Latest news with #OLCC
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
OLCC removes labor agreement rule for cannabis businesses after Measure 119 ruling
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission is no longer requiring cannabis businesses to enter labor peace agreements in order to obtain or renew a cannabis license, the agency announced Thursday. The decision comes after a federal judge ruled Oregon Ballot Measure 119 unconstitutional earlier in May. 'Earlier this month, a federal judge issued a ruling barring the enforcement of Ballot Measure 119. Given this ruling and in consultation with the Oregon Department of Justice, the OLCC will no longer require labor peace agreements as part of cannabis license applications and license renewals,' the OLCC said in a press release Thursday. Portland has the worst housing crisis outlook, LendingTree finds Measure 119, also known as the United for Cannabis Workers Act, was passed by Oregon voters in November 2024 and took effect in December of that year. The measure required cannabis retailers and processors to remain neutral in their communications to employees from labor organizations about bargaining rights. After Measure 119 passed, the OLCC adopted the labor peace agreement requirement in order to comply with the ballot measure, which required cannabis processors, retailers, and labs to provide labor peace agreements with a bona fide labor organization in order to obtain or renew cannabis licenses. The measure was challenged in a lawsuit filed in February by two Portland cannabis businesses, arguing the measure violates the First Amendment and will harm cannabis companies. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now United States District Judge Michael H. Simon in Portland agreed with the cannabis companies, ruling Measure 119 is 'preempted by the (National Labor Relations Act)' and violates the First Amendment. 'Measure 119 is not limited to restricting only threatening, coercive, false, or misleading speech, but instead prohibits all speech by employers that is not 'neutral' toward unionization. Therefore, Measure 119 violates Plaintiffs' First Amendment rights to free speech,' Judge Simon wrote, in part. In response to Judge Simon's ruling, the plaintiff's attorneys with Fisher Phillips LLP told KOIN 6, 'We are pleased with Judge Simon's ruling. Judge Simon reached the right conclusion on this important case of first impression regarding National Labor Relations Act preemption and Constitutional First Amendment speech protections as related to laws requiring businesses to enter into labor peace agreements.' Armed man who threatened Papa Murphy's employees was pepper-sprayed multiple times, police say The plaintiffs' attorneys continued, 'This case is poised to have far-reaching impacts, as many states are considering imposing similar requirements not only on cannabis licensees, but also in other sectors, and this decision helps maintain the proper balance between labor and management and allows cannabis employees to decide for themselves whether to organize without undue influence.' Governor Kotek's office added that the governor — who was named among defendants in the lawsuit — 'respects the court's ruling.' Meanwhile, a spokesperson for UFCW 555, a labor organization that has been a strong proponent of Measure 119, told KOIN 6 News 'We now have conflicting federal rulings, with a judge in Oregon putting Measure 119 on hold while a California judge has upheld a similar law. One of these rulings is destined to be overturned on appeal. Our strong suspicion is that Judge Simon's opinion, which flaunts Supreme Court precedent, will be the one reversed.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oregon legislature may make changes to bottle bill
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon's historic bottle bill to recycle cans and bottles could be about to change over growing concerns about safety at the return locations, including convenience stores. The Oregon legislature is working on making some changes to the law that would limit hours stores would have to accept bottles and cans for recycling. Grocery retailers, both large and small, want to the state to do something about the foot traffic from the homeless and drug dealing. Oregon's landmark bottle redemption law may change due to concerns over drugs and homelessness Store owners, especially those at all-night convenience stores, said their staffs feel threatened at times. Along with limiting hours, lawmakers are looking at allowing alternative redemption centers, perhaps mobile ones, to accept the recyclables. There is currently no major redemption center in downtown Portland due to concerns about parking, staffing and what kind of activity it might attract. But that could possibly mean even big stores with an alternative drop site could limit or refuse hand-counted returns. This Act allows the OLCC to approve a new kind of redemption center and makes other changes to Oregon's Bottle Bill. (Flesch Readability Score: 60.6). [Digest: This Act requires the OLCC to study ways to modernize Oregon's Bottle Bill. (Flesch Readability Score: 63.4).] [Requires the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission to study the modernization of the beverage container redemption and recycling law. Directs the commission to submit findings to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to the environment by September 15, 2026.] Authorizes the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission to approve one or more alternative