U.S. Senator Ron Wyden Press Release, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., urged lifting the federal ban on industrial hemp, which has a wide variety of uses and economic benefits in Oregon and nationwide. Hemp-based products contributed about $620 million to the U.S. economy in 2014, but current federal regulations prohibit farmers […]

Paid sick leave mandate, SB 454, to cost Oregon small business a half billion By Oregon Small Business Association, Oregon small businesses are about to be hit with a half billion government mandate. The paid sick leave mandate, SB 454, is advancing in the Oregon Legislature and will cost businesses […]

By Michael Hendrix, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Peter Thiel, the legendary co-founder of PayPal, says that the greatest threat to technological growth in America is a culture that embraces conformity. “I worry that the conformity problem is worse today than it was in the ‘50s,” said Thiel at an […]

Dave’s Killer Bread expands to all 50 states By Oregon Small Business Association By the end of May, Dave’s Killer Bread will be available in all 50 states. The Milwaukie organic bread company has expanded explosively since Dave Dahl, fresh out of prison, first began to sell his experimental bread […]

By Jan Meekcoms Oregon NFIB Bill would raise attorney fees. Small business owners could see a 5 percent increase in workers’ compensation premiums under a bill being considered in the Oregon legislature. House Bill 2764 would raise attorney fees and create new scenarios in which fees could be awarded. “Oregon’s […]

By Josh Lehner Oregon Office of Economic Analysis Blog While we’re busy working on next week’s economic and revenue forecast, I have two sneak peeks this week that preview some of our upcoming research. First up is our forthcoming report on Oregon start-up breweries. Not only does Oregon lead the […]

U.S. Chamber of Commerce U.S. Chamber President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue issued the following statement regarding Senate passage of H.R. 2353, the “Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015:” “While we recognize that passing a short-term extension of the Highway Trust Fund through July was a necessary action, it […]

Ferguson Wellman, Portland Ferguson Wellman Capital Management was named by Forbes Magazine as a top wealth management firm. This is the third year that Ferguson Wellman was represented on the Forbes list. Specifically, Forbes named Ferguson Wellman 32nd on the “Top 100 Wealth Managers” list. The data for the rankings […]

Associated Oregon Industries Oregon’s largest business advocate In the ongoing battle over the paid sick leave mandate (SB 454 and HB 2005), a new plan has surfaced in the Senate. Although a bill draft has not been made available yet, the Senate’s intention is that the bill would apply to […]

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Mark Warner, D-Va.,  introduced legislation that would provide college-bound students powerful new tools for comparing colleges and universities on measures such as total cost, likelihood of graduating, and potential earnings. “The Student Right to Know Before You […]