Oregon: State-by-State COVID-19 Guidance

OREGON

Please note: As of April 15, 2021 we are no longer doing regularly scheduled updates to this page.

April 8, 2021:

Oregon again updated its county-by-county risk assessments pertaining to restrictions on businesses in those counties. Additionally, Oregon added a statewide hospitalization metric bearing on risk level. Currently, 16 counties are at Lower Risk, 6 counties are at Moderate Risk, and 14 counties are at High Risk. Some counties that would formally qualify for Extreme Risk are instead at High Risk due to the recently-imposed hospitalization metric. These changes go into effect as of April 9, 2021.

April 5, 2021:

Family members of front-line workers became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on April 5, 2021 after Governor Brown opened vaccines to Group 7 of Phase 1B.

March 29, 2021:

Governor Brown announced that frontline Oregonian workers, Oregonians 16 or older with underlying medical conditions, and those who live in multi-generational households will be eligible for vaccination on April 5, 2021 (two weeks earlier than previously indicated).

March 22, 2021:

Governor Brown announced updated vaccination timelines on March 19, 2021. The timeline was altered to comply with a federal directive to make all adults eligible for vaccination by May 1, 2021. Now, adults over the age of 45 with underlying health conditions may be eligible in some counties as soon as March 22. Starting March 29, farm and food processing workers, people in low-income senior housing, those persons experiencing homelessness or displaced by wildfires, wildland firefighters, and anyone over the age of 16 who is pregnant will also become eligible. All frontline workers and anyone with an underlying condition will be eligible no later than April 19, and every Oregonian over the age of 16 will be eligible starting May 1.

March 18, 2021:

Governor Brown announced that Oregon intends to follow federal guidelines and make all Oregonians eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as of May 1, 2021.

The Oregon Health Authority updated the guidelines relating to capacity for outdoor events, including outdoor recreation and fitness establishments and outdoor entertainment establishments. At the low risk level, outdoor establishments may have up to 50% capacity, as compared to 25% at moderate risk, 15% at high risk, and no more than 50 people at extreme risk.

March 11, 2021:

Governor Brown announced updated risk levels for Oregon counties, with 13 counties improving their risk levels and three counties moving up risk levels. In addition, Jackson and Malheur Counties qualified for the two-week caution period.

Governor Brown announced plans to spend $325 million on summer educational opportunities to help Oregon students catch up from remote learning that occurred during the pandemic.

March 8, 2021:

Governor Brown issued an executive order returning all Oregon students to the classroom by mid-April, at the latest. The Order requires school districts to return to full or hybrid in-person learning by March 29, 2021 for students in grades K-5 and April 19, 2021 for students in grades 6-12 (if the county in which the district is located meets pre-established COVID-19 metrics). There will be an option for students to continue schooling online.

March 3, 2021:

Starting March 8, 2021, Oregon small business owners (those with 100 or fewer employees) may apply with their landlord for commercial rent relief. A total of $100 million in funds will be available, and each tenant will be eligible for a maximum of $100,000. Landlords, on the other hand, will have access to a maximum of $3 million in relief funds. Applications will be open for two weeks starting, and a second round of applications anticipated in April.

March 1, 2021:

Governor Brown laid out a new timeline for vaccination plans. Oregon residents 45 and older with certain medical conditions are next in line, along with agriculture and food processing workers, homeless persons, and those displaced by wildfires, all of whom are eligible no later than March 29. By May 1, 2021, Oregon will make the vaccine available to those between the ages of 16 and 44 with underlying medical conditions and certain essential workers. Anyone over the age of 45 will be eligible by June 1. On July 1, the general public will be able to get the vaccine.

February 25, 2021:

Governor Brown extended her declaration of a state of emergency related to COVID-19 for an additional 60 days, now set to expire on May 2, 2021. This declaration allows Governor Brown to continue to exercise certain emergency powers.

February 24, 2021:

Governor Brown announced that 16 counties moved to an improved risk level in the latest biweekly update, while three counties moved to a higher risk level. The changes to risk levels will go into effect on February 26 and will be accompanied by updates to what is or is not permitted in each county, which are outlined in detail on Oregon’s coronavirus website.

Currently:

Five counties are at the Extreme Risk level;
11 are at the High Risk level;
Ten are at Moderate Risk; and
Ten are at Lower Risk.

February 22, 2021:

Starting on February 22, 2021, Oregonians 70 or older are eligible to receive the vaccine. Oregon anticipates making vaccine appointments available to those 65 and older starting next week.

February 10, 2021:

Governor Brown announced updated guidelines on outdoor school sports, allowing high schools to begin outdoor contact sports, including football, so long as those high schools follow health and safety protocols and have in-person instruction. Schools in High and Extreme Risk counties must institute additional protocols. The relaxing of guidelines also extends to college athletics, allowing for NAIA, Division 2, and Division 3 athletic programs to resume, with the same restrictions and requirements on Division 1 schools applying to Division 2 and 3 schools.

February 9, 2021:

Governor Brown announced that twelve counties improved risk levels under the state’s COVID-19 county-by-county assessment program, with ten counties improving from Extreme Risk. Baker and Grant Counties improved to Lower Risk, from High Risk and Moderate Risk, respectively. Meanwhile, Morrow County move to Moderate Risk from Extreme Risk. However, Harney and Lake Counties both slid to Moderate Risk, moving from Lower Risk. Improving to High Risk from Extreme Risk were Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Deschutes, Hood River, Klamath, Linn, Multnomah, and Washington Counties. No counties moved to Extreme Risk during the past two weeks. All told, 8 counties are in Lower Risk, 3 are in Moderate Risk, 11 are in High Risk, and 14 remain in Extreme Risk. This categorization goes in effect on February 12 and lasts until February 25. These assessments affect what activities are permitted and to what extent.

February 8, 2021:

Starting today, Oregonians 80 years or older can sign up to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Oregon expects residents 75 years or older to begin receiving vaccines next week, 70 years or older starting February 22, and 65 or older starting March 1. Oregon expects three quarters of eligible Oregonians to receive vaccines by early April.

Additionally, the Oregon Employment Department announced that it will be extending benefits for everyone in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program for eleven additional weeks.

February 4, 2021:

Governor Brown announced Oregonians over the age of 80 will be eligible to receive vaccines beginning February 8, 2021. The state plans to make vaccines available to those 75+, 70+, and then 65+ in waves over the coming weeks.

The Oregon Department of Human Services announced that it will continue to offer increased food benefits this month to help Oregonians struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with benefits increasing by approximately 15 percent for all recipients.

February 3, 2021:

As of January 29, 2021, the Oregon Health Department updated its county-by-county guidelines to allow restaurants, bars, distilleries, and tasting rooms to have outdoor dining in covered structures, provided that such structures have at least two non-adjacent sides open. Additionally, “extreme risk” counties may now have a maximum of 50 people in outdoor dining settings, compared to the 75-person cap in “high risk” counties, 150-person cap in “moderate risk” counties, and 300-person cap in “lower risk” counties.

