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After hours of debate at yesterday’s legislative session, Oregon Senators finally managed to have the controversial transportation Senate Bill 1599 passed with a 17-13 vote.
Tidings Data Snapshot
SB 1599 deadline clock for the May ballotSource: Oregon Legislature session action on SB 1599, Oregon Elections Division signature report, ODOT 2026 funding updateDailyTidings.com
This follows months of political posturing by Republicans who fought to scrap the bill, which will increase transportation taxes and gas prices to raise the funds needed to maintain the state’s dilapidated network of roads and bridges.
SB 1599 now moves to the House of Representatives for final approval to ensure that Oregon voters can decide on the transportation tax and fee increases in the May primaries, rather than in November, as currently scheduled.
Several motions introduced by Republicans to delay the bill, or to have it returned to committee, ultimately failed.
The Bill Must be Signed Tomorrow to Meet the Deadline Set by the Secretary of State
However, delays to its passage into legislation is further compounded by tomorrow’s deadline set some weeks ago by Secretary of State Tobias Read, who declared February 25 as the deadline for the referendum to appear on the May ballot. The bill must then go to the Governor, Tina, Kotek, for signature.
The referendum is the result of the efforts of Republicans who gathered more than 200,000 signatures to send the increases in gas taxes and vehicle fees to a public vote.
| Item | Current level | HB 3991 level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| State gas tax per gallon | 40 cents | 46 cents | Delayed pending statewide vote |
| Passenger vehicle registration base fee | $43 per year | $85 per year | Delayed pending statewide vote |
| Passenger vehicle title fee | $77 | $216 | Delayed pending statewide vote |
| Supplemental registration fee for 40+ mpg vehicles | Existing add on fee | Increase of $30 | In effect starting Dec 31 2025 |
Democratic lawmakers supported the May referendum as it would allow them more time to plan and budget with certainty, while antagonists believe that fewer votes will be cast in the primaries than in the November elections, thus impacting the final outcome of the bill.
As reported by Daily Tidings on Sunday, the Oregon Department of Transportation and local governments will have to budget for a R242 million shortfall in the current biennium if lawmakers in the House of Representatives fail to pass SB 1599 by tomorrow (Wednesday).
non sense we currently have higher taxes on gas than rest of the country and they have better roads. where’s the money?