Oregon Lawmakers Protect Disability Services, Expand Accessible Housing in 2026 Legislative Session

Five-week session preserves critical funding for Oregonians with disabilities, broadens statewide accessibility requirements

MEDIA CONTACT

Melissa Roy-Hart(503) 444-0026 | [email protected]

PORTLAND, Ore.-Today, Oregon lawmakers concluded a 35-day legislative session, achieving significant victories for Oregonians with disabilities, including the preservation of key disability services funding and the passage of landmark accessible housing legislation.

"Lawmakers heard loud and clear that Oregonians want our state to be a welcoming place for people with disabilities. We are pleased lawmakers made the tough budget choices and protected services for our community."- Jake Cornett, executive director and CEO at Disability Rights Oregon

Among their accomplishments, lawmakers:

• Protected Medicaid/Oregon Health Plan funding for services supporting thousands of Oregonians with disabilities;

• Prevented elimination of the Parental Income Disregard program, which allows more than 2,300 Oregonians to receive Medicaid services-ensuring parents don't have to quit their job to care for their child with a disability;

• Protected Medicaid services for people with an Autism Level 1 diagnosis;

• Ensured that Oregonians in guardianship proceedings will still have access to legal representation through Disability Rights Oregon;

• Resisted efforts to weaken protections for children in our foster care system; and

• Expanded access to affordable housing by requiring that all state-funded housing projects meet federal accessibility standards.

Perhaps most notably, lawmakers passed SB 1576, which expands access to affordable housing by requiring all state-funded housing projects meet federal accessibility standards-a major step toward ensuring people of all abilities can find housing across Oregon.

Lawmakers are scheduled to convene again in 2027 to craft a new biennial budget.

"The road ahead for Oregon is uncertain because cuts at the federal level make the state budget more challenging in future years. Lawmakers should remember their work in 2026 and ensure their decisions next year reflect our state's values of not balancing the budget on the backs of people with disabilities."- Jake Cornett, executive director and CEO at Disability Rights Oregon

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About

Disability Rights Oregon upholds the civil rights of people with disabilities to live, work and engage in the community. Serving as Oregon's federally mandated Protection & Advocacy system since 1977, the nonprofit works to transform systems, policies, and practices to give more people the opportunity to reach their full potential.