[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6210266,"mediaKeyId","3720484-b46033c7cc15b20390b7984a2490c2a6","parentId",3720484,"title","House approves law letting some striking workers claim unemployment after a waiting period","audioSeconds",10033,"startMs",1772000,"endMs",11805000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3720484-b46033c7cc15b20390b7984a2490c2a6&start=1772&end=11805","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3720484-b46033c7cc15b20390b7984a2490c2a6/thumbnail_1772000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6210266/Oregon/House-approves-law-letting-some-striking-workers-claim-unemployment-after-a-waiting-period","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6210266-cd5e08a98a16d102d32ef121465fa2c0/orig.mp4?Expires=1773682195&Signature=IXVe1gVes5u-28u5tUzEuzZiGWDiezHQcV9WJoJLzBvah3NfqCB2608QoCcIHtnRa1RsEZO4uGY-2lS8oXd6J-TJh4RPvj92Ffg9-SxiyLll8d1PFSXHKiyfaN3mMsI6hQZJRWH7fKrud3O89ZXVFN6Kc9YwryABXty3LsRqXSU3QAwEo6xU1-sCosLsOVoycsDOvK0DTVyJGd001-3x2hEOLY4C3oTRbvipAWZR3IoMxJKIOiD05Dqqyd0nsoGVhc4kfs9G3G89QWp0TSdY-pBjY0hEX6mrdHhDWA7ufnj0ha2Izqkm4Ei95F8CmQQtqYd1ByYxtpFg9M-X57tuKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-06-04T10:00:00Z","article","The Oregon House on Wednesday passed Senate Bill 916B, a measure that would allow some eligible workers who are engaged in a lawful strike to claim unemployment insurance after a multi-week waiting period.

Supporters, led on the floor by Representative Graber, said the bill would reduce employers’ incentive to “starve out” striking workers and bring parties back to the bargaining table faster. “By allowing eligible striking workers to claim unemployment insurance if a strike persists for long enough, we remove an incentive for procedural delays,” Graber said on the floor.

Opponents — including several members representing rural districts and those who spoke for school districts and local governments — said the bill shifts costs to taxpayers and public employers, risks draining classroom resources and could change bargaining incentives. “This bill asks Oregon taxpayers to subsidize strikes, risks our competitive footing, and divert scarce education dollars,” Representative Deal said.

Nut graf: The bill changes long-standing state practice by making partial wage replacement available to striking workers under specific circumstances. Sponsors and proponents framed it as a tool to prevent protracted strikes that hurt workers, patients and students; opponents said it would create new costs for school districts and local governments that reimburse the unemployment insurance fund.

Key provisions and clarifications mentioned on the floor
- Waiting/disqualification timing: The House amendments set a disqualification or waiting threshold that requires a multi‑week period before UI payments begin for striking workers. The committee expanded the original waiting period options during amendment work (members cited a 14‑day waiting period adopted in committee, and the minority report proposed a 2‑week disqualification aligned with Washington law while retaining the one‑week “waiting week” concept for eligibility).
- Benefit caps: The bill includes caps tied to UI fund health (a temporary cap of 8 weeks in some scenarios was discussed; the minority report would cap benefits at 6 weeks). A statutory maximum of 26 weeks of UI per claimant remains the general limit in Oregon; SB 916B would constrain strike-related weeks under certain fund conditions.
- Employer chargebacks and recoupment: The bill and subsequent House amendments clarify how unemployment payments charged to an employer may be recouped if a district later provides back pay or makeup days to striking employees.
- Reporting and sunset: A minority amendment sought written reporting by the Oregon Employment Department (OED) on frequency, duration and costs and proposed a 2035 sunset; sponsors said OED will provide ad hoc and regular reports and that existing statutory and administrative safeguards will apply.

What supporters said
Representative Graber and other backers argued the bill levels bargaining power between large employers and workers and protects workers from being forced back to work by economic hardship. “Workers miss rent payments, they can't pay for groceries, and their health care coverage is threatened,” Graber said in floor remarks about recent health‑care strikes. Several supporters noted that strikes are rare, public-sector strikes are subject to lengthy bargaining processes under PECPA (the Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act), and many categories of public safety employees are already strike‑barred.

What opponents said
Opponents focused on fiscal risk and educational disruption. School district leaders and county associations repeatedly warned that public employers reimburse UI benefit payments dollar for dollar; opponents argued that the bill could force districts to cut staffing or programs to cover new costs. Representative Nose, who works closely with healthcare workers, said she opposed the minority report and stressed the sacrifice workers make when they strike, but others worried about shifting costs to taxpayers and the incentive effects of socializing strike costs.

