SENATE COMMITTEE ON

TRANSPORTATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

March 4, 2003 Hearing Room C

8:00 AM Tapes 40 - 42

MEMBERS PRESENT: Sen. Rick Metsger, Chair

Sen. Bruce Starr, Vice-Chair

Sen. Ryan Deckert

Sen. David Nelson

STAFF PRESENT: Amy Joyce, Committee Administrator

Annastasia Suess, Committee Assistant

MEASURE/ISSUES HEARD: SB 2 – Public Hearing and Work Session

SB 448 – Public Hearing

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 40, A
002	Chair Metsger	Calls the committee to order at 8:05 a.m. and opens a public hearing on SB 2.
SB 2 – PUBLIC HEARING
005	Sen. President Peter Courtney	District 11. Provides written testimony in support of SB 2 (EXHIBIT A).
050	Sen. Courtney	Continues testimony.
060	Sen. President Pro Tempore Len Hannon	District 3. Provides testimony in support of SB 2.
085	Sen. Nelson	Asks what happens to the jobless after the 13 week extension is exhausted.
090	Sen. Hannon	Responds and talks about the need for a safety net.
100	Sen. Courtney	Comments on the amount of the trust fund for unemployment.
125	Tim Nesbitt	President, Oregon AFL-CIO. Begins discussion on the state of Oregon’s unemployed population.
155	Nesbitt	Continues discussion on unemployment: · Long term unemployment statistics · Funding options · Forecasts of funding · May 31^st, Federal deadline
200	Chair Metsger	Asks for a capsule summary of allocation amounts that were determined.
240	Nesbitt	Defers the question to the Employment Department who will testify later today.
250	Sen. Deckert	Asks about the emergency clause.
260	Nesbitt	Responds and elaborates.
280	Sen. Deckert	Asks for clarification of time length of unemployment.
290	Nesbitt	Answers.
300	Tom Byerly	Assistant Director, Employment Department. Begins discussion on employment projections rules.
320	Chair Metsger	Asks about the average weekly benefit amount.
330	Byerly	States the average weekly amount is $230 per week, and $405 is the maximum.
350	Michael Thomas	Former AgriFrozen employee. Provides testimony is support of SB 2.
380	Chair Metsger	Asks how long employment was at AgriFrozen.
390	M. Thomas	Responds, 30 years.
398	Patricia Thomas	Former AgriFrozen employee. Provides testimony in support of SB 2.
TAPE 41, A
010	Bob Castagna	Oregon Catholic Conference. Provides testimony in support of SB 2.
040	Phillip Kennedy-Wong	Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. Provides written testimony in support of SB 2 (EXHIBIT B).
060	Sen. Nelson	Asks about the Ecumenical Ministries areas of support, and how they are promoting the creation of jobs.
070	Kennedy-Wong	States the Ministries are supporting a Buy Oregon First marketing campaign.
080	Sandra Michaels	Former Intel employee. Provides testimony in support of SB 2.
130	Sylvia Day	Former Intel employee. Provides testimony in support of SB 2.
146	Bill Woodward	Former Barcoview employee. Provides testimony in support of SB 2.
180	Chair Metsger	Comments on the need to promote the creation of jobs.
200	Sen. Deckert	Comments on the persistent inability to find solid leads for jobs in Oregon.
215	Bill Kluting	Western Council of Industrial Workers. Provides testimony in support of SB 2.
270	Vraulio Garcia	Former PicSweet employee. Provides testimony in support of SB 2.
325	Vicente Zavala (Interpreted by Garcia)	Former PicSweet employee. Provides testimony in support of SB 2.
370	Chair Metsger	Closes the public hearing on SB 2 and opens a work session on SB 2.
SB 2 – WORK SESSION
380	Vice Chair B. Starr	MOTION: Moves SB 2 to the floor with a DO PASS recommendation.
		VOTE: 4-0
400	Chair Metsger	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED. SEN. COURTNEY will lead discussion on the floor.
410	Chair Metsger	Closes work session on SB 2 and opens a public hearing on SB 448.
SB 448 – PUBLIC HEARING
420	Judge Laura Pryor	Gilliam County Court. Provides written testimony in support of SB 448 (EXHIBIT C).
TAPE 40, B
020	Judge Pryor	Continues discussion on rural policy: · Ten states with similar Rules · Columbia Plateau agriculture economy crisis · Rural Policy/Principles · Challenges for Rural Oregon: Distance and Population · Concludes presentation
120	Sen. Ted Ferrioli	District 30. Provides testimony in support of SB 448.
220	Sen. Ferrioli	Continues testimony: · Federal funding available for offices of Rural Policy · On-going targets of opportunity · Concludes presentation
290	Vice Chair B. Starr	Asks about the definition of Rural Oregon in SB 448, and suggestions changing the definition.
320	Sen. Ferrioli	Agrees.
340	Sen. Nelson	Asks about tribes being included in the Policy Office and comments on distance for location.
360	Sen. Ferrioli	Comments on misconceptions of policy issues and geographic issues related to distances of Oregon counties and cities.
380	Judge Jean Burch	Wheeler County. Provides testimony in support of SB 448.
TAPE 41, B
020	Dan Stark	Director of the Oregon Center for Research Services, La Grand Oregon. Provides testimony in support of SB 448.
080	Stark	Continues testimony.
	Sen. Nelson	Comments on the tribes interest to be involved.
120	Sen. Deckert	Asks about the coordination of the committee.
130	Stark	Talks about the implementation of the Policy in Oregon.
140	Anthony Lanni	Superintendent, North Central Education Service District. Provides testimony in support of SB 448.
200	Jeff Schott	Consulting Engineer, Keizer. Provides testimony in support of SB 448.
260	Sandy Flicker	Executive Director of the Rural Cooperative Association. Provides written testimony in support of SB 448 (EXHIBITS D, E).
330	Flicker	Continues testimony.
340	Chair Metsger	Asks about policy funding, and whether there will be funding support from the Association..
380	Roger Martin	Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation (CTURI). Provides testimony in support of SB 448.
TAPE 42, A
020	Chris Warner	Governor’s Office. Comments on the governor’s intent to continue dialogue with rural counties.
040	Chair Metsger	Comments on the need to continue dialogue.
085	Chair Metsger	Closes the public hearing on SB 448 and adjourns the committee at 10:10 a.m.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A – SB 2, written testimony, Sen. Peter Courtney, 2 pp

B – SB 2, written testimony, Phillip Kennady-Wong, 1 pp

C – SB 448, written testimony, Judge Laura Pryor, 17 pp

D – SB 448, written testimony, Sandy Flicker, 4 pp

E – SB 448, Brochure: Sandy Flicker, 2 pp