[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6629830,"mediaKeyId","2702507-aba4f86bd13c864718c693e523a874f3","parentId",2702507,"title","Senate panel debates modernizing public‑notice law as publishers warn of archival and access risks","audioSeconds",1211,"startMs",3365785,"endMs",2154079,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2702507-aba4f86bd13c864718c693e523a874f3&start=3365&end=2154","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2702507-aba4f86bd13c864718c693e523a874f3/thumbnail_3365785.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6629830/Oregon/Senate-panel-debates-modernizing-publicnotice-law-as-publishers-warn-of-archival-and-access-risks","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6629830-fdb050f724fdf7f0df2c7acdbf112c29/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146871&Signature=XTHuMWgLNaS9mQ81-hfXTz8AP0UXCRjZsF90p-2QfRIJYp-Q3StDUO8Y6B9SKRUdQgqzrcm3jRWCc8uEsAFwIp9fWoGVL-SlXvz3kiyK-Qe2YO~CmqhB6iqIpWlX2QLGgcBuBIO8fJiFtbuAaPnMcpLDEW9rAe1XHuB3nuWhGl34fcGIr8m9mrTep9VFo0drGZZ5~H1mBLLLROvYVvHSFMYSKJtfp9AaCAOVbsjn~Y5BGBjHH9x6hn7dUan~wCvvTCsZNkU~dMDRgeqWwecG-VYkA7THAT-JTe7X5ls6-bTZVZYcz127N4EYdWWopZhLVusLU5nKIIDzbipTc4METg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-03-19T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 437, a proposal to modernize Oregon's public-notice statutes by replacing the word “newspaper” with a broader term such as “news publication,” prompted a lengthy hearing on March 19 in the Senate committee on Holders that attracted multiple written and oral opponents and supporters.

Sponsor Senator **** Anderson said the bill is meant to “meet Oregonians where they are” by allowing digital publishers and broadcasters to publish public notices where they have demonstrable local reach. Anderson cited Pew Research Center data and argued that fewer people rely on print newspapers today: “Today, only 9% of Americans prefer print newspapers, while 48% turn to digital or other platforms,” Anderson said, and added communities without local daily papers are effectively disconnected under the existing statute.

Supporters told the committee the existing system can be costly and ineffective in areas that have lost local newspapers. Colleen Brady, regional manager for the Elkhorn Media Group, said in rural Eastern Oregon her group's monthly page views exceed 717,000 and argued local governments should be able to choose platforms that actually reach their residents. Colleen Brady and other supporters recommended allowing small special districts to post a public‑notice section on their own websites when no local publication exists.

David Summers, a founding publisher of Ashland News, said digital-native outlets have restored local coverage in communities that lost print papers and that municipalities are already using those outlets to reach residents. “Public notice laws in Oregon have really become a way to subsidize one particular type of local news source,” Summers said, arguing the proposal would align law with current audience behavior.

Opponents — including long-time newspaper publishers, a public-notice manager and other industry witnesses — raised three recurring concerns: archiving and permanence of notices; verification that a publisher is a durable and neutral outlet; and access for people without reliable internet. Mark Kaplan, public notice manager for CMG Oregon, warned that “notices appearing randomly on unregulated largely unsecured sites … will destroy and ultimately put an end to a critical legitimate service industry” and urged that notices continue to be published by “an independent neutral entity such as a qualified newspaper of general circulation as defined by the ORS.”

Several witnesses said the statute already provides an online‑only path when publishers meet specific requirements; opponents said many sites that seek to publish notices currently do not meet those guardrails. Chelsea Maher, owner and publisher of Columbia Gorge News, said affidavits and archival safeguards built into current practice ensure notices cannot be altered after publication.

Publishers emphasized the importance of permanent, searchable archives for legal and court-related work. Nicholas Bjork, who oversees publications that have published notices for decades, said his organization maintains secure physical archives dating back more than a century and cited an instance when a lawyer needed to find a 1984 bankruptcy notice that was not available online. Scott Swanson, a community publisher, said archivability is the central concern and said online publications must demonstrate long‑term preservation plans.

