HB 3209
Imposes a surcharge on certain vehicle registration fees and recreational vehicle trip permits.
Jurisdiction
Oregon
Session
2025 Regular Session
At the request of
(at the request of Oregon Recreation and Park Association, Oregon Tow Truck Association, Central Oregon Cities)
Committee
Transportation
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Sign in to take actionPublic sentiment
Support
87%
Oppose
13%
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill proposes a surcharge on vehicle registration fees and recreational vehicle trip permits to fund the Department of Transportation’s efforts to remove abandoned recreational vehicles. It introduces an additional fee for campers, travel trailers, and motor homes, as well as an extra fee for RV trip permits. The collected funds will be deposited into a new account dedicated to towing and disposing of abandoned RVs, with fees adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index. The new fees are set to remain in effect for 10 years.
Key provisions
- Adds a surcharge to vehicle registration fees for campers, travel trailers, and motor homes.
- Adds a surcharge to recreational vehicle trip permits.
- Creates a new fund, the Abandoned Recreational Vehicle Account, to cover towing and disposal costs.
- The account will be funded by the surcharges collected.
- The Department of Transportation will adjust the surcharge amounts annually based on the Consumer Price Index.
- The new surcharges are scheduled to expire after 10 years.
- The Department of Transportation can adopt rules to implement the new fees.
- Funds from the Abandoned Recreational Vehicle Account are continuously appropriated to the Department of Transportation for this purpose.
Who is affected
- Vehicle owners (campers, travel trailers, motor homes)
- Recreational vehicle trip permit holders
- The Department of Transportation
- Oregon taxpayers
- Individuals involved in the towing and disposal of abandoned recreational vehicles
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsors
Cosponsors
Arguments in favor
Reasons to support this legislation.
Supporters of House Bill 3209 generally agree that increasing recreational vehicle (RV) registration fees will provide essential funding for maintaining and improving Oregon's parks, which contribute to the state's economy, promote mental health, and support tourism. Many testifiers, including local governments and park districts, emphasize the need to address the growing issue of derelict and abandoned RVs in public rights-of-way, posing significant safety, sanitation, environmental, and health risks. By adjusting RV registration fees and establishing a dedicated funding source for removing abandoned recreational vehicles, supporters aim to create a reliable revenue stream to sustain and enhance Oregon's parks, while also addressing the growing costs of disposing of hazardous abandoned RVs in public spaces.
Source: Testimony Summaries
Arguments opposed
Reasons to oppose this legislation.
Opponents of the proposed surcharge argue that it will disproportionately affect responsible RV owners who are new to RVing or have limited budgets, potentially deterring them from investing in RVs and impacting the industry. They contend that the bill's focus on registration and trip permits fails to address the root cause of abandoned vehicles, which they believe is a more effective solution. Additionally, Oregon RV dealers and owners oppose the tax, citing it as an unfair increase on law-abiding residents, including low-income families and retired Oregonians who may struggle with the added expense.