Oregon Progressive Party Bills to Support or Oppose

[Dan Meek]

Here are bills coming up for hearings in next week 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 March 27.

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.

Support

Support?	Bill	Dan's Comments
	HB 2589 Requires State Department of Agriculture to adopt rules prohibiting application of pesticide products containing nitro-group neonicotinoids.	This is the stuff that is killing off bees.
	HB 3430 Requires State Department of Agriculture to establish telephone line for persons concerned about misuse or alleged misuse of pesticides.
	HB 2960 Creates Oregon Retirement Savings Board in office of State Treasurer. SB 615 Creates Oregon Retirement Savings Board in office of State Treasurer.	Enables Oregonians to have Oregon Investment Council invest their retirement funds.  Would presumably provide better return than the zero now provided by banks.  Could also increase public interest in the horrible way the OIC currently invests PERS funds (corporate takeovers, etc.).
	HB 2090 Establishes task force to study relationship between large employers and their employees who are receiving public assistance and to make recommendations regarding feasibility of imposing fee to offset shifting of expenses to public assistance.
	HB 3471 Imposes fee on certain large employers who pay employees less than specified amount.
	HB 3031 CARRIED OVER FROM THE 3/24/2015 AGENDA: Requires caller that uses automatic dialing and announcing device in prerecorded or synthesized voice message that device plays to subscriber to accurately and truthfully identify caller and to provide telephone number or other contact information that subscriber may use to notify caller that subscriber does not want to receive calls from caller.
	HB 2909 Prohibits person from sending to consumer check, draft, payment instrument or other negotiable instrument that is with, part of or related to solicitation for or offer of credit or loan, unless the consumer previously requested or consented to receive check, draft, payment instrument or other negotiable instrument.
	HB 3057 Includes person that engages in business of purchasing delinquent or charged-off debt for collection purposes in definitions of "debt collector," "collection agency" and "out-of-state collection agency" for purposes of collections laws. HB 3101 Permits individual who has filed claim with insurer for benefits under insurance policy or brought action to seek compensation or damages for injury individual suffered as result of accident or crime to send written notice to health care provider to which individual owes debt for medical care or medical services stating that claim or action is pending. HB 3234 Requires collection agency to enter into or attempt to enter into mediation with debtor before bringing action to collect claim or account.
	HB 2637 Provides that material misrepresentations in commercial communications about mortgage credit products constitutes unlawful trade practice.
	HB 3262 Requires Oregon transparency website to contain biennial budget of each state agency for advertising purposes and annual expenditures by agency for advertising purposes.
	HB 3305 Prohibits utility or service provider that bills residential tenant directly for utility or service to dwelling unit from billing amounts not paid by former tenant to landlord or to subsequent tenant in dwelling unit.
	HB 2940 Requires certain information regarding businesses that are allowed property tax exemptions to be submitted to Oregon Department of Administrative Services for posting on Oregon transparency website and to Oregon Business Development Department for reporting during odd-year regular sessions to House and Senate committees related to revenue.
	HB 3332 Requires business entity that intends to make political expenditure to first obtain approval from shareholders or members by affirmative vote of majority of members or shares entitled to vote.	House Rules Committee hearing is March 30 at 3 p.m.  This bill requiring corporate shareholder approval for "political expenditures" by the corporation, which includes contributions made by the corporation.  I think the Leg should just ban corporate contributions entirely, as do half of the states, but this is better than nothing.
	SB 601 Expands definition of "personal information" for purposes of Oregon Consumer Identity Theft Protection Act.

Oppose

Oppose?	Bill	Dan's Comments
	HB 3089 Requires State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries to conduct study on increasing local revenues from mining operations and present report to interim committees of Legislative Assembly related to environment and natural resources on or before September 15, 2016. HB 3090 Requires State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries to conduct study on consolidating permit processes for mining and present report to interim committees of Legislative Assembly related to environment and natural resources on or before September 15, 2016. HB 3096 Requires State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries to conduct study of mineral resource potential in Oregon and present report to Legislative Assembly by February 1 of each odd-numbered year. HB 3269 Requires State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries to conduct study of mineral resource potential in Oregon and present report to Legislative Assembly.	Just state funding for mining industry hype.
	HB 3500 Provides primary ballot of all major parties to nonaffiliated electors.	Just a way to promote the Democratic and Republican parties, at public expense.
	HJR 29 Proposes amendment to Oregon Constitution establishing Independent Redistricting Commission to adopt redistricting plans for state Senate, state House of Representatives and United States House of Representatives.	The commission is not one composed of random citizens, like in California or Arizona.  It is composed of 3 retired judges selected at random by the State Court Administrator (except that one must have been a member for at least 4 years of the party receiving most votes in elections for Legislature and one must have been member for at least 4 years of the party receiving the second-most such votes).  It also mandates single-member legislative districts; puts that into the Oregon Constitution.  The only way minor parties can progress is with multi-member districts, like in Vermont. This is a Knute Buehler/John Davis bill, both Republicans, so it likely will not be adopted.

[Liz Trojan]

Hi Dan,
   I'm in agreement with your calls on these bills. Thank you for putting the lists together. Does HB 3332 have a chance of passing? It seems like this would slow down political contributions by corporations if they have to check with shareholders first. Am I understanding this correctly?
Liz

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[Dan Meek]

Yes, Liz, you are understanding the bill.  Chance of passing?  I would say slim.

Dan Meek

503-293-9021

d...@meek.net

866-926-9646 fax

[Alaina Melville]

I agree with all of these suggested positions. Thanks Dan for putting together such a great summary. Would be good to put up on the website.

Alaina

Sent from my iPhone

[David Delk]

Alaina, Dan and I both have asked how we can post to OPP twitter account as OPP and think you are the only one who can tell us.  Please share if you know. 

Thanks, 

 

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

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[Alaina Melville]

Sure, you just need to log in as the OPP. I have shared all login info several times. Am happy to send it out again but am on the road to BC for the weekend so don't have on hand. I bet Dan could find by searching his emails. I'll be back in town Monday so can give more detailed assistance then.

Sent from my iPhone

[David Delk]

Thanks, Alaina.  I know you have send before but I can't find it.  Appreciate it.  Have good time in BC. 

[Alaina Melville]

No prob. Let's connect Monday and make sure everyone has the info they need.

Thanks!

Sent from my iPhone