Beyond Toxics 2023 Legislative Agenda
Three bills in the 2023 Oregon legislative session provide a chance to address concerns of frontline communities who bear the brunt of climate change and environmental decline.
Our team remains a steadfast advocate for all Oregonians, especially those living in underserved communities across the state.
ALSO: See the bills we support in the 2023 legislative session
SB 530
Natural Climate Solutions
STATUS: Introduced and first reading on 1/9. Referred to Senate Committee On Natural Resources on 1/14
UPDATE: SB 530 passed out of the Senate Committee On Natural Resources with a "do-pass" recommendation and is now headed to the Joint Ways and Means Committee.
Title: Relating to natural climate solutions; prescribing an effective date.
Catchline/Summary: Establishes state policy regarding natural climate solutions.
Description: Establishes state policy regarding natural climate solutions. Establishes Natural and Working Lands Fund and provides for transfer of moneys from fund to certain state agencies. Prescribes uses of moneys from fund and requires Oregon Global Warming Commission to report to legislature on uses of moneys from fund. Directs State Department of Energy and commission to prepare baseline, activity-based metrics and community impact metrics for net carbon sequestration and storage in natural and working lands and establish carbon sequestration and storage goals. Directs State Department of Energy, in coordination with commission, to study workforce training programs needed to support adoption of natural climate solutions and provide results to committees of Legislative Assembly related to environment no later than September 15, 2024. Authorizes commission to appoint natural and working lands advisory committee.
Chief Sponsors: Senator Dembrow, Representative Marsh, Senator Golden, Representative Neron
Regular Sponsors: Senator Frederick, Patterson, Taylor, Representative Gamba, Gomberg, Helm, Hudson, Pham K
Our position: We are working with a statewide coalition to put forward the Natural Climate Solutions bill, SB 530. This could be a game-changer for climate action in Oregon! SB 530 is a comprehensive bill that will help the state achieve its climate goals, support Oregon’s environmental justice communities and small landowners, improve equitable outcomes in the face of climate change, and protect our state’s vital natural resources.
The most recent amendments to SB 530
Read more about why Natural Climate Solutions legislation is needed for Oregon.
TAKE ACTION FOR SB 530
SB 426
Toxic Free Schools
STATUS: Introduced and first reading on 1/9. Referred to Senate Committee On Education on 1/11.
UPDATE: SB 426 passed out of the Senate Committee On Education and is now being considered in the Joint Ways and Means Committee.
Title: Relating to school integrated pest management; prescribing an effective date.
Catchline/Summary: Modifies requirements of Healthy and Safe Schools Plan related to integrated pest management.
Description: Modifies requirements of Healthy and Safe Schools Plan related to integrated pest management. Requires Department of Education to provide technical assistance to districts and schools regarding integrated pest management plans. Requires department to establish recommendations for limiting and reducing exposure to pesticides.
Chief Sponsors: Senator Dembrow, Patterson, Representative Hudson, Senator Manning Jr, Representatives Neron, Nosse, Reynolds
Regular Sponsors: Senators Campos, Taylor
Our position: SB 426 is part of a three bill suite of environmental health bills lined up to protect children's health from exposure to toxic chemicals. The goal of SB 426 is to improve transparency around pesticide use in Oregon schools and provide funding to support schools integrated pest management planning. When Oregon's School Integrated Pest Management law was enacted in 2009, it did not allocate funding to the Department of Education or school districts to implement the law. As a result, many hazardous and unlawful pesticide applications have occurred on Oregon’s school campuses in the last thirteen years.
Read more about why Toxic Free Schools legislation is needed for Oregon.
TAKE ACTION FOR SB 426
SB 488A
Oregon's Medical Waste Incineration Act
STATUS UPDATE: SB 488 has passed out of the Senate Committee On Energy and Environment! Referred to the Joint Ways and Means Committee.
Find out how you can take action on behalf of this bill.
Title: Relating to municipal solid waste incinerators.
Catchline/Summary: Requires municipal solid waste incinerators that accepts more than specified amounts of hospital, medical or infectious waste in calendar year to meet federal emissions limits for hospital, medical or infectious waste incinerator.
