HB3792 doubles the minimum amount collected from electric customers for low-income electric bill payment and crisis assistance from $20 million to $40 million per year. It also increases the maximum monthly charge per customer site for this assistance from $500 to $1,000, directs the Oregon Public Utility Commission to reassess need for assistance every two years, and requires reporting to the Legislative Assembly if large increases are made. The funds go into Oregon’s energy-assistance program to help low-income residents pay their power bills.

The Oregon State House of Representatives passed HB3792 on June 24, 2025 by a vote of 38 to 13. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill further empowers the state to redistribute wealth through utility bills, allowing government to pick winners and losers while insulating the spending from normal budget scrutiny. Such policies increase energy costs, embrace collectivism, distort market signals, and extend government involvement into areas better addressed through voluntary charity and local, private solutions rather than government mandates.