Title 22, Public officers and Employees

(1) Any organization, unit of government, tribe or corporation that provides a public official with expenses with an aggregate value exceeding $50 for an event described in ORS 244.020 (7)(b)(F) shall notify the public official in writing of the amount of the expense. The organiz…

(1) Each statement of economic interest required to be filed under ORS 244.050, 244.060, 244.070 or 244.090, or by rule under ORS 244.290, and each investment activity statement required to be filed under ORS 244.055 shall be certified as true by the person required to file it an…

(1) Each member of Congress from this state and each candidate for nomination or election to the office of United States Representative in Congress or United States Senator from this state shall file with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission a copy of the federal ethics filing…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, when met with an actual or potential conflict of interest, a public official shall: (a) If the public official is a member of the Legislative Assembly, announce publicly, pursuant to rules of the house of which the public …

(1) When a public official gives notice of an actual or potential conflict of interest, the public body as defined in ORS 174.109 that the public official serves shall record the actual or potential conflict in the official records of the public body. In addition, a notice of the…

(1) Any political subdivision in this state, other than a city or county, by resolution may require any public official of the subdivision to file a verified statement of economic interest with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission. (2) The political subdivision shall file a co…

(1) A person designated by a public body as defined in ORS 174.109 shall provide information explaining the requirements of ORS 244.050, 244.060, 244.070 and 244.090 to each newly elected or appointed public official serving the public body who is required to file a verified stat…

(1) For the purpose of protecting against violations of the provisions of this chapter, a state agency, as defined in ORS 183.750, or a statewide association of public bodies, as defined in ORS 174.109, may adopt rules or policies interpreting the provisions of this chapter. The …

As used in ORS 244.177 and 244.179: (1) “Governing body” has the meaning given that term in ORS 192.610. (2) “Public body” has the meaning given that term in ORS 174.109. [2007 c.865 §26b; 2009 c.689 §3; 2013 c.42 §2]

(1) Except as provided in subsections (2) to (4) of this section: (a) A public official may not appoint, employ or promote a relative or member of the household to, or discharge, fire or demote a relative or member of the household from, a position with the public body that the p…

(1) Notwithstanding ORS 659A.309 and except as provided in subsections (2) to (4) of this section, a public official acting in an official capacity may not directly supervise a person who is a relative or member of the household. (2) A member of the Legislative Assembly may direc…

(1) Subject to the authorization of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission as described in ORS 244.209, a public official may establish a legal expense trust fund if the public official incurs or reasonably expects to incur legal expenses described in subsection (2) of this sect…

(1) The proceeds of a legal expense trust fund may be used to: (a) Defray legal expenses described in ORS 244.205; (b) Defray costs reasonably incurred in administering the trust fund, including but not limited to costs incident to the solicitation of funds; and (c) Discharge any…

(1) A public official may apply to establish a legal expense trust fund by filing an application with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission. The application must contain: (a) A copy of an executed trust agreement described in subsection (2) of this section; (b) A sworn affidavi…

(1) The trustee of a legal expense trust fund is responsible for: (a) The receipt and deposit of contributions to the trust fund; (b) The authorization of expenditures and disbursements from the trust fund; (c) The filing of quarterly statements required under ORS 244.217; and (d…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, any person may contribute to a legal expense trust fund established under ORS 244.205 to 244.221. (2) A person may make contributions of moneys to a legal expense trust fund in unlimited amounts. Pro bono legal assistance …

(1) A trustee of a legal expense trust fund shall establish a single exclusive account in a financial institution, as defined in ORS 706.008. The financial institution must be located in this state and must ordinarily conduct business with the general public in this state. (2) Th…

(1) The trustee of a legal expense trust fund shall, according to the schedule described in subsection (3) of this section, file with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission a statement for the applicable reporting period showing contributions received by the trustee and expendit…

Statements required to be filed with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission under ORS 244.217 shall be filed in each calendar year: (1) Not later than April 15, for the accounting period beginning January 1 and ending March 31; (2) Not later than July 15, for the accounting peri…

(1) A legal expense trust fund established under ORS 244.205 to 244.221 may be terminated by: (a) The public official who established the trust fund; (b) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, the terms of the trust agreement; or (c) The Oregon Government Ethics Commission fo…

