Proposing an amendment to the Oregon Constitution relating to lottery revenues.
Summary
Senate Joint Resolution 11 proposes a constitutional amendment to dedicate a specified percentage of Oregon State Lottery net proceeds to wildfire-related purposes. Beginning July 1, 2026, the measure would require that an unspecified percentage of lottery revenues be deposited into a wildfire fund created by the Legislature, with those moneys available for wildfire prevention, suppression, and management. The resolution also allows the Legislature to appropriate additional money or revenue to the same fund.
Because this is a joint resolution, it does not itself change ordinary statutes; instead, it would amend the Oregon Constitution if approved by voters. The measure would be referred to the people at the next regular general election, and if adopted, it would create a constitutional funding commitment for wildfire response and mitigation using lottery proceeds.
Impact
If approved by voters, SJR 11 would add a new section to Article XV of the Oregon Constitution and require a dedicated share of State Lottery net proceeds to be transferred into a wildfire fund. That would constrain future budget choices by constitutionally earmarking lottery revenue for wildfire prevention, suppression, and management, while still allowing the Legislature to supplement the fund with other appropriations or revenue. The measure would affect the State Lottery revenue allocation structure and the state’s wildfire financing framework, but it would not directly amend any existing statutory program in the bill text.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented legislative debate or vote history to gauge support or opposition. Based on the text alone, the measure appears to reflect a policy preference for stable, dedicated wildfire funding, which is likely to be viewed favorably by supporters of wildfire preparedness and response. However, the absence of a specified percentage in the introduced text may indicate that the exact funding level could become a point of discussion.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the diversion of lottery revenues to a constitutionally protected wildfire fund, which could limit legislative flexibility and compete with other uses of lottery proceeds. Another likely issue is the unresolved blank for the percentage of net proceeds, since the bill text does not specify how much revenue would be earmarked. Stakeholders concerned about budget priorities, lottery-funded programs, or the adequacy of wildfire funding could differ over both the size and the permanence of the dedication.