“The revenue forecast this morning indicates a renewed sense of optimism. Oregon’s brightening economy has given us more resources to work with for the next biennium.

“But as Governor Kitzhaber mentioned yesterday, there’s more we can do to create a budget that truly reflects Oregon’s priorities. Now is the time to come together so we can reinvest in and stabilize our schools, keep our communities safe, and protect vital services for our most vulnerable.

“Senate Democrats will make a strong push to help the middle class share in the economic recovery by passing jobs bills that will help small businesses and get more Oregonians back to work.”

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SALEM – The Oregon Senate today passed a bipartisan bill designed to protect the privacy rights of employees and job applicants. House Bill 2654B, which passed on a 28-1 vote with one excused, prohibits a current or prospective employer from demanding access to a private social media page, such as Facebook, as a condition of employment.

“Employees and applicants have a right to keep their professional and personal lives separate,” said Senator Ginny Burdick (D-Portland), a sponsor of the bill. “This bill draws a clear line for the working world by allowing employees to keep their accounts private, without intrusion from management.”

In addition to prohibiting access to a personal social network as a workplace requirement, the bill disallows retaliation based on an employee or applicant’s refusal to disclose information. HB 2654B does not restrict employers’ ability to access information that is otherwise publicly available.

“Supervisors don’t have the right to rifle through their employees’ journals and diaries. Why should this be any different?” said Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward (D-Beaverton). “Today’s vote reaffirms the idea that people can keep their personal information private, even in a digital form.”

In April, the Senate passed SB 344A, a similar bill that restricts colleges and universities from compelling a student to share social media account information as a condition of admission or enrollment.

“Job applicants should have a fair shot to get hired, and private social media accounts shouldn’t be a part of the process,” said Senate Majority Leader Diane Rosenbaum (D-Portland). “This bill helps Oregonians get back to work by allowing them to compete for jobs based on their qualifications.”

House Bill 2654B now returns to the Oregon House of Representatives for a concurrence motion.

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For more information on the Senate Majority Caucus, please visit www.orsenatemajority.org

SALEM—This morning, the Oregon Senate passed a bill to ensure that more workers on state projects receive the appropriate level of compensation and benefits. House Bill 2646A, which passed on a 27-2 vote with one excused, ensures that contractors for construction projects in the Oregon University System (OUS) use prevailing wage laws that benefit workers and Oregon’s economy.

“Extending prevailing wages to university contracts will result in high quality and cost-effective work while protecting wages and compensation for employees,” said Senate Majority Leader Diane Rosenbaum (D-Portland). “Communities benefit when projects use prevailing wage, and HB 2646A will help more Oregonians get to work with good-paying jobs.”

Oregon’s prevailing wage law is designed to ensure competent work, efficient use of state resources, and competition among qualified contractors while maintaining compensation standards that fit the surrounding community. The intent of HB 2646A is to make certain that construction projects at Oregon’s universities comply with the state policy that publicly funded works use prevailing wage.

“Workers on university projects from La Grande to Monmouth should receive proper compensation and benefits for the hard work they do to modernize our campuses,” said Senator Chris Edwards (D-Eugene), who led the floor discussion on the bill. “This principle is especially important as schools like Oregon State University and Oregon Institute of Technology expand their geographical reach with new campuses.”

Oregon is one of 32 states that currently have a prevailing wage law that is modeled after the federal Davis-Bacon Act. The Bureau of Labor and Industries is responsible for enforcing this law in Oregon and for providing resources to help contractors and agencies comply with prevailing wage requirements.

The bill now goes to the Oregon House of Representatives for a concurrence motion.

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For more information on the Senate Majority Caucus, please visit www.orsenatemajority.org

SALEM—The Oregon Senate this morning passed a bill that provides tax clarity for businesses in the state. SB 307A, which passed the Senate on a 29-0 vote with one absent, revises Oregon’s participation in the Multistate Tax Compact, making it clear that the state will continue to use the single sales factor for purposes of Oregon businesses’ tax apportionment.

“Today the Senate has taken swift action to pass a proposal that will provide tax certainty and pave the way for more companies to relocate here,” said Senator Ginny Burdick (D-Portland), chair of the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee. “SB 307A protects Oregon’s reputation as a great place to do business while ensuring much-needed revenue for vital state services like education and health care.”

