Chapter 946 Oregon Laws 2001

AN ACT

SB 457

Relating to elections; appropriating money; and declaring an emergency.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. (1) The Legislative Assembly finds that:

(a) All citizens of voting age in this state should be able to exercise their voting rights in a manner consistent with achieving the highest level of participation, understanding and accuracy as possible; and

(b) Results of the United States Census Bureau 2000 census indicate a growing language diversity among residents of this state.

(2) The Secretary of State, in consultation with county clerks and other county officials in charge of elections, shall study the need for and feasibility of supplying ballots or other voting materials in Spanish and additional languages other than English. The secretary shall consider the bilingual election requirements of the federal Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. 1973aa-1a. The study shall consider statutory and regulatory modifications that may be necessary to supply ballots or other voting materials in Spanish and additional languages other than English.

(3) The secretary shall report the findings of the study to the Seventy-second Legislative Assembly. If the study recommends supplying ballots or other voting materials in Spanish and additional languages other than English, the report shall contain specific recommendations for statutory modifications the secretary considers necessary.

(4) As used in this section, “voting materials” includes, but is not limited to, voter registration forms, voters' pamphlets and written instructions for voters.

SECTION 2. In addition to and not in lieu of any other appropriation, there is appropriated to the Secretary of State, for the biennium beginning July 1, 2001, out of the General Fund, the amount of $54,500, which may be expended for the purposes described in section 1 of this 2001 Act.

SECTION 3. This 2001 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2001 Act takes effect on its passage.

Approved by the Governor August 9, 2001

Filed in the office of Secretary of State August 9, 2001

Effective date August 9, 2001

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