House Higher Education Committee advances four bills to referral or the floor

The Oregon House Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development on March 25 adopted amendments and advanced four committee bills, moving them either to the House floor or to Joint Ways and Means for further review.

House Bill 2421: The committee adopted the -3 amendments that add private nonprofit institutions to the direct admissions program administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission and moved the bill to the House floor with a “do pass” recommendation. Representative Fraggala moved both the amendments and the bill. A roll-call on the motion recorded committee members voting in favor; the motion carried and Representative Fraggala volunteered to carry the bill on the floor.

House Bill 2747: The committee adopted the -1 amendment, which narrows the original bill’s scope to implement the first stage of the Oregon Department of Corrections’ online education expansion (from an initial plan to reach all facilities down to the first stage of three institutions). Representative Fragle moved the amendment and then moved the bill as amended with a “do pass” recommendation and referral to Joint Ways and Means by prior reference. The motion carried on a voice/roll call.

House Bill 3109: The committee adopted a -1 amendment that specified an appropriation of $600,000 to the Sustainable City Year program at the University of Oregon and moved the bill, as amended, to Joint Ways and Means by prior reference. Representative Fragle moved the amendment and the bill. During the roll-call recorded on the measure, Representative Juncker registered a “no” vote while other voting members recorded support; the motion carried.

House Bill 3635: The committee adopted a -1 amendment that raises the statutory aggregate limit on general obligation bonds a single community college may request for capital construction to $15,000,000 and requires the limit to be adjusted every biennium by the Consumer Price Index. Representative Regula moved the bill, as amended, with a due-pass recommendation to Joint Ways and Means by prior reference. The chair clarified the bill is not an appropriation and that the Capital Construction Committee retains funding decisions. The motion carried.

All four bills were processed during the committee’s work session; each adopted amendments before a committee motion to advance. The committee used prior reference to Joint Ways and Means on the three bills that will require fiscal committee review.

Votes at a glance - House Bill 2421 (direct admissions; add private nonprofit institutions): motion to adopt -3 amendments and move to floor with due pass — moved by Representative Fraggala; outcome: approved (motion carries). - House Bill 2747 (DOC online education expansion, -1 stage amendment): moved by Representative Fragle; outcome: approved (motion carries); referred to Joint Ways and Means by prior reference. - House Bill 3109 (University of Oregon Sustainable City Year appropriation; $600,000 dash-1 amendment): moved by Representative Fragle; outcome: approved (motion carries); one recorded “no” vote by Representative Juncker; referred to Joint Ways and Means by prior reference. - House Bill 3635 (increase community college GO bond request limit to $15,000,000; CPI adjustment): moved by Representative Regula; outcome: approved (motion carries); referred to Joint Ways and Means by prior reference.

Next steps: Each bill will proceed according to the referral indicated: HB 2421 to the House floor; HB 2747, HB 3109 and HB 3635 to Joint Ways and Means for fiscal consideration.