Subcommittee recommends budget-limit increases for veterans homes, housing, paid leave and agency IT projects

The Joint Interim Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Transportation and Economic Development on Jan. 14 recommended that the full Ways and Means Committee consider a series of expenditure-limit changes and related actions across multiple state agencies.

Cochair David Gomberg moved each LFO-recommended item after agency presentations and DAS CFO recommendations. The subcommittee voted to forward all items discussed, with roll-call votes recorded for each measure and the responsible legislators asked to carry the items to the full committee.

Key outcomes at a glance: all measures discussed were recommended to the full committee. Highlights include a $7.1 million other‑funds capital construction limit for an HVAC life‑safety project at the Lebanon Veterans Home and a $134,000 federal funds limit to accept a federal grant for nurse hiring at the Dallas Veterans Home; an increase to the Oregon Cultural Trust expenditure limitation (LFO recommended $5,367,756); approximately $3.28 million in additional federal expenditure limitation for Business Oregon’s SSBCI program; large realignment requests from Oregon Housing and Community Services to match available funds with projected spending (LFO recommended increases of $39,671,236 other funds and $105,585,695 federal funds, covering HOME/ARPA, disaster recovery, weatherization and multiple other program lines); an increase of $2,989,139 other funds and authorization of 11 limited‑duration positions for Paid Leave Oregon system enhancements; $1,108,198 in federal funds limitation for an ODOT crash data replacement pilot; and technical or carry‑forward adjustments for DCBS, the Workers’ Compensation Board and the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission.

Votes at a glance (subcommittee recommendation outcomes): - Item 29 (ODVA: Lebanon Veterans Home HVAC; federal grant for Dallas nurses) — Recommended to full committee; roll-call recorded Representative Matt Bunch as the lone Nay among members present; Representative Kate excused. (Motion moved by Cochair David Gomberg.) - Item 25 (Business Oregon: Cultural Trust administrative and grant expenditures) — Recommended to full committee (LFO recommended $5,367,756 other funds). - Item 26 (Business Oregon: State Small Business Credit Initiative program income expenditures) — Recommended to full committee (LFO recommended $3,281,050 federal funds). - Item 27 (Oregon Housing and Community Services: multiple other- and federal-funds limitation increases) — Recommended to full committee (LFO recommended $39,671,236 other funds; $105,585,695 federal funds). - Item 28 (Employment Department: Paid Leave Oregon improvements — IT purchases and 11 limited-duration positions) — Recommended to full committee (LFO recommended $2,989,139 other funds and authorization for 11 limited-duration positions, 6.42 FTE). - Item 46 (ODOT: State Electronic Data Collection Program grant for crash data system) — Recommended to full committee (LFO recommended $1,108,198 federal funds). - Item 48 (DCBS: classification and compensation adjustments) — Recommended to full committee ($214,515 other funds). - Item 49 (DCBS/WCB: Workers’ Compensation Board compensation corrections) — Recommended to full committee ($851,988 other funds). - Item 54 (OLCC: warehouse management IT project carry‑forward) — Recommended to full committee ($4,783,827 other funds carry‑forward of approved bond proceeds).

What happens next: committee members asked that the appropriate members (frequently the motion mover or Senator McClain/Representative Gomberg) carry the recommended changes to the full Ways and Means Committee for consideration during the 2026 session. Several presenters said the requests do not create new ongoing General Fund obligations but instead align spending authority with cash on hand or accepted federal awards.

Meeting adjourned after the final item.