1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 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 mortgageloans; (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 HB3303 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 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. [2]