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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Enrolled
House Bill 3026
Introduced and printed pursuant to House Rule 12.00. Presession filed (at the request of Governor
Tina Kotek for Higher Education Coordinating Commission)
CHAPTER .................................................
AN ACT
Relating to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission; creating new provisions; amending ORS
181A.410, 192.690, 279A.050, 348.295 and 350.426 and section 40, chapter 95, Oregon Laws 2024;
and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. ORS 192.690, as amended by section 43, chapter 95, Oregon Laws 2024, is amended
to read:
192.690. (1) ORS 192.610 to 192.705 do not apply to any of the following:
(a) Deliberations of the Psychiatric Security Review Board or the State Board of Parole and
Post-Prison Supervision.
(b) Deliberations of state agencies conducting hearings on contested cases in accordance with
the provisions of ORS chapter 183.
(c) Deliberations of the Workers’ Compensation Board or the Employment Appeals Board of
similar hearings on contested cases.
(d) Meetings of the state lawyers assistance committee operating under the provisions of ORS
9.568.
(e) Meetings of the personal and practice management assistance committees operating under
the provisions of ORS 9.568.
(f) Meetings of county child abuse multidisciplinary teams required to review child abuse cases
in accordance with the provisions of ORS 418.747.
(g) Meetings of child fatality review teams required to review child fatalities in accordance with
the provisions of ORS 418.785.
(h) Meetings of peer review committees in accordance with the provisions of ORS 441.055.
(i) Mediation conducted under ORS 36.252 to 36.268.
(j) Any judicial proceeding.
(k) Meetings of the Oregon Health and Science University Board of Directors or its designated
committee regarding candidates for the position of president of the university or regarding sensitive
business, financial or commercial matters of the university not customarily provided to competitors
related to financings, mergers, acquisitions or joint ventures or related to the sale or other dispo-
sition of, or substantial change in use of, significant real or personal property, or related to health
system strategies.
(L) Oregon Health and Science University faculty or staff committee meetings.
(m) Meetings of Transfer Council subcommittees that are established under ORS 350.426 and
that relate to the common course numbering system and the coordination, establishment, alignment,
Enrolled House Bill 3026 (HB 3026-A) Page 1
effectiveness and maintenance of foundational curricula or unified statewide transfer
agreements.
(n) Communications between or among members of a governing body that are:
(A) Purely factual or educational in nature and that convey no deliberation or decision on any
matter that might reasonably come before the governing body;
(B) Not related to any matter that, at any time, could reasonably be foreseen to come before the
governing body for deliberation and decision; or
(C) Nonsubstantive in nature, such as communication relating to scheduling, leaves of absence
and other similar matters.
(2) Because of the grave risk to public health and safety that would be posed by misappropri-
ation or misapplication of information considered during such review and approval, ORS 192.610 to
192.705 shall not apply to review and approval of security programs by the Energy Facility Siting
Council pursuant to ORS 469.530.
SECTION 2.
ORS 350.426 is amended to read:
350.426. (1) The Transfer Council is established, consisting of 15 voting members, appointed by
the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, and one nonvoting, ex officio member.
(2) Before appointing the voting members, the commission shall request nominations from official
student, faculty and administrator organizations at public universities listed in ORS 352.002, com-
munity colleges operated under ORS chapter 341 and high schools in this state. The 15 voting
members of the council shall consist of:
(a) Five academic officers, two of whom are currently employed at a public university, two of
whom are currently employed at a community college and one of whom is currently employed at a
public high school in this state;
(b) Four faculty members, two of whom are currently employed at a public university and two
of whom are currently employed at a community college;
(c) One teacher who both teaches accelerated college credit programs as defined in ORS 340.315
and is currently employed either by an education service district or at a public high school in this
state;
(d) Two individuals who specialize in assisting students who transfer between institutions, one
of whom is currently employed at a public university and one of whom is currently employed at a
community college; and
(e) Three students, one of whom is currently enrolled at a public university, one of whom is
currently enrolled at a community college and one of whom is currently enrolled at a high school
in this state.
