Legislature

The 2019 Oregon Legislative Session came to a close Sunday, June 30, just after 5:20 p.m. By many accounts it was one of the most unique and contentious sessions in modern memory as the Democrats, holding a supermajority in both the House and the Senate, took up a very ambitious agenda. A number of high-profile bills were passed, including a gross receipts tax on corporations for education funding (HB 3427), modest Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) reform (SB 1049), paid family leave (HB 2005), a tobacco tax being sent to voters in 2020 (HB 2270), an increase in the 9-1-1 tax (HB 2449), rent control (SB 608), limitations on single-family zoning (HB 2001), drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants (HB 2015). And of course one bill that didn’t pass, cap and trade (HB 2020), which died after the Senate Republicans left the state to protest and avoid a vote.

With the recent passage of House Bill 2017, the state’s largest ever transportation funding package, from the 2017 Session, many transportation funding and policy issues were not taken up this Session. Legislators were more focused on the environmental impacts of the transportation sector which were reflected in the cap and trade bill (HB 2020), which died in the Senate, and the clean diesel bill (HB 2007), which passed and is effective immediately. The other transportation related bills focused primarily on transportation safety such as, expanding speed limits on county roads (SB 558), establishing a county safety corridor pilot program (HB 3213), clarifying the definition of “bicycle lanes” (HB 2682), and creating a wildlife corridor action plan in the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) in cooperation with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) (HB 2834). 

One of the most significant successes for county public works departments came in HB 2769, where an intergovernmental workgroup, including county road officials, redesigned the Qualification Based Selection (QBS) process to include price summaries from finalists. In contrast, counties face challenges from
HB 2415, which requires the retainage from contracts exceeding $500,000 to be placed in an interest bearing escrow account. 

The summary below highlights legislation that either directly affects or is of interest to Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) affiliate, Oregon Association of County Engineers and Surveyors (OACES) and county road departments— including legislation that failed. The first section discusses significant bills such as clean diesel
(
HB 2007), which will require the metro/tri-county region to phase out their pre-2009 diesel vehicles by 2029. The remaining sections outline the relevant bills this Session and the work AOC and OACES is doing to represent the needs of all counties. 

Bills of Significance:

SB 558: County Speed Zones (AOC Supported) 

Passed

Summary

The speed limits in ORS 811.111(d) already align with the speeds set by the “basic rule”(ORS 811.100), but through the bill, road departments are authorized to post “speed limit” signs rather than basic “speed” signs. The bill aims to provide consistency for road users and law enforcement regarding safe speeds. It also authorizes cities to reduce speed limits in residence districts by five miles per hour (mph) through ordinance. This would reduce the statutory speed from 25 mph to 20 mph in the designated residence districts. 

The county portion of the bill was designed to bring consistency to speed setting practices and provide clarity to road users. The goal is to change the culture around speeding and start to lower speeds to better reflect designated speed limits. There has been ambiguity over whether the basic rule allows drivers to exceed the posted speed if conditions allow. The change in signs from “speed” to “speed limit” are meant to clarify that the established speed limit is the maximum safe speed. 

AOC/OACES Engagement

SB 558 was a product of the Speed Zone Roundtable that convened during the 2018 interim and included ODOT, League of Oregon Cities (LOC), and AOC. The roundtable will continue through 2019 in anticipation of the 2020 Short Session, and is expected to explore the idea of expanding the authority to reduce speeds in residence districts to counties to maintain consistency. 

Fiscal Impact to Counties: Minimal Fiscal Impact

Revenue Impact to Counties: Minimal Revenue Impact

Floor Votes: House 57-3-0; Senate 25-3-1.

Effective Date: January 1, 2020.

HB 2007: Clean Diesel (AOC Neutral) 

Passed

Summary

Prohibits the Department of Transportation from titling any heavy-duty, diesel vehicles older than 2006, or medium-duty, diesel vehicles older than 2009 after January 1, 2025 in Washington, Multnomah, or Clackamas Counties. The bill also requires the Oregon Department of Transportation to phase out diesel vehicles in the tri-county area by prohibiting the department from registering:

  • All diesel vehicles older than 1996 after January 1, 2023;
  • Medium-duty diesel vehicle older than 2009 by January 1, 2029;
  • Heavy-duty diesel vehicle older than 2009 owned by a public body by January 1, 2029; and 
  • Heavy-duty diesel vehicle older than 2006 not owned by a public body by January 1,                                           2029.

