Article IV, Oregon Constitution

Oregon Constitution

Articles
Preamble • I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • X • X-A • XI • XI-A • ~~XI-B~~ •
~~XI-C~~ • XI-D • XI-E • XI-F(1) • XI-F(2) • XI-G • XI-H • XI-I(1) • XI-I(2) • XI-J • XI-K • XI-L • XI-M • XI-N • XI-O • XI-P • XI-Q • XII • ~~XIII~~ • XIV • XV • XVI • XVII • XVIII

## Contents

* 1 Section 1
* 1.1 Amendments
* 2 Section 1
* 2.1 Amendments
* 3 Section 1a
* 3.1 Amendments
* 4 Section 1b
* 4.1 Amendments
* 5 Section 1d
* 5.1 Amendments
* 6 Section 2
* 7 Section 3
* 7.1 Amendments
* 8 Section 3a
* 8.1 Amendments
* 9 Section 4
* 9.1 Amendments
* 10 Section 5
* 10.1 Amendments
* 11 Section 6
* 11.1 Amendments
* 12 Section 6
* 12.1 Amendments
* 13 Section 7
* 13.1 Amendments
* 14 Section 8
* 14.1 Amendments
* 15 Section 8a
* 15.1 Amendments
* 16 Section 9
* 17 Section 10
* 17.1 Amendments
* 18 Section 10a
* 18.1 Amendments
* 19 Section 11
* 20 Section 12
* 21 Section 13
* 22 Section 14
* 22.1 Amendments
* 23 Section 15
* 24 Section 16
* 25 Section 17
* 25.1 Amendments
* 26 Section 18
* 27 Section 19
* 27.1 Amendments
* 28 Section 20
* 28.1 Amendments
* 29 Section 21
* 30 Section 22
* 30.1 Amendments
* 31 Section 23
* 32 Section 24
* 33 Section 25
* 33.1 Amendments
* 34 Section 26
* 35 Section 27
* 36 Section 28
* 37 Section 29
* 37.1 Amendments
* 38 Section 30
* 39 Section 31
* 40 Section 32
* 40.1 Amendments
* 41 Section 33
* 41.1 Amendments
* 42 See also
* 43 External links
* 44 Additional reading
* 45 Footnotes

Article IV of the Oregon Constitution is entitled Legislative Department and consists of 33 sections.

## Section 1[edit]

|  Text of Section 1:

Legislative Power; Initiative and Referendum

(1) The legislative power of the state, except for the initiative and referendum powers reserved to the people, is vested in a Legislative Assembly, consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives.

(2)(a) The people reserve to themselves the initiative power, which is to propose laws and amendments to the Constitution and enact or reject them at an election independently of the Legislative Assembly.

(b) An initiative law may be proposed only by a petition signed by a number of qualified voters equal to six percent of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the election at which a Governor was elected for a term of four years next preceding the filing of the petition.

(c) An initiative amendment to the Constitution may be proposed only by a petition signed by a number of qualified voters equal to eight percent of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the election at which a Governor was elected for a term of four years next preceding the filing of the petition.

(d) An initiative petition shall include the full text of the proposed law or amendment to the Constitution. A proposed law or amendment to the Constitution shall embrace one subject only and matters properly connected therewith.

(e) An initiative petition shall be filed not less than four months before the election at which the proposed law or amendment to the Constitution is to be voted upon.

(3)(a) The people reserve to themselves the referendum power, which is to approve or reject at an election any Act, or part thereof, of the Legislative Assembly that does not become effective earlier than 90 days after the end of the session at which the Act is passed.

(b) A referendum on an Act or part thereof may be ordered by a petition signed by a number of qualified voters equal to four percent of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the election at which a Governor was elected for a term of four years next preceding the filing of the petition. A referendum petition shall be filed not more than 90 days after the end of the session at which the Act is passed.

(c) A referendum on an Act may be ordered by the Legislative Assembly by law. Notwithstanding section 15b, Article V of this Constitution, bills ordering a referendum and bills on which a referendum is ordered are not subject to veto by the Governor.

