Permits contracting agency to include woody biomass energy technology, as alternative to green energy technology, in construction, reconstruction or major renovation of public building for which contracting agency must set aside 1.5 percent of contract price. Defines "woody biomass energy technology." Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.
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 . Appropriates moneys from General Fund to fund program. Requires Higher Education Coordinating Commission to report to Legislative Assembly during each regular session held during odd-numbered year on summary of current status of program, amount of moneys program has saved students, amount of moneys commission anticipates program will save students in future and evaluation of existing barriers preventing approval of more open educational resources. Declares emergency, effective July 1, 2017.
Establishes Affordable Housing Land Acquisition Revolving Loan Program within Housing and Community Services Department to make loans to eligible organizations to purchase land for affordable housing development and to provide supportive services to residents and low income households. Authorizes department to contract with nonprofit organization to serve as program administrator. Provides for repayment of loans for noncompliance with development plans. Requires completion of development within eight years. Requires development of performance measures and report to Legislative Assembly on December 1 of each year.
Creates Office of Outdoor Recreation within State Parks and Recreation Department. Creates Associate Director of Outdoor Recreation. Prescribes duties of office and of associate director. Becomes operative January 1, 2018. Declares emergency, effective July 1, 2017.
Permits Port of Hood River to enter into agreement for bridge project that is partially or completely within port's district. Specifies purpose and minimum provisions of agreement. Exempts agreement from Public Contracting Code and other statutes, except provisions related to prevailing rate of wage and certain other requirements. Requires port to adopt rules that substantially conform with rules Department of Transportation has adopted to implement provisions of Oregon Innovative Partnerships Program. Specifies elements port must consider in evaluating proposals for bridge project. Requires port to select proposal that provides best overall public value. Permits port, or private entity or governmental unit that port designates, to establish, collect or alter reasonable toll, administrative fee or civil penalty in connection with bridge and to deposit proceeds into account established under agreement for bridge project. Requires department to assess and collect amount of toll that person fails to pay and to refuse to renew vehicle registration of person that fails to pay. Permits port to sell or transfer ownership of bridge or bridge project under specified circumstances.
Requires owner or operator of dam with high hazard rating to develop emergency action plan for dam. Requires determining frequency for conducting of emergency response exercises at dams with high hazard rating. Requires Water Resources Department to conduct periodic inspection of dams with high hazard rating. Creates exception.
Establishes Oregon Agricultural Heritage Fund and continuously appropriates moneys in fund to Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. Authorizes use of moneys for purposes associated with supporting use of land for agricultural production, maintenance or enhancement of fish or wildlife habitat, improvement of water quality or support of other natural resource values. Establishes programs to provide grants for qualifying conservation management plans, working land conservation covenants or working land conservation easements on agricultural lands. Establishes Oregon Agricultural Heritage Commission and specifies duties of commission. Makes provisions related to supporting use of land for agricultural production, fish and wildlife habitat, water quality and other natural resource values, fund establishment, grant programs and establishment and duties of commission operative January 1, 2018. Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for 2017-2019 biennium for carrying out provisions. Requires Legislative Policy and Research Director to study effect of financial incentives, incremental tax reduction and tax elimination on transfers and succession planning for land used for agricultural production, maintenance or enhancement of fish or wildlife habitat, improvement of water quality or support of other natural resource values. Requires director to complete study and report findings to interim legislative committee on or before September 15, 2018. Declares emergency, effective on passage.
Creates offense of selling tobacco products or inhalant delivery systems to person under 21 years of age. Punishes violation by fine. Specifies that manager or other person who supervises retail sale of tobacco products or inhalant delivery systems commits offense if person is acting within course and scope of person's employment and person has supervisory authority over person who makes sale. Specifies that owner of business that sells tobacco products or inhalant delivery systems at retail commits violation if sale occurs at business. Raises minimum age at which person may purchase tobacco products and inhalant delivery systems to 21 years of age. Adjusts certain other requirements related to tobacco products and inhalant delivery systems to reflect raised minimum age. Applies to conduct occurring on or after January 1, 2018. Declares emergency, effective on passage.
Amends Oregon Promise program to remove prohibition on awarding more than $10 million in grants per fiscal year. Makes requirement that person participating in program pay $50 per term in tuition payable by reducing amount of grant awarded, instead of requiring separate payment by person. Requires Higher Education Coordinating Commission to determine prior to start of fall term each academic year whether sufficient moneys exist to award grant to each person who qualifies. Permits commission to limit eligibility to receive grant based on expected family contribution. Permits commission to decrease total amount of grant awarded or increase amount person must pay for each term person receives grant if at any time commission determines that insufficient moneys exist to provide grant to each person who was awarded grant. Permits commission to at any time reduce or eliminate any limitation on eligibility imposed by commission due to shortage of moneys. Allows person to continue to qualify for program if, after being awarded grant, person enters into service with career and technical student organization relating to agriculture or farming that is approved by Department of Education before attending community college. Exempts person serving in Oregon National Guard from requirement to enroll in community college courses within six months of attaining previous highest level of education in order to qualify for Oregon Promise grant, provided that person enrolls in community college courses within six months of completing initial active duty training. Allows commission, upon showing of significant hardship, to waive requirement that in order to qualify for program person start attending classes at community college within six months after person completed previous highest level of education. Declares emergency, effective on passage.
Directs Department of Education to reimburse education provider for expenses incurred from providing vision screenings. Establishes Vision Health Account for purpose of making reimbursements. Appropriates moneys to Department of Education for deposit in Vision Health Account. Declares emergency, effective July 1, 2017.
