SENATE COMMITTEE ON RULES

July 30, 2003 Hearing Room B

1:30 PM Tape 106 – 107

MEMBERS PRESENT: Sen. Kate Brown, Co-chair, Presiding

Sen. Roger Beyer, Co-chair

Sen. Jason Atkinson, Vice-chair

Sen. Ginny Burdick, Vice-chair

Sen. Bev Clarno

Sen. Tony Corcoran

STAFF PRESENT: Jim Stembridge, Committee Administrator

Jeana Harrington, Committee Assistant

MEASURES HEARD: SB 934 – Public Hearing and Work Session

HB 2537 – Public Hearing and Work Session

SB 932 – Public Hearing and Work Session

SB 933 – Public Hearing and 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 106, A
003	Co-chair Brown	Calls meeting to order at 1:38 PM. Opens public hearing on SB 934.
SB 934 – PUBLIC HEARING
010	Jan McComb	Committee Administrator. Summarizes SB 934, which allows qualifying architects licensed outside Oregon to provide architectural services in affiliation with Oregon architect having responsible control of work.
018	Cindy Roberts	American Institute of Architects. Testifies in support of SB 934. Provides background of the bill which contains SB 209 (2003), SB 210 (2003) and amendments to SB 210. Notes no opposition.
030	Bill Cider	Architect, Eugene; Board of Architect Examiners. Testifies in support of SB 934. Overviews the bill and explains how the bill changes statute.
054	Co-chair Brown	Closes public hearing and opens work session on SB 934.
SB 934 – WORK SESSION
057	Sen. Atkinson	MOTION: Moves SB 934 to the floor with a DO PASS recommendation.
060		VOTE: 4-0-2 EXCUSED: 2 - Burdick, Clarno
	Co-chair Brown	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED. SEN. ATKINSON will lead discussion on the floor.
063	Co-chair Brown	Closes work session on SB 934. Opens public hearing on HB 2537.
HB 2537 – PUBLIC HEARING
065	Marjorie Taylor	Committee Administrator. Summarizes HB 2537, which modifies requirements for benefit levels of basic health benefit plans for small employers. Notes -23 amendments (EXHIBIT A).
069	Holly Robinson	Legislative Counsel (LC). Overviews the -23 amendments including summation of the proposals and the inclusion of the Insurance Pool Governing Board. Notes the amendments contain a four-year sunset provision. Explains allowances for employers by the bill.
119	Howard “Rocky” King	Insurance Pool Governing Board. Testifies in support of HB 2537 (EXHIBIT B).
146	Co-chair Brown	Asks if all license providers would be covered.
151	King	Answers it in no way alters the current process.
165	J.L. Wilson	National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB). Testifies in support of HB 2537. Explains the intentions behind the amendments to the bill. Speaks on current health care. Accepts the -23 amendments in order to advance discussion.
221	Lisa Trussell	Associated Oregon Industries (AOI). Testifies in support of HB 2537 (EXHIBIT C). Provides testimony and handouts from AOI insurance agents. Points out the private sector health care shares the troubles of the Oregon Health Plan. Informs the committee of the coverage employers are providing. Points out the cost impacts by providing statistics. States a one percent premium increase is equivalent to $44 Million. Supports the -23 amendments in order to continue discussion.
297	Nan Heim	Oregon State Ambulance Association (OSAA). Testifies on HB 2537 (EXHIBIT D). Voices concerns with the bill because it does not provide ambulance service as part of basic coverage. Explains how uncompensated costs have increased greatly. Mentions the -5 amendments also do not cover emergency services. States the OSAA accepts the -23 amendments.
359	Martin Taylor	Oregon Nurses Association (ONA). Testifies in opposition to HB 2537 (EXHIBIT E). Speaks on the increasing amount of uninsured individuals and mandates. Consents to the bill with the -23 amendments.
410	Lynn-Marie Crider	American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). Notes Mr. Taylor addressed similar concerns of AFL-CIO. Voices additional concerns with the measure. States opposition to the original bill. Recognizes the -23 amendments are an improvement.
TAPE 107, A
028	Maura Roche	Planned Parenthood. Testifies on HB 2537. Echoes concerns of Mr. Taylor and Ms. Crider. Supports the mandate’s existence in statute. States pregnancy coverage cannot be eliminated. Questions savings by incurred by reducing the number of mandates. Informs that in 1999, a pregnancy mandate was passed at the state level. Believes protections should remain in statute. Questions the framework of the bill. Prefers the -23 amendments to the original bill.
