Beyond Toxics Legislative Commitments
The 2026 legislative session has begun! These are the bills we're supporting and opposing.
Bills We're Supporting
Make Polluters Pay - SB 1541
Establishes the Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program as an interagency response to the effects of climate change.
Directs the Department of Land Conservation and Development to serve as the lead agency of an interagency team.
Requires the department to conduct an assessment on the costs of greenhouse gas emissions.
Directs the Department of Environmental Quality to issue cost recovery demand notices to entities determined to be responsible for the costs of climate change.
Establishes the Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program Account.
Bill Title: Relating to greenhouse gas emissions; prescribing an effective date.
Summary: Establishes the Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program as an interagency response to the effects of climate change.
Regular Sponsors: Interim Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire; Senator Golden
Status: There was a public hearing on 2/5/26. There are no more hearings scheduled at this time.
Advocates: A coalition of organizations, including Rogue Climate, Oregon Conservation Network, Oregon League of Conservation Voters, Oregon Environmental Council, and Beyond Toxics.
Fuel Storage Diversification - HB 4032
Directs the State Department of Energy to evaluate and prioritize geographically dispersed emergency fuel storage sites.
Requires the department to submit preliminary and final findings to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to energy and emergency management.
Bill Title: Relating to fuel storage sites.
Summary: Directs the State Department of Energy to evaluate and prioritize geographically dispersed emergency fuel storage sites.
Regular Sponsors: Representative Tran
Status: No public hearings scheduled at this time.
Flavor Hooks Kids - SB 1571
Adds definition of "nicotine" and expands definition of "tobacco products."
Repeals existing criminal prohibition on the sale of inhalant delivery systems or tobacco products to a person under 21 years of age and replaces the repealed law with a civil prohibition enforced by the Oregon Health Authority.
Authorizes imposition of civil penalties for violations.
Establishes a civil prohibition on providing, without compensation, inhalant delivery systems or tobacco products.
Authorizes the authority to adopt rules to administer certain laws that apply to inhalant delivery systems and tobacco products.
Requires any sale of tobacco products, cigarettes, inhalant delivery systems or smokeless tobacco products to occur in person at licensed premises.
Bill Title: Relating to consumer products for adults; prescribing an effective date.
Summary: Adds definition of "nicotine" and expands definition of "tobacco products.
Chief Sponsors: Senator Reynolds
Regular Sponsors: Senator Jama, Neron Misslin, Patterson, Sollman; Representative Hudson, Isadore
Status: There was a public hearing on for Wednesday, February 11 at 12:45 p.m. in the Senate Committee On Judiciary. Written testimony can be submitted until 12:45 p.m. on February 13.
Advocates: A coalition of organizations, Flavor Hooks Kids Oregon, Praxis, Our Children Oregon, Children's Agenda, and Beyond Toxics.
Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub Risk Bond - HB 4100
Requires owners or operators of bulk oils or liquid fuels terminals to obtain a certificate of financial responsibility from the Department of Environmental Quality.
Bill Title: Relating to bulk fuel terminals; declaring an emergency.
Summary: Requires owners or operators of bulk oils or liquid fuels terminals to obtain a certificate of financial responsibility from the Department of Environmental Quality. Directs the Environmental Quality Commission to establish rules pertaining to certificates of financial responsibility. Requires the department to report to the Legislative Assembly on the implementation of the Act each even-numbered year. Preempts local governments from requiring financial assurance that exceeds or is in addition to the requirements of the Act.
Chief Sponsors: Representative Isadore, Nelson, Senator Reynolds, Representative Tran, Senator Frederick
Regular Sponsors: Representative Andersen, Gamba, Gomberg, Rieke Smith, Walters, Senator Manning Jr, Pham
Status: No public hearings scheduled at this time.
Advocates: CEI Hub task force.
Free School Breakfast & Lunch - SB 1581
Requires school districts to offer lunch and breakfast to students at no charge, regardless of income. Provides exceptions.
