Government
The following is a summary of findings from our latest report. For more details, read the full report, or get the top takeaways from the report in the podcast. Paid Leave Oregon will provide paid leave time for parents bonding with new children, serious health conditions experienced by workers or their families, or those needing safe leave. While…
Read MoreWe are thrilled to share with you the preliminary version of our upcoming strategic plan, which is a result of months of collaborative efforts, insightful discussions, and invaluable input from individuals like yourself who are an integral part of our vibrant community. At the County, we believe in the power of collective vision and the…
Read MoreFor the first time in more than seven decades, drivers in Oregon are allowed to pump their own gas. In 2023, the Oregon legislature passed two bills into law that changed the way Oregonians and visitors pump gas. House Bills 2426 and 3260 allow for the option of self-serve gas within Oregon. What do the laws allow?…
Read MoreHB 2984 passed and is awaiting the signature of Governor Kotek – The bill requires local governments to allow conversion of a building from commercial to residential use without requiring a zone change or conditional use permit. Shifts in the retail industry toward online shopping, and the advancement of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic,…
Read MoreOregon’s water basins are being overdrawn year after year, and a strategy to protect them for future generations is desperately overdue, according to two lawmakers. State Reps. Ken Helm, D-Beaverton, and Mark Owens, R-Crane, say the Oregon Water Resources Department needs to stop issuing new water rights until it can provide data about the flow…
Read MoreCORVALLIS— In a small laboratory on HP’s Corvallis campus, a group of Oregon State University graduates are producing a chemical that will make semiconductor chips smaller, lighter and more efficient to produce. The company, Inpria, was born out of an Oregon State University professor’s research group about 15 years ago. Now, it has 60 employees,…
Read MoreGovernor’s Recommended Budget also includes $200 million to help Oregon seize opportunities in advanced manufacturing Oregon is aggressively pursuing opportunities to bring home a portion of the $52 billion for semiconductor manufacturing and research made available under the federal CHIPS and Science Act. To that end, today Governor Tina Kotek announced a new, $1 million…
Read MoreThe $32.1 billion state budget Gov. Tina Kotek proposed Tuesday redirects hundreds of millions of dollars that would have gone to the state’s reserves to build houses, teach kids to read and improve access to mental health services. Education and human services, including funding behavioral health and homelessness, make up a combined 75% of the…
Read MoreBusiness Oregon has opened a Request for Grant Applications (RFGA) for the Economic Equity Investment Program—a new program created to promote durable economic advancement among historically marginalized communities. The Economic Equity Investment Program (EEIP) offers nearly $15 million in grant funding to culturally responsive organizations to provide outreach, support, and resources to eligible beneficiaries to…
Read MoreBusiness Oregon and the Oregon Innovation Council (Oregon InC) is awarding nearly $1 million in a new round of funding to support innovation in Oregon. Eleven recipients will receive awards from two grant programs, the High Impact Opportunity Projects (HIOP) and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) matching grants. “Business Oregon, through Oregon InC, is pleased…
Read MoreBusiness Oregon is supporting eight city projects statewide through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The CDBG program supports the development of livable communities by expanding economic opportunities and providing suitable housing and living environments for persons of low and moderate income. These eight grants total $10,582,401 and assist rural communities with funding for…
Read MoreAs she took office as governor Monday, Tina Kotek promised to wake up every day with a mission: to take on Oregon’s biggest challenges and make things better. “It’s a simple idea – making things better – but as we all know, a difficult thing to achieve,” she told members of the Oregon House and…
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