2022 Oregon Short Legislative Session Wrap-up

The 2022 Oregon Short Legislative Session ended with all CUB-supported bills becoming law. The new laws protect Oregonians’ access to energy efficient cooling and heating resources, support high-speed internet access, and help Oregon move closer toward building decarbonization. These successes were possible because of the hard work of legislators and community groups, and voter outreach to elected officials.

Oregon Broadband Omnibus bill – HB 4092

Many Oregon households do not have access to high-speed internet for two reasons: some people live in rural areas without broadband access and others cannot afford it. HB 4092, the Oregon Broadband Omnibus bill, directly addresses both issues.

With HB 4092, Oregon can maximize the $200 million in available federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act and the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act. These programs allocate funding directly to states for rural broadband development.

HB 4092 sets up a strategic framework for broadband investment. It will support new infrastructure projects, fund libraries providing free internet access, and work to expand bill assistance programs for customers.

REBuilding Task Force bill (formerly the “Reach Code” bill) – SB 1518

Buildings are the second largest and longest-lasting source of climate pollution in Oregon. More efficient buildings mean lower energy bills now and less pollution for future generations. The Senate Interim Committee on Energy and Environment met to study this issue between mid-2021 and early 2022. They developed legislation to expand the Oregon Reach Code, a statewide efficiency code that “reaches” beyond the state base code for buildings.

As originally drafted, SB 1518 would have allowed local governments to choose to go beyond the state code and develop buildings with higher energy efficiency and safety standards. This bill was amended to create the Resilient Energy Efficient Building (REBuilding) Task Force. The Task Force will examine building greenhouse gas reduction policies, including building codes, and to recommend policies for 2023 to make new and existing buildings more climate friendly.

CUB, climate and environmental justice groups, municipalities, contractors, and architects have worked for greater building efficiency standards in Oregon for quite some time. It is because of these groups, legislator advocacy and support, and voter engagement that the spirit of the original SB 1518 remains alive. This amended version of SB 1518 has the potential to surpass the original bill’s goals, making bolder changes possible. And it includes a seat for a residential utility customer advocate, like CUB.

Emergency Heat Relief for Oregonians – SB 1536

The 2021 heatwave left many people, especially renters, without life-saving access to cooling in or near their homes. SB 1536 will make it easier for renters and low-income households to access cooling technologies. This legislation was originally introduced as two bills: SB 1536, Emergency Heat Relief for Communities, and HB 4058, Emergency Heat Relief for Renters. The two bills merged into one as SB 1536, before passing out of the Legislature.

The new law provides:

• $5 million for emergency air conditioners;
• $25 million for high efficiency heating/cooling systems (heat pumps) and targeted home upgrades; and
• $4.5 million for warming and cooling centers.

SB 1536 requires landlords to provide cooling in new and renovated rental properties and incentivizes installing high-efficiency heating/cooling systems. It provides protections for renters who want to install portable air conditioners. It directs the Oregon Department of Energy to study converting Oregon’s older rental housing to include cooling technologies. The bill also allocates funds for emergency weather shelters in communities.

SB 1536 was made possible by the hard work of health professionals, energy advocates, and environmental justice organizations. The full list of supporters can be found here.

Thank you for all your help and advocacy during this short legislative session! Many CUB readers participated in our action campaigns this Session by writing to their legislators. You amplify our voice as your community advocate - we could not do this work without your help.

We have one more ask of you now: please contact your legislators and thank them for their hard work! We also encourage readers to call or email the committee members who helped get these bills passed. You can find instructions to see which way legislators voted on bills in committee and in their chamber on the Oregon Legislature’s website under “How to Find Vote Information for a Bill”. You can find all Oregon legislators and their contact information here.

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