SALEM – The Oregon Senate on Wednesday gave a big thumbs-up to legislation that allows more dude ranches in Central and Eastern Oregon.

The bill, which now heads to the House, allows ranches to add more bunkhouses so a stampede of city folks can come visit. Ranchers would also get the OK to expand their floor space and serve up vittles to more visitors.

Officially, Senate Bill 358 extends to 2010, a sunset on the state’s law allowing the establishment of guest ranches. That law, which has allowed for the establishment of eight such east-side operations including one in Deschutes County since 1997, is scheduled to expire in December.

But the proposal also tweaks the current law to allow more of the agricultural attractions – which now allow up to 10 guest units on working ranches – because it deletes a ban on the operations within 10 miles of Bend.

That means the Deschutes River Ranch in Tumalo, which once had timeshares, can become a guest ranch. Its neighbor is Sen. Ben Westlund, R-Tumalo, a sponsor of the legislation along with Rep. Gene Whisnant, R-Sunriver.

”The guest ranch statute has allowed ranchers to diversify their businesses and has created an opportunity for them to serve the growing visitor industry in Eastern Oregon,” Westlund said.

Deschutes River Ranch lobbyist Linda Swearingen said the legislation was modeled to allow other operators to mimic the successful Rock Springs Guest Ranch Resort and Conference Center, located west of Tumalo.

”We’re looking for what’s worked in the past while still preserving the rural nature of our communities,” she said.

The legislation allows the ranches to multiply their available square footage and accommodations. The current law allows a maximum of 12,000 square feet in floor area, and the new version says ranches can have an additional space in a lodge for kitchen, restroom and shared space.

The bill allows larger ranches to boast as many as 25 units and 30,000 square feet of space.

Guest ranches would still be prohibited from operating restaurants, but could hold catered events like weddings or conferences.

The bill now moves to the House, and Swearingen predicts quick approval because the state is not objecting.

As the votes were tallied, Sen. Alan Bates, D-Ashland, got into the Western mood and didn’t answer with his customary ”aye.”

”Yahoo,” he called.

Just three legislators opposed the bill. Sen. Vicki Walker, D-Eugene, said her opposition was spurred by a letter from Harney County rancher David Herman, who complained that the proposal goes further than allowing outdoorsy dude ranches like the one in the movie ”City Slickers.”

”There’s a concern about allowing places with swimming pools and tennis courts on ranches that are not big enough to be viable ranches,” she said. ”Those are resorts, not working ranches.”

The Rock Springs ranch, which bills itself both as a dude ranch and conference center, has tennis courts, a hot tub, a fishing pond, a conference facility and even a massage therapist, according to its Web site.