Several municipal and special‑district witnesses supported the measure as a practical matter. Andrea Kreiner of the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts asked that small local bodies be explicitly allowed to create a public‑notice section on their home page when no credible local publication exists. Mayor Christopher McMoran of Philomath said his city lost its local paper and now relies on local digital outlets to notify residents; he urged flexibility while saying he “loves newspapers” and would like to preserve them.

Committee staff and DAS clarified a statutory point during the hearing: one committee member asked whether the bill would remove the existing print‑newspaper requirement. A DAS staffer said their understanding was that the bill removes the statutory definition of “newspaper” and replaced it with a broader “news publication” definition, which the staffer said would effectively allow nonprint outlets; the staffer offered to confirm the point with legislative counsel.

Witnesses noted prior work on related legislation. Several speakers pointed to a 2023 House measure (H.B. 3431) and amendments that had sought to set standards for digital publications and archivability; proponents said similar guardrails could be reintroduced. Committee members did not take a vote on SB 437 during the March 19 hearing. The committee recorded numerous pro and con testimonies on the record, and the discussion highlighted a central trade-off: expanding reach and lowering costs for local governments versus preserving durable, verifiable archives and protecting the business models of local newspapers.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee On Rules 03/19/2025 1:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 437 would broaden the kinds of outlets that may publish legally required public notices by replacing a statutory reference to newspapers with a more general term such as “news publication,” supporters said at a March 19 hearing; publishers warned the change risks long-term archiving and access for some residents.","taxTitle","Rules, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",17994,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6629832,"Senators consider bills to increase legislative oversight of administrative rules",1175,1323080,2498250,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2702507-aba4f86bd13c864718c693e523a874f3&start=1323&end=2498","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2702507-aba4f86bd13c864718c693e523a874f3/thumbnail_1323080.jpg","/articles/6629832/Oregon/Senators-consider-bills-to-increase-legislative-oversight-of-administrative-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6629832-e35f778506d70f311e9438bb82e31e7c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146871&Signature=FYPszA7GQqGVUPcnGFwtXQktD~8W4rO3~u2dQXgeUXJJWtE9THCR9RLcFY3ONOGb-9wQGzF2WL7QaFUX7qxi4mC8R3tdbIwpfiAx-nNsgsFLggK8QF4jlJ6Vdo-QrH02X903j~senpkd40qUUg64xd2Mhoybi0MAXk~3JHqNca9jJ33NjLKp9dhSz-y83VCKkvbok5dr2xjcyk1rx6f~V~kDwSzDkGS5On5GvHNolBYJCnbw8Pitxzm0Bh~lqYTuEyftloqgl~6FodEL1WRt2jtxPSvWgyjzh22ULuVycOHr-x4Ov-CkTwtEoMZ1MDlXjJ87kNNHHfZDSX9C7z9svA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 370 and Senate Bill 483 were the focus of a multi-speaker conversation about increasing legislative oversight of administrative rulemaking during the March 19 Senate committee on Holders hearing.

SB 370 would require the Legislative Policy and Research (LPRO) director to distribute to each interim committee a summary, by Dec. 31 of each even-numbered year, of administrative rules adopted during the previous two years that are relevant to the committee's subject matter. Senator David Brock Smith, sponsor of SB 370, told the committee he introduced the bill to ensure committees see rulemaking that affects statutes and local interests. “All this bill does … is says, if there are administrative rules that are being made … they must come back and report to the committee … to let us know whether or not we need to draft legislation to deal with those issues,” Brock Smith said.

Senator Brock Smith highlighted examples he said show the need for legislative review, including Department of Environmental Quality rulemaking that he said set a carbon price “at over $130 a metric ton” while markets in neighboring states were much lower; he said that, in his view, agency rulemaking can have material economic consequences for Oregonians.

