Watch: Oregon lawmakers holding pre-session hearings, will convene wildfire-funding special session

WATCH LIVE: House Interim Committee on Education - see agenda items in schedule below.

SALEM. Ore. (KTVZ) – Legislators have returned to Salem Tuesday through Thursday, Dec. 10-12 to engage in the final series of interim legislative committee hearings prior to the 2025 legislative session.

Hearings will focus on a variety of issues and top priorities for Oregonians, including housing, affordability, drug addiction, community safety, and health care. Legislators will also hold a special session on Dec. 12 solely focused on allocating resources needed to cover the costs of 2024’s historically expensive wildfire season.

“We’re in Salem this week to provide updates on the important work we’ve done this year to prepare for the 2025 session, where we’ll take up legislation on the issues that are most important to Oregonians – housing, homelessness, cost of living, and public safety,” said House Speaker Julie Fahey (D-West Eugene & Veneta).

"We have a responsibility to pay our bills to the brave individuals who helped protect our homes and property during this terrible wildfire season," said Senate President Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego). "A narrow special session focused on this common goal is the best path forward."

Complete committee agendas and links to live streaming and playback can be found on the Oregon Legislative Information System. Below are some key agenda items scheduled for this week. Please be aware that posted agendas are subject to change.

Tuesday

House Interim Committees on Education — 11:30 a.m., HR C

Update on Accountability and Transparency

• Dr. Charlene Williams, Director, Oregon Department of Education
• Tim Boyd, Director, District and School Effectiveness, Oregon Department of Education

School Facilities Funding

• Michael Elliott, Director, School Facilities and Special Projects
• Leanna Heiman, Administrator, Oregon School Capital Improvement Matching Program and Technical Assistance Program
• Adam Krein, Facility Assessment Administrator, Oregon Department of Education

House Interim Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment — 11:30 a.m., HR F

Climate-Friendly Equitable Communities Program Update

• Alexis Hammer, Legislative and Policy Manager, Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development
• Evan Manvel, Climate Mitigation Planner, Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development
• Eunice Kim, Long Range Planning Manager, City of Salem

Wildfire Funding Update

• Doug Grafe, Wildfire and Military Advisor, Office of the Governor
• Kyle Williams, Deputy Director of Fire Operations, Oregon Department of Forestry
• Mariana Ruiz-Temple, Oregon State Fire Marshal

Senate Interim Committee On Labor and Business — 2:30 p.m., HR D

Updates on Future Ready Oregon

• Jennifer Purcell, Director, Future Ready Oregon, Higher Education Coordination Commission
• Dan Malinaric, Vice President, Fab 4 Operations, Microchip
• Carly Petrovic, Sr. Human Resources Manager, Microchip
• Sheila Clough, CEO, Mercy Flights
• Amy Cox, Director, Office of Research and Data, Higher Education Coordinating Commission

Wednesday

House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care — 8:30 a.m., HR F

Joint Task Force on Hospital Discharge Challenges Report

• Jimmy Jones, Chair, Joint Task Force on Hospital Discharge Challenges
• Elizabeth Burns, Vice-Chair, Joint Task Force on Hospital Discharge Challenges

Task Force on Alcohol Pricing and Addiction Services Report

• Representative Tawna Sanchez, House District 43

Joint Task Force on Improving the Safety of Behavioral Health Workers Report

• Representative Travis Nelson, House District 44
• Representative Cyrus Javadi, House District 32

Senate Interim Committee On Natural Resources and Wildfire — 8:30 a.m., HR D

Preview of 2025 Water Policies and Investments Legislation

• Representative Ken Helm, House District 27
• Representative Mark Owens, House District 60

Elliott State Research Forest

• Vicki Walker, Director, Oregon Department of State Lands
• Chris Castelli, Deputy Director of Land Management, Oregon Department of State Lands

Wildfire Funding Work Group

• Doug Grafe, Wildfire & Military Advisor, Office of the Governor
• Mariana Ruiz-Temple, State Fire Marshal, Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal
• Kyle Williams, Deputy Director of Fire Operations, Oregon Department of Forestry

Senate Interim Committee On Health Care — 8:30 a.m., HR E

Medicaid Eligibility

• Kip Memmott, Audits Director, Oregon Secretary of State
• Erika Ungern, IT Audits Manager, Oregon Secretary of State
• Nate Singer, Oregon Eligibility Partnership Director, Oregon Department of Human Services
• Danny Mintz, Associate Policy Director for Safety Net, Code for America
• Ines Franch, Staff Solutions Architect, Code for America
• Tez Cortez, Staff Service Designer, Code for America

