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Promoting Quality Higher Education– An Investment in Oregon’s Future

LEGISLATIVE & POLITICAL

EC Positions Adopted - February 2022

February 07, 2022 / PSU-AAUP

The Executive Council of PSU-AAUP voted in support or opposition to the following legislative bills on February 5, 2022:


HB 4083 INTRO: Support
Relating to primary care.
Requires individual and group health insurance policies, health care service contractors, multiple employer welfare arrangements and state medical assistance program to provide reimbursement for at least three primary care visits annually in addition to one annual preventive primary care visit covered without cost-sharing.
Sponsored by Rep Moore-Green; Rep Prusak; Rep Schouten; Sen Patterson; Sen Steiner Hayward (Presession filed)

Rationale: AAUP Oregon is committed to the continuing health of our members. This bill would increase access to health care by subsidizing Primary Care and Preventative care visits for covered faculty, staff, and students. 


HB 4134 INTRO: Support
Relating to insurance; declaring an emergency.
Requires insurer and health care service contractor to cover labor and delivery services provided at out-of-network health care facility if services provided at out-of-network facility due solely to diversion of patient from in-network health care facility for reasons related to state or federal declaration of public health emergency.
Sponsored by Rep Alonso Leon; Rep Bonham; Rep Boshart Davis; Rep Bynum; Rep Dexter; Rep George; Rep Goodwin; Rep Grayber; Rep Helm; Rep Hudson; Rep Levy; Rep Marsh; Rep Meek; Rep Morgan; Rep Noble; Rep Nosse; Rep Owens; Rep Pham; Rep Power; Rep Prusak; Rep Reardon; Rep Reschke; Rep Reynolds; Rep Salinas; Rep Scharf; Rep Schouten; Rep Smith DB; Rep Smith G; Rep Stark; Rep Wallan; Rep Weber; Rep Wilde; Sen Beyer; Sen Findley; Sen Frederick; Sen Gelser Blouin; Sen Golden; Sen Hansell; Sen Kennemer; Sen Knopp; Sen Lawrence Spence; Sen Linthicum; Sen Manning Jr; Sen Patterson; Sen Prozanski; Sen Steiner Hayward; Sen Thomsen (Presession filed)

Rationale: AAUP Oregon is committed to access to health care services. This bill would close a loophole related to COVID closures and out-of-network billing.


SB 1516 INTRO: Oppose
Relating to COVID-19; declaring an emergency.
Prohibits public bodies and private entities from requiring person to receive COVID-19 vaccination or to possess COVID-19 immunity passport, immunity pass or other evidence certifying COVID-19 vaccination or immunity status.
Sponsored by Sen Boquist (Presession filed)
Rationale: AAUP Oregon believes that the prohibition of COVID containment measures puts our members at risk, and we oppose efforts to ban efforts to control the spread of COVID on our campuses and other workspaces.


SB 1522 INTRO: Support
Relating to education; declaring an emergency.
Authorizes high school teachers who are employed by education service districts to serve as members of Transfer Council. Repeals provision exempting distance learning from requirement that eligible veterans be provided with in-state tuition. Expands eligibility for in-state tuition to include individuals who are granted humanitarian parole, asylum, conditional permanent residency or temporary protected status by any federal agency, provided that individual has not previously established residence in any state or territory of United States or District of Columbia. Requires graduate student employees at public university to sign form allowing university to release specified contact information. Adds public universities and community colleges to list of educational employers required to provide materials and assistance to eligible employees concerning public service loan forgiveness program. Requires school districts and public charter schools to accept credits earned by students in specified educational programs and to apply those credits to high school graduation requirements. Allows for modifications to or exemptions from requirements related to provision of menstrual products in student bathrooms for certain programs of public education providers. Allows high school equivalency student, homeschooled student or student who attends public charter school to meet academic eligibility requirements for participation in interscholastic activities during school year in which student initially was determined to be academically ineligible. Expands protections of right to participate in interscholastic athletics to students of all high school equivalency programs. Declares emergency, effective on passage.
Sponsored by Presession filed (at the request of Senate Interim Committee on Education)

Rationale: This bill is the Omnibus bill for the Senate Education Committee and makes a number of positive changes on AAUP Oregon priorities. Notably, this bill would increase data access for our grad employee locals, establish tuition subsidies for underserved students, and support public service loan forgiveness for new hires.


SB 1545 INTRO: Support
Relating to workforce development; declaring an emergency.
Establishes grant programs in Higher Education Coordinating Commission to provide funding for workforce development activities that aim to increase access for priority populations to training opportunities in construction, health care and manufacturing and to workforce development services and benefits.
Sponsored by Presession filed (at the request of Governor Kate Brown for Office of the Governor)

Rationale: This bill represents Governor Brown’s Future Ready Oregon Workforce legislation. This would increase HECC funding for areas of growing employment needs in Oregon, mostly focusing on manufacturing in health care. This will ensure that transitioning folks to these careers includes funding for continuing education and support services. This supports AAUP Oregon’s commitment to increasing higher education funding for students and workforce transition.


SB 1572 INTRO: Support
Relating to higher education; declaring an emergency.
Requires institutions of higher education in Oregon to adopt specified policies to combat sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.
Sponsored by Rep Kropf; Sen Gelser Blouin; Sen Wagner (Presession filed) (at the request of Oregon Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force)

Rationale: AAUP Oregon supports creating safe learning and working environments for our members and the broader university community. This bill would allow for the collection and dissemination of information regarding harassment policy development and implementation. 


SB 1586 INTRO: Support
Relating to unlawful employment practices.
Clarifies prohibitions regarding provisions that may not be included in agreements between employers and former, current or prospective employees.
Sponsored by Rep Bynum; Rep Grayber; Rep Power; Rep Prusak; Sen Dembrow; Sen Jama; Sen Taylor (Presession filed)

Rationale: AAUP Oregon supports creating safe working and learning environments for our member and the broader university community. This bill would make it a bit easier for employees to reach equitable settlements with employers in the case of workplace harassment. It would ban mandatory NDAs, establish more evidentiary options, and remove limitations on disclosure. These changes should generally empower workers over employers during these disputes.

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