SB 483, introduced as a companion measure, would require the LPRO director to study methods for legislative oversight of administrative rules and to deliver a report with recommendations to interim committees related to general government by Sept. 15, 2026. Brock Smith said SB 483 is the “rules light version” and would allow LPRO to recommend how oversight might work.

Paloma Sparks, vice president and general counsel for Oregon Business and Industry, testified in support of SB 370 and SB 483 and urged greater transparency. “We feel very strongly that we need greater transparency in our rulemaking system,” Sparks said, noting hundreds of rulemaking notices published in recent months and describing the difficulty of getting a consolidated view of rule activity across agencies.

Committee members raised questions about current notice practices. In response, DAS director Barry Leslie and committee staff provided a reading of the existing notification rules: when agency rulemaking results from legislation passed within two years of the notice, lawmaker and committee chairs tied to the enabling measure must be notified; otherwise notice is to be provided to chairs of interim or session committees with subject-matter authority, or, failing that, to presiding officers.

The hearing included discussion about whether members always see final adopted rules, with several senators saying they do not consistently receive notice of final rule language and outcomes. Supporters argued the bills would improve the legislature's ability to track rulemaking, identify conflicts with enacted laws, and decide whether statutory responses are necessary. No committee vote was taken on either bill at the March 19 hearing.","Senate Bill 370 would require LPRO to send interim committees summaries of administrative rules adopted in the previous two years; Senate Bill 483 would ask LPRO to study methods for legislative oversight and report back by Sept. 15, 2026.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6629833,"Senator introduces bill to require nonlegislative bill requests be routed through lawmakers",199,675860,874875,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2702507-aba4f86bd13c864718c693e523a874f3&start=675&end=874","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2702507-aba4f86bd13c864718c693e523a874f3/thumbnail_675860.jpg","/articles/6629833/Oregon/Senator-introduces-bill-to-require-nonlegislative-bill-requests-be-routed-through-lawmakers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6629833-d68750aa9e616dd3a5b893450849d7ba/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146871&Signature=FTF768z5eu~QnwRHvDgdCf42kw7sjyy6Hp5wQS5PbpEWfyzoRqSR814fVN4enw-RZ75WpaC7hazMt5UfkG~c9H0JfS9tGdexwyrJTmAEtJlGEEdZ-3adbkNK0~P0YrhqoHFsWnnj4e1K~UXamUqx5BT1Q3AiRRU4AvhG~BQ~kVu16Q1aPm8CxahdCSoEO5GnVJYVCtbDZDnY~s06gcLAr8eAsbK305BDPARwsp04dPfXdA-aCRq1z6J7Jy4IfCyAHgKDgiK9uRJAmIZcHxbgHQIS37Hjfp0McUrHl33R~cmdl4Ar2i3JmUDousikUlzHXOvQa3W3z50XVxla5t3KJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 1006 drew a public hearing in the Senate committee on Holders on March 19, where sponsor Senator **** Thatcher argued the measure is a corrective to a decades-long practice by which nonlegislative entities request and obtain drafts of legislation without a legislator sponsor.

“Mister chair, Senate Bill 1006 requires all legislative measures to be requested and introduced by either members or committees of the legislative assembly,” a committee staff member summarized. Senator Thatcher said the bill responds to changes first enabled in 1953, when a statute allowed the legislative counsel to draft bills for agencies with confidentiality protections. Thatcher argued that practice has eroded lawmakers’ control over the lawmaking process and said the bill would require the executive and judicial branches to route bill requests through a legislator or a legislative committee.

Senator Thatcher cited research she said came from the National Conference of State Legislatures to support the proposal, and told members that 40 states do not allow nonlegislative entities to directly introduce legislation. “Oregon. Okay. So here in Oregon … there are 159 bills that were proposed solely by the executive branch,” Thatcher said, adding that the practice produces a substantial flow of nonlegislative bills into both chambers.

