Oregon Legislature Passes Multiple Bills to Attract Semiconductor Industry

Oregon lawmakers have passed Senate Bill 4, which allocates $210 million towards grants and loans for semiconductor and advanced manufacturing companies to acquire and develop land for new facilities and carry out research. The bill also grants Governor Tina Kotek unprecedented authority to shift urban growth boundaries to attract a major semiconductor facility. The move has generated criticism from farmers, conservation groups, and Republican lawmakers worried about granting Kotek power that could result in the loss of valuable farmland. Lawmakers are now turning their attention to tax subsidies that might further lure semiconductor activity in Oregon.