Highlights from the Recent Oregon Legislative Session
(stolen from the Oregon Business Plan website---www.oregonbusinessplan.org)
22 August 2005
- Connect Oregon - $100 million for a multi-modal investment package for key air, marine, public transportation, and rail assets.
- Industrial Land - $45 million for increasing supply of project-ready industrial land throughout Oregon.
- Strategic Reserve Fund - $7 million to spur economic and industry cluster development across the state.
- Oregon Innovation Council -- Creating one group to coordinate the array of state efforts related to the innovation economy including the Engineering and Technology industry Council (ETIC), the Oregon Growth Account activities, cluster development and other efforts.
- SB838 -- Funding the Oregon Nanoscience and Micromaterials Institute at $7 million.
- SB853 -- Creating an income tax credit (capped at $14 million total) for taxpayers that contribute to university research commercialization funds.
- SB5584 -- Providing $77.6 million for Oregon Opportunity Grants (need-based college aid).
- K-16 Education Data System - $4.6 million for an improved education data system.
- Engineering and Computer Science Education - $20.7 million to double number of engineering and computer science degrees in Oregon.
- SB300 -- Allowing students enrolled in grades 11 and 12 to earn concurrent high school and college credits and gain early entry into post-secondary education.
- Funding the Oregon Progress Board to continue its state agency performance measurement work.
- SB82 -- Establishing an interim task force to review Oregon's 30-year old land use system.
- Regulatory Streamlining Package -- 29 bills helping to streamline regulations for Oregon businesses.
