Grant consolidation bill advances despite deletion of Jason Myers Public Safety and Wellness program; lawmakers press to restore fund

The Public Safety Subcommittee moved House Bill 3,069 to full Ways and Means on June 2, 2025 after adopting the dash‑A7 amendment. HB 3,069 reorganizes and consolidates multiple public‑safety grant review programs, establishes the Oregon Public Safety Coordination Growth Grant Program and a law‑enforcement focused grant program within the Criminal Justice Commission (CJC), and creates Treasury accounts to hold deposits and permit dispersal via other‑funds limitations.

LFO staff explained that consolidating grant application and review processes is intended to reduce duplication for counties that currently must apply to several separate grant programs. The bill’s fiscal architecture — depositing general fund into newly created Treasury accounts and granting the CJC an other‑funds spending limitation to disperse the money — also prevents unspent grant dollars from automatically reverting to the general fund at the end of a biennium and allows the commission to reallocate carryover amounts.

The dash‑A7 amendment removes a named program: the Jason Myers Public Safety and Wellness Grant Program. Several members objected to that deletion and urged the committee or the full Ways and Means Committee to restore the program or at least establish the fund so it can accept private donations and be eligible for future legislative appropriations.

Representative Graeber called the deletion ‘‘deeply disappointing’’ and said the wellness program provides critical services for first responders. Representative Lewis and Representative Helfrich said creating a fund even without current appropriation would send a necessary message of support for public safety wellness efforts; Representative Lewis noted the possibility of adding funds later through the Emergency Board or Ways and Means. Co‑Chair Evans said he would not support holding the bill over but indicated he expected such a fund restoration effort could be pursued in Ways and Means or in subsequent floor amendments.

Committee members described the wellness programs as especially important for small local law‑enforcement agencies that lack internal resources for sustained mental‑health and resilience services. Lawmakers urged reinstating the Jason Myers Public Safety and Wellness Grant Program or creating a placeholder fund even if the Legislature does not appropriate money immediately.

LFO recommended adoption of the dash‑A7 amendment and moving HB 3,069 to the full committee; the motion carried despite objections from several members who wanted the wellness program preserved. The subcommittee’s action sends HB 3,069 to the full Ways and Means Committee where members indicated they will press to restore the wellness fund or pursue an amendment.