Oregon is kicking off 2025 with new laws to stop drug use on public transportation, reduce the cost of prescription drugs and rein in the price of electronic device repairs.
On. Jan. 1, dozens of laws went into effect for Oregonians, affecting health care, consumer rights and public safety. Last year’s legislative session focused in part on House Bill 4002, which allows counties to start new programs to steer drug users towards recovery programs instead of jail. Those programs and a new misdemeanor penalty for low-level drug possession started in September.
But other laws started this month that aim to address the drug addiction crisis and other issues. Here’s a look at the most significant changes:
Illicit drug use on public transit
Senate Bill 1553 takes aim at public drug use on transit systems. It expands the crime of interfering with public transportation to include drug use on public transit. That makes it a drug-designated Class A misdemeanor, which allows people convicted of the offense access to state-funded treatment.
The new law came in response to rising concerns about open drug use in and around public transportation. TriMet, Oregon’s largest transit agency which serves the Portland area, reports a 30% drop in riders feeling safe on buses and trains. The Tillamook County Transportation District was forced to close its transit center to the public because of drug use and drug smoke exposures.
Right to repair
Senate Bill 1596 is designed to make repairing electronic devices more fair and affordable in Oregon by preventing manufacturers from limiting where consumers go to repair their products. The new law requires original electronic equipment manufacturers to provide repair tools and information to owners and independent repair companies at a fair cost so consumers have more choices for repair options.
Preventing prescription mandates
House Bill 4012 prevents insurers from requiring that physician-administered drugs, like chemotherapy, be dispensed at specialty pharmacies. In the past, physicians could “buy-and-bill” physician-administered drugs for patients. But there is a trend now of insurers trying to reduce costs by requiring that patients purchase physician-administered drugs from a specialty pharmacy. This practice has concerned providers because it is difficult for them to adjust dosages and can cause delays in care.
Prescription drug prices
House Bill 4113 is intended to help Oregonians with high drug costs. The law requires insurers to take account of money paid towards prescriptions when they calculate the enrollee’s out-of-pocket maximum costs. The law includes payments made through co-pay assistance programs, which some drug manufacturers offer patients. This helps patients reach the out-of-pocket maximums in their policies easier and sooner, bringing down their costs.
The federal government also made a change on prescription drugs that affects Oregonians enrolled in Medicare, which covers seniors 65 and older and some people with disabilities. After enrollees reach a $2,000 cap on drug costs, they won’t have to pay out of pocket costs and receive catastrophic coverage.
Warehouse worker safety
House Bill 4127 offers protections to warehouse workers who face heavy workloads. The law requires employers to be transparent about their requirements for productivity quotes, a factor that advocates say has contributed to injuries in warehouse distribution centers. Under the law, workers are protected from dismissal or discipline if an employer fails to adequately communicate a quota requirement.
School bus safety
House Bill 4147 will allow schools to install cameras on school buses to record when drivers fail to stop for bus safety lights. Under the law, police can use those recordings to cite motorists who fail to stop.
School board transparency
Senate Bill 1502 will require the boards of public school districts, community colleges and universities to video record their meetings and post the videos online for the public to view. School districts that lack the internet bandwidth can upload an audio recording as an alternative, and school districts with fewer than 50 students are exempt from the law.
Oregon investments
House Bill 4083 directs the Oregon Investment Council and the state treasurer to eliminate the state’s investments in coal companies. Lawmakers passed the bill in response to the need for clean energy, and it follows similar actions that other states have taken, including New York and California. Under the law, the state can continue to invest in coal companies if they demonstrate they are transitioning to clean energy within a reasonable period of time.
This article originally appeared on the Oregon Capital Chronicle.