[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6246396,"mediaKeyId","3218082-6b57d70239f333061325d0ed480a8b8b","parentId",3218082,"title","Senate approves budget to establish independent Office of the Public Records Advocate","audioSeconds",102,"startMs",3685000,"endMs",3787000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3218082-6b57d70239f333061325d0ed480a8b8b&start=3685&end=3787","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3218082-6b57d70239f333061325d0ed480a8b8b/thumbnail_3685000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6246396/Oregon/Senate-approves-budget-to-establish-independent-Office-of-the-Public-Records-Advocate","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6246396-24758ec3809e9ac66b6486efde8e6009/orig.mp4?Expires=1774281547&Signature=FvnY3~y7wi2tUgJu6Gzi49gdxfvOjKghVpQ1bMVQXW58aXsPmZsJcAzFH3kMe7oukMLrO-wmuYEcwdQCOMLXqAH6V21o~kAYEaBeCn5UFNNt7J3dJHjs5iIP4NarAUXDc5XrRs7MQZHpu-xDhjkgFIkhY6p8~ThptXBiajZVwIGeUH5XsCT8p-uvnsqsUizoC7Sy0BwyrFHGq4sZR1sT~N5EVc9ECsqw3-dqvD~plTW2fsEtUsdY2qlJALWXMFTY3pyIhoudXNm~XgZcTrFqpj6q8Yw8y4Ypb4I4esO1EqeHKTW9a0d9CLnKN~YA22M8tAMtoJ3jbAa9~726XBRztw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-05-07T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate on May 7 passed Senate Bill 5535, the budget bill establishing the Office of the Public Records Advocate as an independent agency.

Senator Anderson, who presented the bill on the floor, said the office promotes government transparency by educating public employees and members of the public about Oregon public records law and by offering assistance and dispute resolution. The office was created by the 2017 legislature and moved toward independence by later statutes; SB 5535 is the second biennial budget request submitted as an independent agency.

The Ways and Means committee approved a total budget of $1,172,941 in other funds for the office and included two positions (2.0 FTE), Anderson said. The Senate passed SB 5535 on a recorded roll call that produced 28 ayes; one senator was recorded as voting no.

Anderson said the office’s role includes training and resolving public records disputes on request and emphasized the committee’s unanimous support for the budget. “The office promotes government transparency through educating and training public employees and members of the public on requirements and best practices under Oregon public records law,” Anderson said.

SB 5535 will fund the office’s operations as an independent agency; the bill now moves through enrollment and any remaining steps necessary to finalize the appropriation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Chamber Convenes 05/07/2025 11:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Senators passed a budget bill making the Public Records Advocate an independent office with two positions and funding to support transparency work, including training and dispute resolution.","taxTitle","Senate, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",17189,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6246401,"Senate approves bill requiring local election filings to be posted online",177,3886000,4063000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3218082-6b57d70239f333061325d0ed480a8b8b&start=3886&end=4063","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3218082-6b57d70239f333061325d0ed480a8b8b/thumbnail_3886000.jpg","/articles/6246401/Oregon/Senate-approves-bill-requiring-local-election-filings-to-be-posted-online","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6246401-0871b53d3beea6b25cc6fdd33d6034fc/orig.mp4?Expires=1774281547&Signature=FC-CefgrrTvE9NgPflriLNenpl5OgEu4uQwVFU~e06vpR5Xq6Z-aoWWNsDZsGVeDUeQArdt55T5cLxRndE1InUt5pxb4IuTBtOEybL8JvSUdiEQFUwVNgt8NyamIOP3kdRfLSaUgwgU3jwa991bkjknFguRLWDNCbeDDocGzUcGg8WDNivXTdsz1galg3zZnvkX6FuuyhQGdtl8em2EX8GaOlGTDEsc1brmnx8dsEf4fgEmgx1cZS4UgaLlO6231iBQt4oUrC7H0VOnvhqBgG3JSmfrQrAgHkAciHNRxhvehonLorUz5vdogfGbQFFyxiBq6U1Jagfbf8T5DFIYPwA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oregon Senate passed Senate Bill 580 on May 7, a transparency measure requiring county and city election officials to publish candidate filings and declarations on their official websites within set timeframes.

