Legislative Report - Week of 1/20

Governance Team
Coordinator: Norman Turrill
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Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill
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Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone
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Election Systems: Barbara Klein
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Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey
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Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley
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By Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator
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Campaign Finance
A CFR workgroup called by Rep. Fahey that began in June is still working to identify technical adjustments needed to ensure successful implementation of HB 4024 (2024), to recommend legislative fixes for 2025, and to consider broader policy improvements for future sessions. The workgroup includes representatives from the legislature, business, labor and Honest Elections that negotiated on HB 4024. Since such a technical fix bill would likely be introduced by the House Rules committee, it could happen at any time during the coming legislative session.
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Redistricting
Both SJR 08 and SJR 21 have been introduced to create independent redistricting commissions. SJR 21 is the same as the initiative proposed by People Not Politicians. However, neither is expected to even get a hearing.
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HB 2250 and HB 2704 would both require that census population counts be adjusted for the most recent address of prisoners for use in redistricting.
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Election Systems
By Barbara Klein
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The Legislative Concept that the League has worked on with the OERC (Oregon Election Reform Coalition) has been introduced as bill HB 3166. Due to timing, the original language of the bill (which included ranked choice voting) was used in HB 3166, but it is clearly expected to be amended. Other amendments may follow as well.
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The Oregon Secretary of State (SOS) office has given notice of administrative orders to update rules and statutes to comply with the Federal Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Act. Included are security measures and change of date to 1st Tuesday after 2nd Wednesday in December for Presidential Electors to meet in Salem (OAR 165-010-0005,). The orders define terms, requirements and pledge of candidate-electors (165-025-0100). 165-025-0110 develops security features for identifying electors and safeguards through certificates of ascertainment, for authenticity. It is OAR 165-025-0120 that establishes the time, place and manner of electors official duties and aligns Oregon with the national act. Further, the SOS orders include requirements for transmission of original documents to authorized officials of the US (165-025-0130), again aligning Oregon with the new act.
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A reminder that Oregon is one of the states to sign onto the (League-supported) National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. If that law were to go into effect (reaching compacting states representing 270 electors), the above orders would remain in effect as the NPV compact works with the Electoral College. Currently introduced, SB 213 would repeal Oregon’s agreement with the NPV compact.Â