SB 1590 – Prohibits public bodies from assisting the federal government with privatization of certain federally owned lands.
The bill prohibits state public bodies from using resources—such as money, data, equipment, or personnel—to assist the federal government in selling or transferring certain federally owned lands in Oregon. This is intended to prevent the privatization of public lands managed by agencies like the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, or National Park Service. The law includes exceptions for lands within urban growth boundaries, those used for infrastructure or transportation, surplus federal buildings, and land held in trust for federally recognized tribes. It is set to expire on January 2, 2029, declares an emergency.
The U.S. Constitution limits federal ownership of lands except for specific purposes. That means the federal government is holding a lot of Oregon land in violation of the Constitution. The federal government is going to sell it anyway, why not develop a plan and cooperate to make sure it goes to the right hands that benefits Oregonians.