(4)(a) Petitions or orders for the initiative or referendum shall be filed with the Secretary of State. The Legislative Assembly shall provide by law for the manner in which the Secretary of State shall determine whether a petition contains the required number of signatures of qualified voters. The Secretary of State shall complete the verification process within the 30-day period after the last day on which the petition may be filed as provided in paragraph (e) of subsection (2) or paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of this section.

(b) Initiative and referendum measures shall be submitted to the people as provided in this section and by law not inconsistent therewith.

(c) All elections on initiative and referendum measures shall be held at the regular general elections, unless otherwise ordered by the Legislative Assembly.

(d) Notwithstanding section 1, Article XVII of this Constitution, an initiative or referendum measure becomes effective 30 days after the day on which it is enacted or approved by a majority of the votes cast thereon. A referendum ordered by petition on a part of an Act does not delay the remainder of the Act from becoming effective.

(5) The initiative and referendum powers reserved to the people by subsections (2) and (3) of this section are further reserved to the qualified voters of each municipality and district as to all local, special and municipal legislation of every character in or for their municipality or district. The manner of exercising those powers shall be provided by general laws, but cities may provide the manner of exercising those powers as to their municipal legislation. In a city, not more than 15 percent of the qualified voters may be required to propose legislation by the initiative, and not more than 10 percent of the qualified voters may be required to order a referendum on legislation.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Created through H.J.R. 16, 1967, and adopted by the people May 28, 1968 (this section adopted in lieu of former sections 1 and 1a of this Article).
* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 27, 1985, and adopted by the people May 20, 1986.
* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 3, 1999, and adopted by the people May 16, 2000.

Note: An initiative petition (Measure No. 62, 1998) proposed adding new sections and a subsection relating to political campaigns to the Oregon Constitution. Those sections, appearing as sections 24 to 32 of Article II and sections 1 (6), 1b and 1c of Article IV in previous editions of this Constitution, were declared void for not being enacted in compliance with section 1, Article XVII of this Constitution. See Swett v. Bradbury, 333 Or. 597, 43 P.3d 1094 (2002).

## Section 1[edit]

|  Text of Section 1:

Legislative Authority Vested in Assembly; Initiative and Referendum; Style of Bills

Repealed.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amendment proposed by H.J.R. 1, 1901, and adopted by the people June 2, 1902.
* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 6, 1953, and adopted by the people Nov. 2, 1954.
* Repeal proposed by H.J.R. 16, 1967, and adopted by the people May 28, 1968 (present section 1 of this Article adopted in lieu of this section.

## Section 1a[edit]

|  Text of Section 1a:

Initiative and Referendum on Parts of Laws and on Local, Special and Municipal Laws

Repealed.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Created through initiative petition filed Feb. 3, 1906, and adopted by the people June 4, 1906.
* Repeal proposed by H.J.R. 16, 1967, and adopted by the people May 28, 1968 (present section 1 of this Article adopted in lieu of this section).

Note: Section 1b as submitted to the people was preceded by the following: To protect the integrity of initiative and referendum petitions, the People of Oregon add the following provisions to the Constitution of the State of Oregon:

## Section 1b[edit]

|  Text of Section 1b:

Payment for Signatures

It shall be unlawful to pay or receive money or other thing of value based on the number of signatures obtained on an initiative or referendum petition. Nothing herein prohibits payment for signature gathering which is not based, either directly or indirectly, on the number of signatures obtained.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Created through initiative petition filed Nov. 7, 2001, and adopted by the people Nov. 5, 2002.

Note: Added as unnumbered section to the Constitution but not to any Article therein by initiative petition (Measure No. 26, 2002) adopted by the people Nov. 5, 2002.

## Section 1d[edit]

|  Text of Section 1d:

Effective Date of Amendment to Section 1, Article IV, by S.J.R. 3, 1999

Repealed.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Created through S.J.R. 3, 1999, and adopted by the people May 16, 2000.
* Repealed Dec. 31, 2002, as specified in text of section adopted by the people May 16, 2000.

## Section 2[edit]

|  Text of Section 2:

Number of Senators and Representatives

The Senate shall consist of sixteen, and the House of Representatives of thirty four members, which number shall not be increased until the year Eighteen Hundred and Sixty, after which time the Legislative Assembly may increase the number of Senators and Representatives, always keeping as near as may be the same ratio as to the number of Senators, and Representatives: Provided that the Senate shall never exceed thirty and the House of Representatives sixty members.[1]

## Section 3[edit]

|  Text of Section 3:

How Senators and Representatives Chosen; Filling Vacancies; Qualifications

(1) The senators and representatives shall be chosen by the electors of the respective counties or districts or subdistricts within a county or district into which the state may from time to time be divided by law.

(2)(a) If a vacancy occurs in the office of senator or representative from any county or district or subdistrict, the vacancy shall be filled as may be provided by law.

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this subsection, a person who is appointed to fill a vacancy in the office of senator or representative must be an inhabitant of the district the person is appointed to represent for at least one year next preceding the date of the appointment.

(c) For purposes of an appointment occurring during the period beginning on January 1 of the year a reapportionment becomes operative under section 6 of this Article, the person must have been an inhabitant of the district for one year next preceding the date of the appointment or from January 1 of the year the reapportionment becomes operative to the date of the appointment, whichever is less. [1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 20, 1929, and adopted by the people Nov. 4, 1930.
* Amendment proposed by H.J.R. 20, 1953, and adopted by the people Nov. 2, 1954.
* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 14, 1995, and adopted by the people May 16, 1995.
* Amendment proposed by H.J.R. 31, 2007, and adopted by the people Nov. 4, 2008.

## Section 3a[edit]

|  Text of Section 3a:

Applicability of Qualifications for Appointment to Legislative Vacancy

Repealed.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Section 3a was designated section 1b, which was created by S.J.R. 14, 1995, and adopted by the people May 16, 1995.
* Repealed Dec. 31, 1999, as specified in text of section adopted by the people May 16, 1995.

## Section 4[edit]

|  Text of Section 4:

Term of Office of Legislators; Classification of Senators

(1) The Senators shall be elected for the term of four years, and Representatives for the term of two years. The term of each Senator and Representative shall commence on the second Monday in January following his election, and shall continue for the full period of four years or two years, as the case may be, unless a different commencing day for such terms shall have been appointed by law.

(2) The Senators shall continue to be divided into two classes, in accordance with the division by lot provided for under the former provisions of this Constitution, so that one-half, as nearly as possible, of the number of Senators shall be elected biennially.

(3) Any Senator or Representative whose term, under the former provisions of this section, would have expired on the first Monday in January 1961, shall continue in office until the second Monday in January 1961.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 23, 1951, and adopted by the people Nov. 4, 1952.
* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 28, 1959, and adopted by the people Nov. 8, 1960.

## Section 5[edit]

|  Text of Section 5:

Census

Repealed.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Repeal proposed by H.J.R. 16, 1971, and adopted by the people May 23, 1972.

## Section 6[edit]

|  Text of Section 6:

Apportionment of Senators and Representatives

Repealed.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amendment proposed by initiative petition filed July 3, 1952, and adopted by the people Nov. 4, 1952.
* Repeal proposed by H.J.R. 6, 1985, and adopted by the people Nov. 4, 1986 (present section 6 of this Article adopted in lieu of this section).

## Section 6[edit]

|  Text of Section 6:

Apportionment of Senators and Representatives; operative date.

(1) At the odd-numbered year regular session of the Legislative Assembly next following an enumeration of the inhabitants by the United States Government, the number of Senators and Representatives shall be fixed by law and apportioned among legislative districts according to population. A senatorial district shall consist of two representative districts. Any Senator whose term continues through the next odd-numbered year regular legislative session after the operative date of the reapportionment shall be specifically assigned to a senatorial district. The ratio of Senators and Representatives, respectively, to population shall be determined by dividing the total population of the state by the number of Senators and by the number of Representatives. A reapportionment by the Legislative Assembly becomes operative as described in subsection (6) of this section.

(2) This subsection governs judicial review and correction of a reapportionment enacted by the Legislative Assembly.

