Eugene IGR committee adopts 2026 state legislative priorities, flags bills on ALPR, AVs, speculative ticketing and batteries

The Eugene Intergovernmental Relations Committee voted unanimously Dec. 3 to adopt the city's draft 2026 state legislative priorities and an updated policy document, directing staff to forward the package to the City Council work session in mid-January.

Chair Randy Groves opened the meeting and identified the committee's role in preparing a policy package for the short legislative session. Staff member Ethan told the committee the draft priorities, unchanged since October and November, list protecting Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) shelter funding, safeguarding a $6,000,000 lottery bond allocation for Clear Lake Road infrastructure, supporting increased protections for threats to public officials, seeking state and federal support for Eugene Airport expansion, backing increased state investment in behavioral-health systems, and continuing work on property-tax reform tied to Representative Nathanson's task force.

Ethan asked the committee to adopt the draft package so staff could "then these will become the package to council in, middle of January." Councilor Evans moved adoption; Councilor Yeh seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

The committee also approved a cleaned-up policy document that incorporated feedback on economic-development language. Ethan said revisions, developed with the city's economic development manager Anne Fifield, broadened language to say that "Eugene supports bioscience and advanced manufacturing as regional economic drivers" and supports state and federal investment to advance local initiatives. That policy document was also adopted unanimously and will go to the City Council work session scheduled for Jan. 21.

Staff walked the committee through pre-session Priority 1 concepts and bills that the city will monitor or take positions on once draft language is available. Key items highlighted:

- Shelter funding and budget forecast: Ethan said OHCS shelter program funding was not currently among proposed agency cuts but warned of a roughly $63,000,000 general-fund gap in the state revenue forecast that could change priorities after the January forecast.

- Threats to public officials: Staff reported Senator Pruzanski will include a threats-to-public-officials provision in a public-safety omnibus (a dash-5 amendment to Senate Bill 473 that had been negotiated with Representative Croft); the committee will track that omnibus.

- Automatic license-plate reader (ALPR) regulation: Ethan said Chair Pruzanski asked Chief Skinner to testify in Senate Judiciary and is initiating a pre-session work group to develop the legislative concept; staff recommended Priority 1 pending draft language.

- Autonomous vehicles (AV): A Waymo-backed AV bill would create a statewide regulatory system that staff warned could preempt local regulatory authority. Based on council policy favoring local control, staff recommended Priority 1 opposition pending review of bill language.

- Speculative ticketing: Ethan said a 2026 bill would ban speculative ticketing practices; Cultural Services Director Isaac Marquez told the committee the Hult Center recorded roughly $200,523 in FY25 chargebacks tied to suspicious or unauthorized ticket transactions, and staff recommended Priority 1 support for consumer protections.

- Battery extended producer responsibility (EPR): Metro-led legislation (HB 2060/2062 series) would fund collection and recycling of batteries through a front-end fee paid by purchasers; staff recommended Priority 1 support aligning with solid-waste and sustainability goals.

Ethan also previewed an economic-development package under discussion that would enable industrial sites for advanced manufacturing, expand incentive tools (research-and-development tax credits, capital-equipment property tax deferrals) and pursue targeted permitting reforms. He said the package could interact with other revenue and tax discussions in a compressed 45-day short session.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about potential uses of emergency board (eBoard) funds to backfill transportation shortfalls, risks to reserve levels, and how changes to transient lodging tax (TLT) usage could support public safety and infrastructure. Ethan said staff will review draft bill language as it becomes available and return recommendations to the IGR committee.

Next steps: the IGR committee will reconvene Jan. 7 for updates ahead of the Jan. 21 City Council work session where the adopted priorities and policy document will be presented.