During questioning, Senator Golden asked whether Thatcher brought the bill from a governance perspective or in response to particular bills; Thatcher said it was principally a governance issue, though she described practical instances — including frustration when agency-requested drafts preempt a legislator's ability to file. Senator Patrick said he supported the bill and indicated he intended to cosponsor after Thatcher's testimony.

Supporters at the hearing argued the bill would restore legislative accountability by ensuring elected lawmakers sponsor the measures that become law. Opponents were not recorded in this hearing. No committee vote was taken; the committee held a public hearing and moved on to subsequent measures.","Senate Bill 1006 would bar executive and judicial branches from directly requesting legislation without a senator or committee sponsor; sponsor argued the change would return lawmaking to legislators and align Oregon with most states.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6629834,"State administrative services directs agencies to put rulemaking information 'front and center' and publish comments",397,56945,454235,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2702507-aba4f86bd13c864718c693e523a874f3&start=56&end=454","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2702507-aba4f86bd13c864718c693e523a874f3/thumbnail_56945.jpg","/articles/6629834/Oregon/State-administrative-services-directs-agencies-to-put-rulemaking-information-front-and-center-and-publish-comments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6629834-62d824eccdfe0cd402eb5e6030a3d0f0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146871&Signature=AIj~vndKyNZGM15UHy8FhxBSd89yhJtMCUGhgr-yv5ZTSHWke144RttAgqmxt27bQStxzEZohdshdnScz2Z8bNpRt1voGHWcsPqWxqV4h4BVoi88umJoA~YBgBUzvg5URQljIYcy3rHr-oDP20Uv8pA5kUn~1MEAf9g30IXwQ5xzTVoIoGmz01HpSjOVUxgqg8XsnTaGOsCq4OqajxA6hRA1ZBw0UZL7U4cmMTFQ48mkE1F2H19q-lf9Vc7Ci77Qic5NYiDExgyGRntYLjt6i-jwK5dyyPiEOdzhdv7gafiVg7rOATHg-iyRbElra75OnWXarEEUaxOrjh1wGoBXMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Barry Leslie, director of the Department of Administrative Services and the state chief operating officer, told the Senate committee on Holders on March 19 that Governor Kotek has set new expectations for how state agencies handle rulemaking.

Leslie said the administration's goal is to “increase access and transparency and just clarity for our customers” who interact with agency rule processes, and described four primary requirements agencies must meet by May 1. “We are requiring all agencies to have rulemaking front and center on their home page,” Leslie said. She added agencies must post all public comments received during rulemaking and provide a summary explaining how those comments affected the final rule.

The director described a second transparency step as posting comments so the public can “see what other people submitted and … get a better bird's-eye view” of input on a rule. The third requirement is an annual rulemaking calendar for each agency, published early in the year and updated as plans change, to help external stakeholders plan participation. The fourth expectation asks agencies to be more diligent in reporting the operational and workload impacts of rulemaking when they prepare fiscal or implementation analyses.

Leslie said the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) will support agencies to meet both the compliance requirements and the “spirit” of the governor's direction. “DAS will of course be working with all agencies to make sure they're in compliance and also just supporting them to really not just meet the compliance nature of the expectations but also the spirit of the governor's expectations,” Leslie said.

Committee members thanked Leslie for the briefing and asked procedural and follow-up questions. Senator Manning welcomed further, off-the-record discussions about a childcare center for state employees as an aside to the rulemaking topic; Senator Thatcher urged use of the state's transparency website as one posting location and Leslie confirmed that requirement is included in the governor's letter. No formal action was taken by the committee on the briefing.

The administration's deadlines and the specifics Leslie described are intended to address complaints from members of the public and regulated parties who said they had difficulty finding rulemaking notices, understanding whether their written comments influenced final rules, and tracking agency rulemaking workloads.

