The House Committee on Rules held a public hearing on House Bill 2922 on Feb. 17 that would add Oregon Parks and Recreation Department employees to the list of public employees eligible to request that the Department of Motor Vehicles substitute an agency address for an employee’s home address in driver or vehicle records.

Lisa Assumption, director of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, testified the change would give rangers the option to keep home addresses confidential while performing official duties. "Our uniform park rangers often work alone in remote areas enforcing park rules," Assumption said, describing an incident in which a ranger who was assaulted later received court paperwork at home and learned the assailant then had the ranger’s home address. Assumption told the committee that the bill would add OPRD rangers to the list of employees already eligible under current practice — including employees of DOJ, OLCC, Oregon Youth Authority, Department of Corrections and law enforcement — and that the department “would like to provide the option for our employees to keep their home address confidential.” She also said the bill has no fiscal or revenue impact.

Tom Holt, representing the Society of Professional Journalists, testified in opposition “as written.” Holt said the bill’s current language could allow any employee of the Parks Department to request the substitution and that the SPJ seeks narrower language to protect open records principles. He told the committee the agency has agreed to work with the Society on narrowing the language and that both parties were "happy to work with them on an amendment." The committee took no vote during the hearing; the public hearing was closed and the meeting adjourned.

Melissa reported the committee had reached the end of its agenda after the HB 2922 hearing. The transcript records no committee motion or vote on HB 2922 during the meeting; the department and SPJ indicated a willingness to negotiate narrower language.