The Washington County Chamber of Commerce remained a strong and consistent voice for the business community throughout the 2025 Oregon Legislative Session. Through strategic advocacy, coalition partnerships, and direct engagement with lawmakers, the Chamber worked to advance policies that support economic growth, reduce regulatory burdens, and protect employers from costly and unnecessary mandates. Whether opposing legislation that threatened to increase costs or delay development, or supporting targeted investments in public safety and economic competitiveness, the Chamber’s advocacy was rooted in one goal: ensuring the voice of business was heard loud and clear in Salem.
We’ve broken down the main bills we tracked to Losses, Wins & Ties.
2025 Legislative Losses
SB 426 – Wage Theft Liability Expansion
This new law expands liability for wage theft claims beyond direct employers, exposing law-abiding businesses to increased legal and financial risks. Despite opposition from the Chamber and others in the business community, the bill was signed by the Governor and takes effect on January 1, 2026.
SB 916 – Unemployment Benefits for Striking Workers
Originally proposed to provide 26 weeks of unemployment insurance to striking workers, the amended bill now allows for 10 weeks of benefits. Although the Chamber opposed this change, citing concerns over labor disruptions and cost to the UI system, it was quickly signed into law and will take effect in 2026.
HB 2277 – Semiconductor Industry Investment
This Chamber-supported bill would have strengthened Oregon’s standing in the global semiconductor sector by directing investment into high-tech manufacturing. Despite strong bipartisan interest and alignment with federal priorities, the bill failed to advance out of committee before adjournment.
HB 3870 – Public Safety Infrastructure Support
HB 3870 proposed a $5 million allocation to support local public safety projects, including funding for the South Hillsboro (SoHi) Fire Station. The Chamber supported this targeted investment, but the bill did not make it out of committee.
2025 Legislative Wins
SB 174 – Third-Party Insurance Lawsuits
This bill would have allowed third parties to sue insurers directly, potentially leading to duplicative litigation, higher insurance premiums, and greater legal exposure for businesses. We were also concerned about the impact on Worker’s Compensation Insurance for this legislation and the impact on businesses. The Chamber opposed the bill, which stalled in House Rules and ultimately did not move forward.
HB 2950 – Land Use Participation Requirements
HB 2950 sought to expand public participation mandates in land use planning, raising concerns about increased delays for critical housing and development projects. The Chamber successfully opposed the bill, which died in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.
HB 2977 – Transient Lodging Tax Increase for Wildlife
This proposal would have increased the statewide Transient Lodging Tax from 1.5% to 2.75%, directing the added revenue to wildlife preservation efforts. The Chamber opposed the tax hike, which failed to progress beyond the Senate Rules Committee.
HB 3962 – Reduction in TLT Use for Tourism Promotion
HB 3962 proposed reducing the mandated share of local lodging taxes for tourism promotion from 70% to 40%, potentially harming tourism-driven economies. Thanks in part to Chamber advocacy, the bill remained in committee and did not advance.
HB 3556 – TLT Use Expansion to Public Safety & Infrastructure
This bill would have expanded permissible uses of new or increased transient lodging taxes to include public safety and infrastructure projects. The Chamber opposed this expansion, and the bill did not pass.
HB 5012 – Oregon Judicial Department Budget
HB 5012 allocates more than $800 million for the Oregon Judicial Department for the 2025–2027 biennium, ensuring continued court operations and access to justice. The Chamber supported this investment in core government functions; the bill awaits the Governor’s signature.
2025 Legislative Ties
HB 2548 – Agricultural Workforce Labor Standards Board
This bill proposed creating a new board to oversee labor standards for Oregon’s agricultural sector. While the board itself was not established, lawmakers allocated funding for a study on agricultural labor conditions. The Chamber opposed the bill, which is effectively dead for the session.
HB 3119 – California Clean Trucks Act Delay
HB 3119 aimed to delay the implementation of California-style emissions standards in Oregon, providing businesses more time to adapt to costly clean vehicle requirements. The Chamber supported this pragmatic approach, but the bill failed to progress out of committee.
HB 2025 – Transportation Funding Package
The proposed $5.1 billion transportation reinvestment package, generated significant attention in the final weeks of the legislative session but ultimately failed to pass. While the bill aimed to modernize Oregon’s transportation infrastructure, it was also laden with tax and fee increases that raised serious concerns for the business community.
The Chamber supported several elements of the transportation bill—such as increased accountability for ODOT and the continued use of the 50/30/20 funding formula—but opposed measures that would have placed additional financial burdens on employers, including the payroll tax increase and road usage charges for fleet vehicles.
Despite some bipartisan interest in addressing Oregon’s long-term transportation needs, legislators were unable to come together to advance a balanced, business-friendly package. HB 2025 remains a work in progress and may reemerge during a potential special session later this year.