As the 2025 legislative session continues to move forward, the McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce remains your steadfast advocate—vigilantly monitoring proposals in Salem that will shape our regional economy, public safety, and quality of life. With the May 9 committee cutoff now behind us and only a handful of Rules, Revenue, Ways & Means, and joint committees empowered to act before adjournment, we find ourselves in the final stretch. With the final revenue forecast of the 2025 legislative session set for release this coming Wednesday, May 14th, the state’s budget-writing process will now shift into high gear. This forecast will shape the remaining weeks of the session—giving legislative leaders the green light to begin finalizing budgets, funding packages, and key policy decisions as they drive toward adjournment.
Below is a detailed briefing on our highest‑priority measures, the Chamber’s positions, and how you can help ensure McMinnville’s interests prevail.
(1) Chemeketa Community College Bond Measure
Chamber Position: Strongly Support
Outcome: Appears on May 20, 2025 ballot
This $140 million bond—renewing an existing education levy at approximately $0.27 per $1,000 of assessed property value (no net tax increase)—will modernize and expand Career & Technical Education (CTE) facilities across Chemeketa’s district. Investments include upgraded health sciences labs, new skilled-trades workshops, and enhanced early‑childhood education centers. By equipping students with in‑demand skills locally, the bond ensures McMinnville employers have a steady pipeline of qualified talent.
The McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce endorses this bond measure.
(2) Transportation Package – Newberg‑Dundee Bypass
Chamber Position: Support—subject to accountable funding
The Newberg‑Dundee Bypass is a long‑planned four‑lane highway around Newberg and Dundee, designed to divert heavy freight and commuter traffic off Hwy 99W. It will reduce congestion, improve safety, and decrease travel times for residents, emergency vehicles, and regional businesses.
Current Status: Retained as a priority project in the omnibus transportation bill; awaiting final joint Ways & Means reconciliation.
Key Considerations: Funding proposals must avoid unduly burdening rural families through across-the-board gas or vehicle taxes and include clear performance metrics (e.g., timeline benchmarks, congestion relief targets).
(3) SB 5531 – Alpine Avenue & Hwy 18 Improvements
Chamber Position: Support
SB 5531 provides funding for two separate infrastructure projects in McMinnville’s east–west corridor:
- Alpine Avenue Street Improvement Project (11th St. to 14th St.)
• Complete pavement rehabilitation, curb-and-gutter installation, new sidewalks and bike lanes, and stormwater drainage upgrades.
• Goal: Enhance multimodal safety and connectivity in a high‑traffic urban segment, benefiting residents, students, and local businesses. - Highway 18 Frontage Improvements – Design Phase
• Initiate engineering and design work for frontage enhancements along Hwy 18, with emphasis on the Norton Ave.–Cumulus Ave. intersection (east of Norton).
• Goal: Lay the groundwork for future widening, optimized signalization, and pedestrian crossings—streamlining freight movement and reducing collision hotspots.
Funding both near‑term safety upgrades on Alpine Avenue and preliminary design for Hwy 18 positions McMinnville to secure further state investment for full corridor modernization.
Current Status: Folded into Senate Ways & Means’ capital package; targeted for final-floor votes in late May.
(4) HB 3870 – McMinnville Ambulance Station Capital Funding
Chamber Position: Support
House Bill 3870 would authorize state funding to build a new ambulance station in northwest McMinnville, reducing EMS response times by up to five minutes and reinforcing our emergency services infrastructure as the community grows.
Bill Status: Referred to Ways & Means.
(5) Advanced Clean Trucks Rule Delay (Formerly HB 3119)
Chamber Position: Support measured delay
The Oregon DEQ’s Advanced Clean Trucks rule mandates escalating sales of zero-emission heavy vehicles to meet climate goals. However, the rapid timeline has outpaced market availability, causing diesel‑truck shortages for essential services and rural businesses. Delay legislation would better align implementation schedules with supply‑chain and technology readiness, preventing fleet disruptions.
Legislative Update: Direct delay bills stalled; the Chamber is exploring alternative rulemaking petitions and engaging with DEQ to synchronize timelines.
(6) SB 916 – Unemployment Benefits for Striking Workers
Chamber Position: Oppose
SB 916 would extend unemployment insurance benefits to striking workers—up to 26 weeks—drawing on UI trust funds intended for involuntary unemployment and potentially skewing labor‑management negotiations.
Latest Developments: Scheduled for a May 19 work session in Senate Labor & Business.
Call to Action: Continue contacting your state senator and representatives—share real‑world examples of how this policy could strain small and mid‑sized employers.
(7) HB 3838 – Workforce Standards Board for Home & Community‑Based Services
Chamber Position: Oppose
HB 3838 would establish a new board to set wage and working‑condition standards for Oregon’s home‑care sector. While well‑intentioned in improving caregiver compensation, it lacks a dedicated funding source and risks imposing unfunded mandates on providers already struggling with staffing shortages.
Status: Awaiting a vote in the House Rules Committee.
Next Steps: Urge legislators to prioritize targeted, fiscally responsible workforce solutions rather than broad regulatory bodies.
(8) HB 3643 – Oregon Youth Suicide Awareness Day
Chamber Position: Strongly Support
HB 3643 designates October 9 as an annual statewide observance of Youth Suicide Awareness Day. The goal is to unite schools, nonprofits, businesses, and community groups around suicide-prevention education, stigma reduction, and resource coordination—honoring McMinnville’s own Mikalynn Morris and addressing a leading cause of death among Oregon youth.
Status: Passed the House; awaiting Senate floor vote.
What’s Next — and How You Can Help
- Final Committees: Only Rules and Revenue (both chambers) and Ways & Means can move bills after May 23.
- Budget Reconciliation: Joint Ways & Means will merge House and Senate proposals into the final budget, determining funding for transportation, emergency services, and workforce initiatives.
- Final Floor Votes & Governor’s Approval: Both chambers must pass budget and policy bills by late June; the Governor then has 30 days to sign or veto.
Your Voice Matters: Real‑world stories from McMinnville businesses and residents are invaluable—your firsthand insights lend credibility to our advocacy. For talking points, legislator contacts, or to arrange site visits, please contact the Chamber office at (503) 472‑6196.
Thank you for your continued engagement and trust in the McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce. Your active participation—whether by sharing on‑the‑ground insights into how proposed policies affect your business, personally advocating for our priorities in Salem, or collaborating on Chamber‑led committees and site tours—amplifies our collective voice and drives real results. It is through this grassroots involvement and sustained dialogue with legislators that we secure the strategic investments and sound policy reforms needed to expand job opportunities, strengthen our public safety networks, and preserve the small‑town character and high quality of life that define McMinnville. Together, we are not just observers of the legislative process—we are the architects of our community’s future prosperity and resilience.
John Olson
President & CEO
McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce
