Deschutes County outlines 2026 legislative priorities as state budget uncertainty grows

Deschutes County commissioners and staff spent the bulk of their Sept. 24 meeting reviewing priorities to press with the Central Oregon legislative delegation ahead of the 2026 short session, scheduled Feb. 2–March 9, 2026. County staff urged focusing on community corrections funding tied to the long‑overdue state cost study, behavioral health workforce and service‑delivery fixes, transportation funding and public‑health modernization.

The county’s strategic initiatives manager, Jen Patterson, and legislative liaison Doug Riggs summarized conversations with Central Oregon legislators and county department heads. Riggs said the state is working with a sharply reduced revenue forecast — an $800 million downward revision since March, with some analysts forecasting a $1.2–1.5 billion shortfall for the next biennium — and that legislators are prioritizing behavioral health, community corrections and transportation in early planning. Riggs noted limits in the short session (two bills per legislator, five per committee) that will force tighter prioritization.

Why it matters: county leaders said accelerating demand for behavioral health care, rising costs in community corrections and an uncertain transportation package could directly affect local budgets and services. County staff asked the board to authorize ongoing outreach to the delegation and to coordinate…