February 2, 2021:

(Multnomah County): On February 1, 2021, a statewide eviction moratorium went into effect in Multnomah County for renters who have submitted a “Declaration of Financial Hardship for Eviction Protection.” It is recommended that any renter who is experiencing difficulties paying their rent due to exigencies arising from the COVID-19 pandemic file this document, which provides eviction protection until June 30, 2021.

January 20, 2021:

Governor Brown announced that Oregon would begin vaccinating educators and school staff on January 25, 2021 and Oregonians over 80 years of age on February 8, 2021, due to delays in receiving vaccines from the federal government.

The Oregon Department of Education released updated guidance on returning to schools, including a requirement that schools must offer on-site COVID-19 testing for symptomatic or exposed teachers, students, and staff. Governor Brown allocated $500 million of federal relief funds to help schools meet these requirements.

January 13, 2021:

Governor Brown expanded access to all Oregonians above the age of 65, with such vaccinations, as well as vaccinations for child care providers and Pre-K-12 educators and staff, beginning on January 23, 2021.

Governor Brown and the Oregon Health Authority announced updated county risk levels, effective as of January 15, 2021. Four counties (Baker, Clatsop, Coos, and Morrow) moved from High Risk to Extreme Risk, while two counties – Curry and Lake – moved to Moderate Risk from Extreme Risk and Lower Risk, respectively. These designations trigger certain restrictions on various activities.

December 30, 2020:

Governor Brown announced updated county risk levels on December 29, 2020, with the changes taking effect January 1, 2021. Five counties (Clatsop, Coos, Douglas, Lincoln, and Morrow) improved from extreme risk to high risk, while Lake County improved from moderate risk to lower risk. The other 30 counties remained at their prior risk level, with 24 counties now at extreme risk, the aforementioned five counties at high risk, zero counties at moderate risk, and seven counties at lower risk. More on the restrictions at each risk level can be found here.

December 28, 2020:

Governor Brown directed the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Health Authority to begin the early stages of implementing policy initiatives to help more Oregon schools open, with such initiatives to be put in place by February 15, 2021. These policy initiatives, which include access to rapid testing, the prioritizing of teachers and other school staff for vaccination, and the development of health and safety protocols, are designed to help up to 90% of students return to school, and will be funded through a combination of federal CARES Act funds and state funds allocated at the Special Session of the Oregon Legislature held December 21, 2020. Finally, Governor Brown changed the metrics governing the return to school protocols from being mandatory to just advisory, allowing local districts to make their own decisions about returning to school.

December 22, 2020:

In a special session of the Oregon legislature called by Governor Brown, Oregon lawmakers passed four separate bills designed to help Oregonians struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, over $800 million was set aside for COVID-19 and wildfire relief funding going forward. This included $50 million for rental relief and $150 million to help support landlords who have not been receiving rent during the pandemic. Landlords seeking to take advantage of this fund will have 80% of their tenants’ rents covered, but will have to forgive the other 20%. Also included were a six-month extension of Oregon’s eviction moratorium, the removal of the restriction preventing restaurants from selling cocktails and glasses of wine to go, and limits on fees third-party delivery apps (such as Postmates or UberEats) may charge restaurants.

December 21, 2020:

On December 17, Governor Brown extended her COVID-19 Declaration of a State Emergency until at least March 3, 2021. The order, which was originally issued on March 8, 2020, had been set to expire January 2, 2021, and provides the legal basis for Governor Brown’s issuance of executive orders and health and safety guidance during the ongoing pandemic.

On December 18, the Oregon Health Authority issued its vaccine sequencing plan for the initial phase, Phase 1a, of COVID-19 vaccine administration. The Plan prioritizes health care personnel, particularly those who have direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials, and residents of long-term care facilities.

December 15, 2020:

As part of its biweekly update, the Oregon Health Authority moved six counties into the Extreme Risk category, triggering additional two-week restrictions starting on Friday, December 18, while one county moved into the moderate risk category, and two into the lower risk category. The totals are now 29 counties at Extreme Risk, 0 counties at High Risk, 1 county at Moderate Risk, and 6 counties at Lower Risk. The counties that moved into the Extreme Risk category this week are Benton, Clatsop, Coos, Curry, Lincoln (all from High Risk), and Tillamook (from Moderate Risk), while Lake County moved into the Moderate Risk category from Extreme Risk and Grant and Harney counties were placed in the Lower Risk category from Extreme and Moderate, respectively. Further information on the guidelines and restrictions for each category can be found here.

Governor Brown announced that she will be calling a Special Session of the Oregon Legislature on Monday, December 21, 2020 to consider passing additional relief and other policies as Oregon fights the COVID-19 pandemic.

December 14, 2020:

Governor Brown announced new measures to be implemented by the Oregon Department of Revenue to provide tax relief to Oregon small businesses. These new provisions provide:

100% penalty waivers on 2019 income tax due from businesses impacted by COVID-19;
100% interest waivers on 2019 income tax due from businesses impacted by COVID-19 AND that have less than $5 million in gross receipts; and
Continued opportunities for business and individuals to set up an extended payment plan of up to 36 months.

December 7, 2020:

(Portland): Portland announced Monday that it would be reopening applications for city residents to receive $500 cash cards as part of COVID-19 relief. Applications will be open on Thursday, December 10 from 3:00-6:00 p.m. local time. Applicants must (i) live within city limits, (ii) have experienced a loss of income or elevated health risk due to COVID-19 related factors, and (iii) have a household income at or below 80% of the Area Median Income ($73,680 for a family of 4).

December 3, 2020:

Oregon’s public health framework went into effect today, December 3, 2020, following the end of the statewide Two Week Freeze. This framework sets restrictions on certain activities by county based on that county’s risk level. More information can be found here.

Counties are color coded as: (1) green for lower risk; (2) yellow for moderate risk;(3) orange for high risk; and (4) red for extreme risk. The majority of the state is currently in the red zone, meaning that indoor dining is prohibited, indoor capacity is capped at 25% occupancy or 100 people total, whichever is smaller, indoor entertainment and indoor gyms are closed, among other restrictions. Specific guidance for activities permitted at each level may be found here.

December 2, 2020:

Governor Brown announced that 25 counties would be classified as extreme risk following the end of Oregon’s statewide Two Week Freeze on December 3, 2020. Five counties will be classified as high risk, while two counties will be deemed moderate risk and four counties will be lower risk. These risk levels trigger associated restrictions for gatherings, eating and drinking establishments, retail stores, and recreation, fitness, and entertainment establishments.

December 1, 2020:

(Multnomah County): On November 30, 2020, Multnomah County announced that it would begin offering grants to restaurants, food carts, caterers, benevolent organizations, and bed and breakfasts, so long as those establishments held five or fewer operator licenses. The grant amounts are $500 per food cart license and $1,500 per restaurant or other food service license. Grants applications are open until 5:00 p.m. Pacific on December 15, 2020 and can be found here.