access redemption centers. Directs the commission to classify two existing convenience zones as a single low-impact convenience zone if certain criteria are met. Directs the commission to review convenience zones every three years. Provides that beverage container dealers must accept returns of empty beverage containers during specified hours and may refuse to accept returns during all other hours. Provides that wineries may refuse to accept returns of empty beverage containers not sold by the winery. Modifies provisions related to siting of full-service redemption centers. Provides that a dealer that establishes a dealer redemption center within a city with a population of 500,000 or greater may refuse to accept returns of empty beverage containers. Declares an emergency, effective on Pantry President Jonathan Polonsky said another big issue is enforcement. He said the state needs to do a better job enforcing the bottle bill so more stores would have to take in bottles and cans rather than turning people away. at a Plaid Pantry and Safeway in downtown Portland to try and cut down on criminal activity. The pause was lifted May 1, 2024. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission director hired to clean up bourbon-hoarding scandal to retire
The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission oversees the state's liquor stores. (Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission/Flickr) The state administrator Gov. Tina Kotek picked to stabilize the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission in the wake of a bourbon-hoarding scandal announced his retirement Thursday. Craig Prins will leave the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission effective July 1, he said during the commission's Thursday meeting. Kotek urged commissioners to hire Prins, formerly the state prison system's internal watchdog, in February 2023 to correct the commission's course after she requested the resignation of its former director, one of six high-level employees implicated in diverting rare bottles of bourbon for personal use. Prins described his decision to retire as difficult but right in a statement to commissioners. 'We have reached major milestones in modernizing the OLCC's operations and rebuilding the public's confidence in our mission,' he said. 'Having had the honor to work with this organization's dedicated public servants, I have complete faith in their ability to build on this progress.' Commissioners appointed current deputy director Tara Wasiak to replace Prins beginning July 1. Before joining OLCC, Wasiak was the interim director of the Portland Bureau of Transportation. Kotek press secretary Roxy Mayer said the governor wished Prins the best and knows Wasiak will follow his example of leading the commission with integrity and accountability. 'Executive Director Craig Prins jumped into the leadership role at OLCC at a time of tumult for the commission,' Mayer said in an email. 'He delivered exactly what Oregon needed: stability, consistency and a dedication to excellent customer service.' Before Prins took over, the commission was reeling from revelations that six top-level employees, including then-director Steve Marks, had used their positions to obtain rare, expensive bottles of bourbon for their own use. Oregon is one of 17 'control states,' where state agencies regulate where and how liquor can be sold. Wine and beer are available in grocery stores, but hard liquor is kept in state warehouses and distributed to local liquor stores. The state also sets liquor prices. And opportunities to buy rare bottles of liquor, such as Pappy Van Winkle, are supposed to be distributed in quarterly lotteries. Instead, investigators found that OLCC employees abused their positions by ordering rare bottles be sent to specific stores where they or their representatives could purchase them. The Oregon Government Ethics Commission settled cases with two former OLCC employees in April, fining them each $500. The ethics commission last week rejected a proposed $500 settlement with Marks, saying he should face a higher penalty as the former director. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
OLCC executive director retires after leading agency through time of ‘tumult'
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Craig Prins, the executive director of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission announced his retirement on Thursday following his appointment to the position as the agency faced an ethics scandal. Prins announced his retirement during a regular OLCC meeting on Thursday. His retirement will be effective July 1. 'This has obviously been a tough decision to make,' Prins told commissioners. 'I am grateful for your trust and partnership over these last two years. While difficult, I also believe this is the right decision at the right time. We have reached major milestones in modernizing the OLCC's operations and rebuilding the public's confidence in our mission. Having had the honor to work with this organization's dedicated public servants, I have complete faith in their ability to build on this progress.' Investigation leads to search warrants at Oregon Coast animal safari park 'We have steadied the organization and placed the OLCC not just on a path to restore public trust but to enhance and expand the confidence Oregonians can have in us,' Prins told commissioners. Prins started his public service career as a deputy district attorney in Multnomah County, prosecuting criminal, delinquency and child dependency