Senate Judiciary adopts technical amendments to SB 1556 and SB 1557 and sends both to the floor

The Senate Committee on Judiciary on Feb. 9 adopted technical amendments to two bills in work sessions and forwarded both to the Senate floor.

Staff summarized SB 1556 as a consolidation of rules for representation in the Oregon Tax Court Magistrate Division, clarifying which professionals may represent taxpayers (including real estate brokers, appraisers and tax preparers), removing duplicative language and specifying that the changes apply to proceedings beginning on Jan. 1, 2027 and take effect on the 90th day following sine die. Senator Thatcher moved to adopt the dash-2 amendment; the committee voice-voted the amendment into the bill and then approved a motion to send SB 1556, as amended, to the floor with a due-pass recommendation. Senator McLean agreed to carry the bill to the floor.

In a separate work session, staff reviewed SB 1557, which adjusts procedures for contempt filings, clarifies venue and terminology in contempt proceedings, allows courts to award prevailing-party attorney fees under ORCP 68, and changes confidentiality rules for parentage cases arising from assisted reproduction so they are confidential rather than sealed. The committee adopted the dash-7 amendments on a voice vote and voted to move SB 1557, as amended, to the floor with a due-pass recommendation.

Both bills were advanced by voice vote; the committee recorded individual 'aye' responses from several senators during the roll call portion of the work sessions. No fiscal impact was reported on the dash-2 for SB 1556; staff said there was no revenue and minimal fiscal impact for the dash-7 of SB 1557.

The committee closed the work sessions and shifted to scheduled public hearings later in the meeting.