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SB426 • 2025

Makes an owner and a direct contractor jointly and severally liable in a civil action for any unpaid wages owed to the unrepresented employees of the direct contractor and subcontractors at any tier.

Makes an owner and a direct contractor jointly and severally liable in a civil action for any unpaid wages owed to the unrepresented employees of the direct contractor and subcontractors at any tier.

Labor
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Senator Prozanski,, Representative Fragala,, Senator Manning Jr,, Representative Valderrama, Senator Golden,, Meek,, Patterson,, Pham,, Reynolds,, Representative Andersen,, Chaichi,, Chotzen,, Gamba,, Grayber,, Hudson,, Kropf,, Munoz,, Nelson,, Ruiz,, Smith G,, Sosa,, Tran,
Last action
2025-06-20
Official status
Chapter Number Assigned
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The plain English breakdown is still being put together. The official documents below are already here.

Bill History

  1. 2025-06-20 Senate

    Chapter 287, 2025 Laws.

  2. 2025-06-20 Senate

    Effective date, January 1, 2026.

  3. 2025-06-09 Senate

    Governor signed.

  4. 2025-06-02 House

    Speaker signed.

  5. 2025-05-30 Senate

    President signed.

  6. 2025-05-29 Senate

    Senate concurred in House amendments and repassed bill. Ayes, 17; Nays, 12--Anderson, Bonham, Girod, Hayden, Linthicum, McLane, Nash, Robinson, Smith DB, Starr, Thatcher, Weber; Excused, 1--Campos.

  7. 2025-05-28 House

    Third reading. Carried by Fragala.

  8. 2025-05-28 House

    Motion to substitute Minority Report for Committee Report failed. Ayes, 22; Nays, 35--Andersen, Bowman, Chaichi, Chotzen, Dobson, Evans, Fragala, Gamba, Gomberg, Grayber, Hartman, Helm, Hudson, Isadore, Kropf, Levy E, Lively, Marsh, McDonald, McLain, Munoz, Nathanson, Nelson, Nguyen D, Nosse, Pham H, Ruiz, Sanchez, Smith G, Sosa, Tran, Valderrama, Walters, Watanabe, Speaker Fahey; Excused, 2--Nguyen H, Wallan.

  9. 2025-05-28 House

    Motion to rerefer to Labor and Workplace Standards failed. Ayes, 22; Nays, 35--Andersen, Bowman, Chaichi, Chotzen, Dobson, Evans, Fragala, Gamba, Gomberg, Grayber, Hartman, Helm, Hudson, Isadore, Kropf, Levy E, Lively, Marsh, McDonald, McLain, Munoz, Nathanson, Nelson, Nguyen D, Nosse, Pham H, Ruiz, Sanchez, Smith G, Sosa, Tran, Valderrama, Walters, Watanabe, Speaker Fahey; Excused, 2--Nguyen H, Wallan.

  10. 2025-05-28 House

    Motion to refer to Rules failed. Ayes, 22; Nays, 35--Andersen, Bowman, Chaichi, Chotzen, Dobson, Evans, Fragala, Gamba, Gomberg, Grayber, Hartman, Helm, Hudson, Isadore, Kropf, Levy E, Lively, Marsh, McDonald, McLain, Munoz, Nathanson, Nelson, Nguyen D, Nosse, Pham H, Ruiz, Sanchez, Smith G, Sosa, Tran, Valderrama, Walters, Watanabe, Speaker Fahey; Excused, 2--Nguyen H, Wallan.

  11. 2025-05-28 House

    Passed. Ayes, 31; Nays, 26--Boice, Boshart Davis, Breese-Iverson, Cate, Diehl, Drazan, Edwards, Elmer, Harbick, Helfrich, Isadore, Javadi, Levy B, Lewis, Lively, Mannix, McIntire, Nguyen D, Osborne, Owens, Reschke, Scharf, Skarlatos, Watanabe, Wright, Yunker; Excused, 2--Nguyen H, Wallan.

  12. 2025-05-28 House

    Vote explanation(s) filed by Isadore, Watanabe.

  13. 2025-05-27 House

    Second reading.

  14. 2025-05-23 House

    Recommendation: Do pass with amendments and be printed B-Engrossed.

  15. 2025-05-23 House

    Recommendation: Do pass with different amendments and be printed B-Engrossed.

  16. 2025-05-19 House

    Work Session held.

  17. 2025-05-07 House

    Public Hearing held.

  18. 2025-04-15 House

    Referred to Labor and Workplace Standards.

  19. 2025-04-10 House

    First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.

  20. 2025-04-09 Senate

    Third reading. Carried by Prozanski. Passed. Ayes, 18; Nays, 11--Anderson, Bonham, Girod, Hayden, Linthicum, McLane, Nash, Robinson, Smith DB, Starr, Thatcher; Excused, 1--Woods.

  21. 2025-04-08 Senate

    Carried over to 04-09 by unanimous consent.

  22. 2025-04-07 Senate

    Carried over to 04-08 by unanimous consent.

  23. 2025-04-03 Senate

    Second reading.

  24. 2025-04-02 Senate

    Recommendation: Do pass with amendments. (Printed A-Eng.)

  25. 2025-03-26 Senate

    Work Session held.

  26. 2025-02-26 Senate

    Public Hearing held.

  27. 2025-01-17 Senate

    Referred to Judiciary.

  28. 2025-01-13 Senate

    Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.

Official Summary Text

Digest: The Act makes laws about unpaid wages for workers who work on construction projects. (Flesch Readability Score: 65.7).
Makes an owner and a direct contractor jointly and severally liable in a civil action for any unpaid wages owed to the unrepresented employees of the direct contractor and subcontractors at any tier. Provides the statute of limitations for actions regarding recovery for unpaid wages. <b>Specifies that the joint and several liability provisions for unpaid wages do not apply to construction work relating to real property that is used as the owner's principal residence or real property with five or fewer residential or commercial units on a single tract.</b>
Clarifies that the Attorney General may accept the assignment of claims and bring civil actions in the name of the State of Oregon on such claims. Permits the Attorney General to adopt rules regarding the assignment of claims.
Requires notice to be sent by certified mail that informs the owner and the direct contractor of the alleged violation and specifies the time period within which the owner and the direct contractor may correct the alleged violation.
Creates a rebuttable presumption that, in any action for unpaid wages, the person performing labor on a construction project is an employee. Provides that the party claiming otherwise may rebut the presumption by establishing that the person qualifies as an independent contractor.
Provides that an owner may bring an action against a direct contractor to recover damages for amounts paid by the owner.
Requires subcontractors to provide certain payroll records and other information to the owner or the direct contractor, upon request. Provides that subcontractors shall provide certain payroll records to an authorized third party representative in certain circumstances. Permits the owner and the direct contractor to withhold payment to a subcontractor in certain circumstances. Clarifies that the owner or direct contractor may withhold payment in an amount and to the extent that the owner or direct contractor paid, on behalf of the subcontractor, wages owed to the subcontractor's employees.
Relating to: Relating to wages.
Current location: Chapter Number Assigned