HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

BUSINESS, LABOR AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS

March 21, 2003 Hearing Room E

9:00 A.M. Tapes 64 – 67

MEMBERS PRESENT: Rep. Betsy Close, Chair

Rep. Derrick Kitts, Vice-Chair

Rep. Diane Rosenbaum, Vice-Chair

Rep. Mary Gallegos

Rep. Bill Garrard

Rep. Jeff Merkley

Rep. Mike Schaufler

STAFF PRESENT: Megan Palau, Committee Administrator

Mike Reiley, Committee Assistant

MEASURE/ISSUES HEARD: HB 2624 – Public Hearing

HB 3010 – Public Hearing

HB 2230 – Work Session

HB 2639 – Work Session

These minutes are in compliance with Senate and House Rules. Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speaker’s exact words. For complete contents, please refer to the tapes.

TAPE/#	Speaker	Comments
TAPE 64, A
003	Chair Close	Calls meeting to order at 9:15 a.m. Opens public hearing on HB 2624.
HB 2624 – PUBLIC HEARING
010	Megan Palau	Committee Administrator. Summarizes HB 2624.
021	Brent DeHart	President, Oregon Gasoline Dealers Association. Testifies in support of HB 2624.
049	Rep. Rosenbaum	Asks if price of gasoline is related to minimum wage increase.
056	DeHart	Explains reasons for increase in price of gasoline.
063	Rep. Rosenbaum	Asks for clarification of reasons for gasoline price increases.
067	DeHart	Further explains reasons for increase in price of gasoline.
082	Rev. Steven Witte	Executive Director, Oregon Farm Workers Ministry. Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in opposition to HB 2624 (EXHIBIT A).
133	Rep. Kitts	Asks if Rev. Witte owns or works for a business.
138	Witte	Explains that he works for an advocacy group.
142	Rep. Garrard	Asks how many employees work for Oregon Farm Workers Ministry.
145	Witte	Answers that he is the only employee.
146	Rep. Garrard	Asks about Rev. Witte’s hourly wage.
147	Witte	Answers that he is on salary.
148	Rep. Merkley	Asks about adverse wage rates.
153	Witte	Clarifies averse wage rates and impact on workers.
163	Don Schellenberg	Oregon Farm Bureau. Introduces Barry Bushue and Doug Krahmer.
171	Barry Bushue	President, Oregon Farm Bureau Federation. Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in support of HB 2624 (EXHIBIT B).
239	Doug Krahmer	Owner and Operator, Blue Horizon Farms. Testifies in support of HB 2624.
316	Rep. Gallegos	Asks what witnesses have done to rise above minimum wage.
337	Bushue	Offers personal history.
349	Krahmer	Offers personal history and explains wages paid and earned on his farm.
358	Rep. Gallegos	Asks if Mr. Krahmer takes all of the financial risk with his business.
359	Krahmer	Answers yes.
360	Rep. Merkley	Asks about principle concern regarding minimum wage indexing.
379	Bushue	Explains minimum wage indexing.
TAPE 65, A
001	Rep. Garrard	Asks about the closure of the Smuckers processing plant in Woodburn.
007	Krahmer	Explains closure of and his business relationship to Smuckers plant.
022	Marcia Kelley	Women’s Rights Coalition. Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in opposition to HB 2624 and written testimony from American Association of University Women of Oregon in opposition to HB 2624 (EXHIBIT C).
072	Kappy Eaton	Government Chair, League of Women Voters of Oregon. Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in opposition to HB 2624 (EXHIBIT D).
098	Tricia Smith	Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA). Testifies in opposition to HB 2624.
155	Rep. Kitts	Asks if witnesses own businesses or work for businesses.
159	Rep. Rosenbaum	Expresses objection to Rep. Kitts’s line of questioning.
168	Rep. Kitts	Asks if witnesses are employees or employers.
169	Smith	Explains her role in OSEA.
172	Eaton	Explains that she is citizen volunteer.
174	Kelley	Explains her employment status.
190	Mike Townshend	Co-owner, Townshend Farms. Testifies in support of HB 2624. Explains his farm operations.
294	Reyes Pena Martinez	Worker, Townshend Farms. Testifies in support of HB 2624. Explains his employment history.
328	Townshend	Explains impact of minimum wage on competition.
358	Geoff Sugarman	Campaign Worker, Measure 25. Testifies in opposition to HB 2624. Explains Measure 25 campaign. Offers his personal history in reference to minimum wage.
TAPE 64, B
017	Mark Simmons	Government Relations Director, Oregon Association of Nurserymen. Testifies in support of HB 2624. Explains nursery industry and importance of agriculture in Oregon.
073	Rep. Schaufler	Asks if some jobs will be lost regardless of passage of HB 2624.
078	Simmons	Answers that it is possible.
The following prepared testimony is submitted for the record without public testimony for HB 2624:
	Claire Corwin-Kordosky	National Association of Social Workers Legislative Committee Member. Submits prepared testimony in opposition to HB 2624 (EXHIBIT E).
084	Chair Close	Closes public hearing on HB 2624. Opens work session on HB 2624.
HB 2624 – WORK SESSION
087	Rep. Kitts	MOTION: Moves HB 2624 to the floor with a DO PASS recommendation.
092	Rep. Garrard	Speaks in support of HB 2624.