November 30, 2020:

(Multnomah): Multnomah County announced on November 27, 2020, that it will comply with the COVID-19 mitigation measures announced by Governor Brown and the Oregon Health Authority, effective as of December 3, 2020, following the Two Week Freeze currently in place. These measures will:

Limit social gatherings to six (6) people;
Close indoor dining and limit outdoor dining to a maximum of 50 people;
Close indoor recreation, fitness, and entertainment establishments;
Set a maximum of 50% capacity for retail stores and shopping malls;
Set a maximum of 25% capacity for faith institutions, funeral homes, cemeteries, and mortuaries;
Limit long-term care facilities to outside visitation only;
Require remote work for businesses if able, including closing offices to the public; and
Set a maximum of 50 people for outdoor recreation, fitness, and entertainment establishments.

November 18, 2020:

On November 17, Governor Brown announced that the state will commit $55 million in financial assistance to support Oregon businesses who have been impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. These funds will be allocated to counties to distribute to businesses who have been financially impacted, with a priority for the hospitality industry, businesses impacted by the freeze, small businesses, and women, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and Tribal-owned businesses. The $55 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds will be allocated to counties, with each county receiving a base of $500,000 plus a per capita allocation of the remainder of the funds. The counties will be responsible for deciding how businesses apply to receive funds and communicating the application process to businesses. The Governor’s Office anticipates that funds will be distributed to counties within the next several weeks. Businesses who are interested in applying should contact their county for more information.

On November 17, Governor Brown issued Executive Order 20-65 following last weeks’ announcement of a statewide freeze to help stop the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Oregon. The order outlines necessary risk reduction measures designed to limit gatherings and curb human contact. Executive Order 20-65 addresses the following in detail:

Limiting at-home and social gatherings, as well as faith institutions;
Limiting the maximum capacity for grocery stores, pharmacies, and retail stores;
Restricting food and drink establishments to take-out only;
Requiring workplaces to mandate work-from-home as much as possible; an
Closing certain businesses, including gyms, museums, zoos, and indoor recreation facilities

As with the Governor's previous executive orders related to COVID-19, all of the freeze measures are enforceable by law upon both individuals and businesses. However, the Governor is urging voluntary compliance. The full text of Executive Order 20-65 is available here.

November 17, 2020:

On November 13, Governor Brown announced a statewide Two-Week Freeze, implementing new measures to limit gatherings and stop the rapid spread of COVID-19 across Oregon. The Two-Week Freeze measures will be in effect from November 18 through December 2, statewide. These risk reduction measures are critical in limiting the spread of COVID-19, reducing risk in communities more vulnerable to serious illness and death, and helping conserve hospital capacity so that all Oregonians can continue to have access to quality care.

The Two-Week Freeze measures include:

Limiting social get-togethers (indoors and outdoors) to no more than six people, total, from no more than two households.
Limiting faith-based organizations to a maximum of 25 people indoors or 50 people outdoors.
Limiting eating and drinking establishments to take-out and delivery only.
Closing gyms and fitness organizations.
Closing indoor recreational facilities, museums, indoor entertainment activities, and indoor pools and sports courts.
Closing zoos, gardens, aquariums, outdoor entertainment activities, and outdoor pools.
Limiting grocery stores and pharmacies to a maximum of 75% capacity and encouraging curbside pickup.
Limiting retail stores and retail malls (indoor and outdoor) to a maximum of 75% capacity and encouraging curbside pickup.
Closing venues (that host or facilitate indoor or outdoor events).
Requiring all businesses to mandate work-from-home to the greatest extent possible and closing offices to the public.
Prohibiting indoor visiting in long-term care facilities (outdoor visitation permitted for supporting quality of life).

The Two-Week Freeze does not apply to or change current health and safety protocols for personal services (such as barber shops, hair salons, and non-medical massage therapy), congregate homeless sheltering, outdoor recreation and sports, youth programs, childcare, K-12 schools, K-12 sports currently allowed, current Division 1 and professional athletics exemptions, and higher education — all of which can continue operating under previous guidance issued by the Oregon Health Authority.

For all other permitted activities listed above, the Oregon Health Authority will be issuing sector-specific guidance within the next week. Sectors without specific prohibitions or guidance must operate under this general employer guidance.

On November 13, Oregon OSHA provided additional guidance and resources to help businesses comply with the new temporary rule set to take effect November 16 addressing COVID-19 in all workplaces. Oregon OSHA encourages employers and workers to use the division’s resources to help understand and comply with the requirements. The full text of the temporary rule is available here.

On November 13, Governor Brown’s Office announced, along with the California and Washington governors, travel advisories urging visitors entering their states or returning home from travel outside these states to self-quarantine to slow the spread of the virus. The travel advisories urge against non-essential out-of-state travel, ask people to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving from another state or country, and encourage residents to stay local. In addition to urging individuals arriving from other states or countries to self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival, the states’ travel advisories recommend individuals limit their interactions to their immediate household. The advisories define essential travel as travel for work and study, critical infrastructure support, economic services and supply chains, health, immediate medical care, and safety and security.

On October 30, the Oregon department of Consumer and Business Services issued a reminder that additional money is available to be disbursed through the Temporary Paid Leave Program for people who work in Oregon and need to quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19 exposure, but do not have access to COVID-19-related paid sick leave. Employees who work in Oregon can apply online for the COVID-19 Temporary Paid Leave Program at the following link. The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services is administering the program.

People who qualify will receive a $120 per-day payment for up to 10 working days ($1,200 total) for the time they need to quarantine.

October 22, 2020:

On October 21, in response to rising infection levels, the Governor’s Healthy Schools Reopening Council met to review the steps Oregon will need to take to return more students to in-person instruction in schools. As of this week, only two counties currently meet Oregon’s metrics for in-person instruction for all grades, however, Oregon is exceeding the statewide 5% positivity rate maximum allowed for schools to move forward with reopening. Seven counties currently meet the metrics for some in-person instruction for K-3 students.

In order to return more students to classrooms across Oregon, the Healthy Schools Reopening Council identified three main areas of work:

Review of the metrics to return to in-person instruction to reflect the latest data and best practices learned from other states.
Ensure that school districts are prepared to effectively implement the Ready Schools, Safe Learners health and safety protocols for in-person instruction, so that students, educators, and staff are returning to safe learning environments.
Drive down community transmission of COVID-19, so that schools can reopen and stay open, to provide stability and certainty for students, parents, and educators.

In order to ensure all community voices are represented, the council includes state and local officials, public health experts, public members from a diverse range of backgrounds, and members from the education community, including representatives of students, parents, support staff, school administrators, school board members, teachers, counselors, and school nurses.

October 21, 2020:

On October 20, Secretary of State Clarno released a management letter outlining findings from a real-time Audits Division review of local government reimbursement requests. The letter revealed the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) and local governments can do more to ensure that expenditures under the CARES Act meet federal standards.

