From the COIN Legislative Team
Editors’ Postscript: It’s a busy week! Please also check out the 2026 Legislation page posted by our Legislative Team. This includes action alerts for the week of Feb. 1-7 updated as needed, sometimes with short time limits according to legislative hearing schedules.
This week’s Legislative Action Alert focuses on urging our senators and representatives to implement campaign finance reform.
Background on Campaign Finance Reform
Although Campaign Finance Reform legislation (HB 4024) was passed in the Oregon State Legislature with much fanfare during the 2024 short session, little real progress has been made on implementing the bill. Almost none of the recommendations from Honest Elections Oregon regarding technical corrections and proper administrative rules have been incorporated.
The Secretary of State’s office is now under the gun since HB 4024 campaign contribution limits are supposed to take effect January 1, 2027, and its additional disclosure requirements are to take effect January 1, 2028.
The SoS’s office has indicated that it needs an additional $25 million to implement HB 4024. During meetings held on January 13, 2026, between the Legislature and representatives of the SoS’s office, several legislators suggested that, given the current budgetary constraints, the implementation of HB 4024 should be delayed. COIN strongly opposes any such delay.
Despite numerous requests, the SOS has provided no information on what the $25 million is needed for. 45 other states enforce campaign contribution limits and disclosure requirements on much smaller annual budgets of a few million dollars. The only big ticket item would be total replacement of the ORESTAR reporting system, which is not required by HB 4024, is not necessary to implement HB 4024, and has no deadline.
Honest Elections Oregon says that linking the $25 million request to HB 4024 implementation is a misdirection by the SoS that will be welcomed by many legislators who want to keep the big money system.
How YOU Can Help!
Contact your state senator and state rep (look them up here) and urge them to oppose any delay of campaign finance reform implementation. Feel free to use any of the information provided above.
For additional talking points and details, see the COIN Letter to Legislators opposing delay of HB 4024 implementation.