(a) Original jurisdiction is vested in the Supreme Court, upon the petition of any elector of the state filed with the Supreme Court on or before August 1 of the year in which the Legislative Assembly enacts a reapportionment, to review any reapportionment so enacted.

(b) If the Supreme Court determines that the reapportionment thus reviewed complies with subsection (1) of this section and all law applicable thereto, it shall dismiss the petition by written opinion on or before September 1 of the same year and the reapportionment becomes operative as described in subsection (6) of this section.

(c) If the Supreme Court determines that the reapportionment does not comply with subsection (1) of this section and all law applicable thereto, the reapportionment shall be void. In its written opinion, the Supreme Court shall specify with particularity wherein the reapportionment fails to comply. The opinion shall further direct the Secretary of State to draft a reapportionment of the Senators and Representatives in accordance with the provisions of subsection (1) of this section and all law applicable thereto. The Supreme Court shall file its order with the Secretary of State on or before September 15. The Secretary of State shall conduct a hearing on the reapportionment at which the public may submit evidence, views and argument. The Secretary of State shall cause a transcription of the hearing to be prepared which, with the evidence, shall become part of the record. The Secretary of State shall file the corrected reapportionment with the Supreme Court on or before November 1 of the same year.

(d) On or before November 15, the Supreme Court shall review the corrected reapportionment to assure its compliance with subsection (1) of this section and all law applicable thereto and may further correct the reapportionment if the court considers correction to be necessary.

(e) The corrected reapportionment becomes operative as described in subsection (6) of this section.

(3) This subsection governs enactment, judicial review and correction of a reapportionment if the Legislative Assembly fails to enact any reapportionment by July 1 of the year of the odd-numbered year regular session of the Legislative Assembly next following an enumeration of the inhabitants by the United States Government.

(a) The Secretary of State shall make a reapportionment of the Senators and Representatives in accordance with the provisions of subsection (1) of this section and all law applicable thereto. The Secretary of State shall conduct a hearing on the reapportionment at which the public may submit evidence, views and argument. The Secretary of State shall cause a transcription of the hearing to be prepared which, with the evidence, shall become part of the record. The reapportionment so made shall be filed with the Supreme Court by August 15 of the same year. The reapportionment becomes operative as described in subsection (6) of this section.

(b) Original jurisdiction is vested in the Supreme Court upon the petition of any elector of the state filed with the Supreme Court on or before September 15 of the same year to review any reapportionment and the record made by the Secretary of State.

(c) If the Supreme Court determines that the reapportionment thus reviewed complies with subsection (1) of this section and all law applicable thereto, it shall dismiss the petition by written opinion on or before October 15 of the same year and the reapportionment becomes operative as described in subsection (6) of this section.

(d) If the Supreme Court determines that the reapportionment does not comply with subsection (1) of this section and all law applicable thereto, the reapportionment shall be void. The Supreme Court shall return the reapportionment by November 1 to the Secretary of State accompanied by a written opinion specifying with particularity wherein the reapportionment fails to comply. The opinion shall further direct the Secretary of State to correct the reapportionment in those particulars, and in no others, and file the corrected reapportionment with the Supreme Court on or before December 1 of the same year.

(e) On or before December 15, the Supreme Court shall review the corrected reapportionment to assure its compliance with subsection (1) of this section and all law applicable thereto and may further correct the reapportionment if the court considers correction to be necessary.

(f) The reapportionment becomes operative as described in subsection (6) of this section.

(4) Any reapportionment that becomes operative as provided in this section is a law of the state except for purposes of initiative and referendum.

(5) Notwithstanding section 18, Article II of this Constitution, after the convening of the next odd-numbered year regular legislative session following the reapportionment, a Senator whose term continues through that legislative session is subject to recall by the electors of the district to which the Senator is assigned and not by the electors of the district existing before the latest reapportionment. The number of signatures required on the recall petition is 15 percent of the total votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the most recent election at which a candidate for Governor was elected to a full term in the two representative districts comprising the senatorial district to which the Senator was assigned.

(6)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, a reapportionment made under this section becomes operative on the second Monday in January of the next odd-numbered year after the applicable deadline for making a final reapportionment under this section.

