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Committee hears support for $15 million SPIRE bonds to fund emergency equipment grants
Summary
House Bill 2753 would authorize bond issuances producing net proceeds of $15 million for the SPIRE emergency preparedness grant program. Proponents said prior SPIRE rounds supplied high-priority equipment to local governments and nonprofits and urged continued funding.
House Bill 2753 would authorize issuances of bonds to generate approximately $15 million in net proceeds for the Oregon Department of Energy to fund the SPIRE emergency management grant program. The committee held a public hearing April 3 and heard bipartisan support from lawmakers, agency representatives and labor groups.
Rep. Dacia Graber (speaking on behalf of Rep. Paul Evans) described the program as a continuing investment in emergency preparedness, saying prior rounds supplied water-purification trailers, portable generators and other high-priority equipment to local governments and nonprofits.
Representatives of the Oregon Department of Emergency Management and the Oregon Department of Energy (testifying through staff) described operational details: earlier rounds saw substantial demand, with SPIRE 1 awarding 80 pieces of equipment to 79 awardees and SPIRE 2 awarding 62 pieces to 46 awardees. OEM staff said they expect continued demand and that without additional bond authority the program could not continue into the next biennium.
SEIU Local 503 testified in support, saying the program strengthens rural emergency response capacity and helps working families by reducing disaster impacts.
The bill was presented as a financing measure that would allow acquisition and grant distribution of emergency equipment (communications, generators, fuel transport, water purification and similar assets). No committee vote was recorded on April 3; the hearing record shows proponents urged timely legislative approval so the program could continue to award equipment in the next grant round.
Quotes
"This bill ensures that Oregon's emergency management system has the resources it needs to respond effectively to disasters," Rep. Graber said on behalf of Rep. Evans.
"In each round, there's been three times as many applications as we've been able to fulfill," an OEM staffer said, urging additional appropriations or bond authority.
Ending
Committee members closed the hearing and will consider the bill in future committee or budget hearings; no committee action occurred on April 3.