(3) The chairperson of the commission, or a designee of the chairperson of the commission, shall
serve as a nonvoting, ex officio member.
(4)(a) The term of office of each voting member of the council is two years. Before the expiration
of the term of a member, the commission shall appoint a successor. A member is eligible for reap-
pointment.
(b) In order to serve as a member of the council, an individual must at all times meet the
qualifications for the appointment. If at any time a member fails to meet the qualifications for the
member’s appointment, the position is vacant.
(c) If there is a vacancy for any cause, the commission shall make an appointment to become
immediately effective for the unexpired term.
(5)(a) The council:
(A) Shall select one or more of its members as chairperson or as cochairpersons; and
(B) May establish, in the manner set forth in this subsection, one or more subcommittees for the
purpose of advising the council on how to best fulfill its duties.
(b) For a subcommittee established under this subsection that will make recommendations to the
council on issues that primarily relate to curriculum, the subject matter of courses or disciplines
or methods of instruction, the council may appoint any faculty member who is employed by a public
university listed in ORS 352.002 or a community college operated under ORS chapter 341, provided
Enrolled House Bill 3026 (HB 3026-A) Page 2
that the subcommittee consists of equal numbers of faculty from public universities and community
colleges.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of this subsection, the council may a appoint a sub-
committee that does not have equal numbers of faculty from public universities and com-
munity colleges if the council determines that equal representation is not practical due to
the uneven distribution of responsive curriculum, courses or disciplines between public uni-
versities and community colleges.
[(c)] (d) For a subcommittee other than a subcommittee described in paragraph (b) of this sub-
section, the council may appoint any individual employed by a public university listed in ORS
352.002 or a community college operated under ORS chapter 341, including faculty, registrars, aca-
demic advisors and academic administrators. A subcommittee established under this paragraph may
not make recommendations to the council on issues that primarily relate to curriculum, the subject
matter of courses or disciplines or methods of instruction.
[(d)] (e) Appointment to a subcommittee established under this subsection does not entitle an
individual to vote as a member of the council.
(6)(a) A majority of the voting members of the council constitutes a quorum for the transaction
of business.
(b)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, official action by the council
requires the approval of a majority of the voting members of the council.
(B) Official action by the council on recommendations to be made to the commission under ORS
350.429 (1)(d)(A) to (D) requires the approval of three-fifths of the voting members of the council.
(c) Two or more voting members of the council who disagree with recommendations that are
submitted to the commission under ORS 350.429 (1)(d)(A) to (D) may jointly submit a minority report
to the commission that contains alternate recommendations. A minority report created under this
paragraph shall be submitted to the commission with the majority recommendations.
(7)(a) A majority of the members of a subcommittee established under subsection (5) of this
section constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business of the subcommittee.
(b)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, official action by a subcom-
mittee established under subsection (5) of this section requires approval of a majority of the mem-
bers of the subcommittee.
(B) Official action by a subcommittee on recommendations to be made to the council on a sub-
ject that will be submitted by the council to the commission under ORS 350.429 (1)(d)(A) to (D) re-
quires the approval of three-fifths of the members of the subcommittee.
(c) Two or more members of a subcommittee who disagree with recommendations that are sub-
mitted to the council on a subject that will be submitted by the council to the commission under
ORS 350.429 (1)(d)(A) to (D) may jointly submit a minority report to the council that contains al-
ternate recommendations. A minority report created under this paragraph shall be submitted to the
council with the majority recommendations.
(8)(a) The council shall meet at least every three months at a place, day and hour determined
by the chairperson or cochairpersons.
(b) In addition to the meetings required under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the commission
may call a meeting of the council if the commission finds a meeting to be necessary and a meeting
is not called by the chairperson or cochairpersons.
SECTION 3.