SB 307A will boost job creation in Oregon by making it abundantly clear to corporations and businesses that the state will not unilaterally change the way business taxes are calculated. Oregon initially adopted the Multistate Tax Compact in 1967 in order to assist corporations doing business in more than one state pay their fair amount of taxes. Since then, Oregon has moved to calculating corporate taxation solely through the single sales factor, which only takes into consideration sales within Oregon’s borders.

“Guaranteeing use of the single sales factor will provide accountability and fairness for Oregon taxpayers as well as revenue certainty for the state,” said Senator Alan Bates (D-Medford). “With SB 307A, we can safeguard state funding for vital services and assure businesses that we aren’t changing our rules on revenue apportionment.”

During the 2011 and 2012 sessions, Senate Democrats took the lead on improving Oregon’s economic development strategy to recruit companies outside the state to relocate here and help local businesses grow. This session, Senate Democrats will build on that progress by providing more tools for industrial recruitment and business expansion.  SB 307A is one of a number of jobs bills that Senate Democrats hope to advance in the 2013 session.

SB 307A expands on legislation from the December 2012 special session, which provided the state with an additional tool to recruit companies and make strategic investments to attract business.

The bill now goes to the Oregon House of Representatives for consideration.

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For more information on the Senate Majority Caucus, please visit www.orsenatemajority.org

“Locally-grown produce is a great source of nutrition, and we ought to make sure the most vulnerable Oregonians can get fresh fruit and vegetables to stop hunger and maintain a healthy diet,” said Senator Alan Bates (D-Medford). “We can help our farmers and prevent food insecurity by sustaining these critical programs.”

Currently, the Farm Direct Nutrition Program and Senior Farm Direct Nutrition Program rely on federal grants from the United States Department of Agriculture. In 2012, funding for these grants dried up for a three-month period when the fiscal cliff disagreement jeopardized re-authorization of the programs. HB 2992A sets up a mechanism for Oregon to fund these programs directly in the absence of federal grants by authorizing the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Department of Agriculture to administer assistance to low-income seniors and WIC recipients.

“This bill is a win for young families, a win for seniors on limited incomes, and a win for Oregon farmers who grow quality produce,” said Senator Chris Edwards (D-Eugene). “We need to keep vulnerable Oregonians healthy, and these programs do that while injecting millions of dollars into Oregon’s local farm economy.”

HB 2992A will help Oregon meet two goals to help alleviate hunger in the state: First, the bill assists in cultivating a strong regional food system through local farms and farmers markets, and second, helps improve the safety net and assistance for vulnerable seniors, women, and children.

“We can’t depend on the inaction we’ve seen in Washington, D.C. to feed our seniors and children. That’s why it’s so important that Oregon have its own way to sustain these programs,” said Senate Majority Leader Diane Rosenbaum. “HB 2992A supports Oregon farmers and rural communities while providing fresh, nutritious food to people who really need it.”

The bill will now go to Governor John A. Kitzhaber for his signature.

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For more information on the Senate Majority Caucus, please visit www.orsenatemajority.org

SALEM—On May Day, the Oregon Senate advanced a jobs bill that will help Oregonians get on-the-job skills training and boost the state’s occupations and trade industries. Senate Bill 782A, which passed on a unanimous vote, requires state contracting agencies to use apprentices to carry out ten percent of work hours for the appropriate parts of the contract.

“Investing in apprenticeships will strengthen Oregon’s workforce and help our state succeed in the 21st century economy and grow our middle class,” said Senate Majority Leader Diane Rosenbaum (D-Portland). “Apprenticeships will provide new workers with a great opportunity to learn and apply skills that will eventually help them get living-wage jobs.”

Apprenticeships serve as a rigorous occupational training opportunity for new workers by combining on-the-job work experience with classroom instruction. According to the Bureau of Labor and Industries’ Apprenticeship and Training Division, there are 121 different occupations that train workers as apprenticeships in Oregon, with about 5,000 apprentices currently registered in Oregon in 2013. SB 782A will provide these apprentices with substantial prospects to participate on a state contact for construction or other work.

