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Oregon Bills Seek Felony Penalties for Threatening Public Officials Amid Surge in Harassment News By Lucille McNamara On Feb 15, 2026 Oregon Senate Chambers | Credit: Cacophony Oregon lawmakers want to criminalize intimidation and threats of personal safety of public officials, a trend on the rise nationwide. The Senate Judiciary Committee has sponsored Senate Bill 1530 and Senate Bill 1516 to introduce criminal penalties for people who threaten public officials, including candidates standing for public office. Lawmakers Want to Criminalize Harassment as a Felony Lawmakers want to criminalize harassment as a felony. This would relate to incidents in which public officials and their families are threatened with serious bodily harm. However, the bills offer no safety net for teachers, healthcare workers, and journalists, who have also reported mounting safety concerns. According to a report in the Brennan Center for Justice at the start of 2024, over 40% of state legislators throughout the nation had reported threats against their safety during recent campaign seasons, while another 40% said increasing incidents of hostility had increased their reluctance to run for re-election, or to seek higher office. Tidings Data Snapshot Threats reported by state lawmakers nationwide 40%+ State legislators reporting threats during recent campaigns 40% Saying hostility made them less likely to run again 3 Oregon Democratic senators who received life threatening threats Source: Brennan Center for Justice survey of state legislators, 2024 Dailytidings.com Oregon Lawmakers Have Also Received Bomb Threats Oregon lawmakers and officials have been subjected to threats in recent years. Three Democratic state senators have received life-threatening threats, including bomb attacks. At a hearing this week, Tillamook County Commissioner Paul Fournier told lawmakers that he and his family were stalked by a man who threatened to ‘huff and puff and blow your house down,’ in reference to the children’s nursery rhyme, the Three Little Pigs. The climate of threat existing in Oregon is already changing those who are willing to serve. Springfield School Board Chair Resigned This Month in Fear for Her and Her Family’s Safety On February 9, Springfield School Board Chair Heather Quaas-Annsa resigned, citing concerns for her personal and her family’s safety as a reason for leaving her post. Speaking on an Eugene-based public radio station, Quaas-Annsa said not only her children, but all Springfield students had not felt safe at school because of the ‘barrage of harassment and threats’ that she had been facing. Quaas-Annsa said no public servant should be expected to deal with threats to their own and to their family members’ safety. Takeaway Issue Current Oregon law SB 1530 / SB 1516 proposal Threats to election workers Address confidentiality allowed / misdemeanor penalties apply Expands criminal penalties for threats against public officials and candidates Serious bodily harm threats Charged under general harassment or menacing statutes Would elevate certain intimidation of officials to felony level Coverage gap Teachers, healthcare workers, journalists not specifically covered Focus remains on public officials and candidates There is already a law in place to protect election workers in Oregon, allowing them to withhold their residential addresses from public disclosure. However, only misdemeanor charges are applicable to suspects. Share Twitter Facebook ReddIt WhatsApp Pinterest Email