Beaver State News

The Oregon Legislative Session is progressing, with significant developments impacting small businesses. Anthony Smith, State Director of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), reported on several key issues from Salem.

March 7 marked Day 46 of the 160-day session, bringing lawmakers closer to the "First Chamber" deadlines. Bills must be scheduled for a work session by March 21 or they will not proceed this year. Afterward, policy committees have until April 9 to amend and advance bills to their respective chambers. With a high number of bills introduced this year, many are expected to fail by this deadline.

One contentious bill, SB 916, concerning unemployment insurance benefits for striking workers, advanced to the Senate floor after a party-line vote in the Senate Labor and Business Committee. While supported by labor unions, private and public sector employers oppose it. Senator Daniel Bonham expressed concerns about its impact on small businesses and school districts.

Another legislative focus is HB 3187, which aims to redefine age discrimination despite existing state and federal laws prohibiting it. NFIB opposed this bill during a February hearing in the House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards.

NFIB also testified against SB 426 in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on February 26. This bill would hold general contractors liable for subcontractors' unpaid wages—a precedent NFIB argues is unfair.

In addition, HB 2746 proposes new requirements for employers regarding wage disclosure in job postings. NFIB criticized it as burdensome during a March hearing in the House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards.

On a positive note for small businesses, HB 2271 seeks targeted unemployment insurance tax relief for those affected by frozen experience ratings due to previous legislation (HB 3389). The proposed measure could save around $3.6 million over three years for approximately 1,000 Oregon small businesses without increasing taxes statewide.

These legislative updates underscore ongoing debates affecting Oregon's business community as lawmakers navigate numerous proposals before key deadlines approach.