098	Marcia Kelley	Women’s Rights Coalition. Testifies on HB 2537. Voices concern with removing mandates from insurance policy due to the out-of-pocket cost for women. States that women earn 70-75 percent of what men earn.
100	Co-chair Brown	Closes public hearing and opens work session on HB 2537.
HB 2537 – WORK SESSION
105	Sen. Burdick	MOTION: Moves to ADOPT HB 2537-23 amendments dated 7/30/03.
121	Sen. Corcoran	Voices concern for cost shift instead of cost savings. Voices hope the bill will emerge out of conference committee in the form it leaves the Rules Committee in.
127	Co-chair Brown	Shares Sen. Corcoran’s concerns. Concludes that it is better for uninsured individuals to have some level of coverage.
133	Sen. Corcoran	Argues the cost shift from employers who do not cover employees. Recognizes small businesses may not be able to afford coverage. Notes there are a slew of employers who do not provide health care for their workers.
136		VOTE: 5-1 EXCUSED: 1 - Atkinson
	Co-chair Brown	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.
138	Sen. Beyer	MOTION: Moves HB 2537 to the floor with a DO PASS AS AMENDED recommendation.
140	Sen. Burdick	States she will be a courtesy vote.
141	Sen. Corcoran	States he is uncertain of his vote on the Senate floor.
144		VOTE: 4-2 AYE: 4 - Atkinson, Beyer, Brown, Clarno NAY: 2 - Burdick, Corcoran
	Co-chair Brown	The motion CARRIES. CO-CHAIR BROWN will lead discussion on the floor.
163	Sen. Beyer	Speaks on mandates.
175	Co-chair Brown	Closes work session on HB 2537. States the committee will reconvene at 2:45 PM. Recesses meeting at 2:19 PM.
**************************** RECESS ***********************************************
180	Co-chair Brown	Reopens meeting at 2:50 PM. Opens public hearing on SB 932.
SB 932 – PUBLIC HEARING
184	Jim Stembridge	Committee Administrator. Summarizes SB 932, which modifies exceptions to requirement that worker must notify employer of workers’ compensation claim within 90 days after accident.
191	John Shilts	Workers’ Compensation Division. Testifies in support of SB 932. Overviews the current law.
223	Bob Shiprack	Oregon Building Trades Council. Testifies in support of SB 932. Notes the HB 2881 (2003) passed the House. Provides personal account of workers’ compensation claim. Speaks on the Management-Labor Advisory Committee (M-LAC) process and informs of M-LAC support for the measure.
270	Lisa Trussell	AOI. Testifies in support of SB 932.
281	Sen. Beyer	Asks Mr. Shilts what the exception he spoke of in his testimony was for.
298	Shilts	Responds he is unsure.
300	Sen. Beyer	Recalls a previous conversation.
305	Shilts	Explains the number of claims is very small.
318	Co-chair Brown	Closes public hearing and opens work session on SB 932.
SB 932 – WORK SESSION
332	Sen. Beyer	MOTION: Moves SB 932 to the floor with a DO PASS recommendation.
335		VOTE: 5-0-1 EXCUSED: 1 - Burdick
	Co-chair Brown	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED. SEN. BEYER will lead discussion on the floor.
	Co-chair Brown	Closes work session on SB 932. Opens public hearing on SB 933.
SB 933 – PUBLIC HEARING
338	Judith Callens	Committee Administrator. Summarizes SB 933, which specifies that State Department of Fish and Wildlife or agents may hunt game mammals or game birds from aircraft for wildlife management or in emergency situations. Explain the error found in the engrossed bill and how the bill requires two more words.
354	Co-chair Brown	Submits letter from Ron Anglin of Department of Fish and Wildlife (EXHIBIT F). Closes public hearing and opens work session on SB 933.
SB 933 – WORK SESSION
361	Sen. Beyer	MOTION: Moves SB 933 to the floor with a DO PASS recommendation.
364		VOTE: 5-0-1 EXCUSED: 1 - Burdick
	Co-chair Burdick	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED. SEN. ATKINSON will lead discussion on the floor.
369	Co-chair Brown	Closes work session on SB 933. Adjourns meeting at 3:01 PM.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A – HB 2537, -23 amendments (7/30/03), Staff, 8 pp.

B – HB 2537, written testimony, Howard “Rocky” King, 2 pp.

C – HB 2537, written testimony, Lisa Trussell, 5 pp.

D – HB 2537, written testimony, Nan Heim, 1 p

E – HB 2537, written testimony, Martin Taylor, 1 p

F – SB 933, written testimony, Ron Anglin, 2 pp.