cases. Prins also served as inspector general of the Oregon Department of Corrections. Under his leadership at the OLCC, the agency recently broke ground on an $87 million warehouse in Canby and started 'a major technology overhaul' of the agency's distilled spirits retail and distribution infrastructure, the OLCC said, noting Prins said he accepted the position to 'steady the agency' and build a foundation for future success. California-founded Southern food chain expanding to Oregon The goal to 'steady the agency' came after Oregon Governor Tina Kotek called on then-OLCC Director Steve Marks to step down in February 2023 after an internal investigation found Marks and five other . After , OLCC commissioners followed Kotek's request and voted to appoint Prins as interim director. Prins was later appointed as the agency's leader in October of that year. During his time at the agency, Prins faced his own investigation by the Department of Administrative Services for allegedly leaving a work trip to attend the Orange Bowl, as first reported by The Oregonian. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now In response to the investigation, Prins released a statement, explaining, 'I am aware that an allegation was made to the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) about my attendance at the Orange Bowl game on January 9th, 2025. It was alleged that I misused state resources and time to do so. This allegation was thoroughly investigated by the Chief Human Resources Office (CHRO) of DAS. The CHRO investigation found the allegation to be unsubstantiated. I personally paid for the ticket, transportation, and other associated costs and took vacation time. Chair Doherty and I conferred, and he did not need me to staff him for the committee meetings that were held on the afternoon I traveled. I received no per diem on the day of the game. It is also important to note that I cooperated fully with this investigation.' The OLCC also announced Thursday that commissioners appointed Tara Wasiak as the agency's new director. Before joining the OLCC, Wasiak was interim director of the Portland Bureau of Transportation. 'I'm excited by what lies ahead for the OLCC,' Wasiak told Commissioners. 'I'm committed to building on our recent successes and demonstrating to Oregonians the value of our agency's work.' 'On behalf of my fellow commissioners, I want to thank Craig for his distinguished service to the OLCC and to the state,' said Commission Chair, Dennis Doherty. 'The revenues raised by the OLCC help keep our communities beautiful, safe, and prosperous. The innovative programs and projects Craig has initiated mean that we will be able to deliver these benefits to Oregonians for decades to come. This is a well-deserved retirement, and we wish Craig well.' In a statement shared with KOIN 6 News, Roxy Mayer, a spokesperson for the governor's office added, 'Executive Director Craig Prins jumped into the leadership role at OLCC at a time of tumult for the Commission. He delivered exactly what Oregon needed: stability, consistency, and a dedication to excellent customer service. The Governor wishes him the best in his retirement,' adding, 'The Governor knows Tara Wasiak will continue the example Director Prins set and will lead the Commission with integrity and accountability.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Washington to become one of first states to require speed limiters for serial speeders
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Washington will become one of the first states to require speed-limiting devices in the vehicles of serial speeders. Gov. Bob Ferguson signed into law on Monday. Starting in 2029, the legislation will implement 'intelligent speed assistance' devices for drivers who are issued a temporarily restricted license after previously having it suspended due to excessive speed. Ethics commission considers higher fine for former OLCC leader involved in bourbon scandal Legislators define 'excessive speed' as more than 10 miles per hour above a speed limit fewer than 40 mph, and more than 20 mph above a speed limit greater than 40 mph. Furthermore, HB 1596 applies for individuals with more than three moving traffic violations in a one-year period and more than four violations in a two-year period. The law is referred to as the BEAM Act, who died in a Renton crash last year: Buster B. Brown, Eloise Wilcoxson, Andrea Smith Hudson and Matilda Wilcoxson. 'What's behind this bill is, of course, a really simple goal — which is to save lives,' at the bill-signing ceremony. 'And so that the folks that are here with me — who suffered the most awful loss possible — that they are inspired to work with our legislative leaders to really get this legislation in its first year across the finish line so that no other family has to go through what they've all gone through.' According to the bill text, more than 30% of deadly Washington crashes in 2023 involved speeding drivers and more than 70% of suspended drivers in the U.S. continue to drive during their suspension. Oregon housing bill 'strips away the rights' of first time homebuyers The new legislation makes it so the assistance devices are programmed to limit a vehicle's speed to the established speed limit in a certain area, although the drivers would be able to exceed the limit up to three times each month. Anyone who attempts to tamper with the device would be hit with a misdemeanor. Virginia became the first state to approve similar legislation earlier this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