Hospital Discharge Challenges

• Jimmy Jones, Chair, Joint Task Force on Hospital Discharge Challenges
• Elizabeth Burns, Vice-Chair, Joint Task Force on Hospital Discharge Challenges

Prescription Drug Affordability Board

• Ralph Magrish, Executive Director, Oregon Prescription Drug Advisory Board
• Andrew York, Executive Director, Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board

Senate and House Interim Committees on Judiciary — 11:30 a.m., HR F

Status of SAFE Kits Testing by Oregon State Police

• Brian Medlock, Forensic Services Director
• Major Alex Gardner, Science and Communications Bureau

Oregon Public Defense Commission – Final Report update

• Jessica Kampfe, Director, Oregon Public Defense Commission
• Susan F. Mandiberg, Vice Chair, Oregon Public Defense Commission

Task Force on Specialty Courts Report, Findings and Recommendations

• Hon. Clara Rigmaiden, Chair, Task Force on Specialty Courts

CJC Crime Statistic Update

• Ken Sanchagrin, JD PhD, Executive Director, Oregon Criminal Justice Commission

House Interim Committee on Housing and Homelessness — 11:30 a.m., HR A

Homelessness: Sustainable Shelter Funding

• Representative Pam Marsh, House District 5
• Matthew Tschabold, Director, Housing and Homelessness Initiative, Office of the Governor
• Brooke Matthews, Rural Oregon Continuum of Care
• Kate Budd, Lane County Health and Human Services

Housing Production: Materials and Methods Innovation in Housing Development

• Housing Innovation Partnership

Homeownership

• Shannon Vilhauer, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of Oregon

Senate Interim Committee On Energy and Environment — 11:30 a.m., HR B

Climate Protection Program

• Colin McConnaha, Manager, Office of Greenhouse Gas Programs, Department of Environmental Quality

Clean Energy Act (House Bill 2021, 2021)

• Caroline Moore, Director, Energy Program, Oregon Public Utility Commission
• Nolan Moser, Executive Director, Oregon Public Utility Commission

Joint Interim Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response — 2:30 p.m., HR F

2024 “Shovel-Ready” Projects and Sober Housing Investment Updates

Oregon Criminal Justice Commission Deflection Update

• Ken Sanchagrin, Executive Director, Oregon Criminal Justice Commission

Deflection Programs Update

• Chris Parosa, District Attorney, Lane County Overview
• Kevin Barton, District Attorney, Washington County Overview
• David Goldthorpe, District Attorney, Malheur County Overview

Joint Committee on Transportation — 5:30 p.m., HR F

Highway Cost Allocation Study Look-Back and Progress Report Update

• Carl Riccadona, State Economist, Office of Economic Analysis
• Mazen Malik, Legislative Revenue Office

Progress Report on Work Groups 1, 2, and 3

• Senator Chris Gorsek
• Representative Susan McLain

Oregon Transportation Commission Updates; Bi-State Bridge Tolling

Subcommittee; Deferred Maintenance

• Oregon Transportation Commission leaders
• Amy Ramsdell, Delivery and Operations Administrator, Oregon Department of Transportation

Thursday

Joint Emergency Board — 8:30 a.m., HR F

House Interim Committee On Labor and Workplace Standards — 8:30 a.m., HR A

Registered Apprenticeship in Oregon

• Jody Robbins, Legislative Director, Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries

Update on Future Ready Oregon (FRO) Workforce Development Effort

• Jennifer Purcell, Director, Future Ready Oregon, HECC

Update on Customer Service Strategies and Caseload Management

• David Gerstenfeld, Director, OED

House Interim Committee on Rules — 11:30 a.m., HR D

Elections Integrity Update

• Molly Woon, Elections Director, Oregon Secretary of State
• Rochelle Long, Klamath County Clerk; President, Oregon Association of County Clerks
• Julie Brecke, Coos County Clerk
• Tim Scott, Multnomah County Elections Director

Legislative Oversight, Effectiveness, and Accountability Workgroup Update

• Representative Ben Bowman
• Representative Kim Wallan

Special Session – 2:00 p.m., HR A for Senate and HR F for House, along with public viewing rooms HR C and HR D, respectively. *House and Senate chambers are closed at this time due to ongoing construction, but will be ready for the start of the 2025 legislative session.