HB 3182
Directs the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to administer a grant program to fund basic needs programming.
Jurisdiction
Oregon
Session
2025 Regular Session
At the request of
(at the request of Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon)
Committee
Ways and Means
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Sign in to take actionPublic sentiment
Support
99%
Oppose
1%
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill directs the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) to create and administer a grant program to support basic needs programming for students at Oregon’s public colleges and universities. It also establishes a task force to study and recommend policy changes to address barriers students face in accessing affordable housing. The program and task force are set to expire in January 2027, and the HECC is allocated funds to support these initiatives.
Key provisions
- Creates a grant program administered by the HECC to fund basic needs programming (food, housing, transportation, etc.) for higher education students.
- Establishes a formula for distributing grants based on the number of Oregon Opportunity Grant recipients at each public institution.
- Creates a Task Force on Student Housing to study and recommend policy changes related to affordable housing access.
- The grant program and task force will expire on January 2, 2027.
- The HECC is appropriated $10 million for the grant program.
- The HECC is appropriated $6.5 million for the grant program to fund basic needs programming.
- The Task Force on Student Housing will include representatives from various stakeholder groups.
- The Task Force on Student Housing will submit a report with recommendations by December 15, 2026.
Who is affected
- Students attending public colleges and universities in Oregon
- Public institutions of higher education in Oregon
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsors
Rep Neron
Arguments in favor
Reasons to support this legislation.
Supporters of the proposed legislation emphasize the need to address basic needs barriers that hinder Oregon's college students' ability to succeed. They highlight the growing issue of hunger in Oregon, with a 31% increase in visits to the Oregon Food Bank last year, and the pressing need for affordable housing, textbook affordability, and student debt support. Testifiers share personal anecdotes of struggling students facing insurmountable barriers due to basic needs like housing, food, and child care, underscoring the importance of targeted investments to assist college students in need. They advocate for increased funding for the 2025 Student Basic Needs Package, state-wide Benefits Navigator positions, and grants for basic needs programming to support students' fundamental resources without the burden of basic needs barriers, ultimately fostering a successful higher education experience and addressing workforce needs.
Source: Testimony Summaries
Arguments opposed
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