[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6074379,"mediaKeyId","2984782-727dddf968eb6e63cba7f2ed29def07c","parentId",2984782,"title","Committee hears bill to define work sessions and require public comment before votes taken in those sessions","audioSeconds",723,"startMs",3208430,"endMs",3932310,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2984782-727dddf968eb6e63cba7f2ed29def07c&start=3208&end=3932","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2984782-727dddf968eb6e63cba7f2ed29def07c/thumbnail_3208430.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6074379/Oregon/Committee-hears-bill-to-define-work-sessions-and-require-public-comment-before-votes-taken-in-those-sessions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6074379-a8daa15644cff6ae44743f23896af5a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770779600&Signature=JPm5xSeoMaFHGn8R0lVUykIFV0dgcpTvaIbl6GB5ou~mKG-9pBVVcelTwGIM4r8DiN6To~oAaN4Sq0AY43mk1XYbSB0GeoVY1Gu~mghY0BYhywDqW1YkTzvUbGHRgVEH8Eqv2ioiaCDSjXzmUztkSOYX1Bwu3wNQPkG31No2YIqK8T95Ai4X13HLzJUH-Y-JB2V59ysFH~OiazT7psoQSBvKd6n-sx1-bO27Q8Z1DmXTgo9EiYhnTuOf2QJoH963ub-qQlvpoYXHo0HGjdFsrUw4GIag7kX358T4iBm6WPaTqQKUop87HSmWUm3Ai~2KI~B2tcre8mGO1B4WOirV5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-04-14T00:00:00Z","article","The House Committee on Rules held a public hearing on House Bill 3887 on April 14. The bill defines a \"work session,\" requires public comment of reasonable duration for meetings that include votes, and prohibits a governing body from voting on any matter unless the required public notice includes a public comment period.

Representative Kim Wallin, sponsor of HB 3887, told the committee she drafted the bill after consulting with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission about definitions of \"work session.\" Wallin said the bill’s intent is to preserve public comment when bodies conduct business labeled as \"work sessions\" and to discourage bodies from taking votes at meetings that are functionally public but called \"work\" or \"study\" sessions.

Witnesses representing cities, special districts and school boards opposed the bill as written. Scott Winkles of the League of Oregon Cities said the phrase \"voting on any matter\" could be read broadly to require separate public comment periods for routine procedural votes (for example, approval of minutes), and he raised concerns about the bill’s effect on emergency actions the city might need to take quickly. Mark Landauer of the Special Districts Association of Oregon said the bill appears to impose the legislature’s meeting model on local meetings, which function differently in practice. Adrienne Anderson of the Oregon School Boards Association echoed concerns about timing and scope, highlighting examples in which boards must act quickly to place an employee on administrative leave and asking that the bill be narrowed to main board meetings rather than all subcommittees or advisory panels.

Representative Wallin said she intended the bill to discourage the practice of taking votes at unadvertised or informal meetings and was open to amendments on scope; she confirmed the bill does not change the exclusion for executive sessions.

Why it matters: supporters framed HB 3887 as a measure to protect public notice and comment when governing bodies vote; municipal and special-district representatives said the draft language is too broad and could hamper necessary emergency actions or unintentionally apply to small advisory meetings.

No committee vote or recommendation was recorded during the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Committee On Rules 04/14/2025 8:15 AM","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 3887 would define \"work session,\" require a public comment period for meetings that include votes, and prohibit voting on matters without a public-comment period. Supporters said it discourages voting in informal settings; cities and school boards opposed the bill as drafted, citing operational and emergency concerns.","taxTitle","Rules, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",18187,"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},6074383,"Committee weighs bill to require public comment time at public meetings; cities, school boards raise concerns",1206,1990180,3196830,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2984782-727dddf968eb6e63cba7f2ed29def07c&start=1990&end=3196","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2984782-727dddf968eb6e63cba7f2ed29def07c/thumbnail_1990180.jpg","/articles/6074383/Oregon/Committee-weighs-bill-to-require-public-comment-time-at-public-meetings-cities-school-boards-raise-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6074383-1a61557859b5db1379f432255c22f831/orig.mp4?Expires=1770779600&Signature=NE4StKT~oxpuXzOYVziPGUxp0oHOCJy7biVOm8ZQYRgsgPDnxkV3oq-JPc-Icb9nzdmEfF-GmPppZ2xRN~u8z0p-T3wbpfWanzIvDP2l9~g52RJcNcN3Gn~XtTYSse3dpEOb-rwxZ4kmRDCcFUAhLyKzwBbbcCRzkb9FxhdNhKf44s3Lj3Saq8Lr8HpSARfpdR7Huolxd7PPQMDVTbt66aTp8OaCupgBY8qIuyRSM-ywCS5~2epbg1KJYiKfGJRDIe591rJ6lIq5FkFzkETR5VEMN0KRg9H1SVBHmPArgv1ZCvEOyMxwBGfFa5bW8Bade2IIbf1LjVS1H2tx4Famtw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On April 14 the House Committee on Rules held a public hearing on House Bill 3883, which would require a governing body of a public body to provide time for public comment at the beginning of every public meeting, except executive sessions.

Representative Kim Wallin (House District 6) described the bill’s intent as adding a statutory requirement that publicly elected bodies provide an opportunity for the public to comment during meetings. “I actually think there should be a requirement for publicly elected bodies who are making public laws and rules for the public to follow, that public comment should be a component of their meetings,” Wallin said, adding the bill as drafted uses the legal standard “reasonable” to define duration and specifies the comment period occur at the beginning so the public knows when to expect it.

