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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, June 11, 2003
House bill helps establish
job development in Ore.
The Oregon House has
passed legislation that would
refocus the state’s economic
development agency on job
development and create a new
“Economic Ambassador” pro-
gram to help businesses com-
ply with state and local regu-
lations. House Bill 2011 is a
cornerstone of House Speaker
Karen Minnis’ Economic Re-
covery Plan and is designed to
make sure the state coordi-
nates all of its resources to
help recruit new businesses
and jobs to Oregon, and help
existing Oregon firms expand
their operations.
“Too often the main barri-
ers to new businesses coming
to Oregon are state and local
regulations that can take years
to navigate,” said Minnis (R-
Wood Village), the bill’s chief
sponsor. “This legislation rep-
licates on a state level, what
some Oregon communities
have done for years -- ap-
pointing a specialist whose job
is to help guide businesses
through the regulatory proc-
ess.”
House Bill 2011 requires
the Oregon Economic and
Community Development De-
partment (OECDD) to de-
velop ways to better recruit,
retain and expand businesses
and to study Oregon’s regula-
tory policies to identify spe-
cific barriers to business and
job growth.
The goal of HB 2011 is to
return OECDD to its role in
actively focusing on business
retention, expansion and re-
cruitment statewide.
State Rep. Mary Gallegos
(R-Cornelius) who carried the
bill on the House floor and
worked on the bill in the
House Trade and Economic
Development Committee said,
“This bill makes job creation a
priority, and empowers
OECDD to be an advocate for
businesses who want to create
jobs. By harnessing the com-
bined help of the Governor’s
Office, our universities, trade
groups, local governments and
other businesses, we can make
it easier for companies to open
in Oregon.”
Specifically, the bill re-
quires OECDD to develop a
mission statement that gives
the highest priority to promot-
ing job development.
It also establishes the
Governor’s Council on Ore-
gon’s Economy to ensure that
the state’s economic develop-
ment-related commissions
discuss how to help improve
the state’s economy, as well as
making recommendations on
bringing certainty to the de-
velopment process in Oregon.
It declares that a primary
purpose of OECDD’s strategic
investment program is to im-
prove employment in areas
were eligible projects will be
located and urges firms that
will benefit from the program
to hire employees from the
local area.
It requires OECDD to
serve as internal advocates and
centralized contacts within
state government for busi-
nesses seeking to locate or ex-
pand in Oregon. These
“Economic Ambassadors”
will:
*Seek assistance and di-
rection for resolving delays for
a project from the Governor;
*Establish links with, and
act as liaisons between, busi-
nesses seeking to locate or ex-
pand in Oregon and resources
within the public and private
institutions of higher education
in Oregon.
*Serve as liaisons between
businesses seeking to locate or
expand in Oregon and appro-
priate government, university,
community college and indus-
try representatives.
*Requires OECDD to as-
semble regional rapid response
teams that include regional
departmental staff and repre-
sentative of local government
in the region.
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