House Bill 3367 narrows and clarifies Oregon’s definition of “farmworker camp” in the agricultural labor housing statutes. The bill specifies that the statutes apply to housing provided in connection with recruiting or employing workers who work on a seasonal or temporary basis, and it defines that term as a limited, short-term, or fixed duration period rather than year-round or permanent work.
The measure also retains existing exclusions from the definition of farmworker camp for a single isolated dwelling occupied by a family or up to five unrelated individuals, and for hotels or motels that provide housing on a commercial basis to the general public on the same terms as to workers. In effect, the bill is aimed at aligning the regulatory framework with temporary agricultural and reforestation labor arrangements and distinguishing those from permanent housing situations.
Impact
HB3367 would amend ORS 658.705, which is part of the statutory scheme governing farmworker camps and agricultural labor housing. By revising the definition of “farmworker camp” and adding a definition of “seasonal or temporary basis,” the bill would affect which housing arrangements are subject to the state’s farmworker camp rules, licensing, and oversight administered through the Bureau of Labor and Industries and the Department of Consumer and Business Services. The practical impact is to limit application of these statutes to short-term labor housing tied to seasonal or temporary work, potentially reducing ambiguity for employers, farm labor contractors, and housing operators.
Sentiment
There is no recorded committee testimony or vote history in the provided materials, so the bill’s sentiment must be inferred from its text and sponsorship. The measure appears technical and clarifying rather than expansive, suggesting a generally administrative purpose focused on refining statutory scope. Because it was sponsored by representatives and framed as a definition change, the bill likely reflects an effort to improve legal clarity for agricultural employers and regulators rather than a major policy shift.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided record. The most likely area of debate would be whether narrowing the definition of farmworker camp could reduce regulatory coverage for some worker housing arrangements or, conversely, whether the clarification is needed to avoid overapplying the law to permanent housing and commercial lodging. Any disagreement would likely center on how broadly “seasonal or temporary” should be interpreted and whether the revised definition adequately protects workers in mixed or longer-duration agricultural housing situations.