Oregon

Gov. Tina Kotek and state Sen. Christine Drazan, facing off again for Oregon governor, are offering competing visions for the state's struggling schools. Kotek points to a cell phone ban, increased school funding, and a new accountability system, saying progress is underway but will take more than one term. Drazan wants to replace Department of Education and state board leadership, end social promotion by third grade, and reinstate graduation skills requirements.

The candidates also split on a new federal school-choice tax credit program: Drazan would opt Oregon in, while Kotek remains skeptical of the Trump administration's rules. Both want more instructional time and reforms to funding formulas, as districts face budget cuts, closures, and a higher education system under financial strain.

Washington County, Oregon commissioners adopted a Resolution and Order addressing data center development, responding to community concerns over energy and environmental impacts. The county currently has no standalone data centers and no pending applications, with few available industrial parcels. The resolution backs the state's Data Center Advisory Committee, formed by Governor Tina Kotek, and supports local moratoriums where development pressure exists. It stops short of endorsing large-scale standalone data centers or financial incentives to attract them, and directs staff to study a dedicated "data-center task" for the 2027-2029 Planning Work Program.

The move follows Kotek's recent pause on environmental permits for new or expanded data centers and passage of Oregon's Power Act, both aimed at managing rapid AI-driven data center growth and its effect on consumer energy rates.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul are leading a multistate lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Eugene, accusing the Treasury Department and its Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) of gutting the Corporate Transparency Act. The 2021 bipartisan law required businesses to disclose ownership information to help authorities track money laundering, shell companies, and fraud. A FinCEN rule issued in August 2026 exempted roughly 99.9% of businesses from reporting and the agency moved to delete existing ownership data. The suit, joined by nearly 20 states and Washington, D.C., claims the changes violate federal rulemaking law and seeks to restore the database.

Portland's City Council voted 8-4 to join the Oregon Arena Joint Authority, a state-mandated body overseeing a potential renovation of the Moda Center alongside representatives from Oregon and the county. The joint authority will oversee construction and future capital improvements, a requirement tied to the state bill that set aside renovation funding. Some councilors objected to speculative budget-impact language and limited council representation among the city's three appointees; an amendment to strike that language failed. Council President Jaime Dunphy said the city still needs a finalized budget, clear lease terms, labor standards, and a community benefits agreement before final funding action. Councilors unanimously approved the city administrator, a building official, and a budget office representative as appointees.

The Oregon Department of Justice says it has been directed by the White House to prioritize prosecuting SNAP fraud cases, following the theft of more than $3 million in food assistance funds since October 2024. More than 700,000 Oregonians, about 18% of the state's population, rely on SNAP benefits. Officials say skimming devices placed at convenience and grocery stores have let criminals steal EBT card data, draining accounts to zero; Oregon's cards lack chips, making them easier targets. In the past two months, prosecutors filed 11 new indictments over $143,000 in stolen funds, part of a broader crackdown that has already charged or sentenced more than two dozen people. Sen. Ron Wyden has proposed legislation requiring chipped SNAP cards nationwide.

U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) has introduced the Smaller Class Sizes for Students and Educators Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). The bill would create a $2 billion competitive grant program helping school districts cap kindergarten through third-grade class sizes at 18 students in low-income public elementary schools. Funds could go toward hiring teachers, expanding facilities, or professional development. Brown cites research linking smaller classes to better student outcomes amid ongoing teacher shortages and budget constraints. The bill has additional Senate Democratic cosponsors and backing from major education organizations, including the American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association.