The Oregon Senate convened on June 18, 2025, at 10:45 AM to address several key legislative items, including the suspension of certain procedural rules and the passage of multiple budget bills.

The session began with a motion from Senator Bonham to suspend the requirement for bills to be read section by section during the third reading calendar, in accordance with Article 4, Section 19 of the Oregon Constitution. The motion was put to a vote and passed with 20 votes in favor, allowing the Senate to proceed with the agenda.

Following this procedural adjustment, the Senate took up the conference committee report on House Bill 3127A, known as the death certificate bill. Senator Drahd moved for the adoption of the report, which proposed an effective date of January 2026 for electronic filing of death certificates. Senator Reynolds expressed concerns regarding the timeline, advocating for a delay to accommodate medical certifiers who may struggle with the transition. Despite these concerns, the motion passed with 27 votes in favor.

The Senate then moved on to budget bills, starting with Senate Bill 5511, which pertains to the Department of Consumer and Business Services. Senator Meek presented a budget of $828.4 million, reflecting a 5.7% increase from the previous budget. The bill passed with 23 votes in favor.

Next, Senate Bill 5521, the budget for the Department of Forestry, was discussed. Senator Anderson outlined a budget of over $661 million, which includes significant funding for core services and procurement of aircraft. This bill also passed with 24 votes in favor.

Senate Bill 5526, concerning the Department of Human Services, was presented by Senator Campos. The proposed budget of $23 billion includes substantial investments in Medicaid provider rates and youth homelessness prevention. The bill passed with 21 votes in favor.

Senate Bill 5527, a fee ratification bill for the Department of Human Services, was also approved, followed by Senate Bill 5528, which addresses the budget for the Department of Land Conservation and Development. This bill, focusing on housing-related investments, passed with 21 votes in favor.

Senate Bill 5542, the budget for the Oregon State Treasury, was presented next, with a budget of $157.8 million. This bill passed with 24 votes in favor.

Finally, Senate Bill 5545, which ratifies fee increases for the Department of Consumer and Business Services, was discussed and passed with 17 votes in favor.

In summary, the Senate session successfully addressed procedural motions and passed several significant budget bills, reflecting ongoing investments in various state departments and services. The next steps will involve implementing these budgets and monitoring their impacts on the respective sectors.