As Oregon’s 2026 Legislative Session passes its midpoint, lawmakers have officially passed the first major procedural milestone. With the February 16 first‑chamber committee deadline now behind us, the pace in Salem has picked up.
Most bills that failed to move forward out of their original committees are effectively done for the year, while those that advanced now head into the most active and most compressed period of the short session.
Out of more than 260 bills introduced in early February, only a fraction remain potentially viable, and the policy focus in the coming weeks will narrow considerably as the Legislature heads toward its conclusion in early March.
This week also revealed some tension, which may portend a rocky final few weeks, as Senate Republicans walked out ahead of a contentious hearing on a bill that would have moved the public vote on transportation funding.
Against this backdrop, several health care-related proposals important to Asante’s priorities have either stalled or continue to move forward.
Key health care bills that will not advance
- HB 4074 – Hospital Nurse Staffing – as was expected, this significant policy bill did not advance during the otherwise packed short session. We appreciate the House Health Care Committee’s commitment to working on this issue during the interim and remain confident that common sense fixes to the existing law will be made.
- SB 1529 – Mandatory Arbitration – this bill would have required mandatory arbitration for health care providers and insurers in the event that they were unable to agree on contract renewal.
- HB 4038 – Cost Growth Target relief – this bill would have delayed penalties and corrective action plans under the Cost Growth Target Program until 2036. While it will not move forward, a hearing was held on February 19. Asante submitted testimony in support of this bill and looks forward to renewed conversations on appropriate reform.
Bills continuing to move forward
- SB 1570 – Federal Response Legislation – an amended version of SB 1570 advanced from the Senate Health Care Committee to the floor. While we believe it’s not uncontroversial that every patient deserves a safe care setting, we remain concerned about the drafted bill language.
- HB 4040 – Health Care Omnibus – HB 4040, which among other things would preserve the integrity of Oregon’s financial assistance laws, cleared the initial hurdles before being referred to the Ways and Means.
- HB 4047 – Rural Emergency Hospital Licensing – this bill would align the State’s hospital licensing statutes with federal law, permitting a new type of hospital designation for certain rural hospitals that may otherwise be facing financial stress.
Looking ahead
With just over two weeks remaining in this short session, the House and Senate are preparing for heavier floor schedules. The final stretch will be defined by budget negotiations, policy triage and continued conversations maneuvering around hot button political issues ahead of the coming election.
