Articles Posted in State Government & Legal Resources

Researching legislative history can sometimes require more than plowing through dusty hearing transcripts. Guides to legislative history and intent always suggest searching the secondary literature, e.g. newspaper and journal articles that are written before the legislation is passed, shortly thereafter, and reflective articles long after the law has been enacted:

Willamette Law Review (Winter 2008, vol. 45, no. 2) has this Comment:

“The Battle Over Property Rights in Oregon: Measures 37 and 40 and the Need for Sustainable Land Use Planning,” by David J. Boulanger.

It should and you can always refuse to do business with them if they don’t (and put it in writing, please). But that’s too easy. There needs to be legislation requiring them to do this!

For a public policy wonk there are few things more fun than watching the Bills Go By. Visit the Oregon Legislature’s web pages to all sorts of bill searching options. Then you can track its path through Committees, Committee hearings, reports (e.g. these), floor votes, and maybe even a Governor’s signature.

Here’s a bill on requiring car repair estimates: 2009 HB 2268

I read an interesting story in the National Law Journal (12/22/08, vol. 31, no. 17, p.1) about special state courts just for veterans. It’s free on their website (thank you NLJ!):

Courts for veterans spreading across U.S.: Wave of vets in courts trips alarm,” by Lynne Marek, December 22, 2008:

Excerpt: “State criminal courts devoted to U.S. war veterans are emerging across the country, from New York to Oklahoma to California, as increasing numbers of soldiers returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are showing up as defendants with a special set of problems.