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Oregon lawmakers are considering three bills that will ease public safety requirements for convicted sex offenders and significantly reduce the state’s backlog if passed, to reevaluate offenders.
Senate Bills 819, 820 and 821 all revolve around creating a simpler process for state parole boards and prison oversight, but will ultimately reduce the number of convicted sex offenders in the monitored community.
A letter from the Oregon District Attorneys’ Association (ODAA) to the Senate Committee on Justice, listed as public testimony on the state legislature’s website, calls for all three bills to be rethinked.
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Three Oregon Legislature bills have faced backlash as they ease public safety requirements for convicted sex offenders and reduce the state’s backlog for classifying offenders suggests that opponents do not prioritize public safety. (Getty Images)
Senate Bill 819 aims to eliminate necessary hearings if the requirements for reporting or classification levels for sex offenders change.
The ODAA said the proposal is concerned that the process is not as thorough as the parole committee currently needs to consider 10 criteria before making such a decision. The association also worries that sex offender victims will not be allowed to express their opinions on the decision if the hearing is no longer needed.
The bill says the Attorney General, District Attorney or victim can request a hearing, but the ODAA said lack of resources or notifications could make the hearing impossible.
“For example, they are tasked with tracking all victims years after these cases are completed, and criminals are trying to drop their sex offender registration list,” the letter said.
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Senate Bill 820 seeks to change the way sex offenders are currently categorized by states by limiting the standards for those who require classification. It suggests that only the following sex offenders are classified: Those who have been found 2 or more convicted of a sexual offence, those who have been released from the Department of Corrections, and those who were under the age of 35 on January 1, 2026.
The Oregon District Attorneys’ Association has raised concerns about the impact of all three bills on public safety. (istock)
“Some sex offenders may have only one conviction for a crime, or one conviction for a sexual offense, or a conviction for a sexual offense, or consideration from a judicial agreement. This does not mean that they do not engage in serious conduct and have multiple sexual offenses, victims, or dates of crime,” writes Odaa.
Finally, Senate Bill 821 suggests that on December 1, 2026, the deadline for the parole committee to complete all classifications of existing sex offenders will be removed. No separate deadlines were offered, but it suggested that the ODAA would be postponed by three years.
“The ODAA understands that handling sex offender relief or classification hearings is just one of the parole board’s important duties, and the resources to get all the work done are limited. At the same time, these are very important decisions for both the victims of these serious crimes and the community,” the association writes.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek shows support for Senate Bills 819, 820 and 821 (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
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Local Oregon outlets report that the parole board faces a massive backlog of uncategorized sex offenders that cannot be handled. According to a news review in Roseburg, Oregon, of the 33,000 registered people in the state, roughly 18,000 people ruled out uncategorized in January 2025.
All three bills received massive backlash from community members, victims’ families, law enforcement, and other supporters of women and children. Though some have shown support for the proposal, including Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek.
The Senate Committee on Judicial Judiciary is scheduled to hold a hearing Thursday afternoon.
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