Meet Rob Nosse

I have been your state representative in Salem for a few terms, but I remain an activist and organizer at heart. As a gay man, I've devoted my life to fighting to make peoples' lives better: first for students, then for workers, and now as a representative for the residents of inner SE and NE Portland.

I got my start in Oregon politics in the 1990s, when I took a job as the executive director of the Oregon Student Association. While at OSA, I rallied students and young people to help defeat Measure 9, which was a discriminatory anti-LGBTQ+ ballot measure. That was one of my proudest achievements, and to this day I still take time to mentor young people interested in a career in politics and public service.

I went on to become a union organizer, first with SEIU Locals 503 and 49, and then with the Oregon Nurses Association. I also served on the board of Basic Rights Oregon Equality PAC, helping to elect LGBTQ candidates and their allies to political office.

I was first elected to the Oregon Legislature in 2014, and since then I've served in a variety of leadership roles.

When I served on the Ways and Means Committee in the 2021 and 2022 Session I was able to steer over $1.3 billion in state, federal, and marijuana revenues into a series of behavioral health bills and budgets—one of the largest investments in mental health in Oregon history.

As Chair of the House Committee on Behavioral Health & Health Care, I successfully championed House Bill 2002, Oregon's landmark law protecting abortion rights in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned by the conservative Supreme Court.

I also successfully worked to reform Ballot Measure 110, streamlining funding to health providers who serve our state's most vulnerable residents—and strengthening the courts' role in addressing Oregon's addiction challenges.

In 2025, I stood up to protect Medicaid funding. Oregon's innovative Medicaid system is an example for the nation, providing access to quality healthcare for our state's low-income families. I will always stand up for Medicaid, especially in light of major cuts from the federal government.

Despite immense pressure from the pharmaceutical industry, I passed a bill to restore access to lifesaving prescription drugs for Oregonians in every corner of the state. On top of that, in 2025 I introduced and passed bills that invested another $100 million into our state's behavioral health system through more spending on residential treatment facilities and workforce development.

For the last few years, I've led the way in steering more dollars to arts and cultural organizations, both big and small. Right here in Portland, I've helped get critical state funding to Portland Center Stage, the Portland Art Museum, the Oregon Symphony, and OMSI. I've also helped the High Desert Museum, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and the James Beard Public Market (which I can't wait to visit when it opens!)

I've lived in Southeast Portland with my husband, Jim, for almost thirty years. I'm the proud father of two Portland Public Schools alums, and proud grandfather to three more prospective PPS students. My daughter recently earned her degree from PSU in Psychology, while my son also recently earned an auto mechanic degree from PCC.