(b) For purposes of electing Senators and Representatives to the next term of office that commences after the applicable deadline for making a final reapportionment under this section, a reapportionment made under this section becomes operative on January 1 of the calendar year next following the applicable deadline for making a final reapportionment under this section.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Created through H.J.R. 6, 1985, and adopted by the people Nov. 4, 1986 (this section adopted in lieu of former section 6 of this Article).
* Amendment proposed by H.J.R. 31, 2007, and adopted by the people Nov. 4, 2008.
* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 41, 2010, and adopted by the people Nov. 2, 2010.

## Section 7[edit]

|  Text of Section 7:

Senatorial Districts; Senatorial and Representatives Subdistricts

A senatorial district, when more than one county shall constitute the same, shall be composed of contiguous counties, and no county shall be divided in creating such senatorial districts. Senatorial or representative districts comprising not more than one county may be divided into subdistricts from time to time by law. Subdistricts shall be composed of contiguous territory within the district; and the ratios to population of senators or representatives, as the case may be, elected from the subdistricts, shall be substantially equal within the district.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amendment proposed by H.J.R. 20, 1953, and adopted by the people Nov. 2, 1954.

## Section 8[edit]

|  Text of Section 8:

Qualification of Senators and Representatives; Effect of Felony Conviction

(1)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, a person may not be a Senator or Representative if the person at the time of election:

(A) Is not a citizen of the United States; and

(B) Has not been for one year next preceding the election an inhabitant of the district from which the Senator or Representative may be chosen.

(b) For purposes of the general election next following the applicable deadline for making a final apportionment under section 6 of this Article, the person must have been an inhabitant of the district from January 1 of the year following the applicable deadline for making the final reapportionment to the date of the election.

(2) Senators and Representatives shall be at least twenty one years of age.

(3) A person may not be a Senator or Representative if the person has been convicted of a felony during:

(a) The term of office of the person as a Senator or Representative; or

(b) The period beginning on the date of the election at which the person was elected to the office of Senator or Representative and ending on the first day of the term of office to which the person was elected.

(4) A person is not eligible to be elected as a Senator or Representative if that person has been convicted of a felony and has not completed the sentence received for the conviction prior to the date that person would take office if elected. As used in this subsection, “sentence received for the conviction” includes a term of imprisonment, any period of probation or post-prison supervision and payment of a monetary obligation imposed as all or part of a sentence.

(5) Notwithstanding sections 11 and 15, Article IV of this Constitution:

(a) The office of a Senator or Representative convicted of a felony during the term to which the Senator or Representative was elected or appointed shall become vacant on the date the Senator or Representative is convicted.

(b) A person elected to the office of Senator or Representative and convicted of a felony during the period beginning on the date of the election and ending on the first day of the term of office to which the person was elected shall be ineligible to take office and the office shall become vacant on the first day of the next term of office.

(6) Subject to subsection (4) of this section, a person who is ineligible to be a Senator or Representative under subsection (3) of this section may:

(a) Be a Senator or Representative after the expiration of the term of office during which the person is ineligible; and

(b) Be a candidate for the office of Senator or Representative prior to the expiration of the term of office during which the person is ineligible.

(7)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, a person may not be a Senator or Representative if the person at all times during the term of office of the person as a Senator or Representative is not an inhabitant of the district from which the Senator or Representative may be chosen or which the Senator or Representative has been appointed to represent. A person does not lose status as an inhabitant of a district if the person is absent from the district for purposes of business of the Legislative Assembly.

(b) Following the applicable deadline for making a final apportionment under section 6 of this Article, until the expiration of the term of office of the person, a person may be an inhabitant of any district.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amendment proposed by H.J.R. 6, 1985, and adopted by the people Nov. 4, 1986.
* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 33, 1993, and adopted by the people Nov. 8, 1994.
* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 14, 1995, and adopted by the people May 16, 1995.
* Amendment proposed by H.J.R. 31, 2007, and adopted by the people Nov. 4, 2008.

## Section 8a[edit]

|  Text of Section 8a:

Applicability of Qualification for Legislative Office

Repealed.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Created by S.J.R. 14, 1995, and adopted by the people May 16, 1995.
* Repealed Dec. 31, 1999, as specified in text of section adopted by the people May 16, 1995.

