Oregon Senate approves bills on student absences, threats to public officials, tribal health data and more

The Oregon State Senate on April 15, 2025 passed a package of bills that lawmakers said will standardize student-absence reporting, create a new crime for threatening public officials, update commercial vehicle enforcement, expand tribal access to public‑health data and clarify transparency rules for educational governing bodies.

The measures moved quickly through third reading after the Senate suspended the usual section‑by‑section constitutional reading requirement for the day. Senator Daniel Bonham moved the suspension under Article IV, Section 19 of the Oregon Constitution; the motion carried. Several bills drew floor debate before votes, while others passed with little discussion.

Senate Bill 315 would direct the Department of Education to review and recommend a uniform way of coding student absences so Oregon can better identify causes of chronic absenteeism. "In order to get help to students who need it, it's important that we know not only that students are absent, but why they are absent," Senator Weber said on the floor while urging an "I" vote. The Legislative Fiscal Office told sponsors the change would have a minimal fiscal impact. The Senate passed SB 315 (third reading and final passage) by a constitutional majority.

Senate Bill 473 establishes a criminal offense for threatening a public official, making a first offense a class A misdemeanor…