Requires school districts that make breakfast accessible at a school site to make breakfast accessible at the school site after the beginning of the day.
Prescribes nutrition standards for reimbursable meals that are paid for by state sources.
Bill Title: Relating to school meals; prescribing an effective date.
Summary: Requires school districts to offer lunch and breakfast to students at no charge, regardless of income.
Chief Sponsors: Senators Neron MIsslin, Campos, Frederick, Manning Jr.; Representatives Bowman, Dobson, Javadi, Levy E, Pham H, Wise
Regular Sponsors: Senators Jama, Meek, Pham, Weber; Representatives Andersen, Chaichi, Chotzen, Evans, Gamba, Gomberg, McDonald, Munoz, Nelson, Nguyen D, Nosse, Owens, Walters
Status: There are no public hearings scheduled at this time.
Advocates: Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon.
Outdoor School Programs - HB 4112
Increases the biennial lottery allocation made for the outdoor school program.
Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
Bill Title: Relating to outdoor school; declaring an emergency.
Summary: Increases the biennial lottery allocation made for the outdoor school program.
Chief Sponsors: Representative Hudson, Senator Weber, Representative McIntire, Dobson, Owens, Wright, Senator Frederick, Neron Misslin
Regular Sponsors: Representative Andersen, Bunch, Chotzen, Diehl, Edwards, Elmer, Gamba, Gomberg, Grayber, Harbick, Helfrich, Helm, Isadore, Levy B, Levy E, Lively, Mannix, McDonald, Munoz, Nguyen D, Nosse, Osborne, Pham H, Reschke, Rieke Smith, Smith G, Sosa, Walters, Watanabe, Wise, Senator Anderson, Broadman, Drazan, Gorsek, Manning Jr, McLane, Meek, Nash, Pham, Smith DB, Starr, Taylor
Status: There was a public hearing on February 11 at 8 a.m. Testimony can be submitted until 8 a.m. on February 13.
Battery Producer Responsibility - HB 4144
Requires producers of batteries or battery-containing products to join a battery producer responsibility organization and implement a battery producer responsibility program for the collection and recycling of batteries.
Directs the Department of Environmental Quality to administer and enforce requirements of the Act.
Establishes the Battery Producer Responsibility Fund.
Imposes civil penalties for violations of the Act.
Bill Title: Relating to batteries.
Summary: Requires producers of batteries or battery-containing products to join a battery producer responsibility organization and implement a battery producer responsibility program for the collection and recycling of batteries.
Chief Sponsors: Representative Levy E, Senator Neron Misslin, Representative Pham H
Regular Sponsors: Representative Andersen, Chotzen, Gamba, Gomberg, Helm, Isadore, Levy B, Lively, McDonald, Nathanson, Nelson, Senator Broadman, Frederick, Patterson, Pham, Prozanski, Reynolds, Sollman
Status: No public hearings scheduled at this time.
Advocates: Zero Waste Coalition.
1% For Wildlife - HB 4134
Increases the state transient lodging tax.
Changes the name of the Oregon Conservation Strategy Subaccount to the Recovering Oregon's Wildlife Fund Subaccount.
Specifies how moneys attributable to the increase are to be distributed.
Applies the transient lodging tax increase to transient lodging charges occurring on or after January 1, 2027.
Bill Title: Relating to funding for natural resource matters; prescribing an effective date; providing for revenue raising that requires approval by a three-fifths majority.
Summary: Increases the state transient lodging tax.
Chief Sponsors: Representative Helm, Senator Nash, Representative Owens, McLain, Walters, Senator Frederick, Golden, Gorsek, Prozanski
Regular Sponsors: Representative Andersen, Chotzen, Fragala, Gamba, Grayber, Levy B, Marsh, McDonald, Munoz, Nelson, Nosse, Pham H, Senator Gelser Blouin, Jama, Neron Misslin, Pham, Weber
Status: No public hearing scheduled at this time.
