2025 Legislative Session Recap: Wins for LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians, and the Work Ahead
Supporters of BRO with Rep. Julie Fahey at our 2025 Lobby Day at the Oregon Capitol.
Oregon’s 2025 Legislative Session wrapped up last month, and Basic Rights Oregon was fighting for LGBTQ2SIA+ priorities up until the end. At a time when the federal government is actively hostile to our rights and even our existence, queer and trans Oregonians can still count on our having a pro-equality majority in state government—and it’s more important than ever that BRO and our community continue advocating for our rights.
Here’s an overview of legislative wins, areas where we have more work to do, and special thank-yous from this year.
Wins for LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians
We helped achieve critical investments in reproductive health and gender affirming care, as well as an immigrant rights package to fight back against impending Trump action.
The Freedom to Read coalition!
We led advocacy for historic investments in the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), which enforces Oregon's worker protection and civil rights laws. This means BOLI will be able to investigate more claims of workplace discrimination, including cases based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
We passed Freedom to Read, which prohibits the banning of school and library materials based solely on the inclusion of LGBTQ+ or BIPOC people, history or themes.
We proudly supported Cascade AIDS Project’s priority bills, which will require insurers to cover HIV treatment with no cost-sharing or prior authorization, and for the Oregon Health Plan to reimburse pharmacists for PrEP/PEP-related services.
There was a flood of anti-LGBTQ2SIA+ bills introduced in the Oregon Legislature this session, but thanks to BRO’s advocacy and our strong pro-equality majority, these bills did not pass, or even make it to a vote.
More work ahead
While we achieved some incredible things this session, there are still areas where the Legislature fell short. We need to keep fighting with coalition partners for the following budget investments:
Housing eviction prevention to keep our community safely housed—although additional investments were added after great advocacy work from folks across the state.
Food for All Oregonians: Thousands of Oregon’s food-insecure youth still lack access to nutrition assistance because of where they were born.
Insurance coverage of assisted reproductive technology like in-vitro fertilization, which many queer folks use to build their families.
Student Success Plans, including the LGBTQ2SIA+ Student Success Plan, need more funding to ensure our youth don't just survive, but thrive.
Special Thank-Yous
It’s impossible to individually name every person who helped us in achieving big things for LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians this year. That said, here are a few special shout-outs.
The LGBTQ Caucus (Senator Lieber, Leader Bowman and Reps Nosse, Grayber, Nelson and Chaichi) and our fierce allies stood for LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians, especially trans youth, through their actions and powerful speeches on the Senate and House floors.
Strong pro-equality majorities and leadership in the Senate and House helped make our wins possible.
YOU! If you took action by testifying for a bill, used BRO’s tools for contacting your reps, or attended our Lobby Day, then you were a part of these successes. THANK YOU!
Finally, let’s end on a high note by thanking Rep. Travis Nelson for his resolution honoring Black Drag—and making the first drag performance on the House floor possible! In case you missed it, check out our reel to the right.