---
type: "Bill"
title: "Relating to transportation; and prescribing an effective date."
description: "</b> </i>] [<i>Directs the Department of Transportation to report on a required audit, progress in implementing design practices, establishing a transportation university and the creation of a database equivalent to one created by the State of Washington.</i>] [<i>Directs the Director of Transportation to centralize project delivery efforts.</i>] [<i>Eliminates the Joint Committee on Transportation.</i>] Makes changes to laws regulating dismantlers. Expands the definition of \"qualified entity\" for purposes of public transportation funding. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die."
jurisdiction: "us/states/or"
legislature: "Oregon Legislative Assembly"
session: "2026R1"
identifier: "SB 1544"
citation: "Oregon SB 1544 (2026R1)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 11
action_count: 22
vote_count: 4
first_action: "2026-02-02T15:32:59+00:00"
last_action: "2026-04-06T18:52:40+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/95502fa3-b2f7-4079-9ef6-5180909c810c"
source_url: "https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/Measures/Overview/SB1544"
source_hash: "026e99845adff288622d7c572429221306d530bd3f4c165401ccad1d3328ccbd"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-or"]
---

# Oregon SB 1544 (2026R1) — Relating to transportation; and prescribing an effective date.

</b> </i>] [<i>Directs the Department of Transportation to report on a required audit, progress in implementing design practices, establishing a transportation university and the creation of a database equivalent to one created by the State of Washington.</i>] [<i>Directs the Director of Transportation to centralize project delivery efforts.</i>] [<i>Eliminates the Joint Committee on Transportation.</i>] Makes changes to laws regulating dismantlers. Expands the definition of "qualified entity" for purposes of public transportation funding. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB1544/Introduced)
2. **Senate Amendments to Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB1544/Senate%20Amendments%20to%20Introduced)
3. **A-Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB1544/A-Engrossed)
4. **B-Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB1544/B-Engrossed)
5. **JWM Amendment -A7** (committee substitute) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/Downloads/ProposedAmendment/30746)
6. **SCT Amendment -2** (committee substitute) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/Downloads/ProposedAmendment/30480)
7. **SCT Amendment -4** (committee substitute) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/Downloads/ProposedAmendment/30510)
8. **SCT Amendment -5** (committee substitute) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/Downloads/ProposedAmendment/30570)
9. **SCT Amendment -6** (committee substitute) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/Downloads/ProposedAmendment/30585)
10. **Senate Amendments to A-Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB1544/Senate%20Amendments%20to%20A-Engrossed)
11. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2026R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB1544/Enrolled)

## Votes

- Third reading. Carried by McLane. Passed. — **28–0** (pass) · upper
- Heard and Reported Out with Amendments — **48–0** (pass) · legislature
- Third reading. Carried by McLain. Passed. — **55–0** (pass) · lower
- Heard and Reported Out with Amendments — **5–0** (pass) · upper

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2026-02-02T15:32:59+00:00** Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk. `introduction, reading-1, referral-committee`
- **2026-02-02T17:38:57+00:00** Referred to Transportation. `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-17T01:02:00+00:00** Public Hearing and Work Session held.
- **2026-02-19T23:19:50+00:00** Recommendation: Do pass with amendments. (Printed A-Eng.) `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-02-19T23:19:51+00:00** Referred to Ways and Means by order of the President. `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-23T19:48:00+00:00** Assigned to Subcommittee On Transportation and Economic Development. `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-26T23:03:00+00:00** Returned to Full Committee.
- **2026-02-26T23:02:00+00:00** Work Session held.
- **2026-02-27T16:02:00+00:00** Work Session held.
- **2026-02-27T22:03:21+00:00** Recommendation: Do pass with amendments to the A-Eng. bill. (Printed B-Eng.) `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-03-02T19:48:26+00:00** Second reading. `reading-2`
- **2026-03-03T19:48:11+00:00** Third reading. Carried by McLane. Passed. `passage, reading-3`
- **2026-03-03T20:07:49+00:00** First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk. `introduction, reading-1, referral-committee`
- **2026-03-03T22:42:22+00:00** Referred to Ways and Means. `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-03T23:49:48+00:00** Recommendation: Do pass. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-03-04T22:25:04+00:00** Second reading. `reading-2`
- **2026-03-05T19:41:17+00:00** Third reading. Carried by McLain. Passed. `passage, reading-3`
- **2026-03-06T16:59:18+00:00** President signed. `passage`
- **2026-03-06T19:23:54+00:00** Speaker signed. `passage`
- **2026-03-31T21:30:00+00:00** Governor signed. `executive-signature`
- **2026-04-06T18:50:36+00:00** Chapter 84, 2026 Laws.
- **2026-04-06T18:52:40+00:00** Effective date, June 5, 2026.

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/95502fa3-b2f7-4079-9ef6-5180909c810c`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Oregon legislature records).