Sponsor Senator Frederick said the bill addresses a public‑access gap for local elections: unlike statewide candidate filings that are available on ORESTAR, local candidate filings are not consistently posted online. “To solve this problem, Senate Bill 580 does two very simple things,” Frederick told the Senate: local election officials must post a candidate’s name and the office sought within five business days of filing, and the official must post the candidate’s declaration of candidacy within two business days after determining eligibility. Candidate withdrawals must also be posted within two business days. The bill exempts precinct committee person filings from the declaration posting requirement.

Frederick said the bill was amended after technical discussions with Portland elections staff and the Association of County Clerks and came out of committee on a 5–0 vote. “This bill serves the public interest of transparency and accessibility while also being simple and manageable for our cities and clerks,” Frederick said.

On a recorded roll call the bill passed with 29 ayes. The bill also provides that if an elections official does not post the information on a website, the official must provide the information upon request within five business days without forcing a formal public records request.

Supporters and municipal clerks worked with the sponsor to refine the language for large and small jurisdictions; the amendments the sponsor described were adopted before floor passage. The measure now proceeds to enrollment and subsequent steps in the legislative process.","Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 580, which requires city and county election officials to post candidate filings and declarations online within specified timeframes to improve transparency and ease public access.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6246406,"Senate passes expansion of System of Care Advisory Council after debate over lived‑experience requirements",191,4662000,4853000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3218082-6b57d70239f333061325d0ed480a8b8b&start=4662&end=4853","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3218082-6b57d70239f333061325d0ed480a8b8b/thumbnail_4662000.jpg","/articles/6246406/Oregon/Senate-passes-expansion-of-System-of-Care-Advisory-Council-after-debate-over-livedexperience-requirements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6246406-49b51c0087753cc479f4cf563c338252/orig.mp4?Expires=1774281547&Signature=kE8KjWgT1Jd068WFVLTFw4PHILaCdLK~-06vmcWOLVKpgMBWz~qR5p0H3Ua0VtkzrtVTrzTSy~pIw7dA9XHz5rtn9B08qN8fA1uVTHyOI~CgIvzShQlsa6YdMw9Qt7bfVVy1-zLFynyJ3WiWPoZxUpwvjkw6oBCHZBQmPlOl4M7ELwxM9YAsdAvnOMVL7dKcrt6PPcGrlFymzmENvW~Jrk~VkTIrZhhqejmzdUFABySKjOZMnTDZC~dtGeoczwFwVyKZbfW5WyZJPJggapLDuWDgeHrQnd2T0N4fQ4w0LH9GlCFE5IwN0e9tuSaX2I1bfx3rNWDEEOPWne3LCVPaOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oregon Senate on May 7 passed House Bill 2924 to expand and modify the membership of the System of Care Advisory Council, a body that advises state agencies on services for youth and families.

Sponsor Senator Reynolds said the bill increases the council’s capacity to advise on policy for youth ages 0 to 25 and raises public‑member representation of people with lived experience. “The council's goal is to improve the effectiveness and efficacy of child‑serving state agencies and the continuum of care that provides services to youth ages 0 to 25,” Reynolds said while introducing the measure. The bill passed on a recorded roll call with 27 ayes; the transcript records at least two no votes.

Senator Gelser Bluen, speaking in support, emphasized the importance of lived experience and urged the Legislature to ensure the council includes people from the intellectual and developmental disability community and family advocates. “It is important that all of the work that we do is informed by those with lived experience,” she said, and recommended organizations focused on youth and family advocacy as fitting sources for appointees.

Senator Hayden voiced explicit opposition, arguing that the bill removes statutory language that required at least two council members be youth who had been wards or adjudicated youth. Hayden said the original 2019 statute guaranteed peer support from youth who had been in the system and warned that the change erodes that guarantee. Hayden concluded by stating opposition to the measure for those reasons.

