More police officers and firefighters die by suicide than on the job. The Oregon Legislature tried to do something about that last year.

It required emergency crisis lines to have staff trained to help first responders. It was just one of the new laws that went into effect on Jan. 1.

Two of the shortages Oregon has struggled with in staffing are in nurses and public defenders. The Legislature has taken action on both. For instance, the number of institutions that can train nurses was expanded. But growing the numbers of nurses and public defenders in Oregon is going to require a years long effort.

Low-income families also got a bit of relief from legislators in 2023. There is a new Oregon Kids Credit. Families earning $30,000 or less can get a fully refundable tax credit. Families earning up to $25,000 can get $1,000 tax credit per child up to age 5. Even people who don’t owe taxes can apply for and get the credit.

A concern for businesses and anyone who shops at them is organized retail theft. This is aimed at more than simple shoplifting. What the Legislature did with Senate Bill 340 is add new provisions to property crimes and retail theft. In part, longer sentences are authorized for repeat offenders.

One of the major things to not happen with new laws from the 2023 Legislature were fundamental changes to Measure 110. That was the ballot measure which decriminalized possession of smaller amounts of drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

The Legislature did make changes in 2023 try to ensure that money for treatment was properly spent. And it did also increase treatment for people in custody and require development of lessons for schools about fentanyl. Bigger changes to Measure 110 may come in this year’s session.