COVID Emergency Issues Under Consideration by the Oregon Legislature

COVID Emergency Issues Under Consideration by the Oregon Legislature:

LC 33: Prohibits commercial evictions during the pandemic.

LC 37: Temporarily extends timelines for judicial proceedings during the pandemic.

LC 39: Expands access to broadband via a service charge on cell phone plans.

LC 68:  Directs the Department of Consumer and Business Services to adopt temporary rules establishing an emergency standard for infectious disease by August 1, 2020. This concept will create presumptions for employees and Workers Compensation and particular requirements for Personal Protection Equipment.

LC 76: Increases for one year the percentage of district students who can be enrolled in an outside virtual charter school from 3% to 8%. Many nonprofit charter schools will see an uptick in enrollment as the school districts struggle to put in place virtual home schooling programs.

LC 84: This is an omnibus bill covering multiple elements of coronavirus response.

LC 85: Creates temporary limitations on the ability of lenders to enforce foreclosures during the pandemic.

LC 90: Prohibits residential and commercial evictions up to 90 days after the emergency period has ended.

New Federal legislation under consideration:

The bipartisan Universal Giving Pandemic Response Act (S. 4032) would make available — for tax years 2019 and 2020 — an above-the-line deduction for charitable giving on federal income taxes valued at up to one-third of the standard deduction (around $4,000 for an individual filer and $8,000 for married joint filers). The bill’s co-sponsors (as listed on the bill) are Senators Lee (R-UT), Shaheen (D-NH), Scott (R-SC), and Klobuchar (D-MN). This bill is endorsed by our Oregon Senators Merkley and Wyden.