(1) Not later than 30 days after a legal expense trust fund is terminated, the trustee of the fund shall return any moneys remaining in the fund to contributors to the fund on a pro rata basis. (2) If the legal proceeding for which the trust fund was established results in an awa…

(1) The Oregon Government Ethics Commission is established, consisting of nine members. The appointment of a member of the commission is subject to confirmation by the Senate in the manner provided in ORS 171.562 and 171.565. Members shall be appointed in the following manner: (a…

(1) The Oregon Government Ethics Commission shall estimate in advance the expenses that it will incur during a biennium in carrying out the provisions of ORS 171.725 to 171.785, 171.992 and 192.610 to 192.705 and this chapter. The commission shall also determine what percentage o…

(1)(a) Any person may file with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission a signed or electronically signed written complaint alleging that there has been a violation of either: (A) Any provision of this chapter or of any rule adopted by the commission under this chapter. The compl…

(1) If the Oregon Government Ethics Commission finds that an appointed public official has violated any provision of this chapter or any rule adopted under this chapter, or has violated any provision of ORS 192.610 to 192.705 with intentional disregard of the law or willful misco…

(1) Upon the written request of any person, or upon its own motion, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, under signature of the chairperson, may issue and publish written commission advisory opinions on the application of ORS 192.610 to 192.705 or any provision of this chapte…

(1) Upon the written request of any person, the executive director of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission may issue and publish written staff advisory opinions on the application of ORS 192.610 to 192.705 or any provision of this chapter to any proposed transaction or action …

(1) Upon the written or oral request of any person, the executive director or other staff of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission may issue written or oral staff advice on the application of ORS 192.610 to 192.705 or any provision of this chapter to any proposed transaction or…

(1) The Oregon Government Ethics Commission shall: (a) Prescribe forms for statements required by this chapter and provide the forms to persons required to file the statements under this chapter or pursuant to a resolution adopted under ORS 244.160. (b) Develop a filing, coding a…

(1) Records of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission are public records of this state. (2) All information submitted to the commission in any statement required under this chapter is a public record. [1974 c.72 §18; 1977 c.588 §9; 2007 c.865 §35]

(1) The Oregon Government Ethics Commission shall appoint an executive director to serve at the pleasure of the commission. (2) The executive director is responsible for the administrative operations of the commission and shall perform such other duties as may be designated or as…

(1) The Oregon Government Ethics Commission shall prepare and publish a manual on government ethics that explains in terms understandable to legislative and public officials and the public the requirements of this chapter and the commission’s interpretation of those requirements …

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission shall distribute, insofar as is practicable, copies of its ethics manual to every public official. The commission shall seek the assistance of professional associations that represent public officials in its efforts to comply with this sect…

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission shall prepare and present a program of continuing education for public officials. The commission may use its own staff or may contract for the preparation or presentation of the program of continuing education. [1993 c.714 §5; 2007 c.865 §3…

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission Account is established separate and distinct from the General Fund. All moneys received by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, other than appropriations from the General Fund, shall be deposited into the account and are continuously ap…

(1) The Oregon Government Ethics Commission may impose civil penalties not to exceed: (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) of this subsection, $5,000 for violation of any provision of this chapter or any resolution adopted under ORS 244.160. (b) $25,000 for viola…

A person who intentionally fails to file a complete and accurate statement under ORS 244.055 commits a Class C felony. [2007 c.865 §31]

In addition to civil penalties imposed under ORS 244.350, if a public official has financially benefited the public official or any other person by violating any provision of this chapter, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission may impose upon the public official a civil penalty…

(1) Any civil penalty under ORS 244.350 or 244.360 shall be imposed in the manner prescribed by ORS 183.745. (2) All penalties recovered under ORS 244.350 and 244.360 shall be paid into the State Treasury and credited to the General Fund. [1974 c.72 §21; 1977 c.588 §11; 1989 c.70…

(1) A penalty or sanction imposed by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission under this chapter is in addition to and not in lieu of any other penalty or sanction that may be imposed according to law. (2) Before making a finding that there is cause to undertake an investigation u…

(1) A person who prevails following a contested case hearing under this chapter or ORS 171.778 may be awarded reasonable attorney fees at the conclusion of the contested case or on appeal. (2) Upon prevailing following a contested case hearing, the person may petition the Marion …