Advancing Government Accountability, Transparency – Addie Greene

Legislature: Advancing Government Accountability, Transparency

Thirteen bills and a joint resolution promoting government accountability were passed by the Legislature, whose 2019 session ended June 30. They are:

            SJR 18 proposes amending the Constitution to allow local governing bodies, or voters through a referendum, to enact campaign finance laws applicable to their jurisdictions. The proposal will go before voters at the next general election. Sen. Jeff Golden was a sponsor.

            SB 15 authorizes Oregon’s Youth Development Division to inspect, and collect data from, facilities where juveniles are detained to ensure compliance with federal laws.

            SB 420 establishes procedures for those with past marijuana convictions to have their records cleared without the use of fees, fingerprints, or background checks.

            SB 478 prohibits the use of campaign funds as “hush money” and declares void and unenforceable any nondisclosure agreement entered into with the use of prohibited funds. SB 478 was effective on passage.

            SB 861 requires the state to pay for ballot return envelopes on elections after January 1, 2020. Rep. Pam Marsh was a sponsor.

            SB 870 enacts the Interstate Compact for Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote. Sen. Golden was a sponsor.

            SB 944 permits county clerks to hand count ballots or conduct risk-limiting audits and requires records from these hand counts or audits to be retained for two years. It applies to primary, general, and special elections after September 1, 2020.

            SB 1049, beginning in 2020, caps at $195,000 the annual salary used to calculate the final average salary for the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). It requires the Public Employees Retirement Board to report changes in actuarial methods and assumptions to the Legislature and redirects a portion of PERS employee contributions to an employee pension stability account. The bill is effective immediately.

            HB 2027 gives the Child Care Office more enforcement tools to protect children’s safety in child care facilities.

            HB 2430 eliminates the sunset date of the Public Records Advisory Council.

            HB 2353 authorizes the attorney general, a district attorney, or the court to penalize an agency that denied or unduly delayed a public records request, effective immediately.

            HB 2716 requires communications supporting or opposing political candidates to name the person(s) who paid for the communications. It takes effect December 3, 2020 only if voters approve HJR 13 in the 2020 general election. Rep. Marsh was a sponsor.

            HB 2983 requires nonprofit organizations that make political expenditures above a specified amount to file a donor list with the state naming donors who have given $10,000 or more. Sen. Golden was a sponsor.

            HB 3310 prohibits school district, community college district, and certain education service district elections from being held in such a way as to impair the ability of a protected class to have an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.

Addie Greene, Ashland