Oregon Legislative Issues
Last updated May 23, 2025 by Eric Leaming, Oregon ITE Legislative Chair
2025 Session - Transportation Funding
Transportation is becoming the major focus in Salem as this year’s legislative session enters its final weeks.
Legislative deadlines have come and gone for normal committee work, including at the Joint Committee on Transportation, and we have yet to see details on a transportation funding bill. Legislative leadership has set up the Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment to deliver the transportation bill before the end of this session and excepted them from traditional deadlines. The new committee has the same membership as the Joint Committee on Transportation.
On May 22, the Transportation Reinvestment Committee co-chairs sent an update on their work to legislative leadership. Like April’s TRIP framework, the 2-page update is a summary of objectives and potential policy changes and funding mechanisms, including using a carbon cap-and-trade system to pay for transportation. The results of a managerial review of ODOT, commissioned by the Legislature, is also expected to shape what goes in the transportation bill. The Transportation Reinvestment Committee is expected to hear from the managerial review consultants before the end of May.
While Democrats have a supermajority in both legislative chambers, they will likely need some Republican support in the House to pass a transportation bill. A vacant Democratic seat in the House won’t be filled until June 6, and a different Democratic House member is on extended medical leave.
The Oregon Constitution requires this year’s legislative session to end by June 29.
2025 Session - Transportation Bills
Here are other policy-related bills to track. This is not an exhaustive list. There are also several bills that passed the Joint Committee on Transportation that also need to pass the Ways & Means Committee to pay for the bill. With a large transportation bill in play this session, a transportation-related bill that failed earlier because of scheduling deadlines might still move forward if it gets amended into the larger transportation bill.
Last updated May 23, 2025 by Eric Leaming, Oregon ITE Legislative Chair
2025 Session - Transportation Funding
Transportation is becoming the major focus in Salem as this year’s legislative session enters its final weeks.
Legislative deadlines have come and gone for normal committee work, including at the Joint Committee on Transportation, and we have yet to see details on a transportation funding bill. Legislative leadership has set up the Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment to deliver the transportation bill before the end of this session and excepted them from traditional deadlines. The new committee has the same membership as the Joint Committee on Transportation.
On May 22, the Transportation Reinvestment Committee co-chairs sent an update on their work to legislative leadership. Like April’s TRIP framework, the 2-page update is a summary of objectives and potential policy changes and funding mechanisms, including using a carbon cap-and-trade system to pay for transportation. The results of a managerial review of ODOT, commissioned by the Legislature, is also expected to shape what goes in the transportation bill. The Transportation Reinvestment Committee is expected to hear from the managerial review consultants before the end of May.
While Democrats have a supermajority in both legislative chambers, they will likely need some Republican support in the House to pass a transportation bill. A vacant Democratic seat in the House won’t be filled until June 6, and a different Democratic House member is on extended medical leave.
The Oregon Constitution requires this year’s legislative session to end by June 29.
2025 Session - Transportation Bills
Here are other policy-related bills to track. This is not an exhaustive list. There are also several bills that passed the Joint Committee on Transportation that also need to pass the Ways & Means Committee to pay for the bill. With a large transportation bill in play this session, a transportation-related bill that failed earlier because of scheduling deadlines might still move forward if it gets amended into the larger transportation bill.
- HB-2012 – Requires ODOT to study crashes near entertainment events and report to the Joint Committee on Transportation on how to prevent crashes in the future.
- HB-2138 – Expands allowable middle housing requirements for local agencies (duplex, triplex, quadplex, townhouse, cottage cluster). Prohibits local agencies from requiring a traffic impact analysis for middle housing developed on a lot or parcel for residential infill or redevelopment.
- HB-2154 (PASSED) – Makes the county safety corridor program permanent.
- HB-2189 – Requires a warning for a first offence of speeding or running a red light if the conduct was captured by automated enforcement.
- HB-2643 – Allows vehicles towing a trailer to also tow a farm trailer.
- HB-2671 – Permits testing of automated vehicles in Oregon under certain circumstances.
- HB-2892 – Prohibits state agencies from sending money for capital construction projects unless the county promises to stay in Oregon for a specified time.
- HB-2978 – Makes changes to Oregon’s wildlife-vehicle collision program.
- HB-3155 – Allows all-terrain vehicles on non-Interstate highways (including city streets and county roads) if the vehicle is registered and meets equipment standards.
- HB-3231 – Requires an update to the passenger rail plan.
- HB-3233 (PASSED) – Requires ODOT to work with WSDOT and British Columbia to plan for passenger rail operations and funding.
- HB-3532 – Requires the Oregon Historical Society, with the help of advisory groups, to list highways and geographic features that bear offensive names and submit changes to the US Board on Geographic Names.
- HB-3542 – Allows motorcycle operators to ride between lanes of traffic. This is a repeat bill from several recent long legislative sessions.
