Category: Uncategorized

2026 Budget Rebalance

The 2026 Legislative Session was a difficult one for most state agencies, with the Legislature forced to cut a wide range of programs to balance the budget.

The Oregon Judicial Department was largely able to maintain current funding levels in a challenging budgetary environment by making the case that the court system could not absorb additional cuts without deep impacts to access to justice statewide.  While some austerity measures were necessary, they did not result in court closures or other direct interruptions to critical services.

One program that fared well was immigration legal services, which received substantial additional funding. This additional funding will allow the bar’s legal service program to contract with a larger number of providers and serve an expanded client base.

The Oregon State Bar (OSB) continuously works with legislators and advocates for legal aid to promote additional funding for both civil and immigration legal services. In recent years, support from the Oregon Legislature has been the largest single source of funding for legal aid, accounting for about 1/3 of all funding for civil legal services, and nearly all the funding for immigration legal services.

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Transportation Referendum

In the statewide primary election on May 19, 2026, voters will have the chance to weigh in on a referendum on transportation taxes and fees that will impact the Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) funding outlook.

Leading up to this point, in a special session last fall, state legislators passed a transportation package that would raise $4.3 billion for ODOT over the next decade by raising the state gas tax by six cents, increasing title and registration fees, and temporarily hiking the state payroll tax for transit.

After the bill passed in the fall, opponents gathered enough signatures to put the package on hold and refer it to voters. In the legislative session this year, lawmakers passed a bill to move the date of the referendum from November to May. ODOT faces a $242 million funding gap for the 2025–2027 budget cycle.

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2026 ABA Days

Every year, the American Bar Association (ABA) invites representatives from state and local bars to come to Washington, DC, to advocate for a variety of issues important to attorneys. Most years, the biggest topic on the agenda is federal funding for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), and 2026 was no different.

LSC funding has been uncertain over the last year. In early 2025, advocates were alarmed by proposals to drastically reduce funding or even eliminate it entirely. However, the budget for FY2026 ultimately reduced funding by only about 3.6%. Currently, funding from the LSC represents about a quarter of civil legal aid funding in Oregon.

During the last week of March, several OSB members attended the event, led by Board of Governors members Curtis Peterson and Kyle Sciuchetti, who will serve as OSB President in 2027. The OSB delegation had the opportunity to meet with both of Oregon’s United States Senators and all six members of Oregon’s House delegation.

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2026 Legislative Reception

In February, the OSB Board of Governors held its traditional meeting at the Salem Convention Center. The Board primarily meets in Salem each February to give Board members the opportunity to meet with Oregon Legislators while the Legislature is in Session.

This year, the Board hosted a reception for both Legislators and Members of the Judiciary to discuss a variety of issues important to the Bar’s licensees. In attendance were several Legislators, members of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, and a wide range of members of the local Bar.

Pictured: Oregon Senator James I. Manning Jr. and OSB President Tomás Hernandez.	Pictured: OSB President Tomás Hernandez and Oregon Representative Jason Kropf.

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Oregon’s Department of Justice Creates New Consumer Units

In September, Oregon’s Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the creation of new units to address a higher volume of consumer complaints. Regarding the creation of the agency’s new Economic Justice Section, Attorney General Dan Rayfield said in a September 30 media release, “Today, we’re right-sizing this part of our agency to protect hardworking families, consumers, and seniors.”

The new section is to include a Working Families Unit staffed by several additional attorneys. The announcement signals a strengthened commitment from DOJ leadership to workers’ rights, workplace justice, and filling a gap where federal enforcement in the space has slowed.

The release also noted that because the new section will self-fund through casework, it is established at no additional cost to taxpayers.

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Oregon’s Public Defense Picture Improves

On November 13, the Oregon Public Defense Commission (OPDC) published a press release regarding the decline in the number of unrepresented Oregonians. The release cites an overall decrease in volume of unrepresented persons of 30% over the course of the past six months. The Commission cited its Trial Division, special dockets, and committed work across its provider network as contributing to this progress.

