Title 17, State Legislative Department and Laws

Every person who, having been summoned as a witness under ORS 171.510 to give testimony or to produce books, papers, records or documents upon any matter under inquiry before either house or any of the committees referred to in ORS 171.505, willfully makes default, or who, having…

(1) Any person who violates any provision of ORS 171.740 to 171.762, or any rule adopted under ORS 171.725 to 171.785, shall forfeit and pay to the General Fund for each violation a civil penalty of not more than $5,000, to be determined by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission…

(1) A commission hereby is created to be known as the Commission on Uniform State Laws which shall consist of: (a) Three licensees of the bar who shall be appointed by the Governor for terms of four years each, or until their successors are appointed and qualify; and (b) Any resi…

Each commissioner shall attend the meetings of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, and both in and out of such national conference shall do all in the power of the commissioner to promote uniformity in state laws, in all subjects in which uniformity is…

It is declared to be the policy and intent of the Legislative Assembly that: (1) The State of Oregon shall establish a Commission on Indian Services for the purposes of improving services to American Indians in this state and promoting communication and relations between the Stat…

(1) The Commission on Indian Services shall be comprised of 13 members appointed jointly by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Membership shall include: (a) Two members from the Senate who are not members of the same political party. (b) …

The Commission on Indian Services shall: (1) Compile information relating to services available to Indians, including but not limited to education and training programs, work programs, housing programs, health programs, mental health programs including alcohol and drug services, …

The Commission on Indian Services may employ an Executive Officer and other staff as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of ORS 172.100 to 172.140. [1975 c.688 §4; 1985 c.268 §2] Note: Sections 1a, 1b and 2, chapter 54, Oregon Laws 2024, provide: Sec. 1a. Section 1b of thi…

The Commission on Indian Services may accept contributions of funds and assistance from the United States, its agencies, or from any other source, public or private, and agree to conditions thereon not inconsistent with the purposes of the commission. All such funds are continuou…

(1) The appointing authority for regular employees of the Legislative Administration Committee, Legislative Counsel Committee or any other statutory committee or statutory office of the Legislative Assembly holding regular positions in the same sense as those held by regular empl…

(1) If the Legislative Administration Committee adopts policies under ORS 173.005 (2), it may give credit for vacation and sick leave of regular employees of the Legislative Assembly that accrued prior to October 3, 1979, if: (a) The policies adopted and the method of crediting t…

(1) The Legislative Fiscal Officer, with the aid of the Legislative Revenue Officer, state agencies and affected local governmental units, including school districts, shall prepare a fiscal impact statement for each measure reported out of a committee of the Legislative Assembly …

(1) For any measure reported out of a committee of the Legislative Assembly, the effect of which is to create a new crime, increase the period of incarceration allowed or required for an existing crime or otherwise modify sentencing or state corrections policies, the Legislative …

The Legislative Fiscal Officer and Legislative Revenue Officer shall submit the statement prepared under ORS 173.025 or 173.029 to the Legislative Assembly at a time set by the rules of the house where the measure was introduced. [1977 c.414 §2; 1987 c.854 §3; 2016 c.117 §3]

The Legislative Fiscal Officer and Legislative Revenue Officer shall review and revise the statement as measures are amended. [1977 c.414 §3]

The Legislative Fiscal Officer, with the aid of the Public Employees Retirement Board and public employers providing benefits under ORS chapter 238A, shall prepare a fiscal impact statement on each measure reported out of a committee of the Legislative Assembly that would increas…

The Legislative Fiscal Officer and Legislative Revenue Officer are authorized to contract with other agencies or persons to provide fiscal data necessary to carry out the provisions of ORS 173.025 to 173.055. [1977 c.414 §4]

The Legislative Counsel Committee is established as a joint committee of the Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Counsel Committee shall select a Legislative Counsel to serve as its executive officer. [1969 c.256 §2 (enacted in lieu of 173.110); 1971 c.638 §4; 1999 c.117 §1]

The Legislative Counsel shall be in attendance upon all sessions of the Legislative Assembly. [1953 c.492 §2]

(1) The Legislative Counsel shall prepare or assist in the preparation of legislative measures when requested to do so by a member or committee of the Legislative Assembly. (2) Upon the written request of a state agency, the Legislative Counsel may prepare or assist in the prepar…

When deemed necessary or advisable to protect the official interests of the Legislative Assembly, one or more legislative committees, or one or more members of the Legislative Assembly, the Legislative Counsel Committee may direct the Legislative Counsel and the staff of the Legi…

The Legislative Counsel shall cooperate with the proponents of an initiative measure in its preparation when: (1) Requested in writing so to do by 50 or more electors proposing the measure; and (2) In the judgment of the committee there is reasonable probability that the measure …

In preparing editions of the statutes for publication and distribution, the Legislative Counsel shall not alter the sense, meaning, effect or substance of any Act, but, within such limitations, may: (1) Renumber sections and parts of sections of the Acts; (2) Rearrange sections; …

(1)(a) The Legislative Counsel Committee shall consist of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate, members of the House appointed by the Speaker and members of the Senate appointed by the President. The Speaker of the House of Representatives and …

(1) The Legislative Counsel Committee shall select the Legislative Counsel, who shall serve at the pleasure of the committee. The Legislative Counsel shall be a person authorized to practice law in the highest court of one of the states of the United States. (2) The Legislative C…