Coronavirus Relief Funds must be used for non-budgeted COVID-related expenditures incurred between March 1, 2020, and December 30, 2020. At the direction of the Legislature’s Emergency Board, DAS is paying reimbursements for $200 million in federal Coronavirus Relief Fund money to help Oregon’s cities, counties and special districts respond to COVID-19. Auditors selected a sample of reimbursement requests from 32 jurisdictions totaling $21.7 million, or 47%, of the total amount requested in the first round. The requests primarily covered employee leave and local government payroll related to COVID-19. Auditors evaluated requests for adequacy of documentation and allowability under vague and frequently changing U.S. Treasury guidance. Overall, auditors found three of the 35 reimbursement requests reviewed were at high risk for questioning by municipal or federal auditors. Twelve requests, including the three considered high risk, lacked clear documentation. Other issues identified included risky submission practices for payroll and leave costs, significant mathematical errors, and expenses reported in incorrect federal categories.

The real-time aspect of this review allows DAS and local governments to address outstanding issues before the cutoff date of December 30, 2020, for Coronavirus Relief Fund expenditures. Read the letter on the Secretary of State website here.

October 15, 2020:

On October 9, the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services reminded the Oregon workforce that it is still taking applications for a new program that helps people who work in Oregon and need to quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19 exposure, but do not have access to COVID-19-related paid sick leave. People who qualify will receive a $120 per-day payment for up to 10 working days ($1,200 total) for the time they need to quarantine. You must meet all of the following requirements to be eligible for the program:

Work in Oregon and required to file an Oregon personal income tax return.
Directed to quarantine by a local or tribal public health authority or health care provider because of exposure to someone infected, or isolating because you have COVID-19-related symptoms and are seeking a medical diagnosis.
Not able to work (including telework) because you need to quarantine or isolate.
Do not expect to earn more than $60,000 individually or $120,000 jointly in 2020.
Your employer does not provide COVID-19-related paid sick leave or you have exhausted your available COVID-19-related paid sick leave.
Are not applying for or receiving unemployment insurance benefits for the time off due to quarantine or isolation.
Are not applying for or receiving workers’ compensation claim benefits due to quarantine or isolation.
Are not seeking or using benefits from similar COVID-19 quarantine relief programs in Oregon or another state.
Are not applying for or receiving other forms of paid leave from your employer during your quarantine or isolation, such as banked sick leave or vacation leave.
Are not laid off or furloughed by your employer.
Must have notified your employer that you need to quarantine or isolate.

Because the available funds are limited, the program is available only to quarantine periods that were in place on or after September 16. Applicants can claim only one quarantine period. Employees can apply online for the COVID-19 Temporary Paid Leave Program at www.oregon.gov/covidpaidleave. The application form is available in English, Spanish, and Russian. Those who do not have access to electronic applications can call 833-685-0850 (toll-free) or 503-947-0130. Those who need help in a language other than these three can call 503-947-0131 for help.

On October 9, Governor Brown announced that Umatilla County has been added to the County Watch List. This addition comes after Umatilla County was removed from the Watch List on September 18. The county remains in Phase 2 of reopening. The complete County Watch List now includes the following four counties: Benton, Clatsop, Malheur, and Umatilla.

October 6, 2020:

On October 2, the Oregon Department of Revenue (DOR) announced it will host a pair of live training sessions on the Zoom video conferencing platform to provide information to business taxpayers and tax professionals about the administrative rules for Oregon’s new Corporate Activity Tax (CAT). Among other topics, the training will specifically address COVID-19 pandemic-related relief options.

The first meeting is planned for noon to 2 p.m. PDT October 19.

Meeting link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1608045185.
Passcode: 920761

The second meeting is planned for 9 to 11 a.m. PDT October 20.

Meeting link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1619858903.
Passcode: 013983

On October 2, Governor Brown announced that Benton and Clatsop counties have been added to the County Watch List. Counties are placed on the Watch List when COVID-19 is spreading quickly, and public health officials cannot trace that spread to specific sources—creating a potentially dangerous dynamic. Specific markers of this rapid community spread include when there is a sporadic case rate of 50 or more per 100,000 people in the last two weeks and the county has had more than five sporadic cases in the last two weeks (sporadic cases are those that cannot be traced to a source; they indicate community spread). Counties remain on the Watch List for a minimum of three weeks and until their sporadic case rates drop below these thresholds. The complete County Watch List now includes the following three counties: Benton, Clatsop, and Malheur.

On October 6, Governor Brown today announced a plan to deploy a huge influx of rapid COVID-19 tests from the federal government. Oregon will be receiving 60,000 to 80,000 COVID-19 rapid tests per week until the end of the year. The Abbott BinaxNOW antigen tests can diagnose cases of COVID-19 in 15 minutes. The new tests will be deployed statewide, with a focus first on counties and long-term care facilities that have been affected by wildfire evacuations, putting vulnerable residents and staff at higher risk for COVID-19. Second, the tests will be deployed to outpatient and mobile COVID-19 testing locations, for symptomatic people and their close contacts, whether those contacts are showing symptoms. A full transcript of Governor Brown’s remarks is available here.

October 1, 2020:

On October 1, the Oregon Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program announced that will be available to help Medicare enrollees evaluate plan options during open enrollment (October 15 – December 7), but only remotely at this time. To help stop the spread of the virus and to keep counselors and vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries safe, SHIBA will be providing only phone, email, and web meeting counseling sessions until further notice. All Medicare open enrollment information sessions will be held virtually through live and recorded webinars available on SHIBA’s website.

September 28, 2020:

On September 25, after two weeks of averaging only two new cases of COVID-19 per week, Lincoln County’s application for entering Phase 2 has been approved. With a positivity rate of below 2%, Lincoln County will move to Phase 2 reopening effective September 29.

On September 28, Governor Brown established a new moratorium preventing residential evictions for non-payment and other no-cause evictions between September 30 and December 31, 2020. EO 20-56 establishes a new, temporary residential eviction moratorium through the end of the year – the full text is available here.

September 23, 2020:

On September 23, Governor Brown issued a statement about Oregon’s September revenue forecast, praising Oregon workers and business owners for their resiliency during the COVID-19 pandemic, while cautioning that some communities have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Brown stated that despite positive revenue projections, the forecast doesn’t balance the upcoming budget due to myriad expenses stemming from the COVID-19 response efforts that will become more burdensome once CARES Act funding expires at the end of the year.

September 21, 2020:

On September 18, Governor Brown announced changes to the County Watch List, including that Umatilla and Morrow Counties have succeeded in reducing the spread of COVID-19 sufficiently enough to be removed from the County Watch List. Governor Brown added that Morrow County's application to move to Phase 2 of reopening has been approved, effective immediately. No additional counties were added to the County Watch List, and Malheur County remains a particular area of concern for state officials.

On September 21, the state newsroom reported that more than 130,000 Oregonians will receive a special mailing this month from the IRS encouraging them to see if they’re eligible to claim an Economic Impact Payment. The IRS will mail the letters to people who typically aren’t required to file federal income tax returns but may qualify for an Economic Impact Payment. The letter urges recipients to visit the special Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info tool on IRS.gov before the Oct. 15 deadline to register for an Economic Impact Payment. Individuals can receive up to $1,200, and married couples can receive up to $2,400. People with qualifying children under age 17 at the end of 2019 can get up to an additional $500 for each qualifying child. For more information on eligibility requirements, see the Economic Impact Payment eligibility FAQ on IRS.gov.

