by Sara Odendahl, Director of Government Affairs, Bend Chamber

The 2025 Legislative Session is underway, and legislators will be busy working on policy and budget issues for the next 160 days.  This year’s session is a “long session” wherein elected consider policy issues as well as craft the state’s biennial budget. Over 2,400 bills have been introduced, with 600–-700 more expected prior to the first deadline. Most of these bills will not move forward, but they are placeholders for policy discussions along the way.   

Thus far the Chamber is tracking over 150 bills ranging from employment issues, tax policy, economic incentives, childcare investments, housing production policies and of course the beginning conversations surrounding a transportation funding plan. There will be no shortage of big ticket issues this session to track and advocate for our region’s business community.  

As in previous years, among the Chamber’s top priorities is a package of pro-housing policies to address our housing crisis.  Investments in critical infrastructure, funding to incentive moderate income housing production and policies to make it easier and quicker to build needed housing are on the top of the list. The 2024 session saw significant investments in housing production policies, and we are advocating building on those investments in 2025.  

We’ll be closely tracking a package of bills our partner organization, Oregon Business and Industry, is offering related to modernization of the state’s regulatory processes. OBI’s 2025 Competitiveness Agenda outlines a series of policy changes the state can undertake to make the rulemaking process more transparent and easier to navigate for regulated industries.  

Funding for transportation will be a late session issue as revenue projections shore up the state’s budget setting process. The Joint Transportation Committee, made up of Representatives and Senators, spent the interim holding listening sessions and convening workgroups to dig into the state’s transportation system needs. It is well acknowledged that the gas tax, the primary funding mechanism, is not sufficient to cover the state’s needs and there are many proposals on the table to create new revenue sources. We anticipate this to be a discussion for later in the session and be a lynchpin in the closure of the budget for FY 25-27.  

The Bend Chamber welcomes input from our members on legislation of interest, as we refine our agenda and advocate for the region’s business community. More information on our 2025 Legislative Agenda can be found on our website, and we will send regular member updates on issues of interest via ENews and other communication channels. And as always, the state’s Legislative website, OLIS, is a resource to learn about legislation, and participate in the legislative process.