House passes $2.6 billion corrections budget amid criticism of mandatory overtime and pension treatment

House members repassed House Bill 5,004, the biennial budget for the Oregon Department of Corrections, which the Joint Committee on Ways and Means presented as a $2.6 billion package that includes $2.5 billion in general fund support and funds 4,822 positions.

Representative Jeff Evans, presenting the budget, described investments for county reimbursements, medical staffing and a preparatory study and site work for replacing the Oregon State Penitentiary. He said the plan also contains reductions tied to vacant positions and the state economic forecast.

On the floor, Representative Evans and others drew particular attention to mandatory overtime endured by corrections staff. "This mandatory overtime takes, folks away from their family, takes them away from, their personal and social well-being," Evans said. He added a pointed critique about retirement credit: "Those folks working mandatory overtime are not necessarily having that overtime applied to their PERS. Colleagues, this is theft. This is outright theft towards those employees."

Representative Smith spoke to the complexity of the public safety subcommittee and the budget's difficult trade-offs, noting that dollars invested in corrections are largely general fund dollars that cannot be used for other priorities like K-12 education.

The clerk opened the voting system and the chamber declared House Bill 5,004 passed after receiving the constitutional majority. The bill includes a budget note addressing the penitentiary replacement plan and investments in IT modernization and other services.