Relating to levees; declaring an emergency.

SB 713 authorizes Oregon to issue lottery bonds to generate $15 million in net proceeds for the Levee Project Grant Fund, which will support levee investigations, repairs, and certification. The bill directs these funds to be used for grants to improve levees, with specific rules including a 20% matching fund requirement for applicants, 80% maximum funding for construction, and a 60% minimum allocation for rural or distressed areas. It declares an emergency effective July 1, 2025, to expedite the funding for levee infrastructure critical to public safety and economic development. The bill amends existing law to clarify the fund's structure and grant eligibility under ORS 285B.421.