Oregon Public Broadcasting

More than four thousand Oregonians are being notified that the in-home care services they rely on won’t be coming to an end next week, as planned.

Thursday a legislative panel restored funding to the programs.  They were to be eliminated in across-the-board budget cuts.

The Oregon Legislature’s Emergency Board dipped into a reserve fund designated for human services.

Budget-writers used about half of the money available. Some lawmakers on the panel questioned whether it was wise to use that much. But in the end the motion passed without opposition.

Some of the in-home care programs have only been restored through next February.

Lawmakers including Democratic State Senator Alan Bates say they’ll try to find even more stopgap money later, as long as Oregon's economy doesn't get worse.

Alan Bates: “We made the best decision I think that we could. We all gave up things we cared about to get there. I think that it’s a good, good first try at this.”

Legislative leaders say the Emergency Board will meet again in September to counter-act cuts to the Department of Corrections.

Without additional action, that agency says it will have to close three prisons this fall.