## Section 9[edit]

|  Text of Section 9:

Legislators Free from Arrest and Not Subject to Civil Process in Certain Cases; Words Uttered in Debate

Senators and Representatives in all cases, except for treason, felony, or breaches of the peace, shall be privileged from arrest during the session of the Legislative Assembly, and in going to and returning from the same; and shall not be subject to any civil process during the session of the Legislative Assembly, nor during the fifteen days next before the commencement thereof: Nor shall a member for words uttered in debate in either house, be questioned in any other place.[1]

## Section 10[edit]

|  Text of Section 10:

Annual regular sessions of the Legislative Assembly; organizational session; extension of regular sessions.

(1) The Legislative Assembly shall hold annual sessions at the Capitol of the State. Each session must begin on the day designated by law as the first day of the session. Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section:

(a) A session beginning in an odd-numbered year may not exceed 160 calendar days in duration; and

(b) A session beginning in an even-numbered year may not exceed 35 calendar days in duration.

(2) The Legislative Assembly may hold an organizational session that is not subject to the limits of subsection (1) of this section for the purposes of introducing measures and performing the duties and effecting the organization described in sections 11 and 12 of this Article. The Legislative Assembly may not undertake final consideration of a measure or reconsideration of a measure following a gubernatorial veto when convened in an organizational session.

(3) A regular session, as described in subsection (1) of this section, may be extended for a period of five calendar days by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of each house. A session may be extended more than once. An extension must begin on the first calendar day after the end of the immediately preceding session or extension except that if the first calendar day is a Sunday, the extension may begin on the next Monday.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 41, 2010, and adopted by the people Nov. 2, 2010.

## Section 10a[edit]

|  Text of Section 10a:

Emergency Sessions of the Legislative Assembly

In the event of an emergency the Legislative Assembly shall be convened by the presiding officers of both Houses at the Capitol of the State at times other than required by section 10 of this Article upon the written request of the majority of the members of each House to commence within five days after receipt of the minimum requisite number of requests.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Created through H.J.R. 28, 1975, and adopted by the people Nov. 2, 1976.

## Section 11[edit]

|  Text of Section 11:

Legislative Officers; Rules of Proceedings; Adjournments

Each house when assembled, shall choose its own officers, judge of the election, qualifications, and returns of its own members; determine its own rules of proceeding, and sit upon its own adjournments; but neither house shall without the concurrence of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which it may be sitting.[1]

## Section 12[edit]

|  Text of Section 12:

Quorum; Failure to Effect Organization

Two thirds of each house shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may meet; adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members. A quorum being in attendance, if either house fail to effect an organization within the first five days thereafter, the members of the house so failing shall be entitled to no compensation from the end of the said five days until an organization shall have been effected.[1]

## Section 13[edit]

|  Text of Section 13:

Journal; When Yeas and Nays to Be Entered

Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings. The yeas and nays on any question, shall at the request of any two members, be entered, together with the names of the members demanding the same, on the journal; provided that on a motion to adjourn it shall require one tenth of the members present to order the yeas, and nays.[1]

## Section 14[edit]

|  Text of Section 14:

Deliberations to Be Open; Rules to Implement Requirement

The deliberations of each house, of committees of each house or joint committees and of committees of the whole, shall be open. Each house shall adopt rules to implement the requirement of this section and the houses jointly shall adopt rules to implement the requirements of this section in any joint activity that the two houses may undertake.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 36, 1973, and adopted by the people Nov. 5, 1974.
* Amendment proposed by H.J.R. 29, 1977, and adopted by the people May 23, 1978.

## Section 15[edit]

|  Text of Section 15:

Punishment and Expulsion of Members

Either house may punish its members for disorderly behavior, and may with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member; but not a second time for the same cause.[1]

## Section 16[edit]

|  Text of Section 16:

Punishment of Nonmembers

Either house, during its session, may punish by imprisonment, any person, not a member, who shall have been guilty of disrespect to the house by disorderly or contemptious [sic] behavior in its presence, but such imprisonment shall not at any time, exceed twenty [sic] twenty four hours.[1]

## Section 17[edit]

|  Text of Section 17:

General Powers of Legislative Assembly

Each house shall have all powers necessary for a chamber of the Legislative Branch, of a free, and independent State.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amendment proposed by H.J.R. 44, 2011, and adopted by the people Nov. 6, 2012.

