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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2026

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Oregon Lawmaker Proposes Expanded Privacy Protections for Patients and Health Care Providers By John Oliver A new bill introduced in the Oregon House seeks to reinforce privacy protections for patients and medical providers at a time when health care policy remains sharply divided across state lines. Rep. Lisa Fragala, a Democrat from Eugene, has filed House Bill 4088, titled the Strengthening Patient and Provider Privacy Act. The proposal is designed to shield individuals who seek or provide lawful reproductive and gender-affirming health care in Oregon from what supporters describe as increasing federal and out-of-state scrutiny. The measure comes nearly four years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a decision that shifted primary authority over abortion laws back to individual states. Since then, a growing number of states have enacted stricter limits on abortion and gender-affirming care, while others, including Oregon, have moved to codify and expand access. The resulting patchwork of laws has created new legal and political tensions, particularly between neighboring states with differing policies. Fragala said the legislation is intended to reinforce Oregon’s existing legal framework by limiting cooperation with investigations that target health care services that are lawful within the state. “Oregonians believe that personal decisions about healthcare and private information should be made by individuals and their healthcare providers — not

by politicians and the government,” Fragala said in a statement announcing the bill. She described the proposal as a way to uphold Oregon’s approach to personal medical decision-making amid what she characterized as growing federal pressure and out-of-state interference. House Bill 4088 would prohibit Oregon public agencies from assisting federal or outof-state authorities in investigating or prosecuting individuals for receiving or providing health care services that are legal in Oregon. The measure would also bar the extradition of patients or providers who are not considered fugitives but are sought by other states

for actions that are lawful under Oregon law. In addition, the bill would restrict the Oregon Health Authority from disclosing individually identifiable information about patients seeking reproductive or gender-affirming care. It proposes expanding certain professional licensing protections to include midwives and strengthening privacy safeguards for providers and patients by protecting images, phone numbers, and other personal details connected to legally provided services. Another provision would treat simultaneous name and sex marker changes as confidential records, a step supporters say is aimed at enhancing personal safety.

Rep. Willy Chotzen, a Democrat from Portland, said the bill would make constituents “more likely to have their privacy respected” and less vulnerable to harassment for lawful medical decisions. The legislation has drawn support from a broad coalition of medical, civil rights, labor, and advocacy organizations. Among those backing the measure are the Oregon Medical Association, the ACLU of Oregon, Planned Parenthood Action Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon, the Oregon Nurses Association, and the Oregon AFL-CIO, along with several community-based health and equity groups. Supporters argue that the bill positions Oregon as part of a broader group of states strengthening in-state protections for providers and patients in response to shifting federal policy and cross-border enforcement efforts. Critics of similar measures in other states have contended that such laws could complicate interstate legal disputes and deepen national divisions over health care regulation. House Bill 4088 will be assigned to a legislative committee for further review, where lawmakers are expected to debate its legal implications, scope, and potential fiscal impact. If approved by the Legislature and signed into law, the measure would further solidify Oregon’s role as a state committed to maintaining broad access to reproductive and gender-affirming health services while emphasizing privacy and noncooperation with out-of-state enforcement efforts.

Power Outage Closes Josephine County Courthouse Offices After Week of Service Disruptions By John Oliver Josephine County offices inside the county courthouse were forced to close Monday, February 2, 2026, after an ongoing power outage left the building without electricity and no estimated timeline for restoration. The unexpected shutdown marks the second major service disruption for residents in less than a week, following widespread issues with credit card processing systems that affected both city and county offices. According to county officials, the outage impacted offices located at the courthouse at 500 NW 6th Street in Grants Pass. Departments closed for the day include Human Resources, Finance, the Board of Commissioners, the Clerk’s Office, Treasury, Veteran Services, Legal Counsel, and the Assessor’s Office. While the courthouse was the primary site affected, the Corrections Department, though housed at a separate location, also closed due to complications related to the outage. Other county offices remained open and operational, but officials encouraged residents to call ahead before visiting in person, noting that conditions could change quickly depending on the status of power restoration and related infrastructure.

The closure comes on the heels of processing system failures last week that left many city and county credit card machines offline. Residents attempting to pay fees, fines, permits, or other government-related expenses encountered delays when electronic payment systems temporarily went down. For individuals without cash or checks readily available, routine transactions became difficult

or impossible to complete. Between last week’s payment processing disruptions and this week’s power outage, many residents and county employees have faced an unusually turbulent stretch of service interruptions. While the causes of the separate incidents differ, the combined impact has underscored the degree to which modern government operations rely heavily on stable utilities and digital infrastructure. When electronic systems fail, even briefly, the ripple effects can be felt quickly. In public offices, routine tasks such as recording documents, issuing licenses, processing property records, and handling court-related filings depend on consistent electricity and secure digital connectivity. Without power, not only are computer systems rendered unusable, but access to phones, security systems, and internal communications can also be disrupted. For county workers, the closure means an unexpected pause in services that are often time-sensitive. For residents, it adds another layer of inconvenience in a week already marked by uncertainty. Businesses that rely on government filings, contractors seeking permits, veterans accessing support services, and residents paying

property or court-related obligations have all been encouraged to monitor county updates as the situation develops. Service interruptions, whether caused by power failures or processing outages, highlight the fragile balance between infrastructure and the day-today functioning of local government. For Josephine County residents, the past week has served as a reminder that even routine civic transactions depend on systems that can occasionally falter. For many in Josephine County, it has been a rocky week shaped by utility disruptions and processing setbacks. Officials say they remain focused on restoring normal operations as quickly and safely as possible.