Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Management Procurement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate committee withdraws motion on bill allowing OEM to buy equipment after procurement concerns
Summary
A Senate committee halted consideration of Senate Bill 823 after members raised questions about whether the Oregon Department of Emergency Management should procure vehicles and other equipment directly or through the Department of Administrative Services and flagged administrative capacity and fiscal concerns.
Chair Manning opened a work session on Senate Bill 823 on Feb. 27, 2025, then accepted a motion from Vice Chair Thatcher to move the measure to the Senate floor with a “due pass” recommendation. After members questioned whether the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) should be allowed to purchase or contract for materials, supplies and motor vehicles directly, the committee rescinded the motion and withdrew the bill for further review.
The measure would have allowed OEM “to purchase or contract for any materials, supplies, or equipment, including motor vehicles, which the department deems necessary to carry out its duties,” according to the staff overview presented in the committee. The staff summary also said the public hearing had been held Feb. 18 and that the bill had “no fiscal impact and no revenue impact.”
Why it matters: Members said the question of procurement authority affects interagency responsibilities and fiscal stewardship. Senator Brock Smith pressed whether the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) normally handles procurement and said OEM’s independent operations may not make DAS oversight appropriate. Another committee member said concerns about OEM’s administrative capacity—citing previous fiscal estimates tied to a coastal counties grant—warranted pausing the bill.
“I move Senate Bill 823 to the floor with a due pass recommendation,” Vice Chair Thatcher said when making the original motion. After further discussion, Thatcher returned to the dais and moved to withdraw the earlier motion. “I rescind the motion made earlier to move Senate Bill 823 to the floor with a due pass recommendation,” Thatcher said; the motion to withdraw carried.
The committee did not take a final vote on the substance of the bill. Members instead directed staff to get additional information from OEM on how it currently procures equipment, whether and how DAS is involved, and to report back at a future work session.
Ending: The committee closed the work session on SB 823 without advancing the bill. Staff and legislators will follow up with OEM and DAS to clarify procurement practice and any administrative or fiscal barriers before the committee considers the measure again.