Advocates: Environment Oregon
Bills We're Opposing
Privatize Pollution Permits - HB 4102
Modifies the authority of the Department of Environmental Quality to enter into agreements with regulated entities to expedite or enhance a regulatory process.
This bill privatizes pollution permits for the Department of Environmental Quality, allowing for big corporations like Intel and Amazon to pay the 3rd-party issuer to expedite their pollution permits.
A hearing already took place on February 3. Legislators only listened to support testimony and ended the session without hearing a single opposition testimony.
Bill Title: Relating to Department of Environmental Quality regulatory processes; prescribing an effective date.
Summary: Modifies the authority of the Department of Environmental Quality to enter into agreements with regulated entities to expedite or enhance a regulatory process.
Chief Sponsors: Representative Dobson, Lively, Senator Sollman
Regular Sponsors: Representative Evans, Fragala, Gomberg, Hartman, Isadore, Javadi, Levy B, Levy E, McLain, Nguyen D, Owens, Pham H, Rieke Smith, Walters, Watanabe, Senator Meek
Status: There is a public hearing scheduled in the House Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment on Monday, February 16 at 3 p.m.
Forest Management Bill - HB 4105
Directs the State Forester to determine the available state forestland, establish sustainable harvest levels for harvesting timber on state forestland and manage available state forestland.
Allows certain persons to seek a court order if the State Forester fails to establish sustainable harvest levels or manage available state forestland.
Bill Title: Relating to reliable forest management outcomes; declaring an emergency.
Summary: Directs the State Forester to determine the available state forestland, establish sustainable harvest levels for harvesting timber on state forestland and manage available state forestland.
Chief Sponsors: Representative Owens, Senator McLane, Representative Breese-Iverson, Diehl, Helm, Senator Nash
Regular Sponsors: Representative Boice, Cate, Evans, Harbick, Levy B, McDonald, Scharf
Status: There is a public hearing scheduled for Monday, February 16 at 1 p.m. in the House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water.
Farm Stand Bill - HB 4153
Allows counties to approve farm stores, instead of farm stands, as nonfarm use on lands zoned for farm use.
This bill establishes many definitions relating to what can consitute a farm stand. Among these definitions is an annual income generated by sales threshold that can inhibit small farm stands.
Bill Title: Relating to farm stores.
Summary: Allows counties to approve farm stores, instead of farm stands, as nonfarm use on lands zoned for farm use.
Chief Sponsors: Representative Breese-Iverson, Senator Sollman, Smith DB, Representative Levy B, Rieke Smith, Senator Anderson
Regular Sponsors: Representative Elmer, Levy E, Owens, Reschke, Senator Broadman, Girod, McLane, Nash
Status: There are no public hearings scheduled at this time.
Nuclear Study Bill - HB 4046
Directs the State Department of Energy, subject to the availability of funding, to conduct a study on nuclear energy, including advanced nuclear reactors.
Directs the department to engage with tribal governments, consult with certain state agencies and organizations and utilize moneys from federal, private and other public sources to carry out the study.
Directs the department to submit the report to the interim committees or committees of the Legislative Assembly related to energy not later than February 15, 2027.
Bill Title: Relating to nuclear energy; declaring an emergency.
Summary: Directs the State Department of Energy, subject to the availability of funding, to conduct a study on nuclear energy, including advanced nuclear reactors.
Chief Sponsors: Representative Wright, Levy B, Edwards, Boice, Bunch, Osborne, Pham H, Senator Smith DB
Regular Sponsors: Representative Evans, Helm, Reschke, Skarlatos, Senator Meek, Sollman, Thatcher, Weber
Status: No public hearings scheduled at this time.
Resources
Using OLIS (Oregon Legislative Information System) to Get Involved in the Legislative Process (PDF) - Information provided by Oregon's Environmental Caucus
From the Oregon Legislature
