TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Legislative Committee
SUBJECT:
title
End of session report summarizing the City’s legislative activities during the 2026 session of the Oregon State Legislature.
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Good Governance; Natural Environment Stewardship; Safe Community; Safe, Reliable and Efficient Infrastructure; Strong and Diverse Economy; Welcoming and Livable Community.
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SUMMARY:
summary
On a routine basis, the City Council’s Legislative Committee reviews and recommends priorities for funding and to guide legislative advocacy at the State and Federal level for the City of Salem. The Committee forwards these recommendations for City Council approval. The Legislative Committee is comprised of Mayor Julie Hoy and Councilors Brown, Gwyn, and Nordyke, with Councilor Nishioka serving as alternate. This is a summary report of legislative activity during the Oregon State Legislature’s short session, which concluded March 6, 2026.
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ISSUE:
Information only.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information only.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The Oregon State Legislature convened for its short session on February 2, 2026 and concluded March 6, 2026. On a routine basis, the City Council’s Legislative Committee reviews and recommends priorities for funding and to guide legislative advocacy at the State and Federal level for the City of Salem. For each Oregon Legislative Session, the City Council’s Legislative Committee meets to prepare, consider positions on active bills during Session, and discuss recent federal legislative activity. The Committee forwards these recommendations for City Council approval.
Legislative Committee Work
The City Council’s Legislative Committee met February 13 and February 20 to consider positions on specific bills moving through the 2026 Oregon Legislative Session. In all, 300 bills were introduced. The City tracked 106 of those bills. On March 13, the Committee met to review the Session. A summary of the 2026 Legislative Session and bills with Council-approved positions is attached (Attachment 1). This summary was prepared in early April 2026, prior to the April 17 deadline for the Governor’s signature. Several bills were awaiting the Governor’s signature at this time of this writing.
• Policy Statements. The Council adopted a set of legislative policy statements before the 2026 Session started (Attachment 2) to guide the City’s response to bills during the Oregon Legislative Session. The policy statements and legislative priorities position public officials, the City's contracted lobbyist, and staff in responding to moving legislation and formulating positions broad topics of economic development, financing and revenue, human resources, telecommunications, public safety, land use and the environment.
• Priorities. For the 2026 Legislative Session, the City Council also approved three funding priorities for the short session: (1) sustained funding for the Safe, Clean and Healthy Capital City to support emergency and public safety services provided to the State of Oregon; and (2) funding for the Airport Terminal Area Plan and (3) Airport Resiliency and Emergency Power. As a result of the Session, the City received $1.35 million in funding for the second and third priorities for resiliency and emergency capability investments in the Salem Willamette Valley Airport.
• Interim and 2027 Session. The Legislature will continue to meet during the interim in preparation for the next legislative session. The Legislative Committee will continue their work during the interim, as well. Work is underway now at the Legislative Committee to draft and prepare the City’s Federal and State agendas to guide our work in 2027, with support of staff, Perseverance, and Summit Strategies. Before any official representing the City of Salem can attempt to influence legislation on a particular matter, during the interim or during a legislative session, the City Council must adopt an official position related to that matter. Should the Committee recommend positions to the City Council, staff will add that information to the report for the Council’s consideration.
The following is a list of important dates and deadlines.
• Revenue Forecast - May 20, 2026
• Interim Legislative Days - June 15 - 17, 2026
• Revenue Forecast - August 26, 2026
• Interim Legislative Days - September 8 - 10, 2026
• Pre-session Request Deadline - September 11, 2026
• Revenue Forecast - November 18, 2026
• Pre-session Legislative Concept Drafts Returned - December 1, 2026
• Interim Legislative Days - December 1 - 3, 2026
BACKGROUND:
The Legislative Committee provides the City Council with regular updates and seeks approval of its recommendations regarding State and Federal legislative priorities. To continue a coordinated and unified response during upcoming sessions, and in accordance with Council Policy No. G-1, the Mayor and Councilor are asked to communicate the nature of their legislative contacts to staff via an email to Courtney Knox Busch or Francys Veras. Staff will forward the communication to the City’s lobbyist, the Legislative Committee, and City Council as appropriate.
Courtney Knox Busch
Assistant City Manager/Director for Strategy & Engagement
Attachments:
1. City of Salem, 2026 Session Overview as submitted by Perseverance Strategies, Inc.
2. 2026 Legislative Policy Statements