AOC/OACES Engagement

AOC and OACES engaged to amend the bill to only include the metro area instead of a statewide mandate as originally intended. The original language would require all, on-road, diesel vehicles older than 2010 to be phased out by 2029, which would have had devastating fiscal impacts to most county road and emergency services departments. AOC provided the sponsors with an estimated fiscal impact to highlight the difficulty counties face when managing their fleet and the key role it plays in providing essential county services. 

Fiscal Impact to Counties: The final version of the bill has a fiscal impact concentrated to the metro area. Public agencies are required to replace all their pre-2009 vehicles by 2029, however, the full impact is unknown as they are eligible to receive grant funding from the Clean Diesel Fund created from the Volkswagen settlement.

Revenue Impact to Counties: The immediate revenue impact is minimal, but HB 2007 is one of the few (HB 2020, HB  2881, SB 91) different bills aimed at moving Oregon’s fleet to electric vehicles, which will diminish the State Highway Fund over time through a reduction in fossil fuels. 

Floor Votes: House 44-15-1; Senate 16-11-3.

Effective Date: Establishes an emergency and is effective immediately.

HB 2020: Cap and Trade (AOC Neutral) 

Died in Senate

Summary

Creates the Climate Policy Office within the Department of Administrative Services to administer the Oregon Climate Action Program, which acts as a cap and trade system. The program establishes new emission goals at 45 percent below 1990 emission levels by 2035 and 80 percent below 1990 emission levels by 2050. The cap and trade program creates a market for carbon emissions with a decreasing scale of allowances sold each year. Beginning in 2021, the program’s allowance budget is calculated to create a declining trajectory toward the state’s goals in 2035 and 2050 based on a three-year average of the state’s starting baseline emissions. The program covers entities that meet or exceed 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year such as, natural gas and fuel suppliers; electric suppliers; and private industry. The program provides exemptions for a variety of industries including, aviation, watercraft, and locomotive fuel; landfills; and agriculture. To offset potential rate increases from regulating the electric sector, electric service managers are provided free allowances in the first year of the program, with their allowance budget decreasing yearly in a proportionate scale to the full program. 

The largest covered entity is the transportation industry due to the cap on fuel distributors which will pass to the consumer through increased fuel cost. The Legislative Revenue Office estimates the increase in fuel prices to start at $.20 per gallon and increase to $3.10 per gallon by 2050 with the new revenue being deposited into the State Highway Fund (SHF) as is constitutionally mandated. Section 42 of the bill creates the Transportation Decarbonization Investments Account (TDIA), a SHF subaccount for projects that promote greenhouse gas emissions sequestration and mitigation or the adaptation and resilience to climate change. 

Going into the 2019 Session, a legislative subgroup of AOC established principles that prioritized maintaining the 50-30-20 distribution of State Highway Funds between the state, counties, and cities, however, the TDIA distributes 50 percent to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) for projects selected by the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) and 50 percent to a grant program designated for local government programs and projects. The 50-50 split was agreed upon to ensure smaller localities would have the opportunity to apply for larger amounts than what would be allocated under the traditional split. The eligible programs under the TDIA include; enhancing roadway drainage; improving slope stability; investing in the Safe Routes to School program; replacing, repowering, or retrofitting diesel vehicles; and multimodal projects. AOC was a big proponent of adding diesel vehicle replacements and retrofits as eligible projects to help offset the impacts of HB 2007, the Clean Diesel Bill. 

Outside of the TDIA, transportation projects are eligible for grant funding through the Climate Investment Fund (CIF) established in Section 46 using proceeds generated from the other industry allowances. Both the TDIA and the CIF require additional public contracting requirements when using over $50,000 from either fund which are outlined in Section 50. Finally, Section 51 creates a Just Transition Fund, which is intended to reimburse low-income families for the increase in fuel prices. 

Fiscal Impact to Counties:The cap and trade program will have a large fiscal impact on the State according to the Legislative Fiscal Office (LFO). LFO estimates that the total expense for the State will be $22.8 million for the 2019-2021 biennium and $18.5 million for the 2021-2023 biennium. The Department of Transportation is expected to expend $2.1 million in the first biennium to establish the needed program staff and need up to 300 additional positions throughout the program’s life. They are expected to request additional resources in the 2021 – 2024 sessions to accommodate the program staffing costs.   

