Representative seeks limited waiver process so state agencies can request use of banned vendor platforms
Loading...
Summary
At a public hearing, sponsors and a TikTok representative urged a waiver process enabling state agencies to seek permission to use covered platforms for public information and constituent engagement; testimony cited examples and economic data. No committee vote was taken.
Co‑Chair Nathanson opened a public hearing on House Bill 3,684, which would allow a state agency to apply for and obtain a limited waiver from prohibitions that currently bar certain vendors and products from use on state information technology assets.
Representative Vanessa Hartman, sponsor, told the committee the bill does not roll back the 2023 covered‑vendor law but proposes a narrow waiver process so agencies can request permission when use of a covered product advances an agency mission, such as public safety communications or constituent outreach. ‘‘It doesn’t roll back the ban. It just simply allows agencies to apply, for a waiver to use platforms like TikTok and others when it directly supports their mission,’’ Hartman said.
Mia Noren, appearing on behalf of TikTok, described uses of the platform for civic engagement, small business promotion and public information. Noren said TikTok has more than 1.3 million monthly active users in Oregon and cited examples from other jurisdictions where agencies used the platform for road closure alerts, youth safety campaigns and emergency messaging. ‘‘These are just a few examples of the meaningful public interest driven uses of the platform,’’ Noren said.
Committee members asked for additional detail about the waiver’s scope, whether a granted waiver would be limited to a particular product or use and how frequently the platform is used for Amber Alerts and library communications. Noren offered to provide follow‑up materials and directed non‑sensitive supplemental information to committee staff for distribution.
League of support and process questions
Hartman and Noren said other states have implemented exemption processes for covered platforms and the bill’s sponsor named Washington, California, New Jersey, Nevada and others as having permissive or waiver approaches for some agencies. Committee members emphasized the bill’s language contemplates a limited waiver and oversight rather than an automatic blanket exception.
No vote or formal action was taken on HB 3,684 during the hearing; committee staff closed the public hearing and moved to the next item on the agenda.
