[{"_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",6256147,"mediaKeyId","3158337-a100a2847b100ee74182a0a7a4ee5f07","parentId",3158337,"title","Legislative Counsel warns rapid growth of placeholder bills is compressing drafting schedule","audioSeconds",1129,"startMs",4006000,"endMs",5135000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3158337-a100a2847b100ee74182a0a7a4ee5f07&start=4006&end=5135","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3158337-a100a2847b100ee74182a0a7a4ee5f07/thumbnail_4006000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6256147/Oregon/Legislative-Counsel-warns-rapid-growth-of-placeholder-bills-is-compressing-drafting-schedule","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6256147-ffb07ff1146de45ad1aa4cf892550459/orig.mp4?Expires=1771003892&Signature=YhNz0eaDlaaTudPsRjxanBUCSVG7m5g5WGQ9Kc8fjO4WYZWtBYXQr1i8e31KnhuNO3GThnRjIniwX7VcbNeu1Gus3Pis6-4iafrT-n3nXPO2iXvSIuGcMkW-rVa1vWCrG15uEB33fQiEsXqNHANoPF0F31FpEUiucog0EYvVnRGrnBQNYAqazVfqVFGG0VHWh-BVvIfQew~RwkbuwnVrAmWri-MjezZNHxK9R0sFTBNmOM6qG-va7ybfUuD90D5z6OSMyZ2AogTrI7l0zDhgjvNNq3d9q5bCGAQgdKFSgNKveB5C8nt35klSslbBue~U6PU1pqOLUrrDexqzMtrT0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon Legislature","date","2025-04-30T00:00:00Z","article","Dexter Johnson, Legislative Counsel, told the General Government subcommittee on April 30 that his office drafts bills and amendments and handles rule review, publications and legal advice for the Legislative Assembly. \"We are the law firm for the Legislative Assembly,\" Johnson said, summarizing the office's core mission.

Johnson said Legislative Counsel prepared roughly 5,200 drafts in the 2025 cycle to date and that the office processes many thousands of amendments during a two-year legislative cycle. He flagged a trend that he called operationally significant: the growth of placeholder or \"study\" bills. Johnson said placeholder bill requests have risen from under 100 in 2015 to almost 900 requested in 2025, with more than 600 actually introduced as placeholders. He warned that increased placeholders compress the time available to produce substantive drafts and to work with members and stakeholders before first-chamber deadlines.

Johnson described other office duties: confidential bill drafting for members and state agency bill requests before session, and a high‑level review of about 1,000 administrative rules annually (approximately 50 of which are flagged as problematic and addressed via informal or formal follow-up). He told members that when duplicate drafting requests appear, Legislative Counsel may ask both requesters for permission to disclose duplication but that keeping drafts confidential sometimes means preparing two duplicate drafts rather than sharing that information.

Johnson said Legislative Counsel is mainly General Fund–supported and publishes statutory compilations such as the Oregon Revised Statutes and session law volumes from publication sales. He reported no substantive staffing expansions in the current policy option package but noted workflow pressures and asked to return the following day to continue discussion of workflow issues and DPMS (digital publishing/management system) questions.