107	Rep. Rosenbaum	Speaks in opposition to HB 2624.
140	Rep. Kitts	Speaks in support of HB 2624.
171	Rep. Schaufler	Speaks in opposition to HB 2624.
206	Rep. Merkley	Speaks in opposition to HB 2624.
262	Rep. Gallegos	Speaks in support of HB 2624.
300	Chair Close	Speaks in support of HB 2624.
		VOTE: 4-3 AYE: 4 - Gallegos, Garrard, Kitts, Close NAY: 3 - Merkley, Rosenbaum, Schaufler
330	Chair Close	The motion CARRIES. REP. GARRARD will lead discussion on the floor.
333	Chair Close	Closes public hearing on HB 2624. Opens public hearing on HB 3010.
HB 3010 – PUBLIC HEARING
348	Megan Palau	Committee Administrator. Summarizes HB 3010.
378	Jeff Carlson	International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Ironworkers Local 29. Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in support of HB 3010 (EXHIBIT F).
TAPE 65, B
001	Carlson	Continues testimony.
208	James Watts	Administrator, Northwest Ironworker Employers Association. Testifies in support of HB 3010. Explains differences in safety procedures for ironworkers.
267	Bob Shiprack	Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council. Testifies in support of HB 3010.
360	Ed Glad	Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters. Testifies in opposition to HB 3010.
393	Bill Walden	Field Representative, Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters. Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in opposition to HB 3010 (EXHBIIT G).
TAPE 66, A
019	Al Arguedas	Safety Director, Skanska USA Building. Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in opposition to HB 3010 (EXHIBIT H).
080	Peter DeLuca	Administrator, Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSHA). Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in opposition to HB 3010 (EXHIBIT I).
148	Joe Miller	Safety and Loss Control Manager, Associated General Contractors. Testifies in opposition to HB 3010.
175	Jessica Harris	Associated General Contractors. Testifies in opposition to HB 3010.
203	Julie Brandis	Associated Oregon Industries. Introduces Dan Harmon.
211	Dan Harmon	Vice-President and General Counsel, Hoffman Construction. Testifies in opposition to HB 3010. Refers to pictures of ironworkers’ safety protection submitted as testimony (EXHIBIT J).
313	David Parsons	Safety Consultant, President-Elect, American Society of Safety Engineers. Submits and summarizes prepared testimony in opposition to HB 3010 (EXHIBIT K).
372	Neil Crocker	Ironworker, Local 29. Testifies in support of HB 3010.
TAPE 67, A
003	John Carlson	Ironworker, Local 29. Testifies in support of HB 3010.
016	Andrew Winters	Ironworker, Local 29. Testifies in support of HB 3010.
037	Chair Close	Closes public hearing on HB 3010. Opens work session on HB 2230.
HB 2230 – WORK SESSION
052	Schelly Jensen	Verizon Wireless. Explains -4 amendment (EXHIBIT L).
065	Richard Kosesan	Verizon Wireless. Explains -4 amendment.
074	Rep. Rosenbaum	Asks for clarification of effect of amendment.
076	Jensen	Offers clarification of effect of amendment.
085	Rep. Gallegos	MOTION: Moves to ADOPT HB 2230-4 amendments dated 3/18/03.
		VOTE: 6-0 EXCUSED: 1 – Kitts
	Chair Close	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.
090	Rep. Gallegos	MOTION: Moves HB 2230 to the floor with a DO PASS AS AMENDED recommendation.
		VOTE: 6-0 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye. EXCUSED: 1 – Kitts
	Chair Close	The motion CARRIES. REP. MERKLEY will lead discussion on the floor.
097	Chair Close	Closes work session on HB 2230. Opens work session on HB 2639.
HB 2639 – WORK SESSION
101	Harlan Levy	Staff Attorney, Oregon Association of Realtors. Explains -1 amendment (EXHIBIT M).
115	Rep. Merkley	Asks for clarification of language in HB 2639.
120	Levy	Offers clarification.
125	Rep. Gallegos	MOTION: Moves to ADOPT HB 2639-1 amendments dated 3/19/03.
		VOTE: 6-0 EXCUSED: 1 – Kitts
	Chair Close	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.
130	Rep. Gallegos	MOTION: Moves HB 2639 to the floor with a DO PASS AS AMENDED recommendation.
131	Rep. Merkley	States support for HB 2639.
		VOTE: 6-0 AYE: In a roll call vote, all members present vote Aye. EXCUSED: 1 – Kitts
	Chair Close	The motion CARRIES. REP. KRUMMEL will lead discussion on the floor.
143	Chair Close	Closes work session on HB 2639. Adjourns meeting at 12:02 p.m.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A – HB 2624, written testimony, Rev. Steven Witte, 5 pp

B – HB 2624, written testimony, Barry Bushue, 2 pp

C – HB 2624, written testimony, Marcia Kelley, 2 pp

D – HB 2624, written testimony, Kappy Eaton, 1 p

E – HB 2624, written testimony, Claire Corwin-Kordosky, 2 pp

F – HB 3010, written testimony, Jeff Carlson, 9 pp

G – HB 3010, written testimony, Bill Walden, 1 p

H – HB 3010, written testimony, Al Arguedas, 3 pp
I – HB 3010, written testimony, Peter DeLuca, 2 pp

J – HB 3010, written testimony, Dan Harmon, 4 pp

K – HB 3010, written testimony, David Parsons, 1 p

L – HB 2230, -4 amendment, staff, 1 p

M – HB 2639, -1 amendment, staff, 1 p