Committee adopts amendment to allow Racing Commission auditors to place wagers while auditing; bill moved to Senate floor

The Senate Committee on Labor and Business moved quickly through a work session on Senate Bill 856 on Feb. 25, 2025, adopting a committee amendment and forwarding the bill to the Senate floor with a due‑pass recommendation.

Whitney, committee staff, summarized the dash‑1 amendment, saying it "permits officers or employees of the Oregon Racing Commission to place a bet or wager on a race meet held under the supervision of the commission while they are acting in the course of carrying out official auditing duties," and that the amendment had no fiscal or revenue impact. Vice Chair Bonham moved to adopt the dash‑1 amendment; seeing no objection, the motion passed. Vice Chair Bunn then moved the bill as amended to the Senate floor with a due‑pass recommendation; the motion likewise passed, and the committee excused Sen. Woods for the vote.

The committee did not record roll‑call tallies in the hearing record; both actions were adopted by voice with no recorded objections. The measure will proceed to the full Senate for further consideration.