Committee advances three early childhood and behavioral health bills to Ways and Means

The Oregon Senate Committee on Early Childhood and Behavioral Health voted April 1 to advance three bills—Senate Bill 62, Senate Bill 142 and Senate Bill 1167—to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, sending each measure forward after adopting amendments and formal roll calls.

Senate Bill 62, described to the panel as the "Oregon Mental Wellness and Community Stability Act of 2025," would direct the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to implement programs supporting consumer engagement and a pilot in Eastern Oregon for young adults experiencing early psychosis and substance-use disorder. Committee staff told members the measure "creates funding mechanisms for each program, including a $1 per member per month contribution from coordinated care organizations and general funds appropriations for the 2025 to 2027 biennium," and that the measure "declares an emergency effective on passage" and has a fiscal impact. Senator Anderson moved SB 62 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation and referral to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means by prior reference; the motion passed and the measure was sent to Ways and Means.

Senate Bill 142, as amended (dash-2), would direct OHA and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) to administer grant programs to expand the behavioral-health workforce and requires each agency to submit a report to the legislative assembly by Sept. 15, 2026. Committee staff said the dash-2 amendment "replaces the measure text and directs HECC and OHA to administer grant programs to support the behavioral health workforce and appropriates general fund money for the 2025 to 2027 biennium," and noted a fiscal impact and recommended referral to Ways and Means. In floor discussion, Chair Reynolds urged explicit attention to services for children and infants, saying, "I really believe we have to, proactively think about one-third of this funding going to, not just one-third of our population which are people 26, but to a population where I think interventions have an outsized influence...and a third of a third so about a ninth needs to really go to early childhood behavioral health services, including infant mental health." After adopting the dash-2 amendment, the committee moved the bill to the floor with a do-pass recommendation and referred it to Ways and Means.

Senate Bill 1167 would appropriate general fund money for the 2025–2027 biennium for programs that "support the development of successful children," including six early learning hubs and the development of a birthing village in the Portland metro area; the measure includes a sunset date of Jan. 2, 2027 and an emergency clause effective July 1, 2025. The dash-1 amendment changes the appropriations recipient from the Department of Administrative Services to the Department of Early Learning and Care, according to committee staff. The committee adopted the dash-1 amendment and moved SB 1167 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation and referral to Ways and Means.

Votes at a glance

- Senate Bill 62: Motion moved by Senator Anderson; outcome: passed and sent to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.

- Senate Bill 142 (dash-2 amendment adopted): Amendment moved by Senator Anderson; outcome: amendment adopted. Motion to move SB 142 as amended to the floor moved by Senator Anderson; outcome: passed and referred to Ways and Means.

- Senate Bill 1167 (dash-1 amendment adopted): Amendment moved by Senator Anderson; outcome: amendment adopted. Motion to move SB 1167 as amended to the floor moved by Senator Anderson; outcome: passed and referred to Ways and Means.

Meeting context and next steps

Committee members and staff noted the fiscal impacts on each measure and the Legislative Fiscal Office recommended referral to Ways and Means where specific budget allocations will be decided. Committee members flagged the need to track how workforce and early-childhood dollars are allocated; Chair Reynolds said she would follow up in writing and with colleagues on the Joint Committee on Ways and Means to press for funding priorities for children and infants. The committee scheduled additional work sessions on related bills later in the week, including measures on perinatal health, the perinatal workforce, substance-use disorder treatment, and high-school behavioral-health workforce proposals.