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Dear friends,
Happy Birthday to our beautiful state! Oregon celebrates 166 years of statehood this Friday, February 14.
On January 21, Oregon's Legislative Assembly officially began its 2025 Regular Session. Committees have been meeting in-person for the past several weeks, and both the Senate and House have been convening twice weekly for floor sessions for introductions and to vote on bills. (As committees pass more bills to the floor, the Senate and House will meet more frequently.)
As a side note: On January 11, Senator James Manning, House Speaker Julie Fahey, Representative John Lively, Representative Nancy Nathanson, Representative Lisa Fragala and I held a joint legislative town hall to preview the session at the new Eugene City Hall (formerly the EWEB building). We were honored to be joined by Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson, who moderated the forum. Thanks to everyone — more than 100 individuals on a sunny Saturday afternoon — who attended and for the thoughtful questions!
Left to right: Mayor Knudson, me, Rep. Fragala, Speaker Fahey, Rep. Lively, Rep. Nathanson, Sen. Manning
While a major seismic and accessibility retrofit project continues at our State Capitol, closing all of the historic portion of the building, both chambers (the Senate and House) as well as primary committee rooms are open. Anyone wishing to offer committee testimony in support of or opposition to a bill may do so in-person, virtually, or via written testimony. For more information on how to engage in the legislative process this session, click here.
Below you will find information on:
- Tax Season Information
- ODOT to Improve Safety and Livability on OR 126
- Capitol School Tours During the 2025 Session
- Unclaimed Property Program
I hope this information is helpful and informative for you or someone you know. As always, feel free to share your comments, questions or concerns with me by phone, mail or e-mail.
Tax Season Information
On January 27, the IRS and Oregon Department of Revenue (DOR) began accepting returns for the 2024 tax year. DOR shared suggestions for taxpayers to help assist in efficient processing of returns and avoiding common errors that may delay a refund.
File electronically, and request a direct deposit
On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund two weeks sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks. DOR will begin to issue refunds on February 15.
Gather all tax records before filing
Taxpayers should wait to file until they have all their tax records, including Form W-2s from their employers and Form 1099s reporting other income.
Use Revenue Online
Revenue Online (ROL) is Oregon's internet tax portal and is the best way to communicate with the department. Taxpayers who don't have an account can sign up on the DOR website. New users will be asked to verify their identity and may do so through ROL.
Download Form 1099-G
DOR no longer mails taxpayers Form 1099-G, which reports the amount of refunds, credits, or other offsets of personal income, statewide transit individual tax, or Lane transit self-employment tax during the previous year. People who itemized deductions on their tax year 2023 federal income tax return will need a Form 1099-G to file their tax year 2024 return. Those taxpayers can view and download their Form 1099-G through Revenue Online.
Free filing options
Taxpayers may use a combination of free electronic filing options available through the IRS and DOR. Options include IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon. Taxpayers are encouraged to use the IRS Eligibility Checker to see if they qualify to file directly with the IRS and the state.
Earned Income Tax Credit
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a federal tax credit for people making up to $66,819 in 2023. Families may be eligible for a maximum refundable credit of $7,830 on their federal tax return, and a maximum Oregon Earned Income Credit (EIC) of $940 on their state tax return. Certain taxpayers without children may also be eligible for these credits.
Individuals may qualify for the EITC, the Oregon EIC, and other credits, even if they are not required to file. To receive the refundable credits, however, they must file a federal and state tax return.
Free and low-cost tax help
Free tax preparation services are available for low- to moderate-income taxpayers through AARP and CASH Oregon. United Way also offers free tax help through their MyFreeTaxes program. Visit the DOR website for more information about free tax preparation services. The department offers an interactive map to help taxpayers find an assistance center near them.
Free tax help clinics at local libraries
Volunteers from DOR will be traveling to local libraries in 18 different communities across the state in February, March, and April to assist taxpayers who are eligible to use IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon to complete their returns. Dates, times, and addresses for each clinic can be found on the Free Direct File assistance at local libraries webpage.
ODOT to Improve Safety and Livability on OR 126
A $30 million federal grant will help make critical safety and infrastructure improvements along OR 126 between Huston Road and Lakeside Drive in Lane County, near the communities of Veneta and Elmira. The project draws on funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program.
Addressing Safety on OR 126
This 1.9-mile segment of OR 126 has seen a high number of crashes and fatalities. With increasing traffic volume, improving safety for all road users is a top priority. Planned upgrades include dual-lane roundabouts at Huston Road and Ellmaker Road, widening the road from two to four lanes, and creating safer spaces for walking and biking with wider shoulders and a separated shared-use path.
Why Roundabouts?
Roundabouts are proven to reduce crashes and save lives. According to the Federal Highway Administration, intersections with roundabouts experience fewer fatalities, injuries, and crashes compared to traditional intersections. They also reduce maintenance costs and improve fuel efficiency.
Next Steps
The project is being designed. In addition to the new roundabouts and road widening, plans include:
- A left-turn lane at Lakeside Drive.
- Railroad crossing improvements at Huston Road.
- New transit stops will enhance mobility in the area.
While construction should begin in 2026-2027, additional steps like right-of-way acquisitions, environmental and land-use permitting, and collaboration with the Coos Bay Rail Line are underway. To learn more about this project and its progress, visit the OR 126 Huston Roundabout project page. There, you can sign up for Project Alerts to stay informed about updates and milestones.
Capitol School Tours During the 2025 Session
This session, the state capitol Visitor Services team is offering two school tour options:
On-site school tour option:
- Mondays through Fridays at 10:30 a.m.
- Tour guides will take students to the House and Senate chambers, explain the legislative process, share information about the building, and engage students in an educational activity. The on-site tour is 75 minutes long.
- Due to limited space, only one classroom (4th grade and above) consisting of up to 30 students and their chaperones can be accommodated each day. Groups are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. If a group has multiple classes, they will need to schedule multiple days or take advantage of the virtual tour option (see below).
- On-site tour requests can be submitted here.
Virtual tour option:
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9:15 a.m. and 10:15 a.m.
- Tour guide will provide a virtual tour link via Microsoft TEAMS and answer questions for up to three classrooms (100 students) per school, per time slot. The virtual tour is 45 minutes long.
- Virtual tour requests can be submitted here.
You can also call Visitor Services at 503-986-1388 or e-mail visitor.services@oregonlegislature.gov to book a school tour.
Unclaimed Property Program
(From the State Treasurer)
February 1 was National Unclaimed Property Day. Oregon's Unclaimed Property Program has been helping Oregonians access their unclaimed funds for more than 60 years. Since the State Treasury began managing the program in 2021, its goal has been to connect more Oregonians with money the state is protecting on their behalf.
Unclaimed property is any asset — such as uncashed checks, forgotten security deposits, tax refunds, and more — being held by a business, nonprofit, or government entity for which the owner cannot be found. When an organization is unable to contact or return unclaimed property to an owner after some time, usually one to three years, they must report the property to Treasury to be held until claimed by its rightful owner. Over the last 25 years, the Unclaimed Property Program has returned more than $500 million back to individuals.
With nearly 1 in 7 people having unclaimed property, the State Treasury launched "Checks Without Claims" initiative, an effort that will result in more than $10 million in unclaimed funds proactively returned to more than 18,000 individuals.
You can visit the Unclaimed Property Program website and search for any unclaimed property under your name. Searching is free and easy, and you never know how much unclaimed funds the State Treasury might be holding for you.
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