Associated Oregon Industries
Oregon’s largest business advocate
The Oregon Legislature released plans for the 2015 Legislative Session, including more than 50 Drafts (Legislative Concepts – LC) of bills that would: increase taxes for businesses and individuals across the state; create new employment requirements; and increase energy costs. A few notable bills include:
Employment
LC 1229:
Mandated paid sick leave. (Article here)
Environment
LC 1820:
Establishes Task Force on Air Pollution. Directs task force to conduct study and develop recommendations on legislation necessary to respond to rules and regulations adopted by Environmental Protection Agency under section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act.
LC 2128:
Establishes Task Force on Ocean Acidification and requires the task force to report findings and recommendations to interim committees on environment and natural resources on or before September 15, 2016. Sunsets task force on December 31, 2016.
Health Care
LC 1203:
Moving remaining Health Insurance Exchange functions into the Department of Consumer and Business Services.
Taxes
LC 321:
Allows cities to tax internet access.
LC 332:
Eliminates supermajority requirement for tax bills.
LC 348:
Eliminates the individual income tax surplus refund “kicker.”
LC 355:
Caps itemized deductions at $20,000.
LC 356:
Reduces itemized deductions by 50%, including home mortgage deductions.
LC 903:
Caps mortgage interest deduction at $10,000; middle-class Oregonians are not exempted.
LC 1036:
Allows cities to levy a sales tax on alcoholic beverages.
LC 1313:
Increases tax on motor vehicle fuels.
LC 1674:
Raises taxes on job training non-profits, small business inventory, rural health care facilities, pollution control facilities, TV and radio stations, farmland used for grazing, Christmas trees, trees and shrubs, farm produce, farm machinery, and others.
LC 1675:
Cuts the standard deduction and additional standard deductions for seniors and the blind.
LC 1683:
Rolls back part of the small business tax cut from the 2013 Grand Bargain, which included the largest tax cut for small business in Oregon history.
LC 1816:
Requires Director of Oregon Health Authority to adopt standards for labeling of articles that contain hazardous substances to be consistent with labeling requirements of Department of Consumer and Business Services where appropriate.
LC 1821:
Repeals sunset on provisions related to low carbon fuel standards allowing DEQ to implement a fuel blending and cap-and-trade system that will increase transportation fuel prices.
LC 2138:
Establishes Task Force on Clean Air Fee or Tax Implementation to review the results of the report required by chapter 770, Oregon Laws 2013, and to develop recommendations for a carbon tax.
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