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Senate updates Oregon State Bar statute language; changes 'member' to 'licensee' and lowers quorum
Summary
The Senate passed Senate Bill 166, which renames certain references in the Oregon State Bar Act (ORS chapter 9), lowers the Board of Governors quorum from two‑thirds to three‑fifths, and clarifies statutory references to judicially‑subject rules; the bill drew sustained floor questioning about nomenclature and committee review before passage.
Senator McLean carried Senate Bill 166 on the floor, saying the measure makes several technical and substantive updates to ORS chapter 9 (the Oregon State Bar Act). The bill replaces the term “member” with “licensee,” lowers the Bar Board of Governors quorum requirement from two‑thirds to three‑fifths (reducing the quorum from 13 to 12 for a 19‑member board), retains virtual participation and voting, and updates statutory references to the rules of the Oregon Supreme Court and the bar’s rules of procedure.
Several senators questioned the carrier about the bill’s practical effects and its tone. Senator Prozanski asked whether the bill simply swaps words; McLean agreed the change was primarily terminological but defended it as consistent with a recommendation from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Senator Kate Lieber said the change felt impersonal and “anti‑attorney,” while other senators raised humorous and rhetorical questions about whether the change would require edits to literature or affect taverns named “bar” near Oregon State University.
Senator McLean said the change does not alter who may practice law in Oregon or the licensing process and that many of the bar’s rules remain subject to ratification or review by the Oregon Supreme Court.
After floor colloquy and questions, the Senate voted to pass Senate Bill 166 A; the clerk declared the bill passed with a constitutional majority.
Votes at a glance: the clerk recorded 27 ayes; two senators were noted as voting nay during the roll call for the bill’s passage and several senators were excused for portions of the day as reflected in the public roll calls. The bill will proceed in the legislative process per Senate procedure.
