Rep. John Davis Legislative Update

• Capitol Visitors
• Recreational Marijuana Town Halls
• "Job Killers" Announced
• Bills that Passed the House Last Week

Capitol Visitors

Seniors from Life Christian High school's State and Local Government class came by for a visit and tour of the Capitol. I was able to bring them onto the House Floor for a few minutes between committees.

Students from the Oregon State University College of Pharmacy visited on OSU day to advocate for additional higher education spending.

Recreational Marijuana Town Halls

On April 15th, Senator Thatcer and I held our first Recreational Marijuana Town Hall in Wilsonville. The night was a success and very informative, with about 50 people in attendance to learn from and ask questions of law enforcement, the OLCC Executive Director Steve Marks, and local elected officials. We still have two Town Halls scheduled. Don't miss out on another opportunity to be involved in the community and learn more on Measure 91. Sherwood - Wed, April 29th 6:30pm - 7:30pm - Sherwood Police Department, 20495 SW Borchers Dr, Sherwood, OR 97140 Tigard | King City - Wed, May 20th 6:30pm - 7:30pm - Tigard Public Library - Public Community Room, 13500 SW Hall Blvd, Tigard, OR  97223

"Job Killers" Announced

Oregon's economy is improving, and our unemployment rate recently "hit 5.4 percent, compared to the U.S. 5.5 percent figure. It's the first time since 1996 that Oregon has landed below the national rate." However, the State's Office of Economic Analysis warns that,"there are clear reasons for both near-term economic optimism over the next year or two and longer-term pessimism over the extended horizon."

A coalition of Oregon's major employers have expressed such pessimism at a "job-killing" agenda that appears be rolling through the Legislature. Represented by Associated Oregon Industries, the Oregon State Chamber of Commerce, Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregonians for Food & Shelter and many other organizations, the coalition released a list of bills up this session that it believes would kill jobs. This is just a small fraction of the bills affecting Oregon's economic and entrepreneurial environment.

SB 718 Allows Liens on Personal Employer Property

Creates a dangerous and unfair precedent in the wage-and-hour arena by allowing employees to file liens on an employer's real or personal property, based upon alleged yet unproven wage claims.

SB 845 Imposes New Fees on Large Employers
Requires employers whose employees obtain health insurance coverage through a public program to pay a fee to the state for that coverage.

HB 2007 Adds Employer Liability for Wage Discussions
Creates a new unlawful employment practice against an employer who takes any negative employment action against an employee for discussing or disclosing "in any manner" his or her wages or those of another employee.

HB 2009 Increases Statewide Minimum Wage 
Increases Oregon's current minimum wage from $9.25 to $15 per hour by 2018. Other minimum wage bills: SB 327, SB 332, SB 597, SB 610, SB 682, HB 2004, HB 2008, HB 2012

HB 2386 Authorizes New Cease & Desist Authority for BOLI
Subjects employers to potentially unjustified imposition of cease & desist orders by Bureau of Labor and Industries, which, once issued, could require costly court proceeding to have removed.

HB 2764 Increases Workers' Compensation Costs
Unravels certain cost-saving provisions and resulting benefit increases due to Oregon's 1990 Workers' Compensation reforms, resulting in employers paying nearly 5% increases in workers' compensation system costs without any expectation that increases will be offset by system savings.

SB 454 Implements Statewide Mandatory Paid Sick Leave

Increases employer mandates by requiring employers to provide employees with paid sick leave, and threatens employers with statutory penalties as well as litigation for alleged violations. Counterpart: HB 2005

Bills that Passed the House Last Week

April 12, 2015 - April 18, 2015
The following is a partial list of bills that passed the House last week. 
(Click This Link to Find the Status of All House Bills)

HB 3466 - A Relating to contact with crime victims. Provides that release decision for defendant charged with sex crime or crime constituting domestic violence must include order prohibiting attempted contact with victim and third-party contact with victim while defendant is in custody.

HB 3469 Relating to crime. Increases penalty for crime of strangulation when committed knowing victim was pregnant.

HB 3476 Relating to confidential communications. Establishes privilege in civil, criminal, administrative and school proceedings for certain communications between persons seeking services related to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking and victim services programs and advocates.

HB 2128 Relating to taxes on real property leased from a tax-exempt owner. Provides that ad valorem property taxes assessed on real property held by taxable person under lease from tax-exempt owner are personal liability of taxable person.

HB 2129 Relating to determinations of maximum assessed value. Allows taxpayer to petition for reduction of maximum assessed value upon demonstrating that new property or new improvements to property added to tax roll in prior tax year did not exist.

HB 2474 - A Relating to veterinary medicine. Prohibits veterinary facility from offering services related to practice of veterinary medicine, surgery or dentistry unless veterinary facility registers with Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board.

