State Capitol building in Salem in 2009. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Note: If you are aware of a transportation-related bill that’s not on this list, please contact me.
The 2024 session of the Oregon Legislature kicked off Monday and now there’s a 35-day sprint to make new laws before the gavel comes down. It’s a short session (Oregon only has full sessions on odd-numbered years), so pundits like to say the only things that will get attention are major bills from the most powerful players. But you never know, and judging by the hundreds of bills already filed, it appears many lawmakers are willing to roll the dice.
I’ve spent a bit of time wading through the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS) and have found a bunch of bills that have transportation implications. Note that there are some bills we expect to see that I could not track down. Those include: A funding request for safety upgrades on inner SE Powell Blvd; a change to bike lane law being pushed by trucker advocates, and a bill to clarify Oregon’s recreational immunity law. I’ll update the list below if/when I find those and any other bills that may come to my attention in the coming days.
Check out the list below to see the bills BikePortland will be keeping an eye on this session…
HB 4048 (Overview)
Sponsored by Reps Helfrich and Breese-Iverson (Rs)
Summary: “relaxes housing standards, establishes a housing office to enforce housing laws, allows a new UGB amendment and limits counties’ role in UGB amendments.”
This bill would relax housing regulations in Oregon. It would limit the power of Metro and the State of Oregon enforce development within the Urban Growth Boundary and give more of that power to local counties. Among the housing regulations it would allow local governments to adjust are bicycle parking standards for residential units.
HB 4067 (Overview)
Sponsored by Reps Nguyen D and Nelson (Ds)
Summary: “Creates the Task Force on Electric Micromobility.”
As BP reported last month, this bill would help raise the profile of electric bicycles and all types of non-car e-micromobility vehicles by setting up a statewide task force where new policy ideas could be discussed and vetted.
HB 4103 (Overview)
Sponsored by Rep Levy
Summary: “… kids under 16 years of age may ride Class 1 e-bikes. The Act also states that only those 16 years of age and older may operate Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes. The Act creates the offense of unsafe e-bike riding. If a person violates the law, the person could face a fine of up to $100. Modifies the definition of electric assisted bicycle for purposes of the Oregon Vehicle Code. Adds definitions of Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 electric assisted bicycles. Provides that children under 16 years of age may operate Class 1 electric assisted bicycles and provides that only persons 16 years of age and older may operate Class 2 and Class 3 electric assisted bicycles. Creates the offense of unsafe electric assisted bicycle riding. Punishes by maximum fine of $100.”
This is the “Trenton’s Law” bill we wrote about back in November. It would be a major change to the legal standing of electric bikes in Oregon.
HB 4110 (Overview)
Sponsored by Joint Committee on Transportation
Summary: Would award $6 million to the Port of Cascade Locks for Bridge of the Gods project
This project aims to bolster funding for the Bridge of the Gods seismic and safety retrofit project that we reported in 2018 could include a new biking and walking path.
HB 4147 (Overview)
Sponsored by Reps Neron, Hudson, Ruiz, Boice (Bipartisan)
Summary: “Permits an education provider to have stop arm cameras on school buses for the purpose of recording persons who fail to stop for bus safety lights.”
Who can possible say no to this law that would allow any educator or school district in the state to install automated cameras to photograph scofflaws?!
HB 4165 (Overview)
Sponsored by Rep Boshart Davis (R)
Summary: “Requires the Department of Transportation to prepare and submit a report on the statutory changes necessary to balance transportation cost responsibility between light and heavy vehicles.”
This is part of a large debate this session that revolves around who pays their “fair share” of road taxes — especially how much freight truck drivers pay in taxes, versus the damage they have on the system and the benefits they get out of it. Many lawmakers believe trucking companies are paying too much in weight-mile taxes and that ODOT has failed to use the funds to ease freeway congestion. (Expect more from BP about all this soon. And see SB 1519 and SB 1543 below.)
WES from Beaverton to Salem? Lawmakers want to take a closer look at that idea. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
SB 1512 (Overview)
Sponsored by Joint Committee on Transportation
Summary: Would award $6 million to the Port of Cascade Locks for Bridge of the Gods project
This is the Senate version of HB 4110.
SB 1519 (Overview)
Sponsored by Sen Boquist (R)
Summary: “lowers weight-mile taxes. The Act directs ODOT to adopt rules so that ODOT may issue refunds to taxpayers who overpaid weight-mile taxes in recent years.”
One of the legislative attempts to change taxation of freight trucks and alleges that ODOT has overcharged trucking companies.
SB 1543 (Overview)
Sponsored by Sen Findley, Representative Owens (Rs)
Summary: “lowers weight-mile taxes, limits ODOT spending on certain things.
Another attempt to right what some see as unfair taxes on trucking companies and this one goes a bit further by requiring the legislature to establishing budgetary limits for ODOT in specific project categories.
SB 1556 (Overview)
Sponsored by Sen Weber, Representative Javadi, Stout (Rs)
Summary: Requires ODOT to conduct a study conditions on Highway 30 between Rainier and Astoria and determine what it would take to bring the highway up to a state of good repair.
The bill would require lawmakers to share the report with the Joint Committee on Transportation. This might be an opportunity to advocate for safer shoulders and bicycle infrastructure on this very sketchy section of Hwy 30 that could be much more welcoming to many bike tourists.
SB 1559 (Overview)
Sponsored by Senator Dembrow, Representative Gamba, Senator Manning Jr, Representative Andersen, Neron (Ds)
Summary: “… changes the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals.“
This bill would update existing GHG reduction goals and set a new aspiration for the State of Oregon to achieve “net zero emissions as soon as practicable, but no later than 2050.” It would also change the term “global warming” to “climate change” in existing statutes.
SB 1563 (Overview)
Sponsored by Senator Anderson (R)
Summary: This bill would require ODOT to complete a study of Hwy 101 between Lincoln City and Coos Bay.
Unfortunately it looks like this bill is written in a way that is very car-centric. It says ODOT needs to study the corridor and intersections along it, “to relieve congestion and produce safer driving conditions.” If this passes, ODOT needs to make sure they take a complete streets/safe systems approach to their study.
SB 1572 (Overview)
Sponsored by Senator Woods, Manning Jr, Representative Mannix, Andersen, Evans, Neron (Ds)
Summary: “a study on extending the Westside Express Service commuter line to Salem.”
This exciting bill will be an opportunity for rail advocates to engage with the legislature around a concrete plan to extend existing TriMet WES service to Salem. WES currently runs only between Beaverton and Wilsonville.
Did I miss anything? Please let me know if you’ve heard of something that should be on our radar.
How a Bill Becomes Law. (Source: State of Oregon)
The next step for these bills is to await committee assignments (see the full process of how a bill becomes law in the graphic above). Then they’ll need to earn a public hearing and a vote in committee. There are deadlines for all these steps and as time goes on we’ll discover which of these — if any — has the momentum and support it takes to reach the finish line.
Stay tuned!
