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Legislative Sessions

​​​​​​ODOE at the Capitol​

As part of our agency mission and vision, we follow each legislative session carefully. The Oregon Department of Energy shares energy data, information, and analysis from Oregon's Energy Report and provides energy education through informational committee hearings. Legislators often make use of ODOE's venue for problem-solving energ​y challenges with bills to carry out studies in advance of future legislation. We track bills that make changes to regul​atory roles, in addition to those that either modernize or add new programs and activities at the agency — and ​we provide technical advice to legislators and staff along the way. 

So that our work in the future is well-informed, we pay attention to all legislation that touches the energy sector. Finally, at the end of each session, we create a report on energy legislation and legislation that will or would have affected our agency. ​
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Agency Bills​ for 2025 Legislative Session

Heat Pump Programs – Extension and Updates (HB 2567​)​
The Oregon Rental Home Heat Pump Program and Community Heat Pump Deployment Program were established by the Oregon Department of Energy at the direction of SB 1536, which was passed by the Oregon State Legislature in 2022. The two programs provide financial assistance for the purchase and installation of heat pumps and related upgrades. The legislative concept would extend the Rental Home program by six years and make changes to the Community program based on feedback from participants.

Resilience Projects in the Community Renewable Energy Grant Program (HB 2566)
In 2021, the legislature passed HB 2021, which included a $50 million fund at ODOE to provide grants for planning and developing community renewable energy projects and energy resilience projects with a renewable energy component . The Community Renewable Energy Grant Program is open to Oregon Tribes, public bodies, and consumer-owned utilities. With the recent increase in power outages and damage from extreme weather, the need for funding for energy resilience-only projects is clear. The new federally funded Grid Resilience Program could provide funding, but for smaller utilities, the match requirements are a barrier. This legislative concept would allow up to 20 percent of Community Renewable Energy Grant Program funding to support energy resilience-only projects.  
 
Storage Only in the Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program (SB 827)
The Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program was established by the Oregon Department of Energy at the direction of HB 2618, passed in 2019. The legislation called for the department to adopt a program to provide rebates for the purchase, construction, or installation of solar electric systems and paired solar and storage systems. This legislative concept would allow a rebate to help offset the costs of adding battery storage to homes with existing solar arrays, enabling Oregonians to access home battery technology as backup power to strengthen resilience.  

State Contracting with National Labs (HB 2565)
The U.S. Department of Energy's 16 National Laboratories are designed to carry out objective research and provide in-depth technical support and data – work that could be of value to state agencies working on energy and climate issues, including the Oregon Department of Energy. This legislative concept would amend state contracting statutes to treat National Labs like federal agencies so that the state can contract with them, which is currently not possible.

Removing Redundant Reports (SB 825)
This legislative concept would remove parts of the State Energy Efficient Design program that are also required by the new Building Performance Standard requirements, making more efficient and effective use of state agency staff resources. Additionally, this legislative concept would remove the outdated references to previous state agency energy reduction goals and remove a reporting requirement for the Small-Scale Local Energy Loan Program, which is no longer issuing new loans.
 
Creating a Dedicated Grid Resilience Fund (SB 828​)​
This legislative concept would allow federal and state matching funds for the Grid Resilience Program, established by the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, to be placed in a dedicated fund. This would prevent uncertainty in program delivery between two-year budget cycles.


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