Alert: Town Hall June 11th at 6:30pm. Community Center: OLCC will discuss Measure 91 (legalization of Marijuana) and expectations on how it will affect businesses and the community. Very important meeting to hear from the group tasked with monitoring and managing the legalization steps and practices.
The Town Hall will be held on June 11th, at 6:30pm, at the McMinnville Community Center. Senator Brian Boquist, Steve Marks (OLCC) and Jim Weidner along with other elected officials will be in attendance. Senator Boquist and I will be giving a brief legislative update then giving the floor to Steve to give a brief presentation regarding the implementation of Measure 91. Following the presentation will be open for questions about the presentation or general legislative questions.
Press Release from Senator Boquist’s office: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=59d9facb-a1de-4087-a999-51a380228697&c=782bf620-7ca2-11e3-b458-d4ae528eaba9&ch=79178ea0-7ca2-11e3-b474-d4ae528eaba9
McMinnville Chamber Member Report – June 1
What we see coming up (June 1 – June 5):
Mandatory Paid Sick Leave (SB 454-A) is moving out of the Ways & Means Committee this week. The Senate Democrats came to an internal agreement that will guarantee 16 votes to pass the bill out of the Senate. Please see attachment for new provisions of the bill. Primarily, the bill will now apply to all employers with 10 or more employees. CHANGES TO SB 454 – May 28
As per our previous discussions, it appears the die is cast in the Senate. Chamber feedback and grassroots support, therefore, needs to be directed to the House of Representatives.
OSCC is also anticipating that the Mandatory State-Run Retirement Savings bill (HB 2960-A) will also be approved by the full Ways & Means Committee this week and sent to the full House for a floor vote. We still believe there is an opportunity to pass amendments that would make the bill more palatable to local businesses by ensuring that the state does proper due diligence, including getting a federal Department of Labor opinion on whether the new retirement plan will subject Oregon employers to ERISA requirements, before launching the plan. We a very favorable editorial in The Oregonian was published this weekend regarding the OSCC position. You can read it here: http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/05/proposed_state_retirement_plan.html#incart_opinion
House Bill 2075, the bill that would increase the jet fuel tax and use the proceeds to address infrastructure and deferred maintenance needs at rural airports, passed out of the House Revenue Committee unanimously and will now go to the Ways & Means Committee, where it will be assigned to Senator Betsy Johnson’s Transportation & Economic Development Subcommittee. Senator Johnson is a major proponent of the bill.
House Bill 3025, the “ban the box” bill that would prohibit employers from asking about the criminal history of job applicants on the job application form, is expected to be pared back even further this week in the Senate Workforce Committee.
OSCC and others were asking for a statewide preemption on the bill to disallow local governments from passing more stringent requirements. Although it appears we will not be successful in gaining this preemption, it does look like we will be successful in eliminating the private right of action that would allow job applicants to sue an employer for alleged violations of the bill.
House Bill 3034, the bill that would remove the property tax exemption for local hospitals, appears to be stalled in the House Revenue Committee. OSCC issued an Action Alert for this issue last week and Chambers of Commerce from around the state have stood up against this bill.
House Bill 2077, the bill that requires corporate tax disclosure for certain C corporations, keeps rearing its head in the House Revenue Committee. The bill is scheduled for a work session in House Revenue Committee on Tuesday, although there is a strong likelihood that the legislation does not have enough votes to pass out of committee. Per Representative Weidner it appears that the Democratic party in the House is split on this bill and prefer to put their effort behind minimum wage, mandatory paid sick leave, etc. Although nothing is a done deal until all the votes are cast.
Important dates to remember this session:
This Friday, June 5, is the last day for policy committees to meet. After Friday the efforts will focus on Ways and Means, Revenue, and Rules. More effort will be focused on budget as well looking and a transportation package that the governor has called for. There will be a lot more information on all of this in the near future as committees and meetings happen and reports start flowing.
Sine die – The last day for legislation – is usually set before July 1st. However, with current proceedings it could go until July 12th, the last day constitutionally for our legislators to meet. If business is not concluded by then the Governor could call for special session, but this is considered unlikely because of efforts for Governor Brown’s re-election.
Other Thoughts:
There are approximately only 5 more weeks in the legislative calendar. If there is an issue you find yourself passionate about, now is the time to make your feelings known. Please speak up and vocalize your position on the bills listed above, or on any other issue you have heard about. Please understand that “groups” will petition and represent your voice, but the law makers want to hear from you personally. If you need help or contacts please let me know and I can find those for you.
