12 Bills Left That Can Make a Difference for Oregon’s Economy
With the unemployment rate in Oregon stuck above the national average – and Oregon family incomes below the national average – the Legislature has the opportunity to pass legislation for key investments that will spur immediate job creation and lay the groundwork for future economic and job growth.
There are also a number of other bills remaining that will simply improve Oregon’s job climate.
After analyzing all the remaining legislation left in the 2013 Oregon Legislature, the following 12 legislative proposals are the best available options left in the 2013 session to help grow Oregon’s economy:
-
Industrial Lands Site Readiness (SB 246) – Creates a forgivable loan program within Business Oregon, where a portion of the loans made for the preparation of an industrial site would be forgiven. The bill also includes a tax reimbursement program, where the preparation costs incurred by a local government would be fully paid back through 50% of the new income taxes generated on the site.
-
Due Diligence Grants (SB 253) – Provides grants to local governments to perform due diligence assessments of local industrial sites.
-
Recapitalization of Brownfields Redevelopment Fund (HB 3030) – Recapitalizes the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund (BRF), which is a critical source of grant and loan funding for local governments and private developers who want to assess and redevelop contaminated sites.
-
ConnectOregon (SB 260) – Provides grant and loan funds for multimodal transportation projects. Funding for this program would almost immediately put Oregonians to work, while also creating a safer, more efficient and more reliable transportation network throughout Oregon.
-
Local Economic Development (HB 5028) – Primary funding bill for investments in local, regional and statewide economic development and infrastructure projects. Also includes funding for the Oregon Innovation Council, which provides grants and loans for innovative economic development. Contains funding for the Strategic Reserve Fund (SRF) and the Business Expansion Program (BEP). The SRF funds forgivable loans used as a direct investment to create and retain jobs for businesses in Oregon, while the BEP offers forgivable loans to traded-sector firms with 150 employees that establish at least 50 new full-time jobs.
-
Oregon Growth Board (HB 2323) – Establishes the Oregon Growth Board, whose goal is to improve availability and access to capital for Oregon businesses, as well as to state loan and technical assistance programs so that employers can reach their job-creating potential.
-
Permitting Improvement (SB 251) – Provides funding to help streamline the approval process for proposed land development that addresses significant regional economic development priorities.
-
Workers’ Comp Liability Fix for LLCs (SB 678) – Reinstates the workers’ comp exclusive remedy protections for LLC owners and members that were stripped away by the Oregon Court of Appeals 2012 decision in Cortez v Nacco.
-
Franchise Agreement Clarification (HB 3095) – Provides clarity that a franchise agreement between a franchisor and a franchisee business owner does not constitute an employment relationship. There are over 10,000 franchise businesses in Oregon that employ over 100,000 Oregonians. Franchise business owners are not intended to be employees of the franchisor.
-
Work-Ready Communities (HB 3038) – Provides funding for Community Colleges and Workforce Development for work-ready communities, employer workforce training, and Back to Work Oregon.
-
Research Commercialization (SB 241) – Directs Oregon Business Development Department to develop and implement a program to assist technology-based start-up businesses whose primary purpose is commercialization of university research.
-
Water Storage Projects (SB 839) – Funds, through $20 million in grants and loans, new water storage and supply projects in Oregon, including in the Umatilla, Deschutes Basin and Willamette Valley. Creates capital investment in water supply, creating construction and other skilled jobs in the state including more capacity for agriculture and food processing jobs.
|