Oregon Legal Research Blog
We were recently asked about finding previous versions of the Oregon Administrative Rules and the Oregon Bulletin.
The Oregon Administrative Rules Compilation is an annual online publication containing complete text of Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) effective January 1 of the compilation year. The Secretary of State ceased print publication after 2017.
The Oregon Bulletin is a monthly online supplement containing rule text adopted or amended as well as Notices of Proposed Rulemaking and Rulemaking Hearing. The Bulletin also includes certain non-OAR items when they are submitted, such as Executive Orders of the Governor and Opinions of the Attorney General (Oregon Bulletin, 2017).
The annual OAR compilations from 2018 to present, and Oregon Bulletin from Nov. 2017 to present are at the Oregon Administrative Rules Database.
The Secretary of State offers archival access to Oregon Administrative Rules Annual Compilations for 1997 – 2017, and the Oregon Bulletin for 2003 – Oct. 2017.
The State Library or Oregon provides digital access to the Oregon Bulletin for vol. 49, no. 1 (January 2010) – vol. 56, no. 10 (October 2017).
The following paid databases also provide access.
- Fastcase: OAR (2009 – present); Oregon Bulletin (n/a) [available via OSB membership or the State of Oregon Law Library for the public]
- LexisNexis: OAR (2004 – present); Oregon Bulletin (2000 – present) [may be available via local law library]
- Westlaw: OAR (2002 – present); Oregon Bulletin (current +past two years) [may be available via local law library]
The Oregon Administrative Rules can be found in print at the following locations.
- Clackamas Co. Law Library: replaced pages, 1974 – 1996; annual compilations, 1997 – 2017
- Lewis and Clark Law Library: 1996 – 2017
- Marion Co. Law Library: 2017
- Multnomah Law Library: replaced pages, October 1969 – 1996; annual compilations, 1997 – 2017
- Multnomah Public Library: 2017
- State of Oregon Law Library: 1997 – 2017
- State Library of Oregon: replaced pages, 1958 – 1993; annual compilation, 1997 – 2017
- Univ. of Oregon Law Library: 1997 – 2015
- Washington Co. Law Library: 2015 – 2017
- Willamette Law Library: 1997 – 2017
The Oregon Bulletin can be found in print at the following locations:
- Lewis & Clark Law Library: 1988 – 1994; 1997 – 2001; 2003 – 2009
- Multnomah Law Library: vol. 1 (1958) – 2009
- Multnomah Public Library: 1987 – 1996
- State of Oregon Law Library: July 1985 – 2009
- Univ. of Oregon Law Library: 1987 – 2009
- Willamette Law Library: 1987 – 2009
For materials that cannot be found using the above resources, it may be necessary to contact the State Archives Rules staff, or the specific agencies’ Administrative Rules Coordinators.
Historical Notes:
- The first Bulletins and Rules were in loose-leaf format. The last loose-leaf Bulletin and Rules compilation was in 1996 (vol. 48).
- The Secretary of State’s office converted to a new printing system for the administrative rules in 1989 and the Secretary of State did not publish any replaced sections that year. If a new or amended regulation came out then, you will not find it. The Bulletin was published that year, but not printed rule changes.
Additional Resources:
- Oregon Legal Research: Executive Branch (Boley Legal Research Guide)
- Oregon Administrative Research (Boley Legal Research Guide)
Special thanks to the Portland Branch Librarian of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for confirming that the State Archives Rules staff can help with locating historic rules.