House Revenue Committee advances update to stadium-financing statute for prospective Portland MLB team

The House Committee on Revenue voted June 12 to move Senate Bill 110 A to the floor with a due-pass recommendation. The bill updates an existing statute from 2003 to raise cost and compensation thresholds that could be used to help finance a prospective Major League Baseball stadium in Portland.

Why it matters: The measure does not commit state dollars today but changes statutory caps and the revenue sources that could be authorized in the future, including using incremental personal income tax receipts tied to player compensation. Committee members said the updates are intended to make the law competitive with modern costs while preserving later legislative and agency scrutiny.

A staff presenter summarized the measure as an update to the existing law and noted the committee had a revenue impact statement and fiscal materials on record. Representative Smith said the bill “will help send that signal” of legislative enthusiasm for Major League Baseball locating in Oregon. Representative Marsh, after reviewing a memo from the Oregon State Treasury, said the memo “was very helpful to me” and that the Treasury and Department of Administrative Services (DAS) will perform due diligence before any agreement is finalized. He added, “So with that input from Oregon State Treasury I'm gonna support the bill.”

Committee members emphasized that the statute is only a framework; they repeatedly noted the legislature and agencies would have opportunities for review before any financing agreement is executed. The chair clarified that the statute does not create a new tax rate or a special “baseball tax,” saying the bill is “just about identifying the taxes that will be paid by people who wouldn't be here if this didn't happen.”

Formal action: Vice Chair Walters moved the bill to the floor with a due-pass recommendation; the motion passed in committee. The motion record available in the transcript shows the motion was made by Vice Chair Walters and that a roll call followed; the committee announced that the motion “passes.” No appropriation or final contract was authorized by the committee vote.

What remains: Committee members and staff said further deliberations, agency due diligence (Treasury, DAS, Department of Revenue), and future budget decisions would be required before any revenue assignment or funding flow could occur. The committee also noted that any decision to continue assigning revenues to a stadium fund would require future legislative budget action.

Sources: Committee staff presentation and committee discussion; memo and fiscal materials from Oregon State Treasury and Department of Administrative Services referenced during the work session.