Witnesses representing local governments and school districts said they generally support the concept but asked for changes to the bill’s language. Mark Landauer of the Special Districts Association of Oregon said special districts “support the intent” but warned a vague “reasonable” standard could be weaponized through complaints to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission. He also urged comments be germane to the public body’s work.

Scott Winkles of the League of Oregon Cities said the League publishes a recommended model policy that already encourages two public comment sections at council meetings and suggested practical and logistical concerns with requiring the comment period at the start of every meeting. He noted moving comment away from the start can reduce disruptive online conduct during hybrid meetings and that municipalities sometimes must take items out of order for operational reasons.

Adrienne Anderson of the Oregon School Boards Association said districts share concerns about putting public comment at the beginning of meetings when bodies pay for legal advice in executive session; she urged flexibility so boards are not paying for waiting room time for attorneys. She also asked the committee to limit the bill’s scope to elected boards (for example, board of directors meetings) rather than applying it to all advisory or subcommittee meetings.

Committee members asked questions about definitions and operational implementation. Representative Wallin said she was open to amendments, including letting the governing body set a policy that establishes the duration and logistics for public comment and allowing written comments as an alternative.

Why it matters: supporters say the bill would establish a consistent baseline for public engagement across public bodies; opponents and neutral commenters argued the draft needs clearer limits on scope, timing and practical implementation to avoid unintended consequences such as emergency actions being delayed or the rule applying to small advisory committees.

No vote or committee recommendation was taken on HB 3883 during the hearing.","House Bill 3883 would require public bodies to provide a reasonable period for public comment at the beginning of every public meeting (except executive session). Supporters called it a needed statutory baseline; local governments and school boards urged amendments on timing, scope and operational impacts.",{"_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},6074387,"House Committee approves sending resolution designating April 30 as Vietnamese American Remembrance Day to the floor",1943,27230,1970750,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2984782-727dddf968eb6e63cba7f2ed29def07c&start=27&end=1970","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2984782-727dddf968eb6e63cba7f2ed29def07c/thumbnail_27230.jpg","/articles/6074387/Oregon/House-Committee-approves-sending-resolution-designating-April-30-as-Vietnamese-American-Remembrance-Day-to-the-floor","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6074387-013a8d765aa280ca1376a2ebe10b6802/orig.mp4?Expires=1770779600&Signature=VuSMBDD5fV7pK0dweV0nE~uQiQe~g9vzuygvy88g2IEiTUcaLVlwtbS1IEFYd9UO~hmQK5WqCiRioYR5mQ34TDZ0F7wORqMAh3CgG4hvbkeIjD0STdrfPfSV-D8HO2u3NZhITQ7pVDDmN1GB93P3sfd~eR6j2hwqKl-xFOP6uKtAQ8iJBpDayi8fICm3rJ4g~xdiLtcADCZb9d4vefchmbslH0NKNuVu6CMY12DnBU7zlVVufQetWvTqtjgQO8f75BTVgiOq1mvO9kb94lUhs-qVDL4UetM~w7LXAijfCL5XyWUjFJnLI7e-D9Lg0tQxuuQk~vlDiXGNoLVyhpQFlQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chair Bowman opened a public hearing and work session on House Concurrent Resolution 34 on April 14, saying the measure designates April 30, 2025, as Vietnamese American Remembrance Day and would mark the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon.

Representative Daniel Nguyen, state representative for House District 38, testified in support of HCR 34, describing the measure as “deeply personal” and urging the committee to back it. “I respectfully urge you, the committee, to support this resolution,” Nguyen said, describing his family’s refugee experience after April 30, 1975.

The resolution drew testimony from several lawmakers and community members who said the designation would honor veterans, refugees and the contributions of Vietnamese Americans to Oregon. Representative Thuy Tran (House District 45), who described herself as a Vietnamese refugee, said the day’s recognition “will help confirm that we need to commit to work to protect our democracy.” Lynn Oliver read testimony on behalf of Representative Hoa Nguyen (House District 48), who asked the committee to designate the date “in honor of Vietnam war veterans, refugees, and the Vietnamese American community at large.”

Second-generation Vietnamese American speakers and scholars also addressed the committee. Lillian Nguyen said the resolution “ensures that the lives lost, the journeys endured, and the communities built are remembered,” and Tuong Vu, founding director of the U.S.–Vietnam Research Center at the University of Oregon, said April 30 is an appropriate day “to commemorate our past endeavors and to look forward to the future.” Other witnesses included Larry Nin (reading for his father, Man Ngoc Nin), Alan Luklu, and remote testimony from Nhu Haines (NTH Consulting), each recounting family histories of migration and resilience.

Committee staff noted the bill had no fiscal or revenue impact. Vice Chair Pham moved HCR 34 \"to the floor with a B adopted recommendation.\" The motion carried; the committee recorded that Representative Daniel Nguyen would carry the resolution to the House floor.

Why it matters: sponsors and witnesses said the designation recognizes the sacrifices of soldiers and refugees tied to the events of April 30, 1975, and establishes a day to reflect on the contributions of Vietnamese Americans in Oregon. The committee’s advance puts the resolution on track for consideration by the full House.

The committee closed the work session after the vote; the resolution will be scheduled for floor action.","The House Committee on Rules on April 14 advanced House Concurrent Resolution 34 — which designates April 30, 2025, as Vietnamese American Remembrance Day — to the floor with a \"B adopted\" recommendation after a public hearing featuring Vietnamese American lawmakers, scholars and community members.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears bill to define work sessions and require public comment before votes taken in those sessions

Committee weighs bill to require public comment time at public meetings; cities, school boards raise concerns

House Committee approves sending resolution designating April 30 as Vietnamese American Remembrance Day to the floor