Leslie said DAS has coordinated with agency rulemaking coordinators across state government in developing the expectations and credited that group for helping with implementation details.

The committee did not vote on any legislation related to these expectations at the March 19 meeting; Leslie closed her presentation and the committee proceeded to other agenda items.","Department of Administrative Services Director Barry Leslie told a Senate committee the governor set new expectations for agency rulemaking transparency, requiring agencies to centralize rulemaking pages, post comments and responses, publish annual calendars, and report workload impacts by May 1.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6629828,"Senate committee advances resolution honoring Paul J. Cochran and his Philomath veterans memorial park",453,2840559,3293820,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2702507-aba4f86bd13c864718c693e523a874f3&start=2840&end=3293","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2702507-aba4f86bd13c864718c693e523a874f3/thumbnail_2840559.jpg","/articles/6629828/Oregon/Senate-committee-advances-resolution-honoring-Paul-J-Cochran-and-his-Philomath-veterans-memorial-park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6629828-add37728a31c741ca1760ac020b44495/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146871&Signature=j--9YxEgd1aXf2N~ViOs2pB4Cci7avVf0~NE0BUO6rTlGsGc9zeiLVfuHm7~8RVnM9mlQLkeK3ALzYk4K99BtXFKlpeqP3c-QBS-ndMVIYy-p-0Fu1n7Sra9lksjeVDsZkckqt8w7mFV6qTNW7tEccbL8FADgMwjkFsRm9ldDEW0BogpAp8-EE0LYEuIh9IBOBscsDbKgE0BqUyWsYt6kKSjLSjUNCU82dTS33kK0GX-WRwVEo0jsnYCQAMMlcyls4HlE1jMPvnVqgXvIbuh7soj7f7OYY7eoqpWDg2XqOo8w6bh0cxI-ePkukiNSksUQZDWqwkosfDiR0RCJ~N~4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate committee on Holders voted to advance House Concurrent Resolution 16 A, which recognizes Specialist 4 Paul Jeffrey Cochran (1947–1968) for his military service and honors a veterans memorial park in Philomath that was created on land donated by his family.

Senator **** Anderson introduced the measure during the March 19 committee meeting and described Cochran's service in the 101st Airborne Division and his posthumous recognitions, including the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Anderson noted that Cochran's family donated the family home and land to the city of Philomath to establish a veterans memorial park; the memorial park opened on Nov. 9, 2024, following volunteer efforts from ROTC, scout troops, local businesses and veterans.

Mayor Christopher McMoran of Philomath described the park's dual design, with one half an ADA-accessible playground and the other half a veterans memorial. “We have kids there almost every single day playing, enjoying the playground and then they make their way over to the Memorial and it sparks conversations,” McMoran said, praising the project as a tool for passing memory to the next generation. He also said the city plans to pursue a Memorial Highway sign on Highway 20 to further commemorate Cochran.

In a committee work session the resolution was moved “to the floor with a b adopted recommendation.” The committee took a roll call: Senator Golden — aye; Senator Mayhew — aye; Senator Patrick — aye; Vice Chair Bonham — aye; Chair Johnson — aye. The motion passed. Senator Anderson agreed to carry the resolution to the floor on behalf of the committee.

The measure was advanced from committee without noted opposition during the recorded roll call.","The Senate committee on Holders voted to send House Concurrent Resolution 16 A to the floor with an adopted recommendation. HCR 16 honors Specialist 4 Paul Jeffrey Cochran (1947–1968) for his service in Vietnam and recognizes a veterans memorial park in Philomath established on land gifted by his family.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate panel debates modernizing public‑notice law as publishers warn of archival and access risks

Senators consider bills to increase legislative oversight of administrative rules

Senator introduces bill to require nonlegislative bill requests be routed through lawmakers

State administrative services directs agencies to put rulemaking information 'front and center' and publish comments

Senate committee advances resolution honoring Paul J. Cochran and his Philomath veterans memorial park