House Judiciary advances a package of public‑safety, firearms and evidence bills after contested debate

The Oregon House Committee on Judiciary on Feb. 16, 2026, advanced a slate of criminal‑justice, public‑safety and evidence measures, including a contested public‑safety omnibus that incorporates changes tied to the Torres Lopez cases and an amendment to pause parts of Measure 114’s firearm permit rules until 2028.

The committee adopted amendments and moved a number of bills to the House floor or to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means after votes. Key actions included adopting a dash‑5 public‑safety omnibus and a dash‑8 amendment to House Bill 4,041 that DOC officials said would allow certain individuals affected by the Torres Lopez litigation to serve up to an additional 120 days of supervision in the community rather than return to custody.

Jeremiah Stromberg, assistant director for the Department of Corrections’ Community Corrections Division, told the committee that the dash‑8 “would allow an additional 120 days for those who were impacted in the Torres Lopez cases,” meaning some people now in the community could remain there and others in custody could shorten their facility time provided they meet eligibility criteria and maintain stable release plans. Stromberg said the program has historically allowed early community placement for eligible people and described victim‑notification and public‑safety screening procedures the department would use.

Committee members split…