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Judiciary panel advances Home Solicitation change after debate over $25 threshold
Summary
The Senate Committee on Judiciary voted to send House Bill 3605 A to the Senate floor with a "do pass" recommendation after a work session that reviewed making violations of the Oregon Home Solicitation Sales Act unlawful trade practices and debated whether the $25 threshold should be raised.
The Senate Committee on Judiciary voted May 6 to send House Bill 3605 A to the Senate floor with a "do pass" recommendation after a work session that considered making violations of the Oregon Home Solicitation Sales Act unlawful practices under the Unlawful Trade Practices Act.
Chris Colton, committee staff, told the panel the measure "establishes that violations of the Oregon Home Solicitation Act are unlawful practices under the Unlawful Trade Practices Act" and reported the bill previously received 51 ayes and 4 nays on the House floor and was estimated to have no fiscal or revenue impact.
Committee members focused discussion on the statute's $25 threshold for covered doorstep sales, leases or rentals. Vice Chair Thatcher, who moved the bill to the floor, and other senators questioned whether $25 — the existing threshold in the Home Solicitation Sales Act — still reflects the law's intent. "The Home Solicitation Sales Act currently applies to sales, leases, and rentals of goods or services in an amount of at least $25," Colton said. Senators noted practical examples — one lawmaker quipped the threshold could cover "Girl Scout cookies" — while others said the amount stems from decades-old law and preferred leaving the threshold unchanged for now.
One senator suggested amending the threshold to $50; committee members discussed whether to adopt a future amendment or revisit the figure later. The committee did not adopt any change to the $25 amount during the session.
Vice Chair Thatcher moved to send House Bill 3605 A to the Senate floor with a due-pass recommendation. After members cast votes on the motion — several senators gave recorded "aye" votes during the roll call — Chair Prozanski said, "Motion carries. Bill's on its way to the floor." The committee closed the work session on House Bill 3605 A.
The measure, as discussed, would classify violations of the Home Solicitation Sales Act as unlawful trade practices under the Unlawful Trade Practices Act and, if passed by the full Senate, would alter enforcement options for consumer-protection cases.
