ORS 250.125
Estimate of financial impact of state measures

  • financial estimate committee
  • application to Native American or American Indian tribal governments
  • notice in voters’ pamphlet if no funding source identified

(1)

When a state measure involves expenditure of public moneys by the state, reduction of expenditure of public moneys by the state, reduction of state revenues or raising of funds by the state by imposing any tax or incurring any indebtedness, the financial estimate committee created under this section shall estimate:

(a)

The amount of direct expenditure, direct reduction of expenditure, direct reduction in state revenues, direct tax revenue or indebtedness and interest that will be required to meet the provisions of the measure if it is enacted; and

(b)

The aggregate amount of direct expenditure, direct reduction of expenditure, direct reduction in revenues, direct tax revenue or indebtedness and interest that will be required by any city, county or district to meet the provisions of the measure if it is enacted.

(2)

For a state measure for which an estimate is required to be prepared under subsection (1) of this section, the financial estimate committee may estimate the aggregate amount of direct expenditure, direct reduction of expenditure, direct reduction in revenues, direct tax revenue or indebtedness and interest that will be required by any federally recognized Native American or American Indian tribal government to meet the provisions of the measure if it is enacted.

(3)

If the Legislative Assembly has enacted a law that will apply only if the measure for which an estimate is required to be prepared under subsection (1) of this section is not enacted, the financial estimate committee may also estimate the amount of direct expenditure, direct reduction of expenditure, direct reduction in revenues, direct tax revenue or indebtedness and interest that will result for the state, any city, county or district or any federally recognized Native American or American Indian tribal government if the measure is not enacted.

(4)

For a state measure for which an estimate is required to be prepared under subsection (1) of this section, the financial estimate committee shall consult with the Legislative Revenue Officer to determine if the measure has potentially significant indirect economic or fiscal effects. If the committee determines that the indirect economic or fiscal effects of the measure are significant and can be estimated, the Legislative Revenue Officer shall prepare on behalf of the committee an impartial estimate of the indirect economic or fiscal effects of the measure. The Legislative Revenue Officer shall use the best available economic models and data to produce the estimate. The financial estimate committee shall incorporate relevant parts of the estimate prepared by the Legislative Revenue Officer into the estimate prepared by the committee under subsection (1) of this section.

(5)

Except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, the estimates described in subsections (1) to (3) of this section shall be printed in the voters’ pamphlet and on the ballot. The estimates shall be impartial, simple and understandable and shall include the following information:

(a)

A statement of the amount of financial effect on state, local or tribal government expenditures, revenues or indebtedness, expressed as a specific amount or as a range of amounts;

(b)

A statement of any recurring annual amount of financial effect on state, local or tribal government expenditures, revenues or indebtedness;

(c)

A description of the most likely financial effect or effects of the adoption of the measure; and

(d)

If an estimate is made under subsection (3) of this section, a description of the most likely financial effect or effects if the measure is not enacted.

(6)

If the financial estimate committee determines that the measure will have no financial effect on state, local or tribal government expenditures, revenues or indebtedness or that the financial effect on state, local or tribal government expenditures, revenues or indebtedness will not exceed $100,000, the committee shall prepare and file with the Secretary of State a statement declaring that the measure will have no financial effect or that the financial effect will not exceed $100,000. The statement shall be printed in the voters’ pamphlet and on the ballot.

(7)

If the financial estimate committee determines that the measure will have a financial effect on state, local or tribal government expenditures in excess of $100,000 and that the measure does not include a dedicated funding source to pay for the new expenditures required, the committee shall prepare and file with the Secretary of State the statement “MEASURE SPENDS MONEY WITHOUT IDENTIFYING A FUNDING SOURCE.” A statement prepared under this subsection shall be printed in bold in the voters’ pamphlet immediately following the printing of the estimates described in subsections (1) to (3) of this section.

(8)

In addition to the estimates described in subsections (1) to (3) of this section, if the financial estimate committee considers it necessary, the committee may prepare and file with the Secretary of State an impartial, simple and understandable statement explaining the financial effects of the measure. The statement may not exceed 500 words. The statement shall be printed in the voters’ pamphlet with the measure to which it relates.

(9)

The Legislative Policy and Research Committee shall provide any administrative staff assistance required by the financial estimate committee to facilitate the work of the financial estimate committee under this section or ORS 250.127 (Preparation and filing of estimates and statements of financial impact of state measure).

