Policy and Legislation
Oregon's 2023 Legislative Session has wrapped up for the year. These were our priority policies for the session, how we faired and where we're headed for 2024.
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Plastic Pollution
Foam Foodware: SB 543
Victory! Passed the Oregon legislature on 04/26/ 2023! A longstanding Surfrider campaign and evolving policy that we’ve introduced for many years with our partners in Oregon, this bill would prohibit polystyrene (foam) in certain foodware and other products.
Current Status: Governor Signed!
SB 543 resources:
Legalize Reusables: SB 545
Victory! Passed the Oregon legislature on 04/26/ 2023! Surfrider launched our Clean up the Code campaign as an effort to promote reusables within Oregon’s health code. Our campaign has been successful on the path for a rule change for Oregon retail, but the bill is necessary to bring restaurants up to speed as well, which operate under a different code.
Current Status: Governor Signed!
SB 545 resources:
25% Single Use Plastic Reduction: SB 544
While not an official Surfrider campaign this is an important bill we supported for the 2023 legislature! The bill takes an important step at setting a goal and target for reducing single use plastic packaging and foodware – 25% by 2030.
Current Status: Dead Bill:( – was not scheduled for a work session before deadlines. Bill received a public hearing on 02/14 in Senate and Energy and Environment Committee watch here. Surfrider will continue to work with coalition members to set meaningful reductions in single use plastics.
SB 544 resources:
Right to Repair: SB 542
While not an official Surfrider campaign this is another important bill we supported during the legislative session! The bill takes and important step in reducing e-waste by giving Oregonians access to the tools and diagnostics to fix our stuff!
Current Status: Dead Bill:( Coalition members and campaign leadership is currently working on strategies for the 2024 short session. Surfrider will be supporting those efforts in the 2024 legislative session.
SB 542 resources:
Clean Water
Legislative Scoping
Surfrider currently has no statewide legislative campaigns within our Clean Water priority. At the federal level we continue our strong advocacy for the BEACH Act to support state water quality monitoring on our recreational beaches. At the state level, we are continuing to scope opportunities to improve the state's beach monitoring program which currently relies solely on federal funding and only tests in the summer months. Along the coast and more locally in Oregon, our chapters operate and maintain 7 volunteer water quality testing labs in Oregon and test year-round our recreational beaches and notify ocean users if it is safe to swim and surf.
Coastal Preservation
Beach Mitigation: LC 1068
Surfrider developed a legislative concept during the 2022 interim to introduce this legislative session to address mitigation of erosion for Oregon’s beaches. The concept was not introduced this session due to the necessity to further educate coastal legislators on the problems and appropriate solutions to protect Oregon’s shrinking beaches in the wake of SLR, erosion and increasing coastal hazards related to climate change.
LC 1068 resources:
Nature-Based Solutions
Surfrider is working on legislation to update Oregon's rules associated with Goal 18 and shoreline management to better define and support the use of nature-based solutions in shoreline and beach management. Traditional methods of shoreline management have relied on hardened, engineered solutions such as seawalls that disrupt the coastal processes and actually shrink our public beaches (here's how). The solution is to incorporate more dynamic "nature-based" shoreline management methods such as natural cobble revetments, native dune restoration and natural berms that help nourish the beaches sand supply.
Leg. Concept
To be announced fall/winter 2023.
Ocean Protection
Marine Reserves: HB 2903
This bill is related to the decadal review of Oregon’s marine reserves and protected areas and has been a major campaign of the Surfrider Oregon network. Learn more about the 10 year success of Oregon’s marine reserve and protected areas.
Current Status: Dead Bill:( Passed the House Committee on Ag., Land Use, Natural Resources and Water on 03/02. Never scheduled in Ways and Means Natural Resource subcommittee. Surfrider is working with coalition partners now in the Oregon Marine Reserves Partnership to define next steps for this campaign.
HB 2903 resources:
Beach Access
Lighthouse Beach: HB 2172
A major Surfrider campaign, this bill relates to our ongoing advocacy to restore beach access at Lighthouse Beach. While our primary strategy remains in litigation (and now negotiation!) we are constantly exploring new opportunities to restore this important access.
Current Status: Dead Bill, alternate strategy. Fortunately we have entered into negotiation with the landowner and it's likely legislation is no longer necessary.
HB 2172 resources: