The 2025 legislative session has come to an end and among the achievements was a sweeping package of consumer protection bills.
“As chair of the House Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, I am proud of the work we did to create a more affordable, equitable, and transparent marketplace for Oregonians,” said Rep. Nathan Sosa (D – Greater Hillsboro). “We created real consequences for those who use shady sales tactics and we passed several reforms to stop predatory corporate conduct.”
The consumer protection package included the following:
Utilities
- The FAIR Energy Act: overhauls the rate-setting process for gas and electric bills to prevent dramatic price spikes and ensure that the interests of consumers are prioritized over those of utility investors. The bill also prohibits new rate increases from going into effect in the winter months. (HB3179)
- The POWER Act: requires data centers to pay more for the large amount of electricity they use, rather than passing those increased costs onto other residential and business customers. (HB3546)
- Energy Assistance Fund: doubles the size of the Low-Income Electric Bill Payment Assistance Fund to help consumers who are struggling to pay their power bill. (HB3792)
- PUC Consumer Services: requires each public utility to include with each utility bill the phone numbers for the Public Utility Commission’s consumer services and website address for the commission’s online consumer complaint form. (HB3156)
Sales
- Eliminating Hidden Fees: promotes price transparency by requiring online sellers to advertise the total price for goods and services. This puts an end to hidden “junk fees” and “drip pricing.” (SB430)
- Telemarketing Modernization Act: protects consumers from a constant bombardment of unwanted solicitations by adding texting to our telemarketing laws, setting the maximum number of solicitations to 3 per day, and prohibiting solicitations after 8:00 p.m. (HB3865)
- Fan Fairness Act: cracks down on fraud and price gouging in regard to the sale of event tickets. (HB3167)
- Home Solicitation: subjects door-to-door salespeople who break our existing home solicitation laws to financial liability under the Unlawful Trade Practices Act. (HB3605)
Medical
- No Medical Debt on Credit Reports: prohibits medical providers from reporting medical debt to a credit reporting agency so that someone’s financial future is not ruined because of an unexpected illness or injury. (SB605)
- Billing Equity for Ambulances: prevents an ambulance company, once they have been paid by the patient’s health insurance carrier, from charging the patient for the remaining balance. (HB3243)
- Right to Repair Electric Wheelchairs: requires the manufacturers of electric wheelchairs to provide parts and repair manuals to customers upon request. (SB550)
Automotive
- Auto Financing Reform: requires more transparency and equity in regard to vehicle sales so that consumers are protected and not blindsided when a car dealer over-promises and under-delivers in order to close the deal. (HB3178)
Insurance
- Premium Increases: if an insurance company is increasing the premium for an auto or home policy, they have to provide a written explanation as to why, upon the request of the customer. (HB2563)
Data Privacy
- Personal Data Protection: prohibits the tracking and profiling of digital data for minors under 16 years of age and prohibits the sale of our precise location data. (HB2008)
- Vehicle Data Protection: expands our existing data privacy laws to include information collected by personal vehicles. (HB3875)
“While the Trump Administration is racing to dismantle consumer protections at the national level, we doubled down on protecting consumers here in Oregon,” added Rep. Sosa.