September 16, 2020:

On September 16, Oregon OSHA disclosed that it has issued more than $23,000 in fines to two different businesses for engaging in the same hazardous behavior: refusing to carry out proven steps to help protect workers from the coronavirus disease. In separate enforcement actions, the division issued citations to Café 22 West in Salem and Howard’s Pharmacy in Lakeview.

The citations resulted from complaint-based inspections, and after unsuccessfully resolving the issues raised in multiple complaints without an enforcement visit, Oregon OSHA initiated worksite inspections. The inspections found both employers willfully failing to implement health hazard control measures – such as face coverings and physical distancing – and continuing to operate in hazardous conditions, despite having been put on notice well before the inspection itself began.

In addition to its enforcement activities, Oregon OSHA offers employers and workers a variety of consultation, information, and education resources addressing COVID-19 available at this link.

September 8, 2020:

On September 3, Governor Brown announced that Baker County has succeeded in reducing the spread of COVID-19 sufficiently enough to be removed from the County Watch List. In addition, Governor Brown announced a new prerequisite for counties entering Phase 2 – counties with more than 100 cases must have their case counts reduced to 100 cases or less per 100,000 people per week – and accordingly, Morrow and Umatilla Counties will remain in Phase 1.

September 1, 2020:

On September 1, Governor Brown extended her declaration of a state of emergency regarding COVID-19 for an additional 60 days, until November 3, 2020. This declaration provides the legal underpinnings to allow for Governor Brown’s executive orders to stay in effect. Governor Brown reviews and reevaluates each of her emergency orders every 60 days, to determine whether those orders should be continued, modified, or rescinded. The findings of this review process are listed in the executive order.

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services announced on September 1 that Oregonians who were eligible for a standard special enrollment period to enroll in private health coverage, but missed this window due to COVID-19, can use the FEMA SEP to enroll in a plan. They would need to submit proof of their life change but do not need to submit proof that they have been affected by COVID-19.

On August 31, Governor Brown extended protections from foreclosure for Oregon homeowners and business owners through executive action, until December 31. Executive Order 20-37 will extend House Bill 4204’s current moratorium on foreclosures, as allowed by that legislation.

The Governor is also continuing to have conversations with community leaders and stakeholders to look at options surrounding a moratorium for evictions for renters, which does not expire until September 30.

The Legislature’s Emergency Board allocated $55 million for rent assistance through December, and $20 million for affordable housing operating support for OHCS partners. In April, the Emergency Board also allocated $12 million in emergency funding for safe shelter and rental assistance. Congress has also passed about $82 million in housing supports and other housing-related services for Oregonians, including funds for rental and utility assistance.

August 31, 2020:

On August 28, Governor Brown announced that two counties—Hood River and Multnomah—have succeeded in reducing the spread of COVID-19 sufficiently enough to be removed from the County Watch List. No counties have been added this week. This brings the total number of counties on the Watch List to six.

The complete County Watch List now includes the following six counties: Baker, Jackson, Jefferson, Malheur, Morrow, and Umatilla

On August 20, Governor Brown announced that two counties—Marion and Wasco—have succeeded in reducing the spread of COVID-19 sufficiently enough to be removed from the County Watch List. Meanwhile, Jackson County has been added to the Watch List.

On August 19, Governor Brown announced that Umatilla County has succeeded in reducing the spread of COVID-19 to the point that it will move from Baseline Stay Home status to Phase 1, effective Friday, August 21.

In Phase 1, recreational sports, swimming pools, and events and venues like movie theaters, bowling alleys, and arcades remain closed. Non-essential local travel is allowed. Personal services businesses are allowed to operate with health and safety measures in place. Restaurants and bars are open for dine-in service until 10:00 p.m. with health and safety measures in place. Indoor social gatherings remain capped at 10 people as long as physical distancing is maintained, while other gatherings are limited to 50 indoors and 50 outdoors. This means that indoor gatherings, including faith-based, civic, and cultural gatherings are limited to 50 indoors and 50 outdoors. Complete Phase 1 guidance is available by following this link.

On August 17, Oregon OSHA announced a proposed temporary rule that would combat the spread of coronavirus in all workplaces by requiring employers to implement risk-reducing measures, including social distancing, barriers, face coverings, cleanings, and information sharing.

OSHA is soliciting public comments on the proposal through August 31 by accepting comments at the following e-mail address: [email protected]. The full text of the draft, as well as background documents and other up-to-date information is available by following this link.

The temporary rule, which could take effect no later than Monday, September 14, would remain in effect for 180 days. The rule contains multiple provisions that would apply to all workplaces, including:

Designing work activities and the workplace to eliminate the need for any worker to be within six feet of another person.
Ensuring that face coverings are worn and that as much distance as practical is maintained where separation is not practical.
Ensuring employees thoroughly clean surfaces at the beginning of each shift, including all “high contact surfaces” such as door handles and cash registers.
Conducting a COVID-19 exposure risk assessment for situations where an employee is required to be within six feet of another person for a duration greater than 15 minutes.

Oregon OSHA previously announced on June 26 that it had begun work on this draft temporary rule addressing COVID-19. The division conducted the work in consultation with the Oregon Health Authority, technical advisors, and affected stakeholders.

August 18, 2020:

On August 18th, the Department of Environmental Quality announced that the Oregon Food Bank was awarded a $140,000 grant. The pandemic has affected supply chains for produce, lowering demand from restaurants and other customers, so growers and processors are left with excess food. The DEQ grant will cover the costs of transporting and repackaging more than 2 million pounds of fresh produce, including potatoes, apples and oranges, from growers and processors in Oregon, Washington and California. These funds will be utilized through May 2021, boosting hunger relief efforts at a time of unprecedented demand while keeping additional food waste out of landfills.

August 17, 2020:

On August 13, Governor Brown announced that Malheur County will move from Phase 2 back to Phase 1 status, effective Monday, August 17. Malheur County was placed on the County Watch List on July 3, and COVID-19 has spread rapidly since.

August 10, 2020:

On August 6, Governor Brown announced that Lake County has succeeded in reducing the spread of COVID-19 sufficiently enough to be removed from the County Watch List. The complete County Watch List now includes the following nine counties: Baker, Hood River, Jefferson, Malheur, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Umatilla, and Wasco.

August 6, 2020:

On August 5th, Governor Brown announced that Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and Nevada will work together to identify best practices that support telehealth services for their residents. These states will have individual state-driven approaches to implementing telehealth policies but will be guided by shared overarching principles in a coordinated effort.

August 3, 2020:

On August 1st, Governor Brown announced the launch of a new source of financial assistance for agricultural workers who must self-quarantine to slow the spread of COVID-19. The Oregon Worker Quarantine Fund will provide up to two weeks of financial relief to agricultural workers 18 and older, regardless of immigration status. Additional details about the Oregon Worker Quarantine Fund, including the eligibility and application process, are available in English and Spanish.

