Oregon House approves three budget and capital-construction measures

The Oregon House of Representatives on the floor passed three bills that adjust budget allocations and capital-construction spending limits.

House Bill 5049, House Bill 5050 and House Bill 5051 were presented on the floor, read as required by rule, and each was declared passed after the clerk opened the voting system and the chair announced the measures had received the constitutional majority.

House Bill 5049 modifies allocations for the Administrative Services Economic Development Fund, the Oregon Marijuana Account and the criminal fine account. "House bill 50 49 modifies allocations for the Administrative Services Economic Development Fund, the Oregon Marijuana account, and the criminal fine account for programs approved in the 2023 legislatively approved budget," Representative Sanchez said on the floor. The bill increases a lottery allocation from the Economic Development Fund by $120,282, reduces a transfer to the Drug Treatment and Recovery Services Fund by $904,817, reduces criminal fine account allocations for the Department of Corrections by $5,200,000 and for the Judicial Department by $960,000, and relies on a general fund backfill in SB 5550 to maintain program levels, according to Sanchez's floor remarks.

House Bill 5050 provides specified allocations including $2,500,000 to Klamath County for its community college and funding related to military needs in Washington County. "What this bill does, colleagues, it allocates, or assures 2,500,000.0 down to Klamath County, for their community college. And then it also takes care of, some military needs in Washington County," Representative Smith said during third reading.

House Bill 5051 adjusts a six-year capital-construction expenditure limitation established in an earlier biennium so listed projects can proceed with additional funds. "House bill 50 51 adjusts a 6 year capital construction expenditure limitation that was originally established in the 2123 biennium for the planning design and construction of projects with costs over $1,000,000," a floor presenter explained; the bill increases federal funds limitations by $2,500,000 for the Oregon Military Department for the Washington County Readiness Center and increases other fund limitations by $2,500,000 for the Higher Education Coordinating Commission for a Klamath County community-college childcare resource and learning center, according to the presenter.

Each bill was reported from the Joint Committee on Ways and Means (or the relevant committee) with recommendation to pass and was read in title only after the House voted to suspend the usual section-by-section reading requirement for those measures. The clerk and presiding officer announced that each bill, having received the constitutional majority, "is declared passed." The floor record does not include a roll-call tally in the transcript excerpt; the House announcement instead certified each bill reached the constitutional majority.

Votes at a glance

- HB 5049: "Modifies allocations for the Administrative Services Economic Development Fund, the Oregon Marijuana account, and the criminal fine account." Presenter: Representative Sanchez. Outcome: passed (declared to have received constitutional majority). Funding adjustments cited in floor remarks: +$120,282 (Economic Development Fund lottery allocation); -$904,817 (Drug Treatment and Recovery Services Fund transfer); -$5,200,000 (DOC criminal fine account allocation); -$960,000 (Judicial Department criminal fine account allocation). Committee: Joint Committee on Ways and Means (recommendation to pass).

- HB 5050: "Allocates $2,500,000 to Klamath County for community college and funding for certain Washington County military needs." Presenter: Representative Smith. Outcome: passed (declared to have received constitutional majority). Committee: Joint Committee on Ways and Means (recommendation to pass).

- HB 5051: "Adjusts capital-construction expenditure limitation to add $2.5 million federal funds for the Oregon Military Department (Washington County Readiness Center) and $2.5 million other funds for the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (Klamath County childcare resource/learning center)." Presenter: floor presenter (as recorded). Outcome: passed (declared to have received constitutional majority). Committee: Joint Committee on Ways and Means (recommendation to pass).

Background and next steps

Floor presenters said each measure had been vetted in committee. Several speakers referenced the Ways and Means committee report recommending approval. The House suspended the section-by-section reading rule for the three measures before final passage. The transcript does not record individual named yea/no votes or the final numerical tally; the official House journal or the clerk's certified roll-call record should be consulted for the formal vote counts and any recorded objections.

The House adjourned until 11 a.m. Monday, March 20, 2025, at the close of the day's business.