OSSIA's Legislative Update

The first half of the legislative session has passed with some good bills passing, some bills that need improvement, and some bad bills.

Let’s start with the good bills!

SB 338, a bill to update the Limited Renewable Technician license passed the Senate unanimously and now heads to the House.

HB 2520, a bill to have the Department of Land Conservation and Development passed the House Energy and Environment Committee and is headed to Ways and Means.  The bill is a compromise negotiated with OSSIA and RNW, 1,000 Friends of Oregon, and the Oregon Farm Bureau.  This could mean some improvements to siting utility scale solar.

HB 2475, a bill to create a low-income ratepayer class and allow intervenor funding for groups representing low-income ratepayers, passed the House and is headed to the Senate.

HB 2398, a bill to allow localities to make the Reach code mandatory, passed the House Energy and Environment Committee and is headed to Ways and Means.  This year, the Solar Ready code is a part of the Reach Code.

HB 2842, a bill to create a “Healthy Homes” program for energy efficiency incentives passed the House Energy and Environment Committee and is headed to Ways and Means. 

HB 3141, a bill to extend the Public Purpose Charge, which funds Energy Trust of Oregon incentives, passed the House Energy and Environment Committee and is headed to Ways and Means.  The bill retains the current amount of funding for solar but allows for storage incentives and includes a new 25% carve-out for low-income projects.

HB 3221, a bill to create an “Oregon Renewable Options Program” passed the House Energy and Environment Committee and is headed to Ways and Means. 

SB 154, a bill to extend the PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) for solar projects passed the Senate Energy and Environment committee with a change allowing jurisdictions a range of $5500-$7000 for the fees, in addition to the extension. 

SB 589, a bill to study a Regional Transmission Office, passed the Senate and is onto the House.

Now a bill that needs improvement.

The House Energy and Environment Committee adopted the -23 amendment to HB 2021 and sent the bill to House Revenue committee, to allow for further changes. OSSIA will be engaging to push for policy that supports building solar in Oregon and to finish negotiations on labor standards.  HB 2190, which would have updated the RED grant to include resiliency, will not move forward on its own and will instead be incorporated into HB 2021.

Lastly, the bad bill

SB 784, PGE’s bill to implement a green tariff program, passed the Senate Energy and Environment committee.  It includes anti-competitive language and labor standards that have not been agreed to and also includes natural gas as a “green” fuel.

Interested in learning more?  Join OSSIA’s policy committee!  Contact Angela for more details.