Monday, December 15, 2014, 6-8 p.m., in downtown Portland:
‘This “Advocacy 101” event will provide community members with tips on how to be an effective advocate for your community or neighborhood during this upcoming 2015 state legislative session and 114th Congress. A panel of elected officials, congressional staff, and professional advocates will share their advice and answer questions about how the community can make an impact on public policy at the state and federal levels.‘
Panelists:
From Free Government Information (FGI) (and check out their blogroll):
“Sunlight releases Scout to help track legislative/regulatory process”
“Today, our pals at the Sunlight Foundation released Scout, a new tool that allows you to create customized keyword alerts to notify you whenever issues you care about are included in legislative or regulatory actions — at both the state and federal level! They’ll also soon release their Open States tool to target the legislative process of all 50 states….” [Link to FGI and Scout at Sunlight.]
One of our local attorneys and I have been having a conversation about effective dates of ballot measures. Effective dates for ballot measures are different from the constitutional and statutory ones for statutes that are enacted by the Oregon Legislative Assembly.
The Oregon Constitution, Article IV, Section 1 (4)(d) says:
“… Notwithstanding section 1, Article XVII of this Constitution, an initiative or referendum measure becomes effective 30 days after the day on which it is enacted or approved by a majority of the votes cast thereon. A referendum ordered by petition on a part of an Act does not delay the remainder of the Act from becoming effective….”
One could wonder what “the day on which it is enacted or approved by a majority of the votes cast thereon” means. Is it the date of the election or the date of the certification or the date of a ballot recount, if there is one? Not to over-think it, which lawyers (and law librarians) do all the time, common sense says that it is the date of the election, assuming the measure passed.
To confirm this, I wandered here and there online (it’s too soon for the Measure in question to be anywhere in print given that it passed just last November), from the Legislature’s website to the Secretary of State, Elections Division, website, and beyond, to no avail.
My next starting point became the blog post I wrote back in 2007: Effective Dates of (Oregon) Legislation
The Oregon cell phone bill that became law: House Bill 2377 (or link to the enrolled bill from here): Relating to use of mobile communication device while driving; amending ORS 811.507
When signed, it will show up at the Governor’s webpage and, when given a Chapter number, as an Oregon Law. It will not appear in the ORS until the Oregon Laws are codified by Legislative Counsel, most likely early in 2010. Then, look for the 2009 ORS, online and in print. Until then, you need to read it in its session law form.
The DMV will likely have more information soon about the cell phone law.
Today’s Oregonian has an editorial by Oregon Senator Bonamici and Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish about Senate Bill: 2009 SB 952 (A-Engrossed) in PDF or HTML:
Excerpt from the editorial: Renters, too, can face the hit of foreclosure:
“Losing a home to foreclosure can be devastating. Typically, homeowners come to mind when we think of foreclosure. But the fact is, many foreclosed properties are places that renters call home, too….
…
The Oregon Legislature is working on Senate Bill 952 to protect tenants whose homes are in danger of foreclosure. This bill would require that in addition to the property owner, tenants be provided with foreclosure notice. Tenants without a lease would receive 30 days notice. Tenants with a lease would receive up to 60 days notice. SB 952 also protects tenants’ security deposits, requiring that landlords in foreclosure apply the deposit toward rent. The bill gives tenants time to look for a new home and save money for expenses….” (read full editorial)
Legal research is seldom quick and easy, but it sure is interesting. If you are at all inclined to dip your toe(s) into the Oregon Legislative process, here’s one way to start. Let’s say you want more information about a bill that was mentioned in a recent news story. I use one bill number for an example, but there are thousands more to choose from!
Re: 2009 HB 2537: Relating to powers of attorney; creating new provisions; amending ORS 93.670, 125.445 and 125.710; and repealing ORS 127.005,127.015, 127.025, 127.035 and 127.045.
1) Visit the Oregon Legislature’s 2009 Laws/Bills pages to track down the full text of this bill in PDF or HTML.
Oregon Legal Research Blog