April 10th Public Hearing for Community Colleges

April 17th Public Hearing for Universities

Higher Education Coordinating Commission tuition setting meeting

As Universities begin to set their tuition increases, the HECC has planned on hearing all of the universities tuition increases on May 11th. This is an opportunity for students to testify about our budget asks and tuition affordability. Please note that this tuition setting meeting is only for universities that are planning to raise their tuition above 5%.

Higher Education Lobby day

We have been asked by the Higher Education coalition to participate in a lobby day May 16th. This is the same day that the May revenue forecast is being released, so we are hoping to talk to legislators about our budget asks and the need for more revenue.

May 16th Revenue forecast

The May revenue forecast is what the Co Chairs of Ways and Means base the bulk of their budget on. A week or two after the May revenue forecast is released, the Co-Chairs will release their preliminary budget, which will be a key point in time for students to see what dollars may be coming into Higher Education.

Legislator Townhalls

Students have started to attend local townhalls to talk about our Budget asks and the need for more revenue. Students may be asked to attend one in your district in the next couple of months.

Upcoming Key Dates

• April 3rd Public Hearing and Possible work Session for SB 231 (Mental Health Taskforce)
• April 4th Public Hearing for Financial Aid
• April 10th Public Hearing for Community Colleges
• April 10th Work Session for Ethnic Studies
• April 17th Public Hearing for Universities
• May 11th HECC Tuition Setting meeting
• May 16th May Revenue Forecast
• May 16th Higher Education Lobby Day

The HECC is still looking for a student to sit on this committee. Please email  [email protected] if you are interested.

Capitol Update

Priority Issues

• Cultural Competency HB 2864

  • Since the hearing a couple weeks ago, OSA staff and Lobby Corps have been following up work with a variety of stakeholders to make sure we are addressing questions and concerns. We are looking to have a work session scheduled towards the end of March to get HB 2864 voted out of House Higher Education.

• End Profiling HB 2355

  • We joined the End Profiling Coalition this week to discuss the best strategy moving forward after our successful hearing. We are still in talks with law enforcement, DA’s and the speaker’s office about the language around drug decriminalization. Once language is finalized we will move forward with a scheduling a work session.

• Survivor Amnesty SB 762

  • We are currently in discussions with Sen. Gelser’s office and the Attorney General’s office about an amendment to also provide Amnesty to the friends who may call for medical assistance if the survivor is incapacitated. After the language is finalized this week we will be moving to schedule a work session.

• Ethnic Studies HB 2845

  • Hearing date is set for March 15. We will have students, coalition partners and educators testify on the bill. We currently have over 40 organizations that have endorsed the Ethnic studies bill.

• Mental Health Taskforce SB 231

  • We are currently working on an amendment to include drug addiction as it relates to mental health issues. We are hoping to have the amendment in the next couple of days to move forward with a work session.

• Gender and Name Change Documentation HB 2673

  • This is scheduled for a House floor vote March 14th. We have submitted a letter of support for legislators to view.

• Other Policy highlights

  • OSU Expansion package is scheduled for a work session for March 14th and will be referred to Ways and Means for further deliberation.

Upcoming Key Dates

• Ethnic Studies Hearing – March 15th

• Gender and Name Change Floor Vote – March 14th

Credit for Prior Learning committee

The HECC is still looking for a student to sit on this committee. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Capitol Update

In the past couple of weeks we have had a number of successful hearings on our priority issues and also a few key votes taken. Please see updates below:

Priority Issues

• Cultural Competency HB 2864

  • Hearing was held March 2nd, work session to be scheduled soon

  • Mariana (LCC), Brent (PSU), Luke (OSU) and Devon (PSU) were all able to testify.

• End Profiling HB 2355

  • Hearing held on March 6th

  • Mariana (LCC) Maria (UO) and (Corrina) were all able to testify.

• Survivor Amnesty SB 762

  • Hearing held March 2nd

  • Tabitha (OSU) and Jacqueline (OSU) were able to testify.

