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Committee approves expanded agricultural labor study, adds Oregon State collaboration and referral to Ways and Means
Summary
House Bill 2548 was advanced to the House floor with amendments to require a coordinated study by Portland State University's Center for Public Service and Oregon State University and an additional study by the Legislative Policy and Research Office, with referral to the joint committee on Ways and Means.
The House Committee on Rules adopted the dash-8 amendment and moved House Bill 2548 as amended to the House floor with a due-pass recommendation and prior reference to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. The amendment retains much of the earlier dash-7 language and expands the study responsibilities and the institutions involved.
Under the dash-8 amendment, the Center for Public Service at Portland State University, in coordination with Oregon State University, will conduct a study that examines labor standards, working experiences of farm workers in Oregon and the adequacy and availability of existing workplace protections. The amendment adds a Legislative Policy and Research Office (LPRO) study requirement: LPRO must collect data, review relevant studies and literature, and work with the PSU/OSU collaboration to produce a gap analysis for legislative consideration. Committee staff reported a fiscal impact statement is now available for the dash-8 amendment and that the measure has no revenue impact; the bill already carried a referral to Ways and Means.
Katie Fast of Oregon State University told the committee that OSU’s role will include advising PSU on survey design, assisting with introductions to agricultural stakeholders on both the worker and employer sides, and reviewing the final product before it is submitted to the legislature. Committee members asked how the universities would coordinate; staff and OSU representatives described a collaborative role split between PSU (facilitation and field work) and OSU (survey design and review).
Vice Chair Pham moved adoption of the dash-8 amendments; the amendments were adopted and Vice Chair Pham moved the bill as amended to the floor with a due-pass recommendation and referral to Ways and Means by prior reference. Representative Elmer announced she would vote no on the motion, citing a policy position against the study’s necessity, but the motion passed and the bill was advanced.
The committee record shows the bill will proceed to Ways and Means for funding consideration and that the two university-led studies are intended to produce a coordinated gap analysis for future legislative action.
