The talker of the day at today's judiciary committee meeting was HB 5460, or the so-called captive audience bill.
The measure, which has come up at the legislature before, would prohibit employers from forcing workers to attend workplace meetings relating to the employer's views on religious or political matters. Oregon passed similar legislation in 2009.
The bill ultimately cleared the committee by a vote of 22 to 14 (it's already been approved by the labor committee.) But the vote came after more than an hour of often spirited debate.
Committee vice-chairman Gary Holder-Winfield spoke in favor of the measure, calling it a "good bill." He and other backers say it would protect the rights of workers who might feel coerced into attending meetings they don't feel comfortable attending.