October 2026 ORCAH Liaison Lunch Recap

About the good news:

We were fortunate to have Kathryn Duval, Chief of Staff for the Environmental Caucus at the Oregon State Legislature, present at the October 16th Liaison Lunch. We greatly appreciated her time and expertise. The highlights include:

Oregon Legislative Timeline and Bill Submission Deadlines for 2027

• The Oregon Environmental Caucus represents 19 legislative members focusing on environmental and climate policy.
• The 2027 long session runs from January 19 to June 27, featuring unlimited bill introductions.
• September 11 marked the first bill draft deadline to guarantee language return by December 1.
• Legislators must file concepts by December 11 to gather co-sponsors and initiate amendments.
• The final pre-session bill request deadline is January 15 before the session starts on January 19.

 

Key Environmental Policy Priorities for 2027

• Energy supply buildout, grid infrastructure, and Rep. Gamba’s transmission authority bill remain top priorities.
• Data center oversight targets water, energy, and land use impacts.
• Stakeholders explored a cap-and-invest program to potentially replace the climate protection program.
• Lawmakers anticipate defending the Recycling Modernization Act against potential legislative rollback attempts.