State Advocacy Updates
- OR Collections Law - Proposed Statute Change: Current Oregon statute (ORS 348.415- 358.440) outlines the legal process by which a museum can gain title to collection materials in their possession that are “loans,” defined as “all deposits of property with a museum that are not accompanied by a transfer of title to the property.” This definition includes all unsolicited deposits and objects found in collection, in addition to documented loans. The law as currently written creates significant time, cost, and paperwork burdens for museums. This often results in museums opting not to claim title to collections objects, and instead leaves the objects in limbo. Members of Oregon’s museum community seek to update the statue. A small group of museum community-members have spent the past 6 months researching other state laws and have drafted a plain language proposal for new legislation. This group consists of representatives from Oregon Museums Association, Oregon Historical Society, the Oregon Heritage Commission, and a museum volunteer and consultant. Learn more about the proposed changes and submit feedback via OMA's website.
Federal Advocacy Updates
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To see the National Council of Nonprofits chart on how the most recent Executive Orders affect nonprofits, including analysis of the Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking EO, follow this link.
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Read Democracy Forward's Press Release regarding the recent lawsuit by a coalition of organizations including AASLH, Union of Concerned Scientists, and more, which challenges the Department of the Interior Secretary’s Order 3431, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.”
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From AAM: Today, the American Alliance of Museums issued a statement in response to the Administration's continued attacks on the Smithsonian Institution and the broader implications these actions have for museums across the country. As our nation's flagship museum system and an AAM-accredited institution, the Smithsonian represents the highest standards of scholarship, stewardship, and public service. If our nation’s leading museum system can become subject to political influence, no museum is beyond reach. The precedent would jeopardize the independence of 22,000 museums of every size and discipline across the country.
We invite you to read the full statement and to use this draft letter to contact your representatives. Please edit the letter to include your own perspectives.
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From Preservation Action: "[In June 2026,] Congressman Mike Carey (R-OH) introduced the Historic Preservation and Land Conservation Certainty Act in the House. This bill would provide property owners with a statutory settlement structure to resolve outstanding tax controversy around their use of the conservation easement program. This new settlement program would align with Congressional reforms included in the SECURE 2.0 provisions of the 2022 Omnibus bill. Importantly, this bill helps clear the backlog of easement cases in U.S. Tax Court while still addressing abusive transactions, and providing more certainty for historic property owners that utilize historic preservation easements to protect and rehabilitate these properties.
The historic preservation easement program offers historic building owners charitable tax deductions if they partner with preservation-focused non-profits to permanently protect the historic character of buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Preservation easements are an important, congressionally-authorized tool to protect and rehabilitate historic sites, but have been targeted by IRS audits, causing many to not pursue easements. This bill would help ensure historic property owners who have utilized preservation easements can continue to benefit from this important tool."
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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) recently voted to approve a rewrite to regulations for Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Numerous preservation organizations have expressed opposition to the proposed rules, noting that the rewritten rules would diminish effectiveness of the NHPA and legal protections for cultural and historic sites.
From Preservation Action:
"The revisions shift authority away from collaborative consultation and toward unilateral agency control, undermining the ability of states, tribes, local communities, and the public to protect their important historic resources. Despite the desire to accelerate the federal review process, the regulations will actually lead to more delays and litigation."
From The National Trust for Historic Preservation:
“The ACHP’s proposed changes to Section 106 will eviscerate the preservation of our shared civic and cultural heritage in the United States.”
-Brent Leggs, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
National Museums Advocacy Day
Museums Advocacy Day was hosted by the American Alliance of Museums on February 23-24, 2026. Learn more about this year's program.
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