Oregon Progressive Party Bills to Support or Oppose (more)

[Dan Meek]

Here are bills coming up for hearings in next 2 weeks or so.

Please reply to this email.  In the reply, indicate in the left column your agreement (Y) or disagreement (N) with my recommendation for each bill.

Please reply by April 21 8:00 pm.  Testimony on some bills must be submitted by midnight April 21.

If you have comments, please add them below mine in the last column.

If you can think of a better way for OPP to take positions on bills, please let me know.

Bills April (third edition)

Support?	Bill	Committee	Dan's Comment
	SB 286 Increases amount of civil penalty for violating statute that provides for regulation of hazardous substances by Public Utility Commission.	House Business	This is required by federal law anyway.
	HB 2878 Establishes task force to investigate barriers to health insurance coverage. HB 2879 Establishes task force to study financing and delivery of health care in this state and make recommendations regarding legislative changes to ensure that residents of this state have access to high-quality health care.	House Health
	SB 375 Allows declaration under penalty of perjury as alternative to affidavit in certain circumstances.	House Judiciary	Makes it easier for non-lawyers to file documents in court.
	HB 3505 Requires public bodies to establish public records retention schedules that require minimum three-year retention of public records.	House Rules	Also sets much lower fee schedule and requires faster responses to public records requests.
	HB 2790 Requires that statements made by certain witnesses to committee of Legislative Assembly be made under oath and therefore subject to crime of false swearing.	House Rules
	HB 2791 Includes false statements made to legislative committee by certain persons in crime of unsworn falsification.	House Rules
	HB 3043 Provides that upon being sworn into office, or for other stated reasons, Governor shall file declaration with Oregon Government Ethics Commission declaring identity of First Spouse and identifying official policy-making or agenda-setting duties of First Spouse, if any.	House Rules
	HB 3331 Authorizes Legislative Assembly to appoint independent counsel by joint resolution.	House Rules
	SB 75 Sets limits on amounts that may be contributed to political candidates and political committees.	Senate Rules
	SJR 5 Proposes amendment to Oregon Constitution to permit Legislative Assembly, or people through initiative process, to enact laws limiting or prohibiting contributions made in connection with campaigns for nomination or election to public office.	Senate Rules

Oppose?	Bill	Committee	Dan's Comments
	SB 189 Provides that state agency may adopt model rules prepared by Attorney General relating to confidentiality of mediation communications without complying with certain rulemaking procedures.	House Judiciary	Another bill to allow agencies to circumvent due process.
	HB 2158 Provides for increase in income and corporate excise tax rates if high school graduation rates fall below certain percentage.	House Revenue	Rewards failure by schools.  If schools perform badly enough (65% graduation rate), then the Oregon state income tax rate automatically goes up, so schools can get more money.
	SB 814 Establishes state preemption of authority to require mandatory provision of employment benefits to employees of private employers.	Senate Workforce	Would nullify any Portland law about sick leave, etc.

[David Delk]

Support?

Bill

Committee

Dan's Comment

Y

SB 286 Increases amount of civil penalty for violating statute that provides for regulation of hazardous substances by Public Utility Commission.

House Business

This is required by federal law anyway.

Y

HB 2878 Establishes task force to investigate barriers to health insurance coverage. HB 2879 Establishes task force to study financing and delivery of health care in this state and make recommendations regarding legislative changes to ensure that residents of this state have access to high-quality health care.

House Health

DD comment: HB2879 is not the bill supported by HeatlhCare for All Oregon.  That bill is HB2828 and directs the Oregon Health Authority to study 4 options for providing health care to Oregonians.  This bill creates a legislative committee to study health care.  Our comments should be regarding the need to have Oregon Health Authority do the study as per HB2828.

Y

SB 375 Allows declaration under penalty of perjury as alternative to affidavit in certain circumstances.

House Judiciary

Makes it easier for non-lawyers to file documents in court.

Y

HB 3505 Requires public bodies to establish public records retention schedules that require minimum three-year retention of public records.

House Rules

Also sets much lower fee schedule and requires faster responses to public records requests.

Y

HB 2790 Requires that statements made by certain witnesses to committee of Legislative Assembly be made under oath and therefore subject to crime of false swearing.

House Rules

Y

HB 2791 Includes false statements made to legislative committee by certain persons in crime of unsworn falsification.

House Rules

Y

HB 3043 Provides that upon being sworn into office, or for other stated reasons, Governor shall file declaration with Oregon Government Ethics Commission declaring identity of First Spouse and identifying official policy-making or agenda-setting duties of First Spouse, if any.

House Rules

Y

HB 3331 Authorizes Legislative Assembly to appoint independent counsel by joint resolution.

House Rules

N

SB 75 Sets limits on amounts that may be contributed to political candidates and political committees.

Senate Rules

DD Comment: Interesting that the limits only become effective after the passage of SJR5 by the voters.  SJR5 is limited to candidate elections and only to contributions.  SB75 would apply to measures and petititons in addition to candidate elections.  Additionally, this bill includes provision to void Measure 47.

Y

SJR 5 Proposes amendment to Oregon Constitution to permit Legislative Assembly, or people through initiative process, to enact laws limiting or prohibiting contributions made in connection with campaigns for nomination or election to public office.

Senate Rules

DD comment:  Needs to be amended to cover measures and petitions, and expenditures as well as contributions.

Oppose?

Bill

Committee

Dan's Comments

Y

SB 189 Provides that state agency may adopt model rules prepared by Attorney General relating to confidentiality of mediation communications without complying with certain rulemaking procedures.

House Judiciary

Another bill to allow agencies to circumvent due process.

HB 2158 Provides for increase in income and corporate excise tax rates if high school graduation rates fall below certain percentage.

House Revenue

Rewards failure by schools.  If schools perform badly enough (65% graduation rate), then the Oregon state income tax rate automatically goes up, so schools can get more money.

DD Comment:  Not sure that I agree with Dan on this.  what I like about the bill is that it imposes highest tax rate at $250,000 instead of current $1 million.

YYYY

SB 814 Establishes state preemption of authority to require mandatory provision of employment benefits to employees of private employers.

Senate Workforce

Would nullify any Portland law about sick leave, etc.

 

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David e. Delk | 503.232.5495 | Alliance for Democracy | Move to Amend Portland | Populist Dialogues |

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[Dan Meek]

So, David Delk, should we opppose HB 2878 and HB 2879 and therein express our preference for HB 2828?  Or should we take no position on HB 2878 and HB 2879 but also therein express our preference for HB 2828?

Dan Meek

503-293-9021

d...@meek.net

866-926-9646 fax

[David Delk]

I think that we should state no position on 2878 and 2879.  If we submit any testamony on these, it should just be to indicate our preference for HB2828.

Regarding healthcare legislation, the Senate Health Care Committee will have a hearing on Monday May 4 3 PM Hearing Rm A on SB631. That is the bill supported by HCAO and sponsored by Sen Dembrow which would create a single payer system.  Written testimony must be submitted no later than April 30, 12 noon to the committee.  I think that OPP should submit some testimony on this. here is the HCAO bill summary:  http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5037dc7ac4aa52a2f9107b23/t/552d90bae4b0a0e7ebfd336a/1429049530468/Summary+of+the+Health+Care+for+All+Oregon+Act++-SB+631+2.19.2015.pdf

[Dan Meek]

HB 2878 and 2879 have now been referred to the House Rules Committee for potential future hearing and action.  We have taken no position on them.

David, do you want to write some brief testimony on SB 631?

Dan Meek

503-293-9021

d...@meek.net

866-926-9646 fax