The Commission has been publishing regular monthly Unrepresented Reports to its website since December 2024. OPDC addressed the Senate and House Interim Committees on Judiciary with its latest report on November 17 and 18 during the Oregon Legislature’s November Legislative Days.

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Oregon State Bar House of Delegates Passes Resolutions Supporting Legal Aid, Court System

On Thursday, October 30, the Oregon State Bar House of Delegates (HOD) convened in a hybrid format.

The annual HOD meeting is an opportunity to approve changes to the Oregon Rules of Professional Conduct and modify or rescind actions of the Board of Governors.

The HOD also heard and considered several member resolutions. Among those resolutions passed by the HOD was Resolution 5 (Support of Adequate Funding for Legal Services to Low-Income Oregonians). The resolution, presented by Heather Decker (House of Delegates, Region 7) on behalf of a group of submitters, charges the bar with renewing and strengthening its commitment to Oregon’s civil legal services system and to promoting a fair, inclusive, and accessible justice system.

The HOD also passed Resolution 6 (Support for Adequate Funding of the Judicial Branch), presented by Vanessa Nordyke (Region 6). The resolution urged sufficient resourcing of the Oregon Judicial Branch to realize investments outlined in the agency’s Justice Campaign for 2024–2027.

Video and materials from the HOD meeting can be viewed on the bar’s website.

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Interim Committees Review Agency Budget Modeling During Legislative Days

During the recent November Legislative Days, many state agencies presented updated budget modeling reflecting “reduction options.” Among them were the Oregon Judicial Department and the Oregon Public Defense Commission, both of which presented reduction options before the Joint Subcommittee on Public Safety on November 17.

Oregon’s Legislative Fiscal Office recently requested that state agencies prepare 5 percent budget cut scenarios for the upcoming biennium in lieu of a projected $372.7 million state budget shortfall. Factors contributing to the projected shortfall include anticipated and realized cuts to federal funding and a slowing economy.

On November 19, the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis released its most recent revenue forecast, reflecting a shrinkage of the forecasted budget deficit due to corporate tax payments.

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Fall Special Session Delayed Until Interim Legislative Days

The special session convened by Governor Tina Kotek remains on hold while Sen. Chris Gorsek (D-Gresham) continues to recover from a planned surgery. The delay postpones the Senate’s consideration of critical transportation investments until interim legislative days, which will take place September 29 through October 1.

A stop-gap transportation funding package is required to avert mass layoffs at the Oregon Department of Transportation. Governor Kotek delayed layoffs of some 500 ODOT employees until mid-October to buy more time for a legislative fix.

The House of Representatives passed House Bill 3991 earlier in the month, a measure that represents a streamlined version of a prior transportation funding proposal. The bill would raise gas taxes, increase registration and title fees, and raise costs for drivers of electric vehicles.

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September Revenue Forecast Released

On August 27, Oregon’s Office of Economic Analysis released a September Revenue Forecast projecting an $888 million decrease in revenue for the 2025–2027 budget cycle. The forecast was presented before members of the House and Senate Revenue Committees.

State economists noted in the report that one primary contributor to the forecast figure was the federal measure HR 1, which is expected to significantly reduce state personal and corporate income tax revenue. Oregon’s tax revenues respond sensitively to changes in federal tax policy in large part due to the state’s “rolling reconnect” policy in which Oregon tax code automatically mimics federal code.

Among more promising indicators, Oregon’s chief economist Carl Riccadonna referenced a slightly decreased national probability of recession and less uncertainty around tariff policy than existed at the time of the last forecast. Riccadonna also acknowledged the partial offsetting effect on revenue loss of healthy capital gains tax payments due to market performance.

The next revenue forecast is expected to be released November 10 during the legislature’s “Committee Days.”

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Bar Offers Training on Oregon Law Help to Constituent Services Staff

On October 22, bar staff will offer an orientation training on Oregon Law Help for legislators’ constituent services staff. The website is a public-facing first stop that connects Oregonians with civil legal information on a range of topics.

The training will acquaint staff with areas of the site that address frequent constituent challenges, and demonstrate through hypotheticals how to guide constituents through the site.

