Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The 503 voice. (Salem, OR) ????-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2003)
2003 Legislative Bill Descriptions Budgets HB 5077 Budget & Disappropriation Bill contains many of the budgets that fund our jobs and programs on which we rely. ♦ ODOT budget where we fought back job elimination and privatization. ♦ Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) budget where we managed to protect jobs and programs. ♦ OUS budget where we worked to restore funding. ♦ Budgets for Commissions on Women, Black Affairs and Hispanic Affairs were restored. This bill also designated program cuts if Measure 30 failed. RIGHT VOTE: YES HB 5030 DHS Budget provided $2.4 billion for human services. It provided restoration of services to 1200 seniors or people with disabilities, restored mental health treatment for children, restored some mental health and addiction treatment for adults, and provided for basic health care for working poor families. Funding for some programs will be impacted by the failure of Measure 30. RIGHT VOTE: YES Transportation HB 2041-B - Transportation Funding Package This bill will provide $2.5 billion during the next ten years (from increased vehicle registration and license fees) to repair and replace Oregon s broken bridges and maintain our roads. PASSED. RIGHT VOTE: YES Minimum Wage HB 2624 - Eliminates Minimum Wage COLA This bill would have eliminated the annual cost-of-living adjustment to the minimum wage that was approved by voters in November 2002. FAILED. RIGHT VOTE: NO Workers' Rights SB 40 Definition of Worker This bill sought to exempt whole categories of workers from unemployment insurance and workers compensation benefits. FAILED. RIGHT VOTE: NO SB 494-A - Taxpayer Neutrality Act This bill prohibits the use of taxpayer funds to interfere with workers right to choose a union. After the Senate passed this bill, the House Budget Committee used it as a vehicle to gut and stuff an inferior farm worker collective bargaining amendment on the last day of the session. FAILED. RIGHT VOTE: YES Health Care SB 875 Prescription Drug Bulk Purchasing Establishes the Oregon Prescription Drug Program (OPDP) for the purpose of: purchasing drugs in order to receive discounted prices and rebates; make drugs available at the lowest possible cost; and maintain a list of recommended drugs that are the most effective at the best possible prices. Eligible groups and individuals include state agencies that directly or indirectly purchase prescription drugs: Public Employees Benefit Board; Oregon Health and Sciences University; local governments and special districts; enrollees in the Senior Prescription Drug Assistance Program; and residents 55 and over who are under 185% of the US Poverty level ($16,600 for an individual or $22,400 for a couple). PASSED. RIGHT VOTE: YES HB 2537 - Reduced Health Care Offered by Small Employers The original bill required insurers to offer substandard benefit plans to small employers. It was later amended to retain current requirements and allow the state to experiment with low cost plans. Original bill passed the House 32-25. PASSED. RIGHT VOTE: NO