• Ethnic Studies HB 2845

  • Hearing date March 15 (tentative)

  • Currently asking organizations to sign on and support the bill

• Mental Health Taskforce SB 231

  • Hearing held March 1st, Work session to be scheduled soon.

  • Lina (LBCC), Candaylynn(OSU), Dan (LCC), Samantha (LCC), Ryan (LCC)

• Gender and Name Change Documentation HB 2673

  • Work session held March 6th

  • Passed out of committee with a 6-3 vote

• Other Policy highlights

  • Hearing for the Student Fee Autonomy for Community Colleges was held March 2nd

    • Candalynn (OSU), Cody (PCC), Brent (PSU) and Alex (LCC) were able to testify

  • Stable Homes Hearing was held March 2nd

    • Rico (LCC) and Scott (LBCC) were able to testify.

  • Hearing for Universal Credit Transfer hearing was held Feb. 28th

    • Gus (LCC) was able to testify

Ways and Means Roadshows

• Eugene

  • Rachel (OSU), Robert (OSU), Imani (UO) and Daniel (UO) were able to testify. There were about 15 students there.

Upcoming Key Dates

• Ethnic Studies Hearing – March 15th

• Sensible Tuition Caps Hearing – March 14th

• Work Session on SB 231 – March 8th (Tentitive)

Credit for Prior Learning committee

The HECC is still looking for a student to sit on this committee. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Priority Issues update

In the past couple of weeks, students have been able to make progress on all of our priority issues:

• Cultural Competency HB 2864
  • Hearing date for early March is being finalized
  • Some language is still being finalized
• End Profiling HB 2355
  • Hearing date for early March is being finalized
  • The End Profiling coalition is negotiating with the District Attorney’s   
• Survivor Amnesty SB 762
  • Hearing date requested
  • Currently asking organizations to sign on and support the bill
• Ethnic Studies HB 2845
  • Hearing for early or mid March being finalized
  • Currently asking organizations to sign on and support the bill
• Mental Health Taskforce SB 231
  • Hearing date requested
  • Currently asking organizations to sign on and support the bill
• Other Policy highlights
  • Hearing for the Student Fee Autonomy for Community Colleges is will be at the beginning of March.
  • Hearing for Reproductive Health Equity looks like it may be mid March (subject to change).
  • Stable Homes bill will have a hearing at the beginning of March.
  • Hearing for OER’s will be Feb. 23rd
  • Hearing for OSU Cascades expansion will be Feb. 23rd

Ways and Means Roadshows

Students have been represented at every single road show:

• Salem
  • Students from LCC, OSU, WOU, LBCC and Chemeketa all came out in support of OSA’s budget asks.
  • Mariana (LCC) and Tabitha (OSU) were both able to testify on OSA’s behalf.
• Portland
  • Students from PSU and PCC were present at this hearing.
  • Brent (PSU) and Sabrina (PSU) were both able to testify on OSA’s budget asks.
  • Devon (PSU) served as a spokesperson for the media.
  • PCC student also advocated for OERs to be fully funded.
• Hermiston
  • EOU and Blue Mountain Community College were both in attendance and advocated for funding for universities and community colleges.
• Madras
  • Students from OSU Cascades and Central Oregon Community Colleges were present talking about our budget asks and funding for OSU Cascades expansion.
  • Jori (COCC), Anthony (COCC), Sarah (OSU-CC) and Beverly (OSU-CC) were all able to testify on OSA’s budget asks.

OSA Lobby Day

Our Lobby day was a huge success:

• We were able to meet with about 70 legislators
• 2 panels where we talked to house members about budgets and revenue
• 150 students and coalition partners attended throughout the day
• Q and A with Governor Brown

We will be doing a debrief at the Board meeting

Credit for Prior Learning committee

The HECC is still looking for a student to sit on this committee. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Click here for the 2017 lobby day debrief form!