Often, community members contact the offices of their legislative representatives when they need help with a problem. In those instances when a constituent issue has legal components, staff can now use the Oregon Law Help resource and point constituents to it for additional support.

Oregon Law Help is a joint project between the Oregon State Bar, Oregon’s state court system, legal aid organizations, and other nonprofit legal providers in Oregon. Oregon lawyers write and review the legal information published on this website. The site was recently redesigned to enhance the self-guided function with expanded guided pathways and more consumer/small claims content. Since June, the site has been available in Vietnamese, Chinese, and Spanish as well as English.

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LPRO Publishes Topical Legislative Summaries

Oregon’s Legislative and Policy Research Office (LPRO) has published a series of 2025 Legislative Summary Reports organized by policy area on its website. The reports summarize measures that received a public hearing in policy committees and were considered by the legislative assembly.

The reports are published in chapters by policy area and further broken down by subtopic. In addition to general legislative summaries, this year’s reports cover more than 15 major policy areas including Criminal Justice, Courts, Civil Law, Natural Resources, and Business & Consumer Protection.

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Legislature May Consider Additional Funding for OPDC Trial Division in 2026

On July 24, 2025, Governor Kotek signed House Bill 5031, the general budget bill for the Oregon Public Defense Commission (OPDC). Concurrently the office of the Governor issued a letter expressing concern about insufficient investment in the state trial division. The Governor urged that investment in the trial division is a crucial component of addressing Oregon’s unrepresented crisis. The Governor also again urged the need for all agencies to prioritize resources in the current constrained funding environment.

OPDC has in turn expressed its readiness to work closely with the Governor’s office and the legislature to expand its trial division as it prioritizes lowering unrepresented volume through its action plan.

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2025 Legislative Session Adjourns

The 2025 Oregon Legislative Session adjourned on June 27. The session spanned nearly six months, during which time legislators considered over 3,400 pieces of proposed legislation.

The session included a number of notable policy developments, including several measures designed to promote housing production, a major priority of Governor Kotek. The Governor has also created a new state agency to focus on this area—the Housing Accountability and Production Office.

From a budgetary perspective, legislators were challenged to balance the state budget amidst a struggling state economy. A May 2025 revenue forecast predicted slightly lower revenue than previous forecasts, and at the federal level funding cuts as well as continuing inflation and impact from tariff policies put additional pressure on state resources.

Lawmakers did identify a source of additional funding to help manage wildfires with House Bill (HB) 3940, a tax on oral nicotine products. The bill does not represent a complete solution to the wildfire funding need, and the search for additional permanent revenue streams is expected to continue.

Another key policy objective of the session ended in collapse. Lawmakers were unable to pass a transportation funding package to address the state’s aging infrastructure, highways, and road system. HB 2025 fell short of the votes needed to pass. Governor Kotek is calling lawmakers back to Salem on August 29 for a special session to address the funding shortfall and attempt to avert some anticipated layoffs.

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Legislature Passes Budget for Oregon Judicial Department, Oregon Public Defense Commission

OJD Budget
The legislature passed HB 5012 as the primary budget bill for the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD). In addition to maintaining funding for current service levels for baseline court services, the bill includes other key investments:

• • $14.9 million to the Oregon State Bar (OSB) Legal Services Program to continue civil legal services.
  • $4.5 million to the OSB Legal Services Program to fund immigration legal services as part of the statewide Universal Representation program. [Note: this appropriation was made through the legislature’s general budget reconciliation bill, HB 2006, as a pass through the OJD.]
  • Investments in courthouse improvements, including $3 million for Harney County Courthouse annex renovation.
  • Policy Option Package 107, adding a new appellate court manager position and new positions in trial courts to address increasing court dockets.

Two other bills made investments into Oregon’s court system. HB 2712 provided pay increases to judges on the Oregon Supreme Court, Oregon Court of Appeals, and Oregon Tax Court, and to circuit court judges. Senate Bill (SB) 95 created several new circuit court judgeships across Oregon to meet demand.

OPDC Budget
The legislature passed HB 5031, a $707 million budget for the Oregon Public Defense Commission (OPDC) representing a 14.8% budget increase from the previous biennium. The budget funds a total of 180 positions—including additional contract attorneys—and allows state trial attorneys to take on additional cases.