Chief Sponsors: Senator Patterson, Representative Neron, Senator Manning Jr.
Regular Sponsors: Senators Campos, Gelser Blouin, Golden, Taylor
Our position: SB 488 will help reduce waste incineration emissions by establishing lower limits for a large amount of medical waste incineration. The result will be improved air quality for communities around waste incinerators now and into the future.
Use our FAST Response form that will message State Senators in Salem! You will have a chance to add a brief, personalized comment of your own.
Medical Waste Incineration Act (SB 488A) 2-page Overview (PDF)
See the recording of the Feb. webinar "Winning For Clean Air Now!" on YouTube
Read more about why Oregon's Medical Waste Incineration legislation is needed.
TAKE ACTION FOR SB 488
NEWS FLASH: VICTORY!
Senate Bill 543 just passed the Oregon House with a bipartisan vote of 40-18! And Senate Bill 545 just passed the Oregon House with a bipartisan vote of 38-18! Both bills now head to the Governor's desk.
Reduce Plastic Pollution!
Every year it's becoming more and more clear: We need to turn off the plastic tap. Plastic waste is piling up in our landfills, our communities and our environment. Nothing we use for a few minutes should pollute the environment for centuries. We need to shift away from our throwaway culture and create an economy in which we produce less waste, build products that last and can be reused or repaired, and recycle the rest.
Beyond Toxics is alarmed by the dangers to our environment and health from the creation, use and disposal of plastics in society! It is highly toxic to society at every stage! There is hope for Oregon...there are two critical bills now making their way through Oregon's legislature this sping that address those risks to us all. They are: SB 543 and SB 545. We urge you to contact your legislators and urge their support for both bills!
Both bills will make an important contribution to the effort to reduce the use of non-recyclable plastic products that clog Oregon's landfills and contribute to the leaching of danegrous chemicals into our aquifers and rivers and streams.
1) SB 543
Chief Sponsors: Senator Sollman, Dembrow, Representative Dexter
Regular Sponsors: Senator Campos, Patterson, Taylor, Representative Chaichi, Gamba, Hudson, (Presession filed.)
Bill Title: Relating to prohibitions for certain products.
Catchline/Summary: Prohibits food vendor from using polystyrene foam container in sales of prepared food.
READ the current form of SB 543
1) SB 545
Chief Sponsors: Senator Sollman, Dembrow, Representative Dexter
Regular Sponsors: Senator Patterson, Taylor, Representative Chaichi
Bill Title: Relating to reuse of containers; declaring an emergency.
Catchline/Summary: Directs Oregon Health Authority to adopt rules allowing restaurants to allow consumers to fill consumer-owned container with food.
READ the current form of SB 545
Environment Oregon is running a "Beyond Plastics" campaign this year! You can notify your legislators of your concerns via their online form and ask them to "Turn off the plastic tap!"
Beyond Toxics has joined the Building Resilience Coalition!
The Building Resilience Coalition is made up of a broad group of climate and environmental justice organizations dedicated to making sure Oregon builds healthier, more affordable, and resilient communities that are not reliant on dirty fossil fuels.
Together we share a vision for making Oregon’s homes and buildings healthier, more affordable, resilient, efficient, safer, and all-electric to lower climate pollution while creating good-paying jobs. The coalition will seek policies that put people at the center and prioritize those most harmed by the climate crisis and the high cost of fossil fuels such as low-income, rural, Black, Indigenous, and people of color in Oregon.
The climate crisis is here and harming us all, with those who are already the most vulnerable bearing the worst burden. Our homes and buildings are the second largest source of climate pollution and our first line of defense against climate harms, like extreme heat and wildfire smoke. With Oregon on one of the most aggressive timelines in the nation to move to 100% clean electricity, there is more momentum than ever to focus on plugging our homes and buildings into that clean power by transitioningaway from methane gas, oil, and other polluting energy.
The Building Resilience Policy Package is a suite of four bills that Oregon Just Transition Alliance (OJTA) is prioritizing.
SB 871 - Smart State Buildings
SB 870 - Building Performance
SB 869 - Build Smart from the Start
SB 868 - Healthy Heating and Cooling for All
