- Oregon Business Report - https://oregonbusinessreport.com -

Business coalition lays out top bills

[1] [2] [3] [4]

[5]Four business groups announced together their list of business bills. The groups are; Associated Oregon Industries, Oregon Business Association, Oregon Business Council, and the Portland Business Alliance. Source: Value of Jobs.com [6]

Bills to spur Job Creation in Oregon(*)

Strengthen Oregon’s Innovation Economy
— The $18.95 million Oregon Innovation Plan investment to leverage private dollars commercializing research and enhancing industry innovation (OBDD budget).

Train Oregonians for High Demand Jobs
— $33.1 million Engineering & Technology Industry Council investment in engineering education (OUS budget).
— $3.5 million investment in on-the-job training and linking that investment to Oregon¡¦s

Career Readiness Certificate (included in the governor’s budget).
— HB 3362: Enhances Career and Technical Education.

Provide Tools for Communities to Attract and Retain Jobs
— SB 219: Allocates lottery monies to Business Oregon for the Jobs Retention and

Expansion program.
— HB 3017: Extends sunset for Enterprise Zone program until 2025.

Improve Permitting Processes and Make Industrial Land Available
— SB 264: Expedites approval of driveways providing access from businesses to state highways. Also provides objective standards to govern the approval process.
— SB 766: Speeds up permitting for industrial projects and protects industrial areas from conversion and unnecessary restrictions or overlays.
— SB 792: Creates a pilot project for Central Oregon to better connect economic development and land use planning across jurisdictions.
— HB 2700: Expedites permitting for linear infrastructure and pipeline projects.
— HB 3591-A: Provides clear direction to the DEQ to seek to minimize negative economic impacts of conditions in the variances on new water quality standards, while still meeting the most demanding EPA requirements in the nation.

Create Jobs in the Woods by Increasing Active Forest Management, Use of Biomass Energy
— HB 2001: Ensures state forest lands produce jobs and revenue for counties, schools and local taxing districts.
— SB 620: Extends existing Biomass Collectors Tax Credit until 2019.
— HB 2936: Creates biomass transportation tax credit.

Advance Infrastructure Projects to Create Jobs, Strengthen our Economic Foundation
— HB 2166: Connect Oregon IV multi-modal transportation investment.

Advance Energy Projects to Create Jobs Today, Make Oregon More Efficient Tomorrow
— HB 2690: Energy efficiency in schools (if properly implemented).

Make Targeted Tax Changes to Spur Investment, High-Wage Jobs
— SB 301: Allows for accelerated depreciation of certain business investments. PASSED!
— HB 3174: Extends R&D tax credit until 2018.
— A package to reduce capital gains taxes while growing Oregon¡¦s rainy day fund through kicker reform and disciplined savings.

*These bills are still pending in the state legislature and need to be passed to support job creation and retention in Oregon. It is also important that these bills do not get watered down to a point where they are no longer effective. A more comprehensive scorecard of all jobs bills considered this session, including those that did not make it through the initial stages of the legislative session, will be compiled at a later date.