ORS 181A.410 is amended to read:
181A.410. (1) In accordance with any applicable provision of ORS chapter 183, to promote
enforcement of law and fire services by improving the competence of public safety personnel and
their support staffs, and in consultation with the agencies for which the Board on Public Safety
Standards and Training and Department of Public Safety Standards and Training provide standards,
certification, accreditation and training:
(a) The department shall recommend, and the board shall establish by rule, reasonable minimum
standards of physical, emotional, intellectual and moral fitness for public safety personnel and in-
structors.
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(b) The department shall recommend, and the board shall establish by rule, reasonable minimum
training for all levels of professional development, basic through executive, including but not limited
to courses or subjects for instruction and qualifications for public safety personnel and instructors.
Training requirements shall be consistent with the funding available in the department’s
legislatively approved budget.
(c) The department, in consultation with the board, shall establish by rule a procedure or pro-
cedures to be used by law enforcement units, public or private safety agencies or the Oregon Youth
Authority to determine whether public safety personnel meet minimum standards or have minimum
training.
(d) Subject to such terms and conditions as the department may impose, the department shall
certify instructors and public safety personnel, except youth correction officers, as being qualified
under the rules established by the board.
(e) The department shall deny applications for training and deny, suspend and revoke certif-
ication in the manner provided in ORS 181A.630, 181A.640 and 181A.650 (1).
(f) The department shall cause inspection of standards and training for instructors and public
safety personnel, except youth correction officers, to be made.
(g) The department may recommend, and the board may establish by rule, accreditation stand-
ards, levels and categories for mandated and nonmandated public safety personnel training or edu-
cational programs. The department and board, in consultation, may establish to what extent training
or educational programs provided by an accredited university, college, community college or public
safety agency may serve as equivalent to mandated training or as a prerequisite to mandated
training. Programs offered by accredited universities, colleges or community colleges may be con-
sidered equivalent to mandated training only in academic areas.
(h) The department shall recommend, and the board shall establish by rule, an educational pro-
gram that the board determines will be most effective in reducing profiling, as defined in ORS
131.915, by police officers and reserve officers. The program must be required at all levels of
training, including basic training and advanced, leadership and continuing training.
(2) The department may:
(a) Contract or otherwise cooperate with any person or agency of government for the procure-
ment of services or property;
(b) Procure or supervise the procurement of goods and services, as defined in ORS 279A.010, and
personal services designated under ORS 279A.055, to meet the requirements of subsection (1) of this
section in accordance with ORS 279A.050 [ (6)(n)] (6)(o);
(c) Accept gifts or grants of services or property;
(d) Establish fees for determining whether a training or educational program meets the accred-
itation standards established under subsection (1)(g) of this section;
(e) Maintain and furnish to law enforcement units and public and private safety agencies infor-
mation on applicants for appointment as instructors or public safety personnel, except youth cor-
rection officers, in any part of the state; and
(f) Establish fees to allow recovery of the full costs incurred in providing services to private
entities or in providing services as experts or expert witnesses.
(3) The department, in consultation with the board, may:
(a) Upon the request of a law enforcement unit or public safety agency, conduct surveys or aid
cities and counties to conduct surveys through qualified public or private agencies and assist in the
implementation of any recommendations resulting from such surveys.
(b) Upon the request of law enforcement units or public safety agencies, conduct studies and
make recommendations concerning means by which requesting units can coordinate or combine their
resources.
(c) Conduct and stimulate research to improve the police, fire service, corrections, adult parole
and probation, emergency medical dispatch and telecommunicator professions.
Enrolled House Bill 3026 (HB 3026-A)Page 4
(d) Provide grants from funds appropriated or available therefor, to law enforcement units,
public safety agencies, special districts, cities, counties and private entities to carry out the pro-
visions of this subsection.
(e) Provide optional training programs for persons who operate lockups. The term “lockup” has
the meaning given it in ORS 169.005.
(f) Provide optional training programs for public safety personnel and their support staffs.
(g) Enter into agreements with federal, state or other governmental agencies to provide training
or other services in exchange for receiving training, fees or services of generally equivalent value.
