Halfway Through, Eyes on the Finish Line

The 2025 Oregon legislative session has reached its midpoint, and it’s been a ride. We set out in January with a clear agenda: drive policies that lower emissions, protect communities from climate impacts, reduce energy costs, and create good jobs in a growing clean energy economy.

We knew the stakes were high with rising utility bills, intensifying climate threats, and federal climate rollbacks looming. Oregon’s pro-climate majorities gave us cautious optimism, but fossil fuel industry pressure, budget uncertainty, and federal backsliding has made the path to progress anything but smooth.

Still, we’ve held the line and met these challenges head-on. Together with our partners, we’ve defended key climate protections and pushed forward on bold solutions. Here’s where our top priorities stand:

Energy Affordability: Lowering Bills for Oregon Families

Our Energy Affordability Package is moving full steam ahead. In partnership with the Building Resilience coalition and Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, we’re advancing common-sense policies that lower energy costs and expand access to clean, efficient technologies. Highlights include:

• POWER Act (HB 3546): Makes sure large energy users, like data centers and crypto mining operations, do not unfairly burden Oregon households with energy costs.
• Get the Junk Out of Rates (SB 88): Protects Oregonians from shouldering the costs of a utility’s political lobbying, advertising, and industry association fees.
• One Stop Shop 2.0 (HB 3081): Bolsters the state’s existing program to help Oregonians access financial incentives for electric heat pumps and other home efficiency upgrades.
• Thermal Energy Network (TENs) Pilot (SB 1143): Offers new pathways for workers and utilities in the clean energy transition by creating a pilot program for TENs.

Most of these bills passed their first chamber with bipartisan support—a promising sign. Want to help push them across the finish line? 

Write your legislators about energy affordability via our Action Center!

Grid Solutions for 100% Clean Energy

We must rapidly expand our transmission infrastructure to reliably and affordably deliver clean energy to homes and businesses and power a resilient grid. Climate Solutions and our Oregon Clean Grid Collaborative partners are leading efforts to do just that.

• WIN: Grid Enhancing Technologies (HB 3336) passed the House with strong bipartisan support. This bill would require utilities to deploy cost-effective technologies to boost transmission capacity using existing lines.
• SETBACK: Oregon Transmission Authority (HB 3628) The Legislature did not move this bill forward. This bill would have helped coordinate permitting and funding for major grid upgrades. While we’re disappointed, we’re eager to continue building momentum for future action, because Oregon needs more influence over its energy future – especially with uncertain federal policy ahead.

Transportation Package: Fighting for a Climate-Ready System

We entered the session eager to shape a once-in-a-decade transportation funding package that centers climate, equity, safety, and affordability. However, we were put on our heels at the outset of session when the Legislature held hearings on legislation that would rollback Oregon’s clean truck rules (HB 3119). If passed, this legislation would have severely undermined our progress toward delivering on the climate, clean air, and job benefits that come with the transition to clean trucks. Thankfully, we successfully defeated this harmful bill after months of pressure from climate, health, and business advocates.

In April, the Joint Committee on Transportation released its proposed transportation framework. While they include some encouraging elements, it falls short of what’s needed. Unless they address key gaps, this package risks raising costs for Oregonians without moving the needle on climate or addressing basic transit needs.

That’s why we’re organizing, testifying, and showing up to push for a package that works for Oregon families by delivering on emissions reductions, safer streets, and accessible transit. Climate Solutions continues to lead efforts to ensure the transportation package delivers on climate by prioritizing the needed investments in transportation electrification, including: 

• Clean trucks and charging infrastructure
• Zero-emission school buses (HB 2945)
• Clean vehicle rebates (HB 3597)

Over 100 clean transportation advocates arrived in Salem last month to call for a transportation package that delivers for climate, safety, and working families. We’re not letting up.

Investments for a Resilient, Low-Carbon Future

From wildfire smoke to rising utility bills, Oregonians are feeling the climate crisis. Countless Oregon community members have made their voices heard at budget hearings statewide, urging legislators to prioritize continued investments in existing, popular programs to cut climate pollution and protect communities from worsening disasters and rising costs.

But with federal funding under threat and budget cuts on the table, we face headwinds. A March budget proposal included a 32% cut to natural resource agencies. If President Trump and Congress follow through on major spending cuts, those impacts will be even deeper.

That’s why continued advocacy matters. These are decisive years for climate action, and the legislature must act to safeguard the tools and investments that support community health, climate progress, and economic opportunity across the state.

The session isn’t over yet.

📢 Write your legislator today via our Action Center on the many bills we champion! 

Let’s finish strong and make 2025 a decisive year for Oregon climate leadership.