Outcome and next steps
Representative Elmer’s motion to substitute a minority report (a narrower alternative) failed on the floor. The house advanced SB 916B to immediate third reading and final consideration, and later announced that the measure had “received the constitutional majority” and was declared passed by the House. Sponsors said they would monitor implementation and expected the Oregon Employment Department to promulgate rules and provide reporting required by the law.

Discussion vs. formal action
- Discussion only: Many members debated the likely impacts on bargaining dynamics, the UI trust fund and K–12 budgets; they expressed differing views about whether the bill would shorten or lengthen strikes. Several members asked OED‑specific implementation questions (for example how “available for work” and “actively seeking work” requirements would be applied to striking workers).
- Direction/assignment: Supporters said OED would develop rules and administrative definitions, and several lawmakers said they will track implementation and return with fixes if needed.
- Formal action: The House defeated a motion to adopt the minority report and ultimately passed Senate Bill 916B on final passage.

Ending: Lawmakers on both sides said they will be watching the OED’s implementation and reporting closely; several members urged follow‑up in future sessions to correct unintended impacts if they emerge.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Chamber Convenes 06/04/2025 10:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The Oregon House on Wednesday passed Senate Bill 916B, a measure that would allow some eligible workers who are engaged in a lawful strike to claim unemployment insurance after a multi-week waiting period.","taxTitle","House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",17188,"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},6210255,"House approves transferring management of Elliott State Forest to state lands as research forest",651,16137000,16788000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3720484-b46033c7cc15b20390b7984a2490c2a6&start=16137&end=16788","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3720484-b46033c7cc15b20390b7984a2490c2a6/thumbnail_16137000.jpg","/articles/6210255/Oregon/House-approves-transferring-management-of-Elliott-State-Forest-to-state-lands-as-research-forest","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6210255-76d06ea319182133e8ceba497ef27237/orig.mp4?Expires=1773682195&Signature=T1jnkwD5nBFjA679vJBrfuywPWjWLlaW-6jxwLsYF8mxjz1xhyz9eNe22IKeC7rwZ0Vy8L2L6lh0HBH09e5xpqJectdtAvA16qZVaE~zRPrxr1-ROb8r0UwyWNPKwtLY29rMGnMMSJjBaFVGyzgjp-IWEIIDNYVaLvVTGuo946Abj3fS~luVvSW6PFPLGrdmqzICgkPPGdzROMHna7TviGOBKudICavM4sE5mt8UyIKW8dRjLhhI75KHJT5XgfS7w-c2qMGQNiBsohrLySxjOHgJZUw0kmjF-X1GprmMvDFYvXVkSG-RXNqQ0H35JZSzpQmTI~JojRoQn91YUINbPw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oregon House on Wednesday passed Senate Bill 147, a bill that renames the Elliott State Forest as the Elliott State Research Forest, shifts management responsibilities from the Oregon Department of Forestry to the State Land Board with Department of State Lands (DSL) administration, and decouples the property from the Common School Fund.

Sponsor remarks and purpose
Representative Levy presented the bill as a package to set a long‑term governance and funding structure for the Elliott, emphasizing research objectives and a new funding account to support operations. “Senate Bill 147 renames the Elliott State Forest to the Elliott State Research Forest, transfers management responsibilities from Oregon Department of Forestry to the State Land Board, clarifies management authorities, decouples the Elliott from the Common School Fund and establishes the Elliott State Research Forest account,” Representative Levy said on the floor.

Nut graf: The measure remakes the legal and fiscal framework for management of a high-profile state forest. Supporters framed it as providing a durable governance structure and funding stream for research and stewardship; opponents said it abandons a longtime funding connection to the Common School Fund, reduces active management, lowers timber harvests, increases wildfire risk and reduces county and tribal input.

Points raised in debate
- Funding and harvest levels: Opponents argued the plan would drastically reduce timber harvests compared with historic harvest levels (speakers cited restoring harvest to 1989 levels as an alternative) and said that the new management approach could require general‑fund support or otherwise reduce revenues to schools and local services.
- Wildfire and public safety concerns: Several members warned that limited active management could elevate fire risk and that more local and county involvement was needed to reduce fuels and maintain roads and trails.
- Local control and stakeholders: Critics said the plan insufficiently engaged counties, tribes and local communities; supporters said the State Land Board and DSL would carry out research‑oriented management and that the approach balances conservation, research and limited sustainable harvest.

