Oregon Senate Education Committee advances five bills, including omnibus measure and school AED requirement

The Oregon Senate Committee on Education on Feb. 26 moved five bills to the Senate floor with "do pass" recommendations, advancing measures that range from an omnibus package of education law changes to a requirement for school cardiac emergency plans and automated external defibrillators.

Committee Chair Fredericks opened the work session and introduced House Bill 4066A, which presenter Ellen described as an omnibus bill making changes to Oregon education law that affect the Oregon Health & Science University board of directors, education service districts, the military interstate children’s compact, the State Board of Education, school district budget committees and a Portland State University study of farmworker labor standards. "You will hear this referred to as the omnibus bill," Chair Fredericks said. Vice Chair moved the measure to the floor with a due-pass recommendation and the motion was approved.

The committee then advanced House Bill 4079A, which the presenter said "requires school districts and institutions of higher education to adopt policies governing institutional responses to federal immigration authorities on school property" and imposes reporting requirements; the measure takes effect Sept. 30, 2026. Senator Robinson objected to a statewide mandate, saying, "I think if districts want to do this, they should do it. But I don't think we should make a state law." Committee members recorded one objection but nevertheless approved a "do pass" recommendation.

Members next moved House Bill 4149A, which the presenter described as enacting existing federal requirements for the education of homeless students into state law. The Vice Chair moved the bill to the floor with a due-pass recommendation; a senator urged deference to local districts but no further opposition was recorded and the motion passed.

House Bill 4154A was presented as a requirement for the Oregon Department of Education to publish quarterly attendance data, starting in the 2026–27 school year, using existing average daily membership reports. Senator Weber praised statewide efforts to address chronic absenteeism but cautioned that reporting requirements may need updating as data interoperability work (reference to 2805) progresses. "A faster timeline will help," Weber said, while also urging the Legislature to protect education budgets and fund the data work. The committee moved this bill to the floor with a due-pass recommendation.

Finally, presenters described a bill to require school cardiac emergency response plans, alignment with national standards, placement and maintenance of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and CPR/AED training for coaches and staff. The presenter introduced this measure as House Bill 4160A; later in the transcript the motion language and final passage are recorded under House Bill 4,168. The committee discussion included cost concerns and potential funding partnerships; one senator said AEDs cost "about $1,500 to $2,000 each," while another noted some packages are available for roughly $1,200. The Vice Chair moved the AED-related bill to the floor, and the motion passed. (Transcript shows the bill presented as HB 4160A and later recorded as HB 4,168; the committee record in this transcript does not resolve which bill number is authoritative.)

Votes at a glance

- House Bill 4066A (omnibus): Moved to the floor with a due-pass recommendation (moved by the Vice Chair). - House Bill 4079A (institutional responses to federal immigration authorities): Moved to the floor with a due-pass recommendation; one objection recorded (moved by the Vice Chair). - House Bill 4149A (education of homeless students): Moved to the floor with a due-pass recommendation (moved by the Vice Chair). - House Bill 4154A (quarterly attendance reporting): Moved to the floor with a due-pass recommendation (moved by the Vice Chair). - Bill presented as House Bill 4160A (cardiac emergency/AEDs) — transcript later records motion/passage as House Bill 4,168: Moved to the floor with a due-pass recommendation (moved by the Vice Chair); committee discussed approximate costs and funding options.

What’s next

Each measure was advanced out of the committee to the Senate floor for further consideration. The committee adjourned at the close of the work sessions.

Quotes used in this report are taken directly from the committee transcript and are attributed to speakers as identified there.