SALEM, Ore. (KGW) — The Oregon House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 1545 on Thursday, a $200 million jobs bill known as “Future Ready Oregon,” sending the package on to Gov. Kate Brown for her signature.
The bill was one of Brown’s central priorities for this year’s short legislative session, which is set to wrap up next week. The $200M jobs training package primarily targets the health care, manufacturing and construction sectors.
The package was crafted with input from the governor’s Racial Justice Council, according to a press release from Brown’s office, and aims to prioritize populations that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and other disparities including Oregonians of color, women, low-income individuals, rural communities, veterans and currently or formerly incarcerated people.
“I want to thank the Legislature for passing Future Ready Oregon,” Brown said in a statement. “And a special thank you to the Racial Justice Council, as well as our business community, and the working Oregonians who shared their stories during the legislative process. Now, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work to build a skilled and diverse workforce.”
The bill includes investments in existing workforce training programs and establishes new Workforce Readiness Grants. It also provides direct support aimed at helping individual Oregonians overcome barriers that have kept them out of the workforce such as tuition, transportation, housing and child care.
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