Committee members raised the placeholder trend as a topic for caucus or leadership discussion and asked about possible process changes to ease compressed timelines. Johnson recommended earlier stakeholder work and noted the office's confidentiality constraints when preparing drafts.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Committee On Ways and Means Subcommittee On General Government 04/30/2025 8:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Legislative Counsel reported a rise in initiative and placeholder bill requests that compresses time for substantive drafting and urged earlier stakeholder engagement; the office also described rule-review responsibilities and staffing levels.","taxTitle","General Government, Ways and Means, Joint, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",18636,"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},6256152,"Legislative Administration updates Capitol construction timeline, seeks staff and tech support for reopening",1363,2622000,3985000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3158337-a100a2847b100ee74182a0a7a4ee5f07&start=2622&end=3985","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3158337-a100a2847b100ee74182a0a7a4ee5f07/thumbnail_2622000.jpg","/articles/6256152/Oregon/Legislative-Administration-updates-Capitol-construction-timeline-seeks-staff-and-tech-support-for-reopening","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6256152-4234ae88e82f75eaadf6b5e213f8901d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771003892&Signature=XCWM~t2Cwndpc6YIjTSOjdWoippenITntpO6W6~1HzHhkIaJw60kPDWvDHXGlXV74etf78fe4ueOl8HPBGHFRpdk7~LNwnue96pXp1js8E0JwqRmJHyWb2k2rhAPUMqtaYi~WjtbP2iM1TF3a0YrvDTRjOfJ57BDC8BPmAT7Xohl8pQ5KWOncw5eOaDbPx~89dkexKQALsfrgw4ixELCRseOdR6L7hyEEefNMXR-cilxPAXrSmuiSm0mv8Aed1ATZcsBRMKivlJDWLl9-7S7Cax~bJ9EoJGVDEJM8~ZMZD7uPfzDTP6Cs2TlXSbybjKmvSQuzmHGd8qQgGTti3FmIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bridal Haynes, legislative administrator, briefed the General Government subcommittee April 30 on Legislative Administration's operations, construction progress at the Capitol and a list of policy option package requests to support reopening and expanded operations. \"We support the legislative process. We provide services, solutions, facilities, for the public good and support the process,\" Haynes said.

Haynes said Legislative Administration currently staffs about 83 positions (just over 80 FTE, plus limited-duration CAMS positions) and that key functions include facilities, information services, visitor services, employee services and financial services. She highlighted information-technology and media workloads: the office reported more than 1,000 livestreams and tens of thousands of written testimony submissions handled by OLIS and said IS closed roughly 4,500 work orders in the year to date.

On the Capitol retrofit, Haynes said seismic work is complete for the 38 Building's base isolators and that the project remains on track for a fall reopening of the building. She said the concourse and member amenities will reopen first and the campus grounds will be returned later in the year, with plaza work expected after members move back. \"All those 160 base isolators that are the seismic improvements for the 38 Building, they're now released and floating,\" Haynes said. Haynes and members discussed a possible soft opening in the fall and a larger public ceremonial event before July 2026, the state's semiquincentennial celebration.

Haynes presented several policy option package requests. Items listed included increased media-team staffing to manage five additional hearing rooms and higher streaming demand (biennial cost cited as roughly $85,000 for pay-equity adjustments across the team), a limited-duration OLIS business analyst to support process mapping for technology and stakeholder outreach, a proposal to convert a visitor-services store coordinator from other funds to General Fund, an AI developer position in Information Services, a permanent security technician (currently limited duration), funding for security checkpoint equipment and staffing as more entrances open, and other reclassifications. Some package costs were specified (media-team pay equity: approximately $85,000 biennial; several other items were described without a single biennial total in the presentation).

On operations and customer service, Haynes said key performance measures were strong in most areas and that system uptimes are above 98% for main applications and wireless. She also described visitor-services activity (about 67 school tours and 2,200 students) and facility accomplishments including EV charging station work and hearing-room upgrades. Haynes asked members to pass appreciation to Legislative Administration staff; members did so repeatedly during the presentation.

