Oregon legislation · 2026 Legislative Measures
Oregon HB4124: Relating to the state post-secondary education system; and declaring an emergency.
Status: Chaptered, April 6, 2026
Digest: Tells the HECC to study the system of higher education in Oregon. Tells the HECC to submit two reports. Declares an emergency and becomes law when the Governor signs it. (Flesch Readability Score: 62.6). [ Digest: Tells the HECC to study the system of higher education in Oregon. Tells the HECC to submit a report. Declares an emergency and becomes law when the Governor signs it. (Flesch Readability Score: 64.1). ] Directs the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to conduct a study of the condition of Oregon's post-secondary education system and to develop detailed recommendations for the design, implementation and operation of a viable and superior institutional framework. [ Directs the commission to submit a report to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to higher education on or before December 1, 2026. ] Directs the commission to submit a preliminary report by October 1, 2026, and a final report by April 1, 2027, to the interim or regular committees of the Legislative Assembly related to higher education. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
What the bill says
From the enrolled text, March 4, 2026:
83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2026 Regular Session House Bill 4124 Sponsored by Representative MARSH, Senators WAGNER, PATTERSON, Representatives ANDERSEN, EVANS, FRAGALA, MCDONALD, RIEKE SMITH, Senators BROADMAN, GOLDEN, SOLLMAN; Representatives BOWMAN, HARBICK, LEVY B, NOSSE, SOSA, WALLAN, WALTERS, WATANABE, WISE, Senators FREDERICK, MANNING JR, NASH, WEBER (Presession filed.) CHAPTER ................................................. Relating to the state post-secondary education system; and declaring an emergency. Whereas about a decade ago Oregon established a statewide system of independent universities and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission; and Whereas Oregon's post-secondary education institutions have unique missions and should serve distinct populations; and Whereas Oregon's system of independent boards at public universities and community colleges provides essential oversight and direction to the mission and operation of these institutions of higher education; and Whereas market competition among Oregon's post-secondary education institutions has eroded cross-institutional collaboration, impaired focus on regional and state needs and undermined public confidence in the system as a vital source of economic development and employment opportunities; and Whereas after about a decade of operations, Oregon must reevaluate the accessibility, financial resiliency, efficiency, effectiveness and coordination of its post-secondary education system to ensure the system meets the diverse needs of Oregon's students, economy and workforce; and Whereas recent, current and projected demographic, enrollment and market conditions and trends coupled with the competitive landscape for post-secondary education institutions, including the …