Oregon interest groups spent $33 million lobbying on state legislation last year

Lobbying interests reported spending nearly $33 million last year seeking to influence Oregon state legislation, according to newly released disclosure reports filed with the state.

More than 800 different groups – including business entities, unions and a wide variety of governmental groups – reported that they had spent a combined total of $32.8 million on lobbying last year, according to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission.

Lobbying interests reported spending nearly $33 million last year seeking to influence Oregon state legislation, according to newly released disclosure reports filed with the state.

More than 800 different groups – including business entities, unions and a wide variety of governmental groups – reported that they had spent a combined total of $32.8 million on lobbying last year, according to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission.

The reports don’t cover all of the money involved in influencing legislators, such as campaign contributions and outreach efforts aimed at whipping up constituents to contact their lawmakers. Different groups also reach different conclusions about how they allocate their salary costs to lobbying legislators.

Still, the reports provide a snapshot of who’s out there working the hallways and trying to get the ear of legislators.

The Western States Petroleum Association tops the list of the biggest lobbying expenditures aimed at influencing legislation. Brian Doherty, a Portland lawyer who is the group’s chief lobbyist in Salem, said in a recent interview with The Oregonian that the association has stepped up its spending – which totaled $440,000 in 2013 — in the state as a result of the 2009 law establishing clean fuel standards for Oregon.

The oil refiners that are represented by the association argue that the proposed standards are difficult to meet and they have lobbied against efforts in the Legislature to remove the provision that calls for the law to expire at the end of 2015.

The second largest lobbying entity on the list is Oregon Health & Science University, which reported spending $428,000 last year. The school and associated hospital won its independence from the state university system in 1995 and now operates as a public corporation overseen by a board appointed by the governor.

OHSU continues to lobby for state support for its programs and also has a big interest in how the state spends money on health care. In addition, OHSU is now asking the Legislature for $200 million in bonds to build a new cancer center, which is related to Nike Chairman Phil Knight’s pledge to donate $500 million to cancer research and treatment if it is matched by other donors.

The top 25 lobbying list includes several other government-related groups – including the office of Gov. John Kitzhaber, which reported spending nearly $320,000 last year working with legislators. The Special Districts Association of Oregon and the City of Portland were also high on the list.

Altria Client Services, a subsidiary of the company that owns the Philip Morris cigarette brands, was sixth on the list, spending $364,000. Other business interests on the list include Nike, Associated General Contractors, the Oregon Bankers Association, the Northwest Grocery Association and Oregonians for Food & Shelter, which represents the pesticide, fertilizer and biotechnology industries.

Three public employee unions – the Oregon Education Association, the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees and Service Employees International Union — are also among the top 25.

— Jeff Mapes