(h) Upon the request of a law enforcement unit or public safety agency employing public safety
personnel, except youth correction officers, grant an officer, fire service professional, telecommu-
nicator or emergency medical dispatcher a multidiscipline certification consistent with the minimum
requirements adopted or approved by the board. Multidiscipline certification authorizes an officer,
fire service professional, telecommunicator or emergency medical dispatcher to work in any of the
disciplines for which the officer, fire service professional, telecommunicator or emergency medical
dispatcher is certified. The provisions of ORS 181A.500, 181A.520 and 181A.530 relating to lapse of
certification do not apply to an officer or fire service professional certified under this paragraph as
long as the officer or fire service professional maintains full-time employment in one of the certified
disciplines and meets the training standards established by the board.
(i) Establish fees and guidelines for the use of the facilities of the training academy operated
by the department and for nonmandated training provided to federal, state or other governmental
agencies, private entities or individuals.
(4) Pursuant to ORS chapter 183, the board, in consultation with the department, shall adopt
rules necessary to carry out the board’s duties and powers.
(5) Pursuant to ORS chapter 183, the department, in consultation with the board, shall adopt
rules necessary to carry out the department’s duties and powers.
(6) For efficiency, board and department rules may be adopted jointly as a single set of combined
rules with the approval of the board and the department.
(7) The department shall obtain approval of the board before submitting its legislative concepts,
Emergency Board request or agency request budget to the Oregon Department of Administrative
Services.
(8) The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training shall develop a training program
for conducting investigations required under ORS 181A.790.
SECTION 4.
ORS 279A.050 is amended to read:
279A.050. (1)(a) Except as otherwise provided in the Public Contracting Code, a contracting
agency shall exercise all of the contracting agency’s procurement authority in accordance with the
provisions of the Public Contracting Code.
(b) If a contracting agency has authority under this section to carry out functions described in
this section, or has authority to make procurements under a provision of law other than the Public
Contracting Code, the contracting agency need not exercise the contracting agency’s authority in
accordance with the provisions of the code if, under ORS 279A.025, the code does not apply to the
contract or contracting agency.
(2)(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection and the Public Con-
tracting Code, for state agencies the Director of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services
has all the authority available to carry out the provisions of the Public Contracting Code.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in the Public Contracting Code, for state agencies the director
may delegate to the State Chief Information Officer the authority to procure or supervise the pro-
curement of all goods, services and personal services related to information technology and tele-
communications for state contracting agencies. This paragraph does not apply to contracts under
which the contractor delivers to the state agency information technology products or services inci-
dentally in performing a personal services contract described in ORS chapter 279C or a construction
contract described in ORS chapter 279C.
Enrolled House Bill 3026 (HB 3026-A) Page 5
(3) Except as otherwise provided in the Public Contracting Code, the Director of Transportation
has all the authority available to:
(a) Procure or supervise the procurement of all services and personal services to construct, ac-
quire, plan, design, maintain and operate passenger terminal facilities and motor vehicle parking
facilities in connection with any public transportation system in accordance with ORS 184.689 (5);
(b) Procure or supervise the procurement of all goods, services, public improvements and per-
sonal services that relate to operating, maintaining or constructing highways, bridges and other
transportation facilities that are subject to the authority of the Department of Transportation; and
(c) Establish standards for, prescribe forms for and conduct the prequalification of prospective
bidders on public improvement contracts that relate to operating, maintaining or constructing
highways, bridges and other transportation facilities that are subject to the authority of the De-
partment of Transportation.
(4) Except as otherwise provided in the Public Contracting Code, the Secretary of State has all
the authority to procure or supervise the procurement of goods, services and personal services re-
lated to programs under the authority of the Secretary of State.
(5) Except as otherwise provided in the Public Contracting Code, the State Treasurer has all the
authority to procure or supervise the procurement of goods, services and personal services related
to programs under the authority of the State Treasurer.