On July 30th, Governor Brown announced that two counties—Lincoln and Union—have succeeded in reducing the spread of COVID-19 sufficiently enough to be removed from the County Watch List. Meanwhile, three counties—Hood River, Marion, and Multnomah—have been added to the Watch List. The complete County Watch List now includes the following ten counties: Baker, Hood River, Jefferson, Lake, Malheur, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Umatilla, and Wasco.

Governor Brown also announced that Umatilla County moved from Phase 2 back to a Baseline Stay Home status. Morrow County moved to Phase 1 status.

July 29, 2020:

On July 28, School Metrics were released that must be met for a school to return to in-person instruction through the Oregon Department of Education’s (ODE) OnSite or Hybrid instructional models.

The Metrics:

County Metrics (metrics to be met three weeks in a row)
- Case rate: ≤10 cases per 100,000 population in the preceding 7 days
- Test positivity: ≤5% in the preceding 7 days

- and -

State Metric (metric to be met three weeks in a row)
- Test positivity: ≤5% in the preceding 7 days

For a school district that draws a substantial number of students or staff from multiple counties, the case rate and test positivity rate should be considered in each of those counties. Schools must be in a county that is no longer in a baseline phase to consider in-person instructional models.

There are exceptions. For example, it is expected that schools will offer in-class options for students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade, to the extent possible. Remote and rural school districts with ≤100 total students, and remote and rural private schools with ≤100 students should have in-person instruction. In addition, limited in-person instruction should be provided to meet the needs of specific groups of students based on needed educational, relational, curricular, instructional, and/or assessment supports.

All schools must prepare transition plans for effectively and efficiently shifting between instructional models. These plans must include professional learning for staff, communication for students and families, and thoughtful timelines for staff and families to adequately prepare for shifts to new models.

July 22, 2020:

Governor Brown released the following statewide rules effective beginning Friday, July 24th:

Face coverings are required for age 5 and up.
Restaurants and bars must close at 10pm statewide, regardless of phase.
Face coverings are now required when exercising indoors, plus outdoors when you can’t physically distance.
Capacity for venues (ex: churches, restaurants, movie theaters) is reduced to 100 people indoors, including staff.

July 14, 2020:

Governor Brown announced that, effective Wednesday, July 15, Oregon’s face covering requirement will be enlarged to apply to outdoor public spaces when six feet of distance cannot be maintained. In her announcement, Governor Brown also prohibited indoor social gatherings of more than ten people. This limit applies only to indoor social gatherings. This new rule does not change the operation of businesses or churches at this time.

July 6, 2020:

On July 2, Governor Brown launched a statewide campaign raising public awareness on the importance of wearing face coverings when in public places.

July 1, 2020:

On June 30, Governor Brown extended her declaration of a state of emergency regarding COVID-19 for an additional 60 days, until September 4, 2020. This declaration is the legal underpinning for the executive orders Governor Brown issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, Governor Brown concluded specifically that:

Executive Orders 20-06 and 20-15, which provide the Attorney General authority to investigate price gouging and other market disruptions, shall continue.
Executive Order 20-13, which extended the temporary evictions moratorium, is no longer required because it was codified and extended by statute.
Executive Order 20-16, which involved public meetings and local government operations, remains in effect until codified by statute.
Executive Order 20-18, which protected CARES Act payments from garnishment, is no longer required as it was codified by statute.
Executive Order 20-19, which set forth emergency childcare facility directives, remains in effect.
Executive Order 20-22, setting forth directives that allow the resumption of non-urgent healthcare procedures, remains in effect.
Executive Order 20-27, which relates to the management of the ongoing COVID-19 emergency, remains in effect.
Executive Order 20-28, involving directives on the resumption of in-person instruction and other activities at higher education institutions, remains in effect.
Executive Order 20-29, setting forth directives relating to the provision of education services, remains in effect.

June 29, 2020:

Governor Brown announced that, beginning July 1, all Oregonians will be required to wear face coverings in indoor public places. That is already the case in eight counties, however the new announcement will affect all Oregonians statewide.

June 23, 2020:

Governor Brown announced that the state reached an agreement with several health insurance companies to continue providing expanded telehealth options through at least December, 31, 2020. This means health insurance companies will continue to offer coverage for expanded telehealth services for Oregonians and pay for telehealth services at the rates those companies established during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, Oregonians with self-insured plans should check with their employers to see if these expanded telehealth services will continue to be covered through the end of the year because the agreement does not reach self-insured plans.

June 22, 2020:

On June 19, Governor Brown issued face covering requirements for indoor public spaces, which applies to businesses and members of the public visiting those businesses. Applicable businesses must require staff and visitors to wear a mask, face shield, or other face covering, unless an accommodation or exemption is required by law. These requirements will be enforced beginning on June 24, and affect Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, Marion, Polk, Hood River, and Lincoln Counties. Counties not included in the face coverings guidance may request to opt in at any time.

June 18, 2020:

Governor Brown announced several decisions relating to county reopening applications after meeting with health experts, business leaders, and local officials. First, she instituted a requirement to wear face coverings while in indoor public spaces, such as grocery stores and other businesses, for the following counties: Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Hood River, Marion, Polk, and Lincoln. This mandate will be effective beginning Wednesday, June 24.

Governor Brown also moved Marion, Polk, and Hood River Counties to Phase 2, and Multnomah County to Phase 1, starting Friday, June 19.

Lastly, Governor Brown said she will group several counties together as regional units for future reopening decisions. This will apply to the tri-county area––Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas Counties. Marion and Polk Counties, which each include parts of the City of Salem, will also be treated as a unit going forward. As a result of these decisions, the entire tri-county region will remain in Phase 1 for at least 21 days after June 19 before the three counties together will become eligible for Phase 2.

June 16, 2020:

Governor Brown announced she will convene a Special Session of the Oregon Legislature at 8:00 am Wednesday, June 24, 2020 to take up proposed legislation to address the COVID-19 pandemic as well as police accountability. Governor Brown is calling the special session in hopes of codifying in statute several pandemic-related policies that were implemented via executive order, including the temporary eviction moratorium and protecting CARES Act payments from garnishment.

June 15, 2020:

Governor Brown announced a one-week statewide pause on pending county reopen applications. A noticeable increase in COVID-19 infections occurred over the last week. In order to ensure that the virus does not spread too quickly, the Governor announced that a pause on reopening is necessary. Current county reopening statuses are available on the state’s coronavirus page.

June 10, 2020:

Governor Brown announced that she will organize a Healthy Schools Reopening Council to advise her and the Oregon Department of Education during the Ready Schools, Safe Learners K-12 schools reopening process. The council will include elected officials, education community representatives, health representatives, and members of the public, with a focus on ensuring that a wide and diverse range of community voices are represented.

