Senate committee advances bill letting Oregon Racing Commission raise licensing and wagering fees

The Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue advanced Senate Bill 853 on a 4-0 roll-call vote, sending the bill to the Senate floor with a "do pass" recommendation and a subsequent referral to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.

The bill would raise statutory caps on several fees charged by the Oregon Racing Commission, including individual license fees and online-wagering fees. The committee opened a public hearing and a work session on the bill after the commission requested more time to prepare paperwork on a separate measure.

The racing commission's executive director, Connie Wynne, told the committee the agency is losing money on most individual licenses and is facing reduced revenue after the exit of online wagering operators and local off-track betting locations. Wynne said current individual license fees are $20 per year, while processing and background checks alone can cost about $53 per license, not including staffing and database costs.

Wynne descr…