July 23, 2025 4:00 a.m.

On Tuesday, Governor Tina Kotek announced that she is using her constitutional authority to call a special session of the Oregon Legislature to begin on Friday, August 29th.

A release said the session will be for lawmakers to take up legislation to pay for basic road maintenance and operations at the Oregon Department of Transportation, as well as address funding needs for local governments and transit districts.

Kotek said, “In the weeks since the adjournment of the legislative session, my team and I have worked every day with legislators, local partners, and key stakeholders to zero in on a solution and a timeline for the legislature to come back together and address the state’s most immediate transportation needs. Oregonians rely on these basic services, brush cleaning to prevent wildfires to snow plowing in winter weather, and they are counting on their elected representatives to deliver adequate and stable funding”.

Kotek said she has directed ODOT to postpone the start of layoffs for an additional 45 days, allowing impacted staff to make contingency plans for their livelihoods and their families.

Kotek said, “The special session will be focused on critical near-term solutions to stabilize basic functions at ODOT and local governments”. Kotek continued, “This is just the first step of many that need to be taken to meet our state’s long-term transportation needs”.

Governor Kotek’s full statement is posted with this link: https://apps.oregon.gov/oregon-newsroom/OR/GOV/Posts/Post/governor-kotek-calls-for-special-session-to-address-transportation-system-emergency