HB 4099

83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2026 Regular Session
  Enrolled
  House Bill 4099
Sponsored by Representatives LEWIS, BOICE, Senator FREDERICK; Representatives
   BREESE-IVERSON, BUNCH, EDWARDS, EVANS, GRAYBER, HARBICK, HELFRICH, LEVY
   B, MCINTIRE, NELSON, OSBORNE, OWENS, RESCHKE, RIEKE SMITH, SCHARF,
   SKARLATOS, WATANABE, YUNKER, Senators MEEK, SMITH DB, SOLLMAN, THATCHER
   (Presession filed.)
  CHAPTER .................................................
  AN ACT
Relating to a task force on veterans in crisis; and prescribing an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
    SECTION 1. (1) The Task Force on Responding to Veterans in Crisis is established.
    (2) The task force consists of at least 14 members appointed as follows:
    (a) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint two nonvoting members
from among members of the House of Representatives, each member being from a different
political party.
    (b) The Governor shall appoint at least 12 members as follows:
    (A) Two members with expertise in advocating for veterans or providing peer support to
veterans in crisis.
    (B) One member representing an association of chiefs of police.
    (C) One member representing an association of county sheriffs.
    (D) One member representing the Department of State Police with expertise in the Law
Enforcement Data System.
    (E) One member representing an association of counties.
    (F) One member representing an association of cities.
    (G) One member representing veterans’ services officers.
    (H) One member representing the Oregon Health Authority.
    (I) One member representing the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.
    (J) Any number of additional members with experience or expertise relevant to re-
sponding to veterans in crisis.
    (3) The task force shall develop a proposal to ensure each county in Oregon has a veteran
crisis response team consisting of at least two individuals properly trained in responding to
veterans in crisis. The proposal shall include:
    (a) The organizational structure and funding mechanism for each veteran crisis response
team.
    (b) Training standards and potential certification requirements for members of a veteran
crisis response team.
    (c) A plan to provide each potential veteran in crisis with a unique government-issued
identification card that specifies the veteran may be in crisis.
Enrolled House Bill 4099 (HB 4099-INTRO)  Page 1
    (d) A path to include a field to flag a veteran as potentially in crisis in the Law
Enforcement Data System in order to provide law enforcement with timely and useable in-
formation.
    (e) Any necessary changes to existing state law to ensure law enforcement may transfer
a veteran in crisis to a veteran crisis response team, including the specification of criteria
for such transfer.
    (f) Any other necessary changes to existing state law or recommendations to ensure the
proposal is successful.
    (4) A majority of the voting members of the task force constitutes a quorum for the
transaction of business.
    (5) Official action by the task force requires the approval of a majority of the voting
members of the task force.
    (6) The Governor shall select one member of the task force to serve as chairperson and
another to serve as vice chairperson, for the terms and with the duties and powers necessary
for the performance of the functions of the offices as the Governor determines.
    (7) If there is a vacancy for any cause, the appointing authority shall make an appoint-
ment to become immediately effective.
    (8) The task force shall meet at times and places specified by the call of the chairperson
or of a majority of the voting members of the task force.
    (9) The task force may adopt rules necessary for the operation of the task force.
    (10) The task force shall submit a report in the manner provided by ORS 192.245, and
shall include recommendations for legislation, to the interim committee of the Legislative
Assembly related to emergency management and veterans no later than September 15, 2026.
The report must address the subjects described in subsection (3) of this section.
    (11) The Department of State Police shall provide staff support to the task force.
    (12) Members of the Legislative Assembly appointed to the task force are nonvoting
members of the task force and may act in an advisory capacity only.
    (13) Members of the task force who are not members of the Legislative Assembly serve
as volunteers on the task force and, unless they are qualified members, as defined in ORS
292.495, are not entitled to compensation or reimbursement for expenses.
    (14) All agencies of state government, as defined in ORS 174.111, are directed to assist
the task force in the performance of the duties of the task force and, to the extent permitted
by laws relating to confidentiality, to furnish information and advice the members of the
task force consider necessary to perform their duties.
    SECTION 2. Section 1 of this 2026 Act is repealed on December 31, 2027.
    SECTION 3. This 2026 Act takes effect on the 91st day after the date on which the 2026
regular session of the Eighty-third Legislative Assembly adjourns sine die.
Enrolled House Bill 4099 (HB 4099-INTRO)  Page 2
Passed by House February 12, 2026  Received by Governor:
  ........................M.,........................................................., 2026
       ..................................................................................
  Approved:
  Timothy G. Sekerak, Chief Clerk of House
  ........................M.,........................................................., 2026
       ..................................................................................
  Julie Fahey, Speaker of House
  ..................................................................................
  Tina Kotek, Governor
Passed by Senate February 26, 2026
  Filed in Office of Secretary of State:
       ..................................................................................   ........................M.,........................................................., 2026
  Rob Wagner, President of Senate
  ..................................................................................
  Tobias Read, Secretary of State
Enrolled House Bill 4099 (HB 4099-INTRO)  Page 3