Outcome and next steps
The House recorded final passage of Senate Bill 147. Floor opponents asked for different management priorities and greater local control; supporters and the joint ways and means committee argued the bill implements a compromise to secure funding and a legal framework for research operations. The measure’s enactment will require DSL operational planning, potential permitting actions and future interactions with state and federal agencies for forest management and any timber or carbon projects.

Ending: Lawmakers who opposed the bill said they would continue to press for changes in future sessions; supporters emphasized the research and long‑term stewardship goals and budgeted funding flow to operate the newly named research forest.","The House approved Senate Bill 147 to rename the Elliott State Forest as the Elliott State Research Forest, transfer management authority to the State Land Board/Department of State Lands, and decouple it from the Common School Fund. Debate on the floor was sharply divided over wildfire risk, timber revenues and local control.",{"_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},6210259,"House adopts resolution honoring Yamhill County Deputy Paul Emerson Baker",480,1277000,1757000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3720484-b46033c7cc15b20390b7984a2490c2a6&start=1277&end=1757","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3720484-b46033c7cc15b20390b7984a2490c2a6/thumbnail_1277000.jpg","/articles/6210259/Oregon/House-adopts-resolution-honoring-Yamhill-County-Deputy-Paul-Emerson-Baker","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6210259-88bbf7930f63d7c8409238cc2b558e08/orig.mp4?Expires=1773682195&Signature=K1VoTw4eam-X19szlP7rGp2--MkQx1663NIguJi~5o~o9VwmqbmlHSQdyykcA0ZrpKBM1WkY3-EUgZ8AHc0gAfYm7ts4pABGoH27zn8c0GjSxTDL~tYxpBadP357mzt1~HAnOYSgx5sKz6o418tVM97CMyu7voPnqaDFoIHooBf19sLH29C44CL7IynIQmeukbF0-fBrlxUt2Xh6ukh3xKcAIOeoUoog5Ca9KeGRFnC2p5EaOIbr~GupRcgsOzU4nuVJJKlj-tzH51Vofr5ZLhZE~zzWk4zk684w7Lwaf51q6GUzS~ufX3c9n6Mz3mOSOgAumV-8gRHzY3QOMdecpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oregon House unanimously adopted House Concurrent Resolution 38 on Wednesday to honor the life and public service of Yamhill County Sheriff Deputy Paul Emerson Baker, who died of injuries sustained after a patrol truck crash in January 1982.

Representative Elmer introduced the resolution on the House floor, saying the measure recognizes Deputy Baker’s military service and decades in law enforcement and that there will be no financial obligation for the state or the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office. “Please join me in honoring the life and service of Yamhill County Sheriff Deputy Paul Emerson Baker by voting aye on House Concurrent Resolution 38,” Elmer said before reading the resolution on the House floor.

Nut graf: HCR 38 memorializes Deputy Baker’s military decorations, law enforcement career and local legacy, and the House recorded the resolution's adoption on third and final reading.

Details in the resolution read to the House include:
- Deputy Paul Emerson Baker was born March 6, 1928, in Hutchinson, Kansas, and served in the U.S. Merchant Marines and the U.S. Army during the Korean War; he received awards including the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
- After law enforcement service in California, Deputy Baker joined the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office in September 1979. He was wounded in a January 1982 patrol truck collision and died the next day; he was 53 years old when he died.
- The resolution notes family members who continued public service in the region, including a son who retired as a fire captain and a granddaughter who works in the Yamhill County jail food service.

On the floor, Representative Elmer noted the Oregon Law Enforcement Memorial Trust Fund provides roadside memorial signs and that the resolution helps move the community closer to obtaining a memorial highway sign in Deputy Baker’s honor. Family members and representatives of the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office — including Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott and Captain Mike Brown — were invited to the House and recognized during the reading.

Action and outcome
The clerk opened the voting system for final passage; the chair announced that HCR 38 “having received the required majority, is declared adopted.” The resolution includes no fiscal obligation by the state.

Ending: The House did not take further action beyond adoption; passage authorizes recognition and supportive language for a memorial effort led by local stakeholders and the Oregon Law Enforcement Memorial Trust Fund.","The Oregon House adopted House Concurrent Resolution 38 recognizing the life and service of Yamhill County Sheriff Deputy Paul Emerson Baker, who died of injuries sustained in a 1982 crash; family members and local law enforcement attended.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

House approves law letting some striking workers claim unemployment after a waiting period

House approves transferring management of Elliott State Forest to state lands as research forest

House adopts resolution honoring Yamhill County Deputy Paul Emerson Baker