[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6617875,"mediaKeyId","2838940-c008f63890478efc01f350bf827b4658","parentId",2838940,"title","Senate Labor and Business committee advances five bills to the Senate floor, refers funding bill to Ways and Means","audioSeconds",94,"startMs",36000,"endMs",130000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2838940-c008f63890478efc01f350bf827b4658&start=36&end=130","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2838940-c008f63890478efc01f350bf827b4658/thumbnail_36000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6617875/Oregon/Senate-Labor-and-Business-committee-advances-five-bills-to-the-Senate-floor-refers-funding-bill-to-Ways-and-Means","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6617875-76ece09ae2d5a0c5c7de543ea8c48e19/orig.mp4?Expires=1775332749&Signature=h2t~V6UegJJPCCUzKvpvyNr6ERSiILyailmfY6zh-xcVojKLFnoGZb95GvXUcbV-Cs7FQZm6WNhrcppUlW82RUxGuXYFkKep2boQU0kI-MCvgtli2rV-rlYS6gX~mkYTzqCkZNMZcCOSfbGT4UClHg3dVGqBjqFK7xSsPGNTO5U6NrtVdIbTGIehm2CNNJLz5ADQk655exntoMYPcV2xqrtbrEtEsrecyed-rqeQVGQbpukuWqb~kxqEggpKzNXgO2ldVLe25DfkVELx5LJM1uqJKuh0QsnPebuN8ngG3rtSwyGeT41nlNa9ElkDc00HpyvZ3xgOgF~XTskMiRJOYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-04-01T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Committee on Labor and Business advanced five bills on Tuesday, April 1, sending each to the floor of the Oregon Senate and referring one to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.

Senate Bill 569, sponsored by Senator Woods, was moved to the floor with a due-pass recommendation and referred to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. The introduced version directs the Oregon Business Development Department to establish a grant program for qualified nonprofits that assist businesses in becoming certified by the Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID) as minority‑owned businesses. The measure includes a report requirement to the Legislative Assembly by Sept. 1, 2026, and an appropriation of $4,000,000 from the General Fund for the 2025–27 biennium.

Senate Bill 606, carried by Senator Campos, was advanced with a due-pass recommendation. The bill would add certain Oregon State Hospital employees with direct patient contact and Department of Human Services staff working at Stabilization and Crisis Units to the list of employees for whom specific stress disorders are presumed compensable occupational diseases under workers’ compensation law.

Senate Bill 831, carried by the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS), was amended (dash‑2) and passed out of committee. The dash‑2 replaces the measure to require insurers whose ultimate control persons must register with DCBS to file a group capital calculation and, if they meet NAIC liquidity stress‑test criteria, to conduct a liquidity stress test and share results with the insurer’s chief insurance regulatory official. The amendment preserves confidentiality rules, defines key terms, and sets an operative date of Jan. 1, 2026.

Senate Bill 1005, sponsored by Senators Bonham and Meek and Representative McIntyre, was moved to the floor with a due-pass recommendation. The bill would allow private entities to scan a driver’s license or identification card to verify a customer’s age when selling age‑restricted goods or services, regardless of whether there is reasonable doubt the person is under 21.

Senate Bill 1086, carried by Senator Anderson with Senators Grama and Brotman listed as sponsors, was advanced as amended with a due‑pass recommendation. The dash‑2 amendment directs DCBS to assist and provide staff support to the Oregon Building Officials Association to develop and submit a proposal to the State Apprenticeship and Training Council to establish a building‑inspector program that qualifies as the practical experience equivalent to current training and experience standards. The committee moved to rescind the subsequent referral to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.

Several motions were made from the chair and vice chair and were adopted without recorded roll‑call tallies during the work session. For Senate Bill 569, a roll call captured an explicit “no” from Senator Hayden and recorded “aye” votes from Chair Taylor, Vice Chair Bonham and Senator Pham (recorded as “Pam” in the transcript); the committee announced SB 569 would proceed to Ways and Means and the floor. Other measures were advanced by voice or unanimous consent after brief staff summaries and sponsor remarks.

