Legislative Update from State Rep. Anna Scharf

Dear Friends,

If you haven't made your way to the Capitol lately, the cherry blossoms are blooming and they're a must see. The park is absolutely gorgeous to stroll through on a sunny day. 

Unfortunately, the pretty flowers are just about the best part of my week, as I am constantly voting no in my committees on bad policy and wasteful spending bills.  

Next week is only going to be more eventful as we draw near to the first chamber deadline. April 9th is the last day for a bill to pass out of committee. The bill must be sent to the floor for a vote or another committee that is excluded from the deadlines. Those committees are Rules, Revenue and Ways & Means. Joint Committees are also not subject to the April 9^th deadline. So, many bills will live or die in the next week and a half. 

As always, thank you for your continued support, and please contact my office with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

HB 3197 would create Oregon's first ever state grocery and restaurant sales tax adding 8% onto all beer, wine and cider sales.

This bill is scheduled for a public hearing on April 2nd at 3pm in the House Committee on Revenue.

Submit your written opposition here or register to testify here. 

Oregon’s wine industry is struggling as tasting room sales are down.  The Oregon Craft Brewery market led a nationwide revolution and the cider market has brought on an entire new ag sector to Oregon’s economy. Why does this State constantly want to punish ag and business?

Great News! SB 210 is having a public hearing March 31st in the Senate Committee on Rules. 

The description is below, but in summary, the bill proposes to allow the voters to decide if they would like to put an end to mail-in voting and requires IDs to vote.

Submit your written support here or register to testify here.

SB 210

• Makes in-person voting on the date of an election the standard method for conducting an election. Allows for absentee in some situations.
• Requires electors to present valid government-issued identification when appearing in-person to vote or when requesting a ballot be sent by mail.
• Requires all ballots to be returned by the date of an election.
• Removes a requirement that the state pay postage for ballots returned by mail.
• Refers the Act to the people for their approval or rejection at the next general election.

In February, I requested a legislative counsel (LC) opinion regarding whether OR-OSHA had exceeded its statutory authority in applying the ag labor housing rules to single family homes that are occupied by five or fewer unrelated people. LC affirmed that OR-OSHA had exceeded its scope in applying farmworker camp rules to single family rental homes.  

OR-OSHA responded to this legislative oversight by asking the Department of Justice (DOJ) to rule in its favor, and this week, OR-OSHA sent a press release with a DOJ memo, confirming the agency’s authority to regulate ANY housing offered to workers, including single family homes. Relying on a 1989 memo that predates the “farmworker camp” statute, DOJ affirmed that OR-OSHA has the authority to promulgate very broad rules.

This opinion is a significant blow to workers and employers alike—farm employers often lease single family housing on farm properties they own to their workers, many who are year-round, long term employees. Yet, OR-OSHA's memo treats this housing as a worksite and makes employers liable for any violation of the agency’s expansive farmworker camp rules in single family rental homes. The unfortunate outcome of this overreach will be the loss of affordable housing for farmworkers and their families because farmers cannot take on more liability or expense. 

This is why SB 999 is so important. The bill attempts to clarify that OR-OSHA's authority to regulate farmworker camps is not broader than the federal OSHA authority, which is specific to seasonal farmworker camps. SB 999 is scheduled for a public hearing on April 3rd. If you are a farm owner who also happens to have rental homes on your farm properties, even if you do not rent to your own farm workers, please speak up.  Submit your support for the bill here.