Senate approves change to farm‑use property assessment for illegal marijuana grows

The Oregon State Senate passed Senate Bill 347 A on third reading after proponents described the measure as a tool to deter illegal marijuana grows that lease farmland and abuse water rights.

Senator David Brock Smith, who sponsored the bill, told colleagues the legislation removes farmland from special assessment if the owner is found guilty of facilitating illegal cannabis cultivation. “In a lot of cases the cartels will just bring bags of cash to these individuals to look the other way,” Brock Smith said, and the bill includes “off‑ramps” for landowners unaware of illicit activity on portions of their property.

Senator Ron Meek, speaking from experience in real estate, supported the measure and framed it as providing counties a way to adjust tax status when landowners knowingly lease property for illegal activity. “This bill…is a responsible way for us to give our local municipalities, the local counties, authority to make those adjustments if necessary,” he said.

Senator Alan Robinson, whose district reported many illegal grows, described ongoing enforcement efforts and said the measure is “a very nice start” that places additional financial consequence on knowingly leasing land for illegal cultivation.

The Senate adopted the bill on final passage; the clerk announced it had received a constitutional majority and declared the bill passed. Sponsors said the bill contains exemptions for owners genuinely unaware of illegal activity and is designed to give counties an enforcement tool beyond criminal prosecution.