Sen. Rachel Armitage

Requires Department of Education to conduct survey related to academic assessments administered to students by school districts and to develop recommendations and best practices related to assessments. Directs department to report results of survey and recommendations and best practices to State Board of Education and to interim committee of Legislative Assembly related to education no later than May 1, 2024. Requires department and board to review standards related to disclosure and transfer of information in student education records. Directs department to report results of review to interim committee of Legislative Assembly related to education no later than September 15, 2023.

Modifies composition and duties of Oregon Broadband Advisory Council. Provides for establishment of grant application review committees. Directs Oregon Broadband Office to develop Broadband Action Plan and Digital Equity Plan that address requirements in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Directs Oregon Broadband Office to collect geospatial data information related to broadband service in Oregon to assist state to determine eligibility for grants and loans and confirm allocation of federal funds. Exempts from public disclosure proprietary information subject to nondisclosure agreement provided to office. Establishes Connecting Oregon Libraries Fund. Continuously appropriates moneys in fund to State Library for purpose of providing matching funds for federal moneys received by certain libraries for providing broadband access. Requires State Library Board to adopt certain rules before distributing moneys in fund. Directs Public Utility Commission, in consultation with certain other state agencies, to investigate and make recommendations on feasibility of expanding Oregon Telephone Assistance Program and applying residential service surcharge to support access to broadband Internet access service or other telecommunications services. Requires commission to submit report to appropriate regular or interim committee of Legislative Assembly and Oregon Broadband Office no later than June 1, 2023. Removes requirement that Public Utility Commission serve notice of all filings of applications for certificates of authority to provide intrastate telecommunications services. Removes requirement that commission provide annual competitive provider report to Legislative Assembly. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Requires Department of Transportation to conduct review of Oregon Route 6 and present report to Joint Committee on Transportation no later than September 15, 2023. Sunsets January 2, 2024. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Requires, on or after January 1, 2023, officials of public bodies to grant news media representatives access to scenes of wildfires or natural disasters on public lands that are otherwise closed to public. Provides exceptions when access may be denied or when access may be limited to news media representatives who have received basic fire and natural disaster site safety training approved by associations representing professional news media and public safety agencies. Authorizes on-site scene commanders or designees to grant unescorted access to scenes of wildfires or natural disasters to news media representatives who assume own risk and without promise of rescue. Provides that mandated news media access rules do not apply to property owned by specified educational institutions. Directs Department of State Police ] Office of Emergency Management to convene committee of equal numbers of news media and public safety agency stakeholders to develop voluntary guidelines for basic fire and natural disaster site safety training for news media representatives, examples of when circumstances warrant denial of access to news media representatives and other specified topics. Directs stakeholder committee designees to report on work of committee to House Interim Committee on Rules prior to September 1, 2022. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Requires Oregon Department of Administrative Services to provide grants for certain coordinated homeless response systems. Requires response systems to report annually to Housing and Community Services Department, Oregon Housing Stability Council and interim committee of Legislative Assembly. Sunsets January 2, 2025. Appropriates moneys for specified response system grants. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Establishes Elliott State Research Forest consisting of lands formerly constituting Elliott State Forest. Declares Oregon State University's Elliott State Research Forest Proposal accepted and amended by State Land Board. Provides for further amendments to proposal by university under certain circumstances. Creates Elliott State Research Forest Authority to administer Elliott State Research Forest. Provides that authority shall be governed by board of directors to which voting members are appointed by State Land Board. Describes duties of board of directors. Provides that board of directors constitutes governing body of authority for purposes of public meetings statutes. Describes duties and powers of State Land Board related to forest. Describes duties of executive director of authority. Describes powers of authority. Provides that requirements of public records statutes apply to authority. Provides that requirements of Administrative Procedures Act do not apply to actions of authority or board of directors. Creates exception allowing judicial review of action principally concerning person's individual rights. Creates exception allowing judicial review of certain other actions. Authorizes board of directors to request revenue bonding to be used for owning, operating or administering forest. Authorizes board of directors to request certain general obligation bonding to be used for owning and operating forest. ] Authorizes use of certificates of participation financing to finance capital projects or purchases related to owning, operating or administering forest. Provides that provisions related to forest become operative on January 1, 2024, only if certain events occur on or before July 1, 2023. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Directs State Board of Forestry to adopt single rule package on or before November 30, 2022, to implement Private Forest Accord Report. Directs board to adopt rules related to post-disturbance harvest and to initiate rulemaking concerning tethered logging by certain dates. Establishes certain exemptions from requirements for just compensation for land use regulation. Directs State Forestry Department to procure services for development and application of landslide modeling. Directs board to submit habitat conservation plan consistent with Private Forest Accord Report, procure related services and apply for incidental take permit. Provides exemption from Oregon Forest Practices Act requirements related to species addressed in certain federal agreement. Establishes small forestland owner minimum options related to forest practices by small forestland owners. Directs board to adopt by rule Small Forestland Investment in Stream Habitat Program. Creates Small Forestland Owner Assistance Office within department. Establishes certain requirements and prohibitions related to beaver. Establishes Private Forest Accord Mitigation Advisory Committee. Directs State Fish and Wildlife Commission to establish by rule Private Forest Accord Grant Program. Directs board to establish by rule adaptive management program. Establishes Adaptive Management Program Committee and Independent Research and Science Team as advisory committees to board. Amends Oregon Forest Practices Act. Provides that policies do no affect treaty or other rights of Indian tribe or beneficial ownership interest of land held in trust for Indian tribe or held by Indian tribe ] certain property rights of Indian tribe or tribally owned or operated corporation . Authorizes department to adopt rules related to pesticide applications. Makes operability of new provisions and amendments contingent on issuance of incidental take permit on or before December 31, 2027, and incidental take permit remaining in effect. Appropriates moneys from General Fund to certain agencies for certain purposes. Increases certain limitations on expenditures. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Provides for nonprofit organization that addresses and executes worker relief to serve as fiscal agent to award grants to organizations to provide services related to immigration matters through universal representation program. Requires fiscal agent to report annually to appropriate committee or interim committee of Legislative Assembly, Oregon Department of Administrative Services and Legislative Fiscal Officer. Directs Chief Justice of Supreme Court to transfer funds to Oregon State Bar for use by Legal Services Program to provide legal services to individuals on immigration matters and related matters. Establishes Universal Representation Fund in State Treasury. Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Oregon Department of Administrative Services for purposes of deposit in Universal Representation Fund. Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Judicial Department for purposes of transfer to Oregon State Bar. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Directs Oregon Business Development Department to develop and implement Economic Equity Investment Program to award grants to organizations that provide culturally responsive services to support economic stability, self-sufficiency, wealth building and economic equity among disadvantaged individuals, families, businesses and communities in Oregon. Becomes operative January 1, 2023. Appropriates moneys from General Fund to department for purposes of grant program. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Requires Department of Human Services to establish certification process for direct care providers of home or community-based services and implement online registry of direct care providers of home or community-based services. Specifies requirements for certification and information to be displayed on online registry. Requires department to work with stakeholder groups to design certification requirements, explore ways to improve skill level and training of caregivers and improve caregivers' pathways to continued education and advancement. Sunsets January 2, 2024. Requires department to report to Joint Interim Committee on Ways and Means on work with stakeholders and on implementation of certification process and registry. Declares emergency, effective on passage.