House Committee on Rules adopts amendments to HB 3390 and sends bill to the floor amid debate over who writes ballot language

On June 18, 2025, the House Committee on Rules adopted the -2 amendments to House Bill 3390 and voted to advance the bill to the full House with a "do pass" recommendation.

The committee’s action came after members debated whether the Legislature should write the explanatory language that appears in voters' pamphlets for referred measures, a practice some members said risks partisan framing of ballot materials. Vice Chair Jason argued against the change, citing recent newspaper coverage and prior Oregon experience as reasons to leave the task with the Secretary of State's office and the Attorney General. "This is not necessary, and it is not traditionally done," Vice Chair Jason said. He added that placing the drafting power in a legislative committee could produce language that is "not as open, transparent, neutral, and unbiased as we have with existing" practice.

Chair Bowman responded that the Legislature has written ballot titles in prior years and said the practice is within precedent. "The question that was asked this morning was, have we done this before? And the answer to that question is yes," Chair Bowman said, citing instances in 2019, 2017 and 2002. He said it was appropriate for the body to offer "an explanatory statement and a valid title that reflects our intent, subject to review."

Wenzel Cummings of the Office of Legislative Counsel confirmed that voters retain the ability to submit statements to the voters' pamphlet and that court review remains available for challenges to ballot language. Cummings told the committee, "I have nothing to add," after staff questions about access and review were raised.

Committee members moved and approved adoption of the -2 amendments. Vice Chair Grama moved adoption of the amendments; the committee recorded multiple "aye" votes and the chair announced, "The amendments are adopted." Vice Chair Pham then moved to send House Bill 3390, as amended, to the House floor with a due pass recommendation; the motion passed and the chair instructed a member to present the measure on the floor.

During discussion, members referenced an upcoming, separate statewide referral: a proposed $2,000,000,000 transportation tax that is expected to appear in the coming days. "I look forward to...support[ing] the referendum process on the $2,000,000,000 transportation tax that is going to come forward in the next few days," Vice Chair Jason said, while reiterating his concern about legislative involvement in ballot-language drafting.

The committee concluded the work session after the vote and adjourned. The bill will proceed to the House floor under a do-pass recommendation.