In floor discussion Senator Bonham said he supported increasing public participation overall but shared Hayden’s concern that the bill replaces more specific language about youth who were wards with broader wording such as “involved with,” which he saw as less protective of peer representation.

Senator Reynolds closed by reporting that the executive director of the System of Care Advisory Council, Anna Williams, had told him the updated language was intended to reduce stigma for youth who might be hesitant to self‑identify as wards while preserving lived‑experience representation.

The bill expands council membership and increases the number of public members under age 25; supporters characterized the change as making the council more inclusive, while opponents said it weakens a specific statutory peer requirement. The Senate passed the bill and it will be transmitted according to legislative process.","Lawmakers approved House Bill 2924 to expand Oregon's System of Care Advisory Council from 25 to 29 members and to alter membership language about youth with lived experience; supporters said it broadens representation, opponents said it weakens guaranteed peer representation.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6246411,"Senate confirms three governor nominees to lead state agencies",345,2640000,2985000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3218082-6b57d70239f333061325d0ed480a8b8b&start=2640&end=2985","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3218082-6b57d70239f333061325d0ed480a8b8b/thumbnail_2640000.jpg","/articles/6246411/Oregon/Senate-confirms-three-governor-nominees-to-lead-state-agencies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6246411-ea1137f53447c26dc37bbe4f4b24602c/orig.mp4?Expires=1774281547&Signature=WANSsIgDmbDk-K-8WpD8OAcXCvcYmpSn5w5qxL2Nw4GIdOKa55Y1mR8ced4-AiqsPY3LeQtlztyW~M-6~3C3~x3kHfbmrzJloa-heBBmz69AdEZQX8e6hL-WvgLhw0By2cpZw5F9BOHgq7ZzZLMS~Q6xdGgviJxA9JHqw0Qk1h1QlXrxSX5qcNRURjyDqPzKcRNMJiQdCYkgJq-tLmd7RLvTFApiTv58XuEWtPYfBnkw03plUVHpEjhq5kPat~S0OZx~P-sy2izXSQ6QHgZew4PF3fUyzZUJD7N9COorm9fvcqG9vdkFIJErysEYCaJHlPXEzhFso37bG2mW83cB3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oregon Senate confirmed three of the governor’s executive appointments on May 7, voting to place new leadership in several state agencies.

The Senate confirmed Betsy Eimholt as director of the Department of Administrative Services, Andrew Stolfi as director of the Employment Department, and David Gershenfeld as director of the Department of Revenue. Each confirmation was taken separately on the Senate floor; the recorded roll calls showed that Eimholt and Stolfi were confirmed with 28 ayes, and Gershenfeld was confirmed with 26 ayes.

Senator Jama, who moved each confirmation, introduced the nominees and cited their relevant experience. On Eimholt, Jama noted her 33 years in state government, including roles in the early learning division and the Department of Transportation, and said she holds a bachelor’s in public policy and a master of public administration.

Andrew Stolfi’s record was described as including service as director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services and insurance commissioner. Senator Jama told the Senate that Stolfi served in leadership roles at the International Association of Insurance Supervisors and has a legal background that includes work in Illinois government and courts.

David Gershenfeld’s credentials were reviewed on the floor as well. Senators cited his long tenure in state service, his role leading unemployment insurance and technology rollouts during the pandemic, and his work launching paid family leave Oregon. Senator Meek rose to endorse Gershenfeld, saying that his interactions had been “very professional, always engaging, and very responsive to any questions we have.”

Each confirmation will move the appointee into authority over the corresponding department pending formal commissioning and any required administrative steps.

