ORS 171.015
Emergency legislative sessions

  • procedure for determining legislators’ request for or refusal of emergency sessions
  • time and manner of convening sessions

(1)

When a majority of the members of each house of the Legislative Assembly has cause to believe that an emergency exists and so notifies the presiding officers of each house in the manner described in this section, the presiding officers shall invoke section 10a, Article IV of the Oregon Constitution.

(2)

Members of the Legislative Assembly may give notice of intent to invoke the provisions of subsection (1) of this section by filing written notice thereof with the Legislative Administrator. The notice shall be accompanied by a written statement giving justification of the need for a special session. The filing may be signed by more than one member of each house but must be signed by at least one member of each house.

(3)

Upon receipt of a properly signed notice and statement described in subsection (2) of this section, the Legislative Administrator shall send to each member of the Legislative Assembly a form to be signed and returned by the member indicating whether the member requests a special session or does not so request. The form shall be as prescribed by the Legislative Administration Committee and shall contain the text of this section, the names of the members who filed the notice, and the text of the accompanying statement. The form shall be dated and shall bear the date 14 days later, computed as provided in subsection (7) of this section, by 5 p.m. on which date the form must be returned to the Secretary of the Senate or the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, respectively, or the person designated to serve in that capacity in order to be counted in determining whether the minimum requisite number of signatures requesting a special session has been obtained. The form sent to the members shall be sent by certified mail, addressee only, return receipt requested.

(4)

The return of the signed form by a member to the Secretary of the Senate or the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives or person designated to serve in that capacity constitutes an irrevocable request for or refusal of the special session requested by the members filing under subsection (2) of this section and described in the form.

(5)

The Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, respectively, or the person designated to serve in that capacity shall verify the signatures in the return form and tally the requests and refusals, note the date and time of the receipt of each returned form. When each receives the requisite minimum number of signed forms agreeing to the special session from members of the house of which the person is an officer, each immediately shall notify the presiding officer of each house.

(6)

Upon receiving notice from the Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives or the person designated to serve in that capacity that the minimum requisite number of signed requests for a special session has been received and verified for both houses, the presiding officers jointly shall convene the Legislative Assembly into emergency session by joint proclamation, fixing the date thereof. The date must be within five days after receipt by the presiding officers of the notice from the Secretary of the Senate and Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives. The original of the proclamations shall be filed with the Secretary of State.

(7)

The period of time for purposes of subsection (3) of this section shall be computed by excluding the first day and including the last day unless the last day falls on any legal holiday or on Saturday, in which case the last day is also excluded. The period of time for purposes of subsection (6) of this section shall be computed by beginning on the day after which the presiding officers receive the notice described in subsection (6) of this section and ending five days later, regardless of legal holidays or Saturdays. [1977 c.689 §1]

Source: Section 171.015 — Emergency legislative sessions; procedure for determining legislators’ request for or refusal of emergency sessions; time and manner of convening sessions, https://www.­oregonlegislature.­gov/bills_laws/ors/ors171.­html.

Notes of Decisions

Statement of justification for declaration of emergency need not identify specific reasons for special session. George v. Courtney, 344 Or 76, 176 P3d 1265 (2008)

171.010
Time and place of holding regular legislative sessions
171.015
Emergency legislative sessions
171.022
Effective date for Act of Legislative Assembly
171.023
When member-elect may resign
171.051
Filling vacancies in Legislative Assembly
171.060
Procedure for filling vacancy by appointment
171.062
Filling vacancies in multicounty legislative districts
171.064
Apportioning votes for filling vacancies in multicounty legislative districts
171.068
Procedure when vacancy filled after reapportionment
171.072
Salary of members and presiding officers
171.113
Use of state provided telephones
171.115
Revolving fund
171.117
Lounge Revolving Account
171.120
Purpose of ORS 171.120 to 171.125
171.122
Rights and benefits of legislators and prospective legislators in relation to their regular employment
171.125
Proceeding to require compliance with ORS 171.120 and 171.122
171.127
When proposed measure to bear name of person other than member requesting introduction
171.130
Presession filing of proposed measures
171.133
Approval of Governor required for state agency measure introduction
171.134
Readability test for legislative digests and summaries
171.136
Supplies and equipment
171.180
State policy governing election dates
171.185
Dates for legislatively prescribed elections
171.200
“Publications” defined for ORS 171.206
171.206
Legislative publications
171.236
Session laws
171.245
Legislative Publications Account
171.255
Evidentiary status of published session laws
171.270
Legislative materials furnished to public officers without charge are public property
171.275
Oregon Revised Statutes
171.285
Legislative Counsel certificate
171.295
Preservation and use of ORS medium
171.305
ORS Revolving Account
171.315
Distribution of ORS
171.325
Certified copy of statute or rule of civil procedure published in Oregon Revised Statutes
171.405
Binding original enrolled laws and joint resolutions
171.407
Sound recordings of legislative proceedings
171.410
“Legislative record” defined for ORS 171.410 to 171.430
171.415
Delivery to Legislative Administration Committee
171.420
Classification and arrangement
171.425
Borrowing by certain legislative personnel
171.427
Schedule for retention, destruction or disposition of records
171.430
Disposal by certain committees
171.450
Legislative intent
171.455
Complaint of elector
171.460
Secretary of State to conduct investigation
171.465
Credentials committee
171.505
Administering oaths or affirmations to witnesses
171.510
Legislative process to compel attendance and production of papers
171.515
Reimbursement of witnesses appearing under legislative process
171.520
Reporting violations of ORS 171.510
171.522
Judicial enforcement of legislative process
171.525
Immunities of witness before legislative committee
171.530
Privilege of witness before legislative committee
171.555
Joint Committee on Ways and Means
171.557
State budget policy
171.558
Furnishing budget information to Oregon Department of Administrative Services
171.562
Procedures for confirmation
171.565
Vote required for confirmation
171.575
Oversight over state compensation and classification system
171.580
Joint Legislative Audit Committee
171.585
Duties of committee
171.590
Cooperation of state agencies
171.605
Construction of ORS 171.605 to 171.635
171.610
Functions
171.615
Periods during which committees function
171.620
Powers
171.630
Vacancies
171.635
Appointment of nonlegislators
171.640
Appointment of interim committees
171.650
Interim staff for presiding officers
171.670
Authority for approval of disbursements during interim
171.725
Definitions for ORS 171.725 to 171.785
171.730
Legislative finding
171.735
Exceptions to application of ORS 171.740 and 171.745
171.740
Lobbyist registration
171.742
Annual training
171.745
Lobbyist statements of expenditures
171.750
Lobbyist employer statements of expenditures
171.752
Time for filing statements
171.756
Prohibited conduct
171.762
Verification of reports, registrations and statements
171.764
False statement or misrepresentation by lobbyist or public official
171.766
Status of reports, registrations and statements
171.772
Forms for reports, registrations and statements
171.776
Commission duties
171.778
Complaint and adjudicatory process
171.785
Sanctions prescribed by either chamber of Legislative Assembly
171.790
Contact with Legislative Assembly by local government officials and employees
171.795
Electronic distribution of information
171.852
Joint Legislative Committee on Information Management and Technology
171.855
Duties of committee
171.857
Appointment
171.858
Joint Committee on Transportation
171.861
Duties of committee
171.870
Legislative findings
171.875
Report required to accompany measures proposing mandated coverage
171.880
Content of report
171.990
Penalty for witness failing to appear or to give testimony in legislative proceeding
171.992
Civil penalty for violation of lobby regulation
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