Other key investments include:

• • $2.2 million to fund caseloads particularly in Coos, Douglas, Jackson, Marion, Multnomah, and Washington Counties.
  • $3.4 million to train law students to take misdemeanor cases.

A related policy bill, HB 2614, applies changes to the structure of the agency and allows the Governor to appoint and remove the executive director with conditions. OPDC retains the ability to contract with consortia for public defense services; a prior clause regarding a sunset to this policy was removed from the final bill.

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OSB Law Improvement Program Bills Signed Into Law 

The legislature passed with bipartisan support each of the five bills advanced by the bar’s Public Affairs team on behalf of practice sections. The bar offers a special thanks those section members who volunteered to testify and advance meaningful statutory updates this session.

• • SB 166 – This bill changes statutory references from bar “member” to bar “licensee” in line with the OSB’s prevailing regulatory function.
  • SB 167 – This bill adopts Uniform Commercial Code amendments regulating digital currency transactions.
  • SB 168 – This bill addresses application of the probate harmless-error statute and clarifies what may be used to establish testator intent to create a will.
  • HB 2461 – This bill provides courts greater flexibility to consider remote testimony.
  • HB 2463 – This bill clarifies that certain fixed fees and costs may be applied toward the total amount of $750 that allows the recipient of a notice of small claim to request a jury trial. The bill also extends the response window for notice recipients from 14 to 30 days.

For more information about the status upon adjournment of proposed bills, please visit the website of the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS).

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Oregon State Bar Bills Pass the Legislature

Over the last month, the Oregon State Bar’s Law Improvement bills have moved through the second chamber of the Legislature. At the time of publication, four of the Oregon State Bar’s five Law Improvement bills have been voted out of both chambers and signed by Governor Kotek. One bill, House Bill 2463, is awaiting signature. The final deadline to move a bill out of a policy committee is May 23, 2025.

Senate Bill 166. This bill changes terminology in statute that generally refers to OSB “members” and instead refers to OSB “licensees.” The bill also updates the Board of Governors’ statutory quorum requirement from two-thirds to three-fifths.

Senate Bill 167. This bill adopts in Oregon the new Chapter 12 of the Uniform Commercial Code, addressing transactions involving virtual currencies.

Senate Bill 168. This bill amends several statutes related to probate administration, addressing application of the harmless-error statute and clarifying what documents may be used to establish testator intent to create a will.

House Bill 2461. This bill revises ORS 45.400(2) to give the court greater flexibility to consider motions for remote location testimony filed less than 30 days in advance of an appearance.

House Bill 2463. This bill clarifies that the recipient of a notice of small claim may request a jury trial if the amount identified as “total” on the small claim form exceeds $750, and that certain fixed fees and costs may be applied toward that total.

Thank you to the section committee members and volunteers for your efforts to pass these bills through the legislative process.

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May Revenue Forecast Released 

On May 14, the Office of Economic Analysis presented the much-anticipated May Revenue Forecast. The May forecast is an essential tool for Oregon policymakers, providing fiscal clarity to inform decisions about the state budget and accounting for dispensation of surplus revenues. Following the release of this forecast, fiscal considerations come into focus as legislators use the final weeks of the session to finalize the two-year budget.

A recorded version of the presentation can be watched on OLIS, where the forecast materials are also available: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Committees/SFR/2025-05-14-08-00/Agenda

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Oregon Joins ABA Lobby Days in DC to Advocate for Legal Aid Funding

In April the Oregon State Bar, along with Oregon’s civil legal services providers, once again participated in the American Bar Association’s annual Lobby Days.

The focus of this year’s Lobby Days was to advocate to maintain existing levels of funding for the Legal Services Corporation.

OSB President Myah Kehoe, Ed Harnden (Campaign for Equal Justice), Ayla Ercin (Campaign for Equal Justice), and Erika Hente (Oregon Law Center) shared with Oregon’s congressional representatives the critical importance of federal funding to Oregon’s civil legal aid system. The group also shared constituent stories from around the state, illustrating the positive impact of access to legal aid for families and communities.