The fiscal impact to counties is indeterminate at this time.

Revenue Impact to Counties: The Legislative Revenue Office (LRO) estimates that the cap and trade program will raise $1.3 billion in the 2021-2023 biennium and increase to $1.8 billion in 2025-2027. The Transportation Decarbonization Investment Fund is expected to raise $941.2 million from increases in fuel prices in the 2021-2023 biennium, or just over 71 percent of the total revenue. The TDIF revenue is expected to reach $1.5 billion by the 2025-2027 biennium. The projections were created using a range of allowance prices and relied on members of the Western Climate Initiative to find the most likely scenario.

LRO estimates that the increase in fuel prices will cause road users to transition to electric vehicles at a faster rate than previously anticipated. This transition will have a drastic impact on the State Highway Fund as fuel consumption decreases. A decrease in fuel used by passenger vehicles will result in the cost responsibility between fuel and diesel becoming inequitable, further causing a decrease in the weight mile tax per constitutional requirements. This decrease will cause the SHF to steadily decline by as much as $18.5 billion over the life of the program, which would have been used for maintenance and operation by ODOT and local road departments. 

Floor Vote: Passed the House 36-24-0

SB 450: Least-Cost Contracting Compliance Fix (AOC Supported)

Passed

Summary

Clarifies that only counties who fail to comply with reporting requirements set in ORS 279C.3050, overseen by the Bureau of Labor and Industry (BOLI) will be subject to a forfeiture of their State Highway Fund payment until they comply.

AOC/OACES Engagement

AOC and OACES were engaged in the creation of the 2017 transportation package (HB 2017) and were in favor of the changes made by SB 450. Counties wanted it made clear that complying with BOLI procurement requirements made them eligible to receive the increases to the State Highway Fund uninhibited by other counties or cities as was the original intent of HB 2017. 

Fiscal Impact to Counties: No fiscal impact. 

Revenue Impact to Counties: The bill ensures that those who comply with least-cost policy for public improvements will receive their State Highway Fund increases under HB 2017 unimpeded by the compliance of other counties.

Floor Vote: House 57-2-1; Senate 28-0-2.

Effective Date: January 1, 2020

Bills that Passed:

HB 2415: Retainage Bill (AOC Opposed) 

Passed

Summary

Requires a contracting agency to place retainage into an interest-bearing escrow account for contracts exceeding $500,000.

AOC/OACES Engagement

This was part of a labor workgroup that AOC participated in and it was addressed in public testimony to the house committee on business and labor by a road official and member of the AOC affiliate, OACES.

AOC and OACES were concerned that requiring retainage to be placed into an escrow account would increase the administrative requirements for the contracting agency and make it more difficult to finalize payments in a timely manner.

Fiscal Impact to Counties: Minimal fiscal impact. 

Revenue Impact to Counties: No revenue impact.

Floor Vote: House 45-14-1; Senate 19-9-1.

Effective Date: January 1, 2020.

HB 2769: Qualification Based Selection (AOC Supported) 

Passed 

Summary

Amends the Qualification Based Selection (QBS) process to allow local contracting agencies to consider pricing information in the screening and selection process for a maximum of three final proposals when soliciting for architectural, engineering, photogrammetric mapping, transportation, and land surveying services. 

AOC/OACES Engagement

This concept was developed in an interagency workgroup that included cities, counties, special districts, engineers, and many others.

AOC and OACES were supportive of this concept as it provided greater flexibility to counties to manage contract costs without diminishing their ability to consider values and community impact.

Fiscal Impact to Counties: Minimal fiscal impact. 

Revenue Impact to Counties: No revenue impact. 

Floor Vote: House 55-0-5; Senate 29-0-1.

Effective Date: January 1, 2020.

HB 3213: County Safety Corridor Pilot (AOC Neutral) 

Passed

Summary

Establishes a safety corridor pilot program and County Safety Corridor Advisory Group through the Oregon Department of Transportation. The advisory group, which will have two county representatives, is tasked with selecting five counties for the pilot program who are authorized to designate one segment of highway between two and 10 miles long, as a safety corridor. The policy requires the county to post signs in the designated corridor notifying the public that traffic citation will be doubled. Any other pilot requirements will be set by the advisory group before the pilots implementation. 

AOC/OACES Engagement

Neither AOC or OACES was directly involved with the formation of the bill and remained neutral. AOC testified alongside Linn County to the joint committee on transportation, showcasing the range of issues across counties.  