The committee noted that Senator Woods was excused from the hearing and that some items were being carried over to Thursday because sponsors or amendments were not yet ready.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee On Labor and Business 04/01/2025 8:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Committee on Labor and Business advanced five bills on April 1, sending each onward in the legislative process and referring one to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.","taxTitle","Labor and Business, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",17989,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6617862,"Committee hears competing views on short‑term disability, Paid Leave Oregon overlap; insurers warn of higher premiums",1308,2789000,4097000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2838940-c008f63890478efc01f350bf827b4658&start=2789&end=4097","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2838940-c008f63890478efc01f350bf827b4658/thumbnail_2789000.jpg","/articles/6617862/Oregon/Committee-hears-competing-views-on-shortterm-disability-Paid-Leave-Oregon-overlap-insurers-warn-of-higher-premiums","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6617862-ebf2a6c9add9e7d31ff6d8dbc94d54a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1775332749&Signature=mI2ifSl~Prb5i4h~sCk7UwFISRb~FP7r51heYqFDRUkvA~VYNh3p3wjnLPUebgoNraq61gCodxHW4I5OXWIUde4mn-flpBmWYY0Q9sk3hAF7uVX~cddolYqmqkbkR-MvPx9Ycsft4ZX6qKp3U8TYhIBTzToqvmXwbmZ0gq4VfLKIIfyJmb0~DhsZlNMTB9Ssdcl~iHP3grtzLoKuXd~aB3fdyiseGqCuyF6vBYn4c9w-fsrrb40vfXHSe2C0F0fHV4BhoeXmeaR5mqrmCuepBqm-1n4~nriTkMfNMOYLevZtrQuJqHinVrJeHtlxQB9l~TqQt5l8ieWH1h7YQ1ud9A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 11 48 — a bill about the interaction of employer‑provided short‑term disability (STD) insurance and Paid Leave Oregon benefits — prompted detailed testimony and competing policy proposals at the Senate Committee on Labor and Business on April 1.

The measure, as explained by committee staff, would specify that an insurer issuing or renewing a disability income insurance policy may not require a person eligible for benefits to use Paid Leave Oregon benefits before being eligible for disability benefits under the insurer’s policy; the provision would apply to policies issued, offered or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2026.

Labor witnesses — including Katie Tyson of the Oregon AFL‑CIO and Odalys Aguilar of Oregon AFSCME — said the bill fixes problems workers have experienced when insurers require employees to apply first for Paid Leave Oregon or when STD payouts are offset by hypothetical Paid Leave Oregon benefits a worker does not actually receive. Tyson said that process can delay access to an employee’s paid STD benefits and can burden the Paid Leave Oregon system. Aguilar said state workers who pay premiums for voluntary STD plans have been told they must exhaust other leave before receiving benefits, and that the bill would protect workers who buy supplemental coverage.

Standard Insurance, one of Oregon’s largest headquartered insurers, told the committee it would oppose a contemplated amendment (described to the committee but not yet posted) if the amendment forbids offsets and effectively requires insurers to duplicate Paid Leave Oregon benefits. Ryan Cifo, director of government regulatory affairs for The Standard, said requiring duplication of Paid Leave Oregon benefits could raise STD premiums by more than 400 percent, risk employer offerings of the product, and create unintended stacking that would lengthen leave beyond what employers can manage. He said no other state has implemented the contemplated approach and urged caution.

Paloma Sparks of Oregon Business and Industry said employers commonly offer STD as a voluntary supplemental benefit and that requiring duplication of Paid Leave Oregon would likely prompt employers to stop offering the coverage. Sparks and The Standard urged exploring alternative solutions that keep STD as a supplemental product rather than require duplicate coverage.

