Oregon’s 2025 legislative session came to an end on June 27. We joined dozens of advocates and hundreds of community members to voice support for affordable and democratic energy. We’re thrilled about two bills we got over the finish line: Pending the Governor’s signature, House Bills 2065 and 2066 will create a “first in nation” pathway to building community-owned microgrids. Fellow energy and environmental advocates had some big wins too, with bills that will make utilities more accountable and provide much-needed regulations on data centers.
Unfortunately heat pumps and community resilience hubs were not funded. To be fair, it was an incredibly tough budget year. With a half-billion dollar deficit, our elected officials had to make some tough decisions. Still, when housing and cost of living are at the top of the agenda, funding programs that keep us safe, housed and cut energy bills should be an obvious priority.
Ultimately, we’re proud of the coalitions in Oregon who fought the good fight—and we’re already excited for next year. Read on for what passed, what fell short, and what’s next.