AOC and OACES remained neutral to represent both counties who wanted the authority to create safety corridors and counties who prefer the consistency of a statewide program within ODOT.  

Fiscal Impact to Counties: No fiscal impact.

Revenue Impact to Counties: No revenue impact. 

Floor Vote:House 58-0-2; Senate 29-0-0.

Effective Date: January 1, 2020. 

HB 2881: Road Usage Charge Program (AOC Supported)

Passed

Summary

Expands the Road Usage Charge Program (OReGO) to include all passenger vehicle with a rating of at least 20 miles per gallon and limits the type of electric vehicles that qualify for reduced registration fees under ORS 803.422 to vehicles with a rating of 40 miles per gallon or greater. The policy changes the per mile charge from to five percent of the current fuel tax and creates a process to recover registration revenue from those who choose to terminate their involvement in the program.

AOC/OACES Engagement

The Road Usage Task Force hold two designated spots for Oregon counties, one for AOC and one for a County Commissioner. Through a recent evaluation of the existing pilot program, the task force found need for modification to the program to adjust for structural needs.

AOC and OACES are very supportive of the Road Usage Charge Task Force and OReGO, because it is a possible alternative to fuel taxes in the future. Relying on fuel taxes to supply the State Highway Fund is unsustainable, particularly as more people move to electric vehicles, an issue that surfaced in the debates around Cap and Trade (HB 2020) during the Session. This structural shift, creates an imperative to establish an alternative funding mechanism to support and sustain county infrastructure in the future.

Fiscal Impact to Counties: Minimal fiscal impact. 

Revenue Impact to Counties: In the short-term the OReGO program has the potential to decrease the Highway Fund by an estimated $5,677 but will increase the Highway Fund by an estimated $53,399 by the 2023-2025 biennia. 

Floor Vote: Passed the House 57-0-3. Passed the Senate 25-4-0. 

Effective Date: January 1, 2020.

HB 2834: Wildlife Corridor Action Plan (No Position)

Passed 

Summary

Requires the State Department of Fish and Wildlife to conduct a study on wildlife migration patterns and produce a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan that focuses on preservation and safety. The Department of Transportation shall establish a program to reduce wildlife vehicle collision by where identified in the Wildlife Corridor Action Plan. The Department of Transportation shall coordinate with local government when practical. 

AOC/OACES Engagement

AOC and OACES engaged with ODOT concerning the initial language that required counties to participate in the planning efforts and incorporate mitigation efforts in construction projects. The bill was amended to include local government only in an advisory role with no additional construction requirements. 

Fiscal Impact to Counties: No fiscal impact. 

Revenue Impact to Counties: No revenue impact.

Floor Vote: Passed the House 59-0-1. Passed the Senate 28-0-2.

Effective Date: Goes into effect January 1, 2020.

HB 2682: Bicycle Lanes through Intersections (No Position)

Passed

Summary

Clarifies that a bicycle lane continues through an intersection, even when there are no markings given the traffic flows in the same direction from one side to another. 

AOC/OACES Engagement

Neither AOC nor OACES were involved with the measure. 

Fiscal Impact to Counties: No fiscal impact. 

Revenue Impact to Counties: No revenue impact. 

Floor Vote: House 48-12-0; Senate 20-0-10.

Effective Date: January 1, 2020.

HB 2236: Farm Tractor Use on Highways (No Position)

Passed 

Summary

Allows farm tractors to operate on highways with a posted speed limit higher than 35 mph.

AOC/OACES Engagement

Neither AOC nor OACES were involved with the bill. 

While AOC and OACES did not take a position on the bill, county road officials may need to adjust practices to accommodate farm vehicles on county highways.

 

Fiscal Impact to Counties: No fiscal impact.

Revenue Impact to Counties: No revenue impact.

Floor Vote: Passed the House 54-3-3. Passed the Senate 29-0-1.

Effective Date: Goes into effect January 1, 2020.

HB 2835: Public Access to Waterways (No Position)

Passed

Summary

Requires state agencies to post on the agency’s website when closing a site that provides access to a public water way for recreational use. 

AOC/OACES Engagement

AOC testified in front of the house committee on natural resources expressing concern with the original language. OACES was originally opposed to the language as it allowed the public to access waterways from a county road right-of-way and required local government to work to increase access to public waters. The bill was later amended to remove local involvement.

