---
type: "Bill"
title: "Relating to benefits programs for students at institutions of higher education; and declaring an emergency."
description: "Requires each community college and public university to hire benefits navigator to assist students in determining eligibility and applying for federal, state and local benefits programs."
jurisdiction: "us/states/or"
legislature: "Oregon Legislative Assembly"
session: "2021 Regular Session"
identifier: "HB 2835"
citation: "Oregon HB 2835 (2021 Regular Session)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Chris Gorsek", "Jeff Reardon", "Michael Dembrow", "Rob Wagner", "Sara Gelser Blouin", "Susan McLain", "Teresa Alonso Leon"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 23
vote_count: 4
first_action: "2021-01-11T15:57:04+00:00"
last_action: "2021-09-25T15:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/4913b996-43f1-4c4f-bb7c-a2b935941044"
source_url: "https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Measures/Overview/HB2835"
source_hash: "a09adc56d8be7396b7a8876977ee1e5bba783bf0e72c6ec135a2767204d70d0d"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-or"]
---

# Oregon HB 2835 (2021 Regular Session) — Relating to benefits programs for students at institutions of higher education; and declaring an emergency.

Requires each community college and public university to hire benefits navigator to assist students in determining eligibility and applying for federal, state and local benefits programs.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **House Amendments to Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2835/House%20Amendments%20to%20Introduced)
2. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2835/Introduced)
3. **A-Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2835/A-Engrossed)
4. **JWM Amendment -1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Downloads/ProposedAmendment/21253)
5. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2835/Enrolled)

## Votes

- Heard and Reported Out — **10–0** (pass) · lower
- Heard and Reported Out with Amendments — **38–8** (pass) · legislature
- Third reading. Carried by Frederick. Passed. — **19–10** (pass) · upper
- Rules suspended. Third reading. Carried by Reardon. Passed. — **49–4** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Chris Gorsek — primary (person)
- Jeff Reardon — primary (person)
- Michael Dembrow — primary (person)
- Rob Wagner — primary (person)
- Sara Gelser Blouin — primary (person)
- Susan McLain — primary (person)
- Teresa Alonso Leon — primary (person)
- Anna Williams — cosponsor (person)
- Brad Witt — cosponsor (person)
- Courtney Neron — cosponsor (person)
- Dacia Grayber — cosponsor (person)
- Janeen Sollman — cosponsor (person)
- Jason Kropf — cosponsor (person)
- Karin Power — cosponsor (person)
- Kate Lieber — cosponsor (person)
- Khanh Pham — cosponsor (person)
- Lew Frederick — cosponsor (person)
- Lisa Reynolds — cosponsor (person)
- Mark Meek — cosponsor (person)
- Marty Wilde — cosponsor (person)
- Maxine Dexter — cosponsor (person)
- Paul Evans — cosponsor (person)
- Paul Holvey — cosponsor (person)
- Rachel Prusak — cosponsor (person)
- Ricki Ruiz — cosponsor (person)
- Rob Nosse — cosponsor (person)
- Sheri Schouten — cosponsor (person)
- Wlnsvey Campos — cosponsor (person)
- Zach Hudson — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2021-01-11T15:57:04+00:00** First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk. `introduction, reading-1, referral-committee`
- **2021-01-20T04:40:25+00:00** Referred to Education with subsequent referral to Ways and Means. `referral-committee`
- **2021-02-11T21:01:00+00:00** Public Hearing held.
- **2021-03-04T21:02:00+00:00** Work Session held.
- **2021-03-09T16:42:34+00:00** Recommendation: Do pass and be referred to Ways and Means by prior reference. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-03-09T16:42:35+00:00** Referred to Ways and Means by prior reference. `referral-committee`
- **2021-06-04T14:36:00+00:00** Assigned to Subcommittee On Education. `referral-committee`
- **2021-06-08T20:03:00+00:00** Returned to Full Committee.
- **2021-06-08T20:02:00+00:00** Work Session held.
- **2021-06-11T15:02:00+00:00** Work Session held.
- **2021-06-15T13:41:50+00:00** Recommendation: Do pass with amendments and be printed A-Engrossed. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-06-17T17:38:07+00:00** Second reading. `reading-2`
- **2021-06-17T21:20:49+00:00** Rules suspended. Third reading. Carried by Reardon. Passed. `passage, reading-3`
- **2021-06-21T17:59:25+00:00** First reading. Referred to President's desk. `introduction, reading-1, referral-committee`
- **2021-06-21T18:36:47+00:00** Referred to Ways and Means. `referral-committee`
- **2021-06-22T13:46:39+00:00** Recommendation: Do pass the A-Eng. bill. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-06-22T16:32:33+00:00** Second reading. `reading-2`
- **2021-06-23T16:59:27+00:00** Third reading. Carried by Frederick. Passed. `passage, reading-3`
- **2021-06-24T20:13:33+00:00** Speaker signed. `passage`
- **2021-06-26T15:59:48+00:00** President signed. `passage`
- **2021-06-23T17:00:27+00:00** Vote explanation(s) filed by Heard.
- **2021-07-27T22:29:39+00:00** Governor signed. `executive-signature`
- **2021-09-25T15:00:00+00:00** Chapter 621, (2021 Laws): Effective date July 27, 2021.

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/4913b996-43f1-4c4f-bb7c-a2b935941044`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Oregon legislature records).