Section and Committee Legislative Proposals
for the 2009 Legislative Session

If your bar group intends to propose law improvement legislation for the 2009 legislative session, proposals should be submitted to the board's Public Affairs Committee through the Public Affairs Department by Tuesday, April 1 2008 for approval and pre-session drafting and filing.

The Law Improvement Proposal form is available here as a Word document.

2008 Legislative Session Results

The 2007 legislature passed a resolution calling for a legislative session beginning February 4, 2008 and adjourning no later than February 29. The session was limited to consideration of the most pressing fiscal and policy issues.

The presiding officers were able to bring the session to a close a full week before the deadline. Many of the bills ultimately passed addressed important fiscal and policy issues.

To read a list of bills introduced and final status, click below.

Full list of bills and status for 2008 session

2007 Legislative Session Recap

The session adjourned on June 28, 2007. There were a total of 25 bar-sponsored bills this session. Of the 25 bar-sponsored bills, 22 have been signed by the Governor, two were voluntarily withdrawn, and one died. SB 300, relating to a debtor’s right to receive additional child tax credit, and SB 308, modifying the meaning of “owner” and “landowner” for purposes of certain annexations, were both voluntarily withdrawn. HB 2363A, reinstating income tax credit for qualified adoption expenses for certain taxpayers died in committee upon adjournment.

The bar was instrumental in the passage of two additional bills: SB 279 deleted obsolete provisions relating to jury trials and was also a vehicle for judicial compensation issues (the substance of which was amended into another bill), and SB 671, which related to Oregon’s public records law disclosures and the attorney-client privilege.

A report of the 2007 OSB Legislative Proposals in PDF format is available here.

House of Delegates Votes to Oppose Initiatives 2, 51, and 53

At the bar’s annual House of Delegates meeting on September 28, 2007, the HOD passed a resolution to oppose initiative petitions 2, 51, and 53. To qualify for the November 2008 ballot, petitioners must collect 82,769 signatures for each initiative by July 3, 2008.

Initiative petition 2 would prohibit designating appointed judges as incumbents on the ballot in the first election following their appointment.

Initiative petition 51 would impose a cap on contingent fee agreements between lawyers and their clients, limiting the lawyer’s fee to 25% of the first $25,000 recovered, and 10% of any recovery above $25,000. The measure applies to all civil actions for damages where the lawyers’ fees are a percentage of the money awarded in the case.

Initiative petition 53 requires a court to sanction attorneys for frivolous motions or filings. Under 53, if the opposing party establishes that a claim, motion, or defense is “frivolous,” the court must award that party all attorney fees and costs incurred. Initiative petition 53 applies to lawyers only, and not to the parties, unlike the current rule. The proposed initiative includes an additional definition of “frivolous” which imports different legal concepts.

Get Updated With the Oregon Legislation Highlights

Find out what the 2007 Legislature accomplished with the Oregon Legislation Highlights publication. From administrative law to workers’ compensation, Oregon Legislation Highlights summarizes and explains almost 500 enacted bills in 23 chapters. It now also includes a new chapter on construction law. Inside this handy volume you’ll find summaries of major bills, such as: payday loans and check-cashing businesses; enforcement on victims’ rights; creation of domestic partnerships; changes to paternity law; modifications to Measure 37; sexual orientation in antidiscrimination statutes; revisions to arbitration and noncompete agreements; increased motion practice fees; long-term-care patients’ bill of rights; family-leave changes; new smoking regulations; mandated coverage of contraceptives; and changes to motor vehicle insurance. Effective dates of each described bill are also provided.

Copies are still available for $85. To order, call the Service Desk at (503) 684-7413, or toll-free in Oregon at 1-800-452-8260, ext. 413 or click here to view and print the order form.

Keller does not prohibit integrated bars from using member dues to advance political or ideological positions that are not germane to the bars purpose; however, it requires that dissenting members receive a refund of the portion of dues attributable to the non-germane activity.

The Public Affairs Committee of the Board of Governors oversees the work of the program, and makes recommendation to the Board of Governors on public policy issues.

Public Affairs Committee Process

The Board or its Public Affairs Committee sets priorities regarding legislation or positions on legislation. In so doing, the Board will make a reasonable effort to do the following:

Encourage as wide a participation of the membership as possible
in formulating positions on legislative issues;
Inform members of the Bars legislative positions;
Respect divergent opinions of subgroups within the legal profession;
Provide assistance to bar sections and committees; avoid
committing bar funds to issues that are divisive or create factions
within the profession;
Present major issues to the House of Delegates for approval.

2008 Public Affairs Committee Members

Tips for Communicating with Your Legislator

Tips for Lobbying and Getting Prepared

OSB Guidelines for Section & Committee Involvement

OSB Legislative Policy Guideline

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