- HB-3626 – Defines “powered micromobility devices” and changes helmet requirements for e-bikes.
- SB-0471 – Prohibits Class 3 e-bikes on sidewalks, bike lanes, or bike paths. (Bike Portland is reporting this bill will not move forward.)
- SB-0689 – Creates the Oregon Rail Department.
- SB-0711 – Creates a highway worker photo radar program and makes other changes to work zone photo radar laws for state highways.
Recap of Previous Legislative Sessions
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) closely tracks legislation related to transportation and publishes a Legislative summary Report after every Legislative Session. These documents provide summaries of most transportation bills, which effective dates, and in some cases, an ODOT staff person responsible for implementing the bill. The most recent ODOT Legislative Summary Reports are linked below. Contact ODOT Government Relations for copies of reports from previous Legislative Sessions.
2024 Legislative Session
There were 219 bills, memorials, and resolutions introduced during the 2024 session and of those, the legislature passed 135.
2023 Legislative Session
There were 2976 bills, memorials, and resolutions introduced during the 2023 session and of those, the legislature passed 653.
2022 Legislative Session
There were 275 bills, memorials, and resolutions introduced during the 2024 session and of those, the legislature passed 129.
2021 Legislative Session
There were 2519 bills, memorials, and resolutions introduced during the 2024 session and of those, the legislature passed 719.
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) closely tracks legislation related to transportation and publishes a Legislative summary Report after every Legislative Session. These documents provide summaries of most transportation bills, which effective dates, and in some cases, an ODOT staff person responsible for implementing the bill. The most recent ODOT Legislative Summary Reports are linked below. Contact ODOT Government Relations for copies of reports from previous Legislative Sessions.
2024 Legislative Session
There were 219 bills, memorials, and resolutions introduced during the 2024 session and of those, the legislature passed 135.
2023 Legislative Session
There were 2976 bills, memorials, and resolutions introduced during the 2023 session and of those, the legislature passed 653.
2022 Legislative Session
There were 275 bills, memorials, and resolutions introduced during the 2024 session and of those, the legislature passed 129.
2021 Legislative Session
There were 2519 bills, memorials, and resolutions introduced during the 2024 session and of those, the legislature passed 719.
National Legislative Issues
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
The Federal Highway Administration published the Final Rule for the 11th edition of the MUTCD on December 19, 2023. Watch the MUTCD homepage for other announcements and materials from FHWA on the roll-out of the new MUTCD.
What does this mean for Oregon? The Oregon Transportation Commission has until January 2026 to adopt the new MUTCD for use in Oregon through an update to OAR 734-020-0005. Until then, the 2009 Edition of the MUTCD is still in effect in Oregon.
ODOT and the Oregon Traffic Control Devices Committee will be developing the Oregon Supplement to the 11th Edition of the MUTCD during this time. The supplement will adapt the federal edition for use in Oregon. Watch ODOT’s MUTCD page for updates on this effort.
Oregon MUTCD Implementation & Supporting Documents - This link provides access to an ODOT web page providing supporting documentation for Oregon adoption of the 2009 MUTCD and FHWA Interim Approvals in Oregon.
MUTCD Federal Register Notices- Information on Notices of Proposed Amendments (NPAs) and Final Rules (FRs) regarding the MUTCD.
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The wide-ranging infrastructure law provides funding for infrastructure projects and reauthorizes several surface transportation programs through fiscal year 2026. Notably, Section 11135 of the IIJA requires that USDOT update the MUTCD on a 4-year cycle.
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
The Federal Highway Administration published the Final Rule for the 11th edition of the MUTCD on December 19, 2023. Watch the MUTCD homepage for other announcements and materials from FHWA on the roll-out of the new MUTCD.
What does this mean for Oregon? The Oregon Transportation Commission has until January 2026 to adopt the new MUTCD for use in Oregon through an update to OAR 734-020-0005. Until then, the 2009 Edition of the MUTCD is still in effect in Oregon.
ODOT and the Oregon Traffic Control Devices Committee will be developing the Oregon Supplement to the 11th Edition of the MUTCD during this time. The supplement will adapt the federal edition for use in Oregon. Watch ODOT’s MUTCD page for updates on this effort.
Oregon MUTCD Implementation & Supporting Documents - This link provides access to an ODOT web page providing supporting documentation for Oregon adoption of the 2009 MUTCD and FHWA Interim Approvals in Oregon.
MUTCD Federal Register Notices- Information on Notices of Proposed Amendments (NPAs) and Final Rules (FRs) regarding the MUTCD.
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The wide-ranging infrastructure law provides funding for infrastructure projects and reauthorizes several surface transportation programs through fiscal year 2026. Notably, Section 11135 of the IIJA requires that USDOT update the MUTCD on a 4-year cycle.