On Monday, September 16, the halls of the Capitol in Salem were once again bustling with activity as State Senators and Representatives returned to the building for three days of informational Committee meetings known as “State Legislative Days.” Held Monday through Wednesday this week, hearings were well-attended by legislative staff, lobbyists and advocates, and members of the public, with some hearing rooms at or near capacity as attendees listened closely for updates on recently passed legislation, state agency administrative rulemaking, and policy area workgroup updates. The next Legislative Days will occur in November, and then once more in January before the 2020 Legislative Session begins on Monday, February 5, 2020. The exact dates for November Legislative Days have yet to be announced.
Representatives from the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Housing and Community Services, the Department of Agriculture, and the Bureau of Labor and Industries provided agency updates and workplans to lawmakers on topics such as prescription drug price transparency, Coordinated Care Organization (CCO) 2.0 efforts, homelessness prevention, cybersecurity controls within state agencies, and prevailing wage rates and enterprise zones. Additionally, representatives from private corporations and nonprofit organizations were invited to provide testimony on relevant topics. There is usually an invited testimony only rule in place during Legislative Days.
Of interest to Chamber members may be recent news out of the State Employment Department and the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI). On Tuesday, September 17, state economists released a memo titled Oregon’s Unemployment Rate Remains at 4.0 Percent in August. Val Hoyle, BOLI Commissioner relayed a good sign for the skilled labor workforce in Oregon: Registered Apprenticeship programs in our state have achieved record enrollment, and apprentices are more diverse than ever before. Early next year, BOLI intends to launch a new interactive portal where apprenticeship training program administrators can register their programs and participants online.
Interim Committee Assignments for McMinnville-Area Legislators:
State Senator Brian Boquist
Committees: Senate Interim Committee on General Government and Emergency Preparedness, Joint Committee on Transportation (Co-Vice Chair), Senate Interim Committee on Veterans, Senate Interim Committee on Judiciary
Representative Ron Noble
Committees: House Special Committee on Conduct, Joint Interim Committee on Conduct, Joint Committee on Transportation, Joint Interim Committee on the Interstate 5 Bridge, House Interim Committee on Health Care, House Interim Committee on Health Care Sub. on Behavioral Health, House Interim Committee on Human Services and Housing
Thank you for visiting mcminnville.org. You can find more information about the Oregon State Legislative System by visiting https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019I1
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