Oregon lawmakers have a new roadmap for tackling racism as a public health issue, and it's packed with more than 100 recommendations for the 2027 legislative session.

According to KGW8, the Oregon Advocacy Commissions Office released the four-year report this week, built on input from more than 200 Oregonians of color and developed alongside the Oregon Health Authority. It digs into how Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color face unequal access to stable jobs, education, health care, and housing — the everyday conditions that shape locals’ lives.

"This is an opportunity for state government to earn trust with communities of color who have been historically excluded," said executive director of the Oregon Advocacy Commissions Office, Jeff Selby, per the outlet. "The report process is a model for community engagement, as we all work together toward meaningful outcomes in community."

State Rep. Travis Nelson said the findings have already shaped legislation, with several bills signed into law over the past two sessions covering topics like culturally specific health services and school staffing diversity. One concrete example: After residents flagged that Spanish-speaking applicants were passing the DMV's written driving test at a rate of roughly 21%, versus 51% for English speakers, organizers connected the DMV with community groups to address the gap.

The report dates back to 2021, when Oregon lawmakers formally declared racism a public health crisis. “Racism in Oregon has left a legacy of trauma from one generation to the next, impacting Oregon tribes, Black and indigenous communities and people of color through a cumulative effect,” a section of the declaration reads. 

A separate report from the Commonwealth Fund found Oregon has more severe racial and ethnic health disparities than its neighbors in the West, with Native American, Black, and Hispanic residents lagging behind white and Asian American residents on access, quality, and outcomes. Researchers warned that federal changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act since 2025 could make those gaps worse, not better.

The Oregon Advocacy Commissions Office says the goal now is turning research into real policy before lawmakers reconvene — and building trust with communities that have historically been left out of the process.

The full report can be seen here.