Final 2017 State Legislative Report Out

 

 

 

 

Final 2017 State Legislative Session Report Out –

I. Update on Major 2017 Session Themes
    a. Transportation passed (HB 2017)
    b. Spending reforms
    c. Taxes / Revenue – Think there will be ongoing dialogue about PERS reform between now and next session

II. Major OSCC Bills – Where they stand.
Taxes:

HB 2060-A: Repeals the small business tax cut passed by the 2013 legislature. – Dead.  Letters and calls from chambers and their member businesses help kill this bill.
HB 2830: Tax plan that implements a 0.48% baseline gross receipts tax on all businesses with $3 million or more in Oregon sales. – Dead, chambers and their members with feedback to legislators helped stop this bill.
HB 2391: Solves Medicaid budget shortfall of $900 million – which it is poised to do with a variety of taxes on hospitals, medical providers and insurance premiums – Passed in agreement with hospitals, is a self imposed tax, possible referendum
HB 2019: Corporate tax disclosure scheme for businesses that claim tax credits. – Dead

Budget:

SB 1067: Cost containment bill – Passed, but hurts local hospitals, health care providers
SB 1068 PERS Reform: Re-directs 2% of employee contributions from the Individual Account Program to shore up the unfunded liability of the pension program – Dead.  There was some initial work at beginning of session that would have impacted PERS costs

Labor:

SB 828: Predictive scheduling for retail, food service, hospitality businesses – Passed with numerous changes that were more acceptable to business.  Final outcome, focused on companies with 500 employees and above, retail, food service and hospitality.  7 days in advance for schedule.  Allows for a pool of workers that could be on call inside that window with no penalties.  Also does not allow local preemptions of this statewide deal.
HB 3458: Fixes BOLI’s bad interpretation on daily/weekly overtime pay, but also implements workweek caps – Passed, but caps work week at 60 hours, but provisions to accommodate agricultural and food service producers, allows for greater overtime hours during seasonal production.  Seafood companies exempted.
HB 2856: Union Organizing & Sick Leave Penalties – Dead
HB 2005: Pay equity enforcement – Passed

Environment Regulation:

HB 2269: increases DEQ fees to fund the new DEQ ‘Cleaner Air Oregon’ regulatory scheme. – Dead
SB 1008: Diesel engine regulations – Passed, but completely stripped of all regulation

Tourism:

HB 2064: Allows local government more latitude to spend TRT money on ‘tourism-related’ projects not related directly to tourism promotion. – Dead

Liability:

HB 2807 (formerly SB 487/SB 737): Eliminates the $500k cap on non-economic damages in civil lawsuits – Dead

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