Senate passes bill clarifying offender risk assessments after court ruling

Senate Bill 1122 passed the Oregon State Senate on April 3 after extended floor debate, clarifying how the Board of Parole and Post‑Prison Supervision may apply offender risk assessment methodology in response to a recent Court of Appeals decision.

The measure, described on the floor as a fix to the court's interpretation in Thompson, lets the parole board adopt a methodology that can consider a registrant’s risk over a broader period (including at release, sentencing or discharge) rather than constraining assessment to a single earlier time point. Supporters said the change restores the legislature’s intent and helps produce consistent, accurate assessments.

Senator Prozanski, who introduced the bill on the floor, said the measure came from the judiciary committee and was intended to "clarify the statutory intent" after the Court of Appeals’ ruling. He said the Oregon District Attorneys Association (ODAA) provided a letter of ‘‘strong support’’ after further discussion with the parole board, and that the bill would allow the board to consider information about behavior while in custody or during supervision.

Opponents, led by Senator Hayden, said the bill diminishes transparency and allows registrants to receive lower classifications that would remove them from public‑facing registries. Hayden pointed to specific scoring features of the assessment instrument (the Static‑99R): she said the form gives a minus‑3 age adjustment for those 60 and older, adds points for prior cohabitation or prior offenses, and assigns differential weight to victim relationship and sex of the victim. Hayden urged funding as an alternative, saying it would take about $6 million to update assessment matrices and processes rather than changing statute.

Other senators, including Gerard, Broadman and Gelser Blumen, said they had consulted with the ODAA and concluded the board needs the statutory clarity this bill provides. Senator Brzezinski closed the debate by saying the bill addresses a court‑identified problem and that the Static‑99R is an internationally used instrument; she said the bill does not mandate which tool is used but clarifies what timeframes the board may consider.

On final passage the Senate recorded the bill as passed with a constitutional majority. The clerk announced the result as 24 ayes; the bill was declared passed.

Votes at a glance: Senate Bill 1122 — passed (constitutional majority recorded). The transcript captured supporters and opponents on the floor; several senators raised concerns about reduced public visibility of certain registrants and urged additional funding or transparency remedies.

The measure was presented as an emergency declaration. Next steps include transmittal to the House and usual enrollment procedures. No committee amendments that altered the bill’s core scope were described on the floor.