Labor witnesses countered that workers have paid premiums for a product they cannot practically use because of ordering and offset practices, and they urged the committee to allow workers to choose whether to use Paid Leave Oregon concurrently with STD for their own medical leave and, if so, to allow concurrent payment with STD topping to restore a worker’s full wage replacement where desired.

Committee members discussed the complexity of drafting an amendment that preserves voluntary STD products and employer participation while protecting employees who pay into them. The amendment was not posted during the hearing; committee members carried the public hearing and work session for SB 11 48 to April 3 to continue negotiations.","Senate Bill 11 48 would prevent insurers from requiring employees to apply for Paid Leave Oregon before receiving employer‑provided short‑term disability benefits and would change how benefits are offset or paid concurrently.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6617857,"Committee considers bill to bar employers from threatening or using federal immigration authority against workers",709,4102000,4811000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2838940-c008f63890478efc01f350bf827b4658&start=4102&end=4811","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2838940-c008f63890478efc01f350bf827b4658/thumbnail_4102000.jpg","/articles/6617857/Oregon/Committee-considers-bill-to-bar-employers-from-threatening-or-using-federal-immigration-authority-against-workers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6617857-d374039f424945585e2191693ef26b21/orig.mp4?Expires=1775332749&Signature=manBhd97EgFkbFmxFKV32oFmpKt333FC5F~NwDKgSRvcO1zQh-RlaVQuAonxYcDwmw-avQV-Mt88DJXPnf1E9vaoAcRkz4F7I31vJewdHjVIx~L69KwimZlvWbyUib7hROV0Iq7NhM~y-Xiy5G-OpGrg10tNd6gBNDmAceopMX7cvJQfA8GTESFwdiYcxdzFrU8qP0kfZ~eQOaA11PgmWT7IPSLUEXj1QPn2tanbJFOasDZ076jPXK02E6Zm69Pq-b~kkwqzRXG~k4Qgnu--XZ-ejb37F2zE4LZjn0~BIx05mM~2pMwSILMOoJPSspumKh0xdOR0xtYOy6T1idIZwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 1119, amended as a dash‑3 during committee review, would define ‘‘federal immigration authority’’ and ‘‘unfair immigration‑related practices’’ and make it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to engage in those practices. The dash‑3 amendment also directs the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) to impose civil penalties on employers who violate notice requirements about upcoming federal inspections that compel access to employment eligibility records.

Supporters, including the Northwest Workers’ Justice Project, Oregon Education Association, Oregon Farmworker Union, the Oregon AFL‑CIO and several union and immigrant‑worker advocates, testified that immigrant workers face retaliation and threats of ICE involvement when asserting rights such as unpaid‑wage complaints, safety complaints or union organizing. Kate Sussman of the Northwest Workers’ Justice Project said workers confronted with retaliation should not be singled out because of immigration status; she supported the bill while noting a private right of action was not included in the text.

Ira Collier Martinez of the Oregon Farmworker Union said immigrant workers make up a significant portion of Oregon’s workforce and pay billions in taxes; he said the bill clarifies that employers may not threaten or contact immigration authorities to coerce or retaliate against employees.

Opponents, including the Oregon Farm Bureau and Oregon Business and Industry, urged caution. Jenny Dressler said federal law already prohibits knowingly hiring unauthorized workers and that the agricultural sector routinely must verify documents at hiring; she worried the bill could impose legal risk when employers must act on reliable information about a worker’s authorization to work. Paloma Sparks of Oregon Business and Industry said employers almost never make threats or report workers intentionally and raised concerns about how penalties would apply when a coworker threatens to call ICE or when employers must comply with federal law.

