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Subcommittee ratifies Construction Contractors Board fee increase for two-year license, advancing SB 5510 to Ways and Means
Summary
The General Government Subcommittee approved LFO’s recommendation to ratify a Construction Contractors Board administrative fee increase that raises the two-year contractor license from $325 to $400; the measure passed the subcommittee on a roll-call vote and will go to the full Ways and Means committee.
The General Government Subcommittee on Wednesday approved Senate Bill 5510, a fee-ratification bill that authorizes the Construction Contractors Board (CCB) to charge $400 for a two-year contractor license, up from $325.
Chris Huntington, administrator of the Oregon Construction Contractors Board, told the committee the change implements fees adopted by the agency through administrative rule and approved by the Department of Administrative Services during the 2023–25 biennium. He said the last increase was in 2010 and that the CCB estimates the increase will generate about $1,400,000 in additional revenue for the 2023–25 biennium and about $2,800,000 for the 2025–27 biennium. Huntington said the agency is operating with staffing levels similar to the prior recession and that without the fee increase the board would have needed to eliminate about 10 positions across licensing, dispute resolution and enforcement, which he said would slow licensing, reduce enforcement in the field and lower consumer protections.
The motion to accept the Legislative Fiscal Office recommendation and advance SB 5510 to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means passed on a roll-call vote. Recorded votes included: Representative Gompert — Aye; Representative Reschke — No; Representative Chi Chi — Aye; Representative Tran — Yes; Representative Smith — No; Senator Anderson — No; Senator Manning — Aye; Senator Gorsuch — Yes. The tally reported by the committee was five ayes and three noes; the motion carried. The committee designated Senator Manning and Representative Tran to carry the bill to full committee and floor consideration.
The vote followed debate in which several members, including Representative Reschke, said they opposed fee increases generally and linked fee increases to consumer price impacts, while other members — including Representative Tran and several senators — said delayed or reduced licensing and enforcement would risk consumer safety and project delays. Representative Gomes asked the administrator what would happen with belt-tightening instead of a fee increase; Huntington answered that reductions would significantly affect enforcement, licensing processing time and consumer protections.
Why it matters: The subcommittee’s action ratifies a multi-year fee increase for contractor licensing that funds the board’s operations. The committee record includes votes and named carriers so the bill can proceed to broader budget review in Ways and Means.
Next steps: SB 5510 will be taken to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means; Senator Manning and Representative Tran were named as carriers.