Votes were taken by roll call for each nominee: Eimholt and Stolfi received recorded majorities of 28 ayes; Gershenfeld received 26 ayes on the recorded roll call.","The Oregon Senate confirmed Betsy Eimholt as director of the Department of Administrative Services, Andrew Stolfi as director of the Employment Department, and David Gershenfeld as director of the Department of Revenue.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6246415,"Senate approves Construction Contractors Board budget and $75 license fee increase",234,3253000,3487000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3218082-6b57d70239f333061325d0ed480a8b8b&start=3253&end=3487","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3218082-6b57d70239f333061325d0ed480a8b8b/thumbnail_3253000.jpg","/articles/6246415/Oregon/Senate-approves-Construction-Contractors-Board-budget-and-75-license-fee-increase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6246415-f9dd5409f54f1d9221dcfad9d6b540c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1774281547&Signature=HvKbMEC0j3~xeOm7pE0f90TXcThONtxwNeeu3WchiWSb3d44b~ln8tVZtBEK~2iXtAJozeIXMGPFWKyUChDHp9sfs~2r2ojF0wxUGGTAxGAjJOs-zc0DxE7gsLgcNXUWF3JZT3OoC~Vzjya2XgSlWuEu~ePiCVyPw~moOR1nRY~4RChPL6ed1VrjDejtltEQyh6LLLJgkFLrDykYO7j3rcj5LRQ6efZlyhzep28ONo8BrtPqrRz1h6eHtOlCC9wMwSd9I0sOaVUtLDOCTRhKo-pOaiZCpaXobGvm5KoVBXbvVsKpuruv2Hb4yrYQthhPsfThvn3LuxG32m81cAgmeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oregon Senate on May 7 approved a $23,375,802 budget for the Construction Contractors Board and ratified a $75 increase in the two‑year contractor license fee.

The measures—Senate Bill 5509, the board's budget bill, and Senate Bill 5510, which ratifies fee changes adopted by administrative rule—passed the Senate on third reading. SB 5509 passed on a recorded roll call that registered 25 ayes. SB 5510 also passed on final reading and was recorded as having received a constitutional majority.

Senator James Manning Jr., presenting SB 5509, told colleagues the joint committee on ways and means approved the board’s budget of $23,375,802 in other funds and called out funding for a licensing system replacement. “The budget includes one‑time funding, $1,500,000 and one part‑time limited duration position to complete the licensing system replacement project,” Manning said on the floor. He said the package provides for personnel and IT costs and listed an 8.7% increase over the current service level.

Manning also said the board’s budget reflects a planned $75 license fee increase for renewals effective July 1, 2024, and for new applicants effective July 1, 2025, an action that the budge bill assumed and that the legislature ratified in SB 5510. “The resulting $2,800,000 increase in revenue is assumed in the Construction Contractors Board budget bill, Senate Bill 5509,” Manning said during floor remarks.

Several senators declared potential conflicts of interest before votes. Senator Starr stated on the record that he is a CCB‑licensed contractor; Senator Thatcher also noted potential conflicts because family members are regulated by the board. Those declarations were entered into the record before the Senate proceeded to votes.

Senator Brian Bonham voiced a policy concern during debate, saying he found it “ironic” to raise the cost of general contracting while the chamber is discussing housing affordability. Bonham said the increase is modest per license but cautioned about cumulative costs. The Senate nevertheless approved both measures.

Clarifying details recorded during the hearing show the board requested 60 positions and identified a one‑time $1,500,000 allocation for the licensing system replacement; committee materials cited a license fee change that raises the two‑year renewable fee from $325 to $400. The Ways and Means committee recommended approval of SB 5509 and SB 5510.

SB 5509 and SB 5510 move forward to enrollment and, if enrolled and signed, will make the budget and fee ratification part of state law.","The Oregon Senate passed a budget for the Construction Contractors Board and ratified a fee increase that raises a two‑year contractor license from $325 to $400, measures sponsors said are needed to cover operating costs and IT upgrades.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate approves budget to establish independent Office of the Public Records Advocate

Senate approves bill requiring local election filings to be posted online

Senate passes expansion of System of Care Advisory Council after debate over lived‑experience requirements

Senate confirms three governor nominees to lead state agencies

Senate approves Construction Contractors Board budget and $75 license fee increase