SB 5547
Appropriates moneys from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services and the Oregon Health Authority for the biennium ending June 30, 2025.
Jurisdiction
Oregon
Session
2025 Regular Session
At the request of
(at the request of Oregon Department of Administrative Services)
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Sign in to take actionPublic sentiment
Support
96%
Oppose
4%
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill allocates funds from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services and the Oregon Health Authority for the 2025-2026 fiscal biennium. It makes adjustments to the budgets of these agencies, increasing or decreasing appropriations for various programs, including self-sufficiency, vocational rehabilitation, child welfare, aging services, and intellectual/developmental disabilities. A declaration of emergency allows the bill to take effect immediately upon passage.
Key provisions
- Increases the General Fund appropriation to the Department of Human Services for self-sufficiency programs by $6,315,525.
- Decreases the limitation on expenditures from fees and other revenues for self-sufficiency programs by $29,940.
- Increases the General Fund appropriation for vocational rehabilitation services by $3,578,531.
- Increases the General Fund appropriation for aging and people with disabilities programs by $255,050.
- Decreases the General Fund appropriation for child welfare programs by $25,904,346.
- Increases the General Fund appropriation for Oregon State Hospital by $20,274,996.
- Increases the General Fund appropriation for Health Systems Division - Administration at the Oregon Health Authority by $5,845,103.
- Increases the General Fund appropriation for Health Systems Division - Programs at the Oregon Health Authority by $305,985,650.
Who is affected
- Oregon Residents
- Department of Human Services Clients
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Oregon Department of Administrative Services
Arguments in favor
Reasons to support this legislation.
Testifiers uniformly emphasize the need for improved support services and financial compensation for caregivers of high-needs children, citing personal experiences and concerns about current system shortcomings. They advocate for removing the ban on paying parents as caregivers to ensure access to Medicaid services in home-based settings, allowing families to provide stable care and alleviate stress. The proposed legislation, Tensy's Law (SB 538), aims to increase access to Oregon's Children's Extraordinary Needs waiver, allow parents of minors to be personal support workers, and provide compensation from existing funding, addressing workforce shortages and promoting a better work-life balance for families. By removing the ban on paying parents as caregivers, lawmakers can help ensure high-needs children receive essential services and support their families' well-being.
Source: Testimony Summaries
Arguments opposed
Reasons to oppose this legislation.
Several ed concerns that the proposed legislation may disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, such as low-income families, individuals with disabilities, and marginalized communities. They emphasized the need for comprehensive support systems to mitigate potential negative consequences, citing evidence of existing social programs' limited effectiveness in addressing related issues. Testifiers also argued that the legislation's focus on short-term fixes overlooks long-term sustainability and the importance of investing in preventative measures, which could exacerbate existing inequalities.