Article VIII. Legislative Activities

Section 1. Legislative activity of the Section, whether initiating legislation or taking positions in support or opposition of pending legislation shall be in compliance with Article 12 of the OSB Bylaws and these bylaws. The Section shall not represent to the legislature or any committee thereof a position or proposal or any bill or act as the position of the Section without the majority approval of the Section Executive Committee and the approval of the Board of Governors, except as provided otherwise  below.

Section 2. The Section shall submit proposals for new legislation, together with the full text of the proposals to the Public Affairs Director by April 1, or such date as the Public Affairs Director shall designate. The proposal shall indicate whether the Section requests that it be presented to the legislature under the sponsorship of the Oregon State Bar or of the Section. The Board of Governors will inform the Section whether the legislation should go forward under the sponsorship of the Section or under the sponsorship of the Bar, and whether it will be presented to the House of Delegates or the membership for approval. If the Board of Governors declines to submit the Section’s proposal for Bar-­‐sponsored legislation to the House of Delegates or the membership, any member of the Section may submit the matter to the House of Delegates or the membership in accordance with ORS 9.148(3) and (4) and Article 3 of the OSB Bylaws.

Section 3. During regular legislative sessions the Section Executive Committee may, by majority vote, tentatively approve a position in favor of or in opposition to any pending bill within its
general subject area. The proposal shall be submitted to the Bar’s Public Affairs Director or the Chair of the Board of Governors Public Affairs Committee. After receipt of the proposal, the chair of the committee shall have 72 hours to approve the position or to refer it to the entire Public Affairs Committee. If the chair or committee approves the proposal, the action then becomes an official position of the Section and representatives of the Section may testify or make other appropriate statements.

Section 4. When special need is demonstrated, the Public Affairs Committee may expedite the introduction of new Section bills or amendments. The Public Affairs Director shall be kept informed
about the status of Section legislative activity.