During the event, Oregon’s own Representative Suzanne Bonamici was honored with the ABA’s Justice Award for her tremendous leadership in advocating access to justice for Oregonians.

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Oregon State Bar Hosts President’s Legislative Reception in Salem

In February, the Oregon State Bar (OSB) Board of Governors (BOG) returned to Salem to hold board meetings. In conjunction with the legislative session, the BOG hosted the 2025 President’s Legislative Reception at the Salem Convention Center. The reception provides an opportunity for legal practitioners, judges, legislators, and bar leadership to discuss many of the issues that are affecting the practice of law and the judiciary. During the reception, Myah Kehoe, 2025 OSB President, spoke about the important role the bar plays in access to justice and highlighted the bar’s support of the judiciary budget as well as the bar’s legislative priorities, including a funding request to support civil legal aid through the bar’s Legal Services Program. Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Meagan A. Flynn also addressed the group to discuss the Oregon Judicial Department’s priorities this session, including judicial compensation, court facility security, and court staffing.

From left: OSB President Myah Kehoe, Judge Ramón A. Pagán, OSB Board of Governors Member Elizabeth Inayoshi, Representative Shannon Isadore, and Judge Ulanda Watkins

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Bar Leadership Testifies in Support of Oregon Judicial Department Budget

On February 27, the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Public Safety culminated a week of hearings on the Oregon Judicial Department proposed budget with a day of public testimony in support of the agency’s budget priorities. 2025 OSB President Myah Kehoe testified in person on behalf of the bar with general support for the agency’s general budget bill, HB 5012. Kehoe’s testimony can be viewed here.

Also testifying in support was Ed Harnden, Co-Managing Partner of Barran Liebman LLP and cofounder of the Oregon Campaign for Court Funding (OCCF). For many sessions, the OCCF has united a group of business and nonprofit leaders as well as OSB leaders together to highlight the importance of a fully funded court system to Oregon’s business and nonprofit communities. Harnden’s testimony on behalf of the OCCF can be viewed here.

Keren Farkas, the bar’s Chief Access to Justice Officer and Director of the Legal Services Program, provided testimony in support of the bar’s Policy Option Package 130 to fund civil legal aid and immigration legal services. The bar is responsible for fiscal and regulatory oversight of state-funded civil and immigration legal aid programs. The OSB’s role is to ensure that state resources are strategically allocated, efficiently administered, and that legal services are delivered effectively and equitably.

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Ways and Means Co-Chairs Publish 2025–2027 Co-Chair Budget Framework

Under Oregon’s Constitution, the legislature must pass a balanced budget every two years. On March 19, the co-chairs of the Joint Ways and Means Committee released their 2025–2027 Co-Chair Budget Framework. This proposed framework takes into account the current services provided by the state, the current economic and revenue forecasts, and unique needs in certain policy areas. This budget also takes into consideration the Governor’s Recommended Budget, released in December.

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First Legislative Deadlines Pass

April 9 was the final day for most legislative committees to pass bills that are still in their chamber of origin. Bills remaining in those committees after the deadline are very unlikely to move forward this session.

If you are interested in a particular bill, go to the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS), click on “Bills” on the right-hand side, and enter the bill number. Those bills that did not receive a work session will not be moving forward this session. There are exceptions to this rule. For example, if a bill is currently in the Rules Committee, the Ways and Means Committee, or one of the Revenue Committees, the deadline does not apply.

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December Legislative Activity

December was relatively busy for an interim month. December Legislative Days were held from the 10th to the 12th. Committees in both chambers introduced hundreds of bills and previewed topics to focus on in 2025. Oregon State Bar’s Law Improvement Program concepts were introduced as courtesy in the Senate and House Judiciary Committees. These committees also held a joint hearing in which Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Meagan Flynn and OSB CEO Helen Hierschbiel presented on programs to expand legal access across the state. Additionally, December 12 was the day that Governor Kotek called for a special session to address the budget shortfall from the historic 2024 wildfire season. The State Fire Marshall reports that a record 19 million acres burned, and the mitigation cost totaled $350 million.

