EDITOR’S NOTE: Here’s an installment from Tillamook County’s State Representative Cyrus Javadi’s Substack blog, “A Point of Personal Privilege” Oregon legislator and local dentist. Representing District 32, I focus on practical policies and community well-being. This space offers insights on state issues, reflections on leadership, and stories from the Oregon coast, fostering thoughtful dialogue. Posted on Substack, 3/8/25
Look, I’m all for trying to protect the little guy, promote social justice, and ensure that working folks don’t get trampled underfoot by society’s greediest. But sometimes, in our frenzy to crank out laws that look great on campaign flyers, we manage to do more harm than good.
Case in point: Oregon’s House Bill 2548. On paper, the bill wants to set up an Agricultural Workforce Labor Standards Board—complete with wage floors, benefit guarantees, training protocols, and a “just cause” requirement before a farmer can let someone go. In reality, it’s about as well-advised as juggling knives in a room full of toddlers…