Impact Story | A Session Worth Celebrating: Local Public Health Wins from Oregon’s 2026 Legislative Session

Oregon’s short legislative sessions always move fast, and 2026 was no exception. In just 35 days, lawmakers navigated a packed agenda against a backdrop of real uncertainty: looming budget pressures, significant shifts in federal health policy, and communities across the state watching closely to see whether their priorities would make it across the finish line.

For local public health, the stakes were particularly high. Federal funding instability had already created ripple effects felt by Oregon’s 33 local public health authorities, from delayed vaccine guidance to questions about the future of programs communities depend on. At the same time, Oregon’s Public Health Modernization framework remained vulnerable to budget cuts that threatened to stall the momentum that years of dedicated advocacy had made possible.

Short sessions are, by design, a sprint. Five weeks of hearings, floor votes, and behind-closed-doors negotiations, with bills emerging, stalling, passing, and dying in rapid succession. It takes dedicated legislators, persistent advocates, and a shared commitment to showing up, even when the odds are uncertain.

This session, that commitment paid off.

When the Oregon Legislature adjourned in March 2026, six bills that the Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials (CLHO) supported had passed both chambers. For Oregon’s communities, each of those bills represents something tangible. From protecting renters from secondhand smoke to designating an official HPV Awareness Day, this session demonstrated what’s possible when legislators and public health advocates work together, even in the most compressed of timelines.

The Wins: Six Bills

Oregon’s short session produced a strong slate of public health legislation. To learn more about the process that brought these bills to this stage, see the Oregon Legislature’s step-by-step guide linked in the resources below.

SB 1571: Closing the Nicotine Pouch Loophole
Oregon law previously did not classify synthetic nicotine pouches like Zyn as tobacco products, creating a loophole that allowed their sale to minors. SB 1571 closes that gap by expanding Oregon’s definition of tobacco products to include synthetic nicotine, banning sales to anyone under 21, and requiring a retail license to sell. As CLHO Executive Director Sarah Lochner testified, “90% of adult smokers started as teens. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” SB 1571 is at the Governor’s Office awaiting signature.

SB 1598: Strengthening Vaccine Access
When federal vaccine guidance stalled in fall 2025, some Oregonians had to drive to neighboring states just to get a COVID shot. SB 1598 ensures that it won’t happen again by empowering Oregon’s Public Health Officer to issue standing orders for vaccines based on evidence-based guidance and requiring insurers to cover recommended vaccines. The bill does not mandate vaccines; it ensures access for those who want them. Oregon’s kindergarten vaccination rate currently sits at 86%, well below the 95% threshold needed for community immunity. SB 1598 is at the Governor’s Office awaiting signature.

HB 4120: Smoke-Free Apartments
For renters across Oregon, clean air at home has never been a given. HB 4120 changes that allow landlords of multifamily housing to convert their properties to smoke-free status with 180 days’ written notice to existing tenants, with a designated on-premises smoking area required. Lung cancer in non-smokers accounts for 10 to 25% of all lung cancer cases worldwide, with secondhand smoke among the contributing risk factors. That burden falls disproportionately on renters in low-income communities who have little control over their living environment. HB 4120 is at the Governor’s Office awaiting signature.

HB 4131: Mobile Pharmacies
Access to medications and pharmacy services remains a challenge in many of Oregon’s rural and underserved communities. HB 4131 directs the State Board of Pharmacy to issue licenses to qualified applicants to operate mobile pharmacies, bringing essential services directly to the communities that need them most. HB 4131 is at the Governor’s Office awaiting signature.

HB 4135: Oregon’s HPV Awareness Day
Introduced by Rep. Annessa Hartman, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 cervical cancer in 2024, and inspired by the late Rep. Hòa Nguyễn, who passed away from cervical cancer around the same time, HB 4135 designates March 4th as Oregon’s annual HPV Awareness Day. The bill encourages health departments, schools, clinics, and community organizations to share medically accurate, culturally responsive information about HPV prevention and vaccination. The HPV vaccine prevents more than 90% of HPV-related cancers, yet only 67.6% of Oregon adolescents have completed the vaccine series. HB 4135 is the furthest along of the session’s public health bills. The Governor has signed it and is now at the Secretary of State’s Office for chapter number assignment, the final administrative step before its formal incorporation into Oregon law.

HB 4160: AEDs in Schools
HB 4160 requires Oregon schools to develop cardiac emergency response plans and have accessible and well-maintained automated external defibrillators (AEDs) on campus, a commonsense measure that could save lives in an emergency. HB 4160 is at the Governor’s Office awaiting signature.

The Budget: Protecting Public Health Modernization

The most consequential item from the 2026 session has cleared its final legislative hurdle. HB 5204, the state budget bill, has passed both chambers of the Oregon Legislature with NO CUTS to Public Health Modernization funding and is now at the Governor’s Office awaiting signature. This funding is the backbone of Oregon’s public health infrastructure, supporting all 33 local public health authorities in delivering the foundational services communities depend on. CLHO will continue to monitor its progress and urges the Governor to sign it into law.

What Didn’t Make It

Not every bill CLHO supported crossed the finish line. SB 1548 would have capped single-serving cannabis edibles at 10mg THC to protect children, a measure supported by evidence from Washington state, where a similar cap led to a 75% drop in hospitalizations. It died in committee. HB 1581, which would have provided universal free school meals regardless of income, also did not advance. These are issues that still matter deeply to Oregon communities, and CLHO will continue to carry them forward.

Recognizing Oregon’s Public Health Champions

This session’s outcomes reflect the hard work of legislators who showed up for public health again and again. Rep. Hai Pham sponsored five of the six CLHO-supported bills, an exceptional record of public health advocacy in a single session. Senators Deb Patterson and Janeen Sollman each sponsored four priority bills. Senators Lisa Reynolds, Lew Frederick, and Courtney Neron Misslin each sponsored three, joined by Representatives Emerson Levy, Travis Nelson, and Lamar Wise. Senators Wlnsvey Campos, Sara Gelser Blouin, Kayse Jama, and Suzanne Weber each sponsored two.
To every legislator who co-sponsored, voted yes, or testified in support: Oregon’s 33 local public health authorities are stronger because of your leadership.

Looking Ahead

The 2026 session proved that even a short session can deliver meaningful progress for public health. But the work doesn’t stop here. The challenges that defined this session, including federal uncertainty, budget pressures, and persistent gaps in access and equity, don’t disappear when the Legislature adjourns. CLHO remains committed to advocating for the funding, policies, and partnerships that Oregon’s local public health authorities need to serve every community, from the coast to the high desert and everywhere in between. Want to get more involved? CLHO’s Legislative Training Toolkit walks you through everything from Oregon Legislature basics to how to testify and lobby on behalf of public health. See the link in the resources below.
Bill status reflects information available as of March 13, 2026. For the most current status of any bill, visit the Oregon Legislative System (OLIS) or the Governor’s signed bills page.

Resources:

Understanding the Legislative Process

Public Health Modernization

About CLHO & How to Get Involved

All sources and resources: linktr.ee/oregon_clho