Directs the Oregon Business Development Department to study infrastructure financing in Oregon by considering and evaluating tools the state may use to have a positive effect on infrastructure and housing costs in Oregon.

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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Bill 3303
Sponsored by Representative EVANS
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: The Act would require a study of how the state can help lower infrastructure and
housing costs. The Act would require the agency doing the study to submit a report to the legisla-
ture by mid-September. (Flesch Readability Score: 60.6).
Directs the Oregon Business Development Department to study infrastructure financing in
Oregon by considering and evaluating tools the state may use to have a positive effect on
infrastructure and housing costs in Oregon. Requires the department to submit a report of the
findings of the study to the Legislative Assembly.
Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to infrastructure financing; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
(1) The Oregon Business Development Department shall study infrastructure
financing in Oregon.
(2) The study must consider and evaluate:
(a) Currently and potentially available tools the State of Oregon may use to have a posi-
tive effect on infrastructure and housing costs in this state, including, but not limited to,
tools such as:
(A) Changes to law;
(B) New state mechanisms or authorities;
(C) Finance and bonding authority at both the state and local levels;
(D) Participatory loans and other lending models and methodologies with the potential
to facilitate homeownership for Oregonians who currently experience obstacles in securing
mortgage loans;
(E) Models for partial or full state financing of all large local infrastructure projects; and
(F) Any current or potential grant and loan programs suited to achieve the goals of
having a positive effect on infrastructure and housing costs in this state.
(b) Interest rates and fees for state and local bonds related to infrastructure develop-
ment, including, but not limited to, infrastructure needed for housing development. To the
greatest extent possible, the study must include the average costs of interest and fees as a
percentage of total project cost in 2023, broken down by infrastructure type.
(3) The department may request and receive documents and testimony from any public
or private source.
(4) The department may enter into an agreement with an entity for the provision of re-
search services related to the study.
(5) All agencies of state government, as defined in ORS 174.111, are directed to assist the
NOTE: Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 2581
HB 3303
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department in the performance of the department’s duties under this section and, to the
extent permitted by laws relating to confidentiality, to furnish information and advice that
the department considers necessary for the conduct of the study.
(6) No later than September 15, 2025, the department shall, in the manner provided by
ORS 192.245, submit a report on the findings of the study to the interim committees of the
Legislative Assembly related to infrastructure financing. The department may include rec-
ommendations for legislation with the report.
SECTION 2.
Section 1 of this 2025 Act is repealed on December 31, 2026.
SECTION 3. There is appropriated to the Oregon Business Development Department, for
the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, out of the General Fund, the amount of $250,000 to be
used by the department for purposes of section 1 (4) of this 2025 Act.
SECTION 4. This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
on its passage.
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