The Rules Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 224, a measure that would prohibit the Oregon Secretary of State from publishing the residential address of certain individuals associated with a candidate's principal campaign committee on its electronic filing system.

Sen. James Ivory Manning Jr., sponsor of SB 224, said the bill is intended to reduce doxxing and threats against candidates and their families. "This bill makes it automatic where those home addresses will not be listed," Manning said, and he described amendments that would allow individuals to opt in to display their address and would allow members of the public to obtain addresses through a public-records request.

Manning and others cited incidents in which addresses posted online preceded threats or harassment. Supporters urged that removing easy online access to home addresses would encourage more people to run for office.

Multiple witnesses supported the proposal and described how it would affect campaign operations and public-interest reporting. Luke Weyweitbearer, chair of a school board and advocate for candidate safety, described personal stalking and vandalism concerns and said the change would "help protect those who want to serve the public through elected office." Tom Holt, representing the Society of Professional Journalists, said his organization had been involved in the development of current law that allows candidates to request nondisclosure and said he and journalists have discussed an amendment under which the Secretary of State and county clerks would by default not publish addresses on the web but would provide them in response to public-records requests, leaving a traceable record of who sought the information. Holt said the society would be neutral on the bill with that amendment.

Rebecca Gladstone, speaking for the League of Women Voters of Oregon, supported the bill and urged broader, consistent privacy protections for candidates, campaign workers and other public servants who may face harassment.

Committee members asked about how the proposal would affect verification of residency requirements for candidates and whether an individual would be notified when their address is released in response to a public-records request; Senator Manning said the bill contemplates preserving a public-records process and suggested additional amendments could address notification procedures. No committee vote on SB 224 was recorded in the transcript.

Manning said two amendments were forthcoming: one to make nondisclosure the default on the Secretary of State's website (with an opt-in to publish), and a second to clarify the public-records request process for obtaining an address.