Committee reviews House Bill 2025: new vehicle taxes, ODOT oversight changes and EV road‑use charge phase‑in

Good evening. Calling the joint committee on transportation reinvestment to order. Today is Monday, June 9 at 05:10 in the afternoon. Tonight, we will be having an informational, meeting, and, we'll be getting information on house bill 20 25. So if we could have, Heidi Elliot, Allen Dale, and Catherine Jones come on up, we'll begin.

The Joint Committee on Transportation held an informational meeting June 9 to review House Bill 2025, a comprehensive package that would change how Oregon taxes fuel and vehicles, expand oversight and accountability for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), create a new transfer tax on vehicle purchases and phase in mandatory participation in the state's road‑usage charge for electric vehicles. Committee members heard legal and technical explanations from legislative counsel and staff and asked for revenue projections and clarifications to be provided before public hearings.

Why it matters: the bill would alter multiple long‑standing revenue streams for the State Highway Fund, direct $125 million annually to a set of prioritized “anchor” projects beginning in 2026, create new recurring revenue for cities and counties, and change how electric and other non‑gasoline vehicles contribute to road funding. Committee members repeatedly requested LRO and agency revenue estimates to show how the changes affect maintenance, preservation and project delivery.

Accountability and oversight Heidi Elliot, Senior Deputy with the Office of Legislative Counsel, said the bill starts with accountability provisions in sections 1 through 1f. “In those provisions, you will see that the Secretary of State is being directed to conduct a performance audit of the Department of Transportation at least once a biennium with regards to the use of the monies in the State Highway Fund,” she said, adding there is also an annual audit of capital projects. The draft also expands the Joint Committee on Transportation’s oversight and adds…