Comprehensive veterans bill proposes phased staffing and funding; counties and schools raise distribution concerns

Representative Paul Evans told the House Committee on Emergency Management and Veterans that House Bill 4,132 is a broad, multi‑year initiative to expand capacity at the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs and to protect services for current and aging veteran populations.

Evans said the bill sets a legislative funding intent — referencing restoring the 2015 level of no less than $10,000,000 in general‑fund support (adjusted for inflation) — and phases a set of staff positions so that no general‑fund requests are required in the current biennium. "When this goes through fiscal, they will be surprised because I can literally promise them that not 1 dime of money from this biennium is going to be asked for at a general fund," Evans said; he described phased hires beginning in 2028 and continuing through 2032 to add coordinators for incarcerated veterans, behavioral health specialists, women‑veteran coordinators and others.

The bill would also (as described in LPRO summary) establish a Veterans Suicide Prevention Grant Program, expand an educational bridge grant, and revise the County Veterans Service Officer distribution model. Evans said the change to distribution timing and reallocation aims to ensure funds go to counties that use them but acknowledged that section 11 is controversial and that the Association of Oregon Counties plans to oppose that section.

Witnesses raised concerns about one funding source referenced in the bill. Kevin Olinnick, PERS director, told the committee the School District Unfunded Liability Fund (SDULF) balance stood at about $151,000,000 as of Jan. 31 and that HB 4,132 as drafted did not define "unexpended" or "unobligated," leaving uncertainty about what, if any, funds would be available for redistribution. Morgan Allen (Coalition of Oregon School Administrators) and Stacy Michaelson (Oregon School Boards Association) urged removing the SDULF language in section 19, arguing prior session legislation (Senate Bill 849) effectively dedicated those funds to school districts and education service districts.

Supporters including the United Veterans Groups of Oregon and service‑provider witnesses such as Andrew Holbert of Courtney Place Veterans Housing urged the committee to approve investments that expand housing, outreach, and behavioral health capacity.

Next steps: the committee closed the public hearing without recording a committee vote in the transcript; Rep. Evans indicated he planned an amendment to address fiscal concerns.