Sen. Mark Meek

Exempts person serving in Oregon National Guard from requirement to enroll in community college courses within six months of attaining previous highest level of education in order to qualify for Oregon Promise grant , provided that person enrolls in community college courses within six months of completing initial active duty training .

Requires Department of Education to develop and provide to public high schools written materials regarding apprenticeship opportunities. Requires public high schools to disseminate materials to students and to parents or guardians of students. Declares emergency, effective on passage.

Permits county to allow owner of lot or parcel of at least two acres zoned for rural residential uses to construct new single-family dwelling on lot or parcel if owner converts existing historic home to accessory dwelling unit.

Commemorates 69th anniversary of Vanport flood and remembers survivors and those who lost their lives.

Designates August 7 of each year as Oregon Purple Heart Recognition Day.

Extends ad valorem property tax exemption to existing qualified dwelling units of single-unit housing purchased by taxpayers seeking exemption. Sunsets authority of city to approve applications for exemption on January 1, 2025. Provides that qualified dwelling unit of single-unit housing granted exemption pursuant to application approved before sunset date continues to receive exemption for period of time for which exemption was granted. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Expands contents of report by Oregon Broadband Advisory Council to Joint Legislative Committee on Information Management and Technology to include role of broadband technology in local, state and regional economies and economic development.

Prohibits state contracting agency from entering into public contract with prospective contractor that has not certified that prospective contractor has policy and practice of preventing sexual harassment, sexual assault and discrimination against members of protected classes of workers. Specifies minimum elements that policy and practice must include and method by which contractor may provide required notice . Requires public contract to require as material term that contractor have and maintain policy and practice to prevent sexual harassment, sexual assault and discrimination against members of protected classes. Becomes operative on January 1, 2018. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Directs Oregon Medical Board, Oregon State Board of Nursing , Oregon Board of Naturopathic Medicine and Oregon Board of Dentistry to provide licensees of boards with opioid and opiate prescribing guidelines and recommendations established by association of licensee practitioners. Takes effect 91st day after adjournment sine die.

Provides definitions relating to comparable work for purposes of pay equity provisions. Makes unlawful employment practice to discriminate in payment of wages against employee on basis of protected class. Makes unlawful employment practice to screen job applicants based on salary history, to base salary decision on salary history, other than for internal hires, and to seek salary history information from applicant for employment other than after making offer of employment to employee that includes amount of compensation . Allows employer to pay employees for work of comparable character at different compensation levels only if entire compensation differential is based on bona fide factor related to position in question and based on certain criteria. Extends time limitation to bring certain pay equity claims by making each subsequent payroll action that is based on underlying pay equity violation actionable. Extends tort claim notice requirement from 180 days to 300 days for public employee to give notice of certain pay equity violations. Adds additional remedies for pay equity and wage-related violations that include right to jury trial and right to compensatory and punitive damages. Allows employee who files complaint alleging pay equity violation with Bureau of Labor and Industries and prevails to recover back pay for up to two years plus duration of time spent in complaint process. Permits employer to file motion to disallow award of compensatory or punitive damages. Provides that court shall grant motion if employer demonstrates that employer has completed equal-pay analysis that meets certain criteria, eliminated wage differentials for plaintiff and made reasonable and substantial progress toward eliminating wage differentials for other employees in same protected class asserted by plaintiff. Provides that, if court grants motion, court may award back pay only for two-year period immediately preceding filing of action and allow prevailing plaintiff costs and attorney fees but may not award damages. Becomes operative on January 1, 2019. Makes violation for seeking salary history from prospective or current employee prior to offer of employment subject to compensatory and punitive damages beginning on January 1, 2024. Takes effect on 91st day following adjournment sine die.