 

Fiscal Impact to Counties: No fiscal impact.

Revenue Impact to Counties: No revenue impact. 

Floor Vote: House 52-7-1; Senate 20-8-2.

Effective Date: January 1, 2020.

SB 998: Bicycle “Idaho Stop” (No Position)

Passed

Summary

Allows a person on a bicycle to pass through a stop sign or flashing red light without making a complete stop, if the operator slows to a safe speed and yields to traffic and pedestrians. Creates a Class D traffic violation for bicyclists that fail to slow, yield to traffic and/or pedestrians, or creates a hazard. 

AOC/OACES Engagement

Neither AOC or OACES were involved with the measure. 

Fiscal Impact to Counties: No fiscal impact. 

Revenue Impact to Counties: No revenue impact. 

Floor Vote: House 31-28-1;Senate 21-8-0.

Effective Date: January 1, 2020.

SB 365: System Development Charges for Marijuana Production (AOC Opposed)

Passed

Summary

Prohibits local governments from charging a System Development Charge (SDC) on marijuana production for increased use of transportation infrastructure when the land is zoned for exclusive farm use.  

AOC/OACES Engagement

An AOC staff member testified alongside Deschutes County to the Senate committee on business and general government in opposition to the measure. 

AOC opposed the measure because it limits a county’s ability to adapt to growing transportation needs created by marijuana facilities that increase traffic in the area.

Fiscal Impact to Counties: No fiscal impact. 

Revenue Impact to Counties: There will be a revenue impact to Deschutes County who currently imposes SDCs on marijuana facilities. 

Floor Vote: House 40-19-1; Senate 25-5-0.

Effective Date: Declares an emergency and is effective immediately.

SB 39: Registration Exemptions for the State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying (No Position)

Passed

Summary

Replaces exemption for specified persons from laws regulating the practice of engineers, land surveyors, and photogrammetrists with exemptions from registration requirement. Removes requirement for exempt employee or subordinate of registered professional engineer to not purport to be an engineer or registered professional engineer.

AOC/OACES Engagement

Neither AOC or OACES were engaged with this bill. 

Fiscal Impact to Counties: No fiscal impact.

Revenue Impact to Counties: No revenue impact.

Floor Votes: Passed the House 55-0-5. Passed the Senate 30-0-0.

Effective Date: Effective January 1, 2020.

HB 3143: Redefining the Practice of Engineering, Professional Engineering and Land Surveying (No Position)

Passed

Summary

Revises definitions regarding activities and oral representations constituting practice of engineering, professional engineering or land surveying

AOC/OACES Engagement

Neither AOC or OACES were engaged with this bill. 

Fiscal Impact to Counties: No fiscal impact.

Revenue Impact to Counties: No revenue impact.

Floor Votes: Passed the House 54-5-1. Passed the Senate 29-0-1.

Effective Date: Effective January 1, 2020.

Bills that Died:

SB 561: Safe Routes to School Matching Funds (AOC Supported) 

Died in Committee

Summary

Most transportation grants have mandatory cash match requirements, obligating a local municipality to produce a certain percentage of the project cost in order to qualify for project funding. SB 561 lowers the mandatory cash match for the Safe Routes to School program from at least 40 percent for normal applications to 20 percent, and from 20 percent for designated projects to 10 percent. 

AOC/OACES Engagement

The bill was sponsored by LOC with support from AOC as many counties struggled to meet the match requirements from the previous Safe Routes to School grant process. 

HB 2408: Prevailing Wage in Enterprise Zones (AOC Opposed) 

Died in Committee

Summary

Expands the definition of “Public Works” to include projects for the construction, reconstruction, or major renovation of a privately-owned road, highway, building, structure, or improvement of any type in an enterprise zone. The project must include real property exempted from ad valorem property taxes and have a cost in excess of $20 million. 

AOC/OACES Engagement

AOC was highly engaged with this bill as it would disincentivize projects within enterprise zones which are an economic stimulant for counties. AOC participated in a workgroup formed during session to address several policy matters relating to prevailing wage that encompass the following bills introduced in the 2019 Session: HB 2407, HB 2408, HB 2409, SB 305, HB 2410, HB 2414 and HB 2443.

HB 2409: Prevailing Wage by Collective Bargaining (AOC Opposed) 

Died in Committee

Summary

Mandates that the area’s prevailing wage reflect the rate set by the area’s collective bargaining agreement(s). If there is more than one collective bargaining agreement, then the wage will be set using the average of all the agreements. If there is no collective bargaining agreement the wage will be set by a salary survey conducted by the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industry as is the current practice. 

