House passes research-contract fix, three psychiatric-review bills and adopts memorial for Ralph Groener

The Oregon House of Representatives on the floor on March 27 passed four measures and adopted a memorial honoring former state representative Ralph Groener.

House members approved House Bill 2565 to remove a statutory barrier that has prevented the Oregon Department of Energy from contracting with national laboratories. Representative Mari Watanabe, who carried the bill, said the department’s current classification as a federally funded research and development center prevents those contracts and that the change “has no fiscal impact.”

Lawmakers also passed three bills related to the Psychiatric Security Review Board. Representative Brian Anderson described House Bill 2807 as clarifying and extending immunity "to members of the psychiatric security review board who, in their official capacity, [make] decisions concerning a person before them," aligning the board’s protections with those enjoyed by other quasi‑judicial state bodies.

Representative Tran supported House Bill 2812, which she said narrowly exempts “individually identifiable health information of individuals under the jurisdiction of the Psychiatric Security Review Board from public records disclosure” while permitting access in limited circumstances such as law enforcement, judicial proceedings and certain firearm background checks.

Representative Wallin said House Bill 2915 removes a consent barrier that had required individuals under PSRB jurisdiction to sign waivers before medical records could be sent to the Department of Corrections when a person is transferred from PSRB jurisdiction to DOC for parole or probation. “This will allow those records to flow back and forth,” Wallin said, noting state health privacy law requires careful handling.

Earlier on the floor, Representative Greg Hartman led final reading and passage of House Concurrent Resolution 13, a memorial recognizing Ralph Groener and detailing his legislative work, including co‑sponsoring early gay‑rights legislation and helping to shape land‑use policy and elder care programs. Hartman and several colleagues spoke in support before the resolution was declared adopted.

Votes at a glance - Suspension of Article IV, Section 19 reading requirement (motion by Representative Mark Osborne): carried (motion to read listed bills by title only). - HB 2565 (contracts with federally funded research and development centers): declared passed. Presenter: Representative Mari Watanabe. Fiscal impact: "no fiscal impact" (as stated on the floor). - HB 2807 (liability/immunity for the Psychiatric Security Review Board): declared passed. Presenter: Representative Brian Anderson. - HB 2812 (limits on disclosure of individually identifiable health information under PSRB jurisdiction): declared passed. Presenter: Representative Tran. - HB 2915 (disclosures of written accounts to the PSRB; records flow to DOC): declared passed. Presenter: Representative Wallin. - HCR 13 (memorial for former Representative Ralph Groener): adopted.

The House record indicates each bill "received the constitutional majority" and was declared passed; roll‑call tallies were not specified in the floor transcript excerpts provided.

Background and context Representative Watanabe framed HB 2565 as a technical change to enable the Oregon Department of Energy to partner with national labs in support of statewide climate goals. Supporters argued the change clarifies contracting authority and removes a statutory barrier; the presenter said there is no fiscal impact.

Advocates for the PSRB bills said the measures together address three separate but related needs: statutory clarity on liability protections for board members (HB 2807), privacy protections for medical and health records of individuals under PSRB jurisdiction (HB 2812), and a limited records‑sharing exception to allow medical records to be transferred to the Department of Corrections when an individual is released from PSRB jurisdiction to DOC supervision (HB 2915).

Representative Anderson said immunity in statute would reduce uncertainty and help recruit qualified board members to decide complex, quasi‑judicial cases. Representative Tran described HB 2812 as balancing privacy and necessary access for law enforcement and courts. Representative Wallin described HB 2915 as a narrow change to permit records flow that mirrors existing health privacy law.

Procedure and next steps The clerk recorded third reading and final passage of the bills on the floor; each was "declared passed" after the voting system was opened. The suspension motion to read the listed house bills by title only was moved by Representative Osborne and carried by voice vote before the bills advanced to final reading.

Evidence spans (transcript excerpts) - HB 2565 topic intro: "House Bill 2565 ... The question now rises on third reading and final passage of House Bill 2565. Representative Watanabe ... 'the Oregon Department of Energy is classified as a federally funded research and development center...'" (block-2711.105; excerpt: "The Oregon Department of Energy is classified as a federally funded research and development center. This classification is currently prohibiting the Department of Energy from contracting with national laboratories..."). - HB 2565 topic finish: "House Bill 2565 ... having received the constitutional majority is declared passed." (block-2839.7651; excerpt: "House Bill 2565 ... having received the constitutional majority is declared passed."). - HB 2807 topic intro: "House bill 2807 relating to the liability of the psychiatric security review board ... Representative Anderson: 'This bill is the first of a suite of 3 bills... offer immunity to members of the psychiatric review board...'" (block-2851.37; excerpt: "This bill ... would offer immunity to members of the psychiatric review board who, in their official capacity who made decisions concerning a person before them."). - HB 2807 topic finish: "House Bill 2807 ... having received the constitutional majority, is declared passed." (block-3029.39; excerpt: "House Bill 2807, having received the constitutional majority, is declared passed."). - HB 2812 topic intro: "House bill 2812 relating to individually identifiable health information disclosure ... Representative Tran: 'House bill 2812 seeks to protect sensitive, individually identifiable health information of individuals under the jurisdiction of the Psychiatric Security Review Board...'" (block-3031.685; excerpt: "House bill 2812 seeks to protect sensitive, individually identifiable health information of individuals under the jurisdiction of the Psychiatric Security Review Board..."). - HB 2812 topic finish: "House Bill 2812, having received the constitutional majority, is declared passed." (block-3168.0; excerpt: "House Bill 2812, having received the constitutional majority, is declared passed."). - HB 2915 topic intro: "House bill 2915, relating to disclosures of written accounts to the psychiatric security review board ... Representative Wallin: 'This will allow those records to flow back and forth...'") (block-3215.21; excerpt: "This will allow those records to flow back and forth because we do have a health privacy act in Oregon that mirrors the federal law."). - HB 2915 topic finish: "House Bill 2915, having received the constitution majority, is declared passed." (block-3358.74; excerpt: "House Bill 2915, having received the constitution majority, is declared passed."). - HCR13 intro/finish: Representative Hartman read and closed on HCR 13 and the resolution "having received the required majority, is declared adopted." (block-2060.0752; excerpt: "House concurrent resolution 13. In memoriam, former state representative Theodore Ralph Groener.") (block-2556.69; excerpt: "HCR 13, having received the required majority, is declared adopted.").