Subject to the approval of the committee, the Legislative Counsel may employ and fix the compensation of such professional assistants and clerical and other employees as the Legislative Counsel deems necessary for the effective conduct of the work under the charge of the Legislat…

(1) The expiration of the terms of members of the Legislative Counsel Committee, as provided by ORS 173.191, does not affect the employment of any individual filling a position previously approved by the committee. (2) Upon the expiration of the terms of members and until the new…

The permanent office of the Legislative Counsel shall be in the State Capitol, where the Legislative Counsel shall be provided with suitable and sufficient offices convenient to the chambers of the House and Senate. [1953 c.492 §12]

(1) The Legislative Counsel or any employee of the Legislative Counsel Committee may not reveal to any person not an employee of the committee the contents or nature of any matter before the Legislative Counsel in the official capacity of the Legislative Counsel, if the person br…

Neither the Legislative Counsel nor any employee of the committee shall oppose, urge or attempt to influence legislation. [1953 c.492 §14]

(1) The Oregon Law Commission is established to conduct a continuous substantive law revision program as described in ORS 173.338. (2) The Oregon Law Commission has 15 members, as follows: (a) A person appointed by the President of the Senate who is a member of the Senate at the …

(1) A member of the Legislative Assembly who serves as a member of the Oregon Law Commission, or on any work group established under ORS 173.352, may receive actual and necessary travel and other expenses under ORS 171.072 from funds appropriated to the Legislative Assembly. (2) …

The Oregon Law Commission shall meet regularly pursuant to a schedule established by the commission. The commission also shall meet at other times and places specified by the call of the chairperson or of a majority of the members of the commission. [1997 c.661 §5; 2009 c.114 §4]

The Legislative Counsel shall assist the Oregon Law Commission to carry out its functions as provided by law and shall provide necessary drafting services to the commission as legislative priorities permit. [1981 c.813 §§3,4; 1997 c.661 §6; 2009 c.114 §5]

(1) The law revision program conducted by the Oregon Law Commission may include, but is not limited to: (a) Review of the common law and statutes of the state, and current judicial decisions, for the purpose of discovering defects and anachronisms in the law. (b) Consideration of…

The Oregon Law Commission shall file a report at each odd-numbered year regular session of the Legislative Assembly that contains recommendations for statutory and administrative changes and a calendar of topics selected by the commission for study, including a list of the studie…

The Oregon Law Commission may cooperate with any bar association or other learned, professional or scientific association, institution or foundation in a manner suitable to fulfill the functions of the commission. [1997 c.661 §7]

The Oregon Law Commission by its members or its staff may appear before committees of the Legislative Assembly in an advisory capacity, pursuant to the rules thereof, to present testimony and evidence in support of the commission’s recommendations. [1997 c.661 §8]

(1) To aid and advise the Oregon Law Commission in the performance of its functions, the commission may establish work groups. Work groups established by the commission may be continuing or temporary. The commission shall determine the representation, membership, terms and organi…

The Oregon Law Commission may solicit and receive funds from grants and gifts to assist and support its functions. [1997 c.661 §9]

All moneys collected or received by the Oregon Law Commission shall be paid into the General Fund of the State Treasury. Such moneys are continuously appropriated for and shall be used by the commission in carrying out the purposes for which the funds are received. [1997 c.661 §1…

(1) As used in this section, ORS 173.420 and 173.450, “appointing authority” means the Joint Committee on Ways and Means during a session of the Legislative Assembly and the Emergency Board during the interim between sessions of the Legislative Assembly. (2) The appointing author…

(1) Pursuant to the policies and directions of the appointing authority, the Legislative Fiscal Officer shall: (a) Ascertain facts and make recommendations to the Legislative Assembly concerning the Governor’s budget. (b) Ascertain facts concerning state expenditures and make est…

(1) Subject to the approval of the appointing authority, the Legislative Fiscal Officer may employ and fix the compensation of such professional assistants and clerical and other employees as the Legislative Fiscal Officer finds necessary for the effective conduct of the work und…

The Legislative Fiscal Officer or any employee of the Legislative Fiscal Officer may not reveal to any person not an employee of the Legislative Fiscal Officer the contents or nature of any confidential draft measure provided to the Legislative Fiscal Officer by the Legislative C…

The Legislative Fiscal Office Operating Fund is established in the State Treasury, separate and distinct from the General Fund. Interest earned by the Legislative Fiscal Office Operating Fund shall be credited to the fund. All moneys in the fund are continuously appropriated to t…

(1)(a) There is established the Oregon State Capitol Foundation. The foundation shall be composed of not fewer than nine and not more than 25 voting directors, who shall each serve a term of four years. The President of the Senate shall appoint not more than three voting director…

(1) The Legislative Policy and Research Committee is established as a joint committee of the Legislative Assembly. (2) The committee shall select a Legislative Policy and Research Director to serve as its executive officer. The director shall serve at the pleasure of the committe…

(1)(a) The Legislative Policy and Research Committee shall consist of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate, members of the House appointed by the Speaker so that there is an equal number of majority party and minority party members of the House…

(1) The expiration of the terms of members of the Legislative Policy and Research Committee, as provided in ORS 173.615, does not affect the employment of any individual filling a position previously approved by the committee. (2) Upon the expiration of the terms of members and u…