HB 2525 - A Relating to college credit. Directs Higher Education Coordinating Commission to develop standards related to transferability of credits for community colleges and public universities.

HB 3001 - A Relating to the valuation of destroyed property. Allows application for determination of real market value and assessed value of property destroyed or damaged between January 1 and July 1 to be filed on or before December 31.

HB 2559 Relating to solar access for residential real property. Prohibits inclusion, in instrument conveying or contracting to convey real property or in declaration or bylaws of planned community or condominium, of provisions prohibiting installation and use of solar panels for obtaining solar access.

HB 2605 Relating to insurance. Specifies procedures by which Department of Consumer and Business Services may approve, modify or disapprove rate filing.

HB 2564 Relating to affordable housing. Permits local governments to impose conditions on approved permits that effectively establish sales price for up to 30 percent of residential development or limit purchase to class or group of purchasers in exchange for one or more developer incentives.

HB 2317 - A Relating to statute of limitations. Extends statute of limitations of certain sex crimes from six to 12 years after commission of crime or, if victim was under 18 years of age, anytime before victim attains 30 years of age.

HB 2889 - A Relating to savings accounts for foster children. Requires Department of Human Services, child-caring agency and foster home to ensure child receiving care or services from department, agency or home for at least six consecutive months is entitled to establish savings account in child's name for child's sole use and benefit upon child reaching 12 years of age.

HB 2890 - A Relating to extracurricular activities for foster children. Requires Department of Human Services to ensure that substitute care providers for child or ward in care or custody of department provide opportunities to participate in at least one extracurricular activity and apply reasonable and prudent parent standard in determining participation.

HB 2551 - A Relating to individually identifiable health information. Requires covered entities to report annually on system safeguards for protecting confidentiality of personally identifiable and protected health information.

HB 2655 - A Relating to education. Directs State Board of Education to adopt specified standards related to student education records.

HB 2681 - A Relating to course placement in community colleges. Directs Higher Education Coordinating Commission and State Board of Education to oversee work group to examine and recommend effective processes and strategies for placing students in courses at community colleges.

HB 2687 - A Relating to exceptions to the offense of carrying a dog on the external part of a vehicle. Provides exception to offense of carrying a dog on the external part of a vehicle for persons operating farm vehicle or engaged in commercial agriculture.

HB 3114 - A Relating to payment of claims made by injured workers. Allows injured worker 90 days from date health benefit plan rejects claim for benefits to file workers' compensation claim.

HB 3487 Relating to advertisements for licensed investigators. Requires licensed investigator to include investigator's name and license number in all advertisements for investigator's services.

HB 2261 - A Relating to proof of motor vehicle registration. Permits person to provide proof of vehicle registration under certain circumstances to avoid charge of illegal display of registration plate or improper display of validating stickers.

HB 2281 - A Relating to transportation. For purposes of per-mile road usage charge, makes issuance by Department of Transportation of emblem of exemption from motor vehicle fuel taxes permissive, removes exception to requirement that seller collect use fuel taxes on motor vehicle paying per-mile road usage charge and removes requirement that Department of Transportation round metered use of subject vehicle up to next whole mile.

HB 2354 - A Relating to unmanned aerial systems. Changes defined term "drone" to "unmanned aircraft system.

HB 2465 - A Relating to transportation. Modifies requirements related to school enrollment that person under 18 years of age must meet before being issued driving privileges.

HB 2974 - A Relating to reapportionment. Requires Legislative Assembly or Secretary of State to hold 10 public hearings throughout state prior to proposing congressional or legislative reapportionment plan.

HB 3255 - A Relating to bicycles. Requires person operating bicycle on highway to equip bicycle with red light on rear of bicycle.

HB 3517 - A Relating to improving the health of Oregonians; declaring an emergency. Authorizes Oregon Health Authority to provide medical assistance, within available funds, to low income children residing in Oregon if necessary to move toward goals of Legislative Assembly expressed in law and to improve health of Oregon communities.

Sincerely,
State Representative John Davis

House District 26: Wilsonville, Sherwood, King City,
Hillsboro, Beaverton, Aloha, Tigard, & Bull Mountain

Email: Rep.JohnDavis@state.or.us
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/Davis
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-483, Salem, Oregon 97301

Legislative Staff 

Legislative Director - Michelle Felton - michelle.felton@state.or.us
Small Business Liaison - Sterling Smith - sterling.smith@state.or.us
Policy Analyst | Legal Extern - Brianna Wellman - brianna.wellman@state.or.us

Committees

House Committee on Revenue
Joint Committee On Tax Credits - Co-Vice Chair

Joint Committee On Health Insurance Transition
House Committee on Tansportation and Economic Development - Vice-Chair

Quick Links
The State’s system to track bills and see committee agendas: Oregon Legislative Information (OLIS) 

Our State of Oregon Legislative Website: Oregon Legislature

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” 

― Mae West