[5]
By Oregonians for Food and Shelter [6]
Our partners in the forestry sector had another busy week in the legislature, with continued timber tax hearings and the OFRI bill hearing in the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. And again this week, not everyone who signed up to testify on these bills was able to speak. While the bill sponsors were allotted significant committee time, public testimony was limited to one minute per person, and Tuesday’s hearing on OFRI was closed before everyone who was signed up was able to testify.
on Monday, March 8th, there will be a public hearing on agricultural overtime pay (HB 2358) in the House Committee on Business and Labor. This bill, along with SB 616, proposes the most aggressive overtime mandate in the country, with only a 40-hour threshold and no consideration for peak season, salaried employees, or small businesses. Please see the Oregon Farm Bureau action alert for ways to get involved, and suggested talking points on this issue. We need all ag employers to send testimony or sign up to testify Monday afternoon!