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Senate Natural Resources Committee advances three bills on water week, veterinary oversight and ocean trust
Summary
The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire on Feb. 19 advanced three House bills — HB 4005A (designating a Water Professionals Appreciation Week), HB 4034A (shifting enforcement over veterinary facilities to the Oregon Department of Agriculture), and HB 4097 (allowing the Oregon Ocean Science Trust to create a nonprofit). Each received a committee 'do pass' recommendation and passed by committee vote.
The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire voted Feb. 19 to recommend three House bills to the Senate floor, advancing measures on a water professionals appreciation week, veterinary facility oversight and a nonprofit arm for the Oregon Ocean Science Trust.
The committee opened a work session on House Bill 4005A, which Alexa summarized as "designat[ing] an annual Water Professionals Appreciation Week from the first Saturday in October through the end of the following Sunday to encourage public water and wastewater agencies to host educational outreach events and to promote public awareness of the industry and career opportunities in Oregon." Sharon Golden moved to send HB 4005A to the floor with a do-pass recommendation; after brief thanks from Senator Gerard to state witnesses, the committee approved the measure on a roll call that the clerk recorded as a 4–0 passage with one member excused.
The next item, House Bill 4034A, would remove veterinary facilities from the statutory definition of an animal-rescue entity and transfer enforcement authority over recordkeeping, inspection, investigation and violations from the state veterinarian to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, which the bill directs to develop new rules for those procedures. The committee moved and voted to advance HB 4034A to the floor with a do-pass recommendation; the committee record shows the measure passed by a vote of 4–0 with a member excused.
Finally, the committee opened a work session on House Bill 4097, which Alexa summarized as authorizing the Oregon Ocean Science Trust to create and maintain a nonprofit organization to advance its mission. Committee members moved to advance HB 4097 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation and the committee passed the bill by committee vote (recorded as 4–0).
Votes at a glance HB 4005A — Motion: "I move House Bill 4005A to the floor with a do pass recommendation." Mover: Sharon Golden. Committee vote: passed, recorded as 4–0 with one member excused. Action: referred to the floor for further consideration. HB 4034A — Motion: moved to the floor with a do-pass recommendation. Committee vote: passed, recorded as 4–0 with one member excused. Action: referred to the floor for further consideration. HB 4097 — Motion: moved to the floor with a do-pass recommendation. Committee vote: passed, recorded as 4–0. Action: referred to the floor for further consideration.
In other business, the committee acknowledged an informational item on farm store and farmstand regulations that had been on the agenda and rescheduled that informational meeting for the committee's next meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. The committee adjourned following brief closing remarks.
The committee record includes roll-call confirmations and excusals for members; full committee vote tallies and the formal carrier assignments for each bill will appear in the Senate floor calendar and the official clerk’s record.