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Oregon Campaign for Court Funding

The Oregon Campaign for Court Funding gathered for its breakfast event on December 21, 2024, in downtown Portland at the Sentinel Hotel. Leaders from the business, nonprofit, and legal communities discussed the importance of funding Oregon’s court system to meet basic needs such as security. Chief Justice Flynn gave the keynote address. Graciously cosponsored again by Ed Harnden (Barran Liebman LLP), Graciela Cowger (Schwabe), and Peter Bragdon (Columbia Sportwear), the Campaign mobilizes a broad group of community leaders to raise awareness of the central role the courts play in the economic and social fabric of our state. In the coming months, these leaders will communicate with Oregon’s legislators to share this message and to help the courts come out of the session with the best budget possible. The bar thanks all those who have continued their support and advocacy as part of the Oregon Campaign for Court Funding.

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Upcoming Dates of Interest

January 10 will be the first meeting of the 2025 OSB Board of Governors, in which they will have their official orientation.

January 13 is the official swearing-in ceremony for incoming legislators for the 2025 session. This is also when all pre-session filed bills will become publicly available. Over the course of the next couple weeks, the OSB Public Affairs Department will read through the thousands of concepts and share ones of note with relevant OSB sections. The department will continue to track bills that sections have indicated interest in throughout the legislative session.

January 21, the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, will be the first day of the 2025 legislative session.

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Retirement of Susan Grabe

Susan Grabe, Chief Communications and Public Affairs Officer, retired from the Oregon State Bar at the end of 2024 after many years of dedicated service. A steadfast voice for progress, Susan has shaped impactful policies and strengthened Oregon’s legal profession. Her leadership has created a lasting legacy and left a profound impact.

We celebrate Susan’s remarkable career and her countless contributions to the justice system. Her work has made a meaningful difference, and we wish her well on her next adventure.

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Oregon Election Results

Oregonians considered several notable ballot measures and candidates on November 5. Ballot Measure 115 passed, which will authorize the impeachment of statewide officials by a two-thirds vote of the legislature. Ballot measures related to implementing statewide ranked-choice voting and increasing the corporate minimum tax failed. Another failure was Measure 116, which was closely watched by many in the legal community as it would have addressed judicial compensation through the creation of an independent public services commission.

Regarding statewide offices, Dan Rayfield, former Speaker of the House, won his bid for Attorney General. Elizabeth Steiner, former Co-Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, is the Treasurer-Elect, and Tobias Read, the current State Treasurer, will serve as our next Secretary of State. The state legislature is also slated to gain lawyers, including Anthony Broadman, who is replacing Senator Knopp in representing Bend, and Mike McLane, a former house minority leader who will now be serving in the state senate. McLane was appointed as a circuit court judge by Governor Brown in 2019. The house is also gaining a new representative, Willy Chotzen, who has public defender experience. This brings the total number of lawyers serving as legislators in Oregon to 12.

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House of Delegates

The Oregon State Bar House of Delegates had its annual meeting on November 1. The meeting started off with a message from OSB President David Rosen and an update on the state of the courts by Chief Justice Flynn. The delegates considered and engaged in healthy debate over 12 proposed resolutions. Resolutions that passed included supporting adequate funding for the Oregon Judicial Department and the public defense system. The HOD also passed a resolution expressing the bar’s continuing support for adequate funding for civil legal services for low-income Oregonians. Several resolutions failed, including those related to creating a new accreditation system for Oregon law schools and establishing a committee to explore permitting private malpractice insurance. You can watch the full event here.

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Public Affairs Section Support

Recently, all bar sections received a letter from the Public Affairs Committee Chair, Curtis Peterson, sharing information about the services available to sections throughout the upcoming 2025 legislative session. Those services include:

Bill Tracking. The bar will review all bills introduced, refer bills of interest to sections, and assist with tracking the progress of notable concepts as the session proceeds.

Facilitating Technical Analysis. The bar may assist sections that wish to produce and offer valuable technical analysis on key bills in their area of expertise—a real value to legislators.

Taking Positions. The Public Affairs Committee will review and may approve requests from sections to take positions on proposed legislation.