The council, which will meet over the next several months as districts develop their plans, and periodically during the school year, will be charged with:

Giving feedback on equitable policies and practices for a safe return to school.
Informing additional guidance from ODE developed over the summer to help school districts implement their back-to-school plans.
Receiving updates on school district plans and implementation.
Reviewing COVID-19 status reports and evaluating outbreak management during the school year.

June 5, 2020:

Governor Brown approved 26 counties to move to Phase 2 of reopening as outlined below:

June 5

Benton
Curry
Douglas
Grant
Jackson
Klamath
Lake
Lane
Linn
Morrow
Union
Wallowa
Wasco
Wheeler

June 6

Baker
Clatsop
Columbia
Coos
Crook
Gilliam
Harney
Josephine
Malheur
Sherman
Yamhill

June 8

Tillamook

May 29, 2020:

Governor Brown announced that Washington County can being entering Phase 1 of reopening on June 1.

May 28, 2020:

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services’ Division of Financial Regulation issued emergency orders and a summary chart for property and casualty, long-term care, and life and disability insurance. These orders transition the most common insurance policies from rolling 30-day grace periods established by the original March 25 emergency order to specific grace periods and specific number of days that claims must be paid for each type of insurance.

May 19, 2020:

Attorney General Rosenblum announced that the Oregon Supreme Court upheld Governor Brown’s emergency orders in Elkhorn Baptist Church vs. Katherine Brown.

May 17, 2020:

Governor Brown issued additional Phase 1 guidance for face covering, summer school programs, summer camps, public transit, homeless populations, and fitness centers.

May 15, 2020:

Governor Brown announced three additional counties––Jefferson, Morrow, and Umatilla––can begin entering Phase I of reopening on May 15 under her framework for building a safe and strong Oregon.

May 14, 2020:

Governor Brown announced that the following counties can begin reopening under Phase I on May 15.

Baker
Benton
Clatsop
Columbia
Coos
Crook
Curry
Deschutes
Douglas
Gilliam
Grant
Harney
Hood River
Jackson
Josephine
Klamath
Lake
Lane
Lincoln
Linn
Malheur
Sherman
Tillamook
Union
Wallowa
Wasco
Wheeler
Yamhill

In Phase I, counties can begin the limited reopening of the following sectors under specific safety guidelines:

Restaurants and bars for sit-down service
Personal care and services businesses, including barbers and salons
In-person gatherings of up to 25 people

Counties must remain in Phase I for at least 21 days before becoming eligible to advance to Phase II. If counties begin to see significant increases in COVID-19 cases or community spread, the Oregon Health Authority will work with local public health officials to evaluate what actions should be taken. Significant growth in COVID-19 spread could necessitate a county moving back from Phase I to a stay-home status.

May 8, 2020:

Governor Brown announced details of her framework for rebuilding a safe and strong Oregon, including new guidance for counties and businesses on the phased reopening process (a transcript of her speech can be found here). Governor Brown’s new guidance on reopening calls for the widespread use of face coverings, maintaining physical distance of six feet between individuals as much as possible, and following good hygiene and disinfection practices.

Under Phase 1, counties may submit applications to reopen by demonstrating they meet all prerequisites for reopening. Oregon counties can begin submitting applications on Friday, May 8. Counties must:

Show a decline in COVID-19 or have fewer than 5 hospitalizations
Have sufficient COVID-19 testing and contact tracing capability
Establish plans for the isolation and quarantine of new cases
Have the hospital capacity to handle any surge in COVID-19 cases
Have enough personal protective equipment for health care workers

Counties that meet all of the above criteria will be eligible to enter Phase I of reopening on May 15, pending approval of their application by the Governor and recommendations from the Oregon Health Authority.

In Phase I, counties can begin the limited reopening of the following sectors under specific safety guidelines:

Restaurants and bars for sit-down service
Personal care and services businesses, including barbers and salons
In-person gatherings of up to 25 people

The Governor also announced that large gatherings such as conventions, festivals, and major concerts and live audience sporting events will need to be cancelled at least through September. Further guidance on large events will be provided in the coming months.

May 7, 2020:

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services announced it issued a new emergency order, which is not yet available online, for health insurance companies during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The order requires health insurance companies to:

Provide at least a 60-day grace period to pay any past due premiums
Pay claims for any covered services during the first 30 days of the grace period
Extend all deadlines for reporting claims and other communications, and provide members with communication options that meet physical distancing standards

May 3, 2020:

Governor Brown announced a plan for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, two foundational elements of her framework for reopening Oregon safely. Ensuring adequate testing capacity and contact tracing will allow Oregon’s health care system to effectively identify and treat new cases of COVID-19, trace contacts with new cases to identify those at risk for infection and contain new outbreaks before community spread can occur.

Key elements of the plan include:

Voluntary, widespread testing in partnership with OHSU
Unified coordination between all hospital labs to optimize Oregon’s available testing capacity, acting as one statewide system which will allocate resources to meet the state’s testing needs in every region
A focus on collecting data to serve at-risk communities

April 29, 2020:

The Oregon Department of Revenue (“DOR”) adjusted requirements of businesses making estimated payments of Corporate Activity Tax (“CAT”). Beginning on April 29, 2020, OAR 150-317-1300 is revised to reflect a change in the threshold for making estimated tax payments from $5,000 of annual tax liability to $10,000 of annual tax liability for the first year of the tax. That means that businesses that will owe less than $10,000 are not required to make quarterly estimated tax payments during 2020.

DOR will not assess penalties for underestimated quarterly payments or for not making a quarterly payment, if a business does not have the financial ability to make the estimated payment. The Department of Revenue will honor a business taxpayer’s good-faith efforts to comply and not assess penalties if they document their efforts to comply, including how COVID-19 has impacted their business.

If businesses know they will owe $10,000 or more in annual Corporate Activity Tax in 2020 and can pay, they still must make estimated quarterly payments to comply with existing law.

April 27, 2020:

Governor Brown announced that Colorado and Nevada agreed to join the Western States Pact with Washington, Oregon, and California. The states will work together with a shared vision for modifying stay at home orders and fighting COVID-19.

As part of the Western States Pact, the governors commit to working together toward the following four goals:

Protecting vulnerable populations at risk for severe disease if infected. This includes a concerted effort to prevent and fight outbreaks in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
Ensuring an ability to care for those who may become sick with COVID-19 and other conditions. This will require adequate hospital surge capacity and supplies of personal protective equipment.
Mitigating the non-direct COVID-19 health impacts, particularly on disadvantaged communities.
Protecting the general public by ensuring any successful lifting of interventions. This includes the development of a system for testing, tracking and isolating. The states will work together to share best practices.

April 24, 2020:

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services announced it would extend its order issued on March 25, 2020, which was set to expire on April 23, 2020. The order requires insurance companies to extend grace periods for premium payments, postpone policy cancellations and non-renewals, and extend deadlines for reporting claims.

April 23, 2020:

Governor Brown announced she would lift her order delaying non-urgent procedures for health care providers, as long as they can demonstrate they have met new requirements for COVID-19 safety and preparedness. Hospitals, surgical centers, medical offices, and dental offices that meet those requirements will be able to resume non-urgent procedures on May 1.

