On May 22, 2013 the Oregon House of Representatives voted 59-0 to pass Senate Bill 744, which requires the state Council on Civil Rights appointed by Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) to study wage inequality in Oregon and report findings to the Legislative Assembly. This report will provide a clear understanding of the barriers to wage equality in our state and include concrete, state-specific recommendations for improvements.
Andrea Paluso, Executive Director of Family Forward Oregon, sees the persistent wage gap as a real barrier to Oregon women and mothers’ economic security, and is very pleased that SB 744 passed with such strong support in Salem,
I’m very pleased that the forward-thinking work of Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian and Senator Chris Edwards on the gender wage gap is moving us towards pay parity. We are eager for the report’s analysis and recommendations so we can begin to proactively end the wage discrimination that is hurting so many Oregon women and the families who increasingly depend on their income to survive.
The Oregon Senate passed the bill 29-0 on April 17, 2013; primary sponsors were: Senators Edwards (D-7), Burdick (D-18), Monnes-Anderson (D-25), Rosenbaum (D-21), and Steiner-Hayward (D-17). Representative Conger (R-54) sponsored the bill in the House of Representatives.
In an April 21st Guest Opinion piece in the Eugene Register-Guard, lead sponsor Senator Chris Edwards wrote,
Paying women less simply because of their gender isn’t just a moral issue, it’s an economic problem. That’s why we must do all that we can to ensure the financial stability of Oregon’s women and their families right now. Pinpointing the causes and finding the most effective solutions are complex but necessary tasks. Oregon’s women, and the families who depend on them, have waited long enough.