House Judiciary committee advances and refers a package of criminal‑justice, behavioral‑health and firearms measures; several amendments adopted

The House Committee on Judiciary met April 8 to hear public testimony, consider amendments, and vote to advance a broad set of bills on criminal law, behavioral‑health commitment and restoration, juvenile expunction, privacy and firearms regulation.

The committee opened public hearings on several bills and adopted amendments in work sessions. Members voted to send a number of bills either to the floor with a “due pass” recommendation or to other committees for further consideration and fiscal review, including the Joint Committee on Ways and Means and the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response.

Why it matters: The package of bills touches on criminal penalties, the process for involuntary hospitalization and restoration of fitness to proceed, automatic juvenile expunction procedures, protections for peer‑support communications for public safety staff, and multiple measures that amend or implement the voter‑approved firearm framework from Measure 114. Together, committee action will determine which proposals receive additional technical, budgetary and policy review before floor consideration.

Major developments and details

Civil commitment / restoration: Several related bills intended to clarify involuntary hospitalization, timelines for restoration, and community‑based restoration were discussed and advanced for additional committee review. House Bill 2,467 (dash‑3) was amended and moved to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means by prior reference; members described the bill as the culmination of multi‑year stakeholder work to provide clearer definitions and greater consistency in civil commitment and commitment‑related court processes. Committee members repeatedly framed these bills as part of a broader, multi‑committee, multi‑piece effort to address the state’s behavioral‑health crisis and capacity at the Oregon State Hospital.

Juvenile expunction: House Bill 2,677 (dash‑7) was amended and advanced to Ways and Means by prior reference. The amendment would direct county juvenile departments to apply for expunction of certain juvenile records and clarifies notice and DA review processes; testimony estimated about 4,000 expunctions per year have occurred under prior laws and the bill could add roughly 600 more per year.

Privacy, AI deepfakes and image‑sharing: In a work session on House Bill 2,299 the committee adopted a dash‑1 amendment that expands the statute for unlawful dissemination of intimate images to include digitally created or manipulated depictions that are reasonably realistic. The bill, as amended, elevates first‑degree unlawful dissemination to a class C felony on first offense, with enhanced penalties for repeat offenders. The committee moved the bill to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation.

Swatting and false reports: During a public hearing on House Bill 39‑35, proponents urged making swatting a felony with tiered penalties (class B felony if a false report results in death and class C for serious injury or specified targets such as schools and places of worship). The committee indicated the measure will be carried over for additional technical review.

Strangulation and domestic‑violence merger rules: House Bill 2,975 (dash‑1) clarifies that a pleading, admission or finding that criminal conduct constitutes a crime involving domestic violence is not an element for merger purposes; committee members described the change as technical and supportive of prosecutorial consistency. The bill was amended and moved to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation.

Driver diversion for youth: House Bill 3,323 (dash‑3) requires the Oregon Department of Transportation to set standards for a driver improvement course as an alternative to certain low‑level traffic violations for first‑time youth offenders with no prior traffic convictions. The committee adopted the amendment and referred the bill to Ways and Means.

Peer‑support confidentiality for public safety workers: House Bill 3,929 (dash‑2) expands confidentiality protections for peer support services provided to public safety employees (police, firefighters, EMS, corrections and certain judicial marshals). The committee adopted the amendment and moved the bill to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation.

Firearms/Measure 114 technical and licensing bills: Committee members considered two large Measure 114‑related packages. House Bill 3,075 (dash‑2) contains numerous technical adjustments to permit‑to‑purchase, background‑check and large‑capacity‑magazine provisions and would increase certain fees; the committee adopted the amendment and referred the bill to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means for fiscal review. House Bill 3,076 (dash‑2) would establish a state firearm‑dealer licensing program, minimum security and training requirements, and civil penalties for unlicensed sales; the amendment was adopted and the bill was referred to Ways and Means. Committee discussion included concerns about constitutional litigation risk, impacts on lawful gun owners and on dealer availability, and suicide‑prevention uses of dealer practices.

Votes at a glance (committee actions recorded April 8) - House Bill 2,299 (unlawful dissemination of intimate images): dash‑1 amendment adopted; bill moved to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation. - House Bill 2,467 (involuntary hospitalization definitions): dash‑3 amendment adopted; bill moved to Ways and Means by prior reference. - House Bill 2,473 (criminal omnibus — records authentication, phlebotomists, harassment language): dash‑3 adopted; bill moved to the floor with due pass and rescinded subsequent Ways & Means referral. - House Bill 2,677 (juvenile expunction automation): dash‑7 adopted; bill moved to Ways and Means by prior reference. - House Bill 2,975 (strangulation/domestic‑violence merger): dash‑1 adopted; bill moved to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation. - House Bill 3,323 (driver improvement course for youth): dash‑3 adopted; bill referred to Ways and Means. - House Bill 3,929 (peer support confidentiality): dash‑2 adopted; bill moved to the floor with due pass recommendation. - House Bill 3,075 (Measure 114 technical amendments): dash‑2 adopted; bill referred to Ways and Means. - House Bill 3,076 (state firearm dealer license): dash‑2 adopted; bill referred to Ways and Means.

Other motions and referrals: The committee also voted to carry over multiple bills to the next day for additional work sessions (several firearms, criminal and behavioral‑health bills noted on the agenda) and to refer numerous aid‑and‑assist, restoration‑timeline and related bills to the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response for consolidated consideration.

What’s next: Bills referred to Ways and Means will receive fiscal review; bills sent to the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response will be considered as a package that attempts to balance legal timelines, provider capacity and budget realities for restoration and civil‑commitment processes. Several measures were carried over and will appear again in committee on April 9.

Reported remarks and testimony: Committee members and testifiers included Representative Darcy Edwards (sponsor testimony about HB 3926), Representative Boomer Wright (support on HB 39‑35), Sheriff John Hanlon (swatting examples), and representatives of stakeholders (NAMI, defense and district attorney associations, Oregon Health Authority staff).