Earlier, the Oregon Department of Revenue issued a directive that expands relief and provides additional relief to certain affected taxpayers and extends the tax filing and payment deadline to July 15, 2020.

April 22, 2020:

The Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services for the State of Oregon’s order, which took effect March 25, 2020, expires on April 23, 2020. Although the order permits the Director to extend the order, the Director has yet to announce an extension. The order requires insurance companies to extend grace periods for premium payments, postpone policy cancellations and non-renewals, and extend deadlines for reporting claims.

April 19, 2020:

Governor Brown issued Executive Order 20-18, preventing creditors or debt collectors from garnishing federal CARES Act recovery rebate payments. The order ensures that Oregonians can use the funds for housing, food, medical, and other essential needs during the COVID-19 public health crisis.

April 17, 2020:

Governor Brown issued an executive order directing state and local governments to take necessary measures to facilitate public participation in decision-making – stressing the importance of civic engagement on the path to recovery. Local governments across Oregon are expected to begin their budget processes this month, and this order gives them the authority and flexibility in organizing the civic engagement necessary to move forward those processes and approve spending on essential services.

April 16, 2020:

Governor Brown issued Executive Order 20-16 directing state and local governments to take necessary measures to facilitate public participation in decision-making, helping ensure the continued operation of local government and the delivery of essential services during the COVID-19 outbreak. Local governments across Oregon are expected to begin their budget processes this month, and this order gives them the authority and flexibility in organizing the civic engagement necessary to move forward those processes and approve spending on essential services.

April 15, 2020:

Governor Brown announced a plan to reopen Oregon. In order to begin reopening communities, Oregon must first slow the growth of COVID-19, as well as acquire adequate personal protective equipment to protect health care workers and first responders. Once those prerequisites are met, Oregon can begin to reopen by:

Ramping up COVID-19 testing capacity in every region of Oregon
Developing robust contact tracing systems to track and contain COVID-19 cases
Establishing a quarantine and isolation program for new cases

April 14, 2020:

Governor Brown announced an agreement with California and Washington on a shared vision for reopening their economies and controlling COVID-19. In the coming days the governors, their staff and health officials will continue conversations about this regional pact to recovery and may release additional guidance and orders.

Governor Brown also announced the state is ramping up its enforcement activity. Oregon OSHA will begin systematically conducting spot checks to verify that employers are complying with the requirements – including closures to the public. The spot checks – which are in addition to more time-intensive, on-site inspections initiated by the division – are intended to confirm whether employers are actually doing what they are telling the division they are doing in response to complaints.

April 13, 2020:

April 9, 2020:

Governor Brown announced she would be extending Oregon’s physical closures for the K-12 and post-secondary education systems through the end of the current academic term and school year. She directed school districts, community colleges, and universities to complete the final weeks of the regular academic year by continuing distance learning and support to students.

April 8, 2020:

Governor Brown issued an executive order aligning the effective date for the prohibition on dine-in food and drink consumption with that of her Stay Home, Save Lives order.

April 3, 2020:

Governor Kate Brown today issued Executive Order 20-13, placing a 90-day moratorium on commercial evictions for nonpayment, in light of the impacts on business owners caused by the COVID-19 crisis. The order also strengthens Governor Brown's previous ban on residential evictions and prohibits landlords from charging tenants late fees for nonpayment of rent during the moratorium.

Governor Brown also announced the launch of the Coronavirus Small Business Resource Navigator, which will help connect small businesses to financial support and information they need to stay in business through the COVID-19 crisis.

March 31, 2020:

Governor Brown announced that President Trump accepted Oregon’s Major Disaster Declaration, retroactive to January 20, 2020. This allows for the activation of FEMA’s Public Assistance program for reimbursements of emergency actions taken by state, territorial, tribal, and local government entities, as well as certain non-profit organizations.

Organizations eligible for recovery efforts on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures include, but are not limited to:

Management, control and reduction of immediate threats to public health and safety; Emergency operation and coordination costs;
Disinfection of eligible public facilities;
Medical sheltering;
Purchase and distribution of food, water, medicine and other consumable supplies, including Personal Protective Equipment.

March 27, 2020:

The state and Governor Brown made several announcements. First, the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services announced that it would issued a temporary emergency order in response to COVID-19. Effective at least until April 23, it requires insurance companies to extend grace periods for premium payments, postpone policy cancellations and non-renewals, and extend deadlines for reporting claims.

The Governor and the Oregon Department of Revenue announced there would be an extension to July 15 for Oregon tax filing and payment deadlines for personal income taxes and some other taxes, such as corporate income and excise taxpayers.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved Oregon’s request for a Section 1135 Medicaid waiver. The waiver allows Oregon to provide flexibilities in Medicaid provider screening and enrollment, forgo certain pre-admission screening and annual resident review assessments, lift prior authorization requirements, allow for reimbursement facility services in alternative settings, extend fair hearing timelines, and waive public comment and tribal consultation requirements for certain changes to the Medicaid state plan.

March 23, 2020:

Governor Brown issued Executive Order No. 20-12, directing individuals to stay at home to the maximum extent possible. The order also outlined new guidance for child care facilities and expands the list of businesses that will be temporarily closed. The order is effective immediately. It remains in effect until Governor Brown terminates it.

March 22, 2020:

The Governor issued Executive Order No. 20-11, which places a 90-day hold on residential evictions for nonpayment.

March 18, 2020:

Governor Brown issued Executive Order No. 20-10 to cease all non-emergency medical procedures to conserve personal protective equipment. The order applies to all Oregon hospitals, outpatient clinics, and health care providers, including veterinarians and dentists. The order is effective for 90 days.

March 17, 2020:

Governor Brown signed Executive Order No. 20-08 to extend the statewide school closure until April 28 and issue guidance for public schools.

March 16, 2020:

Governor Brown announced an order relating to social distancing, an agreement for Portland metro hospital system to coordinate resources and increase capacity, activation of the state’s Unified Command emergency response organizational structure, and new measures to prevent price gouging. Most notably, the social distancing measures, effective for four weeks starting March 17, include canceling events with more than 25 people and restricting restaurants to carry-out only.

March 12, 2020:

Governor Brown announced statewide school closures for K-12 schools from March 16th through March 31st.

March 10, 2020:

Governor Brown issued a policy to limit transmission of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities, including limiting visitation to essential individuals.

March 8, 2020:

Governor Brown announced a state of emergency to provide the Oregon Health Authority and the Office of Emergency Management the state’s reserves of emergency healthcare professionals. It gives those agencies and the state public health director “broad authority” to take action when allocating state resources to contain the spread of the virus.

March 5, 2020:

Governor Brown reached an agreement with health insurance companies to waive cost-sharing for individuals testing for COVID-19 at in-network providers or emergency rooms. The agreement also covers immunization for covered people, when that becomes available. The Division of Financial Regulation released guidance for health insurance companies relating to the agreement.

Oregon: State-by-State COVID-19 Guidance

OREGON

For more information on this state's COVID-19 rules: