The Joint Committee on Ways and Means approved the Construction Contractors Board budget and moved to ratify fee changes the board had implemented through administrative rule.

The committee voted to accept the general government subcommittee recommendation for Senate Bill 5509, which funds the Construction Contractors Board at $23,370,802 other funds and 60 positions for the 2025–27 biennium. The budget reflects an 8.7% increase from current service levels and includes $1,500,000 one-time funding and a part‑time limited-duration position to complete a licensing system replacement project. The committee also accepted Senate Bill 5510, which ratifies fee modifications the board implemented administratively in 2024.

The Construction Contractors Board regulates contractors working in construction and related industries in Oregon. The presented budget includes funding for personnel cost flexibility and mitigation of IT hosting to the state data center. The general government subcommittee reported its recommendation that SB 5509 be amended by the dash‑1 amendment and reported out "due pass as amended." The package assumes revenue from a $75 increase in the licensing renewal fee effective July 1, 2024, and for new applications effective July 1, 2025.

Committee members recorded objections and courtesy votes during the floor acknowledgement but the motion to pass both the budget bill and the fee-ratification bill was adopted and noted as passed. The transcript records multiple individual objections noted for the record when the committee asked for any objections to the subcommittee recommendation; the chair then recorded the motion as passed and closed the work session.

Why it matters: the change shifts more of the board’s operating revenue to higher license fees (the board relies on contract license fees for over 90% of operating revenue), and the budget provides one-time and limited-duration resources to modernize licensing technology that affects contractors statewide.

The committee closed the work session on the Construction Contractors Board and moved to other items on its agenda.