## Section 18[edit]

|  Text of Section 18:

Where Bills to Originate

Bills may originate in either house, but may be amended, or rejected in the other; except that bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives.[1]

## Section 19[edit]

|  Text of Section 19:

Reading of Bills; Vote on Final Passage

Every bill shall be read by title only on three several days, in each house, unless in case of emergency two-thirds of the house where such bill may be pending shall, by a vote of yeas and nays, deem it expedient to dispense with this rule; provided, however, on its final passage such bill shall be read section by section unless such requirement be suspended by a vote of two-thirds of the house where such bill may be pending, and the vote on the final passage of every bill or joint resolution shall be taken by yeas and nays.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 15, 1945, and adopted by the people Nov. 5, 1946.

## Section 20[edit]

|  Text of Section 20:

Subject and Title of Act

Every Act shall embrace but one subject, and matters properly connected therewith, which subject shall be expressed in the title. But if any subject shall be embraced in an Act which shall not be expressed in the title, such Act shall be void only as to so much thereof as shall not be expressed in the title.

This section shall not be construed to prevent the inclusion in an amendatory Act, under a proper title, of matters otherwise germane to the same general subject, although the title or titles of the original Act or Acts may not have been sufficiently broad to have permitted such matter to have been so included in such original Act or Acts, or any of them.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 41, 1951, and adopted by the people Nov. 4, 1952.

## Section 21[edit]

|  Text of Section 21:

Acts to Be Plainly Worded

Every act, and joint resolution shall be plainly worded, avoiding as far as practicable the use of technical terms.[1]

## Section 22[edit]

|  Text of Section 22:

Mode of Revision and Amendment

No act shall ever be revised, or amended by mere reference to its title, but the act revised, or section amended shall be set forth, and published at full length. However, if, at any session of the Legislative Assembly, there are enacted two or more acts amending the same section, each of the acts shall be given effect to the extent that the amendments do not conflict in purpose. If the amendments conflict in purpose, the act last signed by the Governor shall control.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 28, 1975, and adopted by the people Nov. 2, 1976.

## Section 23[edit]

|  Text of Section 23:

Certain Local and Special Laws Prohibited

The Legislative Assembly, shall not pass special or local laws, in any of the following enumerated cases, that is to say:–

Regulating the jurisdiction, and duties of justices of the peace, and of constables;

For the punishment of Crimes, and Misdemeanors;

Regulating the practice in Courts of Justice;

Providing for changing the venue in civil, and Criminal cases;

Granting divorces;

Changing the names of persons;

For laying, opening, and working on highways, and for the election, or appointment of supervisors;

Vacating roads, Town plats, Streets, Alleys, and Public squares;

Summoning and empanneling [sic] grand, and petit jurors;

For the assessment and collection of Taxes, for State, County, Township, or road purposes;

Providing for supporting Common schools, and for the preservation of school funds;

In relation to interest on money;

Providing for opening, and conducting the elections of State, County, and Township officers, and designating the places of voting;

Providing for the sale of real estate, belonging to minors, or other persons laboring under legal disabilities, by executors, administrators, guardians, or trustees.[1]

## Section 24[edit]

|  Text of Section 24:

Suit Against State

Provision may be made by general law, for bringing suit against the State, as to all liabilities originating after, or existing at the time of the adoption of this Constitution; but no special act authorizeing [sic] such suit to be brought, or making compensation to any person claiming damages against the State, shall ever be passed.[1]

## Section 25[edit]

|  Text of Section 25:

Majority Necessary to Pass Bills and Resolutions; Special Requirements for Bills Raising Revenue; Signatures of Presiding Officers Required

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this section, a majority of all the members elected to each House shall be necessary to pass every bill or Joint resolution.

