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County legislative update: SB 974A, expected transportation package and ODOT accountability remain active priorities
Summary
Washington County government relations staff briefed the committee on key bills including SB 974A (timelines for final engineering and permitting), the pending statewide transportation funding package, and upcoming ODOT accountability measures. Staff encouraged jurisdictions to provide testimony when hearings are scheduled.
Carly Silva Gabrielson, Washington County Government Relations Manager, briefed the coordinating committee on the state legislative calendar and several bills that could affect local government authority and transportation funding.
Carly said the Legislature is past the first chamber deadline and that the revenue forecast (expected May 14) will influence what the session can fund. She highlighted Senate Bill 974A, which would impose review timelines on local governments for final engineering plans and allow attorney fees to applicants under certain circumstances; the county remains opposed and is working with a coalition to seek amendments. Carly said the bill has been amended several times, that chair attention has produced additional requested changes, and that a public hearing and opportunities for testimony were scheduled.
Carly also said a statewide transportation funding package is still under negotiation and could be released as House Bill 2025. Staff warned that any bill could appear quickly and asked jurisdictions to be prepared to testify at short notice. She noted one Republican House transportation proposal that would avoid new taxes but would cut funding for transit, rail, bike/ped and climate programs; staff flagged reporting that some of the savings in that proposal were overstated.
On accountability, Carly said proposals are likely that would increase ODOT oversight and that additional accountability language may appear both inside the transportation package and in ODOT’s budget. Committee members urged messaging that emphasizes local benefits of any state package — Steven reminded the committee “half of the funds that are generated by this come back to the local jurisdictions.”
Ending: Staff asked member jurisdictions to be ready to provide written and verbal testimony on short notice and offered to circulate hearing notices and suggested points for local testimony.
