TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Legislative Committee
SUBJECT:
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Approve Legislative priorities and policy statements to guide the City of Salem’s advocacy work for the 2026 Legislative Session, including advocacy specific to immigration enforcement articulated in the December 1, 2025 Emergency Declaration, and authorize recommended City Council delegate to LOC Energy and Environmental Policy Committee.
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:
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The City Council’s Legislative Committee meets frequently to consider priorities to guide Salem’s Federal and State agendas throughout the year. 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.
On a routine basis, the City Council’s Legislative Committee reviews and recommends priorities for funding and to guide legislative advocacy for the City of Salem. The Legislative Committee is comprised of Mayor Julie Hoy and Councilors Brown, Gwyn, and Nordyke, with Councilor Nishioka serving as alternate. The Committee forwards these recommendations for City Council approval.
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ISSUE:
Shall City Council approve Legislative priorities and policy statements to guide the City of Salem’s advocacy work for the City of Salem’s advocacy work for the 2026 Legislative Session and authorize recommended City Council delegate to LOC Energy and Environmental Policy Committee?
RECOMMENDATION:
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Approve Legislative priorities and policy statements to guide the City of Salem’s advocacy work for the City of Salem’s advocacy work for the 2026 Legislative Session and authorize recommended City Council delegate to LOC Energy and Environmental Policy Committee.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The City Council’s Legislative Committee is comprised of Mayor Julie Hoy and Councilors Brown, Gwyn, and Nordyke, with Councilor Nishioka serving as alternate.
On November 21, 2025, the City Council Legislative Committee met to advance priorities for funding and principles to guide the City’s legislative advocacy through the remainder of 2025 and for the 2026 Oregon Legislative Session (Attachment 1).
The Oregon State Legislature will convene for its short session on February 2, 2026 and conclude by March 9, 2026. The Committee meets bi-monthly during the Session to receive updates, and to consider positions for the City to take on specific bills of interest.
The Committee also recommended Councilor Varney serve as Salem’s representative on the League of Oregon Cities’ (LOC) Energy and Environmental Policy Committee, as the work of the Committee will most closely aligns with the scope of the City’s Climate Action Plan Committee and Solid Waste Committee (Attachment 2). Councilor Varney serves as Chair of the Climate Action Plan Committee and is a member of the Solid Waste Committee.
Since the Legislative Committee meeting on November 21, 2025, the City Council approved an Emergency Declaration related to community impacts of federal immigration enforcement. The Emergency Declaration, approved December 1, 2025, included specific direction for legislative advocacy for the City to undertake. This priority has been added to the “Public Safety” section on page 6 of the 2025-26 Legislative Policy Statements:
Immigration Enforcement. Encourage Oregon’s federal delegation to sponsor legislation for: (a) a comprehensive approach to solve our broken immigration system in order to provide a realistic pathway to citizenship for all aspiring Americans, and (b) protect our immigrant and other vulnerable communities from the unlawful and unnecessary actions being taken by federal agents in the name of immigration enforcement, such as imposing a mask ban or imposing identification requirements.
BACKGROUND:
The Legislative Committee will provide the City Council with regular updates. To continue a coordinated and unified response during the upcoming session, 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 (cbusch@cityofsalem.net). Staff will forward the communication to the City’s lobbyist, the Legislative Committee, and City Council as appropriate.
Courtney Knox Busch
Chief Strategy Officer
Attachments:
1. Legislative Committee recommended priorities as of November 21, 2025, including immigration enforcement priorities from December 1, 2025 Emergency Declaration.
2. Legislative Committee recommendation for LOC Energy and Environmental Policy Committee.