AOC/OACES Engagement

AOC was actively engaged in this issue through a workgroup formed during session to address several policy matter relating to prevailing wage. Testimony to the House committee on business and labor provided by a road official representing OACES explained how collective bargaining agreements are not sufficient means of setting prevailing wage rates within an area because it only incorporates a small portion of the work force and would increase the cost of public contracts where road departments are already struggling to manage the price of labor. 

HB 2407: Prevailing Wage Districts (AOC Opposed) 

Died in Committee

Summary

Reduces the number of prevailing wage districts managed by the Bureau of Labor and Industry from 14 to five for the purpose of setting prevailing wage rates by locality.

This issue was part of a group of prevailing wage bills that were negotiated in a labor workgroup that AOC participated in.

AOC/OACES Engagement

AOC and OACES were concerned that a reduction in prevailing wage districts would artificially inflate rates in areas like Hood River where the economy is not consistent with the metro area, but that because of proximity, it would be tied to the metro area. AOC was actively engaged in this issue and supported a member of OACES in testifying in opposition in front of the House committee on business and labor.

HB 3023: Transportation Network Companies (No Position)

Died in Committee

Summary

Set requirements for Transportation Network Companies (TNC) such as Uber and Lyft to operate within Oregon. The bill requires TNC companies to obtain a license through the Oregon Department of Transportation and specifies insurance, background check, and records requirements for operation. The policy outlines the areas where ODOT and local governments can charge a fee to manage law enforcement programs and transportation needs for people with disabilities.

AOC/OACES Engagement

House Bill 3023 was requested by TNC industry representatives. AOC was more involved with HB 3195, that also addressed TNC’s, by participating in a workgroup consisting of cities, counties, industry, legal affiliates, and other interested parties. HB 3195 died in committee. 

AOC was more supportive of HB 3195, because it was developed with county input and allowed more flexibility to local government to regulate TNC companies operating within their jurisdiction while HB 3023 preempts local governments on rates and conditions of operation.

SB 559: Fixed Photo Radar (No Position)

Died in Committee

Summary

Authorizes all cities to operate fixed photo radar systems in high crash corridors.

AOC/OACES Engagement

There was discussion around extending the bill to include some large counties as a pilot program, but there was not adequate time to thoroughly vet the option. The discussion will continue over the interim for possible reconsideration in the future. 

SB 560: Photo Radar (No Position)

Died in Committee

Summary

Authorizes all cities to operate photo radar at their own cost. 

AOC/OACES Engagement

Like SB 559, LOC sponsored the bill and AOC and OACES did not take a position. There was discussion around expanding the bill to include counties, but there was not adequate time to thoroughly vet the option. The discussion will continue over the interim for possible consideration in the future.

HB 2846: Jurisdictional Transfers (No Position)

Died in Committee 

Summary

Requires the Department of Transportation to conduct an evaluation in each region to identify potential jurisdictional transfers. Creates the Oregon Highway Jurisdictional Transfer Fund in the State Treasury to pay for the upgrades required before transferring ownership of the road.

AOC/OACES Engagement

AOC discussed with ODOT a possible amendment that would include more local government evaluation in the process, however, the amendment was never drafted as the bill only received a courtesy public hearing with no work session.

OACES would like to see designated funding for jurisdictional transfers and would like to work with ODOT to identify the areas and roads that are most in need. 

HB 2702: Designated Speed Setting Authority (No Position)

Died in Committee

Summary

HB 2702 was sponsored by the City of Portland. The original bill allowed the City of Portland to designate speeds on any highway in their jurisdiction by ordinance. The bill was amended to allow the Department of Transportation to designate similar authority to any city or county. Counties were opposed to this change because AOC members prefer the consistency of the current system.

AOC/OACES Engagement

HB 2702 was discussed in the Speed Zone Roundtable, a workgroup convened during the interim consisting of ODOT, AOC, and LOC that works through speed setting issues, however, there were reservations by both counties, cities and ODOT. County road officials do not want full authority to set speeds as many do not have the capacity to conduct the engineering investigations required. Counties prefer working with the roundtable to establish a more context-sensitive approach that takes into consideration the needs of the road users, but does not overburden counties with limited staff capacity.