SB494 • 2025

Requires the Oregon Department of Administrative Services to study classification and compensation for forestry and wildland fire positions in state government.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Senator Smith DB
Last action: 2025-08-08
Official status: Chapter Number Assigned
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Requires the Oregon Department of Administrative Services to study classification and compensation for forestry and wildland fire positions in state government.

Digest: The Act tells DAS to look at forestry and fire jobs and make a report.

What This Bill Does

Digest: The Act tells DAS to look at forestry and fire jobs and make a report.
(Flesch Readability Score: 90.0).
Requires the Oregon Department of Administrative Services to study classification and compensation for forestry and wildland fire positions in state government.
Directs the department to submit findings to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to natural resources and wildfire not later than September 15, 2026.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2025-08-08 Senate
Chapter 596, 2025 Laws.
2025-08-08 Senate
Effective date, July 24, 2025.
2025-07-24 Senate
Governor signed.
2025-06-27 Senate
President signed.
2025-06-27 House
Speaker signed.
2025-06-26 House
Third reading. Carried by Drazan. Passed. Ayes, 48; Excused, 7--Cate, Harbick, McIntire, Nguyen H, Reschke, Wallan, Yunker; Excused for Business of the House, 5--Bowman, Gamba, Kropf, Levy B, Speaker Fahey.
2025-06-25 House
Recommendation: Do pass.
2025-06-25 House
Second reading.
2025-06-23 Senate
Second reading.
2025-06-23 Senate
Rules suspended. Third reading. Carried by Girod. Passed. Ayes, 29; Excused, 1--Smith DB.
2025-06-23 House
First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.
2025-06-23 House
Referred to Ways and Means.
2025-06-20 Senate
Recommendation: Do pass with amendments. (Printed A-Eng.)
2025-06-18 Senate
Work Session held.
2025-06-16 Senate
Work Session held.
2025-06-16 Senate
Returned to Full Committee.
2025-06-13 Senate
Assigned to Subcommittee On Capital Construction.
2025-02-28 Senate
Recommendation: Do Pass and be referred to Ways and Means.
2025-02-28 Senate
Referred to Ways and Means by order of the President.
2025-02-25 Senate
Work Session held.
2025-02-06 Senate
Public Hearing held.
2025-01-17 Senate
Referred to Natural Resources and Wildfire.
2025-01-13 Senate
Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.

Official Summary Text

Digest: The Act tells DAS to look at forestry and fire jobs and make a report. (Flesch Readability Score: 90.0).
Requires the Oregon Department of Administrative Services to study classification and compensation for forestry and wildland fire positions in state government. Directs the department to submit findings to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to natural resources and wildfire not later than September 15, 2026.
Sunsets on January 2, 2027.
<b>Declares an emergency, effective on passage.</b>
Relating to: Relating to employment of forestry workers; and declaring an emergency.
Current location: Chapter Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Enrolled
Senate Bill 494
Sponsored by Senator SMITH DB (Presession filed.)
CHAPTER .................................................
AN ACT
Relating to employment of forestry workers; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
(1) The Oregon Department of Administrative Services shall study classi-
fication and compensation for forestry and wildland fire positions in state government. The
study must:
(a) Address any wage and management compression that would result from changes in
classification and compensation.
(b) Identify the deficiencies in the span of control of the structure of the State Forestry
Department and evaluate recommendations for addressing these deficiencies, including the
classifications and number and type of employees needed to right size the organizational
structure.
(2) The Oregon Department of Administrative Services shall submit a report in the
manner provided by ORS 192.245, and may include recommendations for legislation, to the
interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to natural resources and wildfire no
later than September 15, 2026.
SECTION 2. Section 1 of this 2025 Act is repealed on January 2, 2027.
SECTION 3. In addition to and not in lieu of any other appropriation, there is appropri-
ated to the Oregon Department of Administrative Services, for the biennium beginning July
1, 2025, out of the General Fund, the amount of $229,154, to expend for the purposes described
in section 1 of this 2025 Act.
SECTION 4. 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 Senate Bill 494 (SB 494-A) Page 1
Passed by Senate June 23, 2025
..................................................................................
Obadiah Rutledge, Secretary of Senate
..................................................................................
Rob Wagner, President of Senate
Passed by House June 26, 2025
..................................................................................
Julie Fahey, Speaker of House
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 Senate Bill 494 (SB 494-A) Page 2