“Connecting new workers to apprenticeship programs will help train tomorrow’s living-wage workforce,” said Sen. Chip Shields (D-Portland). “Senate Bill 782A will help more Oregonians find their way into the middle class by providing more skills-training opportunities for building trades and other occupations.”

SB 782A takes an incremental approach to increasing the amount of apprenticeships state agencies must use for state contracts. When the bill takes effect, it would require any state contract over $5 million to use apprenticeships for 10% of the work, with the exception of the Department of Transportation. Starting in 2018, that percentage of apprentice work would increase to 12%.

The bill will now go to the Oregon House of Representatives for consideration.

SALEM—The Oregon Senate voted today to address the shortage of primary care providers by expanding the state’s loan repayment program for health care providers. Senate Bill 440B, which passed on a unanimous vote with two excused, will help to fill the demand for preventative health care services in Oregon’s rural communities.

“We need more providers in places like Prineville. More family physicians in Fossil. More dentists in Drain. There’s an unmet need for care that we can address today.” said Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward (D-Beaverton), who is a family physician and the chief sponsor of the bill. “SB 440B will help break down barriers to health care access in these underserved areas.”

In 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded Oregon $1.9 billion to assist health care reform efforts that are expected to produce budget savings for federal and state governments. As a condition of participation, CMS is requiring Oregon to expand access to primary care in rural areas or urban areas that have barriers to health care access.

“We need to recruit and retain high-quality primary care providers in Oregon’s rural areas to make sure these communities don’t get left behind,” said Senator Alan Bates (D-Medford), who is a primary care physician. “This program will ensure access to affordable, preventative care for Oregonians in every corner of our state, while giving primary care providers some relief on their medical school loans.”

SB 440B allocates a total of $4 million to the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program. The program will provide assistance to primary care providers who have committed to serving medical assistance recipients in rural or medically underserved areas of the state. Oregon Health Authority will work with the Office of Rural Health to identify rural communities in need and award funds to providers that meet the program’s criteria.

“Improving access to affordable health care is a key component of our agenda,” said Senate Majority Leader Diane Rosenbaum (D-Portland). “This bill strengthens our health care workforce in rural communities and underserved areas.”

SB 440B is one of an early series of bills to head to a floor vote from the Joint Ways and Means Committee, signaling its importance in the session and a consensus around better serving rural Oregon.

The bill will now go to the Oregon House of Representatives for a vote.

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For more information on the Senate Majority Caucus, please visit www.orsenatemajority.org

SALEM—Today the Oregon Senate approved legislation that will make state and local governments’ use of taxpayer money more efficient by establishing a balanced and standard framework for public contracting. SB 254A, which passed on a unanimous vote, will require state and local agencies to use standardized rules when awarding contracts under the ‘Construction Management/General Contractor’ (CMGC) method.

“Taxpayers expect us to make effective use of their money, and these new rules will help ensure that contracts are open and fair to get the best value,” said Senator Lee Beyer (D-Springfield). “SB 254A improves the CMGC bidding process by making it more flexible and accountable.”

State and local governments increasingly use the CMGC method to award contracts for large value projects and structures with historical value. SB 254A is the product of a legislative work group that came together in order to assess the ramifications of CMGC’s rising popularity as an alternative to traditional ‘low-bid’ contracting. The bill responds to concerns that the CMGC process does not provide for sufficient transparency of the contracting process by creating a standardized framework and set of rules that agencies will use.

“We are continuing our effort to deliver services more efficiently and with greater savings for taxpayers,” said Senator Alan Bates (D-Medford). “This bill is a great example of how we can continue to strengthen government efficiency and cut waste.”

The bill codifies some exemptions from bidding processes that already exist in practice, while ensuring that agencies make the best use of taxpayer money by creating competitive, fair bidding through CMGC.

“SB 254A takes much-needed steps toward transparency, accountability, and leveling the playing field in how state and local contracts are awarded,” said Senate Majority Leader Diane Rosenbaum (D-Portland).

SB 254A will now go the Oregon House of Representatives for further work and consideration.

