AG’s slate of bills focuses on protecting Oregonians

As the 2023 Oregon Legislature gets underway today, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum also announced her legislative policy priorities for the legislative session. The AG’s proposed legislation arises in large part from two long-standing Attorney General task forces that helped develop major bills around comprehensive consumer privacy and labor trafficking. Other key pieces of her agenda include further codifying abortion rights in the wake of the Dobbs case, and finally making DIY “ghost guns” illegal in Oregon.

“I hope the 2023 legislative session will prioritize protecting our most vulnerable and giving all Oregonians a voice and a seat at the table,” said Attorney General Rosenblum. “I’ll be testifying tomorrow on our Data Broker Registry Bill and then a few days later at a hearing to describe to the Judiciary Committee the important work we do every day at the Oregon DOJ to protect Oregonians’ personal and financial safety. I am looking forward to working with the new leadership, including Governor Kotek, House Speaker Rayfield, Senate President Wagner and all the legislators, both new and returning.”

Each of the Attorney General’s priority bills will be introduced at her request and will be sponsored by a legislator or by a legislative committee.

Attorney General Rosenblum’s 2023 Legislative Agenda:

Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (SB 619): In June of 2019, the Attorney General convened a Consumer Privacy Task Force to answer the growing call for comprehensive consumer privacy legislation. The Task Force (with over 150 participants) has developed Oregon-specific privacy legislation to provide meaningful protections for consumers that are also workable for industry. SB 619 will affirmatively provide Oregonians with important rights over their personal data and impose specific obligations on companies with respect to those rights. Chief Sponsors: Senator Prozanski and Representative Holvey.

Data Broker Transparency (HB 2052): This bill will shed light on the $232 billion data broker industry. Data brokers collect and sell our personal information for a handsome profit, often without our consent or awareness. This will require data brokers who do business in Oregon to register with the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS), provide information about whether a consumer can “opt out” of collection and sale of their personal information, and a method to contact the data broker and request an opt out. Introduced as a committee bill by the House Business and Labor Committee.

Labor Trafficking Task Force Bill (LC 3773 – not yet introduced): Labor trafficking is a form of human trafficking that can include threats of violence and coercion to force a person to work against their will, sometimes with no or little pay or inhumane conditions. Victims are often hesitant to come forward. Labor trafficking arises in many contexts, including domestic servitude, construction, agriculture (including illegal marijuana grows) and more. Victims are sometimes tricked into trafficking with the promise of a job and legal residency. This bill comes from the Attorney General’s Labor Trafficking Task Force, which worked over the last two years to develop policy proposals to improve the state’s response to labor trafficking, better support victims and survivors, and hold traffickers accountable for their crimes.

Ghost Guns (HB 2005): Undetectable and unserialized firearms (aka “ghost guns”) pose serious risks to public safety. When used to commit crimes, ghost guns frustrate law enforcement investigations. 3D printed ghost guns evade security measures. Ghost guns can also be obtained without a background check. This legislation will prohibit the sale, manufacture and possession of ghost guns under Oregon law. Chief Sponsors: Representatives Reynolds, Grayber, Kropf, and Evans, Senators Manning Jr and Prozanski. Regular Sponsor: Senator Sollman.

Reproductive Health and Access to Care (not yet introduced): In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the federal constitutional right to abortion, Oregon DOJ collaborated with the Speaker’s office, community and advocacy organizations, providers, clinic administrators, and experts to develop policy to protect and expand access to reproductive health care and gender affirming care. As a result of this work, we are supporting legislative proposals to provide more access to care and provide legal protections for those who provide, assist and seek services.

Bias Crimes and Incidents (LC 3678 – not yet introduced): Oregon’s Bias Response Hotline connects victims with trauma-informed, culturally and linguistically responsive, victim-centered support, tracks and publishes data, coordinates bias-prevention initiatives, and provides training to agencies, law enforcement, prosecutors, and advocates. Though this work, we have developed a set of victim-centered improvements to our bias crime and incident statutes.

Crime Victims Compensation (HB 2676): Oregon’s Crime Victims’ Compensation (CVC) Program assists victims and survivors with expenses associated with a crime. The CVC statutes have not been updated in many years, and there are several statutory impediments that slow down the payment of expenses to victims and survivors. HB 2676 reduces barriers and increases compensation available to victims. Chief Sponsor: Representative Kropf.

“DOJ’s legislative team, led by Kimberly McCullough and Kate Denison, stands ready to collaborate with the new legislature as we work to move policies forward that benefit all Oregonians. Congratulations on an historic start to the legislature—and now it’s time to get to work,” continued AG Rosenblum.

For policy questions on the Attorney General’s legislative agenda, contact:
Kimberly McCullough, Legislative Director, kimberly.mccullough@doj.oregon.gov
Kate Denison, Deputy Legislative Director, kate.e.denison@doj.oregon.gov