Supporters said the bill narrowly targets employer coercion and retaliation and would not disrupt employers acting in good faith to comply with federal law. The committee closed the hearing; members carried the work session and public hearing over to April 3 for further consideration.","Senate Bill 1119 would make it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to engage in unfair immigration‑related practices, including threatening to contact federal immigration authorities to retaliate against workers who assert workplace rights.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6617867,"Debate heats up over bill to exempt pre‑apprentices from prevailing wage on public works",771,1594000,2365000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2838940-c008f63890478efc01f350bf827b4658&start=1594&end=2365","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2838940-c008f63890478efc01f350bf827b4658/thumbnail_1594000.jpg","/articles/6617867/Oregon/Debate-heats-up-over-bill-to-exempt-preapprentices-from-prevailing-wage-on-public-works","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6617867-a65e93ce5041880752982da935e910b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775332749&Signature=hNZpgEk4dB4WlpBBPVdjYVh4wvRbr61JAZYM66qozKb4JXTWn99~1k-qOSMxxUw7CaMdO~lRPX56Xf8qVjLy-zHn6aDTgJVi9I-xyfPfJdidivYyhmWvjKRxZjcwf~~DOt~p0FnrbQ9l7dHPKwsL8c7qaWurlQoZZ1VhXurusGZgb3JEA8D8BOjloNKvVc-YWOFb5Tmm8Xt8aXKCzilW96wcyfrzMGk1xvKnllFWHmKJvCVg79C6dmJTri4MVNizT0CNHrNdfYlLfqy1f1IR97wpxJDXXOf2gf8sXwz5sdurIZXTAd8FJjp4EE78seGvtKEr7swffvLFjLeSYra1-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A lengthy public hearing and debate on Senate Bill 460 highlighted deep divisions between workforce development advocates and unions over whether pre‑apprentices should be exempt from prevailing‑wage requirements on public works projects.

Senate Bill 460, sponsored by Senator Weber with Senator Anderson and Representative Jovida listed as co‑sponsors, would exempt workers who participate in pre‑apprenticeship programs from prevailing‑wage laws on public works procurements that the contracting agency advertises or enters into on or after the bill’s effective date (90 days following adjournment sine die). The bill was described to the committee as intended to remove an anomaly that requires Job Corps participants — who are not registered apprentices — to be paid prevailing wages, sometimes at higher rates than registered apprentices.

Sponsor Senator Suzanne Weber said Job Corps programs provide accessible, free training for students aged 16 to 24 and often include short, hands‑on placements that resemble internships. She said the bill is a ‘‘simple fix’’ that would increase placement opportunities by ensuring pre‑apprentices are not priced out of on‑the‑job training in public projects.

Proponents included Representative Jaffee and local business and workforce development leaders. David Reed, executive director of the Astoria‑Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce, said pre‑apprenticeships are critical for rural workforce development and that prevailing‑wage rules currently make it more expensive for employers to engage young trainees.

Opponents were led by building trades unions. Robert Camarillo, executive secretary of the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council, said exempting pre‑apprentices from prevailing wage would allow contractors to classify workers as pre‑apprentices to avoid prevailing wage obligations, creating a pool of underpaid, untrained workers and posing safety risks on construction sites. Jeff McGilvray of UA Local 290 and other union witnesses reiterated concerns that the bill would undercut registered apprentices’ ability to accumulate on‑the‑job hours and wage progression.

Several union witnesses urged alternative approaches such as funding direct stipends, expanding registered pre‑apprenticeship pathways that lead directly to registered apprenticeship, or increasing support for training programs rather than creating an exemption.

Witnesses representing unions — the Ironworkers, the electrical workers, SEIU Local 503 (care providers referenced broader workforce concerns) and the Oregon AFL‑CIO — consistently opposed the exemption. Supporters argued that pre‑apprentices typically train in classroom settings or short placements and that the bill would not eliminate prevailing wages for full apprentices and journey‑level workers.

