91ÊÓƵ

Members of the Senate Business and Transportation Committee passed House Bill 2698 on Monday.

The bill would extend provisions for training, qualifying and certifying specialized building inspectors. Industry representatives like the bill because it would enable cross-training of inspectors and enable only one inspector to work in remote areas.

A public hearing was held on March 31. The bill was passed by members of the House Business and Labor Committee on March 27. It was passed by the full House on April 2 by a vote of 59-1.

The bill will now go to a vote of the full Senate.

Also on Monday, committee members held a public hearing on House Bill 2978 to set out uniform provisions for certain aspects of state building code administration and enforcement. However, no action was taken. A work session will be scheduled later.

On Tuesday, committee delayed action on House Bill 2646. The bill would require that workers on construction projects on Oregon’s college and university campuses be paid prevailing wage.

The original language of the bill said the law would apply to land owned by the institutions or land they would “ultimately own.” Committee Administrator Patrick Brennan said an amendment is being drafted to tweak that language.

Committee members want the bill to apply only to land currently owned by colleges and universities. State Sen. Fred Girod, R-Stayton, is working on an amendment, which should make its way back to the committee within a week and a half, Brennan said.

“There was a little bit of confusion as to whether the bill would do what its proponents wanted it to do,” he said.