Here is your daily update.
What’s happening:
As we were anticipating, yesterday House Revenue Committee threw us a curveball and passed HB 2060 which repeals the small business tax cut passed by the 2013 legislature. OSCC will issue an action alert on this outrageous action.
1. Yesterday’s action by the House Revenue committee on HB 2060 signals that a comprehensive tax bill including a gross receipts tax is dead
(HB 2830).
2. Yesterday the Senate passed the Hospital Tax bill – HB 2391 – on a strong 20-10 vote. Although the bill will be very helpful in balancing the budget and was a compromise, it is important to keep in mind it contained a $145 million health care premium tax on small/medium business.
3. Predictive scheduling – SB 828 – will be on the Senate floor today for a vote. The bill now only applies to retailers, hotels and food service employers with 500+ employees. The bill is a negotiated compromise – OSCC has now stood down – and will pass with a strong bipartisan vote.
4. We continue to believe that a major agreement is holding on a transportation package (HB 2017). Details are only slowly emerging but we know some of the more controversial taxes were removed. At this point, it appears that low carbon fuel cost containment is the last piece that needs to fall in place.
5. Among the bills that we know have been taken off the table for the session – HB 2269, which increased DEQ fees on manufacturers to stand up the ‘Cleaner Air Oregon’ regulatory process. Big win for OSCC.
What to watch for today:
We’ll be watching the Senate floor vote on SB 828 today. Also anticipating the House Revenue Committee may try and move another tax bill out of committee.
OSCC Call to Action:
OSCC will be issuing an ACTION ALERT on HB 2060. (This bill replaces HB 2830.) The House Revenue Committee decided yesterday on a party-line vote to balance the budget on the backs of businesses with fewer than 10 employees.
