Oregon House advances package of bills on insurance, public-safety definitions, energy incentives and tenant access

The Oregon House of Representatives passed a series of bills March 11 addressing insurance insolvency coverage, criminal-law definitions, energy incentives and tenant access rules, among other measures.

Lead sponsors and committee chairs described the package as a mix of technical updates and targeted policy changes intended to address emerging risks and practical problems faced by Oregonians.

House bill 2130 updates the Oregon Insurance Guarantee Association framework created in 1971. Representative E. Warner Reschke told colleagues the bill clarifies how the guarantee applies to modern insurance products, notably standalone cybersecurity policies and cyber endorsements, and raises the cap for covered claims from $300,000 to $600,000 to reflect higher limits and repair costs.

The chamber also approved House Bill 2465, which expands the statutory definition of "peace officer" to include parole and probation officers for purposes of the state escape or unlawful departure offense. Representative David Anderson, who presented the bill from the Judiciary Committee, said it closes a gap that previously left parole and probation officers unable to charge unlawful departure in field encounters where deputies or troopers could.

On energy and housing-related measures, the House passed House Bill 2567 A, a heat-pump program bill described by Representative Emerson Levy as intended to expand incentives, lengthen rebate windows and give the Oregon Department of Energy more flexibility to support installation in underserved and rural areas.

Lawmakers also passed House Bill 2802 A, which clarifies when insurers must honor a worker's request to convert a permanent partial…