(6) The state agencies listed in this subsection have all the authority to do the following in ac-
cordance with the Public Contracting Code:
(a) The Department of Human Services to procure or supervise the procurement of goods, ser-
vices and personal services under ORS 179.040 for the department’s institutions and the procurement
of goods, services and personal services for constructing, demolishing, exchanging, maintaining, op-
erating and equipping housing for the purpose of providing care to individuals with intellectual
disabilities or other developmental disabilities, subject to applicable provisions of ORS 427.335;
(b) The Oregon Health Authority to procure or supervise the procurement of goods, services and
personal services under ORS 179.040 and construction materials, equipment and supplies for the
authority’s institutions and the procurement of goods, services, personal services, construction ma-
terials, equipment and supplies for constructing, demolishing, exchanging, maintaining, operating
and equipping housing for individuals with chronic mental illness, subject to applicable provisions
of ORS 426.504;
(c) The State Department of Fish and Wildlife to procure or supervise the procurement of con-
struction materials, equipment, supplies, services and personal services for public improvements,
public works or ordinary construction described in ORS 279C.320 that is subject to the authority
of the State Department of Fish and Wildlife;
(d) The State Parks and Recreation Department to procure or supervise the procurement of all
goods, services, public improvements and personal services related to state parks;
(e) The Oregon Department of Aviation to procure or supervise the procurement of construction
materials, equipment, supplies, services and personal services for public improvements, public works
or ordinary construction described in ORS 279C.320 that is subject to the authority of the Oregon
Department of Aviation;
(f) The Oregon Business Development Department to procure or supervise the procurement of
all goods, services, personal services and public improvements related to its foreign trade offices
operating outside the state;
(g) The Housing and Community Services Department to procure or supervise the procurement
of goods, services and personal services that are unrelated to the department’s duties prescribed in
ORS chapters 456 and 458, and not otherwise provided for by ORS 456.625 (19);
(h) The Department of Corrections to procure or supervise the procurement of construction
materials, equipment, supplies, services and personal services for public improvements, public works
or ordinary construction described in ORS 279C.320 that is subject to the authority of the Depart-
ment of Corrections;
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(i) The Department of Corrections, subject to any applicable provisions of ORS 279A.120,
279A.125, 279A.145 and 283.110 to 283.395, to procure or supervise the procurement of goods, ser-
vices and personal services under ORS 179.040 for its institutions;
(j) The Department of Veterans’ Affairs to procure or supervise the procurement of real estate
broker and principal real estate broker services related to programs under the department’s au-
thority;
(k) The Oregon Military Department to procure or supervise the procurement of construction
materials, equipment, supplies, services and personal services for public improvements, public works
or ordinary construction described in ORS 279C.320 that is subject to the authority of the Oregon
Military Department;
(L) The Department of Education, subject to any applicable provisions of ORS 329.075, 329.085
and 329.485 and the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (P.L. 114-95, 129 Stat. 1802), to procure or
supervise the procurement of goods, services, personal services and information technology related
to student assessment;
(m) The Department of Early Learning and Care to procure or supervise the procurement of
goods, services, personal services and information technology related to the authority of the de-
partment or the Early Learning Council; [ and]
(n) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission to procure or supervise the pro-
curement of goods, services, personal services and information technology related to the
authority of the commission; and
[(n)] (o) Any state agency to conduct a procurement when the agency is specifically authorized
by any provision of law other than the Public Contracting Code to enter into a contract.
(7)(a) Notwithstanding this section and ORS 279A.140 (1), the Director of the Oregon Depart-
ment of Administrative Services has exclusive authority, unless the director delegates the authority,
to procure or supervise the procurement of all price agreements on behalf of the state agencies
identified in subsection (6) of this section under which more than one state agency may order goods,
services or personal services.
(b) The director may delegate to the State Chief Information Officer the exclusive authority to
procure or supervise the procurement of all price agreements related to information technology and
telecommunications on behalf of the state agencies identified in subsection (6) of this section.