Haynes closed by asking for committee support as construction wraps up and for continued coordination on staffing and security for the expanded hearing-room and public-flow plans. No committee vote on the listed policy option packages occurred during the informational meeting.","Legislative Administration described operations during the Capitol retrofit, reported systems and visitor-service metrics, and presented policy option package requests for media staffing, OLIS business analysis, AI development, security checkpoint staffing, and other operational items.",{"_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},6256157,"Legislative Fiscal Office outlines heavy workload, requests $263,883 for two budget items",2461,134000,2595000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3158337-a100a2847b100ee74182a0a7a4ee5f07&start=134&end=2595","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3158337-a100a2847b100ee74182a0a7a4ee5f07/thumbnail_134000.jpg","/articles/6256157/Oregon/Legislative-Fiscal-Office-outlines-heavy-workload-requests-263883-for-two-budget-items","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6256157-682532ab8c521fcd6793c0b201a05df7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771003892&Signature=Ir2DYTh4Tt35LWRfsit-dNsFmQRUHuGeXgJLVnjdLYUm-PbKc7ipGntKEG-4gv1KFyGWoYmD8KhUb7UpD-2HHq9-XnJ4KeDcfP84DCo4UTE3qVUbbVHX6CqWsuq63Yc3j9jFt-YJ57D3qZFyxbmdqt5P45lV346KZK2XQbhKghKX8a7iBW2dZGqEnEJLOUJK15fMO~iwZC0nBDSaZcNW~kc8tA6jcdq46WEuVASrp1LC4e2~sv4ZwQyWVq5VN6Rq7CYuLN2ZbS4tL6GELDiSFwWUIOW3KiDawsyfMmuyOh4V1pkOOOOgOighPsb9zRCHajXOUywF9vYy6Pebt~alSw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Amanda Bridal of the Legislative Fiscal Office told the Joint Committee on Ways and Means subcommittee on General Government on April 30 that the office produces fiscal analysis and staff support for the legislature and is facing large, deadline-driven workloads during session. \"The legislative fiscal office is a nonpartisan, independent, professional support staff office to the legislature,\" Bridal said as she summarized the office's mission and staffing.

The office said it has 27 positions and 22 analysts and that its 2025–27 current service level budget totals $16,200,000, including $10,400,000 in General Fund and $5,800,000 in other funds. Bridal said about 86% of LFO expenditures are personal services and that other funds revenues come primarily from a central government service charge transfer of $4,500,000. \"We don't execute state agency budgets,\" Bridal said, noting LFO must often rely on agency answers to quantify implementation details.

Bridal described the fiscal impact statement process and the calendar pressures that produce spikes in work. On average over recent long sessions the office produces roughly 2,700 fiscal impact statements; in 2023 it issued 2,330 and, as of Bridal's presentation, LFO had produced 1,986 fiscal impact statements in the 2025 session. She said roughly 30% (596) of the 2025 statements were issued during the week before the first-chamber deadline. Bridal explained there are three common fiscal-impact classifications: no fiscal impact, minimal fiscal impact, and fiscal impact; she said the office also issues \"indeterminate\" statements when impacts cannot be quantified.

Members asked about error correction and uncertainty. Representative David Gomberg asked, \"what happens when you get an impact estimate wrong?\" Bridal said LFO occasionally issues revised or corrected fiscal impact statements when agencies provide updated information or when LFO discovers an error, but it does not retroactively change prior session statements.

To address workload and quality concerns, Bridal said LFO is requesting two policy option packages totaling $263,883. One request would reclassify an administrative specialist position (cost $2,554) to align pay with similar committee assistant positions; the larger request is for a publications editor position ($261,329) to perform quality assurance and increase the capacity to publish and update LFO materials on the public website. Bridal told members that the publications editor would focus on reviewing and improving LFO's publications page, which contains many subpages and long lists of materials.

Bridal also described internal staffing arrangements: two deputy directors (one overseeing budgets, one audits/IT), 22 analysts across three classifications, and roles that shift by session needs. She told the committee that fiscal impact statements are initiated when a policy committee requests them and that limited staff (five dedicated fiscal-impact writers) must prioritize measures that are moving through committee.

Bridal closed by noting LFO's customer-service measure had declined in recent survey responses and encouraged members to complete the office's satisfaction survey when they receive fiscal products. The presentation moved on after committee discussion; no formal vote on the budget requests was taken during the informational session.","The Legislative Fiscal Office told the General Government subcommittee it is stretched by session-driven peaks in fiscal impact statements and is seeking two policy option packages totaling $263,883 to reclassify an administrative position and add a publications editor.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Legislative Counsel warns rapid growth of placeholder bills is compressing drafting schedule

Legislative Administration updates Capitol construction timeline, seeks staff and tech support for reopening

Legislative Fiscal Office outlines heavy workload, requests $263,883 for two budget items