Monday, Feb. 1, 2021
The weekly Business Bulletin is has switched to Mondays, in an effort to keep our members most up to date on actions from the Legislature and other news from across the state.
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As the 2021 legislative session is getting off to a rocky start with technical difficulties and other issues impacting the typical legislative process, the OBI government affairs team is hard at work reviewing roughly 2,000 bills that have been introduced in the Legislature.
The OBI website includes timely and in-depth updates on bills, which you can find here. Here is a short summary of what happened last week in Salem:
- We are opposing modifications to laws impacting noncompete agreements, , which would make it harder for businesses to protect important trade secrets.
- We have been engaging with partners, legislators and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality about a variety of recycling or product stewardship related bills.
- We are monitoring more than 100 tax-related bills but expect that most of the bigger revenue-raising proposals to come up later in the session. In the face of the 41% increase in the state’s business tax burden since 2019, OBI will oppose all tax increases this year.
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We are evaluating several environmental policy bills that would raise the cost of business for many Oregon companies.
- We are monitoring several education and health care bills that will have impacts on Oregon’s workforce and business environment.
Be sure to visit our website frequently for specific updates on legislation and bill reports.
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Vaccine Advisory Committee Makes Final Recommendations |
Oregon’s Vaccine Advisory Committee, which included OBI President & CEO Sandra McDonough, completed their work last week and is making a recommendation to Gov. Kate Brown about how to prioritize the vaccine distribution as more doses become available in the coming months.
Recognizing that Oregon’s Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID pandemic, the committee called on the state to make a special effort to reach BIPOC Oregonians and other marginalized communities and work for equity the distribution, education, and outreach reach efforts for the vaccine.
The committee recommended the following prioritization, once the vaccination of teachers, childcare providers, and Oregonians over 65 is complete.
- Individuals with chronic conditions aged 16-64 (estimated at 723,256 individuals).
- Frontline workers, defined as individuals who have continued to work through the pandemic and unable to work from home (estimated at 483,413 individuals).
- Adults and youth in custody (13,970 individuals).
- People living in low income and congregate senior housing (12,567 individuals.)
These groups will be followed by multi-general households and then the general public.
Access to the vaccine is the biggest unknown, and distribution will depend on when Oregon receives shipments from the federal government. Because the groups are comprehensive, there will likely be prioritization within each one. OBI continues to advocate that the state work with businesses as the frontline worker category opens up.
In additional vaccine-related news, OBI member Johnson & Johnson has developed an effective 1-dose shot and plans to file for emergency use within the U.S. this week.
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Gov. Brown Clarifies Adjusted Restrictions for Indoor Recreational Facilities |
Effective last Friday, Jan. 29, Oregon counties at “extreme” risk can reopen indoor recreational facilities like gyms and fitness centers – if they are more than 500 square feet, and only for six people at one time. For those smaller than that, 1:1 meetings (personal trainers, for example) are allowed. The governor issued further clarification that the six-person limit excludes facility staff.
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Oregon OSHA Files Permanent Rulemaking Notice |
On Saturday, Jan. 30, Oregon OSHA filed the permanent rulemaking notice for the COVID-19 workplace safety rules. OBI is still reviewing these changes and will plan to have a more in-depth analysis in our weekly update next week. However, it is important to note that these rules differ from the temporary rules in the following ways:
- Modified language around vehicles
- Requires certification that HVAC systems are in good working order
- Adds new recordkeeping requirements
- Requires employers to provide notices to employees about available sick or vacation leave
- Provides new provisions around vaccinations
We will provide you with updated and more detailed information soon.
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OBI Presents at Northwest Environmental Business Council’s State of the State Event |
On Thursday, Jan. 28, OBI’s Sharla Moffett delivered a speech at the Northwest Environmental Business Council’s State of the State event, presenting alongside DEQ Director Richard Whitman, our partners at Oregon Manufacturing and Commerce, and other advocates for the manufacturing sector and the environment. Her remarks highlighted concerns with the economic strain businesses are under from the COVID recession, and significant new (and proposed) tax burdens, including Portland’s proposed emissions tax. She also cited the serious impacts new DEQ rulemaking will have on the regulated sector and called for the need to balance environmental protections with the economic impact of new regulations. |
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NEWS FOR OREGON BUSINESSES |
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Oregon Business & Industry
1149 Court Street NE
Salem, OR 97301
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