Notwithstanding any authority that a state agency may have under subsection (3) or (6) of this
section, the state agency may not establish a price agreement or enter into a contract for goods,
services or personal services without the approval of the director or the State Chief Information
Officer if the director or the State Chief Information Officer has established a price agreement for
the goods, services or personal services.
(c) The State Chief Information Officer may review any solicitation document for procuring in-
formation technology or telecommunications that a state agency intends to issue before the state
agency issues the solicitation document and may require the state agency to name the State Chief
Information Officer as a third-party beneficiary with full authority to enforce the terms and condi-
tions of any public contract for information technology or telecommunications. The State Chief In-
formation Officer must approve a state agency’s procurement for information technology or
telecommunications if the procurement has an anticipated contract price of $1 million or more. The
State Chief Information Officer may require the state agency to name the State Chief Information
Officer as the contracting party on behalf of the State of Oregon in a procurement for information
technology or telecommunications that has an anticipated contract price of $1 million or more.
SECTION 5.
ORS 348.295 is amended to read:
348.295. (1) In addition to any other form of student financial aid authorized by law, the Higher
Education Coordinating Commission may award scholarships to [ culturally and linguistically
diverse] teacher candidates who have experience with diverse populations to use at approved
educator preparation providers, as defined in ORS 342.120[ , for the purpose of advancing the goal
described in ORS 342.437 (1)(a) ].
Enrolled House Bill 3026 (HB 3026-A) Page 7
(2) Scholarships awarded under this section shall be in amounts of $12,000 each academic year,
for a maximum of [ two] the equivalent of two full-time academic years.
(3) The commission shall adopt rules necessary for the implementation and administration of this
section in consultation with the Educator Advancement Council and the Department of Education.
Rules adopted under this subsection shall address the ways candidates may demonstrate ex-
perience with diverse populations, the establishment of grant amounts and parameters for
awarding grants.
(4) As used in this section:
(a) “Diverse” has the meaning given that term in ORS 342.433.
[(a)] (b) “Teacher candidate” means an individual who is preparing to be a teacher or other
school professional licensed, registered or certified by the Teacher Standards and Practices Com-
mission.
[(b)] (c) “Teacher candidate” does not mean an individual who is preparing to be an adminis-
trator.
SECTION 6.
Notwithstanding the amendments to ORS 348.295 by section 5 of this 2025
Act, a student who has received a grant and is eligible for renewal of that grant under the
version of ORS 348.295 in effect prior to the effective date of this 2025 Act shall continue to
be eligible for renewal of the grant, provided the student complies with eligibility require-
ments established by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission.
SECTION 7. The amendments to ORS 348.295 by section 5 of this 2025 Act first apply to
grants awarded for the 2025-2026 academic year.
SECTION 8. (1) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission, in consultation with
community colleges and public universities described in ORS 352.002, shall conduct a study
regarding reporting requirements affecting public institutions of higher education and the
commission.
(2) The study must:
(a) Inventory all existing laws that require public institutions of higher education to re-
port information to the commission;
(b) Inventory all existing laws that require public institutions or the commission to re-
port information to the Legislative Assembly, a committee of the Legislative Assembly or
the Governor; and
(c) Provide recommendations for improving the efficiency, relevance and quality of re-
porting in higher education, including but not limited to:
(A) Proposals to eliminate reports, consolidate reports, alter the frequency of reports,
modify due dates of reports or adjust the content of reports; and
(B) Proposals for new reporting requirements that improve analysis and comprehension
of activities and outcomes for the higher education systems in this state.
(3)(a) The proposals for new reporting requirements described in subsection (2)(c)(B) of
this section must primarily rely on existing human resource and technology capacities, in-
cluding any capacity that results from proposals submitted under subsection (2)(c)(A) of this
section.
(b) The commission shall specify if any recommendation would require an increase in
capacity to carry out, including the potential fiscal impact of the recommendation.
