PORTLAND, Ore. -- Gov. Ted Kulongoski on Monday signed five pieces of legislation from the 2010 special session into law. He also placed lawmakers on notice that he may veto three pieces of legislation.
Among the new laws was a bill that prohibits employers from discriminating because of credit history. Among those that may get vetoed was a bill that would have licensed psychologists to prescribe medication.
All eight bills were available to read in their entirety at the Oregon State Legislature 2010 Special Session webpage.
The legislation that has now become Oregon state law, as summarized and published by the governor's office, included:
HB 3618:
-- Modifies and creates definitions related to home care services to provide workers’ compensation to certain workers beginning January 1, 2011, and makes such workers eligible for representation and collective bargaining. Declares an emergency; effective upon passage.
HB 3700:
-- Permits credit unions to receive deposits of public funds similar to banks. Allows State Treasurer to accept moneys. Continuously appropriates moneys to treasurer for initial expenses. Sets effective date of January 1, 2013.
SB 1045:
-- Prohibits the use of credit history for employment purposes including hiring, discharge, promotion, and compensation. Provides exceptions for financial institutions, public safety offices, and other employment if credit history is job-related and use is disclosed to applicant or employee. Establishes violation as unlawful employment practice, enforceable through the Bureau of Labor and Industries and civil action. Establishes operative date of July 1, 2010. Declares an emergency; effective on passage.
SB 5564: Transportation Infrastructure Fund
-- Increases the maximum amount of funds that the State Treasurer can issue on behalf of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) by $60 million, allowing the issuance of bonds to renovate the Transportation Building and provide funding for the Oregon Wireless Interoperability Network (OWIN).
SB 5565:
-- Provides for transfer of moneys from the Education Stability Fund and appropriation of moneys from the Oregon Rainy Day Fund that require approval by a three-fifths majority.
Kulongoski also filed a notice that he may veto three pieces of legislation that would have affected the Oregon Bottle Bill, regulated state board membership criteria and licensed psychologists to prescribe medication. Those bills, as summarized by the governor's office:
HB 3704:
Allows two or more beverage distributors or importers to form a cooperative for the purpose of collecting container refunds under Oregon’s bottle bill law. The bill also requires that the cooperative serve a majority of the businesses in the state that sell recyclable containers.
SB 1014:
Makes uniform certain practices among the boards and commissions that help oversee state agencies and departments, eliminates finished or inactive task forces and adjusts the membership criteria of the State Board of Education.
SB 1046:
Establishes a Task Force on Prescribing Psychologists to develop criteria for consideration by a future legislature that will allow certain licensed psychologists to prescribe medication. The bill also creates a Committee on Prescribing Psychologists, within the Oregon Medical Board, to develop a formulary of approved drugs that could then be prescribed by the licensed psychologist who also meets the professional requirements established by the legislature.
