WHAT PORTIONS OF THE TRANSPORTATION TAX (HB 3991) ARE BEING REFERRED TO VOTERS IN THE PETITION?

In November, 2025, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed House Bill 3991 which is a massive $4.3 billion gas tax, wage tax increase, DMV increase and other items that make up 48 pages of the transportation package contained in the bill. Voters were not given a chance to vote on this enormous costly packages.

The referendum petition is referring out to voters the gas tax portion, the transit wage tax increase portion and DMV fee increase portion. The other portions of the bill are not being referred and will become law. You can read below the actual text of the bill being referred to a vote of the public if this petition succeeds. By referring this bill to the public, the voters will have a chance to reject it.

TEXT of PETITION

83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY–2025 Special Session

 

Enrolled

House Bill 3991

Sponsored by JOINT SPECIAL SESSION COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION FUNDING

 

CHAPTER ………………………………………….

 

AN ACT

 

Relating to transportation; creating new provisions; amending ORS 171.861, 184.620, 184.623, 184.659, 184.665, 295.103, 319.010, 319.020, 319.390, 319.520, 319.530, 319.550, 319.671, 319.700, 319.883, 319.885, 319.915, 320.550, 366.506, 366.772, 366.805, 367.095, 377.841, 383.009, 801.041, 801.042, 803.090, 803.420, 803.422, 803.445, 810.530, 818.225, 818.400, 823.012, 823.023, 823.027, 823.085, 825.005, 825.104, 825.141, 825.250, 825.326, 825.450, 825.474, 825.476, 825.480, 825.492, 825.555 and 825.990 and section 6, chapter 491, Oregon Laws 2019; repealing ORS 319.665, 319.890, 383.150 and 825.486 and section 2, chapter 428, Oregon Laws 2019; prescribing an effective date; and providing for revenue raising that requires approval by a three-fifths majority.

House Bill 3991 was passed by the Legislative Assembly containing 102 sections. This text was filed as a referendum on the following portions of HB 3991, pursuant to Article IV, section 1 (3), of the Oregon Constitution.

 

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

 

FUEL TAXES AND REGISTRATION AND TITLE FEES

 

SECTION 16. ORS 319.020 is amended to read:

 

319.020. (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (4) of this section, in addition to the taxes otherwise provided for by law, every dealer engaging in the dealer’s own name, or in the name of others, in the first sale, use or distribution of motor vehicle fuel or aircraft fuel or withdrawal of motor vehicle fuel or aircraft fuel for sale, use or distribution within areas in this state within which the state lacks the power to tax the sale, use or distribution of motor vehicle fuel or aircraft fuel, shall:

(b) Except as provided in ORS 319.270, pay a license tax computed on the basis of [34] 46 cents per gallon on the first sale, use or distribution of such motor vehicle fuel or aircraft fuel so sold, used, distributed or withdrawn as shown by such statement in the manner and within the time pro-vided in ORS 319.010 to 319.430.

 

SECTION 17. ORS 319.530 is amended to read:

 

319.530. (1) To compensate this state partially for the use of its highways, an excise tax hereby is imposed at the rate of [34] 46 cents per gallon on the use of fuel in a motor vehicle.

 

SECTION 18. ORS 803.420 is amended to read:

 

803.420. (6) The registration fees for each year of the registration period for vehicles subject to biennial registration are as follows:

Enrolled House Bill 3991 (HB 3991-En)  Page 1

(a) Passenger vehicles not otherwise provided for in this section or ORS 821.320, [$43] $85.

(b) Utility trailers or light trailers, as those terms are defined by rule by the department, [$63] $105.

(c) Mopeds and motorcycles, [$44] $86.

(d) Low-speed vehicles, [$63] $105.

 

SECTION 19. ORS 803.090 is amended to read:

 

803.090. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the fee to issue a certificate of title under ORS 803.045 or 803.140, to transfer title under ORS 803.092, to issue a duplicate or re-placement certificate of title under ORS 803.065 or to issue a new title due to name or address change under ORS 803.220 is as follows:

(b) For a vehicle title for trailers eligible for permanent registration under ORS 803.415 (1) and motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating over 26,000 pounds, excluding motor homes, $90.

(c) For a vehicle title for vehicles other than those vehicles described in paragraph (b) of this subsection, [$77] $216.

 

TRANSIT

 

SECTION 24. ORS 320.550 is amended to read:

 

320.550. (1) As used in this section:

(a) “Employer” has the meaning given that term in ORS 316.162.

(b) “Resident of this state” has the meaning given that term in ORS 316.027.

(c) “Wages” has the meaning given that term in ORS 316.162.

(2) A tax is imposed at the rate of [one-tenth] two-tenths of one percent of the wages of an employee who is:

(a) A resident of this state, regardless of where services are performed.

(b) Not a resident of this state, for services performed in this state.

(10) Residents subject to the tax imposed under this section on wages earned outside this state from an employer not doing business within this state shall report and pay the tax in an amount not to exceed [one-tenth] two-tenths of one percent of the wages earned outside this state, and at the time and in the manner, as determined by the Department of Revenue by rule.