(2) Three-fifths of all members elected to each House shall be necessary to pass bills for raising revenue.

(3) All bills, and Joint resolutions passed, shall be signed by the presiding officers of the respective houses.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amendment proposed by H.J.R. 14, 1995, and adopted by the people May 21, 1996.

## Section 26[edit]

|  Text of Section 26:

Protest by Member

Any member of either house, shall have the right to protest, and have his protest, with his reasons for dissent, entered on the journal.[1]

## Section 27[edit]

|  Text of Section 27:

All Statutes Public Laws; Exceptions

Every Statute shall be a public law, unless otherwise declared in the Statute itself.[1]

## Section 28[edit]

|  Text of Section 28:

When Act Takes Effect

No act shall take effect, until ninety days from the end of the session at which the same shall have been passed, except in case of emergency; which emergency shall be declared in the preamble, or in the body of the law.[1]

## Section 29[edit]

|  Text of Section 29:

Compensation of Members

The members of the Legislative Assembly shall receive for their services a salary to be established and paid in the same manner as the salaries of other elected state officers and employes.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Amendment proposed by S.J.R. 3, 1941, and adopted by the people Nov. 3, 1942.
* Amendment proposed by H.J.R. 5, 1949, and adopted by the people Nov. 7, 1950.
* Amendment proposed by H.J.R. 8, 1961, and adopted by the people May 18, 1962.

## Section 30[edit]

|  Text of Section 30:

Members Not Eligible to Other Offices

No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which he may have been elected, be eligible to any office the election to which is vested in the Legislative Assembly; nor shall be appointed to any civil office of profit which shall have been created, or the emoluments of which shall have been increased during such term; but this latter provision shall not be construed to apply to any officer elective by the people.[1]

## Section 31[edit]

|  Text of Section 31:

Oath of Members

The members of the Legislative Assembly shall before they enter on the duties of their respective offices, take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation;–I do solemnly swear (or affirm as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Oregon, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of Senator (or Representative as the case may be) according to the best of my Ability, And such oath may be administered by the Govenor [sic], Secretary of State, or a judge of the Supreme Court.[1]

## Section 32[edit]

|  Text of Section 32:

Income Tax Defined by Federal Law; Review of Tax Laws Required

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, the Legislative Assembly, in any law imposing a tax or taxes on, in respect to or measured by income, may define the income on, in respect to or by which such tax or taxes are imposed or measured, by reference to any provision of the laws of the United States as the same may be or become effective at any time or from time to time, and may prescribe exceptions or modifications to any such provisions. At each regular session the Legislative Assembly shall, and at any special session may, provide for a review of the Oregon laws imposing a tax upon or measured by income, but no such laws shall be amended or repealed except by a legislative Act.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Created through H.J.R. 3, 1969, and adopted by the people Nov. 3, 1970.

## Section 33[edit]

|  Text of Section 33:

Reduction of Criminal Sentences Approved by Initiative or Referendum Process

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 25 of this Article, a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to each house shall be necessary to pass a bill that reduces a criminal sentence approved by the people under section 1 of this Article.[1]

### Amendments[edit]

* Created through initiative petition filed Nov. 16, 1993, and adopted by the people Nov. 8, 1994.

## See also[edit]

* State constitution
* Constitutional article
* Constitutional amendment
* Constitutional revision
* Constitutional convention
* Amendments
* Initiated constitutional amendment
* Legislatively-referred constitutional amendment
* Publication requirements for proposed state constitutional amendments
* Rules about constitutional conventions in state constitutions
* State constitutional articles governing state legislatures

## External links[edit]

|  Suggest a link

|

* Oregon State Legislature, "Constitution of Oregon"
* State of Oregon Blue Book, "Constitution of Oregon: 2011 Version"

## Additional reading[edit]

* Johnson, David Alan. (1992). Founding the Far West: California, Oregon, and Nevada, 1840-1890, Berkley, California: University of California Press
* Carey, Charles Henry. (1922). History of Oregon, Portland, Oregon: The Pioneer Historical Publishing Company

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 1.39 1.40 Oregon State Legislature, "Constitution of Oregon," accessed March 30, 2014

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