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

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…