Dear John,

The 2024 short legislative session begins in less than one month, and I’ll be in the Capitol beginning tomorrow for January Legislative Days! We’ve already begun working to make sure that we pass strong legislation to protect Oregon’s climate and environment this year. On behalf of OLCV and our partners in the Oregon Conservation Network (OCN), I’m excited to announce our 2024 Priorities for a Healthy Oregon! 

This year, in addition to our every-year priority of passing strong Natural Resource and Environmental Budgets (so our state’s programs to protect the climate, air, water, forests, and wildlife get the funding they need), we have selected three Priorities for a Healthy Oregon. We hope you’ll ask your state lawmakers to support these priorities.

2024 Priorities for a Healthy Oregon:

1) A Strong Climate Budget: We must continue to make progress on climate every legislative session, and this year our priority is to ensure a strong climate budget. We must continue funding the incredible climate programs we passed over the last few years. We are asking for a $50 million climate budget that prioritizes two things: 1) a $15 million investment in the the Healthy Homes Program to enable urgently-needed home repairs including health, safety and efficiency upgrades, and 2) a $20 million  investment in the Charge Ahead Electric Vehicle rebate program to make new and used electric vehicles more affordable and accessible for lower-income Oregonians. Together, these continued investments in successful programs that are running out of funding will lower the cost of living, improve health and resilience, and reduce climate pollution.

2) Marine Reserves: A decade ago OLCV and OCN prioritized creating the Marine Reserves Program to establish protections for five marine habitat areas off the Oregon Coast. It was a hard fought and hard won victory, and since then the program has proven to be a huge success winning over fisherman, coastal communities and lawmakers. Last year, a 10 year review process came out with recommendations on what the program needs to succeed moving forward, and a bill (HB 2903) was introduced to meet those recommendations. Unfortunately, last session, that bill died. This session we plan to reintroduce this bill to ensure this wildly popular and successful program can continue. 

3) Right to Repair: You may recall this bill as part of our Zero Waste Priority bill package from last session (SB 542). Well, the bill didn’t quite make it (largely due to the historically long Republican walkout), and we’re bringing it back this year to get it over the finish line! People should be able to repair their electronics just like they can repair their car. This will save people money and reduce electronic waste. States like New York and California have passed similar legislation, but in Oregon our bill is poised to be the strongest version passed by any state. 

Will you take a few minutes today to urge your lawmakers to support these Priorities for a Healthy Oregon for the 2024 short legislative session?

In addition to these priorities we all know that addressing our housing crisis is one of the biggest priorities of the 2024 short session. We will continue to fight for strong climate friendly, affordable housing policies while also making sure Oregon doesn’t needlessly expand our Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs). We will support strong infrastructure investment within UGBs where we can build more of the dense, affordable, and climate smart communities our residents need and deserve.

We have a lot of important legislation to pass this session, and only about a month to do it. Please join us in pushing for the strongest environmental policies possible in the 2024 short legislative session!

Thank you,

Julia DeGraw

Coalition Director, OLCV

P.S. Most of these bills are still in draft form and have not received bill numbers yet. We will keep you posted as our priority bills receive bill numbers and as they move through the legislative process.