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For more information on the Senate Majority Caucus, please visit www.orsenatemajority.org

SALEM—The Oregon Senate today voted to improve the safety of the state’s roads by ensuring that more qualified drivers are able to get certification. SB 833B, which passed on a 20-7 vote with three excused, will allow Oregonians to obtain a short-term driver card from the Driver and Motor Vehicle Services division (DMV), leading to more accountability for these drivers on Oregon roads.

“It’s all about public safety. Right now, we have a dangerous situation because many drivers aren’t able to get any sort of certification from the DMV,” said Senator Chip Shields (D-Portland). “Passing SB 833B is the right thing to do in order to ensure all Oregon drivers on our roads have the proper training and skills to drive safely.”

Currently, Oregon requires driver license applicants to produce foundational documents that verify the person’s identity and proof of legal presence. SB 833B will allow for an alternative process to obtain a state-issued ‘driver card,’ which proves driving privileges but cannot be used as proof of identity. Applicants must reside in Oregon for at least one year, and must meet all other requirements of a driver’s license. Driver cards issued under SB 833B will be valid for four years, rather than the eight-year validity period for a standard driver license. Whether a driver holds a license or a card, Oregon law requires liability insurance once they are on the road.

“Offering short-term driver cards will save lives and reduce costs for drivers who are impacted by currently-uninsured and -unlicensed drivers,” said Senator Lee Beyer (D-Springfield), chair of the Senate Business and Transportation Committee. “SB 833B will enable more Oregonians get to their jobs, and providing a lawful avenue for them will help make all of us more safe.”

Business and agricultural communities, law enforcement, and advocacy groups for low-income Oregonians have come together in support of SB 833B.

“These Oregonians need to get to work, get to the store, and take their children to school. SB 833B gives them an opportunity to get to the places they need to go in a safe and accountable way,” said Senate Majority Leader Diane Rosenbaum (D-Portland). “Ultimately our state will benefit from increased safety and productivity.”

In 2008, the Oregon Legislature passed SB 1080, which instituted the requirement that driver license applicants provide proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence in the country in order to comply with federal REAL ID standards. That would remain the case if SB 833B becomes law, as the new driver card may only be used to provide evidence of driving privileges, identify the person as an organ donor or veteran, and provide a driver identification number to law enforcement.

SB 833B will now go the Oregon House of Representatives for a vote.

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For more information on the Senate Majority Caucus, please visit www.orsenatemajority.org

SB 569A streamlines credential requirements for health care providers to use telemedicine at Oregon hospitals

SALEM—This morning the Oregon Senate advanced a proposal that streamlines medical credentialing in order to expand access to quality, affordable health care. Senate Bill 569A, which passed on a unanimous vote, simplifies hospital requirements in order to allow health care providers to advise patients and other providers at a distance using modern conferencing technology.

“Over the past five years, access to emergency specialty medical care has been greatly enhanced by the growth of telemedicine services,” said Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward MD (D-Beaverton). “SB 569A will eliminate time-consuming barriers for physicians seeking to provide telemedicine services. As direct result, we will increase access to medical services statewide.”

The recent use of telemedicine by hospitals statewide shows that medical experts such as stroke neurologists, pediatric and neonatal intensive care physicians, genetics specialists, and psychiatrists can effectively treat patients through teleconferencing systems. Telemedicine has allowed hundreds of patients to receive medical care from the comfort of their own communities and saved more than $2 million in transport costs for patients and providers.

“For Oregonians in rural areas, being seen by specialists can mean a time-consuming and costly trip across the state,” said Senator Alan Bates (D-Medford), who is a physician. “This bill will improve access to quality, affordable health care for Oregonians by reducing some of the barriers that exist to being seen by the best providers out there.”

One of the biggest barriers to increased implementation of telemedicine services in Oregon is the lack of a standardized credentialing system for providers. Often, providers have to compile dozens of pages of documentation for each hospital where they provide telemedicine consultations, and requirements vary. SB 569A will help solve this paperwork problem by creating a single, uniform set of standards required at each hospital. This will eliminate time-consuming barriers to critical consultations and care for patients.

SB 569A will now go to the Oregon House of Representatives for consideration.

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For more information on the Senate Majority Caucus, please visit www.orsenatemajority.org