Rep. Ann Lininger

Restricts limitation on award of noneconomic damages to claims in actions for wrongful death. Directs State Court Administrator to annually adjust limit on noneconomic damages, beginning in 2018. Specifies method by which administrator must make adjustment. Corrects inaccurate reference for definition. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Requires health benefit plan coverage of specified health care services, drugs, devices, products and procedures related to reproductive health. Allows exemption for plans sold to religious employers. Requires Oregon Health Authority to implement program to reimburse costs of services, drugs, devices, products and procedures related to reproductive health provided to individuals who can become pregnant and who would be eligible for medical assistance if not for certain federal requirements. Prohibits discrimination in provision of health care coverage. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Allows person who is at least 16 years of age to register to vote.

Creates family and medical leave insurance program to provide covered employee with portion of wages while on family medical leave or military leave. Requires employer and employee contributions to fund program. Allows self-employed individuals to opt into program. Directs Director of Department of Consumer and Business Services to determine contribution amounts and weekly benefit amounts. Establishes Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund. Amends Oregon family leave law to allow for leave after employee has been employed for 90 days with employer to match waiting period for benefits. Protects employee's position of employment with employer while employee is on leave. Prohibits employer from retaliating against employee who invokes program and from interfering with employee rights under program. Requires director to work with other agencies and promulgate rules for administration of program. Directs Department of Revenue to administer collection and reporting requirements of contribution provisions. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Requires lobbyist statements filed with Oregon Government Ethics Commission to identify each bill or measure introduced before Legislative Assembly lobbyist lobbied on, whether lobbyist lobbied in favor of, in opposition to or for purpose of seeking amendments to bill or measure, each legislative topic that was not bill or measure that lobbyist lobbied on, each person or entity that hired lobbyist and how much moneys person or entity paid lobbyist. Exempts actions that did not influence, or attempt to influence, legislative action from being included in lobbyist statements. Requires commission to make newly required lobbyist information available in searchable format for review by public using Internet. Requires that information submitted as part of lobbyist statement is accurate on date it is filed. Permits lobbyist to amend lobbyist statement, without penalty, at any time before commission receives complaint, or proceeds on its own motion as if commission received complaint. Provides that commission may not fine lobbyist for mistakenly filing false or inaccurate information in lobbyist statements if it is first time lobbyist has done so in calendar year. Limits civil penalty for filing false or inaccurate information in lobbyist statement to not more than $500 per violation. Establishes Advisory Committee on Lobbying Transparency to advise and assist in development, design, testing and implementation of Internet website to make information contained in lobbyist statements available in searchable format to public.

For purpose of tax credit for affordable housing lenders , requires Housing and Community Services Department to make annual determination of remaining balance of reserved but not certified tax credits. Directs Department of Revenue, in cooperation with Housing and Community Services Department, to conduct annual auction of reserved credits. Directs auction proceeds to be used for provision of housing for persons and families of lower income, with priority given to manufactured dwelling parks and manufactured dwellings . Increases total amount of tax credits allowed for all taxpayers per fiscal year. Applies to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018. Extends sunset for tax credit. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Allows person who is at least 16 years of age to register to vote.

Establishes procedures for petitioning for and issuing Certificate of Good Standing. Limits eligibility to persons convicted of nonperson felony or Class A misdemeanor other than person Class A misdemeanor. Requires written verification of successful completion of supervision for certain applicants. Requires district attorney to notify court when person with certificate is convicted of new crime other than Class C misdemeanor. Creates violation offense if person knowingly presents revoked or invalid certificate. Punishes by maximum of $1,000 fine. Provides that in certain negligence actions valid certificate creates rebuttable presumption that employer was not negligent. Sunsets January 2, 2022.

Adds Oregon Volunteer Firefighters Association to list of entities eligible for individual income tax return checkoff contribution. Provides conditions for use of contributions. Applies to individual income tax returns for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2017. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Requires each community college and public university to establish process for recommending, and providing oversight for implementation of, cultural competency standards for institution and institution's employees. Lists requirements that process established by institution must satisfy.