Oregon Association of Broadcasters
We're facing a couple "fun" issues in Oregon right now. Our legislature is in session, and the Legislators really don't want to be bothered with facing the issue of balancing budget, so they've come up with issues like:
1) An Advertising Tax on Commercial Radio and Television stations to be placed in a fund to support Public Broadcasting. The Representative who introduced the bill feels Public Broadcasting shouldn't have to spend time 'fund raising". We think we've killed this one, but it's dangerous to celebrate before the bell rings.
2) Another bill in the House would deny broadcasters access to 911 tapes for on-air broadcast. To our knowledge there haven't been any abuses of these airings in Oregon, but the House wants to make sure our hands are tied securely. This is another bill that we think has been cubby-holed, but we're keeping an eye on it.
3) The Senate just passed a bill that would redefine "independent contractor" so closely, that most broadcasters would have to consider the independent contractors for them as employees, and have to cover all benefits as though they were full- or part-time employees. The bill is in the House, and we'll probably come up short on this one. At minimum, if we can't kill the bill, we'd like to have an opportunity to help draft the language so it won't be too detrimental to broadcasters.
4) On the positive side, the Oregon Association of Broadcasters (OAB) has authored legislation to provide immunity to broadcasters when airing AMBER Alerts. We're hung up in the House Judiciary - Civil Law Subcommittee.
Bill Johnstone
President & CEO
Oregon Association of Broadcasters
[email protected]
Washington State Association of Broadcasters
After defeating bills in several recent legislative sessions that would have prohibited completely the use of non-competition provisions in broadcast employment agreements, the Washington State Association of Broadcasters expects that a bill will pass this year, with WSAB's concurrence, that would prohibit the enforcement of non-competes only if the employee was terminated without cause or laid off.
Mark Allen, Esq.
President & CEO
Washington State Association of Broadcasters
[email protected]
Maine Association of Broadcasters
The Maine Legislature is taking a vacation this week, so here's what they have been up to -
We're in the late stages of a fiscal crisis that's been going on for several years now. The Governor and the chairs of the Taxation Committee are due out with competing tax reform proposals in the next several days. Both will likely include an extension of the sales tax
to include services, and the list of services always starts with "A" for advertising, so, needless to say, we're watching it closely!
Obesity and energy efficiency are also high on the issues list. I'm trying to beat back a proposal asking the Attorney General to study whether it's permissible to restrict the advertising of foods and beverages "other than healthy foods and beverages" aimed at children under 12 on Maine TV stations. I'm also trying to fend off one section of an omnibus bill that imposes new energy efficiency standards on a long list of appliances, including digital TV converter boxes. This came up here two years ago (watered down to a study bill) and has been floated in other states.
A big Freedom of Information package of legislation is up for hearing next week.
Suzanne Goucher
President & CEO, Maine Association of Broadcasters
[email protected]
Are you reading this from a forwarded email?
