Committee advances bill ordering ODOT report on per‑mile road usage charge

House Bill 4,126, which would require the Oregon Department of Transportation to submit a biannual report recommending a per‑mile road usage charge to sustainably fund highway maintenance, advanced from the House Committee on Transportation on Feb. 16 after amendment.

Patrick, committee staff, said two amendments were before the committee. The dash‑1 changes the date for the first report; the dash‑2 does the same and also requires ODOT to break out costs by vehicle weight classes between 10,000 and 26,000 pounds. "The dash‑2 just adds a little more data, it changes the date to give ODOT a little more time, and it adds a little more data in breaking out a certain weight class," a sponsor said when moving the amendment.

Committee members questioned the fiscal cost of producing the report. Patrick cited a Legislative Fiscal Office estimate of $796,215 and described that figure as four positions (two FTE) at ODOT. Members asked whether cities or counties would bear costs; staff said the fiscal impact statement did not allocate costs to local governments and that cities and counties could choose their level of participation.

After debate on scope, trucks versus cars in maintenance cost allocation, and process concerns about joint referral to Ways and Means, the committee adopted the dash‑2 amendment, then moved the bill as amended to the floor with a 'do pass' recommendation and referral to Ways and Means. The motion passed with two recorded objections (Vice Chair Bossard Davis and Representative Helfrich).