Lake Oswego staff brief council on 2025 legislative session, housing bills and ongoing transportation special session

City staff gave a wide-ranging legislative update on Sept. 16, reviewing major outcomes of the 2025 Oregon legislative session and identifying bills that will require Lake Oswego policy and code work over the next two years.

Deputy City Manager Madison Thiesing and Community Development Director Noma Numanalou summarized bills of greatest local interest. Items passed during the long session included a restoration of recreational immunity for public lands, funding for wildfire programs linked to nicotine-related taxes, targeted housing infrastructure funding (House Bill 3031) and a technical fix that allowed Habitat for Humanity to use an existing $1.7 million appropriation on an alternate nearby project. Other measures — including several climate rebate programs and ebike safety regulations — failed to pass and remain active issues.

Housing bills and local impacts Staff presented four housing-related bills expected to have…