New Oregon Laws: These new rules will affect everything from workers’ compensation to education. Several laws require school board members to disclose any financial conflicts of interest in order to ensure that they are not abusing their position for financial gain. A different statute modifies the concept of a “rape kit,” also known as a “sexual assault forensic evidence kit” in some jurisdictions.
If the victim gives their consent, their medical examination paperwork will now be included. Employers would also be unable to discipline workers in certain industrial positions who refuse to complete required overtime hours unless they were given two weeks’ notice beginning in 2023. Furthermore, the term “noncitizen” shall be used in place of “alien” wherever a person who is not a citizen of the United States is referred to in statutes.
State authorities must use the term “noncitizen” in their rules and regulations. The Department of Education will also be expected to conduct research on academic tests administered to students and to provide guidelines and best practises regarding the effectiveness of these tests. These and other new laws will go into effect on Sunday.
The following legislation from the 2022 legislative session goes into effect on January 1, 2022. Senate Bill 1513 prohibits employers from disciplining bakery and tortilla factory employees who refuse to work unusually long overtime hours. The Oregon AFL-CIO, the state-wide union organization that represents over 300,000 Oregon employees, requested that the Senate Democrats take up the issue.
The bill affects 294 businesses in Oregon, which employ 5,629 people. The House approved it 36-21, and the Senate approved it 24-2. Senate Bill 1515 amended the definition of “benefit year” for the purposes of the state’s paid family and medical leave insurance program, which will begin providing benefits to employees in September 2023.
The benefit year for the program will be 52 consecutive weeks beginning on Sunday, just before a person begins taking paid vacation. It was approved by both the Senate (23-0) and the House (51-0).
List Of New Laws
DENTAL Treatment: Under Senate Bill 1538, an Oregon Health Plan program was formed to provide low-income residents of the island countries included in the Compact of Free Association access to dental care. It was approved by the House 57-1 and the Senate 25-1.
NEWBORNS: Senate Bill 1555 mandates that an Oregon health benefit plan compensate providers that conduct in-home nurse visits, which are universally and voluntarily accessible to all families in Oregon with newborns, for the entire cost of their services. It was approved by the House 48-9 and the Senate 19-4.
Senate Bill 1560 requires the state to change any legislative references to “aliens” to “noncitizens” instead. By January 1, all legislative references to “aliens” as a term for noncitizens must be removed, and by July 1, all instances of the word “alien” in state agency rules must be replaced with the term “noncitizen.” It was approved by the House by a vote of 48 to 9 and by the Senate by a vote of 24 to 1.
Senate Bill 1574 allows the state to include precise documentation on injuries, evidence gathering, and forensic exam history in a sexual assault forensic evidence kit with the victim’s consent. It was unanimously approved in both the Senate and the House.
SEPARATIONS: Senate Bill 1586 amends the Workplace Fairness Act of Oregon to make it illegal for employers to pressure former workers into signing a contract that forbids them from reporting instances of discrimination and harassment. It was previously covered by comparable legislation for both present and future workers. The legislation forbids employers from adding clauses in contracts that would preclude publication of a settlement’s amount or details unless an employee specifically demands such a clause. The Senate voted 22-9 in favor of it, while the House voted 47-9.
ALARMS: House Bill 4027 restricts the restrictions local governments may impose on battery-operated fences and nonresidential alarm systems that otherwise comply with IEC standards. It was approved by the House and Senate, each by a vote of 53 to 1.
FISHING LICENSES: Changes to fishing license regulations are implemented under House Bill 4072. The one-day angling and shellfishing license charge is reduced, but some steelhead anglers will need to get new validation and harvest cards as a result. It was approved by the Senate 26 to 0 and the House 58 to 2.
House Bill 4075 ensures that victims are fully compensated before convicted offenders pay court penalties, making it easier for burglarized small businesses and other crime victims to recover economic losses. It was overwhelmingly approved by both the House and the Senate.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION: House Bill 4086 broadens the definition of a beneficiary and a dependant for determining eligibility for payments, making significant modifications to the state’s workers’ compensation legislation. The definition of a dependant is expanded under the new legislation to encompass, among other things, those whose intimate affiliation with a worker is akin to a familial tie. Additionally, spouses “living in a condition of abandonment” and non-citizen dependents who reside abroad are no longer prohibited from receiving benefits. The bill was approved by the House and Senate, respectively, 48 to 6 and 23 to 4.
House Bill 4103 would make it more difficult to practice real estate in Oregon without a licence. A first offence will result in a fine increase ranging from $100 to $1,000, while a second offence will result in a fine increase ranging from $500 to $2,500. It was approved by a 51-1 vote in the House and a 1-0 vote in the Senate.
House Bill 4105 empowers municipalities to hire “duly authorised traffic enforcement personnel.” CITATIONS IN TRAFFIC The photos from the automated red light and speed enforcement cameras will be used to examine and issue tickets by enforcement agents who are not police officers. The Senate approved the bill 17-6, and the House approved it 36-23.
FIREFIGHTERS: House Bill 4113 adds bladder and gynecologic malignancies to the list of cancers that state law now recognizes as occupational illnesses for firefighters. By a vote of 55 to 3 in the House and one to one in the Senate, it was approved.
House Bill 4114 mandates that members of school boards submit verified declarations of financial interests to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission. Key information, such as sources of income, real estate holdings, and potential conflicts of interest, must be disclosed by public officials in their declarations of economic interest. The bill was approved by the Senate 23 to 3 and the House 41 to 16 respectively.
Education: House Bill 4124 mandates that the state education department examine the academic exams given to pupils by school districts and utilize the data to suggest and establish best practices for exams. It was approved by the Senate from 23 to 3 and the House from 49 to 10.
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