The committee closed the public hearing and carried the bill and its work session over to Thursday, April 3, to allow time for amendment drafting and further review.","Senate Bill 460 would exempt pre‑apprentices (including Job Corps participants) from prevailing‑wage requirements on public works. Supporters say the change removes a barrier to training placements; unions and building trades oppose the bill, saying it creates a loophole that could be exploited and undermine apprenticeships and safety.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6617870,"Senator Frederick’s bill to give workers four hours paid leave for blood donation draws mixed reactions at committee hearing",394,880000,1274000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2838940-c008f63890478efc01f350bf827b4658&start=880&end=1274","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2838940-c008f63890478efc01f350bf827b4658/thumbnail_880000.jpg","/articles/6617870/Oregon/Senator-Fredericks-bill-to-give-workers-four-hours-paid-leave-for-blood-donation-draws-mixed-reactions-at-committee-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6617870-6e231484f13c05c47f11a3a4e65db5c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1775332749&Signature=NH895O45KBKl6IP5q7vnTKGtQuDVYMnM7WkCd2olcZFj9Iui10ny5rxkqOgZWc6BqPlYG3bpHXzOsrHu6ZhzqSInc7wJ-8ZErTdcFfHQEqv~cVjbDVJW2N2Le~oLOmQDB5jHbPxfLz-sZxD4dtCqMxfn3xIOaQXhf1hFVQBh-vQAWvnVHn7Y6h6U9A2df0TVSn~Tq0HAZ~RmzXOIPl49wCDXSPviYoum53xiAst9aTULMf6BmxllNqHLwqUhGTDvDXbrUf3C523hMMiW3-vzE6~c1rgL~7AjtU217F1hWD6nE6CGQfsZl9Axkm4v0biJT6p5dGwlfrfEaydgyrL~pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 1108, sponsored by Senator Frederick, drew both support and concern at a public hearing before the Senate Committee on Labor and Business on April 1.

The bill would require employers to permit an employee to use up to four hours of paid leave per calendar year to donate blood without loss of time, pay or benefits. The measure specifies that this leave would be in addition to any other accrued paid leave to which an employee is entitled.

Senator Lou Frederick (D‑District 22), who testified remotely, said the bill was prompted by a constituent who moved from Kentucky, where blood‑donation leave exists. Frederick said the U.S. faces a critical national blood shortage and that weather‑canceled drives in Oregon have exacerbated the problem. He asked the committee to consider a forthcoming technical amendment that would: tie the leave into existing employment leave laws; require 14 days’ notice; permit employers to request certification that the leave was used for blood donation; allow one‑hour increments; and clarify that unused leave would not accrue or be paid out.

Stacy Michaelson, testifying for the Oregon School Boards Association, opposed SB 1108 on financial grounds. Michaelson said school business officials estimated the statewide cost to provide substitute coverage for licensed classroom staff taking the four hours could be $26.8 million. She also noted that substitutes are typically hired in half‑day increments, so paying for one‑hour absences would not reduce sub costs.

Paloma Sparks of Oregon Business and Industry said the organization supports the goal of encouraging blood donations but worried the bill would add another separate leave law to Oregon’s already complex leave landscape. Sparks urged that the policy be aligned with existing leave structures — for example, adding donation time to Oregon Sick Time or the Oregon Family Leave Act — rather than creating a standalone requirement. She and other opponents said they were open to the technical amendment the sponsor mentioned and looked forward to reviewing it.

Senator Frederick told the committee he would deliver the amendment as soon as it is available. The committee closed the public hearing on SB 1108; members did not vote and the bill was carried over for later consideration.","Senate Bill 1108 would require employers to allow up to four hours of paid leave per year for blood donation without loss of pay or benefits. Supporters said it could boost donations during shortages; school and business groups raised concerns about large unfunded costs and overlap with existing leave laws.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate Labor and Business committee advances five bills to the Senate floor, refers funding bill to Ways and Means

Committee hears competing views on short‑term disability, Paid Leave Oregon overlap; insurers warn of higher premiums

Committee considers bill to bar employers from threatening or using federal immigration authority against workers

Debate heats up over bill to exempt pre‑apprentices from prevailing wage on public works

Senator Frederick’s bill to give workers four hours paid leave for blood donation draws mixed reactions at committee hearing