Oregon House reconsiders and passes bill updating law for I‑5 bridge tolling with Washington

The Oregon House voted to reconsider a prior vote and then passed House Bill 29 31, a measure that updates state law to account for a Washington‑run tolling program tied to the Interstate 5 bridge replacement project.

Supporters said the bill preserves Oregon’s ability to claim 50% credit for toll revenue and maintain the interstate replacement partnership with Washington. Opponents warned the changes could embed long‑term tolling and remove statutory language that would require toll revenues to be reduced.

Representative Rob Nelson moved to reconsider the earlier failure to pass the bill, saying some members “were not fully aware or fully understood the impact of this bill.” The motion to reconsider was adopted, and debate resumed before the final vote.

Representative Mannix, speaking in favor, said the bill “does not independently allow or direct a congestion‑pricing program” and described the measure as technical updates to modernize statutes to fit the current bridge program and to reflect that Washington will administer tolling.

Opponents framed the bill as a tolling measure. Representative Drazen said he rose “in opposition to House Bill 29 31,” and questioned whether the bridge design and the long‑term tolling framework were appropriate. Representative Drazen also warned that the project’s proposed design allocates a large share of bridge surface to non‑road uses.

Representative Gamboa urged caution about assuming the Legislature could stop tolling, saying in debate that voting against the bill would not stop Washington from tolling the bridge and that “what it will do is stop Oregon from benefiting from those tolls to the degree that we could.” Representative McLean, a bill supporter, told colleagues that a yes vote would “make sure that we get credit, can use, and pay for with that tolling, not 1¢ more than 50% and not 1 cent less than 50%.”

After the House was placed under call and individual members’ votes were recorded, the clerk announced that House Bill 29 31 had “received the constitutional majority” and was declared passed.

The debate focused on three distinct issues: (1) technical statute changes needed to coordinate with Washington and the federal program, (2) whether the bill would allow ongoing or variable tolling practices such as congestion or demand pricing, and (3) removal of a phrase in current law that opponents said required toll revenues to be reduced. Several members asked that future policy choices about toll levels, congestion pricing, and bridge design remain subject to subsequent actions by the Legislature and by the Oregon Transportation Commission.

No administrative or implementation dates were established on the House floor during the debate. The clerk certified final passage on the House floor after the recorded vote.