Gov. Kotek signs energy affordability bills, reiterates sanctuary laws

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed four key bills on energy affordability in a ceremony in Hillsboro Monday afternoon.

In a press conference immediately after signing the bills, the governor was asked about Oregon’s sanctuary laws and the upcoming special legislative session to try and get hundreds of millions of dollars for the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Among the bills are HB 3546, also known as the “POWER Act,” in which companies with facilities such as data centers or cryptocurrency operations will be held responsible for their utility bills. 

The second, HB 3179 or the FAIR Energy Act, approves limits on proposed utility rate hikes in the state.

HB 3792, meanwhile, will double the funding for the Oregon Energy Assistance Program, from $20 million to $40 million a year. This would provide lower income residents with a means to pay their electric bills without concern of the power being shut off.

The final bill, SB 688, would allow the Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) to implement performance-based regulation for utility companies. This means the companies would either be rewarded or penalized in issues aligning with public interest.

“Too many Oregonians are struggling with high energy bills,” Kotek said in a statement. “These four bills will help lower costs, make utilities more accountable, and ensure that households — not big energy users — come first. Every Oregonian deserves reliable, affordable energy, and this legislation moves us closer to that goal.”

The ceremonial signing took place at the construction site of the Dolores Apartments, an affordable housing development designed to serve families and communities of color.

The event will also feature speeches from the governor, state legislators, Kid Governor Rosie Lanenga and others. The governor is also expected to take questions from the press.

Kotek v Bondi over sanctuary laws

Kotek reiterated the Trump administration will not push Oregon to get rid of sanctuary protection for immigrants. The governor believes Oregon has the legal right to keep its sanctuary laws in place.

On August 14, US Attorney General Pam Bondi demanded Oregon and other sanctuary cities and states comply with federal immigration enforcement efforts, and gave them until Aug. 19 to respond with their agreement or possibly face criminal charges.

Kotek and Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson both responded on that date. In Kotek’s letter, the governor insisted the State of Oregon and its public officials have never engaged in conduct that thwarted immigration enforcement on a federal level — even as a sanctuary state.

“No Oregon public official or law enforcement officer is engaged in any activity to ‘obstruct’ federal immigration efforts,” Kotek said in the letter to Bondi. “Oregon’s enacted laws are consistent with the Tenth Amendment and anticommandeering rule. The state does not take on the additional expense or burden to perform federal immigration enforcement as it is the job of the federal government.”

In a separate issue, federal authorities gave Marion County an August 18 deadline to turn over the records, including information about the individuals’ criminal charges, home address, phone number, name of employer or school, driver’s license number and country of birth, court documents claim.

Marion County filed a federal lawsuit on August 19 seeking clarification on whether the county can turn over parole records of four alleged undocumented immigrants under Oregon’s sanctuary law.

Oregon was the first state to pass a sanctuary law in 1987. Voters refused to repeal it.