(10)

The financial estimate committee is created, consisting of the Secretary of State, the State Treasurer, the Director of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services, the Director of the Department of Revenue and a representative of a city, county or district with expertise in local government finance. The representative of a city, county or district shall be selected by the four other members of the financial estimate committee and shall serve for a term of two years that begins on March 1 of the odd-numbered year. [Formerly 254.180; 1987 c.724 §6; 1991 c.971 §1; 1993 c.493 §15; 1999 c.844 §1; 2005 c.633 §1; 2013 c.47 §1; 2016 c.88 §11; 2019 c.603 §1]

Source: Section 250.125 — Estimate of financial impact of state measures; financial estimate committee; application to Native American or American Indian tribal governments; notice in voters’ pamphlet if no funding source identified, https://www.­oregonlegislature.­gov/bills_laws/ors/ors250.­html.

See also annotations under ORS 254.180 in permanent edition.

Notes of Decisions

There is no provision for enforcement of this or related section [former] ORS 254.190 by an original proceeding in the Oregon Supreme Court. Sundeleaf v. Myers, 268 Or 302, 520 P2d 438 (1974)

Failure of responsible public officials to submit written certification of fiscal impact estimates on or before statutory deadline for filing violated this provision; thus, fiscal impact estimate could not be printed in election ballot nor Voters’ Pamphlet. Dennehy v. Roberts, 310 Or 394, 798 P2d 663 (1990)

Failure of responsible public officials to submit written certification of fiscal impact estimates in timely manner does not justify enjoining submission of measures to voters in general election. Bassien v. Buchanan, 310 Or 402, 798 P2d 667 (1990)

250.005
Definitions
250.015
Form of petition
250.025
Qualifications for signers of petition
250.029
Withdrawal of initiative or referendum petition
250.031
Rules for conduct of election under Article XI, section 11, of Oregon Constitution
250.035
Form of ballot titles for state and local measures
250.036
Form of ballot title for measure subject to Article XI, section 11 (8), of Oregon Constitution
250.037
Form of ballot title for measure requesting approval of certain bonds
250.038
Form of ballot title for measure authorizing imposition or renewal of local option taxes or establishing permanent rate limitation
250.041
Applicability of ORS 250.005 to 250.038 to counties and cities
250.042
Effect of failure of petition circulator to certify signature sheet
250.043
Acceptance of initiative or referendum petition without original signatures
250.044
When actions challenging constitutionality of state measure must be filed in Marion County Circuit Court
250.045
Prospective petition
250.048
Registration and training for paid petition circulators
250.052
Official templates of cover and signature sheets
250.062
Identical draft ballot titles required for certain state measures
250.065
Preparation of ballot titles for certain state measures
250.067
Notice of draft ballot title
250.075
Preparation of ballot titles by Legislative Assembly
250.085
Procedure for elector dissatisfied with ballot title of state measure
250.095
State measures affecting a county or district
250.105
Petition filing requirements
250.115
Numbering of state measures
250.125
Estimate of financial impact of state measures
250.127
Preparation and filing of estimates and statements of financial impact of state measure
250.131
Court review of procedures under which estimates and statements of financial impact of state measure were prepared
250.135
Retention of petition materials
250.137
Citizens’ Initiative Review Commission
250.139
Citizen panels
250.141
Citizen panel statements
250.143
Evaluation of citizen panel procedures
250.147
Contributions to Citizens’ Initiative Review Commission
250.149
Determination of sufficient funds for commission and citizen panels
250.155
Application of ORS 250.165 to 250.235
250.165
Prospective petition
250.168
Determination of compliance with constitutional provisions
250.175
Preparation of ballot titles for certain county measures
250.185
Preparation of ballot titles by county governing body
250.195
Procedure for elector dissatisfied with ballot title of county measure
250.205
Filing and signature requirements for nonhome rule counties
250.215
Filing officer for county measure
250.221
Date of election
250.235
Retention of petition materials
250.255
Application of ORS 250.265 to 250.346
250.265
Prospective petition
250.270
Determination of compliance with constitutional provisions
250.275
Preparation of ballot titles for certain city measures
250.285
Preparation of ballot titles by city governing body
250.296
Procedure for elector dissatisfied with ballot title of city measure
250.305
Signature requirements
250.315
Filing officer
250.325
Procedure following filing of initiative petition
250.346
Retention of petition materials
250.355
Date of election
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