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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Bill 3185
Sponsored by Representatives SOSA, SMITH G, MCLAIN, RUIZ; Representatives HUDSON, LEVY B, MANNIX,
WRIGHT, Senators CAMPOS, PHAM K (at the request of Portland State University, Eastern Oregon Univer-
sity) (Presession filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced.The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: The Act changes the program for hiring certain students by nonprofits. The Act gives
priority to certain types of courses. The Act increases the payback amount to the nonprofits.The
Act declares an emergency and becomes law when the Governor signs it. (Flesch Readability Score:
61.2).
Provides that priority may be given to students in specified courses of study to participate in
a pilot program to enhance the hiring of public university students by eligible nonprofit organiza-
tions. Provides for the reimbursement of eligible nonprofit organizations that participate in the pilot
program up to 100 percent of the amount the organizations have paid in wages to participating
students. Removes the requirement that eligible nonprofit organizations must have an annual budget
of $5,000,000 or less.
Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to post-secondary students working at nonprofit corporations; creating new provisions;
amending section 1, chapter 514, Oregon Laws 2023; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. Section 1, chapter 514, Oregon Laws 2023, is amended to read:
Sec. 1. (1) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission shall establish a pilot program at
Portland State University and Eastern Oregon University to enhance the hiring of public university
students by eligible nonprofit organizations.
(2) Under the pilot program:
(a) One or more individuals designated as pilot program administrators at each participating
public university shall register:
(A) Enrolled students at the participating public university who wish to participate in the pilot
program; and
(B) Eligible nonprofit organizations that wish to participate in the pilot program;
(b) The pilot program administrators shall match students who register under paragraph (a)(A)
of this subsection with eligible nonprofit organizations that register under paragraph (a)(B) of this
subsection and shall match each student, to the degree practicable, with an organization that oper-
ates in a field relevant to the student’s course of study;
(c) The eligible nonprofit organization shall employ each student that it is matched with for
between 10 and 20 hours per week;
(d) The eligible nonprofit organization shall pay each employed student wages at an hourly rate
not less than the Oregon minimum wage; [and]
(e) For each academic term in which a student is employed by an eligible nonprofit organization
under this section, the student’s cost of tuition at the participating public university shall be re-
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 2608 HB3185
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duced by 20 percent; and
(f) Priority may be given to students whose course of study includes:
(A) Agriculture;
(B) Behavioral health;
(C) Economic development;
(D) Food insecurity;
(E) Housing insecurity and access; or
(F) K-12 education and early childhood literacy.
(3) If a student who is employed by an eligible nonprofit organization under the pilot program
stops working for the organization during an academic term:
(a) The student shall continue to receive the discounted tuition described in subsection (2)(e)
of this section for that academic term; and
(b) The student may not participate in the pilot program during the following academic term.
(4) Each participating public university shall adopt policies relating to the administration of the
pilot program, including but not limited to:
(a) How enrolled students and eligible nonprofit organizations can apply to participate in the
pilotprogram;
(b) The number of enrolled students and eligible nonprofit organizations that can participate in
the pilot program during each academic term; and
(c) Subject to subsection (5)(b) of this section, the rate at which the wages paid to students by
eligible nonprofit organizations under this section will be subsidized.
(5) Participating public universities may use moneys appropriated by the Legislative Assembly
for the purposes of conducting the pilot program:
(a) To offset the reduction in tuition moneys received by participating public universities re-
sulting from the participating public universities’ participation in the pilot program;
(b) To reimburse eligible nonprofit organizations that participate in the pilot program [no more
than 50] up to 100 percent of the amount the eligible nonprofit organizations paid in wages to stu-
dents who participate in the pilot program; and
(c) For expenses incurred by participating public universities in administering the pilot program.
(6) No later than September 15 of each year, each participating public university shall evaluate
the effectiveness of the pilot program described in this section and submit, in the manner provided
by ORS 192.245, a report on the results of the evaluation to the interim committees of the Legisla-
tive Assembly related to higher education.
(7) As used in this section:
(a) “Eligible nonprofit organization” means an organization that[:]
[(A)] is a not-for-profit corporation that is tax exempt under section 501(c) of the Internal Re-
venue Code[; and]
[(B) Has an annual budget of $5,000,000 or less].
(b) “Participating public university” means:
(A) Portland State University; or
(B) Eastern Oregon University.
SECTION 2. In addition to and not in lieu of any other appropriation, there is appropri-
ated to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, for the biennium beginning July 1,
2025, out of the General Fund, the amount of $888,412, to be allocated to Portland State
University and Eastern Oregon University for the purpose of conducting the pilot program
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established by section 1, chapter 514, Oregon Laws 2023.
SECTION 3. This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
on its passage.
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