If you have any questions about OSB’s legislative services, please contact Public Affairs Director Dominique Rossi at [email protected].

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Board of Governors Retreat

The OSB Board of Governors will host its retreat and final meeting of 2024 in Ashland, Oregon, November 22–23. Local lawyers are invited to come meet BOG members and OSB leaders for a social event on November 21 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., hosted at Ashland Springs Hotel. Before the BOG for consideration are items such as OSB’s budget, as well as the 2025 legislative proposals and guidelines.

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Notice of Court Closures

The case management systems for the circuit courts and tax court will be offline from 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 4, to 8:00 a.m. Monday, October 7, to allow for upgrade installation. It is highly recommended that attorneys who have hearings on October 7, 8, or 9 submit all documents by Wednesday, October 2, to ensure that the court has timely access. The above-mentioned courts will also limit the types of hearings scheduled on October 7. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Sam DuPree at the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) at [email protected].

Additionally, the OJD will conduct a major update to the Odyssey Court Management System in October. To ensure a smooth transition, Chief Justice Meagan Flynn has issued CJO 24-015. This order closes all OJD courts on Tuesday, October 8, and extends the statutory time limit for filings pursuant to ORS 174.120(2)(c).

More information is available here.

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Revenue Forecast

Oregon’s latest revenue forecast anticipates a personal income tax “kicker” of $987 million. Under Oregon’s unique kicker law, when income tax revenue exceeds the budget by 2 percent or more, the surplus is returned to taxpayers. Meanwhile, legislators expect $676 million more to be available for the 2025–2027 budget cycle. However, economists have urged caution, advising the state to consider liabilities against revenue expectations. Governor Kotek has also urged state agencies to be cautious when crafting their budgets, suggesting they limit increases to 1 to 2 percent and focus on core responsibilities, considering uncertainties like inflation and employment trends.

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Legislative Days

The Oregon State Legislature held “Legislative Days” this week. This was an opportunity for invited testimony forecasting bills that are likely to be focused on during the upcoming 2025 legislative session. The Emergency Board also met to vote on urgent budget asks. The Unrepresented Crisis and the Oregon Public Defense Commission were notable topics in both the Joint Judiciary Committee and Emergency Board. Unfortunately, the number of unrepresented individuals has continued to rise. Much discussion also focused on the commission preparing for its transition to the executive branch, which is effective January 1, 2025. The Judiciary hearings included updates regarding the Wrongful Conviction Compensation Program, established by SB 1584 (2022), and from workgroups on topics such as the Uniform Parentage Act and civil commitments.

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Celebrate Oregon Lawyers

Mark your calendars for the Celebrate Oregon Lawyers event on October 23, where the outstanding work of lawyers across the state will be recognized. Held at the Sentinel Hotel from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., this event will honor the Oregon State Bar Award winners, celebrate the Pro Bono Challenge recipients, and recognize the 50-year members of the bar. It’s a great opportunity to connect with colleagues and acknowledge excellence in the legal profession. Reservations can be made online, and any questions can be directed to Cathy Petrecca at [email protected].

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Oregon State Bar Legislation Highlights

Each year, the bar produces a book detailing many of the more significant bills passed by the legislature during the recently completed session. Bill summaries are arranged by topic, allowing lawyers to easily review those that may be relevant to their practice. Summaries are authored by volunteer attorneys who are experienced in the area of law on which they are writing, and often include useful practice tips for lawyers who are working with the new laws. Legislation Highlights is available free online for bar members through BarBooks. Editions from previous years are also available and can be an invaluable tool for a lawyer researching past legislation. If you have any questions or need more information about the 2024 Legislation Highlights, please contact OSB Public Affairs.

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Welcome to the new Public Affairs Legislative Attorney!

The Oregon State Bar is thrilled to welcome its newest addition to the Public Affairs Department, Avery Pickard!

Avery Pickard is excited to join the bar as its new Legislative Attorney. In recent years she has worked in government relations in the areas of economic development and small business. She is an alum of Lewis & Clark Law School and Rice University in Houston. In her spare time, Avery likes to read, hike, and see local bands.

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