(4) The commission shall submit a report on the study conducted under this section in
the manner provided by ORS 192.245, and may include recommendations for legislation, to
the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to higher education no later than
November 15, 2026.
SECTION 9.
Section 8 of this 2025 Act is repealed on January 2, 2027.
SECTION 10. Section 40, chapter 95, Oregon Laws 2024, is amended to read:
Sec. 40. (1) As used in this section:
(a) “Forestry sector” means private businesses, nonprofit organizations, educational and
workforce providers and public entities that are engaged in logging, forestation, wildland fire pre-
Enrolled House Bill 3026 (HB 3026-A) Page 8
vention and suppression, construction and maintenance of roads required for forestry, aggregate
production of forestry products, trucking related to forestry, tree services, technical and profes-
sional services required for forestry, forest surveying, fuel mitigation efforts related to forestry,
forestry habitat restoration, watershed improvement, crop tree release and stand improvement, for-
est tract management, tree nurseries, mechanical services for forestry, provision of forestry pro-
ducts, training resources for the forestry workforce, educational resources for the forestry
workforce, human resources for the forestry workforce and other in-forest or forest-affiliated ser-
vices.
(b) “Forestry workforce” means the owners, proprietors, partners and employees of companies
and organizations composing the forestry sector.
(2) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission shall conduct a forestry workforce study to
assist the commission in understanding and addressing challenges in Oregon’s forestry workforce.
(3) The study conducted under this section shall:
(a) Identify existing secondary and post-secondary education, training, apprenticeship and
workforce development programs that prepare Oregonians for careers in the forestry workforce;
(b) Collect data on participation in, completion of and employment outcomes for programs
identified in paragraph (a) of this subsection;
(c) Identify the number, type and location of businesses, nonprofit organizations, education and
workforce providers and public entities composing the forestry sector in this state;
(d) Collect data on the number, occupations, industries, wages and demographics of the forestry
workforce in this state;
(e) Assess current and projected forestry workforce needs;
(f) Identify challenges faced by the forestry sector in retaining and recruiting the forestry
workforce; and
(g) Develop recommendations to enhance the recruitment and retention of the forestry
workforce.
(4) When conducting the study under this section, the commission shall:
(a) Assess the current forestry workforce, the workforce’s demographics and needs and the
community benefits of forestry. The assessment required under this paragraph shall take into con-
sideration state plans and initiatives related to forest health, climate and economic development that
may influence the demands on the forestry workforce.
(b) Collaborate with Oregon business associations that represent private forest employers and
forest management enterprises to assess the future forestry workforce capacity requirements, as
well as the potential impacts, benefits and opportunities for the forestry workforce.
(c) Consult with state and federal economic development, labor, employment and licensing
agencies to account for current tracking and monitoring techniques for the forestry workforce and
to ensure that the study is not duplicative of other studies.
(d) Consult with state and federal natural resource agencies to align priorities and understand
future forestry workforce needs.
(e) Consult with state training and education agencies to fully understand career pathways and
training opportunities for the forestry workforce.
(5) The commission may enter into a contract with a public or private entity for the purpose
of conducting the study described in this section.
(6) The commission shall submit a report in the manner provided by ORS 192.245 to the interim
committees of the Legislative Assembly related to natural resources, education and higher education
no later than [ June 30, 2025 ] December 31, 2025 .
SECTION 11.
This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
on its passage.
Enrolled House Bill 3026 (HB 3026-A) Page 9
Passed by House April 21, 2025
..................................................................................
Timothy G. Sekerak, Chief Clerk of House
..................................................................................
Julie Fahey, Speaker of House
Passed by Senate June 12, 2025
..................................................................................
Rob Wagner, President of Senate
Received by Governor:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
Approved:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
..................................................................................
Tina Kotek, Governor
Filed in Office of Secretary of State:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
..................................................................................
Tobias Read, Secretary of State
Enrolled House Bill 3026 (HB 3026-A) Page 10