The City Club of Portland has released a new report: The Future of Money in Oregon Politics: Recommendations for policymakers (January 6, 2021).
They have made it available in front of their paywall so you can read it without being a City Club member. (Thank you to City Club members!)
City Club research tip: Portland State University has a collection of City Club of Portland 1920-2007 reports via PDX Scholar.)
Did you know that the two trillion (and counting) dollar coronavirus (Covid-19) law started out as a January 24, 2019, revenue bill out of the House of Representatives? (HR 748, 116th Congress, 2019-2020)?
For the record, the 880 page enrolled bill (version passed by both Chambers) was signed by the President on March 27, 2020. [The P.L. number is 116-136.]
So, my question to colleagues was:
If you’re a member of an association of owners (aka HOA) and want to learn about how the Oregon Legislature makes laws, here are two bills just for you. You can track them on the Legislature’s website – no need to drive to Salem, unless you want to. And contact your State Legislator to ask about these bills. A “Find Your Legislator” search tool is on the Legislature’s home page.
HB 2582: Prohibits association of owners for, or declarant of, planned community or condominium from prohibiting display of signs based on content of sign.
HB 2584: Prohibits association of owners for, or declarant of, planned community or condominium from making records of association confidential or exempt from disclosure to owners of real property in planned community or condominium.
“My View: Emergency clause abuses democracy,” Portland Tribune, 27 January 2015, by Richard F. LaMountain
Background:
Oregon Legislature: Joint Interim Task Force On Oregon Elder Abuse Prevention Work Group (2014 HB 2205)
Look for details of 2014 and 2015 hearings and work groups: at the Legislature’s Committee Agendas Online website.
Thinking beyond the Uniform Law Commission, the American Law Institute, and the American Bar Association: Who Makes Model Laws?
“You’ve heard of the Uniform Commercial Code and the Model Penal Code, but how much do you know about model laws? You could learn more by reading this short article: Mary Whisner, There Oughta Be a Law—a Model Law, 106 Law Libr. J. 125 (2014)….” [Link to blog post.]
A “committee pony” is a document created by the Legislative Fiscal Office mainly for the bill carriers as the bill is favorably passed out of a Ways & Means committee.
What’s a Bill Carrier? Read on:
A Bill Carrier: “The legislator assigned by the Committee Chair to explain and speak in favor of a measure on the floor and to answer questions about it.” (See more definitions at the Oregon Legislature’s Glossary.)
How many legislators know how to compile a legislative history? My guess is not many. But they have many skills the rest of us lack, but need. Who among us has the patience to shepherd bills through the state or federal (or local) legislative process without going berserk – and having everyone scream at you day and night? Not I.
Try shadowing a legislator for a day and you’ll see what I mean. (Try shadowing a teacher for a day, too, and see how much like legislating that job is, with just as many people screaming at you.)
Legislative assistants can compile legislative histories and so can government documents and law librarians. For us, legislative history compilation skills are a job requirement, but that doesn’t mean we have to like it, especially if we’re far from the seat of government and can’t visit the official and complete archives where complete bill files can be found.
The Oregon Legislative Library’s Reference Librarian* answers our ‘floor letter’ question. (The “Note from Mother” question is answered at the end of this blog post. Who said watching the Oregon Legislature wasn’t fun?!)
“A ‘floor letter’ is information put on each member’s desk during a session the day of a measure’s 3rd reading and subsequent floor vote. The floor letter has to be identified as originating ‘from the desk of’ a member.
Essentially, it’s like a last ditch effort to make a point.
I have written often about the wonderful Oregon Legislative Liaisons, but sadly they are no more.
Instead, you need to visit the Legislature’s Support and Contact Information website, where you will find lots of contact information.
You can also email Legislative Help, or call 1-800-332-2313 and leave a message.
Oregon Legal Research Blog