Rep. Bonham: Family Leave Bill that stays with the worker

Most of the proposed paid family leave bills died midway through the Oregon Legislature, but one remains—and it’s likely to hurt small businesses. Many lawmakers have been making a promise to provide workers with paid family leave for births, adoptions, and other medically necessary time off, and introduced legislation to do so. Under current law,…

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Rep Post: Improving access to cold medicine

Capitol update series, In 2005, the Oregon Legislature passed a bill that made pseudoephedrine products like Sudafed available by prescription only. There was a good reason for it back then, as pseudoephedrine was a key ingredient in the methamphetamine that was being produced in home labs and frequently resulted in explosions. This new prescription law…

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Rep. Sprenger: A way to restore steelhead fish

Rep. Sherrie Sprenger, R. HD 17, currently serves on eight, count them, eight committees this during the 2019 Oregon Legislative Session – almost as many committees as years she’s been an elected legislator. Her strong work ethic serves her well as she is a chief sponsor of HB 3016 that will appropriate dollars to Department…

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Rep. Zika’s affordable housing solution

The Oregon Legislature looks poised to approve a bill co-sponsored by Rep. Jack Zika enabling construction of 485 new housing units—half of those for people with below-average incomes—on land outside of Redmond. Zika, R-Redmond, is optimistic for passage of House Bill 2336, which sailed through the House unanimously.

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Will Oregonians have vote in death penalty debate?

A bill in the Oregon House of Representatives (HB 3268) would essentially abolish the death penalty in the state with only one exception—for terrorists who kill two or more people.  At the same time, a major Oregon newspaper is asking lawmakers to send the issue to voters who twice reaffirmed the state’s death penalty laws.

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How trade war is hurting Oregon

An escalating trade war between the United States and China, along with tit-for-tat tariffs on imported goods, may curtail business in West Coast ports, reducing labor hours and creating a ripple effect throughout the Pacific Northwest economy. The latest volley in the trade war brings the battle to the Pacific Northwest home front, especially its…

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Oregon Interstate tolling one step closer

Motorists traveling on I-5 and I-205 through Portland during peak travel times are likely to pay a freeway toll in the not-too-distant future. The Federal Highway Administration requested more information but, in a letter January 8, indicated the Oregon Transportation Commission’s request to impose tolls is “likely eligible” to be approved.

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Oregon union decline above state average

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation, Last year, union membership in Oregon dropped by 7.6 percent, registering the sixth largest drop in the country. According to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2017 to 2018, Oregon unions lost 20,000 members. This is the eighth largest drop in the country and is…

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