The Transportation A and B Subcommittee on Oct. 12 adopted a proposed committee substitute (PCS) and passed Senate Bill 258, 8-0, after sponsors removed a line specifying a funding amount and added more detail to the criteria ODOT will use to evaluate and prioritize projects.

Vice Chair Blair recognized Representative Miller to present the PCS. Miller said the PCS removes the explicit funding language and adds definition to project-selection criteria, explaining, "So what we do with the PCS is we're going to address the funding amount, through GR. So we took that portion out that actually states it. But, the other thing we're doing is we're giving a little bit more definition into the criteria that ODOT will be evaluating and prioritizing the projects on."

During questions, Representative Benz asked about those adjustments, and Miller listed the priorities included in the PCS: "project innovation, readiness, structural adequacy, safety, serviceability, functionally obsolete, or essential for public use, meaning like school buses and those types of things." Miller characterized the criteria as balanced between rural and urban needs.

Without extended debate, the committee adopted the PCS as the working draft and later voted on the bill. Staff opened a roll call; several members were recorded voting "aye" and the final tally was 8-0 in favor. The vice chair declared the bill passed by the subcommittee.

The PCS language directs ODOT to use defined criteria when prioritizing projects but does not itself appropriate funds; Miller said the question of a funding amount will be addressed through the General Revenue process.