Oregon Legal Research Blog
The Oregon Legislature’s website has some very nice features (although it does seem as though I always write about its flaws!):
1) Their Legislator and Committee email notification sign-up is easy to use, easy to sign up, and, more to the point, easy to sign off when you want to turn off and tune out, which we hope won’t happen until the Legislative Session is over (though we understand the sentiment). Legislators do not, in my experience at least, deluge their constituents with lots of email messages. The ones that are sent out include useful contact and public appearance information.
2) The Legislature now has a site for easy mobile access. Just click on the Mobile Website from your device.
3) Find Your Legislator tool is also easy to use and you get your state and federal elected representatives’ contact information.
4) The audio/video services are a mixed bag, but what I have found is that the staff you talk to when you phone AV with a questions are, well … they are the best. They are incredibly helpful and cheerful. I have yet to present them with a problem they couldn’t fix or didn’t know about and were trying to fix. Good customer service makes all the difference (as Southwest Airlines knows and as Trimet managers needs to work on) because things will go wrong and it’s nice to know the “wrongdoer” cares enough to listen and talk to customers, even if there isn’t a whole lot that can be done about the problem.
5) There are other services and information at the Legislature’s website; I’ll leave you to find the ones you like – and don’t like. And, let your legislators know you are listening and participating in the civil discourse.
6) And, if you’re planning to speak in front of the Legislature, here’s my previous blog post on the subject, with links and suggestions.
7) Last, if you’re an intellectually curious sort, check out other state legislature websites. Just search the web with an easy search like this: [name of state] legislature