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